Rogue Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book Seven)

by Brenda Trim

  "Oh…." Her response was lost when his lips claimed hers once again. Where his kisses had previously been gentle and coaxing, they were now dominant and insistent. They demanded her complete surrender with no stopping this time.

  She expected to have a moment of hesitation, but it never came. She had vowed vengeance against this male, and now would be a good time for that little voice in her head to speak up and remind her why this wasn't a good idea. Santiago was the absolute last person she should give herself to. Not only was he involved with her brother's death, but he was a Dark Warrior and she was a paid assassin. Not exactly a match made by the Goddess.

  None of her rational thoughts stopped the hunger that was building to a painful level. Her body thrummed with an energy that she had never felt with another male. At that moment, all she knew was she had to have him, every delicious inch.

  Breaking the kiss, she leaned back and looked him over, relieved to see that his bruises and cuts were completely healed. Her eyes snagged on the erection straining against the thin nylon fabric, telling her his body was fully prepared to sate her craving.

  "Take off the shorts," she ordered, getting to her feet.

  The mirth was back in his eyes. "Hungry, Tori?" The deep vibrato when he said her name was a sound that she would never forget. She had no doubt he held the key to every fantasy she'd ever harbored, and she wanted him to unlock that door.

  "Starving, got a cheeseburger round here?" She winked, licking her lips.

  He threw his head back and laughed at that. The sound of him so lighthearted and carefree was a gift, she thought. This wasn't a male who laughed often or freely. He was a warrior to his core and didn't leave room for much else.

  "I have something better. Take off your shoes," he ordered.

  When she kicked off her boots and reached for the button on her pants, he dropped his shorts to the ground. She smiled and swallowed hard, getting her first full look at his cock. She had known it was big, she'd felt it against her stomach and beneath her ass just now sitting on his lap, but she had no idea he was this big.

  It was enough to make her question if she could handle his enormous size. Eager to know the answer to that question, she let her pants hit the floor in the next second, leaving her in nothing but black silk panties.

  "That looks more lethal than the punches you throw in the ring."

  "You have no idea, dulzura, but you will," he teased, pouncing on her and making her fall back onto the sofa as he went to his knees at her feet. "Let me help you with those," he murmured, slipping a finger under the waist of her panties. Riiiiip. The sound of fabric tearing registered before a cool breeze met her heated core. Her insides quivered and sent responding wetness to reward him for his efforts.

  His finger traveled from her hip to the top of her slit and paused millimeters away from where she ached most. "You smell like a thunderstorm. I can see you are wet and ready for me." The masculine pride was unmistakable, but while he had reason to be proud, she was done with the chitchat.

  "You going to talk me to death?" she challenged, making him chuckle. She smiled and cupped his cheek, drawing his gaze while she lifted her hips, pressing against his palm.

  "Ah, ah, ah," he chided. Ignoring him, she continued grinding and rubbing, seeking friction between her legs.

  "Give it to me," she panted. He leaned forward, placing a tender kiss to her lips as he pressed her back into the sofa with his palm across her stomach.

  "Patience, dulzura."

  Closing her eyes as his finger pressed on her clit, she confessed, "I have none, and it's all your fault."

  He prowled up her body, his skin rubbing over hers, his hardness over her soft curves. Those gorgeous chocolate-brown eyes skimmed her body and electricity sparked through her bloodstream. "Where to start?" he moaned.

  His question was clearly rhetorical, as he lowered his head to her breast and teased first one hardened tip and then the other. She arched her back, pushing more of the sensitive skin into his greedy mouth. He growled as he devoured her flesh and she moaned her satisfaction. She needed more of him.

  Santiago levered himself over her, his muscles stark under his skin, reminding her he could turn into a wild animal on a moment’s notice. At times she saw more of his wolf than the male before her, and it turned her on. He was a predator and she enjoyed the glimpses of his true nature.

  His finger slid through her slit to her opening and back to her clit, spreading moisture along the way. Thoughts splintered as he licked south of her breasts, his rough tongue caressing her flesh. His breath puffed against the curls at the juncture of her legs. His shoulders nudged her thighs, urging her to spread them further. Letting them fall open, she gave him invitation.

  He parted her with his fingers, revealing her completely to his gaze. Without hesitation, he lowered his head and licked a path straight to her clit and suckled while his fingers teased her opening. Inserting first one finger and then another, he gently stroked in and out in rhythm with his tongue.

  Her abdomen quivered and her body tensed. "Don't stop," she begged.

  "Not a chance," he promised, his words vibrating against the engorged nub as a mini orgasm exploded through her body. It wasn’t nearly enough, and her hips began moving as fast as his tongue. He ravaged her feminine flesh with as much hunger as he had her breasts. When his finger pressed on a spot inside as he sucked on her clit, she closed her eyes against the stars bursting behind her lids.

  She shouted his name as pleasure wracked her body. He continued his attack, and she squeezed his head between her thighs, holding him in place while her body rode the intense orgasm. It was the best high ever as she clenched his digits, lost to the wave of pleasure.

  Her pants and heaving chest subsided, and his kisses traveled north when she released her grip, stopping to pay homage to her breasts, igniting her desire all over again.

  On bent knees, he pulled her to the edge of the couch so their lower bodies aligned, his cock hard and ready to plunge into her.

  "Are you sure, Tori? There's no going back after this."

  "Yes," she answered without hesitation. "Could you stop if I said no?"

  The head of his shaft rubbed against her clit, arousing her further. "I think I could convince you to say yes. I've been told I'm very persuasive," he murmured, running the tip through her slick channel. The underside of his cock slid against her flesh, using her moisture to lubricate his long shaft.

  "Very persuasive," she agreed, moaning when he hit a particularly sensitive spot. He positioned his hard length at her opening. Looking down, she followed his movement as he entered her welcoming body in slow measures. The sensations were heightened by watching the sensual act. Looking up, she saw his eyes were focused on her face.

  Time stood still in that moment. All she felt was her rapid heartbeat. Glowing brown eyes pierced her soul and wrapped it in loving arms that refused to let go. He grabbed her hips, pushing deeper into her body, never once looking away from her eyes.

  ”You’re mine now,” he growled as he began moving in earnest.

  Her eyes shut, allowing his possession to wash over her. He stretched and filled her almost to the point of pain, but it was an exquisite pain that she craved. She wanted this feeling to last forever, but knew it wouldn’t if she fulfilled her contract. She shoved that aside.

  Instead, she memorized every detail about him. His bronze, muscular body towering over her. His touch that caressed her body in a way she’d never experienced before. Those captivating eyes on a ruggedly handsome face that had been buried between her legs. And a sinful smile that told her he knew exactly how he made her feel.

  His masculine groan called her away from her musings as his hands explored her body. He latched on to her breasts as he pounded harder against her flesh. She arched into him as her hips met his thrusts with a claiming of their own. She wanted him to join her on this descent into euphoria.

  Grabbing his ass, she pulled him tight against her sex. Her climax
hit and he grew even bigger inside her, making movement difficult. The discomfort from his swelling was lost as pleasure took her under like a tidal wave. She was more than willing to drown in his claiming of her.

  A split second later pain scalded her chest and she screamed, grabbing her left breast. Looking down, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. A brand of a tribal lightning bolt appeared on her skin. What the fuck was going on?

  She pushed against his chest, trying to get him off her. "Stop, dulzura. I can't separate our bodies yet. Not until the swelling goes down."

  Meeting his gaze, she saw that he was also in pain. A quick glance revealed the same brand on his chest.

  There was no way this was happening to her. Disbelief coursed through her. "What's wrong with you? Make the swelling go away and get off me."

  "I can't make it go away. Shifters swell when they have sex with their Fated Mates. We have to wait. Are you okay?"

  "No, I’m not okay. I am seriously freaking out here," she practically yelled at him. She shouldn't be mad at him; it wasn't as if he had known they were mates or done this on purpose.

  Although looking back, she should have known by the way she felt and acted around him. This was the reason she hadn't been able to kill him from the beginning.

  The swelling eased enough for him to pull out, and she jumped up, separating their bodies. She had to get out of there and wrap her mind around this turn of events. She shoved her legs into pants and pulled her shirt over her head, then grabbed her shoes and bra as she ran toward the door.

  "Stop, Tori. Wait," Santiago called after her. "We need to talk about this."

  "No, we don't," she replied, and was out the door and working her way through the crowd before he could dress and catch up with her.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The brush stroked blue over the canvas and Tori stepped back to appraise her work. She'd been trying to create a beach scene, but all she saw was a splattered tantrum from a three-year-old. Setting that canvas to the side, she put a new one up. Trying to forget about her mate wasn't working, so she decided to paint his magnificent wolf.

  Exchanging her palette for browns, she drew the outline of the animal, telling herself it was okay to think about the wolf instead of the man. Of course, that was idiotic. Wolf and man were the same being, but when she thought of the man every mixed emotion came rushing to the surface.

  When her strokes began mimicking the anger she felt toward Santiago, she returned to thinking about his wolf. Shifters could transform into any animal within their species, but always had the same color fur and eyes. Brown streaked across the canvas, the gentle slope of the wolf's back, taking shape beneath her brush.

  She pictured Santi shifting into a little brown puppy and had to laugh. She doubted the solemn male would shift into anything as playful as a puppy. He was far too focused on his mission to protect the world. She'd sensed enough from him to know that his life revolved around remaining focused on the mandate from the Goddess, even if it was somewhat skewed.

  The worst part was that he didn't see how far off the path he had gone. He was a Dark Warrior whose focus should have been the demons and skirm, not the criminals in the realm. It had been a shock to learn that the Vampire King had placed Santiago and his partner in the Seattle police department until she realized how much sense it made. Skirm victims were always human, and he needed a cover-up group in the human justice system.

  Realm criminals should be left to realm police, and she saw the reasoning behind it. Dark Warriors were used to eliminating their enemies, not waiting for judge and jury to decide their fate. Why did Santiago have to cross this boundary? Her brother would still be alive if he hadn't. The sad part was, not only had he taken a life, but he'd ruined his own in the process.

  Anger and grief swamped her, causing her eyes to fill with tears. Her brush moved automatically, focusing intently on getting those chocolate-brown eyes just right. She switched her large brush out for a smaller one and went to work. The eyes of the man came to life, pinning her with his seductive gaze, and she groaned her frustration. Tossing the brush into the can of water, she gave up. Clearly, this wasn't working.

  Brushing her long hair off her face, grief over Miguel threatened to engulf her once again and drag her under. Wrapping her arms around her middle where the pain was the worst, she looked around the spare bedroom she had turned into her studio. She had chosen this room in the house because it had the best natural lighting.

  A realm contractor had added built-in shelving where she kept her painting supplies. As she moved, she nearly slipped on the drop cloth laid over the hardwood floor. She really needed her studio so she didn't have to keep worrying about getting paint anywhere. Not to mention how crowded it was in the room. She could barely move with all the canvases and easels, and there was nowhere to properly store or display her finished products.

  Retrieving her cell phone from the table, she typed a text message, 911MTBW, to her best friend, Brittany. That was their code for “male trouble, bring wine.” She was the only person who could help Tori out of this funk.

  Brittany had dated Miguel a long time ago, and while there hadn't been a love connection between the two, Tori had gotten a best friend out of the deal, and they shared everything with each other. As a vampire, Britt didn't understand the whole Valkyrie requirement of being an assassin and definitely didn’t want her doing the job.

  She recalled how she had patiently explained to her best friend that she needed to learn the skills required to do Freya’s bidding. Her goddess wasn’t forgiving so the Valkyrie’s first leader had established the Assassins’ Guild. Unfortunately, every Valkyrie was forced to serve in the Guild for a hundred years so they were efficient at what Freya wanted them to do without being killed again.

  None of her fellow Valkyrie wanted to have Freya take their lives for failing her, so no one had objected centuries ago when the Guild was formed, and now there was no option except service. After Tori had explained the reason behind learning the skills, and the consequences if she didn’t, Brittany supported her efforts, and had even been there after her first case. In fact, it had been Brittany who had convinced her to suck it up, and moving forward investigate her marks more thoroughly before accepting any contract.

  Without Brittany, Tori would probably be as coldhearted as most Valkyrie. It was easier to shut down and close yourself off than it was to look at the fatal mistake you had made and own up to it. But with Brittany's help, that was exactly what Tori was able to do. She was not only the best assassin around but also the only one with any moral standards.

  Turning to leave the room, she caught sight of the painting she had been working on. Without realizing it, she had perfectly captured Santiago's wolf, from the slight variations in his chocolate fur to his massive paws. What snagged her attention most, and brought the image to life, was the eyes. Santiago had such expressive eyes no matter what form he was in. There were no hidden secrets between them when she looked into his deep brown eyes.

  Pounding sounded from her front door, and she raced out to let in her friend. Flipping the dead bolts, she twisted the knob, and Brittany practically fell into her arms.

  "I'd have been here sooner, but the new guy at the liquor store was fine as hell. I ain't gonna lie. I gave him my number. Don't judge me," Brittany said by way of greeting. She had several paper bags and a large pizza box that she handed over to Tori.

  It was not a surprising turn of events; her best friend was gorgeous. Legs for miles, long blonde hair, and blue eyes. Males were always hitting on her wherever they went. Even when she was dressed in her workout gear like she was at the moment. She had likely been at the gym and left the minute she got Tori's text.

  What really made Brittany so beautiful was she didn't have to be perfectly coiffed all the time. She was just as confident and flirty wearing a tank top and capri leggings without an ounce of makeup, and her hair pulled into a ponytail as she was when she was dressed to the nines to go out for
the night.

  Tori grabbed the pizza box before Brittany dropped it on the floor. "Damn, girl, how much wine did you buy?"

  "A lot. First of all, I had to keep buying so I could talk to him, and second, I didn't know how much wine was needed. Is this a one- or ten-bottle problem? You didn’t specify," she stated as they entered her small kitchen.

  Tori set the pizza on the island and turned, grabbing two of her nice plates and crystal wine glasses. If they had been at Brittany's house they'd be eating off paper plates and drinking from Solo cups, but whether it was a sandwich or a seven-course meal, Tori preferred using the good stuff. For some reason, it made the meal an event.

  "Unless they started selling wine by the vat, we don't have enough," she replied, opening the box. The scent of herbs, garlic, and cheese greeted her and her mouth watered. She placed a slice of the Italian sausage, jalapeño, and mushroom pie on her plate, smiling at the sight. One of the first meals she had shared with Britt had been this combination of pizza. She had been reluctant because jalapeño on a pizza seemed wrong, but in the end had agreed to give it a try and was glad that she had.

  "Do I need to go back home and grab a shovel? I hope this merlot is good, Scott recommended it. Goddess, he had the finest ass," Britt commented as she shook her head, making her ponytail fly around.

  Pulling the cork free, Brittany poured two glasses of the wine, and Tori couldn’t help but laugh. That was Britt, ready to bury whoever had upset her best friend. She would put a male six feet under for her and not think twice about it.

  "If I wanted him dead, he'd be dead. I never miss." The truth in her words had Tori's heart racing. There was a time that she’d wanted nothing more than to see Santiago dead and buried. Shit, she even took a case from a questionable source to get paid for doing it. Had all that changed?