Hagen, Lynn - Snooke [Demon Warriors 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

Demon Warriors 2

Lynn Hagen

Copyright © 2011

Chapter One

Snooke opened his mouth as the hot meat passed his lips. He moaned at the taste, his tongue licking across his lips as he looked at Kane. Hot lust coursed through him as the taste exploded in his mouth.

“Move over, I want some ribs, too.” Chris chuckled as he bumped Snooke’s hip.

Snooke dropped his eyes from Kane’s rugged handsomeness to look over at Chris.

“Is it always like this?” Snooke asked as he tossed the rib bone away and piled his plate for the second time. He turned around and stared out into the backyard at all the laughing faces and listened to the shouts from the kids when the warriors chased them around.

“Always,” Chris said as he turned to face Snooke. “You’re welcome here anytime. You know that, right?”

Snooke looked down at his plate, shrugging his shoulders. He didn’t deserve Chris as a friend. “I do now.”

“Hey, babe.” Hondo ran up beside Chris and pulled him up into a tight hug. Snooke wished he had someone to love him like that.

“Do you know why the waiter attacked you?” Snooke asked as he took a bite of his burger.

“He wants Hondo.” Snooke couldn’t believe what Chris was saying. Someone actually attacked his friend because they wanted to poach? Snooke became angry at the thought of Chris being hurt.

“I’ll be back.” Snooke set his plate down and walked into the house. If that waiter thought he was going to get away with treating his friend that way, then he had another thing coming.

Snooke walked out of Chris's front door, heading to where the waiter worked. He was going to teach him a lesson the bastard wouldn’t soon forget.

Chris was quirky as hell, but he was still Snooke’s friend. He fisted his hands at his sides as he talked himself into a snit. No one was going to mess with
his
friend. The Pancake House came into view as Snooke stomped toward it. He was enraged by the time he walked into the restaurant.

Now if only he knew what the guy looked like.

“Can I help you?”

Snooke eyed the waiter, seeing nothing that would indicate this man had been in a recent fight. Maybe he should have asked Chris for a description before he went on his ass-kicking vengeance.

“I’m looking for the waiter who tried to beat my friend into an early grave and steal Hondo.” Snooke wasn’t going to beat around the bush. He wanted revenge.

The waiter’s eyes widened as he took a step back. “You must want John. He’s obsessed with Hondo.” The man’s head snapped back and forth as he looked around before leaning in. “But don’t tell anyone I gave you his name. He’s an ass, but I don’t want any trouble my way.”

Snooke gave a slight nod. “So where is he?”

“He just clocked out, so I don’t know.”

Well, that didn’t help him. Snooke mumbled thanks before turning around and heading back outside. He’d catch the guy sooner or later, and when he did, he was going to teach him a lesson. Snooke walked back down the sidewalk until he saw someone standing behind the Pancake House smoking a cigarette. He’d never understand how someone could have such a filthy habit.

Snooke squared his shoulders as he set his jaw. It was time John met his match. Snooke rolled his sleeves up as he headed behind the building. He hated that he was about to ruin a very expensive shirt, but Chris was worth it.

“Hey,” he shouted as he rounded the corner. “I owe you for—” His steps faltered when he noticed someone lying on the ground and a man standing over the body. Snooke took a step back as his eyes took in the unconscious man.

Snooke grunted as a heavy object struck the back of his head. He grabbed his midsection as someone started beating the hell out of him. The edges of his vision blurred as he watched the man walk away.

* * * *

Kane walked into the house looking for Snooke. He hadn't seen him in the backyard for a while and wondered where he’d gone off to. Had he ever met a man that intrigued him so much? He couldn’t think of anyone that made his skin feel alive like Snooke did. He hardly knew the man but was willing to change that.

Kane couldn’t get Snooke out of his mind. The slim and handsome man had been the guest star in Kane’s dreams lately, and he wanted to get to know him better. The kitchen was empty, so Kane searched the rest of the house.

Damn it.
Why did Snooke always disappear? Kane walked back outside to see Chris still standing by the table. They locked eyes as Kane crossed the yard. “He fucking took off again.”

“Who?” Chris asked.

“Snooke,” Kane growled. “What did he say to you?”

Chris ran his tongue across the inside of his lower lip as he looked like he was lost in concentration for a moment. “He asked if it was always like this.” Chris nodded at the backyard. “And then he asked if I knew why the waiter attacked me.”

“He went after the waiter.” Kane rounded the table, heading straight for Hondo and Takeo.

“I need your help. Snooke took off, and I think he went after the waiter who attacked Chris.”

Hondo and Takeo followed Kane into the house, away from the children as they found a shadow to enter.

Hondo, Kane, and Takeo walked into the Pancake House, looking around for Snooke or the waiter. They didn’t see either.

“Where could they be?” Kane asked in frustration. He’d liked Snooke from the first moment he saw him at Chris’s. He could tell Snooke was fascinated with him, and it was flattering to Kane. He liked the slim guy and didn’t want to see harm come to him.

Hondo walked over to the counter. “Excuse me. I’m looking for one of the waiters who works here. He’s about six one, heavily built, brown curly hair.”

“You’re talking about John. He clocked out already.”

“Thanks. Do you know where I can find him?” Hondo looked frustrated. Kane glanced around, wondering where they should look next. If Hondo’s description was anything to go by, the large shifter was going to do serious damage to Snooke.

“I may be the owner here, but when they clock out, they have their own lives.”

Hondo motioned his head for the warriors to follow him. They walked around the building, trying to figure out where Snooke could be when the three came to the back of the building to see two bodies lying on the concrete, unmoving.

Kane cursed as he ran forward, dropping to his knees next to Snooke's unmoving body. Rage consumed him as he saw the bruises all over Snooke’s face and arms.

“He’s dead,” Takeo announced.

Kane’s head snapped up at Takeo’s statement. He looked back down to see Snooke’s chest rising and falling. Takeo must be talking about the shifter that was lying close to Snooke.

“How’s Snooke?” Hondo asked.

“Breathing,” Kane said, and then very gently picked Snooke up and carried him into the shadow.

Kane walked to his couch and laid Snooke down, grabbing the throw blanket from the back and draping it over the slim body. He sat on the edge of the couch, staring down at Snooke as he studied him.

What was it about this guy that brought out all of Kane’s protective instincts? This was the second time Snooke had been assaulted. This pattern had to stop. Kane was going to have a long talk with Snooke when he awakened. The guy needed a protector.

Kane walked into the bathroom and wet a washcloth, taking it back to Snooke to clean the dried blood around his nostrils. The more bruises he uncovered, the more pissed Kane became. How could anyone beat up on a defenseless man?

Snooke moaned softly but then stilled. Kane waited to see if Snooke would wake up, but the man made no move after that. Kane took a moment to run his hand over locks so blond, they appeared white. The man was truly stunning. Kane wished he would open his eyes so he could see those gorgeous indigo-blues. Snooke looked so fragile laying there unconscious.

His body was so slim that Kane wondered how the young demon kept taking bodily injuries without it killing him. He clenched his jaw at the thought of any form of harm coming to Snooke.

He saw Hondo from the corner of his eye as he began to wipe Snooke’s face again. Kane wiped gently, careful of the bruises.

“It was all a setup,” Hondo said quietly as he took a seat in one of the chairs.

“How? Why would anyone set Snooke up?” Kane ran his fingertip over the bruises on Snooke’s face. He needed answers. How could he protect such a precious creature if he didn’t know who he was protecting him from?

“I don’t know. But the shifter had a large amount of blood loss. It wasn’t a vampire. We checked. Did you notice blood on the ground?”

Kane shook his head at the truth. “I wasn’t paying attention.” How could he when his vision narrowed to the white-haired man lying unconscious on the concrete? His whole world had taken on just one small man looking so helpless.

“I also forgot to tell you that I found that reporter. He was hiding at Cheveyo’s. He’s running from someone called Marino Malone. Does that name ring a bell?”

Kane shook his head, finally looking up from Snooke. “That name isn’t familiar. Didn’t the reporter, Sexton, tell you what was going on?”

Hondo slouched down. “No. He got tight-lipped when I asked him.”

“So what do we know so far?”

Hondo thought about it for a moment. “One.” He ticked off on his fingers. “The crystal is missing. We need to make that our top priority of finding out who stole it. Two. Why were Falcon and Leam arguing outside of the bank? Three.” Hondo nodded toward Snooke. “Who was the guy chasing Chris and Snooke, and why? Four. Why is the reporter in hiding? Five, who killed the shifter and set the scene up? And lastly, who the hell is that elf, and why does he keep popping up to warn Chris about something he says he can’t tell us about?”

“And don’t forget about Leam chasing Chris. Why has he targeted him and not us?” Kane added.

Hondo shook his head. “I’m not sure, maybe because Chris would be easier to take his vengeance out on than us.”

“But that doesn’t explain what he’s doing with Falcon.” Kane slid to the floor and pulled his legs up, both demons lost in thought.

“Whatever is going on, I have a feeling we’ve only uncovered the surface. My gut is telling me it goes a lot deeper than any one of us realizes.” Hondo pointed to Snooke. “And I think he is the key to it all.”

Kane looked over his shoulder at Snooke. “But he’s not talking.” Kane could hear the tenderness in his own voice. Snooke had gotten under his skin in such a short period of time. No matter what was going on, Kane was going to protect the slight demon with his life.

“We need answers.” Hondo stated the obvious. “I need you to get them from him.”

Kane looked from Snooke to Hondo, his brows pulled together as his head tilted to the side. “You want me to fuck him to get him to talk?”

“Whatever it takes.”

“Find another way. I’ll not use him like that. Can’t you see he’s been through enough?” Kane knew Hondo was speaking from a tactical point of view. Kane was listening from a caring friend’s point of view. He couldn’t and wouldn’t use Snooke that way.

Kane brushed a strand of white hair from Snooke’s forehead. Even with the bruises, Snooke was handsome as hell.

“I’m going to go back to Chris. Let me know if you need anything.” Hondo rose from the chair and patted Kane on his shoulder before heading out.