Taste of Darkness (5 page)

“Victoria!” She turned at Finn’s heated voice.

Her Alpha’s ice blue eyes pinned her in annoyance. “I know you scented me.”

She shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself as a cheer from inside went up. Guess the fight had started. Ugh. “Can you bitch at me later?”

Surprising her, he reached out and pulled her into a hug. “I’m not going to bitch at you at all,” he muttered against the top of her head. “Thank you for escorting Vega here.”

She pulled back from his embrace. “She was coming tonight with or without me.”

“I know.” Finn’s expression bled into one of confusion. “I didn’t think…she’s different than you were as a teenager. Definitely more hardheaded.”

Smiling now, Victoria nodded. “Yeah. It’s just been her and her mom for almost seventeen years and now she’s been thrust into a wonderful—but overprotective—pack with more than one parental figure. It’s not just you who’s watching out for her, but pretty much every packmate and the smothering is getting to her. And I don’t blame her.”

“That’s exactly what Lyra said,” he muttered again.

It was odd to see her Alpha out of sorts. The male was normally cool and composed about everything. Before she could respond, he pulled out his cell phone when it started buzzing.

He frowned at the screen. “Spiro was hurt fighting a couple rogue vamps. Nothing too serious. Want to stay here or come with me?” he asked, meeting her gaze.

While she really wanted to make sure Drake was okay she simply couldn’t watch those two males fighting each other inside. And she wasn’t going to wait around for them to finish like some pathetic female. Like those women with the signs. “I’ll go with you. I assume Vega is going home with Lyra?”

Sighing, Finn nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go before I change my mind about that.”

Victoria started to smile when another cheer went up from inside and found herself cringing instead. She cared so much about Drake but tonight he’d surprised her and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She loved her packmates but the one thing about Drake that had always been different was that he listened to her. He didn’t go all alpha macho overprotective. Well, not too bad. But tonight, he’d been so determined to fight Gabriel instead of coming back to the mansion with her. The knowledge cut deep.

* * *

Conall glanced at his sister, Keelin, when she touched his forearm.

“Should one of us tail the female?” She kept her voice low, though it was unlikely anyone could overhear them among the cheers.

He shook his head, not worried about the pretty, slender female who’d just stormed out of the fighting arena. Glancing around, he tugged on his hoodie, wanting to keep most of his face concealed. He’d also slipped on sunglasses a few minutes ago, which might be considered a little odd, but he’d noticed a lot of supernatural beings at the fight wearing them so he didn’t stick out.

“Why not?” She shifted from foot to foot, her gaze on the two fighters in the ring. The male known as Drake kicked the other male with brown hair in the stomach, the action savage. Very dragon-like in nature.

“It will be better to follow him.” Conall had seen the way he’d more or less publicly claimed her. He wouldn’t be letting that female go far.

Keelin bit her bottom lip, clearly unsure that Conall was right. “We should keep tabs on her in case we lose him.” Desperation edged his sister’s voice. She wasn’t used to missions or any sort of violence but she’d insisted on coming with Conall for this tracking mission. He hadn’t been able to deny her.

“She has a dragon’s essence protecting her,” Conall continued.

“I know, but…they’re not mated. I didn’t realize it was even possible for a dragon to give their essence to a non-mate. Maybe there’s something else going on.” His sister sounded unsure.

His attention never wavered from the ongoing fight. “It’s not impossible if one gave it to her willingly. And he definitely gave it to her.”

“Why would any dragon give a part of himself to a…wolf shifter?” Her question was one of true curiosity, not disgust. “It makes no sense.”

“Why do males do anything for females?” Conall knew he sounded a little bitter but didn’t care. He had his own demons to deal with, though now wasn’t the time.

Keelin’s frown deepened. “This might not even be him.”

True. But Conall hoped it was. Their whole clan did. A powerful earthquake had rocked New Orleans four months ago, the event odd enough in the area, but their clan had felt the reemergence of a dragon into their world and had pinpointed it to New Orleans.

All related dragons were linked to an extent so if one was born, their clan felt it on a molecular level. He’d been sleeping when he’d suddenly become aware of the existence of another dragon. But it hadn’t been a new birth, it had been a…reappearance. Keelin hadn’t known what the feeling had been until he’d explained it to her. She’d been five when… Conall cut off that train of thought.

He didn’t want to hope too much, but it was impossible not to. He didn’t believe in miracles. Had stopped centuries ago.

As he watched the fighters, he frowned.

“They’re both holding back,” Keelin murmured, mirroring his thoughts.

He nodded slowly. “I agree. They both have good techniques but it’s almost as if they just want to fight, but not actually hurt each other.”

“Not long-term anyway,” she murmured.

He wasn’t sure what to make of it. They’d come here because they’d heard rumors of an undefeated fighter who’d come from nowhere and was now part of a wolf pack—but wasn’t a wolf.

Conall didn’t understand why any fighter would restrain himself though. It wasn’t the dragon way and it wasn’t the supernatural way.

He didn’t voice his concerns to his sister, but he worried about the female with the dragon’s essence. By having it, she could be a threat to their kind.

Chapter Four

Drake couldn’t believe Victoria had left the fight. He hadn’t actually wanted her at it in the first place, but after Gabriel’s challenge, he wanted her to see that he could defend her, take care of her. And he needed Gabriel to see that he could defend Victoria if necessary. Because deep down he wondered if that was why Gabriel had been pushing him, to force Drake to prove himself.

Victoria seemed to think he would lose to Gabriel. Which sliced at his pride. While he wouldn’t hurt the Guardian too much, Drake was tired of the male questioning his worth, no matter the male’s reasoning.

Victoria needed to see that he wasn’t a stray. And not someone to be pitied.

He knew she’d wanted to kiss him though and he’d been willing to put away his pride for the chance to publicly claim her. He’d give up anything for a taste of the female and that should terrify him. On one level it did, but after having nothing for almost an eternity, he understood that a female like her was worth risking everything for.

He’d wanted to go after her. Until Gabriel had attacked. Now he couldn’t follow until he ended this once and for all. His only consolation in letting Victoria leave was that he would get to beat the shit out of Gabriel. He wouldn’t hurt him too bad though. Even if the beast inside him craved spilling the other male’s blood.

Jumping back, Drake avoided what would have been a hard punch to the jaw. Continuing to dodge Gabriel’s fists, Drake moved quickly, using his agility to jump into the ring.

Gabriel followed, the dark-haired male just as agile. He’d left his blades somewhere, clearly understanding the rules of the ring. As far as Drake knew, the male had never fought here before. The Guardian’s green eyes went pure wolf as he bared his teeth at Drake.

Watching him carefully, Drake let all his anger at the male subside. He had to let go of his emotion if he wanted to win.

Dancing to the left, he punched out with his right hand, leaving his face open. As Gabriel moved in for the attack, Drake kicked out, slamming his foot into the male’s stomach. He didn’t attack as hard as he could have, however. Only because it would upset Victoria.

Didn’t mean the other male wasn’t going home with a lot of bruises. And some blood loss.

After that blow, it was on, back and forth between them, each punching and kicking the other with every opening. Instead of feeling drained, the sharpest sense of adrenaline raged through him, urging him to continue fighting. To destroy his prey. It was difficult to hold back but the thought of truly hurting Victoria kept him reined in.

Barely.

Because it would destroy her if he killed or maimed her friend.

Drake wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but the crowd still continued to cheer and shout with each brutal strike. It didn’t surprise him considering how many fights he’d been in while in Hell. Everyone had cheered during those fights too.

Of course those fights had been more brutal and he’d usually been in dragon form battling against wyverns or whatever else thought it had the strength to take him on. Regardless, there had always seemed to be an audience for violence. This plane on Earth was no different.

The exception was he wasn’t being forced to fight for his life every day. He fought because it let out his aggression and calmed his beast.

“Tired yet?” Gabriel snarled, sweat dripping down the side of his face. His eyes weren’t wolf anymore, but pure human as he jumped back from an ankle kick.

“Nope.” Not even a little.

Gabriel snarled again, the sound more animal than human as he rushed Drake.

Embracing the other male’s hits, Drake returned his own, slamming his fists into the male’s kidneys, liver and ribs with a brutal force. Reality rushed back when two strong arms wrapped around him from behind.

At the same time a male from the Stavros pack grabbed onto Gabriel in the same manner, yanking him backward.

Realizing how lost he’d gotten in the fight, Drake allowed himself to be pulled back, not fighting the other male’s grip because his beast knew he wasn’t being attacked. He’d never lost sight of his surroundings like this before.

Breathing hard, Drake winced as a sliver of pain permeated his senses.

“You two fuckers trying to kill each other for real?” the male holding him shouted above the crowd who all seemed to be talking at once.

Looking back Drake realized the bear shifter from earlier was holding him, his expression fierce. “You can let go.”

Warily, the male loosened his grip and took a step back. Solon, the male holding Gabriel, did the same. Drake and Gabriel glared at each other, both ready for another attack.

As seconds ticked past, Drake became more aware of how injured he likely was. His entire body ached and he knew he had a few ribs cracked. At least. He would heal in a couple hours, but pain was still pain and every breath hurt. The only thing that eased it was seeing Gabriel bruised and bloody.

To his surprise, Gabriel held out a hand. “Draw?”

Drake thought that was respect in the other male’s eyes, but the Guardian was difficult to read. It made him wonder if he’d been right about Gabriel’s reasons for wanting to fight him. Drake nodded, unsure if the male meant about Victoria or simply this fight. He stuck out his own hand and stiffly shook Gabriel’s.

“She’s like a sister to me,” Gabriel continued after they dropped their hands. “I have to know her mate will be strong enough to protect her.”

“I am.” If Drake had a sister he imagined he’d be the same way. “She would tell you that she could take care of herself though.” Even though Victoria was a healer and one of the most non-aggressive supernatural beings Drake had known, she was still a shifter and very capable. It was one of the things he respected about her most.

Gabriel half-smiled, blood trickling from his cracked lip. “I know. Want to grab a beer at Howler’s?”

Drake blinked, unsure he’d heard him right. After just battering each other to a pulp, Gabriel wanted to get a drink with him? He might still be learning much about modern customs, but that was something friends did. And Gabriel had never treated him as anything close to resembling a friend before. Almost no one in the Stavros pack had. “Why are you asking me?”

Gabriel shrugged, then winced. “Because that’s what males do. We beat the shit out of each other, then go have a beer afterward.”

Drake wasn’t sure that Gabriel wasn’t lying, but he didn’t scent the standard acidic smell that usually accompanied an untruth. “Okay. I need to change first.” Howler’s was the club on the bottom floor of Harvest Moon Casino, owned by Finn, and Drake knew enough that he couldn’t go inside looking the way he did. He also wanted to speak to Victoria before he went out with Gabriel. She’d seemed so hurt earlier and he couldn’t bear that he was the cause of her pain. He needed to make his intentions clear. She was his.

* * *

Victoria’s eyes snapped open as she heard Spiro’s raspy voice. “You don’t have to stay here all night.”

Sitting up straighter in the cushy bedside chair, she eyed her packmate who was stretched out on the bed in the medical room. “Are you sure?” Spiro had been stabbed deeper than the pack’s doctor originally realized. The vampire’s silver blade had made contact with his heart and the internal effect had weakened the male. She’d used her healing gift on him to speed up the process, but had decided to stick around in case he needed her again. If she used her gift too much it would drain her but she’d barely had to use any energy with Spiro.