by Lynn Hagen
And so was Malik. They would pick up this conversation after they were done. Malik wouldn’t let Emilio keep running from him. They were it for each other, and Malik would be damned if they spent the rest of their lives together pushing and pulling. They needed to get everything out in the open if they were going to have a happy life together.
Malik turned to his side, pulling Emilio’s leg over his before he positioned his cock at his mate’s hole. With a hard plunge, he was buried in Emilio’s intense heat.
Emilio hissed and pressed his face in Malik’s neck. “You feel so damn good inside me.”
Malik’s cock pulsed at the tight fit. He began moving as he held Emilio’s hip and punched his forward, burying himself over and over again as his canines lengthened.
No matter what happened this time, Malik knew he wouldn’t be able to walk away. He didn’t have the strength or will to leave Emilio’s body so he wouldn’t sink his teeth into the human’s tender flesh.
On some deep level, Emilio had to know that. His mate had to know that Malik would claim him tonight, or he would have made Malik promise him not to bite him.
When Malik skimmed his teeth along Emilio’s shoulder, his mate jerked back.
“I’m not saying no.” Emilio’s breaths were coming out in quick pants. “I’m just saying…” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t know what I’m saying.”
Malik rolled them, placing Emilio on his back. His mate instinctively wrapped his legs around Malik’s waist. He looked down into Emilio’s blueberry eyes and felt his chest tighten. His mate looked so afraid, so frightened of trusting anyone.
But he was putting his trust in Malik, and Malik would never betray that. “Then let me show you what being with me is all about.” He smiled as Emilio opened his eyes. “Let me show you that I’m the one person who will always be there for you, who will always put your happiness above mine.”
Emilio’s eyes widened, although Malik had already had a lengthy talk with his mate about all of this. If Emilio needed to be reassured, Malik would show him every single day how precious a mate truly was.
This time when he skimmed his teeth along Emilio’s shoulder, his mate didn’t pull away.
Malik sank his canines in, instantly feeling the connection, their souls soldering together as he fucked Emilio with fast and deep thrusts.
Emilio gave a short, high cry as he came, his cum erupting between them. Moments later, Malik joined him, his cock pulsing deep in Emilio’s ass.
They were mated.
Emilio was his.
Malik curled his arms around Emilio and held him tightly, pressing kisses into his hair. Emilio laughed and shoved at Malik.
“I don’t need you hanging onto me like I’m some kid who needs a hug.”
“What if I like holding on to you?” Malik eased out of Emilio’s body. He flipped his mate and spooned him, loving the fact that Emilio fit perfectly against his body.
“In that case, you can snuggle me.” Emilio curled his arm around Malik’s. “But I reserve the right to freak out later. I’m just too tired right now.”
When Emilio fell asleep, Malik eased out of bed and slipped his underwear on. He padded to the porch and dialed Phoenyx’s phone. Although Malik appreciated Christian’s promise to track Calvin down, he wasn’t in the habit of leaving his fate in another person’s hands.
“Long time no hear,” the demon warrior said when he answered. “What do I owe the honor to, Malik?”
He and Phoenyx had been friends for over a century, and Malik couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of the guy sooner. “I have a problem I need help with.”
“Name it,” Phoenyx said.
“I need help catching a soul-sucking demon.”
Phoenyx chuckled. “You always did know how to have a good time.”
Malik turned and spotted Phoenyx in the living room, clearly using a shadow to make his entrance. He was just as Malik remembered, tall, lean, and cut, with a head full of red hair that made him all the more attractive.
He also had the greenest eyes Malik had ever seen, even greener than his own. They were as dark as summer leaves and full of so much knowledge that, at times, Malik felt as though the demon warrior could see into his soul.
“So, who’s the soul-sucker we’re after?”
Malik waved for Phoenyx to join him on the porch so they wouldn’t wake Emilio and explained to his friend what had been going on.
Phoenyx narrowed his eyes. “I know Calvin. He’s a psychopath that gets off on stalking his victims, terrorizing them before he sucks their soul out. I’ve been after him a long time. If he has his sights set on Emilio, then Calvin won’t stop until he has his soul.”
Malik looked over Phoenyx’s shoulder. He didn’t want to leave Emilio, especially after promising he wasn’t gonna leave his mate’s side, but if he didn’t track Calvin down, he feared the demon would find a way to take the most important person in Malik’s world.
“Let me call Moose,” Malik said. “Then we can go after Calvin.”
Phoenyx smirked, snapped his fingers, and Malik blinked several times when he saw Moose standing in his living room, a large bowl of cereal in his hands and wearing nothing but a pair of red boxers.
Moose growled. “Are you fucking kidding me?” He glared at them. “A phone call would’ve been appreciated.”
“It wasn’t me,” Malik said as he pointed to Phoenyx. “Blame him.”
Phoenyx glared at Malik. “Really?”
Malik shrugged. “Look at his size. I’m not taking the fall for this.”
“Let me call Grayson.” Moose set his bowl aside. “If you had given me a heads-up, I could’ve brought the box of cereal with me.”
“Dude, you’re eating out of a large mixing bowl,” Malik said.
“Don’t make me say my catchphrase. I’m too tired and irritated right now.” Moose dialed and spoke with his mate as Malik went back to the bedroom. Emilio was still asleep, so Malik scribbled a quick note explaining that Moose was there and that he would be back shortly.
Malik pressed a kiss against Emilio’s forehead. “I’ll try to be back before you wake up.”
Chapter Seven
“You don’t have to do this,” Malik said. “I can go in alone.”
He was one of the few people who knew of Phoenix’s past and didn’t want the demon warrior going into Remtin. Malik needed help catching Calvin but not at the risk of Phoenyx’s sanity. Had he known this was where they would end up, Malik would’ve never called the guy.
“I owe you,” Phoenyx said. “I pay my debts.”
“Not like this.” Malik looked around at the border between Serenity City and Remtin. Small beacons glowed like orange eyes watching them. The only way Malik could cross over without the alarms going off was if Phoenyx led him.
He started to walk away, but Phoenyx grabbed his arm. “Much appreciate you trying to look out for me, but I want Calvin just as much as you do. My informant told me he was in Remtin, so that’s where we’re going.”
If anything happened to his friend, Malik would never forgive himself. He would’ve tried arguing with the guy, but as Phoenyx had said, he was just as determined, so even if Malik decided he wasn’t going, Phoenyx still would, and Malik wasn’t letting him go alone.
“What about backup?” Malik asked. “Some of the other warriors?”
Phoenyx looked at him then turned to look ahead again. “There are some things I don’t want them to know about. It’s best it’s just you and me.” He winked at Malik. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”
Malik snorted. “I can handle myself.”
Phoenyx’s smile faded. “Not in here, Malik. Never in Remtin. There are things in this place that’ll not only try to kill you but give you nightmares. Don’t trust anything you see.”
With a wave of his hand, the fog that lingered at the border cleared, making way for them as they stepped forward. Malik noticed a drop in temperature as they walked, the fog filling b
ack in behind them, sealing them inside this part of the demon realm.
They passed boarded-up houses and rundown apartment buildings. The few people who were out watched them as Malik and Phoenyx passed them on the street.
Up ahead Malik saw a small building with lights on, and the noise of a loud piano and shouting reached his ears.
“That’s Mystical Mirage,” Phoenyx said. “That’s where my informant said Calvin hangs out.”
The building reminded Malik of an old western saloon. The sidewalk leading to the place was made up of wood planks, and there were even swinging doors.
“The roughest of the rough are inside,” Phoenyx said. “Don’t let your guard down for a second.”
“Like I ever would.” Malik was doing this for Emilio. He had to ensure that his mate’s soul stayed intact.
Malik felt displaced when they entered. It truly felt as though he’d entered another era. There were wooden tables in the middle where creatures were either pawing at women dressed like saloon hookers or playing card games. To his left was a long wooden bar with a shelf of booze behind the bartender.
If this place hadn’t been deadly, Malik would’ve loved for Emilio to see it. His mate would’ve gotten a kick out of the old-timey feel considering Emilio was a bartender, too.
On the back wall was a set of stairs attached to a balcony. Women leaned on the railing, smiling down at the crowd.
“What the fuck?” Malik whispered to Phoenyx. “Did we seriously step back in time?”
Phoenyx shook his head. “The owner has a strange sense of humor. If you come back tomorrow, this bar might look a malt shop from the fifties or disco room from the seventies. The last time I was here, the entire building appeared futuristic. There were even space portals on one side of the room that took you to distant planets.” Phoenyx looked at him. “But it’s all an illusion. You never really go anywhere except in your head.”
Malik didn’t like the idea of having his head fucked with. He wanted to find Calvin and get the hell out of there before their surrounding changed and Malik found himself in prehistoric times with a dinosaur trying to chomp on his delicious face.
They walked to the bar, Malik sticking to Phoenyx’s side. There weren’t too many things that terrified him, but even his lion was whimpering to get the fuck out of there.
When he looked up at Phoenyx, Malik saw how badly his friend was sweating. “You doing okay?”
Phoenyx looked at him but didn’t answer Malik. Instead, he took a seat at the bar, so Malik did the same, taking the stool next to him.
The bartender was wiping a glass with a rag. That was normal enough. What had Malik widening his eyes was the fact that the guy had a long dragon tail and scale for skin. “What’ll you have?”
Malik wasn’t drinking a damn thing. He didn’t trust this place not to drug him. He looked over his shoulder when he heard wood snap. Some guy at one of the tables had another guy by his throat. A chair was overturned and broken.
“Mind your own business,” Phoenyx whispered to him. “Just keep your eyes front and center and we might make it out of here alive.”
Malik snapped his head around.
“Information,” Phoenyx said to the bartender, whose tail swished back and forth as he kept wiping the same glass as though it was out of habit rather than the glass needed that much cleaning.
The bartender looked Phoenyx over. “You look mighty familiar.”
“I just need to know where Calvin is,” Phoenyx said. “I can pay you for the information.”
“I told you never to show your face around here again,” someone said from behind them.
Malik couldn’t help it. He looked over his shoulder and saw a guy the size of three linebackers standing there. The fucking stranger was even bigger than Moose.
He was twice the bear shifter’s size.
Holy fuck. They were gonna die.
Phoenyx turned and looked the guy over. “Sencil. It’s been a long time.”
Why was Phoenyx so calm? Sencil looked as though he could crush them both without breaking a sweat. He also looked like he would enjoy every second of it.
“You got a lot of nerve showing your face around here, Phoenyx,” Sencil said. “I told you I would kill you when I saw you again.”
Malik noticed a visible pulse beating under Phoenyx’s skin. His friend tensed as he stood. “I’m not here looking for trouble.”
Sencil looked over Phoenyx’s shoulder. “What did he want?”
The bartender shrugged. “He wants to know where Calvin is.”
Malik wanted to take that glass from the bartender’s hand and shove it up the guy’s ass.
An evil smile curled Sencil’s lips. “Looking to make some cash?” He moved closer and ran a knuckle down Phoenyx’s cheek as Phoenyx jerked back. “Come back to work for me and I’ll make sure you have all the cash you need, sweet ass.”
Men behind Sencil erupted into laughter. That was when Malik noticed the entire room was staring their way. He let his claws slide free as his canines lengthened.
Sencil glanced at Malik. “How about you, shifter? Looking to make some money?”
“Don’t answer him,” Phoenyx said under his breath. “Slowly head for the door.”
Malik’s stomach shrank at the way Sencil taunted Phoenyx. He knew about his friend’s past and also knew that people did what they had to in order to survive, and if Phoenyx had had to use his body, then there was no shame in that.
Especially in a place like Remtin.
Malik eased to his right, his gaze flickering over the crowd to see if anyone tried to stop him. No one did. Sencil was too focused on Phoenyx to notice Malik moving slowly toward the door.
As soon as he reached the threshold, Phoenyx shot toward him, shoving Malik out of the exit.
“Run!” Phoenyx shouted as he took off, Malik right behind him.
They made it half a block before Sencil caught up with them and knocked Phoenyx off his feet. The demon warrior rolled and then shot up, spinning to face the guy.
Malik stopped running, refusing to leave Phoenyx behind.
“Get to the border.” Phoenyx tossed him something. It looked like a poker chip. “That’ll get you across without setting off any alarms.”
“Do you honestly think I’m fucking leaving you?” Malik asked. “We fight together, or we run together.”
Something warm moved through Phoenyx’s eyes. “If you don’t mind, right now, I’d rather we run together.”
Malik looked at Sencil. “Sounds damn good to me.” He wasn’t about to fight a guy three times the size of Moose, and Malik didn’t give a shit what he looked like racing away from the big bastard.
They spun and ran, hauling ass toward the border. Malik made the mistake of looking over his shoulder. Sencil was no longer chasing them.
But everyone from the entire saloon was, including the scaly bartender who now had massive wings and had taken flight, drawing closer to them.
“Dragon,” Malik said as he turned back around. “We have a fucking dragon bearing down on us.”
“Then we better run faster.” Phoenyx put on a burst of speed. Malik was right beside him, but just as he made it to the beacons, he was grabbed by his shoulders and lifted into the air.
* * * *
Phoenyx should’ve known better than to enter Mystical Mirage. It had been a foolish mistake, and now he had to figure out how to get Malik away from Drakoyl.
“Need some help?”
Phoenyx spun and was relieved to see Cadeym and Donnchadh behind him. “How did you know I was here?”
Donny shrugged. “You set off the beacon. Not the alarm, but I got a text on my phone that you crossed the border, so Cadeym and I wanted to know why.”
Cadeym looked past them. “Seems you got quite a mob after you.” The guy rolled his shoulders. “I needed a workout anyway.”
Phoenyx pointed to Drakoyl, who was flying higher into the night sky with Malik gripped in his talons. “
First we need to get Malik down.”
Cadeym squinted. “What’s Malik doing here?”
“Obviously about to be dragon food,” Donny said. He poofed away, appeared in the sky hugging Malik, and then the two poofed right next to Phoenyx. Malik was still fighting, swinging his arms before he realized he was no longer dangling by the dragon’s talons.
Donny swayed. Teleporting always weakened him, which meant he wouldn’t be able to fight.
Cadeym stepped in front of them, rolled his hands over as though he was polishing a bowling ball, and then shot out his arms as lightning bolts arched and cracked, striking the men coming after them.
“That’ll buy us enough time to get the fuck out of here,” Cadeym said.
Phoenyx grabbed Malik and helped him past the border. The other warriors were there, but he didn’t ask how they’d grouped so fast. He needed to take care of the lion shifter, who had deep gashes on both his shoulders.
“Lie still.” Phoenyx lowered Malik to the ground. He hovered over the man’s right shoulder and allowed a single teardrop to fall into the wound. Phoenyx did the same for Malik’s other shoulder.
The wounds slowly stitched themselves back together, but there was nothing he could do about the nasty scars. Malik would always have them as a reminder of how deadly Remtin truly was.
He’d tried to make his friend stay behind, but Phoenyx had known Malik wouldn’t do that. God, he was such an idiot for taking him. Things could have ended a lot worse.
“I’m sending you home,” Phoenyx said. “We’re about to fight those that cross the border, and you don’t need to be here for that.”
Before Malik could protest, Phoenyx opened a portal and sent Malik back to the apartment. When his friend was gone, Phoenyx stood and faced the onslaught.
* * * *
Emilio paced his room, so angry he wasn’t sure what to do. Malik had up and left him, leaving Moose in the living room. Emilio nearly had a heart attack when he’d spotted the giant sitting on his couch eating cereal and watching cartoons.