by Brenda Trim
ROGUE WARRIOR
Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
Copyright © December 2016 by Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
eISBN: 9781634525961
Editor: Hot Tree Editing
Cover Art by Trish (Pickyme Covers)
*****
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writers’ imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction of this work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the authors.
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to anyone who has found themselves traveling down the wrong path only to find it led you to the right place. Sometimes life turns pitch black so that you appreciate the sunlight. Life is a journey…learn from the lessons along the way.
Table of Contents
Dedication
CHAPTER ONE
graph-definition>
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
EXCERPT FROM Book Title here BOOK #
CHAPTER ONE
Authors’ Note
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CHAPTER ONE
Fuck Zander and his damn stupid rules, Santiago thought as he glanced up at Jesaray House. It might be colder than a witch's tit outside, but his blood boiled with anger. Zander was losing sight of their goal if he was questioning Santiago about his actions. He actually wanted to punish Santi for taking a drug dealer off the streets. What a joke.
Had he meant to kill the slimy fucker? No. Of course he hadn't intended for Miguel to die. He'd only wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. For Zander to think that Santi deserved to go to the dungeons because of it was ludicrous. The mere fact of the male's death proved Santi had done what was in the best interest of the realm. It could have been that bear shifter that died because assholes like Miguel were pushing Angel’s kiss on innocents.
Zander and his fellow Dark Warriors were fucking clueless in this new war against Angel's Kiss. It was a foreign concept to them that they should be worried about a drug crisis. Until Angel's Kiss, there hasn't been a substance that had instantly addicted supernaturals. In their heads, drugs were a human problem, but thanks to some ballsy sorcerer or witch, the game had changed. This was a real problem and it couldn't be handled by realm police. They had no fucking clue about how to deal with a situation like this.
Santi and Orlando, on the other hand, had been trained by the human police and were very fucking aware how quickly this could become an epidemic that devastated a community. And, thinking of Orlando, he couldn't believe his best friend and partner of two hundred years didn't have his back. After all they'd been through, he expected more from the male.
Unclenching balled fists, he took a deep breath, trying to calm down before going into the huge log cabin. To say the home was a cabin was a misnomer. It wasn't as big as Zeum, but it had two wings and over a dozen bedroom suites.
Located on the east side of Lake Washington, the Jesaray house sat in the middle of pack land and was surrounded by thick trees. Walking towards the large cabin, Santi scented the various shifters, as well as, the remnants of dinner. It had been over two hundred years since he’d lived in one of the small cabins, and eaten in the main dining hall with everyone else. Idly, he wondered if Grandma Flo still cooked all of the meals for the pack.
Quickly crossing the grass and heading up the stairs to the wraparound porch, he knocked on the front door. Hayden's first in command, Zeke, answered the door. "Hey, Santi. What's up?"
Perhaps they hadn't heard what just went down at Zeum. "Hey, Zeke. Hayden around?" Santi asked, entering the home. Where Zeum was opulent and extravagant, Jesaray house was comfortable and intimate, and that appealed to the shifter in Santiago. The soft, brown leather sofas matched the rustic wood accents. The pieces were large and filled the open space. In fact, the coffee table looked like it was one giant plank cut from a tree.
The large room gave his inner animal the freedom it needed. There were times that Santi’s animal felt closed in at Zeum. The fire roaring in the fireplace crackled to punctuate his sense of belonging.
There was a heavy smell of spice in the air, but it was different the one by the main dining hall, making him wonder who was cooking in Hayden’s kitchen. One thing Santi knew for sure was that it wasn’t the Omega. Santi was pretty sure Hayden didn’t know how to boil water.
The exotic spices reminded Santi of Elsie, the Vampire Queen, and how she had taken to cooking various dishes for them. She cooked a little bit of everything, and he loved her food, not to mention her drinks. It was one of the things he was going to miss. Then again, whomever Hayden had cooking for him may compensate because something smelled delicious.
"I'm here," barked Hayden’s raspy reply from the kitchen. Santi turned and watched Hayden put out the cigar he'd been smoking before he set his cell phone on the island countertop. It was odd for Santi to see Hayden in such an intimate setting. He knew the Omega smoked, but he never lit up at Zeum out of respect for Zander.
Hayden stood, his six-six frame towering over Santi's five-ten. With his long hair and broad build, Santi felt small in comparison. "Sire," Santi said in deference, bowing his head.
"What are you doing here, Reyes?" Hayden clapped him on the shoulder. "I can't remember the last time you graced us with your presence." The comment was as much a reminder as it was a welcome. He and Orlando had become segregated from their pack since joining the Dark Warriors.
It had been too long, Santi agreed, joining Hayden in the kitchen. "I should’ve come more often. I've missed this place," he remarked, looking around the familiar home.
Pack gatherings were held in Hayden's home, with most of the shifters in the area attending. Shifters needed more physical contact than other supernaturals, but they also needed more socialization. Santi got plenty of both at Zeum, but there was a void that only gathering and running with the pack could fill.
Zeke grunted in response and went around the island to the stove, lifting the lid from a large pot that was the source of the enticing aroma. Before Hayden could respond, a beautiful female glided into the room and went straight to Zeke's side.
Santiago knew she wasn’t a shifter, but given the power that was emanating from her, she was a supernatural of some sort. "Do we have an e'tra guest for dinner? Good ting I cooked enough chicken ta feed your army, Hayden," the female said in a thick Cajun accent. Her gold bangles clinked softly as she
wrapped her arm around Zeke's waist.
"Santiago was unexpected, my little chicory. This is my mate, Tia. Tia, this is Santiago Reyes, one of the realm's Dark Warriors," Zeke introduced, pride shining in his eyes when he looked at his mate.
"That chicken smells delicious. You can count me in. It's nice to meet you, Tia," he said, shaking her hand and feeling the true depth of her magic, as well as her strength. The female was more powerful than Santi would have guessed. "I hadn't heard that you'd found your Fated Mate. Congrats, that's fantastic. Is he the first in your inner circle?" Santi asked Hayden.
The powerful Omega was smiling when he responded. "Yes, he is. I now understand the transformation that the matings have wrought at Zeum. It’s chaotic but worth it. Now, back to why you're here," Hayden redirected, sitting on one of the barstools.
Santiago joined him, propping his foot on the stool's rail. "I came to ask for a room and some clean clothes if you can spare them."
Hayden narrowed his brown eyes as he eyed Santiago. "You always have a place in this pack. The question is, why would you want to leave Zeum?"
Santiago briefly told Hayden what had happened with Miguel and Zander's demand that Santi be punished, resulting in his choice to leave the compound. Hayden listened intently, the tension in the room building with each second that passed. Silence descended over the group as Santi finished his explanation.
Hayden ran his hand through his long brown hair and sighed. "This puts me in a helluva situation, Santi. I can't ignore what you did, which means that you must accept your punishment. Every member of this society must abide by the rules, otherwise, chaos reigns. No one is above the law, not me, not even Zander."
Santi couldn't believe the bullshit he was hearing tonight. What was wrong with everyone? He wasn't the one who had done wrong. That was the drug dealers and whoever was making the shit.
"Sire, do you really think I can spend months in a dungeon? Not only will my wolf go crazy, but I am needed to fight these wars!" Outside, thunder rumbled and lightning struck the yard as static electricity traveled from Santi’s shoulders to the tips of his fingers, proving how pissed he was.
His power to influence the weather hadn't been this out of control since his transformation from stripling to adult. Rage seethed, threatening to burst, and he took a few deep breaths, trying to understand why everyone around him was wearing blinders.
"You should have thought of that when you decided to push that needle. But if you go back and accept the consequences, then I will talk to Zander about letting you out to exercise your wolf."
"So you're telling me that I can't stay here? That you can't give me a place to sleep?"
"My hands are tied," Hayden replied, lifting his hands in surrender. "Stop being unreasonable and selfish and do your time." Hayden sat defiantly, and Santi knew there would be no changing his mind. He sensed the Omega’s animals prowling behind his dark eyes, telling Santi that he meant business.
Santiago stood so fast that the stool fell over and skidded across the floor. "You're calling me selfish? That's rich coming from a male whose ego is so fucking inflated that he named the fucking pack house after himself. You can all go to hell," he snarled, turning and storming out the front door.
So much for the guaranteed brotherhood in a pack. After stomping down the rain-slicked steps he crossed the path to his vehicle, a light rain battering his face. He paused and turned, looking back at the soft glow emanating from the windows.
He no longer belonged at Zeum, and now he didn't belong with the pack, either. He was truly a lone wolf now. So be it. He wasn't going to give up on the vows he had taken to protect the innocent. The Goddess was counting on him. He turned the key in the ignition and headed back down the dirt road, unsure of where he was heading.
*****
Tori Castillo, the Guild’s leading assassin, barely suppressed the Valkyrie rage she wished she hadn't inherited. Not only was her new client a scumbag, but he was also talking to her about a male who had gotten under her skin from the second she'd met him.
"I want Santiago Reyes dead," Von, aka scumbag, spat. "I don't care that he's a Dark Warrior. He's ruining my business, and my boss will not tolerate that. It's my ass on the line, and I'm not dying for that piece of shit. You okay killing a Dark Warrior?" Tori cocked her head and considered the greasy vampire before her.
As the Guild’s best assassin, Lana had informed Tori that she not only counted on her to represent the Guild, but to also ensure their reputation remained intact. No pressure, Tori thought. This was just about as high profile as a case got, and it didn’t help that Tori hated the mark.
Refocusing on Von, she nearly burst into laughter. His receding hairline was ridiculous compared to his young appearance. His face reminded her of a rat, with narrow, pointed features. And, to make it worse, he was sweating like a pig. Why the hell was he sweating so much? He gave new meaning to ring around the collar. Eww….
"Killing a Dark Warrior isn't going to be easy," she replied. Typically she would get up and walk out of the meeting if she was asked to kill their society's valued protectors, but she had to pause with this one. She suspected this particular warrior was responsible for her brother's death.
She hadn't gotten confirmation yet, but every piece of information so far pointed to the male who had been haunting her sleep. It pissed her off that she was actually attracted to the guy. She alternated between wanting to strip him naked and have her way with him, and wanting to put a bullet through his brain.
Then again, he had such a pretty head it would almost be a shame to mar its perfection. The image of the sparkle leaving those exotic brown eyes didn't sit well with her, either.
"Name your price. I'll pay anything. The last attempt failed, and I can't afford for it to happen again." The desperation coming from the male stung her nostrils, not to mention it was seeping through the fibers of his shirt. How did he stand his own stench?
Considering his offer, she glanced around the room, noting the nice office. Everything in the place screamed money, from the expensive mahogany desk to the paintings on the wall. The biggest fish tank she'd ever seen took up the length of one wall, housing at least a dozen polka-dot stingrays. Wealth was all around, and, none of it matched his cheap-ass suit.
Whoever his boss was had money. If she demanded a high enough fee, she could finally buy the studio she’d been saving for. Technically, her time with the Guild was up, so with the right asking price she could do what she loved and leave this violent life behind her.
Savage behavior from a Valkyrie was not only acceptable, but expected, and Lana, the Valkyrie leader, had initiated Tori into the assassination business. Truth was, she was tired of this life. It didn't give her any true satisfaction.
As Valkyrie went, she was different in so many ways. She had been found by her adoptive parents right after she'd been reborn a Valkyrie, and given a new life with them rather than left to fend for herself. She wasn't the bloodthirsty female her kind was known for. Her adoptive parents and brother had given her solace when the only memory she had from her days as a human was of her violent and brutal death. The love they gave her mitigated the anger that had seethed beneath the surface until it was barely present.
Her adoptive parents had been killed in a freak car accident and now her only remaining family, Miguel, had been taken from too. She had lost touch with him over the past decade, but that didn't erase all the fond memories. She would always remember him as the funny jokester who loved playing pranks on her. No matter her mood, Miguel could always make her laugh.
"I was told you were the best. Surely you can kill one little Dark Warrior. Just name your price," he coaxed with a malicious smile, taking a seat behind his desk.
What little ethics she possessed warred with her desire to chase her true passion. She was a painter and wanted nothing more than to display her artwork in her very own gallery. Maybe she'd even teach painting classes to striplings. The only time she came alive was when she put
brush to canvas. The room where she painted at home was overflowing with supplies and her finished pieces. She really needed a studio, and this job could give her that.
It wasn't as if Santiago didn't deserve to die. She was convinced he'd killed Miguel, and despite what Santiago had said, she believed her brother was an innocent victim. She wondered if Von knew something more about her brother.
"Before I make my decision, I need to know exactly what I'm getting myself into,” she stated, standing across from Von and crossing her arms over her chest. “I've been told that you are the ring leader for Angel's Kiss. That your vampire buddies sell the shit to kids."
As if Von’s shiny-from-profusely-sweating face wasn’t bad enough, add a shade of beet red and he looked like a wet tomato on a hot summer day.
"My dealers do not sell to kids. They don't even sell to humans. They only sell to adults who make the choice to use freely. Who am I to deny people their escape? If I don't provide it, someone else will. Life isn't perfect and happy for everyone. Some have depression and other issues they want relief from. One might say that I'm providing society a valuable service," he pontificated, spit flying from his mouth.
Tori wanted to throat punch the male. He actually believed the BS he was spouting. Ever since her major fuckup all those years ago, she had sworn off shady clients. Now, she made sure her marks deserved their fate. This guy was as far from an upstanding citizen as one could get, but Santiago, in her mind, deserved it.
Von fell silent as the office door opened and a small male entered carrying a bucket. She watched with curiosity as the male set the bucket down and then retrieved a stepladder from the hall. He set the ladder next to the fish tank and grabbed the bucket.