Demon Warriors 2: Snooke Read online

  Demon Warriors 2

  Snooke

  Kane has finally found his mate. He is everything he could ever hope for. But when Snooke is repeatedly seen with bruises, Kane sees red.

  Snooke worships Kane. So when he fights to stay away from the warrior, it only makes Kane more determined to find him. Snooke has things in his past that he isn’t proud of and fights desperately to keep Kane out of his screwed-up life.

  Meanwhile, the crystal is still missing, and someone is playing tricks on the warriors’ minds. Can they find the crystal before the one who stole it learns its secrets, and can Kane save Snooke from a life he was never meant to lead?

  Note: Each book in Lynn Hagen’s Demon Warriors collection features a different romantic couple. Each title stands alone and can be read in any order. However, we recommend reading the series in sequential order.

  Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Fantasy

  Length: 35,680 words

  SNOOKE

  Demon Warriors 2

  Lynn Hagen

  EVERLASTING CLASSIC

  MANLOVE

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic ManLove

  SNOOKE

  Copyright © 2011 by Lynn Hagen

  E-book ISBN: 1-61034-634-3

  First E-book Publication: July 2011

  Cover design by Jinger Heaston

  All art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Snooke by Lynn Hagen from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Lynn Hagen’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Hagen’s right to earn a living from her work.

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  SNOOKE

  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 som
eone 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.

  “What aren’t you telling me, shorty?” Kane whispered as he tucked the blanket around Snooke’s shoulders and then stood, walking over to the chair Hondo just vacated.

  Kane wasn’t sure what he was feeling inside. It wasn’t as if he really knew Snooke. They’d barely had a few words together.
But when Snooke smiled, Kane’s whole world lit up.

  “What the hell? Since when does my whole world light up?” Kane asked out loud as his head fell back on his shoulders. This shit was getting complicated. He lifted his head to look over at the slight demon.

  Snooke moaned and turned over, his fingers instinctively going to his face. Kane pushed from the chair and knelt in front of Snooke. “Don’t touch it, shorty.” He moved Snooke’s fingers away from the bruises.

  Snooke’s eyes fluttered open, and Kane held his breath as the most gorgeous indigo-blue eyes stared up at him. “Where am I?”

  “In my apartment. You were attacked. Don’t you remember?” Kane asked gently. Snooke looked at him, confused. He tried once again to reach for his face, but Kane snagged his hands. “You have bruises on your face. I think they would really hurt if you touched them right now.”

  “How did I get bruises?” Snooke tried to sit up, but Kane placed his hands on Snooke’s chest, gently pushing him back down.

  “I was hoping you could tell me that.” Kane picked up the wet washcloth and wiped at the dried blood on the side of Snooke’s mouth that he’d missed.

  “I don’t remember. I remember being at the barbeque, walking into the house, and then…I woke up here.” Snooke pushed the blanket from his chest and once again tried to sit up.

  Kane once again pushed him back down. “I found you behind the Pancake House unconscious and beaten to hell.” Kane set the cloth down.

  Snooke pushed up onto his elbows, knocking Kane’s hands aside when he tried for a third time to make Snooke lay down. “How the hell did I end up back there?” Snooke sounded accusing, as if Kane himself had knocked him out and placed him there.

  “You tell me.” Kane stood and walked around the coffee table. “You did one of your disappearing acts and that’s where we found you.” He didn’t appreciate Snooke’s tone of voice. The only thing Kane had done was to try and take care of the demon.

  “We? I thought you said you found me? Which is it?”

  Why was the small demon on the defensive? Up until now, Snooke had blushed and ogled Kane every time they were near one another. This didn’t make sense. “Yes, I had Hondo and Takeo with me.” If Snooke honestly didn’t remember, Kane wasn’t sure if he should tell the demon that he had lay mere inches from a dead shifter.