Rogues

Two

Sloane:

It's like one of those out of body experiences. The smell lingered in the air right outside Hyde's tavern. It had invaded the inside of my helmet even before I had removed it. I took it off and I made up my mind. I had to know at least what he looks like. There are a lot of people here. I knew I wouldn't see him right away. That growl had put me on edge worse than my father ever had. When he spoke to me his voice sent my blood rushing in a frenzy. I knew I had to get out of there or the woman that had contacted me earlier tonight wouldn't get what she wanted.

The ride to the east side of town did nothing to calm me. I got off my bike in front of the apartment building she had asked me to meet her in. I adjusted my weapons before I put my helmet on the bike. A lot of sketchy looking characters here. The sound of gangster rap added to the smell of stale beer and body odor. This is one of those places my father had told me about whenever I had run off on my own. Since leaving, I realized just how pampered we all are in the packlands.

"You don't want to go in there, Trouble," the sound of his voice made me smile.

"I go wherever I want," I said looking back at him. His eyes have this spark to them. He's dangerous. His reputation isn't exaggerated.

"I'm sure you do. This place is one of those places pretty pigtailed girls don't walk out of though and I'm not letting you walk in there alone and unarmed,"

"It's cute that you think I'm unarmed. Why don't you stay here and watch me?" I asked tossing my helmet at him. "So I'm no longer alone,"

He didn't say anything as I walked over to apartment six A. I tapped on the door three times like I had promised. The woman opened the door about two inches and looked at me. I smiled at her. I looked back over to my mate who stood against my bike. He looked around before he gave me a single nod. She stepped back letting me in. I walked into the smell of incense and lit candle lights. The place feels like a shrine, not an apartment. Lupe is very spiritual.

"You are Sloane?" she asked motioning me to take a seat on the leather couch covered in knitted blankets and throw pillows.

"I am. We spoke on the phone," I confirmed taking a seat.

"You are not what I expected," I smiled.

"I get that a lot,"

"It has been two months. The police have not helped me. I have begged and they laugh. Mi nina was taken from her room," the knock made her jump. I looked out the window to see my mate standing there.

"He's with me," she nodded letting him in. The way she looked at him made me smile. His height makes me feel small and that says a lot because I'm tall for a woman. "What can you tell me about that night?"

"Me Acuerdo," she sighed lowering her head. The smell of fear and anguish swirled around her. Alexie looked over at me and then began to look around. "There was a bright light in the room. It moved. I tried to open door and nothing. She cried for me and I couldn't do nothing,"

"What do mean the light was moving. Like someone was using a flashlight?" I asked. She nodded.

"Si,"

"Can you show me the room?" I asked. She stood up motioning me to follow her. Alexie moved out of the way and let us pass.

The smell here is utterly human. All of it no trace of anything else until we got to the room. A cold almost death-like smell lingered in the air as we got closer to the room she was taking me to. The source came from inside. The woman pointed at the door without wanting to go any further. I had this unedged urge to pull my gun out. I put my hand out telling her to stay where she was as I pushed the door open.

The room isn't very big. The twin size bed is perfectly made with a pink princess blanket. The walls were covered with drawings and princess stickers. Dolls and stuffed animals all over the place. This is the source of the disgusting smell. I took in as much as I could without touching anything.

"You smell that right, Trouble?" he asked. I looked back at the window to see it was shut. I went over to it.

"No abre," she said. It doesn't open. I pulled it up with no trouble. She looked over it before she shook her head.

"What would leeches want with a little girl?" I asked looking back at him. "Why would they use flashlights?"

"Vamps don't usually like getting their hands dirty, Trouble. They have humans for that. I don't know why they took the kid but I don't think you should get mixed up in something like this. We don't deal in leech affairs. I think it's time we lay down some rules," I smiled at him.

"You're right," I chastised motioning him to the door.

He turned around and I backed up closer to the window. Before he could look back to make sure I was following him, I climbed through it and shut the window. The smell is tracing all the way to an alley. I could hear him calling after me. I jumped up grabbing the top of the brick wall dividing the apartment complexes and pulled myself up. The alleyway is a little too clean for my liking. I looked back to see Alexie poking his head out the window.

"Come back here," he demanded.

"Or what?" I asked pulling my legs up to position myself to jump to the other side.

"Don't you dare," he warned pointing at me.

The glint in his eyes doesn't match the tone he's using telling me he's enjoying this more than he lets off. I pushed myself off the wall and landed on the alleyway floor. The smell of vampire is strong here in either direction. I sighed knowing what might be lurking under these streets.

"Do not take off until I get there," he called from over the wall.

I rolled my eyes and tried to pick up on the scent of the human. I smiled to myself when I heard him murmur something. There is a faint scent of human here. Not the little girl's obviously but something fresher. It leads down into a manhole. I squatted down reaching for it. He stopped me from pulling it up. The tingling sensation of our barely forming bond flared where our skin met and coursed through my body making me shiver.

"What are you doing?" I asked trying to pulling away.

"Rule number one, no vampire affairs. If they took the kid we have no business looking into it," he growled pulling me up. "We're already trespassing. Let's go,"

"That woman lost her daughter. Haven't you ever lost something of great value to you?" I asked as he turned away. He has a tight grip on my arm.

"Look, Trouble. Somethings we can't change. The leeches pick their prey and they feed. That's the natural order of the world. We have to get the hell out of here," he let go of my arm and took my hand. He began to tug me in the direction we had come from.

"This is certainly a surprise," he froze and pulled me to him. My chest smacked against his momentarily knocking the wind out of me. I couldn't move to turn to look at who had addressed us.

"Ashton Moon," Alexie called back with distaste.

"What are you doing here Alexian?" he asked. That's his full name? Cute.

"Just keeping one of my new recruits out of trouble. You know how former pack wolves like to be righteous and s**t," my heart skipped a beat before I got hold of myself.

"Keep a leash on your bitches brother. Wouldn't want to start another war over something so meaningless," I let out a low growl at the insult but Alexie just tightened his grip on me and pushed me towards the wall. "Your taste is improving. She certainly smells much better than the trash you surround yourself with. This one at least knows who the master is,"

"Remember that our encounters aren't always under these circumstances, brother. It'll be nothing to me to have you at the tips of my claws again," Alexie growled.

"I seem to have fanged a nerve," the leech laughed. "No, don't tell me that the great Rogue Alexian Victor has found his ball and chain. It could have been worse. You can put flats on her and she'd be a little less man like,"

"Don't," Alexie warned when I tried to get out of his grasp. He gripped the back of my thighs and pushed me to the top of the wall.

"You're afraid I'll see her face?"

"No," my mate growled. "I'm afraid she'll see yours. This one's eaten my kind in full form. She's no stranger to flesh,"

"Good for you, brother. Go before they arrive," he said. The sound of feet on the pavement made me push up and jump over. It took him no time to follow.

"There's nothing you can do for this woman. I'm going to wipe her memories," he spat angrily pushing me towards the open window. I stopped and turned to face him.

"We're you telling him the truth?" I asked. He looked down at me and sighed.

"I don't know what brought you out of the safety of your pack, trouble. I've seen that look in your eyes before. You're a Rogue now and there are rules that keep us alive. Out here you look after yourself. We don't look into mortal missing person cases for a reason. Most of them end up back there,"

I walked back to the window and climbed back through it. Lupe was sitting on the couch. I had done this several times to some of the pups in my pack. The hopeful look in her eyes shattered me. I sat down with her.

"Did you find anything?" she asked. I placed my hands on both sides of her head and made her look me in the eyes.

"Your daughter was hit by a speeding car outside. The police caught the man. He was drunk and is going to spend the rest of his life in prison. I will deliver her ashes to you tomorrow morning. Move and never come back here again," she blinked her eyes a few times before the rewiring of her mind shut her down. I picked her up and walked her back into the little girl's room. My mate watched me tuck her into bed.

"I've never met a female who could do that," Alexian said as I covered the woman in a blanket. I shut the window using my claws to seal it again.

"You've never met an alpha female then," he smiled at me as I walked over to where he had set down my helmet. We walked out after I made sure nothing would happen to the woman. It's the least I can do since I wasn't able to help her. I locked her doors and went over to my bike.

"No. Never. I didn't even know they still existed," I mounted my bike and looked over at him.

"I'm the oldest but there are two others like me that I know of. I have no limitations to my strength. You were right when you said I've tasted Rogue flesh before. In wolf form, I like to enjoy what I am. I'm no stranger to murder nor am I opposed to it. You don't have to worry about me,"

"How long have you been away from your pack?" he asked. I looked down at my helmet and started my bike.

"About a year and eight months now," I answered putting my helmet on. "I live on Nicholas and Third,"

"No, you don't," he sighed crossing his arms.

"You sure about that?" I asked before I took off.