Rogues: Rise of The King

Eight

Samsin: 

    This girl had been broken when I met her. The shell of the masterpiece running around killing her way through a meaningless existence. She had come for the Yakuza Boss in the night like a shadow. I would have been impressed with her had she known I had been tailing her for weeks. Her work, it could have been mesmerizing. It could have been perfect if she wasn't so damn cocky. 

    Still, there was something there. Something I couldn't help but admire. There's devotion to her actions. Grace in her form. Beauty in the war she wages inside. I never thought I'd meet someone who understood. It's different. In every way, but in the end, we aren't too different. 

    The night I had spotted her, I had been tailing Rukka Tokimono. The head of the Yakuza Army. The Murder Clan. A coven of vampires who take from the werewolves and distributed to the humans. I had been hired by Kaname Nakamura to execute him. The i***t had given someone information he didn't need to be giving anyone. Especially not the person he told. 

    Kaname had come into the apartment I had been staying in that year. He wasn't surprised when he opened the door to find the end of my double-barrel saw off to his temple. He had taken it from me not without resistance, of course. He gave me an insane amount of Japanese Yen. It wasn't my first contract with the vampires and odds are it wouldn't be the last. 

    Sloane Vanderbilt walked in when I had just finished my job. I had been in the building across when she jumped into the room from the vents. I had aimed my rifle at her and watched as she took a few things from the bodies scattered around the floor. Her intent was obviously not to kill anyone. She wasn't upset or surprised to have found them all dead. 

    I tailed her for weeks as she killed her way through the highest Murder Clan generals. I was impressed by her technique. It wasn't until she got to Berlin that I realized what the hell she was doing. She was restoring the balance. Putting everyone in line. It was funny then. A cute attempt to play god. I loved it. 

    I almost lost her when that f*****g i***t Titus Emory came in the picture. The Vampire Slayer. That's what he's known as. Vampires are scared shitless of the guy. Yet to my understanding he didn't have a personal vendetta against that race. He just wanted to find the one who hurt him. No one gave up a location so he killed his way to the man or rather the beast he wanted to find. They should have given the vampire up. So many died for a girl who wasn't worth dying for. 

    "What are you doing here, Sin?" I looked back at him before turning my attention back to the waves. I like being outside. This massive private beach is perfect. Sloane couldn't have picked a better spot. 

    "What do you want, Titus?" I asked annoyed. 

    "Why are you always so bitchy?" he asked dropping on the sand next to me. I rolled my eyes at the playful tone he used. I'd never given him any indication to try and be my friend but the more I pushed him back the harder he comes at me. 

    "Why are you so pushy?" I asked glancing in his direction. 

    "I never thought you'd be loyal to anyone but yourself," he smirked laying back. He pulled my towel from under me making me roll to my side. He balled it up and used it as a pillow. 

    "Is that right?" I asked shoving his legs when I sat back up. 

    "Are you-you know. Gay?" he asked making me laugh. 

    "Why would you think that?" I asked pulling my legs up so I can lean on them. 

    "I don't know," he shrugged. "I mean I've tried to figure out why you'd be so loyal to Sloane and the only reason I can come up with is that you might be in love with her," 

    "Are you in love with her? Why are you here?" 

    "I'm not in love with her," he answered truthfully. "Not a falling in love kind of guy," 

    "I'm not in love with her either. It may be hard to believe but I like to f**k not rub," 

He laughed his entire body shook. I smiled shaking my head. "That is the truest statement I think I've ever heard you say, Sin," 

    "What's your deal? Why are you bugging me?" 

    "Do I bother you?" he asked sitting up. I sighed looking over at him. 

    "There are times when I want to be alone and you show up, Slick. What does that tell you?" his eyes squinted before he smirked at me. 

    "No one wants to be alone, Samsin. You're full of s**t," 

    "I don't want to be alone all the time. There are times when I want to be left to my thoughts," 

    "What thoughts? What do you need to think about so badly that you want to be alone?" 

    "f*****g," I answered sarcastically. He flinched but then let out a snort before he burst out laughing. 

    "I guess," he answered swatting at the sand. 

    "What are you doing out here aside from pestering me?" 

    "Waiting," he sighed. 

    "For?" 

    "The tide," 

    "You surf?" I asked watching the waves sweep over the sand. He is definitely dressed for a swim.

    "Yeah, it's not always killing games and s**t," the way he said it is weird. "You like to think about f*****g. I like to surf," 

I laughed. "Shut up," 

    "You know I tried to do a background check on you," 

    "Really?" I mused. 

    "There is nothing anywhere about a girl named Samsin Cutler. Not in the human census, not in the wolf community, nowhere. No face recognition either," I nodded. 

    "There wouldn't be anything would there?" I swirled my fingers through the cold sand.

    "I can't trust you," he stated making me look at him confused. "I want to. You have this-this thing about you. You're a good person. I just can't trust someone who doesn't want to exist," 

    "I want to exist," I asserted. "I'm just not allowed to," 

    "What the f**k does that mean? Are you in trouble? I mean other than this? What are you running from?" 

    "I'm not the kind of person that runs," I sighed resting my head on my knees without looking away from him. "I'm just not allowed to exists like everyone else. You wouldn't understand because you were born, you were raised, and you were loved. I didn't have that luxury. I have no real past and no real future. I think this is the first time I have something to look forward to. It's not loyalty that brought me here. I'm just tired of running around in circles," 

    "Okay," he coaxed shaking his head. "I understand some of that. Are you an orphan?" 

    "No, I know who my parents are," 

    "Okay? You weren't born a rogue. I know that much. You don't feel like an omega. What's your story? Why do you think you aren't allowed to exist?" 

    "What are you two doing out here?" we both turned to see Anya walking in our direction. 

"Waiting," we both said. 

    "For?" 

    "The tides," Titus looked at me with amusement playing in his eyes. 

    "Oh," she said stopping. "But you don't have any surf gear," 

    "It's in my truck," he said. 

    "There were a couple of shark sightings in the area. Patrol called a few minutes ago. Sloane sent me to check in on you guys. You good?" 

    "Yeah," we both answered. 

    "Cool. Stay out of the water you little f***s," she emphasized before walking away. 

    "You think she just wakes up and thinks we're all her kids?" he asked when she was gone. I shrugged. 

    "It oddly feels right though," I chuckled. He nodded agreeing. "Come on. Let's get out of here. I know a place," 

    "You know a place?" he asked. I got up and offered him my hand. He didn't take it. Instead, he handed me the towel before getting up.     

    He followed me into the big ass house. I changed into something a little more formal. A fitted blue dress some nice black pinup pumps, a little makeup, and pulled my hair back. I grabbed my favorite black leather jacket from the bathroom hook on my way out of the empty room. Sloane is sitting in the empty kitchen reviewing some papers. There are a few takeout boxes on the counters along with some of her kid's toys. 

    "Please don't kill anyone," she called out to me without looking up.     

    "Can't promise you that, legs," I laughed, leaning on the counter. She smirked flipping the page. "What are you doing?" 

    "Alexie found some abnormalities in the paperwork. I'm going over them to see how I can unfuck these accounts before we go asking questions. Where are you two headed?" 

    "The Iron Paw," she looked up at me with a smile. 

    "If you two are going to do this make sure it doesn't come between our work. I have enough s**t to deal with between Alexie and I not agreeing with a bunch of this s**t. I don't need to add you two to my list," 

    "Nothing is going to happen," I laughed. "Maybe some f*****g. I don't go beyond that remember?" 

    "I remember," she rolled her eyes, pressing her lips together. 

    "Let me ask you something," 

    "Okay," she smiled putting the paper down. 

    "What the f**k are you doing? I know you don't want this," 

    "He wants it," she shrugged like it was no big deal. 

    "So you're going to change who you are for him? How is that fair?" 

    "I'm not changing," she claimed with a grin. "Alex wants to be the Rogue King. As his mate, I fully support that. I wanted to clean this s**t up and with him, in charge, I can finally do it without hiding,"

    "What happens when you're done?" I asked. "You won't be able to go back to being the alpha's daughter. You're going to have responsibilities. You're going to have to rule with him," 

    "I know that," she confirmed with a nod. 

    "You're okay with that?" 

    "Yeah," 

    "Why?" 

    "Because then I won't have to be running in place anymore. I'll be free to be myself. Don't you want something like that? To stop moving around. Seeing, feeling, tasting the same things over and over again?" the sound of Titus' boots stampeding down the stairs made us both stand up straight. 

    "Ready?" he asked looking me over. He's pleased with what he saw.

    "Please try not to get into trouble," Sloane sighed heavily, looking between us.

    "I can't make that promise," the two of us answered at the same time. She sighed rolling her eyes at us. 

    "Try. Call me when you need me to bail you two ass holes out of jail," 

    "Drama queen," Titus scoffed as we walked to my car. 

    He didn't say a word on the way to the club. He glanced at me amused when I walked past the long line of people waiting to get inside. The bouncer took one glance at me and motioned us in. I handed him a hundred dollar bill as I walked past him. He pointed us to the VIP section. The long dark hall ended with a Victorian mahogany door and another massive bouncer. 

    "Sin, it's been a long time," Jerry us with a smile. "Try not to f**k things up too bad," 

    "Just here for some fun.  I'm not looking for anyone tonight," he scoffed before looking Titus over. 

    "I doubt that Byastskhan Diavol," (Little Devil) 

    "I'll see you later, big man,"  I smiled, smacking his chest when he opened the door for us. 

    "Your usual booth is open. I'll let Altan know you're here," he said handing me two wristbands.

    "I'm not looking for a job," I stopped before walking in.

    "You're a little s**t, Sin. I have to let the boss know you're here regardless," 

Titus laughed as he followed me inside. 

    I glared at him as I walked into the next hallway and up the staircase. I looked over to the mirrored door where I sit when I usually came here. I opened it to be met with the blast of hard rap, the smell of adrenaline and alcohol. I took a seat to the far end overlooking the dance floor. The staircase leading down to it is blocked off at the bottom. I handed the extra red wristband to Titus. 

    "Put that on. Make sure the barcode is facing up. That's your way back up," I informed him pointing at the small electric gate at the bottom he nodded taking the sticker off the end of the strip and wrapped it around his wrist. I pulled my jacket off putting it on the coat rack next to the booth's seat.

    The bartender motioned one of the waitresses to him and then assigned her to our booth. She waved at me getting my attention before I motioned her to come up. I was about to get up and order a bottle when Titus put his hand on my thigh and grabbed my arm pulling me to him. I looked at him with a glare which he ignored. 

    "I'm not in the mood to get hit on tonight. I came here with you I plan on going home that way," he announced putting his arm on the backrest over my shoulders. 

    "Lady Cutler," the waitress greeted me. "It's been a long time. Sir Altan will be with you shortly. I was asked to keep you accommodated until his arrival. On the house. What would you and your friend like to drink?" 

    "Two Jacks," we both answered. She smiled bowing a little before walking down the stairs. 

    "Who are you?" Titus asked looking at me. He removed his arms leaning back swinging his leg up making himself comfortable next to me. 

    "Sin Cutler," I answered. 

    "Is that even your real name?" 

    "Samsin is my birth name. Cutler is the name I was assigned after my parents sold me to the Mongolian Shadows," he sat up straight looking at me with a little more understanding now. I crossed my legs at my ankles and made myself comfortable leaning towards him properly. I can't afford to be sloppy here. Altan would kill me if he caught me being improper.

    "You're a Mongolian Shadow?" he asked softly. Like he was afraid to say the name out loud. 

    "Do you get it now?" I asked. 

    I don't think he noticed but his body scooted closer to me. The side of him curved into me protectively like he was afraid something bad was going to happen. I don't mind actually. Titus is the kind of guy I'd look for on nights like this. Something warm and broken with no self-esteem to take home because in the morning we didn't have to deal with pleasantries. We'd wake up and go about the day like it never happened and maybe do it a few more times until we reverted back to our old selves and hate one another for being so stupid for doing this to ourselves. I can live with that. I've always lived that way.     

    "I get it now," he confirmed as the waitress came up the staircase with our drinks. 

    We were three drinks in when the son of a b***h I had learned to call father walked through the crowd and over to us. His eyes never leaving mine as he was let into the booth. I pulled away from Titus and stood up bending down on one knee with my head low in complete submission when he reached us. 

    He's as beautiful as the day I had first met him. Altan Cutler was born into his title. The hybrid son of Altan Otganbayar. His mother was an All-American alpha thoroughbred. His father a Mongolian purebred who broke the cycle when he came into power. Those who ever brought my adoptive father's nationality into question lost their head and ended up mounted on a wall in his study. So far there are eight up there. 

    He's tall. The anger he suppresses is channeled into exercising. His massive arms strain against his fitted tailored suit. The cocky look of a pretty boy spark in those dark brown eyes of his held a boyish charm. He's twice my age but looks just as young as I do.

    "Okhin mini," (Daughter) he greeted tapping the back of my neck where his brand is with his index finger. I looked up at him with a smile. He put his hand under my chin and guided me to my feet. 

    "Etseg mini," (Father) I greeted respectfully.

    "It has been a very long time, my love. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked looking over at Titus with curiosity. 

    "Just a visit, father," I assured him. "This is a new friend of mine. We're working on something together," 

    "Titus Emory," Titus introduced himself, standing up extending his hand to my father. Altan looked down at it and took it. I cleared my throat when I saw both of their forearms strain. Men. 

    "You have interesting friends," my father smirked, motioning us to sit.

     I sat on the red velvet seat of the booth first. Titus following after me sitting at the end and my father sitting at the other end. He didn't drift away from me simply because Altan is here. My father liked that Titus didn't show any weakness. Titus kept true to his word. He came here with me and he planned on us going home together.

    "I didn't call you here," I continued when nothing else was said. 

    "Eej Chini chamaig sanaj baina," (Your mother misses you). He said ignoring my comment. 

    "I don't have a mother," I shot back, taking a drink from my glass. He glanced at me disapprovingly. 

    His mate and I don't get along. We've tried to kill one another a few times. He knows that but insists we keep an open mind because we're both a part of his life and he plans to keep it that way. I hate that b***h just as much as I hate my drug addict w***e of a birth mother. The woman is still alive because she birthed me. No other reason. This b***h isn't s**t to me and I'm glad he didn't bring her with him. Which begs for me to question. Why?

    "How long have you been here?" 

    "Couple weeks," 

    "Weeks?" he asked looking back at me. I laughed. "I spoil you," 

    "If that's what you want to call it," I mused. He rolled his eyes at me. It's cute because of the form of his Asian eyes. 

    "Samy, when I released you of your vows I didn't think you'd leave me forever," 

    "I'm here aren't I? I could have left or I could have just not come," I chastised. He smiled looking over at me. I had missed him. Maybe not the beatings and the hell he had put me through but the good. The reasons why I accepted him as a father. Little moments like this.

    "Yes, you are. I am very happy to see you. I am very happy to know you aren't out there alone. We have a new king and I wouldn't want you to be caught doing something stupid by him or his queen," 

    "She's why I'm here. Sloane is a close friend," his smile turned into a grin. Pride swam in his eyes. 

    "Is that right? Good for you. I didn't think you were capable of having friends. We'll be on standby if you need us. You're still my daughter and I'd do anything for you," 

    He had said those same words to me when he released me after I was almost killed on one of his assignments. I had been in a coma for three weeks. They weren't sure if I was going to make it. When I recovered he said he couldn't bear the thought of losing me. So he let me go. 

    "I'll remember that," I nodded, finishing my drink. The waitress came up and placed three more drinks on the table before she walked away. He pushed the drink to me and stood up. 

    "You and Sloane Vanderbilt," he chuckled. "The new world is about to be put in order," 

    "So they say," Titus smirked.

    "Have fun, sweetheart. It was a pleasure seeing you again. Don't let what's between your legs think for you, princess. There will always be bigger and better," 

Titus laughed as Altan walked down the stair. My face flushed with embarrassment. 

    "I cannot believe he just said that," I mused, shaking my head. 

    "He doesn't look old enough to be the king of the Mongolian Shadows," Titus smiled after a while. 

    "He's in his mid-forties. Pretty people age differently," I said drinking from the glass. At midnight, the music changed into something electric. I stretched feeling the light hum of the whiskey in my body. 

    "Ready to go?" he asked the tone he used had a hint of disappointment. 

    "Of course not," I scoffed, pushing against him. "I didn't bring you here to just drink. I came here to have fun. We might die sometime in the next three months. I want to party," 

    I took his hand pulling him with me down the staircase towards the dance floor. The lack of protest told me he wanted to do this too. Once we reached the dance floor, he pulled me to him hard. My chest hit his. His hands slid down to the curve of my lower back. I brought my hands up around his neck and moved to the music with him. 

    "I never thought I'd see you like this," he whispered into my ear. "Never saw the beauty of you until now," 

I let my head fall back showing him my exposed skin invitingly. "There's nothing beautiful about me. It's just a skin," 

    "No sweetheart. You're a survivor. No matter the ugly you had to endure and become. It's beautiful. This dress," he said pulling me closer. "I hope you're not attached to it because it's not surviving the night," 

    I laughed pulling away from him. I shut my eyes moving to the sound of the music letting go of everything that keeps me together. I don't want to feel. I don't want to listen to his compliments. I don't need him to tell me what he sees or that he feels. I want it all to just fade away so there's nothing in me but the music coming from the speakers. All I want to see is the blinking lights and lasers moving around the room. All I want to feel is the thumping heartbeats of the excited youth looking for the same thing I am. Nothing else because for the rest of the night. Nothing matters.