Nicole (The Mate Series) Book #1

by Teresa Gabelman

  Nicole’s grin grew, but before she could say anything, Mike walked over. “Hey, everything okay?”

  “Peachy.” Jill smiled, taking another drink of water.

  “You girls done yet?” Nicole’s instructor, Rob, called out. “If you need more time, that’s fine.”

  Nicole glanced at Lana who gave her a nod. “Mike, you may want to clear the floor,” Lana said as Nicole, Jill, Tessa, Pam, and Katrina walked out onto the floor.

  “Just make sure you let us know if you need another break. I’m sure our training is a little more intense than what you’ve done before,” the guy who was working with Jill said in a loud tone. “We’re not used to working with women.”

  “Well hell, Quinn, that’s a shame.” Jill’s voice was so sweet it sounded as fake as it was supposed to. “The poor women of the world are missing out on your expertise.”

  “We’ve trained with the VC Warriors,” Tessa added with a smug look. “Have you heard of them?”

  “Yeah, that’s what Mike was telling us, but honestly, a lot of what you all have learned hasn’t been quite, ah how should I say—”

  “Just spit it out there, Quinn,” Jill urged him, her eyes narrowing slightly.

  “Effective,” he finished, then frowned. “I mean no offense. I’m sure they’ve toned it down some for you all.”

  “You mean, dumbed it down for us women folk?” Pam cocked her eyebrow at Quinn.

  Nicole was taking a lot in. Something that Damon had always taught her. Remain calm. Watch reactions, body language so you’re ready when the time comes and by the looks of it, time was coming. The guy working with Tessa was making her a little nervous. He didn’t say much and had very intense body language. There was an almost threatening vibe from him.

  “Now don’t go putting words into my mouth.” Quinn grinned, making his handsome face beam. And he was very handsome, but his condescending attitude toward them was not attractive in the least.

  “Okay, so we’re going to work on striking first.” Rob waved over the guy working with Katrina to demonstrate. “As soon as Joe flinches any part of his body, I make the first move.”

  Quinn’s loud gasp and moan had them all looking that way. He went to his knees holding his throat.

  “Like that?” Jill asked innocently, then stared wide-eyed at Rob. “Ah, he flinched.”

  Nicole tried to cover her chuckle but didn’t quite manage it. Rob shot her a glare before dismissing her to look back at Jill. “How about we wait until I finish demonstrating?”

  “Oh, okay.” Jill reached down to help Quinn up, but he shrugged her off, standing on his own. His hand stayed on his throat. “Sorry about that.” She sounded anything but sorry.

  Rob continued. “Even though you’re a vampire, going against a male vampire is still going to be a disadvantage for you.” He walked over and stood in front of Nicole. “Surprise is your best defense.”

  “Isn’t surprise the best defense for anyone, male or female?” Nicole asked, knowing the answer because it was common sense.

  “You would think that,” Rob replied, then cleared his throat and dipped his brows.

  “I mean, I would think that most would think that,” Nicole said, then glanced at the women, who were all nodding.

  Rob ignored her and continued on, breaking them up with the same partners. “So when we make any type of move, you strike. If we block, you do pushups.”

  “And if we strike?” Jill asked as she cranked her neck back and forth, loosening up.

  “Ah, well… we do the same,” Rob said above the chuckles of the other men.

  Nicole stood ready, remembering what Damon and the other Warriors had taught them. Watch the shoulders. From there a person could see movement from anywhere on their opponent’s body. Rob moved his foot only slightly, and Nicole dropped to the ground in a fast motion sweeping his feet out from under him. Once again, Rob lay flat on his back.

  With a proud grin, she glanced around and saw the other men either on the floor or holding their throats, and Katrina’s guy’s nose was gushing blood.

  “Looks like pushups for you guys.” Tessa grinned proudly.

  As her eyes went to Tessa, she saw her guy glaring as he lifted his foot. Before Nicole could call out a warning, Tessa went flying across the room and into the wall, crumbling to the floor. Nicole saw red as she sprung into action.

  “You son of a bitch!” Nicole growled as she launched herself at him. Never had she lost control, but after the few days she’s had and seeing Tessa flying across the room, it was too much. Way too much.

  As soon as she hit the vampire, she knew she may have a little disadvantage because it was like hitting a brick wall. Switching her mind away from negativities, she wrapped her body around his. Being on his back, she tried to choke him out, but he wasn’t having any of it. Loosening one of her hands, she punched him in the side of the head, trying to get him to expose his neck so she could choke him, but nothing fazed him.

  He reached up, grabbing a fistful of hair, flipping her over his head and onto the mats. In a blink of an eye, he was straddled on top of her rearing back his hand, and then he was gone. Sitting up quickly, she glanced only to see Jill give her a thumbs-up.

  “Stop!” Mike bellowed, but no one was listening. Not even Nicole, but she did look his way, and that was a mistake as she felt herself being picked up.

  “You still want to play with the big boys?” the man sneered up at her since she was almost over his head.

  Preparing to be thrown, Nicole narrowed her eyes at him. “Boy is right, asshole.”

  The strength and power of this man were definitely a little intimidating, but she braced herself, knowing she was about to hit a concrete wall. Someone grabbed hold of her, pulling Nicole into their body as soon as they made impact, taking most of the blow. Concrete dust and chips floated around them as they hit the floor.

  “Are you okay?” Damon’s voice growled as he turned her to him. His eyes were black as night, his mouth a slash of rage across his face. “Nicole?”

  She nodded as her attention was pulled away from Damon to an inhuman roar. “Which motherfucker is about to die?” Jared rose from Tessa, who was still trying to shake off being kicked into the wall.

  “I’m fine.” Tessa worked her shoulder, but cried out. Slade was by her side, but his eyes were on the vampires, ready to defend if necessary.

  “Me,” the man said, cranking his neck back and forth. “I’m the one who put your bitch down.”

  “Oh shit,” Nicole whispered, moving closer, but Damon stopped her. “Actually, she put you down first, asshole, and your pride got in the way.”

  A grin, not quite reaching his eyes, broke across Jared’s face. “Is that right, babe?”

  “Yeah.” Tessa groaned as Slade snapped her shoulder back into place. “And I could do it again, but this time I’ll watch for his sneak attack.”

  Everyone was silent as they watched Jared stalk toward the man. His head tilted, staring at him. “That would be entertaining to see.”

  A few growls erupted, but Nicole remained still, knowing that there was no way Jared was going to allow Tessa to fight this man.

  “Nah,” Jared said as he lifted his foot and thrust-kicked the man through the concrete wall and out into the parking lot. “Maybe next time.”

  Sid and Steve rushed through the hole after Jared. The rest of them remained. Glancing up at Damon, Nicole cringed, waiting to get her ass chewed. But that didn’t happen.

  “So, are you learning things?” Damon cocked his eyebrow at her.

  “Ah, yeah.” Nicole hesitated with her answer.

  “Good, what have you learned?” Damon continued, not changing his expression.

  “Um, that what you all have taught us works.” Nerves flickered in her stomach thinking these were trick questions.

  Damon gave a nod, then walked out in the middle of the mat and glanced at Quinn. “You.” He pointed and waved him over. Then he reached out and pulled Nicol
e in the middle of the mat. “As long as this is fair, you will live,” he told Quinn.

  “Hey, that’s my guy.” Jill put her hands on her hips. “I want a shot at him.”

  Damon pushed Quinn away, then waved toward Rob who walked over. “Same goes. Fair and you live.”

  “What are you doing?” Nicole looked up at Damon, shocked.

  “Giving you what you want.” Damon stepped back with his arms crossed. “Go.”

  Nicole looked from Damon to Rob, who looked as shocked as she was. Her eyes went directly to his shoulders before she stood in her fight stance. And that’s when all hell broke loose.

  Chapter 19

  As soon as Rob made a movement, Nicole struck, knocking him back with a thrust kick. She spun with a high kick to his head, but he countered with a block. She backed off slightly, focusing only on her opponent and not the background noise or her own thoughts of what the hell was going on. Damon was actually letting her spar with this vampire. Wanting to do him proud, she shot in but missed her mark when he moved quickly out of the way as he landed a solid punch to her cheek.

  Gasp and growls echoed throughout the room, and her eyes briefly sought Damon’s. He stood there still as stone staring at her. His eyes were still black, but there was something else there also. Pride. He was proud of her. Opening her mind to him, she heard him loud and clear.

  “You want this, then take it.” Damon’s voice rose inside her mind. “If you don’t, I’m stepping in and killing the son of a bitch.”

  “No!” her mind screamed back as her eyes once again locked on Rob who didn’t look so arrogant anymore. “I’ve got this.”

  “Good, remember everything you’ve been taught. Look for his weakness.” Damon’s voice faded, and she knew he was leaving her mind so she could focus. They didn’t talk to each other this way often because it left them vulnerable to others.

  She knew Rob’s weakness, as well as the other men like Quinn, especially the asshole with Tessa. Their pride. “Is that all you got?” she hissed at Rob, not even acknowledging she had been hit.

  Rob’s eyes opened wide for only a second, then narrowed. He swung out quickly, but Nicole was ready and ducked as she moved in to uppercut him right under the chin, sending him sailing in the air and onto his back. He jumped up as soon as he hit the floor, flying toward her, but she caught his arm, pulled him into her and flipped him over her head. The momentum sent her down with him, but she had enough composure to lock his arm into an armbar. Using her hips, she shot them toward the ceiling, bending his elbow the wrong way.

  “Tap or I’ll break it!” she hissed between clenched teeth. When he didn’t comply right away, she jerked her hips up more, making him scream out and tap three hard times on her leg. Holding his arm for a few seconds more, she let go and stood up.

  “That was freaking amazing!” Jill clapped, wearing a huge grin. “Hot damn, Nicole, you are one badass bitch. Okay, my turn.”

  “I don’t think so.” Slade stepped away from Tessa, eyeing Quinn.

  “Ah, come on!” Jill had stepped up on the mat across from Quinn. “I want to try my skills.”

  Slade walked up, taking Jill’s arm. “No.”

  “Yeah, listen to your man, bitch,” Quinn spat with a nasty grin. “You don’t want none of this.”

  With one punch from Slade, the man was lying flat and snoring loudly. “Really, Slade?” Jill put her hands on her hips. “You seriously need to let me have a little fun.”

  “I’ll go against her.” The vampire Pam had been working with stepped up on the mat. “Mike did explain what these women were here for, and I for one was taking it seriously.”

  “It’s true.” Pam glanced at Duncan, then back to Slade. “He’s actually helped me some.”

  “Name’s Jackson.” He glanced at Jill, then back to Slade. “I’m actually pretty impressed with their skill level already, but I don’t think they’ve been pushed because they train with you all.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?” Sid frowned next to Lana.

  “No disrespect, but as their mate, you aren’t going to want to hit them. You’re going to pull back, and that’s not what they need, especially if some of them are going to be Warriors.” His eyes went to Nicole. “Or do what she’s doing with the kids. It’s a fucked-up world out there, which I know you know.”

  “He’s right.” Mike stepped up finally. “Listen, I’m really sorry about what happened. Mick has a temper on him. He’s the one in the parking lot. Quinn has a chip on his shoulder, and Rob isn’t too bad.”

  Nicole glanced at Rob, who was still holding his arm, and she still didn’t feel bad about torquing it as much as she did. He had been an asshole.

  “But when Lana told me what they wanted, I offered my services hoping to help in some small way. Not to have them come in here and be treated like that. And again, I apologize.” Mike glanced over at Damon. “I’ve actually met you, Damon. It’s been a while, but you were there when I offered services to Sloan Murphy.”

  “I remember,” Damon replied, his usual tone low and even. “But this isn’t the way to work with us and at the time, we didn’t need what you were offering.”

  “And now?” Mike asked with a hopeful frown. “At least you can see what they need to work on as you watch them go against someone who isn’t you, someone with no emotional connection.”

  “Are you willing to lose a few guys like the asshole out there in the parking lot if things go south?” Sid asked, giving a nod toward the large hole in the wall. “Because training someone is one thing, being a total dick is another. Nothing of what that bastard was doing was training.”

  “My men should know by now what is expected of them, and I can 100 percent guarantee you if you all hadn’t shown up, Jackson would have taken care of Mick,” Mike replied, and Nicole believed him.

  “Then why today did you act like you were challenging the Warriors to come and work out?” Steve asked Mike as he made his way back to Mira.

  “That wasn’t a challenge.” Mike’s tone became offended. “That was an invitation to something I’ve wanted for a long time, and through Lana, I hoped it would happen. I train humans mostly in how to remain safe against vampires. Working with you guys in some way or another would help me do that, and in return, I could help you all by supplying dependable men who know the ropes to spar with whoever you like in order for you to see if they are really picking up on what they are learning.”

  Nicole glanced at Damon, who was staring at Slade. “Let her.” Damon nodded at Jill.

  When Slade stepped back with a frown and a nod, he pointed at Jill. “Your ass better be paying attention.”

  “Sa-weet!” Jill clapped her hands together then turned just in time to see Jackson coming at her, but she was quick and rolled out of the way.

  Nicole watched as Jill and Jackson sparred around, each getting a few in on each other. She also watched Slade and saw something in his eyes that matched Damon’s. Pride. Holy shit. Who would have thought?

  Her eyes caught Steve staring at her, and he gave her a goofy grin when she narrowed her eyes at him. He shrugged his shoulders with a tilt of his head. Yeah, she would give him hell later for spilling his guts, and she couldn’t wait to hear his excuse.

  Someone dragged Quinn out of the way, and soon everyone was sparring once more while the Warriors looked on. She noticed Tessa stood against the wall watching with a stone-face Jared next to her. Their eyes met, but Tessa looked away quickly.

  Glancing back, she saw Rob, then headed his way. “How’s the arm?”

  “I’ll live,” he muttered, giving her a quick look before his gaze shifted away.

  “Sorry about that,” she lied, but felt maybe it would be a nice thing to do and apologize.

  “No, you aren’t.” He actually chuckled. “It was a good move. You got me fair and square.”

  “So, has anyone checked on Mick? Did he survive Jared?” Nicole glanced that way but couldn’t see through the hole.


  “He’s gone.” Rob gave an appreciative nod at one of the moves Pam carried out against one of the vampires. “Mike sent him on his way.”

  “Do you think you can go with Tessa over there if her shoulder is okay?” She glanced back at Tessa again. “I mean, if your elbow isn’t too sore.”

  Rob gave her a glare, then snorted. “So how long you going to give me shit?”

  Nicole shrugged. “Eh, I guess we can call it even since you gave us shit.” She waved Tessa over. “Hey, you want to go with Rob? You think your shoulder can take it?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” Tessa nodded with a grin.

  Rob gave Jared a nervous glance, but stepped out onto the mat with Tessa. As they started going back and forth, Nicole noticed that Tessa was really good. She’d never had the chance to really watch her spar before. She was quick and smart, which made her a dangerous opponent. When she did a counter on Rob, Nicole clapped loudly. “Hell yeah! Good move, Tessa.”

  Looking toward Jared, their eyes met, but his shifted away quickly back to Tessa before he turned and walked away toward the door. Nicole cursed, and looked at Damon, who’d also witnessed Jared’s attitude. With another curse, she followed.

  Jared was almost to his bike when she made it outside. “What in the hell is your problem?” Nicole huffed her way toward him. “She is working her ass off and you give her nothing.”

  “Back off, Nicole,” Jared growled as he straddled his bike. “This is none of your business.”

  “She is my business because she’s one of my best friends,” Nicole spat back. “I know this is hard on you guys, but give us some credit. Give her some credit. She’s good. Real good, but you can’t see that over your stupid-ass alpha ways. Wake up, dude, it’s the twenty-first century.”

  He started the bike, revving it up over her words. Staring over her head, not even looking at her, he instructed, “Make sure she gets home.”

  He backed out, then took off with Nicole fuming. “Asshole!” she shouted, but knew he didn’t hear her.

  Turning, she looked up to see Tessa staring after Jared. Their eyes met. Tessa gave her a sad smile, turned, and walked back inside.