Rogues

Eight

Alexie:

The woman sat in the back of the Tavern close to the stage. Sloane sat at the bar with Heather. This girl fits in anywhere I swear. Heather, Hyde's sister hates everyone and they're both sitting there laughing it up like they have known one another for a very long time. She may be blunt and has no filter but she has the personality everyone strives to have.

"I've never met someone like her," Hyde said handing me a drink. "You think all pack wolves are like that?"

"No," I answered truthfully looking at the door. I doubt there's anyone else like her.

It had been a few minutes since he had arrived with the girl he and Sloane were supposed to be looking for. She brought her husband here. They're currently arguing about what she had done. Some tears are present but she doesn't really regret how things happened and he knows that. I watched as she took the ring linked to her necklace and handed it to him. He stood up taking a package out of his jacket and walked over to my mate. He handed it to her and walked out. She put it away before Heather turned back to her.

The smell of betrayal lingered in the air for an instant a lot of my men picked up on it. Sloane went from the bar to the woman waiting for her mate to come for her. She sat down handing her a drink. The woman skeptically looked down at the pink juice fused beverage.

"If we wanted you dead you'd already be," my mate said. "And it wouldn't be poison,"

Sloane pushed the drink to the woman taking her jacket off leaving her in a black button up. What intrigued me is the holsters she wearing. I would never think that she would be packing that much under that jacket. Two guns to her sides in the holsters and strapped to her back like wings two silver almost white daggers. Extra ammo magazines on her belt. I looked at Hyde who looked at me with his mouth slightly open like he couldn't believe what he's looking at either.

"You don't think she was the one who chopped McCoy's arm off do you?" he asked. I paused holding my glass up to take a drink and glanced at the daggers on her back.

"I... I wouldn't put it past her anymore," I scoffed finishing my drink.

The sound of cars and bikes arriving all at once cleared the floor. Everyone took their positions. The door was pushed open and in came the guest of honor. The woman stood up. My mate growled at her making her ass sit back down. Hale looked around until his eyes met mine. A couple of men walked in with him. Hyde stood up and went over to the bar where his sister is. I motioned Hale to sit with me. His eyes stayed on his mate as we walked over.

"Hale," I greeted trying to get his attention. His eyes shot to mine. The panic in them is obvious.

"What the hell are you doing, Alexie?" he asked.

"Inviting a friend over for drinks," I said. "What are you having?"

"Brandy," he growled.

"Funny. Isn't that your mate's name?" I asked.

"Yeah, hand her over and we can pretend this never happened,"

"We both know that's not how this works buddy,"

"My mum once told me, a man is not a man until he finds the half that compliments him. The part that can bring the best and the worst out of him. You've taken that from me and you think you're going to get away with it?"

"Your mother is a wise woman. I happen to believe she's right. Tell me something about Brandy that compliments you?" he didn't answer. "See the girl with the pigtails sitting across your mate? Beautiful hair don't you think? I've seen brunettes before but this one. Her hair caught my attention from the moment she walked in here. She's my mate,"

"Your mate?" he asked looking back at me.

"That's right. She's the woman who was born to compliment me. She's been going around the city doing some pretty sketchy s**t. I know she's run into your guys. She's run into some fangs. She put the beat down on one of my brothers,"

"All three," called out correcting me. I laughed.

"Thank you, trouble. Correction. She's beaten all three of my brothers," I smirked shaking my head. I'm going to ask about that. "Now, we haven't known each other very long. You've been here a little over two years now. You and your brother took something from the vampire prince established here,"

"You mean your brother?" he asked sitting back crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, my brother. We're related but we're not exactly on good terms all the way around. I know all about your problems with the leeches running about your place taking more than they should. You don't see those mother fuckers doing that s**t here, right?"

"He does it from time to time," he admitted.

"That's only when he's feeling a little needy. He's the baby of our family. All of this is just a big show because he didn't get that black Jaguar he wanted for his sixteenth birthday. My dad got him a dark blue beemer. The nerve right?" Sloane laughed. "I want to make you an offer,"

"No," he said point blank.

The sound of Sloane taking one of her daggers out caught our attention. His mate looked at her eyes wide and filled with fear. She put the end of the dagger on the table holding up with the tip of her finger. She spun it.

"What do you think Brandy?" my mate asked showing her the dagger.

"Very pretty," Brandy answered nervously.

"I've only had the opportunity to use these once. Shame really, I got them in Ireland. They caught my attention while I was driving by. I used this one to cut man's arm off when I caught him trying to rip a little girl's shirt off. Red is a beautiful color against this particular shade of silver,"

"What do you want?" Hale asked making a few of my guys laugh.

"I just want in. You'll be doing the same thing you do now only you and your brother will be answering to my friend Hyde back there," we both turned to see Hyde raise his glass at us.

"And if I refuse?" he asked.

"You won't," Sloane answered for me. She stood up and with the wave of her hand Brandy stood up and walked towards us stopping right in front of her. "You do what he wants and I'll give you a gift,"

"You have nothing I want," Hale scoffed. My mates eyes flared. The silver taking over her irises. Brandy tilted her head as if to give her access to her neck.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked. Hale looked at me his eyes sparkled.

"You'd do this for me?" he asked.

"I'd teach her. Show her how to control it. Bitten wolves can be fickle. She's kind of perfect. Strong, she's scared out of her mind yet she's keeping it together very well," Sloane complimented walking around the girl. She has everyone's attention. "She's beautiful. You are a lucky man. She's going to be amazing,"

"How can you tell?" Hale asked watching them closely.

"Humans are easy to read. Some of them are born for this. They let our kind in so easily. All I had to do was look at her and she accepted her fate at my hands with no regard to herself. Those who don't see what we are as a gift, it's harder for them to accept what we are. They call us monsters. They resist. Potential like this is rare nowadays,"

"What are we talking about?" Hale asked looking at me. Hyde came over to me with the paperwork.

"Take that with you. Look it over. I'm willing to negotiate with you. When we come to terms you can bring the girl back to my mate," I said.

He took the file and nodded. I looked at my mate and she smiled back at me. She winked and the girl straightened out shaking her head. She looked at Sloane with a new kind of trust. There was almost a kind of adoration in the way she looked her over. My mate motioned her to go over to Hale and she complied. Hale took her hand and pulled her to him. The two of them walked out and his men followed. Sloane came over and sat down across from me.

"What did you do to her?" Heather asked.

"I never kiss and tell," my mate smiled.

"Ireland?" I asked.

"What about it?" she asked.

"Did you like it?" she shrugged.

"Greece was better. I have thing about Gods. Kings and Queens aren't my thing anymore,"

"You're really willing to take that girl as your pup? Why?" I asked looking her over.

"This is important to you," she said. "Anyone can agree to something on a paper. I have negotiated several treaties and I've gone to war with those who couldn't uphold their end of the bargain. My mother was a clairvoyant alpha female. All she had to do was make skin to skin contact. I don't read minds like she did but I did inherit some of that power. I can create a link through emotions. Should he ever try something as stupid as try to take from you, I'll have her kill him. Even with their mated bond, she wouldn't be able to resist me. Even if they were on the other side of the world all I have to do is think it and she'll do it,"

"That is awesome," Heather said taking a seat to her left.

"Did you?" I asked pointing at Heather.

"No," she said looking at her. "Heather and I share the same dark sense of humor. I don't compel people to like me. I'm just cool like that,"

"I love her," we all turned to see Ashton at the doorway. We all stood up. He walked in waving his hand around. "Calm down. I'm only here to meet my new sister-in-law,"

"Ash," I sighed giving everyone a nod. They all sat down but no one took their eyes off of him. The last time he was here we had to drag out several of my men and burn them after he bit them.

"Brother," he greeted coming over to hug me. I let him, making sure his fangs weren't close to my neck. Sloane stood up looking him over. "You must be Sloane,"

"Yeah," she nodded. "You must be Ashton. We've met. Unofficially,"

"You're the wolf in the mask," he said. "The green apple vinegar worked like a charm,"

"I wouldn't lie to you," she shrugged. "I'm not very good at it,"

"What's going on?" I asked.

"A few weeks ago. Before the alley incident. This beautiful creature stopped a few of my guys from taking a couple of girls off the beach at Shore. I was in the neighborhood. She shot one of my guy's finger off. It landed on one of my favorite Versace suits. She recommended green apple vinegar. Took the stain right out," They both sat down.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" I asked taking a seat.

"I don't know, can you?" he asked. Sloane laughed shaking her head.

"I'm not very familiar with your kind," she said.

"Ask away, Slick. You are part of the family now. It seems fair,"

"Do you have a blood preference or is it all the same to you?" he sat back with a quick glance at me as if he was asking me if she was serious.

"Your usual?" Hyde asked Sloane.

"Yes, please," she said with a smile.

"Ash?"

"Yes, please," he mocked her. Her nose wrinkled just on the right side more of a twitch. He caught it because he briefly looked at me before looking back at her. She didn't like that in the slightest.

"Sir?" Hyde asked me.

"Yeah," I nodded. He walked over to the bar leaving the three of us.

"You have a bit of a temper," Ash commented sitting back.

He left his right hand on the table so he could tap on it with his claws finger by finger repeatedly. This time both sides of her nose twitched. Her silver eyes gleamed before she looked away from him. It amused Ash.

"You have no idea," she said softly. The sound of her voice gave me goosebumps. It was definitely a threat.

"Are we going to act like we don't all know one another?" he finally asked. "I know who this girl is. Where she comes from. You all know me,"

"Not anymore," I said shaking my head. He nodded.

"Right because I bite a little harder now," he laughed. "You forgot to tell me that you're mated to one of Lance's alphas. It must have slipped your mind last night, right brother?"

"Ash?" we all looked over at the door to see Archer standing there with a couple of his friends. He was frozen in his spot. He hadn't seen Ash like this yet.

"Archie," Ash beamed. Sloane growled at Ash when he got up. Her eyes glowing like they had earlier to show her dominance. "That's not very nice, Slick. He's my brother,"

"Touch him and you lose a limb," she growled. Her canines peaked inside of her mouth as she spoke. Ash sighed sitting back down.

"You think you can catch me?" he challenged.

"You doubt me?" she asked. "I don't have to remind you about the other night on the beach do I?"

"Touche," he said relaxing. She didn't. "Relax Archer. Sit or go,"

"What are you doing here?" he asked him coming over to sit between my mate and I. It was only then that she relaxed. She has no idea how honored I am to have her protect my brother as she did even when with the differences they've encountered.

"I came to officially meet our new sister-in-law," he said. Hyde came over putting drinks down in front of all us. He placed a tall glass of Archer's favorite lager in front of him.

"Thanks, man," he said. Hyde gave his shoulder a squeeze before walking away.

"You never answered my question," Sloane finally broke the silence making Ash laugh.

"It depends," he answered.

"On?"

"My mood. If I'm in a good mood I tend to go for younger humans. The smart ones taste sweet with a hint of something bitter like a sweet champagne. The angry ones. Now those, they leave this burning feeling. Like eating something too spicy but man do they pack a punch for days. When I'm in a s**t mood they all taste the same and no amount of blood changes that,"

"I thought vampires didn't have emotions," she said taking a drink from her gin and tonic. "I can taste them in the air around you,"

"Really?" he asked looking over at her a little more interested now.

"I can," she said leaning closer to him. "May I?"

"Can she?" he asked looking at me. I shrugged. He looked at her placing his hand in hers.

It was like a flash. A warm flash that came from him. He flinched. For an instant, his cold eyes warmed before he shut them letting out a sigh of relief. She let go. Her entire body grew stiff and she shivered. Her eyes flashed before she popped her neck and rotated her shoulders.

"f**k," she groaned drinking what was left of her drink. Ash pushed his drink to her and she gladly took it.

"I've only seen other vampires do that," he said. She rubbed her temples before she looked up at him.

"It's... It's something only purebreds can do. My bloodline has never mixed with humans. Alpha to alpha. Generation to generation. How do you live with that?"

"Easy," he shrugged. "It's really easy,"

"If you say so," she shivered again rubbing her arms like she was trying to warm herself.

"You took it away. How did you do that?" he asked looking at her. She smiled at me.

"I didn't do anything you didn't want me to do," he glared at her.

"What the f**k does that mean?" he asked sounding a lot like my brother now. Tempermental and defensive. Even his reaction to her is familiar now. It isn't a front or a mask to hide anything.

"Come on, kid. You're suffering. You're alone. You want something to take that away. Anything. I eased some of it. That's it,"

"Will it come back?" he asked leaning into her.

"Only if you let it. You have to find a balance between what you feel and what you are. Stop acting like you don't give a s**t. If you're trying to get in with the others stop. You're the boss. They have to prove something to you, not the other way around. You're not an associate anymore stop acting like it. You're not lost. Just open your eyes and look around you. The answer is right there," she smiled. "You need to stop drinking Vodka. That s**t makes you aggressive. I think you'd do better with whiskey,"

"Yeah?" he asked. She didn't get to answer him because his phone rang. "What...? I'll be there in a bit. Try not to get blood on my carpet,"

"Really?" I asked remembering the mess he had made last night.

"I had it redone this morning," he smiled. Hyde laughed from the behind the bar.

"Ass hole," Hyde scoffed making us all laugh.

"I have to go. You should come over. Drinks are on me," he said placing a hundred dollar bill on the table. He winked. The only thing left where he stood was the whistle of his flit.

"That kid has issues," Sloane whispered playing with the ends of her left pigtail.

"What did you do to him?" I asked. She looked down at the empty glasses in front of her.

"I just took the pain away. I've only ever done that a few times. The first time was from your older brother. When Sofie brought him with her, my dad wanted me to kill him. Sofie, she's like my older sister. I couldn't do that to her. He was in chains. She had hunted him. Pain has a way of eating away at who we really are. Take the pain away and we can make a clear choice,"

"You didn't do to him what you did to the girl did you?" she laughed.

"Your brother is special. Even if I had wanted to make him my b***h he wouldn't have allowed it. He let me feel what he was feeling but he didn't let me into his head. It takes a great deal of power to do that. Just because he's the way he is now doesn't mean he's not your brother anymore. It doesn't mean he's not the person you know. Potentially he can shut it off. He's strong. Not a lot of people can live with all that regret," she took a deep breath rubbing her arms again. "I'd like to go home if you don't mind,"

"No," I said. She got up leaving me with my brother. She went over to the bar.

"I thought she hated me," he said softly.

"She probably does. She also knows how important you are to me,"

"Do you think he would have attacked me?" he asked.

"He didn't. That's what's important. About earlier,"

"Forget it. You and Lance are his favorite. Ash and I know that. It shouldn't have surprised me like it did. Mom had already warned me anyway. She also told me about the Christmas thing," I nodded.

"You're coming right?"

"And miss her ripping dad a new one again? Hell yeah, I'm going," he smiled.

"Good. What do you have for me?"

"Ash and Hale are working on something big. I think you're going to have bring in Raz," I took a deep breath for that one.

"I'm working on something. If we need her then I'll let you know," he nodded.

"You told him, didn't you? That's why he was here,"

"Yeah," I said.

"Don't let Elena get involved in this. She's out. I'd ask you to keep Sloane out of it if I thought she'd listen to you," I sighed.

"No, Elena. Got it," he tapped on the table with his index finger before he left.

"Get out of here," Hyde said. "I've got you,"

"Thanks," I said getting up. I walked out to see my mate surrounded by a group of guys holding semiautomatics. My brothers standing with her.

"Put your hands up, Sloane. I don't want to shoot your friends," an older man shouted. I can't make anything out with all the lights shining in front of them.

"Really, daddy? I thought you were gonna let me go,"