Identity Pt. 02

"Well, I do hope you've got something other than puppy chow in this dump. It's been a long trip, and I'm famished..." Vance smiled directing his attention to the only human in the room. Rico nervously loosened his tie suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

Vicente let out a threatening snarl warning Vance to control his urges. "You have a death wish, Señor Martinez?"

"I'm sorry, I mean it's just so obvious that you knew who you were having over. You could have at least tried to be polite."

"Let's not beat around the bush, Martinez. We both know why you are here today." Vicente swiftly changed the subject feeling his anger beginning to boil.

"Yes. Puppy wants to make a deal, right?"

Vicente growled at Vance's nonchalant attitude about invasion of his territory. "This continent belongs to the wolves. Be happy we allow you to run rampant in North America." Vin took a second to withdraw and rein his temper in just a bit before continuing. "Your father signed a contract with my father years ago. It states that South America is our territory. Therefore if you wanted till run your product from the other Americas to here, you should have cleared that with me."

"So the rumors are true then. Vicente Cruz is the son of Vincenzo, the legendary Alpha of Medellín."

"I never kept that fact a secret. But of course you not knowing that already just confirms that your father isn't involved in this side business." Vin took a few steps toward the young vampire to show he was not even slightly intimidated by his leech bodyguards. "So let me be clear. You have one choice right now— cut me in for 75 percent, or get out of my territory."

"Fuck you, you arrogant mutt! You think you scare me? You really think I wasn't prepared for this?"

Vicente smirked as Vance fell right into the trap that he'd set. "You know, I thought you might say that. I had planned to work this out peacefully, but your little attempt at an ambush requires me to put you over my knee and teach you a lesson." He signaled to Manuel and suddenly the courtyard was filled with loud screams, snarls, and howls. Vance's boys ran to the windows to see huge wolves attacking their friends and cohorts they'd believed to be well hidden. Some of the vampires were being dragged by white, red, and gray wolves out into the open, some were being torn apart by two wolves at a time. It was an all out massacre and they watched in horror while Vin simply checked his watch.

Some of the vamps put up a decent fight, and Vicente felt each of their strikes to his soldiers, but none landed were fatal. Vance's eyes went full black as he watched a thin brown wolf cornering one of his vampires. Vicente recognized Gio and shook his head, knowing he had a tendency to play with his prey while he hunted. One could almost make out Gio's smirk as the young vamp went on the offensive. He lunged at the wolf but Gio easily sidestepped him. Vampires were so slow. Growing bored, Vicente used the mental link to his pack to order them to end it. Gio's ears drooped slightly before he attacked sinking his teeth into the vampire's side and jerking back. Vance stared as the light left the young vamp's eyes and his guts leaked out of the gaping hole in his side.

"No!" Vance shouted as the last of his army was killed. The brown wolf turned, looking through the window directly at Vance, he hocked the vampire's guts out on the ground.

Carmen watched from her position on the roof. After relaying her message, Vicente had ordered her to wait for him at his loft across town where she couldn't be seen, but there was no way she was doing that. Carmen had never been one to sit out of the action, and so she'd decided to keep an eye on things from a distance. This way if all went well she could stay out of sight, but if anything went wrong, she could be there to personally rip out Vance's throat. Now taking in the blood and gore among the gated courtyard of the Cruz Estate, she realized there had been nothing to worry about.

"You see Senor Martinez, in just a matter of minutes, I have managed to disarm your entire 'army' of bloodsuckers. What takes a phone call for you only takes a thought from me. That is the mark of a true leader. Until you are ready to play a grown man's game, you will be racking up casualties like you did today."

Overcome with anger, Vance charged Vicente spewing obscenities. Vicente stood his ground choosing not to move until the very last second when Vance lept off the ground fangs bared and eyes black straight at him. Vin grabbed the vampire and swung him, chucking him clear across the room into the wall. He followed behind moving so quickly that Rico believed he imagined it for a second. Yanking Vance up off the crumbled dry wall to meet his cloudy white eyes Vicnete allowed his wolf to overcome his body and Vance's eyes rreturned to their original red as his fear finally set in. Con's facial features became more wolf-like as the beard shaded over his chin, the bridge of his nose scrunched, his teeth elongated, and his ears pointed. "You cannot match me, boy. Today you have lost at least 50 men. Take the men you have remaining and go back to Los Angeles before I am forced to send you back to your father in a body bag." Vance glared at his opponent for what seemed like hours before he finally admitted how severely outmatched he was. Vicente saw his resolve crumble and he dropped him to his feet. "Get out."

Vance gave his boys a nod and they headed to the door. Just before he took his leave, he turned and looked at Vin, eyes filled with rage. "This isn't over, mutt. My father won't stand for this."

"Make no mistake, leech. The only reason you stand in my house, alive, is out of respect of the treaty your father contracted with mine." Vicente smirked at Vance teasingly, "However, I am not opposed to putting you over my knee, again." His comment received a chuckle from even Manuel as Vin signaled for him to see that their guests indeed made it onto the next plane back to LA. The large muscular man followed behind the last four vampires in Vance's fleet, urging them to the door.

Without warning, Carmen barged into the room just after Manuel stepped out shocking the hell out of everyone. Vicente had thought to place a guard with her at his loft, but with her current status one of them would be dead when he returned. Now he was wishing he'd just risked it. "You're letting him go? He just attacked you, and you're just going to—" Carmen froze when she realized everyone was staring at her.

Eager to please, Gio launched himself through the glass window at the omega teeth and claws bared. Vin groaned regretting what he was about to do. He quickly darted in between young Gio and Carmen, stopping him in his tracks. Gio knew the penalty for going up against the Alpha of the pack was grounds for immediate execution. He stared at his Alpha, completely baffled as to why he was protecting the wolf that had denounced him, an act of pure disrespect to an Alpha wolf in the Shifter world.

"Change." Vin commanded and before their eyes, Gio's form slowly snapped back into place and he once again became a man, naked and smeared with blood. His bright eyes assessed his leader's mood, debating if he should risk speaking out of turn.

"Why do you defend her, my Alpha?"

"I have granted her my hospitality in exchange for the information about Vance's preplanned attack." Vin announced to his pack. Through his mental link with Manuel, he could feel irritation and jealousy. "No harm is to come to Carmen so long as I have granted it. Anyone that disobeys these orders will have to answer directly to me." His baritone was commanding and left no choice to his pack. They would all grumble and growl, but they would not harm their former Beta.

"Permission to speak, my Alpha." Gio requested and Vin nodded his head in response. "She is a traitor and her actions here today have changed nothing. I know I speak for the pack when I say that she may be safe under your orders, but she will never be welcome."

"Noted." Vin turned to Carmen gripping her arm and leading her out of the room toward the main spiral staircase.

"Ouch, you know you can just tell me where we're going. I can walk, oww!" Carmen bitched as Vicente guided her up the stairs to the last bedroom on the left side. He pushed her through the threshold and slammed the door behind them.

"I told you to wait at my loft."

"And sit around waiting for a final body count? No thanks."

Vin turned letting out a vicious roar that radiated throughout the house. "You think this is funny? I just defended you from my own pack! The very same people that intend to rip you limb from limb for your disrespect—"

"My disrespect? I just saved your Asses!" Carmen stepped up shoulders forward and Vicente lost his mind. He lunged for her and he saw the look of pure fear in her now glowing amber eyes as his slowly clouded with pure white. His canines elongated and his muscles beefed up like Bane in a Batman movie. The full weight of his Alpha authority rolled off of him as he gripped her by her neck and slammed her against the wall. The power behind it was enough to make half the wall crumble around her body. Carmen struggled against his hold like a rabid dog, but her fight was futile.

"Enough!" Vin shouted using his Alpha command.

Carmen glared at him. "Alpha command doesn't work on wolves that denounce their Alpha."

Vicente glared back at her allowing his eyes to go fully white to intimidate her. He could see by the sweat beads that formed along her brow that it was working. "No, but ripping your throat out would certainly work."

"You granted hospitality!"

"Exactly! I grant your safety here and it can be revoked whenever I deem it necessary!" He released her from his grip and her hands went to her now bruised throat. "Now that the threat has been neutralized, I'm not sure you are worth my protection."

Carmen coughed as she rubbed her neck where Vin's hand was outlined in flaming red. "Was that necessary?"

"It seems being an omega for so long has relieved your memory of proper etiquette." Vin fixed his suit and turned to the window.

"Well then maybe you should reteach me."

Vin snorted, "And why would I do that?"

"So I can come back." He spun and gaped at her as if she'd just sprouted a second head.

"You're sick."

"I'm serious."

"I know. That's what makes you sick." Vin shook his head trying to sort through some of the emotions attacking his brain.

"Look, I'm not saying that what I did here today makes up for my previous mistakes, but it could be a start. You want me to beg? I will. I can get down on my knees right now—"

"This isn't a joke, Carmen!" Vicente roared his eyes beginning to cloud over as the memories flooded back. He remembered the anger he'd unintentionally unleashed on the rest of the pack the day Carmen defected. "You think this is funny? Do you even care about what you did to this pack? The Beta is like the right arm of the pack and you left it severed without as much as an explanation! Now you show up and expect to just come back like nothing ever happened?" He walked to the door and threw it open. "Fuck no, you might as well leave before I revoke hospitality out of spite."

Carmen watched the way he moved, the look on his face— it was the same as the day she'd decided to leave. "You want an explanation? Hmm?" She met his eyes, her glare filled with anger, hatred, and disgust. "How about the night of the Cruz Enterprises Ball at the Mansion?" Vicente tried to maintain his composure when she brought up that night, but Carmen saw the slight change in his eyes, the slight hesitation of his next breath. "You remember how you bought me a $6,000 dress, told me to get ready for an amazing night? I felt like a princess with you doting on me like I was your girlfriend. Then halfway through, we're sitting at the table and you lean over and whisper in my ear. 'I hope you had the sense not to wear underwear,' you tell and I giggle like a little schoolgirl. We dance a few more times, but after that last song, you whisk me away to the kitchen and tell me to go up to your room and wait for you. I was so excited that I didn't ask any questions, I just ran upstairs and stripped down." Carmen's eyes began to well up with tears against her wishes. She felt weak for her body's inability to show emotional restraint, until she saw how her tears were beginning to affect him. "You left me up there for two hours!" Vin shifted his weight from one foot to the other thinking about what he had been doing for those two hours— drinking, schmoozing his guests, flirting with other women. "Then when you finally get upstairs, you come in hammered, laughing, with two whores on each arm! And when so ask what the fuck is going on you look at me and ask 'you staying or not?'"

"What do you want me to say, Carmen? You want me to apologize? I told you what this was before we ever did anything! I told you we weren't a couple!" "So what, Vin! It still hurt." Carmen wiped at the tears bringing her walls back up. "Being an omega was easier than being your mistress." She didn't say anything else as she left Vicente speechless and frozen.

Rico watched Carmen race out of Vicente's old bedroom as he walked to his current one down the hall. He hadn't necessarily been looking to overhear all of his brother's business, but it seemed too good to miss. Everyone in the vicinity was curious to see what was going on in that bedroom. Half of the pack believed the two were at each other's throats, the other half believed he might have been down hers... Rico was completely flabbergasted by what he had actually heard. He knew that Vin and Carmen had been fucking before she left— everyone did. He even knew that she had feelings for his older brother, but the fact that she'd left because of him was news. Rico knew his brother was a player, but in Carmen's story, he sounded heartless.

Vin stepped out of the bedroom shortly after, rubbing the back of his neck. He saw Rico standing in the hall with his mouth hanging open. "I need a drink."

***********************************************************************************

Gabriella watched from backstage as the jackass from a few weeks ago walked into the club. He and his brother jumped ahead of the line causing patrons to hoot and holler in dismay. The two didn't even acknowledge them as they made their entrance immediately greeted by Brielle's sluttiest coworkers. The younger brother immediately took to them, taking one under each arm as they lead him to the bar.

The older brother caught the brunt of Gabriella's attention as he strode confidently onto the floor, picking a seat close to the stage. As much as she hated to admit it, he looked damn good. Last time she'd seen him, she had gone weak in the knees at the mere sight of him, but today she just couldn't take her eyes off him. He looked absolutely edible as he took his seat up front. The long-sleeved black thermal he wore did nothing to cover his chiseled body underneath. She could see the clearly defined lines of his abs, the ripple of his flexing biceps, but as her eyes wandered something drew his attention to her.

Gabriella didn't notice the way he was fucking her with those steel gray eyes, because she was too busy undressing him with hers. She remembered the way he had felt last time she'd danced for him, and now she was beginning to wonder if her brain had exaggerated. Had she really felt the giant bulge in his pants or had she just been so overwhelmed with excitement that she'd gotten confused? Could he really be that... hung? "Hey, Bree, you're on!" Krista called from the behind her urging her to get ready to do her set. She nodded and made her way to the stairs behind the entrance to the main stage.

Finn, the club manager gave her a wink before queuing the DJ to introduce his headliner. "Showtime."

"Gentlemen get ready to empty your wallets on our next girl." The DJ announced and the regulars hooted and hollered knowing who was up next. "For your viewing pleasure, welcome to the stage Lady Esperanza..." The DJ announced her and dropped a slow beat. Gabriella stepped dramatically from behind the curtain with a seductive smile.

Let's play a little game, just between you and I... The song crept slowly in through the speakers as she circled the stage. Vicente drank in her appearance trying to contain the growing erection in his jeans. Esperanza. Stage name or not, the name was fitting. Her real hair swung free today in a long trail down her back. Her skin looked like soft velvet in the black and white leotard she wore fashioned to look like a skimpy tuxedo. Her legs were bare but she wore long white gloves that covered both forearms, a black and white bowtie, and on her head, a top hat.

The objective is the same, to please and entertain. You will be my vixen, my bed'll be your stage... Miguel's lyrics only reinforced the temptation her body recalled from everyone in the club. She unfastened the buckle that held the middle section on her body and threw it at a customer. Her now exposed panties drew hoots from customers, and drove Vicente mad.

Gabriella tried not to focus all of her attention on the eldest Cruz brother, but his eyes were drawing her to him like a moth to a flame. He was so focused on her as she wound her hips and ran her hands along the skin he was dying to taste. The hat and gloves were the next thing to go, taking them off and tossing them into the crowd as well.

You will be my vixen, as we improvise. Delivering a captivating performance every time... Vicente was nearly drooling when she actually began to use the pole in the center of the stage. He admired her athleticism as she hooked her legs around the pole and flung her body around it with skill. Gabriella twirled around the pole a few times before sliding all the way down onto her knees. She ground her hips and humped the floor to the bass beat of the song as customers threw money on the stage.

Why not be creative, pull out all the stops. You can pick the scene, if I can pick the props... Vin was absolutely mesmerized by her movements as she wound herself all the way up the pole and teasingly removed her bra. She threw that article down onto the center stage and twisted her way breathtakingly slow down the golden pole. Vicente wondered if she would be as good with the rod in his jeans as she was with that one. She landed in a pushup position and pressed up onto her knees. Gabriella flipped her hair back over her face and made eye contact with Vicente.

Baby together we can't lose. And I know you're always down for something new. When we're making love let's put on a show, Until the curtains close... Gabriella used the change in the beat to work on her tips entrancing the men surrounding her as she crawled toward Vin. He smirked at her watching her breasts rubbing against each other between her arms as she made her way out to him. When she reached the edge of the stage, she came up on her knees and licked her fingers before running them down her stomach and hooking them in her panties. Vicente was only a few inches from her, and it was taking all of his self-control not to maul her right then and there. She pulled her panties down halfway revealing the neatly trimmed landing strip of curly dark brown hair that hinted at the treasure only a few seconds away from being revealed. He reached out to slip two hundred dollars in the front of her black and gray lace panties eliciting an involuntary moan from her. His hands had only touched her skin for a fraction of a second and her pussy was in revolt.

We will get the spotlight all night, each and every time we play. You will be my vixen, as we improvise... "Ay Dios mio," she heard him whisper as she danced to her feet so that she stood directly over him. She was so close— too close— to him.