Hagen, Lynn - Snooke [Demon Warriors 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (16 page)

He continued his walk as he looked in each and every cell. So far all were accounted for. The keeper would know if anyone was set free, but for Panahasi’s peace of mind, he wanted to see with his own eyes.

He stopped at one particular cell and peered in. The sight before him evoked memories of a battle long ago. A battle he’d nearly lost.

He breathed a sigh of relief to see Crypt was still locked away, reliving every horror he had committed. To most inhabitants locked away in the detention cells, it was a torture beyond compare. But Panahasi had a feeling Crypt was glorifying in it.

“He is still locked away.” The keeper, a tall man of unknown age, stepped up to Panahasi’s side. He looked to his right, marveling at the man’s beauty. But it was an illusion. Only Panahasi had seen his true form.

It was something he didn’t care to see again.

“I want a guard put at his door. I don’t trust Marino. He may not know about Crypt, but I do not want to take any chances.”

“I agree.” The keeper elegantly turned and walked away. Within a second, a centaur, standing as tall as eight feet, was guarding Crypt’s door.

Satisfied, Panahasi thought of home and then disappeared.

* * * *

“I’m fine, damn it.” Snooke knocked Kane’s hand away. He knew it was the fear of almost dying and the embarrassment of crying in front of everyone, so Kane ignored his mate’s outburst.

He had tried to console Snooke, but his mate seemed unreachable. For two days now Snooke snapped and growled at anyone who came near him. Dillon had taken Chris up on his offer to stay at his home while Snooke worked through this. Kane had never felt so helpless in his entire life. His mate was hurting, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

Kane sat in the chair, rubbing his fingers across his chin as he stared at Snooke balled up on the couch. He knew that if he approached his mate, Snooke would only push him away.

His pulled his cell phone out when it began to ring, watching Snooke stare blankly at the television which wasn’t even on.

“Yeah?”

“How’s he doing?” Panahasi asked. Kane hated that all the warriors had come to check on Snooke and his mate had snapped at them all. He guessed the leader wanted to avoid that situation by calling instead.

“Same.”

“Let me know if he needs anything.”

“I will.” Kane hung up his phone. He watched his mate carefully as Snooke rose from the couch and walked over, climbing onto Kane’s lap. He held his arms wide until Snooke adjusted himself and then wrapped his arms around his little demon.

“I’m sorry,” Snooke murmured.

“You have no reason to be. You went through something traumatic and had to work it out in your head.” Kane ran his hands over Snooke’s back as he thanked the heavens above that Snooke was finally coming back to him.

“I don’t feel safe anymore.”

“Do you want to live with Chris for a while?” Kane hated asking. It would mean he would spend most of his time at Chris’s house, but if it made Snooke feel safer, he would do it.

“I don’t feel safe anywhere.”

“I know, shorty.” Kane exhaled deeply, wondering how he was going to make his mate feel safe once again in their home.

Panahasi had said that the keeper was close to a new spell, one that would keep out anyone not of warrior descent. The warriors themselves could bring people through, but no one who wasn’t living there in the building could come in.

He jerked when he heard a noise coming from the kitchen. No one was there but the two of them. Snooke began to shake in his arms as Kane stood and placed his mate in the chair. He walked quietly and with measured steps as he neared the kitchen.

He glanced back to see Snooke balled up and staring in horror. Kane placed a finger over his mouth, and Snooke nodded.

As he rounded the corner, he raised his hands in the air, ready to freeze whatever threat there may be. He stopped dead in his tracks, staring in a horrific wonder at the sight in front of him.

Chapter Ten

Panahasi thought of Kane’s apartment and then appeared in the living room. The first thing he noticed was Snooke balled up on the chair, his gaze terrified as he stared at the kitchen. He hurried across the room and entered the kitchen, coming to a halt.

“Well, fuck, the keeper really does have a sense of humor,” Panahasi said as he walked further in.

“What the hell is it?” Kane asked as his eyes darted from Panahasi to the trapped creature.

“It looks to me like the person that kept breaking in has been snared in the keeper’s spell. I knew he would come up with a good one, but damn.” Panahasi crossed the kitchen, staring at a pair of arms and legs suspended in midair. “Seems our burglar is trapped between your home and wherever he was using the shadows.”

“I still want to know how he managed to get in the first time,” Kane said as he walked around the limbs. “This is fucking gross.”

“I think it’s Marino that has helped this person. He’s starting to learn the crystal, getting closer to unlocking it. Only with the use of the crystal can you go to the forbidden places. This is some wicked shit.” Panahasi laughed. “Wicked indeed.”

Kane quirked a brow at him. “Is it that entertaining?”

“Hell yeah it is.”

“What is that?” Snooke gasped from behind them.

* * * *

Snooke wasn’t sure what he was looking at. How could a pair of arms and legs be suspended in the kitchen?

“I think it’s the man who tried to take you,” the leader said as he turned toward Snooke.

Rage like he’d never before felt consumed Snooke as he shot forward, attacking the limbs in limbo. “You bastard.” He shouted as he clawed at the arms. “You fucking bastard.” The anger and helplessness that had been living inside of Snooke broke free, turning him savage.

“Shorty.” Kane wrapped his arms around Snooke and pulled him away. “Wait until we have all of him before you go Rambo all over his ass.”

Snooke looked over at the now-bloody limbs and began to laugh. It started off small, little chuckles until it turned into a hysterical laughter. Snooke bent over, placing his hands on his knees as tears fell from his eyes. “I just beat up a set of arms.”

“Are you okay, shorty?” Kane stepped closer. “Do I need to get Phoenyx, a glass of water, a straightjacket?”

Snooke dried his eyes as he stood. He pointed over at the limbs dangling in midair. “You got me, you bastard.” He chuckled. “You had me running, afraid of my own shadow.” Snooke faced his warrior and sent Kane a weak smile. “I’ll be fine, honest.”

“Glad to hear it.” Panahasi grinned. “Never allow someone to replace your laughter with fear.”

Snooke nodded. That was sound advice. “Is he okay?” Snooke nodded toward the bizarre scene.

“He’s alive. I’ll take care of this. You two go reconnect.” Panahasi waved them off.

“Who is he?” Snooke asked. “Why did he target me?”

“He’s one of your uncle’s.”

That’s all Snooke needed to hear. So Marino wasn’t letting him go that easy. We’ll see about that. He was tired of his uncle’s influence ruining his life. He followed his mate from the kitchen, feeling like he was getting his life back. Snooke reached his hands into the back pockets of Kane’s jeans, following behind his mate as Kane led him into the guest room.

“Why are we in here?”

Snooke removed his hands as Kane turned around. “I thought maybe you didn’t want to go in there. You’ve been sleeping on the couch every night since the attack.”

It was true. The room had scared the hell out of him. Every time he looked toward the bedroom, a cold dread would seize his heart. “Then make the memories better for me.”

Kane hesitated, watching Snooke intently. “Are you sure?”

He loved how protective Kane was with him. “I’m sure.” A powerful tremor shook his body as Kane’s eyes darkened.

“Then we’ll make a memory that will block out any other thought.” Kane placed his hands over Snooke’s and walked backwards, smiling down at him, and then winked. Snooke felt his body flush from that one wink.

Kane had the power to bring him to his knees with one smile, one caress, and it sent his senses soaring every time his mate made love to him. Kane’s fingers raked over the palms of Snooke’s hands, making his skin break out in goose bumps.

Snooke groaned when Kane’s hands skimmed up his back, making him arch his back as Kane kissed him down his neck, and then around to the shell of his ear. “I’ve missed you.”

Snooke was flying in Kane’s arms. Dry lips brushed across his cheek, moving slowly, teasingly, until Kane’s lips met his. Snooke opened, lapping at Kane’s mouth, drinking him in.

“Free me,” Kane whispered against his lips.

Snooke unsnapped Kane’s pants, his fingers moving over the denim as Kane cupped his face, his thumbs running back and forth over Snooke’s skin. His hand pulled at the waistband of Kane’s underwear, feeling the hot and swollen head of Kane’s cock. Kane moaned, his legs spreading apart as Snooke grabbed his mate’s erection.

No place. There was no place Snooke ever wanted to be if Kane wasn’t there with him. Kane was his whole world, his love, his life, his every breath. He slanted his head, using his tongue to indulge in the taste of Kane’s mouth.

He released his mate’s cock, skimming his hands around Kane’s tight waist, feeling sensual skin beneath his fingers as he pushed Kane’s pants down to his thighs. Now he had room to explore. His hands covered the swollen skin between Kane’s powerful legs, marveling at how his fist couldn’t close around the shaft. His free hand glided over Kane’s sac, letting the tip of his index finger run behind the wrinkled sac, playing with the sensitive skin between Kane’s hole and his balls.

“Oh god, shorty.” Kane’s breathing was harsh, ragged. His mouth hovered over Snooke’s as he groaned. The warrior’s eyes fluttered closed. His face was registering pure pleasure. Snooke looked on in awe. He was doing that, making this massive demon crumble right in front of him.

Kane’s fingers held onto Snooke’s face as Kane clenched his jaw. He could feel the warrior’s cock pulsing in his hand. Snooke was determined to bring Kane off. He used the pre-cum as lubricant, stroking Kane as his mate slowly opened his eyes, staring at Snooke with such raw need that Snooke’s breath caught in his chest.

Kane’s eyes wrinkled, looking lost as his breathing became even more ragged. His mouth opened, a small whimper escaped, and then his cock shot seed like a hot volcanic burst of power. Kane was still hovering his mouth over Snooke’s, gasping and moaning. Snooke licked his lips, panting at the vision of beauty.

“S–shorty.” Kane plunged his hands through Snooke’s hair, closing the distance, consuming Snooke as he picked him up and laid him on the bed. Kane removed Snooke’s shirt, pushing it off and away from them as he latched onto one of Snooke’s nipples, sucking on it like it was pure heaven.

Snooke planted his feet on the bed, lost in the feeling of Kane’s strong and powerful body blanketing his. Snooke’s hips came off the bed, thrusting his hard cock into Kane’s stomach. He wanted his pants off now. He needed to feel his skin connect with his mate’s. “Take them off,” he whined. “Kane, take my pants off.”

Kane’s mouth never left his chest as he reached between them, his hands moving desperately over Snooke’s clasp, nearly ripping the fabric apart as he worked in a haste to rid Snooke of his clothes. Snooke lifted his feet, allowing Kane to take them all the way off.

Better.

Much better.