Deadly Desire

Chapter One- Underground Club

Rachel

Rachel's pov:

My bottom lip splits with her punch to my face. My mouth is filled with the taste of metal as I feel blood seeping out of the wound that runs down my chin. A hiss of pain escaped me. That hurts, fuck. Wonderful! My mother will be quite upset if I sustain facial injuries because she disapproves of me battling for money.

When my opponent tries to kick me, I instantly jump backwards. I give her a straight blow to the face with my right fist, fracturing her nose. The air is filled with the sound of crushing. Wiping the blood from her nose, she gives me a sneer. I should put an end to this battle now, so I can get home. I still have work tomorrow. I am a chef at my mother's restaurant, The Grubber Hub.

I lunge at her, unleashing a barrage of kicks and punches. She's curled up on the floor, so I break up the fight by standing above her. I'm exhausted from these fights, but given our current poor financial circumstances, it's the only way I can receive large sums of money rapidly. I leave the steel cage behind and make my way to the lockers.

This is an underground combat club located beneath Craving Nightclub. The influential CEOs of Voss Corporation and Underworld Prince, Dante Voss, own both clubs. His unusual white hair and golden eyes make him extremely attractive. Steel cages, rubber mats, and stands for spectators are all features that give the fight club a real-life MMA combat stadium feel.

This place is immaculately clean, boasting modern facilities such as pristine bathrooms and well-maintained equipment. Red and black make up the color scheme. Winning a fight earns you money. This club offers three different kinds of fighting methods. To death, hand in hand, and with weapons. I only play in the hand-to-hand; the other matches pay more. Rex, a friend of my brother's, introduced me to this club when the accident severely damaged our finances.

I collect my winnings from Rex's office after departing from the locker area. He oversees the boxers and is the club's manager, handling both the fights and the winnings. I tap on Rex's door, feeling the chilly wood under my fingers. From behind the door, he yells. As soon as I enter, I make my way to the sofa, which is where I usually sit.

His office has a wooden desk and is adorned in blue and gray tones. He glances away from the PC and smiles broadly at the sight of me. With dark blue eyes and sandy blonde hair that is elongated at the roots but short on the sides, Rex exudes heat. With his good skin tone, athletic shape, and six-pack, he's rather tall. With his appearance, he exudes the charm and allure of a cover model from a men's magazine.

He treats me like I'm his little sister, which annoys me as I want him to notice me even though I may have a slight crush on him. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, my body is hostile toward me. He moves away from his workstation and comes over to me. "I'm glad you prevailed. There, I was a little concerned. You seem like you could use a beer, so I'd like one."

With a nod, I look up at him. That would be wonderful, please. He takes out two beers from his tiny fridge. He examines my appearance from his seat next to mine. "She clearly hit you in the face. Do you feel alright?" He looks up at me and asks, nudging me with his chin. My face tingles for a split second, and my heart begins to pound in my chest. I look into his blue eyes and find myself dumbfounded, my throat feeling dry.

"Yeah, I dodged too late, but I got her back by breaking her nose." I forget my lip is split and smile, covering it with my palm as soon as I feel a sharp ache. chuckling Rex gets up and goes to get an ice pack from the refrigerator, which he offers to me. "Hey, don't laugh at me!" My blush is starting to spread. I act like a schoolgirl who has fallen in love for the first time solely around him. "How are things at home?" His voice is full of concern as he asks me.

Dante pov:

Tonight is her return. She is a fairly feisty little thing, based on what I saw of her fighting. She is probably a carrier, and since werewolves are eradicating carriers these days, it is difficult to find one. She seems to be Rex's friend; I simply need to think of a compelling excuse for him to bring us both together. The leather underneath me creaks as I recline in my chair. I undo the button on my shirt and dial my assistant, Clark, by pressing the call bell.

There's a knock on my door. Clark walks into my office. He bows slightly and asks, "You called His Highness?" "Yes, I want you to get all the information on this girl; start with Rex; he seems to know her." After I give the order, he walks away, and I keep watching her on my computer's CCTV. I'm going to catch your little rabbit with the correct bait, and then you'll be mine forever.

I get up and pour a glass of bourbon for myself. I'll run out of alcohol easily, so I need to feed my thirst. I take out my phone and give the blood bank a call. Two rings later, they answer. The woman answers, "Midnight bite, how can we help you?" "I want a live one sent to my office immediately."

Rachel pov:

I head home after leaving the club. Our new location will be in a well-kept neighborhood with excellent security and minimal crime. Our two-story home has a picket fence in front of it. I love fresh vegetables; therefore, my mother produces her own in the back garden. We would lose the house if I didn't take part in the struggle and make the mortgage payments.

Bills have been my only concern ever since my brother's serious accident. He is in constant need of surgery. The Tigers, the gym where my father Bryan trained professional fighters, was lost. Ryan, my brother, was an MMA fighter in the past. Due to his caregiving for my brother following the tragedy, he was unable to coach and lost all of his clients.

I was working at a fancy restaurant when I lost my job, so I had to come back home and start working for my mother Jane once more. We've been through absolute hell over the last six months, barely managing to stay afloat. If this was not our chance to get money, we would be living on the streets. My father taught me mixed martial arts, but cooking has always been my love.

I can't say I love anything more than to stand in my kitchen and cook. I hope to one day own my own restaurant and maybe a TV show like Gordon Ramsay. My dream feels so stupid and far away, like I won't be able to reach it. When I reach home, I switch off my car and push it into the garage. Switching off everything, I sneak in through the kitchen door. Just as I close the door, the light goes on, and when I turn around, my mother is waiting for me, very pissed off. There's not much I love more than to stand in my kitchen and prepare food. My dream is to have my own restaurant and even a Gordon Ramsay-like TV program one day. My dream seems so unrealistic and far off that I doubt I'll ever be able to realize it. I turn off my car when I get home and park it in the garage. I sneak in through the kitchen door, flipping off everything. The light turns on just as I close the door, and when I turn around, my mother is waiting for me, furious as hell. She asks me where I have been all night.