Depth (Apalala Clan Book 2)

by Dzintra Sullivan

  Volos walked into the training room, pausing for a few beats as he looked around to see the faces of all his brothers waiting. Attor was standing in the middle of the training ring, his eyes locked on V as soon as he entered.

  “You sure you want an audience, Attor?” V asked.

  Attor snorted. “I want them all to see you when I’m the victor.”

  “I’m just here for the popcorn.” Jo laughed as he opened a bag of lightly salted Pop’n’Fresh, and leaned against the wall.

  V laughed. “Always a support, Jo.” V used his teeth to pull on the strapping tape, as he placed his knuckles against the sticky surface and started to wrap. He walked around the ring slowly, his eyes going back and forth between his hand strapping and the brother in the ring hell-bent on taking his leadership title. “You sure this is what you want, Attor?” V’s voice was smooth and controlled, the words clear, concise, and fearless.

  V saw a moment of regret flash across Attor’s face. “I will give you one chance. One chance to walk away with your pride intact. One chance to walk away while your brothers still respect you.” V flicked a look up at his brother. “If I come into that ring at your request… I. Will. Not. Lose.”

  Wyvern stood up. “Attor, don’t be a dick, just fucking walk out,” he pleaded. “V is the leader, accept it.”

  Attor looked at his youngest brother, the pleading in his voice made him stop. Turning to his other brothers to look for guidance.

  “Attor, this won’t end well. You have to see that,” Ladon said with a dismissive shake of his head.

  Jo was grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Just fucking hurry up. Shiiit! Do I have brothers or cockless, panty-wearing sissy girls,” Jo goaded his brothers on, he didn’t care who won, he disliked both of them equally.

  “Let’s end this,” Attor said.

  “Finally, he has a smart—” V began to say.

  Attor interrupted his cocky brother. “In the fucking ring.”

  V shrugged. “Spoke to soon. Okie dokie,” he said as he slipped in between the second and third rope. “No weapons. First to say…” He looked at his brothers and asked, “What should the yield word be?

  “Uncle,” said Wyvern.

  “Cream-puff,” Ladon chimed in.

  “Spank me, Daddy.” Jo roared with laughter at his own suggestion.

  V chuckled. “Spank me, Daddy, it is.”

  “I’m not fucking saying that,” Attor spat.

  “Then I suggest you don’t lose, brother,” V stated as he threw the tape over toward his gym bag and took his stand. Feet slightly apart, balancing his weight perfectly, and waited for his younger brother to launch an attack. He wouldn’t hit first, but V would make sure he hit last.

  Attor looked at his brother, fueled on by the smug look of superiority currently dancing across V’s face. The rage took control as Attor stormed toward his brother, he lowered his body position and tilted, so the full impact of his shoulder hit hard into Volos’ chest. Attor pushed V back a few feet before he lost traction and was forced to release.

  Attor bounced on the balls of his feet before taking a step forward and battering his brother’s rib cage with a flurry of unanswered punches. Taking a quick step back he looked at his brother. “I thought you wanted to fight?”

  “Attor, this is your choice. You want to be the dragon leader? Then pick up your game.” V dropped to one knee, and spun, swiping his foot out and taking out Attor’s feet from under him. V stood up as he watched the shocked look on his brother’s face as his ass hit the training mat. Hard. “Your rib ticklers won’t make me yield. Got anything else?”

  Leaping back to his feet, Attor ran at his brother once more, his brain fueled by rage and humiliation. At the last moment, V stepped to the side, placing a hand under the warrior’s hip, and lifting him slightly. Using his brother’s own momentum, V watched Attor clear the top rope and soar off into the gym mats stacked up against the wall.

  “Are we done yet? Can we just spank and move on?” V taunted him. He hated humiliating his brother like this, but if the boy wasn’t prepared to listen, then he had little option. Discord on the battlefield often led directly to the grave. He would have preferred it done privately, but Attor was hell-bent of broadcasting his desperation.

  Attor leaped from the mats and ran for the ring, he dove under the bottom rope and rolled. Springing upright under V’s shadow as he lifted his closed fist as hard and fast as he could. The moment it connected with V’s chin he felt the jolt through his shoulder as he sent V stumbling backward. “Is that better, brother?” Attor spat the words as he stalked forward, his rage wholly in control of his movements now. The ordinarily rational and balanced brother was no longer present in the room.

  V rubbed his chin, he knew that would leave a mark, and he wasn’t looking forward to explaining to his mate how it came to be on his face. “At least now I can end it,” V said as he lowered his stance. “Let’s finish this.”

  Attor took a breath and threw himself at V, his fists clenched and swinging rhythmically. Left, right, left, right. Punch after punch, he tried to make as much contact as possible with his brother’s body.

  V stood firm against the barrage, hooking his arms around his brother’s shoulders and lifting him up above his head. The time slowed as Attor’s body rose straight above V’s, held in place by his powerful arm muscles. V slowly turned and arched his back, letting gravity take hold and slammed his brother’s body hard against the ring floor. The sound of air rushing from Attor’s lungs was heard by all the brothers. V lifted and grabbed his brother’s two hands, twisting them behind his back and placing his knee on the crossroads where Attor’s wrists met.

  “Yield,” V calmly said, for him this wasn’t about screaming or yelling. This was a lesson in control. Even the best of fighters are useless when fueled by anger. Keeping your mind alert will keep you alive.

  Attor tried to squirm, but it only caused V to lean harder on his wrists, threatening to snap them at any moment. The pain running through Attor’s body was like wildfire. It was unbearable.

  “Yield,” V demanded.

  Jo struggled to hold his cell phone camera steady because he was laughing so loudly. “This is the best brouhaha I’ve seen in days.” He was laughing harder now. “Say it, Attor… saaay iiit.”

  V leaned forward one more inch, he knew that Attor’s wrists were close to breaking. Not what he wanted. What would be worse than a challenge for leadership? A fighter with broken wrists and left unable to fight at all. V, unfortunately, would do what he had to do, in order for his warriors to remain united.

  “Fine,” Attor shouted through gritted teeth. “I fucking yield.” His words were laced with toxicity. “You’re the big, bad, boss-man.”

  V laughed. “I’m sure there was certain words that needed to be used, wasn’t there, Jo?” V looked to his younger brother who was thoroughly enjoying this event.

  “Yup,” Jo said as he steadied his camera phone, happy to record this monumental event. “Say it, Attor.”

  Attor screamed with rage as he once again twisted to try and break free, but the pain being applied to his wrists and lower back kept him from getting loose. He gave up, letting his body fall limp against the floor of the ring.

  Lifting his head to look at Jo. “Spank me, Daddy,” Attor spat the words venomously at the screen in his face.

  Jo burst out in a new round of laughter as he checked his phone and replayed the video, Attor’s voice coming loud and clear… Spank me, Daddy. “This is too good.”

  V stood up and released his brother, walked over to the ropes, and left the ring. Stopping at his bag to pick it up, he looked back at his brothers, all four of them watching him. “This is the end of it. We have a clan to protect. Let’s just get on with doing our jobs.” He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he turned and left for his room.

  “What the hell happened to you?” Payton exclaimed as she saw the face of her mate. They had decided to come back to the apartment K
ylee and Payton shared for a coffee. It was Friday, and no one had to be at work tomorrow. So, after the third lemon sour and the fourth rendition of Let it Go, they decided tonight was better spent curled on the sofa watching chick flicks and eating bad food.

  V was waiting on the steps leading up the apartment building. He had keys, of course, but out of respect to Kylee, they were for emergency purposes only. He stood up, running his hand very softly over his chin, moving his jaw ever so tenderly. It had begun to turn a deep shade of purple around the swelling.

  His eyes flicked from Payton to the other ladies who were wide-eyed and waiting for an explanation as colorful as his chin was turning. “Nothing,” he said quietly.

  “Don’t you just hate it when nothing comes up and smacks you in the face?” Taryn smirked “It’s been happening more and more lately. I don’t know what this world is coming to.”

  Payton flicked a look at her friend, and Taryn received the silent message clearly, as she took a step back. “Attor?” she asked with a sigh.

  Attor had been on edge lately. It was as if he felt he had to be ready for an attack around every corner, and he wasn’t able to relax. Every day his anxiety seemed to crank up a notch in its intensity. V nodded to her question.

  Payton lifted her palm and cupped his chin softly. She took a step or two up and leaned down to place a soft kiss on his heavily bruised face. Her fingers lightly tracing the injury as he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. “Did you have to hurt him?” she asked softly. Payton knew her mate hated to fight his brothers, and would only do it when no option was left to choose.

  “I’m sure he’s feeling remorseful,” V replied.

  “Oh… my… God…” Kylee laughed as she held her cell to her face, her giggles were bubbling up fast, causing tears to form in the corner of her eyes. “He’s fucking hilarious.”

  “Who?” Taryn looked over Kylee’s shoulder and gasped. “Is that Payton’s man?”

  “What?” V turned his head to see the two ladies both staring at a cell screen in various degrees of shock and hilarity.

  Kylee turned the phone to face V and Payton, as she tried unsuccessfully to stifle more laughter.

  Payton grabbed the phone and watched in disbelief as Volos pinned Attor to the mat, he was squirming in obvious agony at having V pin him down with his knee. The crescendo being when Attor’s face looked up from the floor, sweat pouring off his brow and pure hatred leaking from his eyes as he spat, Spank me, Daddy for the viewing public’s pleasure.

  “Where is that from?” V barely got the words out coherently.

  “YouTube, babe. It’s by some guy named ScaleyJo,” Kylee said.

  “Jo has a YouTube channel?” Payton turned with a questionable look to V.

  “In order for us to stay in touch with…” He flicked a look at the two women watching their conversation, reminding himself they were naive humans. While they seemed lovely, he preferred them unenlightened to the existence of the clan. V chose his words carefully as he continued, “Social media’s a way of the future. For more reasons than one,” V said to his mate. “Jo has taken to the workings of the web like a fish to water.”

  Spank me, Daddy.

  The words were on auto-replay and started to linger on the late-night breeze currently winding its way past the building. Payton watched the view clicks begin to climb as the video threatened to go viral. “This isn’t a good thing, V,” she said. “You have to stop this.”

  Volos pulled out his cell and dialed the number for his brother. Taking a couple steps away from the girls, he waiting for Jo to pick up.

  “Take it down, now,” he said without any greetings.

  “I don’t give a fuck if you think it’s funny,” he paused obviously listening to the other end.

  “Jo… Jo…” V tried to interrupt. “Jo…” he shouted, flicking a look to Payton’s shocked face. He swallowed and reigned in his temper. “For fuck’s sake, man, take down the fucking video.” V’s last words were spoken through a tense jaw that looked like it was painful enough without the shouting as well.

  “Ah... Volos...” Kylee said tentatively. “I don’t know who this Jo is, but it just hit a million views. There’s no stopping it now.” She gave a half smile. “Congratulations! You and Attor are now viral superstars.”

  Ending the call he slid the phone into his jacket. “I swear to God, he’s going to need more than a yield word when I get hold of him,” V groaned as he ran his hands through his hair.

  “Let’s go upstairs. We are gathering some nosey neighbors,” Kylee said, as her key slid into the lock and she released the main door to the apartments and led the way inside.

  Payton and V looked up to see some outside lights being turned on as people came to see what all the commotion was about. “Good idea, don’t want anyone to see me,” V mocked with a distinct lack of humor as he followed the ladies upstairs and into the waiting elevator.

  Taryn followed, still holding the paper bag of snack foods they had stopped and grabbed on their way home. She stepped into the elevator and looked up to V. “So, you have a brother, huh?”

  The ding of the doors opening on the fifth floor signaled them all to get off. Turning toward the left, they followed Kylee down to the last door on the right which was apartment 505.

  “There are five of them.” Payton smiled as she looked back at her friend.

  “Five?” Taryn’s eyebrows rose with surprise. “Are they all as… um…” struggling to find the least offensive word she could, “… big as you?”

  “Right!” Kylee laughed as she turned the key and opened up the door. As she walked in, she threw the keys in a small silver dish which sat on a tall, dark oak table which was positioned to the left of the door. It held keys, small change, and other knick-knacks that people empty from their pockets. “I haven’t met them all. But fuck me… the couple I have met are ginormous walls of lickable muscle.”

  “Really?” Payton shook her head at Kylee’s description of her life partner and his brothers. The door clicked behind them, as the four of them began to remove coats and shoes, and take a seat in the living room.

  “Yes, really.” Kylee laughed. “I mean… honestly… Volos…” Kylee tilted her head to the large man standing in the middle of the room, “… is fucking huge. I can only imagine what it’s like to climb that tree.”

  “Kylee!” Payton laughed with a frown. “Enough talking about my man’s tree. That’s one trunk that is marked for my climbing only.” Flopping down on the sofa next to him, she snuggled under his waiting arm. “Right, babe?”

  V nodded and placed a kiss to Payton’s head. “Correct.”

  “Have you met the other trees? Err…” Taryn snorted. “Brothers?”

  “Yes,” Payton said.

  “No,” replied Kylee. “I have only met V and Attor.”

  “The other one in the video?” Taryn inquired.

  Kylee nodded. “He’s the friendlier one of the two.”

  “He didn’t look friendly.” Taryn laughed.

  “He just has a lot on his mind. Makes him cranky,” V dismissed the comment.

  “They’re all amazing brothers. All five of them. Even Jo, the one who put up the video.” Payton smiled lovingly as she ran her hand gently down V’s thigh, causing a growl to rumble up from his belly. “Shall we start the binge, ladies?” Payton was eager to change the subject away from the brothers.

  “Jo is a brother? Fuck me! He’s one hawt, inked-up god of deliciousness.” Kylee’s eyes went wide. “His videos are a riot. He doesn’t look like you, though.” She tilted her head.

  “He is… um... unique,” V said.

  “Netflix?” Payton interrupted again. She could feel the tension rising in her mate’s energy.

  “Oh, yeah, what’s the flavor for tonight?” Kylee asked as she grabbed the control and flicked on the Netflix channel.

  “You have Netflix now?” Taryn asked with astonishment.

  “For a few weeks,” Payton la
ughed. “Wyvern came and worked his magic. Something about using a DNS to unlock the American channel.” She shrugged. “I didn’t ask the details, sometimes it’s better to not know, just to enjoy the results.”

  “Wyvern?” Taryn asked.

  “Brother,” Volos said quietly. “The youngest of the five.”

  “I thought you said you had only met two of them?” Taryn turned to Kylee.

  “And I never knew Jo was a brother either. Besides, following a YouTube channel hardly equates to meeting someone.” Kylee laughed.

  Payton’s eyebrows went up with curiosity for the second time tonight with her friend. She glanced at V, who by the look on his face was thinking a similar thought. This girl never forgot anything, every detail, small or otherwise, was being heard and stored by her. “Kylee wasn’t here, Wyvern was in and out within an hour,” she said slowly. “The brothers value their privacy very highly.”

  “Was that before or after the YouTube video currently going viral?” Taryn laughed.

  “Before obviously,” V snapped, a little harsher than he intended. He didn’t like snoopy people. Questions always made him nervous and having Payton friends with a human, who seems to have a photographic memory, was beginning to cause him a great deal of anxiety.

  Kylee coughed loudly. “Okay…” she smiled sweetly, “… Netflix time. Taryn if you want to get the snacks, I’ll find the latest season of Supernatural and we can get lost with the Winchester boys.”

  “Sam is mine,” Taryn squealed as she jumped up and went to the kitchen for some plates and bowls. “That man is hawwt.”

  V took advantage of the distraction to lower his lips in line with Payton’s ear and whispered, “We need to be cautious around her? Really cautious?” His voice was so low only she could hear him. “Too many questions. It’s odd.”

  Payton nodded, “Agreed.”

  Attor found himself wandering the dark, lifeless streets of a sleeping city. He didn’t know what was worse, losing to V, or having his humiliation viewed over a million times on the internet. Attor was sure he would have conquered his brother. He was the better dragon, he was the better leader, and he was the only one who truly understood what was at stake.