by Brenda Trim
"There's a difference when you're talking about killing someone you have slept with, and yeah, I can smell the sex on you, chica. So, what's going on?" Brittany picked up her glass and plate and stuffed the bottle under her arm, heading for the sofa.
Tori followed, considering how to begin. "You remember those Dark Warriors I told you about? The ones that came here asking about Miguel after he died?" Sitting on the opposite end of her tan microfiber sofa, Tori curled one leg under and took a sip of her wine. "This is great wine, by the way. Scott has good taste, and not just because he wants to see you again."
Covering her mouth with her hand while she swallowed her food, Brittany replied, "It is good." She held up her own glass. "And how can I forget about those males? From your description, they were both delish. Have they been back? And you didn't invite me? I told you I wanted to be here if they returned."
Tori rolled her eyes at her friend, sitting back against the cushions. "No, they haven't been back, but I have seen one of them. The one I was investigating."
Brittany was in the process of taking a bite of her pizza when Tori dropped that little nugget, and her eyes went wide. "Oh my Goddess! Is he the one you slept with? He is, isn't he?"
Tori held up her hand, finishing off her slice. "It's a complicated and long story."
"So, go back to the beginning. I remember you telling me that something he had said about your brother made you suspicious and that you were going to investigate him. What happened after that? Did you find something out?"
Tori ran her finger around the edge of her glass and watched her friend eat her pizza. She took a big gulp of wine and finished the glass then refilled her glass to the rim. "Yeah, I looked into him. Long story short, a drug dealer hired me to kill him and in my oh-so-elaborate plan to get him alone, instead of taking his head, I let him give me the best orgasm of my life."
Brittany choked on her pizza before spitting it out and screaming, "Holy shit! You were supposed to kill him? And you ended up fucking him? Now, that’s classic!"
The blush burned up her neck and across her cheeks. Tori held up her index finger, stopping her friend from saying anything else. "Wait, I’m not done. It gets even better." She sat forward and pulled her v-neck top down, exposing the upper part of her chest and the brand on her skin. "He's my fucking Fated Mate."
Brittany fell off the sofa, spilling her wine all over the paisley area rug. The look on her friend's face was too priceless to be upset that the wine was going to ruin her rug. "What. The. Fuck. Didn't see that one coming. No wonder you said we didn't have enough wine. Come here, let me see that. I've never actually seen a mate mark in this stage. My parents had been mated forever before they had me."
Brittany reached out as if she was going to touch it, then dropped her hand. "Ouch, that looks like it hurts like a bitch. I didn't realize it started as an actual brand."
Tori ran a finger lightly over the lightning bolt, which had been aching for hours. "It felt like someone shoved a hot poker into my flesh at first. We were both just, um, you know, at the best part when it appeared, so it cut that pleasure short, yet intensified it at the same time. Anyway," she said, waving that thought away, "I had no idea this was what happened, either. My parents didn't tell me about this at all. I guess they figured the mating curse was never going to be broken so why talk about it. I am flying completely blind here."
Brittany went to the kitchen and grabbed another bottle of wine and a towel before returning to the living room. "My parents didn't talk about it a lot, either, but I know your mate completes you. How does it feel to want your Fated Mate dead? I've never heard of that happening, but I guess there’s always a first for everything. The real question is, what are you going to do now? And how does he feel?" she asked, placing the towel over the spilled wine.
"That’s the problem," she complained, finishing her second glass of wine and grabbing the next bottle. "He never denied killing Miguel, and I hate him for that, but there is this part of me that is drawn to him like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I tried several times to kill him, but I could never pull the trigger. The first time, I ended up dancing with him; the second time, I ended up making out with him; and this time, I ended up sleeping with him," she shared while she twisted the corkscrew before pulling it free. Pouring herself another glass, she handed the bottle to her friend.
Brittany refilled her glass and took a sip. "I can see where the confusion comes in. I'm going to play devil's advocate here, so hear me out."
"I wish you wouldn't," Tori interrupted.
"I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't. Anything you do from here on out will have a major impact on the rest of your life, and I refuse to sit back and let you do something you'll regret. First, he gets points for telling the truth. That couldn't have been easy on him. Did he tell you why he killed Miguel?"
Anger, confusion, and understanding bombarded her, forcing her to be more honest than she would have liked. "He said that he caught Miguel selling Angel's Kiss and didn't mean to kill him. I saw the remorse in his eyes when he talked about wanting to teach him a lesson when he injected the drugs into his system. He said he never meant to kill him, and I believe him, but I don't think I can ever forgive him for what he did."
Brittany grabbed her hand and squeezed. "Wow, did you know Miguel was selling drugs?"
Tori shook her head. "I had no idea. I still can't believe he would do something like that. At first I thought Santiago was lying about that, but now I can't help but wonder. He was fighting the guy who hired me, Von, at the fight club, and Von all but admitted it."
Brittany let go of her hand, gesturing wildly with her hands, her glass of wine nearly spilling again. "So what is your mate: a Dark Warrior, a fighter, or what?"
Tori laughed at her friend's shock. "He is a Dark Warrior. Well, I heard he was kicked out of Zeum after he killed Miguel. Apparently, the Vampire King didn't care for it too much. Anyway, he has been fighting in the fight club for a while now. He said he does it to let off steam and get information, but I called bullshit. He's got some internal shit riding him pretty hard." She hated the thought of the shadows she saw in Santiago's eyes, the doubt she sensed he had about his worth.
"I know that look, girlfriend. You want to go to him and kiss it all better," her friend teased. "So bottom line, Tori. What are you going to do?"
"That's why you're here. To tell me what to do. Because I honestly have no fucking idea," she admitted.
Brittany set her glass down and took Tori's, setting it next to hers. Gathering both of her hands, Britt took a deep breath. Tori had the feeling she wasn't going to like what her friend was going to say. "I'm not going to tell you what to do." Tori was right, she didn't like it. "This is too major a decision for me to tell you anything other than you can't kill him, even if he is a jackass."
"He's not a jackass," she defended automatically. "He's a hero. I saw him jump into a fight where he was outnumbered to save a female who looked like she was already dead. He was severely injured, but he carried her all the way to the clinic and made sure they treated her first."
"Sounds like you have feelings for the male. You have some difficult decisions ahead of you, Tori. Just know that I will be here to help every step of the way. And the offer for the shovel still stands," Britt said, making her laugh. "What you ultimately need to answer is whether you can forgive him for his part in Miguel's death. If you can't, you're going to set a realm record as the first Fated Mates to live apart."
That was the crux of her issue and simply hearing her friend mention living apart had her chest aching with something other than grief. She didn't think she could live without her mate, but the alternative was living with him. Could she do that?
CHAPTER TEN
Shoving a french fry in his mouth and chasing it with a sip of his milkshake, Santiago looked out the windshield at the latest visitor to Von's office. It had been two days since he'd seen Tori and they'd learned they were Fated Mates. For the millionth time,
he wondered where her head was at. Based on the way she’d run from the fight club and hadn't made contact, he'd say she wasn't happy about being his mate.
As if echoing the ache in his soul, his mating brand throbbed with intensified pain. The mark had been driving him crazy since it appeared, and the pain was only getting worse. He'd never heard of mates being able to deny one another and live apart, but he supposed with the way his life was going he was bound to learn exactly how painful that would be.
To say he'd done a lot of soul-searching was an understatement. With everything that had fallen apart in his world, it was impossible not to. The only thing he'd come to any conclusion on was that Tori and Gerrick might be right about the fight club.
Granted, he'd started going there for an outlet and to get information about Angel's Kiss, but it wasn’t what kept him going back. If he was honest with himself, the biggest lure was the crowd's reaction to him. For once, he was the center of attention and was praised for his skills.
It was completely juvenile and ridiculous to need that at all. It wasn't as if the Dark Warriors hadn't appreciated his skills as a warrior and as a male. Unfortunately, he hadn't realized that until the past couple days. It was his insecurities that had pushed him deeper into the fight club than he should have allowed.
The reality of the life of a Dark Warrior meant they didn't sit around stroking each other’s egos. They always had his back whenever shit went down. They had enough faith in him to call on him for important missions and looked to him for input and feedback. He had been taken into Zeum and was made part of the family they had formed.
It was his father's words replaying in his head about his useless power over the weather that was still impacting his life, not his fellow warriors. Not one of them had ever said, or even implied, that they thought his ability was laughable. He had simply lost sight and allowed the negative mental tape of his past to override what was right before him.
He was pissed for allowing it to take over. Hell, it was made even worse by the fact that he had found his Fated Mate and he couldn't share the good news with his best friends, his family.
They would undoubtedly have advice for him right now. Each one of the warriors had been through their own set of challenges with their mates and had been able to overcome them.
He could go back . They would take him in, but he refused to serve time in the dungeon for an unfortunate event. He wasn't guilty of murder and didn't deserve to be confined to that place. He needed to be out on the streets dealing with skirm, demons and the likes of Von.
Taking a bite of his cheeseburger, he made a note on his tablet about the latest visitor to Von's office. He was too far away to tell anything about the male. He doubted it was the supernatural responsible for making the drug. The guy had arrived in a van, wore tattered jeans, and was carrying a five-gallon jug of what looked like water over his shoulder. He imagined whoever was responsible for making a drug that was taking over the realm had a higher position than performing such a menial task.
Three more males arrived and went to the van, and each carried in a jug of their own. Damn, Von must be a thirsty motherfucker, Santi thought. Maybe that was why he sweated so much. His instincts screamed at him that these males weren’t delivering water. Angel’s Kiss was liquid. Perhaps, that’s what was in those jugs. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to sense anything distinctive from his vantage point.
The passenger door of his Hummer opened, startling him. He had his gun out and poised before he blinked. "Is that any way to greet your mate?" Tori asked with a smirk as she retracted her wings before climbing onto the leather seat. He loved the sight of those black wings. It reminded him of who, and what, she was. Plus, he recalled how much she had liked him stroking the area between them.
"Some detective you are," she continued without pause. "I can't believe you didn't hear me. I wasn't exactly in stealth mode. I expected more from a Dark Warrior."
The tight ball of tension that had been gnawing at his gut for two days unfurled as her voice and scent filled the interior of his Hummer. A smile broke out over his face and he turned to address his female. "I like hearing you say mate. In my defense, I don't typically sit and do nothing. I usually charge in, blades at the ready, when I hunt skirm. Now I know why so many human cops are fat. All I've been sitting here doing for the past few hours is eating."
Picking up his shake, she took a drink, her nose wrinkling in an adorable fashion. He had the urge to kiss the end of that nose, but unsure of her reception, he remained in place. "Vanilla, not my favorite. I prefer chocolate, but I see you finally got that cheeseburger. And what exactly are you doing sitting outside Von's office? Didn't get enough the other night?" she rambled, unaware of how sexy she was.
He'd been eating nothing but cheeseburgers since she'd asked for one. His eyes went immediately to her captivating dark green ones, and he was helpless as they took the rest of her in. Her long black hair was twisted into a hot mess that he wanted to sink his fingers into. She wore very little makeup but didn’t need it. A slight color to her eyelids and some gloss to full lips he craved to kiss, and she was a stunning sight.
As if his cock hadn't reacted to her voice and scent, it went rock-hard the instant he noticed the tight black T-shirt and pants she had on. She could be wearing a potato sack and he would react just as strongly, because he remembered every curve to her sexy body.
Her lush bosom fit perfectly in his palm and her firm ass deserved to be molded in plaster and displayed in a museum. His favorite part of her body was her small, delicate feet, the right of which displayed a dragonfly tattoo. He wanted to lay her across his bed and kiss every inch, starting with that blue and purple tattoo and finishing with the brand at her breast.
Needing a distraction before he stripped her bare in the front of his H3, he grabbed a few fries, popping them in his mouth. "This isn't about the fight. That's all in the past. I don't know if I'm ever going back there, which is why I'm sitting here. I still don't know who Von works for and I'm here hoping for clues. By the way, did you fly here?"
Picking up his cheeseburger, she took a bite. "You shouldn't go back there. You're better than that," she mumbled around the food. Anyone talking with a full mouth should be repulsive, but this female had him wound so tight he found that a turn-on, too. "I drove. That’s my baby right over there,” she added, looking over her shoulder through the back window of his vehicle.
He looked in his rearview mirror and spotted a candy-apple-red Ferrari glistening in the moonlight. It was a 250 GTO and in pristine condition. “Sweet, is that ’64?”
“No, I bought that in ’62, the year it was made. Only 50,000 miles on it,” she boasted, taking another bite of his burger. “At least you picked some good food to keep you occupied. Have you learned anything useful?"
Unable to stop himself, he held a french fry to her mouth. She paused for a second, then opened, and he popped it inside. Her tongue darted out and swiped across his fingers, and she held his gaze as she did it.
Groaning, he closed his eyes against the temptation to pounce on her sexy ass. "Just that Von is one thirsty sonovabitch. Bunch of males arrived carrying large bottles of water."
"Hmmm, that's odd. He does have this huge fish tank in his office. Maybe it’s saltwater for that." Every protective instinct he had stood on end hearing she had been alone in his office.
His gut told him that she wasn't safe in the presence of that male, but no way was he going to say anything to her about that. It was very clear to him that she was an independent female who wouldn't take well to being placed in the cocoon of protection he wanted to wrap her in. She was a Valkyrie assassin, he reminded himself, and could take care of herself.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, wondering if she had been following him. "Stalking me again?"
She chuckled, mirth obvious in her eyes. "I'm here to meet with Von. Why? Afraid I'm still going to kill you?"
Tossing a fry at her, he smiled. "Actually, no, I'm not.
You couldn't kill your mate. That's why I'm still alive."
"Please don't joke about that right now." There was something in her voice that told him it had been a tough couple days for her, too.
Grabbing her hand, he brushed a kiss over the back of it. The contact had him gritting against the pain in his mating brand. "I didn't mean anything by it. Last thing I want to do is upset you again." She had a tendency to run off, and he didn't want her to.
She was shaking her head as she glanced down, but didn't try to withdraw the hand he still held. "Look, I don't want you to get your hopes up. I don't know what will happen between us."
He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her they were going to get through this, that there was no other option, but he couldn't. He wasn't surprised to hear her words, but that didn't stop his chest from constricting. Hell, he hadn't been looking for a mate, either, but on the rare occasion he allowed himself to think about the idea, he’d liked it. "I'll make you a deal. I promise not to get my hopes up if you promise not to rule us out altogether."
There was a spark back in her eyes as she looked at him. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you for killing Miguel, but I won't make a final decision just yet."
Kissing her hand again, he relished the hope she had given him. It wasn't over yet. "That's all I ask. That you give us a chance before you shut me out completely."
She withdrew her hand, opened her door, and stepped outside his Hummer. A streetlight illuminated her wings as they extended, reminding him of the power she carried. "Will you let me know how the meeting goes?" he asked.
She considered his request then replied, "Sure, put your number in my phone," she said, handing him her cell. He input the digits and gave it back to her with a wide grin. She looked at him curiously before shutting the door. He watched the sway of her hips as she walked away. Damn, he was one lucky sonovabitch to have been blessed with such an exquisite female.
*****
Tori looked down at her phone and chuckled as she crossed the parking lot. Santiago had entered his name as Fated Mate in her phone. As if she needed the reminder. It had been all she'd thought about for two days. She and Brittany had consumed way too many bottles of wine, but she was no closer to an answer regarding Santiago. She had decided she needed more information about her brother.
