Devil's Desires [Dark Knights 1] (The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection)

by Lynn Hagen

His overwhelming need to be near Ryan had only grown. Devil knew fate had a lot to do with the deep connection they now shared because he’d bitten Ryan. But it was more than that.

  Something so much deeper. No guy had ever affected Devil this way—the need to see Ryan, to hear his voice, to look into his strangely beautiful eyes. Just to hang out with him and talk about nothing and everything.

  Ryan was his in every way possible, and Devil had left him unprotected. The longer he sat there thinking about the danger Ryan was in, the closer his wolf came to the surface. Devil’s claws extended, and his canines were full-length. Tiny hairs peppered his skin, and they weren’t his human arm hairs.

  Nyx slid his gaze toward Devil but didn’t say a word about his slight transformation.

  But Kivani wasn’t so quiet. “You have a third form?”

  Devil looked down and saw the hairs along his arms had grown thicker, giving away his secret. Most shifters could only shift back and forth between human and animal, but Devil could change to a third shape that let him walk on two legs, and talk, though his voice was gravely as hell when he did.

  Any time he thought of that, Professor Lupin from the Harry Potter movies came to mind. Though Devil didn’t think he was that ugly in his third form. That was the only reference point he had since he’d never met anyone else who could change into a werewolf the way he could. But he was more solidly built than that character had been, had higher cognitive thinking, and…again, was able to speak. He wasn’t a mindless animal driven by pure instinct.

  When he didn’t answer Kivani, the wolf shifter patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

  The car sped into the underground parking lot at Ryan’s apartment building, the screeching tires echoing before Nyx whipped into a parking spot.

  “Were you a former race car driver in a past life?” Kivani complained.

  Nyx popped the door open and climbed out. The car righted itself when he was free. Devil hadn’t noticed how Nyx’s solid weight had given the vehicle a slight unbalance.

  “Which unit?” Kivani asked when they approached the elevator.

  “I’m taking the stairs.” Devil was too anxious to wait. “Go to the fourteenth floor.”

  Nyx gazed wide-eyed at him. “Dude, you’re gonna climb fourteen floors? You’ll be worth shit by the time you get up there.”

  “Just wait,” Kivani advised. “The elevator won’t take long.”

  When the doors slid open, Devil took his advice and got in. During the entire ride up, he tapped one of his claws against the railing that bisected the elevator.

  The crappy music didn’t help settle his nerves. Devil was ready to rip the speaker out and stomp it to death. Instead, he tapped his foot impatiently. The elevator climbed slowly, too slowly for Devil. He should have taken the steps.

  When they reached the fourteenth floor, Devil spotted Henry at Ryan’s door, ready to knock. Devil moved quickly and snatched Henry off his feet, covering his mouth.

  “Shhh,” he whispered into the twink’s ear.

  Henry wiggled in Devil’s arm, trying to elbow him.

  When Devil set him down, Henry spun, his mouth opening then closing. His eyes went wide as he stared at Devil. Then he opened his mouth again as if to scream, but it was Nyx this time who grabbed Henry and pulled him onto the elevator. The doors slid closed after them.

  Devil needed to get out of sight before someone saw the state he was in. Kivani pointed to a window at the end of the hallway. Was he nuts? He wanted them to scale the building to get to Ryan’s bedroom window? They were fourteen damn floors up.

  “No,” Devil mouthed. “Are you fucking insane?”

  Kivani shrugged, moved toward the window, and slid it open. Devil thought it a dumbass idea to put a working window this high up.

  He turned toward the door, knowing full well Jeff was on the other side waiting with his gun aimed. Devil was walking into a trap, but he wouldn’t leave his mate in the hands of a Hunter.

  Taking a deep breath, he kicked the door open.

  Chapter Nine

  Jeff had hit Ryan with his gun but hadn’t knocked him out. The good news was Jeff hadn’t wanted Ryan dead. The bad news was he paced by the door, gun in hand as he talked quietly on his phone and waited for Devil to arrive.

  Ryan was trying not to hyperventilate while making sure Jeff didn’t know he was still conscious.

  This was real.

  Really real.

  Ever since Devil had chatted him up at the club, Ryan’s life had become one train wreck after another. He was eternally tethered to someone who wasn’t even human. His ex was a killer, and Ryan didn’t even have a job now. Had he miss anything? Oh yeah, the crucial detail that Jeff was pacing next to Ryan’s prone body while he waited to commit another murder while talking casually on the phone.

  Ryan felt the slight breeze from under the crack in the door, so he knew he was facing it. Jeff was behind him, talking, So Ryan took a chance and peeked under the door. The hallway was lit, and he could smell the musty carpeting outside. The owner really needed to replace it. Ryan was pretty sure it was installed when the building was built, like, fifty or so years ago.

  It even smelled slightly of urine. The smell either belonged to Wiener, or Ryan had pissed himself. He wasn’t too ashamed to admit how terrified he was.

  He forced himself not to startle when his phone rang. It was behind him somewhere, where it had slid when Jeff knocked it out of his hand. He didn’t dare turn to look, because Jeff was too damn close. But Ryan didn’t have to guess at who was calling.

  Devil.

  “I’m willing to bet every employee at Krave isn’t human,” Jeff said into his phone. “I’ll finish the job tonight, just as soon as I take care of the owner.”

  Finish the job.

  The fire. Cock. Spike. Terry. Ryan wasn’t sure why Terry entered his mind, but he no longer wanted to bitch-slap the guy. Not when Jeff had left him there to die.

  His body was starting to ache from lying on the hard floor. Even though Ryan had carpeting, it was so thin it might as well not have been there. His muscles twitched. His back protested. That was one of the many things that sucked when you became older.

  As a kid, Ryan used to camp out on Henry’s floor all the time during sleepovers or Henry camped out on his. They’d stayed up to the wee hours eating junk food, and waiting for whichever set of parents to go to bed so they could find the shows they weren’t supposed to watch.

  His young, lithe body had been able to handle the floor back then. Now he might need a chiropractor if he stayed down much longer.

  If Jeff doesn’t put a bullet in me first.

  Ryan began to sweat at that thought. He even started to tremble a little. If he didn’t get his body under control, he’d give himself away.

  Then he heard the sound of the elevator doors shushing open. Ryan peeked again and saw a shadow moving under his door. Then shoes. He knew those shoes.

  Henry!

  Ryan opened his mouth to shout for his best friend to run, but then Henry’s shoes disappeared and all Ryan saw where boots. Three sets of them…then two sets.

  Devil was there to rescue him, but was walking into a trap. Jeff still paced behind him, still talking, oblivious to Devil’s arrival—and whoever else was with him.

  One moment Ryan was lying there staring at the boots, the next, he was shouting when the door crashed open and knocked him in the head.

  Jeff fired his gun.

  Devil dropped to a crouch and pulled Ryan from the apartment, slinging him toward the elevator. And damn could he throw. Ryan smacked the wall and cried out again, pain slicing through his head as he hit the floor. His head spun as he pushed his way to his feet, and gripped his temples.

  That was the third time in less than an hour his head had been assaulted. Ryan would be brain-damaged by the end of the night.

  Crashing came from his apartment. Ryan stumbled forward, forgetting how to walk for a second.
His head was really spinning. When this was over, he needed to go to the hospital for a CAT scan.

  Ryan stepped into his apartment and his jaw dropped. That was Devil, but it wasn’t. His face was protruding slightly and his sharp teeth were bared. He had claws instead of fingernails, and the skin Ryan could see was covered in fur.

  And he had Jeff pinned to the couch, choking the life out of him. Jeff’s arms flailed as he tried to knock away Devil’s hands, but he failed miserably as his face turned an odd shade of red.

  Then Jeff got loose, dove to the floor, and grabbed his gun. He jumped up and aimed but didn’t get to fire. Devil was on him that quickly, boxing Jeff like he was a professional.

  The gun went off again but missed Devil.

  With a snarl, Devil grabbed Jeff around the waist and slammed him back onto the couch.

  Ryan ran forward, ready to…he wasn’t sure what he would do. He stopped midrun when a stranger walked out of his bedroom. Ryan froze, unable to breathe, wondering who the guy was.

  Then he remembered seeing him at Krave when the fire truck was there. He was a friend of Devil’s. But how had he gotten into Ryan’s apartment? Had he scaled the freaking walls of the building?

  Spider Monkey winked at him, and Ryan’s face heated as he turned away. Devil cocked his arm back and slugged Jeff in the face. He got up, Jeff limp on the couch, and turned to Ryan. There was blood on the corner of Devil’s mouth. He used the back of his hand to wipe it away.

  “Is he d-dead?” Ryan looked for any sign that Jeff was breathing. He didn’t see any.

  Devil shook his head. “Just knocked out.”

  Ryan barely understood what Devil had said. His voice was different, deeper, more of a growl, and Ryan backed up, suddenly afraid of him. Devil might be a gorgeous hunk, but right now he was also not human-looking.

  “He’s not gonna kill your ex in your apartment,” Spider Monkey said. “We’ll take Jeff somewhere else for that.”

  Ryan spun and stared up at the handsome man in his bedroom doorway. Spider Monkey leaned against the frame looking relaxed, and sexy as fuck. If Ryan hadn’t met Devil, this would be a fantasy come to life. A gorgeous guy in his bedroom. Cheesy porno music played in his head for a heartbeat before Ryan turned and looked at Devil.

  The music died.

  His fear escalated.

  Jeff stirred.

  “I’ll handle this,” Spider Monkey said. “You smooth things over with your mate.”

  Spider Monkey lifted Jeff off the couch like he was a body pillow instead of a weighty human. He tossed Jeff over his shoulder and headed into the hallway, grabbing and closing the door behind him.

  Ryan was now left alone with this…uh, Devil.

  But when he looked at him, Devil’s features had returned to normal. Only, his blue eyes smoldered as he stared at Ryan, hunger filling them, his jaw firm, and his body…still an amazing work of art.

  Still, Ryan felt awkward, unsure what to say.

  Devil crossed the room with hesitant steps. He raised his hand and probed Ryan’s head with his fingers.

  “Ow,” he hissed, pulling back.

  “I didn’t know you were lying in front of the door or I would have never kicked it in.”

  His words were sincere, kind, and apologetic. When Ryan looked at Devil’s face, he no longer saw the furry thing he’d been. All Ryan saw was his strong jaw and nose, his soft lips, and his enigmatic eyes. Ryan was dying to know what Devil was thinking, but Devil dropped his hand and looked away. “I couldn’t do it, not with you here, watching me.”

  He meant killing Jeff.

  Ryan should be freaked out, but he wasn’t. He felt sorry for Devil. A soft spot in his heart opened for…his mate. He needed to get used to that term. “You’re not a killer, are you?”

  “It doesn’t come naturally to me,” Devil admitted. “Not like I thought it would.”

  “Then why did you take the job?”

  “To get away from being killed myself.”

  His answer shocked Ryan. “Why would someone want to kill you?”

  Devil’s uncertain expression looked foreign on his face. He moved back to Ryan, slid his hand around his nape, and pulled him close. “I’ll answer you, but I need a kiss, desperately. I need to ground myself again.”

  His lips hovered close to Ryan’s, his breath warm. The plea shattered the last of Ryan’s resistance. Did he have any in the first place? Devil could turn into a dolphin and Ryan would still want him.

  “A kiss,” Ryan murmured seconds before Devil assaulted his mouth with a slow, burning kiss that made Ryan’s breath hitch and his toes curl.

  His hands gripped Ryan tightly, as though he was afraid Ryan would disappear if he let go. One hand was still connected to his nape, but the other moved down Ryan’s back until Devil had his ass cupped.

  Their cocks rubbed together and Ryan’s slacks became tight. His cock was rock-hard, and he wanted Devil to fuck him, badly. What did that make Ryan if Devil had been choking the life out of Jeff on his couch just moments before?

  But Devil’s skillful mouth chased away Ryan’s thoughts. Their tongues tangled and their teeth clashed. Devil was devouring him, and Ryan was willing to let him do whatever the hell he wanted, just as long as Devil fucked him.

  Instead of taking him to the bedroom, Devil lowered Ryan to the floor. The hard floor he’d finally escaped from. The floor he was now lying on again.

  But this time Ryan didn’t care about the aches and pains. He just wanted to feel Devil’s weight on him, pinning him down, holding him close as Devil consumed him.

  And not just his body, either. He felt as if Devil consumed his soul. Ryan whimpered, clutching at Devil’s back, trying to pull his shirt off so he could touch skin.

  Then Devil broke the kiss. His lips pressed close to Ryan’s ear. “I need…this…you…us.” His breath was hard and heavy. “Someone who won’t betray me. Someone who I can trust with my life.”

  “You can trust me.” Ryan gripped a handful of Devil’s hair, and their eyes locked when Devil pulled back. He’d always seemed so confident and cocky, and self-assured to the tenth power. The desperation now in his blue eyes unsettled Ryan.

  Devil had Ryan stripped in seconds. The cool air kissed Ryan’s skin, making his nipples tight and his body shiver. Devil was on his knees between Ryan’s legs, staring hungrily down at Ryan’s naked body.

  “And the same goes for you.” Devil crisscrossed his arms and pulled his shirt off, exposing every delicious muscle, hard lines, and tanned skin. “You can trust me, Ryan. I would never hurt you, no matter what form I’m in.”

  Ryan wasn’t listening. Not really. Not when Devil’s dirty-blond hair fell over his eyes, making him look dark and mysterious, sexy and alluring. Not when his muscles bunched and flexed, drawing every bit of Ryan’s attention.

  Ryan writhed and squirmed under Devil while his tongue lashed across Ryan’s nipple. His hands slid under Ryan’s ass, squeezing and kneading as if Ryan’s butt were made of dough. But it turned him on, and Ryan couldn’t get enough.

  “Need you so badly,” Devil murmured against Ryan’s chest. He teased Ryan’s swollen nipple between his teeth, biting down gently before releasing the aching flesh.

  “I’m-I’m all yours.” Ryan hooked his legs around Devil’s waist, pissed that Devil was still wearing his jeans. But the fabric proved to be excellent friction, and Ryan started humping, his cock sawing along the zipper.

  Devil chuckled. It was a sound Ryan could drown in. Judging by the look in his blue beauties, he was back to his cocky self. “Need me that much, too?”

  “More,” Ryan whined, ready to beg.

  “Unhook your legs.”

  Ryan immediately obeyed. Devil reared back, then stood, and Ryan lay there staring up at his magnificent musculature. His pecs were perfect. His biceps were the size of footballs. His broad chest narrowed down to a tapered waist, and that sexy-ass V indent drew Ryan’s full attention—along with the dirty-blond
trail of hair that disappeared below his waistline.

  He stared at Ryan for a moment longer, as if memorizing every inch of his flushed body before he took a seat on the couch and began to remove his shoes.

  Ryan turned over onto his belly. He really did need thicker carpeting. His hard cock was trapped beneath him, and it wasn’t a comfortable position. Ryan had to shift his erection before he settled back down.

  “Do you plan on keeping your side job?” Ryan rested his chin on his fists, admiring the way Devil’s muscles moved as he untied his boots.

  Devil’s hands stilled as he looked at him. Ryan could tell the question had caught him off guard. “The club or my other job?”

  “No, I love Krave,” Ryan admitted. “So do half the gay men in this city.”

  That drew an uneasy chuckle from Devil. “I hadn’t set out to make it a hot gay club, but I’m glad it caught on.”

  He was dodging Ryan’s question but Ryan wasn’t going to let Devil derail him. “Me, too, now back to my original question.”

  One of Devil’s brows lifted. “You do ask a lot of them.”

  “How am I supposed to get to know you if I don’t pry?” Ryan hooked his ankles together and sighed. Devil was too good-looking to be real. Ryan could lie there all evening and stare at him.

  Though he wouldn’t because he still wanted Devil to fuck his brains out.

  Devil slid his feet out of his boots, then removed his socks. He set them aside and looked at the floor. Then his eyes meet Ryan’s. “I was brought here to eliminate Hunters. I already told you what they’ve done, what they are doing.”

  Intellectually Ryan knew that Devil had to put down the threat, but Ryan still struggled with the morality of him killing people. Even evil ones.

  “I gotta finish my list.” Devil propped his elbows on his knees. His brows furrowed, and Ryan could tell he was struggling with his answer. “But I’m not gonna take on another list once this one is completed.”

  Completed.

  “Okay, let’s agree not to talk shop anymore.” Ryan wiggled his brows suggestively as he shoved aside what Devil still had to do. Yep, he’d rather stick his head in the sand than think about it.