Rules of Engagement

by Lynn Hagen

  Lenny grabbed the spatula from the counter and stormed toward the kitchen entrance. “Do you think anyone has demon dog training classes? If he doesn’t get his act together, I’ll be the one going to the underworld.”

  He went into the den where Thor was lying in front of the fireplace. He looked at Lenny as if Lenny wasn’t a threat.

  “I’m about to whoop your ass.” He raised the spatula. “You need some discipline in your life.”

  Chavez came into the room and curled an arm around Lenny, hauling him off his feet. “If you were gonna discipline him, you should’ve grabbed something stronger than a flimsy spatula, novio.”

  “Just give me five minutes with him.” Lenny struggled to get free. “Or at least put him in time-out!”

  Thor jumped up and ran to the door. If the dog could smile, Lenny was willing to bet he would be laughing as he opened the door and ran out.

  * * * *

  Chavez wasn’t too happy about being in town, but if they hadn’t gotten out of the house and away from Basta, everyone would’ve cracked.

  The day was hot, and Lenny directed Chavez to Bistro, the local coffee shop. It felt good to be out, even if Chavez was scanning everything around him. If Trails was a warlock, there was no telling what he had up his sleeve.

  He held the door open for some lady, who ducked under his arm and gave him a smile of thanks. The aromatic scents filled his lungs as they walked toward the counter, sidestepping some people who were trying to hurry away.

  “Hey, I like this song,” Lenny said about the piped-in music as they got in line.

  Chavez curled his arms around his mate’s upper body, back to front, holding Lenny close and simply enjoying the feel of him. He’d never been one for public displays of affection, but then again, Chavez had never been mated before.

  He felt a deep connection toward Lenny and not just because of the pull. His mate might’ve freaked out a few times, but Lenny was adjusting, rising to the occasion. And even though Lenny threatened Thor’s life on a daily basis, his mate had a huge heart and still cared about the damn dog.

  But most of all, it was the shine in Lenny’s blue eyes. A spark that ignited Chavez’s heart every time he saw it.

  Lenny rested his hands over Chavez’s arms, the top of his mate’s head coming only to Chavez’s shoulders. Lenny was small, but his personality packed a punch.

  “I think I’m gonna get something with ice.” They stepped forward like their legs were in sync. “Maybe some ice cream, too.”

  “Now that sounds delicious.” Chavez kissed Lenny’s temple, though that gained the attention of a few people. Not all were as progressive as most. Chavez knew that. He accepted that fact. He was a tall, muscled, tattooed gay man with a deep voice and a violent streak when needed.

  On the other hand, Lenny was short, slim, and his sexuality was a little more noticeable with the way he talked and his mannerisms. His mate used his hands when he spoke, had a softer voice, and his facial expressions were hilarious at times.

  Chavez just gave those looking at him the stink eye, and they quickly spun around.

  When they reached the counter, Chavez and Lenny gave the barista their orders and then moved to the other side of the counter to wait. Chavez kept an arm draped over Lenny’s shoulders, because, for one, he liked touching Lenny. Two, Chavez liked pissing people off.

  He furrowed his brows when his chest grew tight. Chavez looked around at the customers and the people walking by the coffee shop. Something felt off.

  They took their drinks and Lenny’s ice cream when it came up, and walked outside, but Chavez still had that strange feeling stuck in the center of his chest, and it was getting worse.

  Lenny stopped on the sidewalk and stared at his cone. “Suddenly I no longer want this.”

  The way he’d felt toward Lenny in Bistro was no longer there, that passion, the fire in his veins for his mate. He just wanted to go home and crawl into the bed, throwing the covers over his head as he thought about the fucked-up childhood he’d endured.

  Chavez looked up and down the street and noticed a guy lingering in front of a shop with a for-lease sign in the window. His head was down and his hands were shoved into his front pockets as he stared into the glass of the empty storefront.

  There was only one creature who could suck the happiness out of anyone. Who could make a person feel like they were having the worst day of their life, no hope of a future, make him want to just give up now and go cry in a corner.

  Chavez wasn’t sure if the hellhound was in Maple Grove for him, but if he was, then only one person would’ve sent him.

  Benjamin Trails.

  The stranger slowly turned his head as an evil smile curled the side of his mouth. He gave a slight nod and walked away. Chavez tried to catch up to him, but when the guy turned the corner, he disappeared.

  Chavez looked around, but the hellhound was nowhere in sight.

  “I’m sick and tired of that bastard’s games,” Chavez mumbled to himself as he walked back down the street. “He should just show up himself so we could end this.”

  Then again, the guy was a warlock. Did Chavez really want a confrontation with him? When he got back to his mate, Lenny was frowning into the concrete trashcan.

  Lenny waved a hand at the can. “Why in the fuck did I throw my ice cream away? I really, really wanted it.”

  “Hellhound,” Chavez said under his breath.

  “Is that who that guy was?” Lenny peered into the can one last time before twisting around. “At least I still have my drink.”

  “Trails is playing games again.” He grabbed Lenny’s hand and led him to his Hummer. He and Reno needed to come up with a plan. He had a feeling that wouldn’t be the last time he saw that hellhound.

  “I’m not ready to go back yet.” Lenny pulled to free his hand as he sipped his drink. “We still have to go to the grocery store. If you haven’t forgotten, Thor’s eaten all the food.”

  When this was over, Chavez was sending that demon a bill.

  They headed to the local grocery store, and Chavez started tossing things into their cart, ready to get out of there.

  “Stop.” Lenny held up his hand. “You’re just tossing random crap into our cart.” He picked up a jar. “Do you really eat artichokes? Come on now. If you don’t want to shop, then leave it up to me. Go guard the produce or something while I get what we really need.”

  Lenny pushed the cart through the store while Chavez looked for the hellhound. He was on edge, his skin tight as he forced his canines not to appear. The store was full of humans, and revealing that he wasn’t human would be frowned upon.

  An hour later Chavez growled. “Are you done yet?”

  Their cart was only half full. What the hell had Lenny been doing all this time besides sniffing fresh herbs?

  “I’m sorry if I’m a careful shopper,” Lenny argued. “I don’t buy junk.”

  “Can you even cook?” Since he’d known Lenny, Chavez hadn’t seen the man in the kitchen. It was Chavez or Reno who’d done all the cooking.

  “By the time I come into the kitchen, the food is already made,” Lenny said. “And you two buy way too much takeout. That shit will kill you.”

  Chavez snorted. “No it won’t. I’m a shifter, remember?”

  “That doesn’t excuse poor eating habits.” Lenny pointed at the food in his cart. “I’m gonna show you how food should really be cooked.”

  Chavez smiled. “I’m ready for you to impress me. What’re you making for dinner?”

  “It’s a surprise.” Lenny walked away. “But I’ll make sure there’s enough for Thor.”

  Fuck that damn dog. Basta could order takeout. Chavez didn’t care if the demon had to send up smoke signals to tell them what he wanted.

  When they finally reached the register, Lenny unloaded a full cart onto the belt. Chavez balked at the final cost. Jesus. How high-end was the food?

  It better be a damn good meal for the price he’d just paid.


  When they got back to the house, Chavez let Lenny put the groceries away while he looked for Reno. The guy was nowhere in sight. Frowning, Chavez went outside and found Basta out cold on the ground.

  He was instantly on alert. Chavez tried calling his friend, but the call dumped to voice mail. He tried two more times with the same results.

  Chavez rushed back inside, racing to the kitchen. His heart lodged in his throat when he found the room empty, the grocery bags still sitting on the table.

  Chapter Ten

  Lenny whipped around, his hands up in a boxing pose, although he knew nothing about fighting. It was an instinctual reaction as he tried to figure out what in the blue blazes was going on. He was no longer standing in the kitchen.

  He was in some open field, and a few feet away, Reno was lying prone and unmoving on the grass. Lenny ran over to him and dropped to his knees, shaking the unconscious man.

  “Reno, please wake up.” He kept shaking Reno as he looked around. Lenny’s body tingled, telling him they weren’t alone. Someone was watching them from the woods twenty feet in front of him.

  Tears sprang to Lenny’s eyes. “Reno, please.”

  If someone was about to attack, Lenny needed the only man between them who knew how to fight and get them out of this alive.

  His head snapped up when he heard leaves rustling and twigs snap. Lenny shook Reno even harder, so hard and fast that his hands should’ve left friction burns on Reno’s chest.

  Then Lenny’s hand touched something hard at Reno’s waistband. He hoped it was a gun and not a boner. That would awkward.

  Lenny grabbed the gun and gripped it in both hands with no clue how to use it. Even so, he felt a little better now that he was armed.

  “Show yourself!” He raised his shaky hands and pointed the weapon at the trees, but all Lenny saw was some birds and the breeze tickling the leaves.

  His muscles were tense, and his arms were starting to hurt from being raised. The gun was surprisingly heavy in Lenny’s hands, or the burden of having to use it made it weigh a thousand pounds.

  Lenny shoved his foot at Reno’s hip. “Now would be a really good time to wake up.”

  He heard a noise to his left. Lenny twisted around and squeezed the trigger. The report echoed in his ears, and his body jerked back, sending Lenny to his ass.

  Why did shooting guns on TV seem so easy?

  Lenny jumped to his feet and looked around, staying close to Reno’s body. He had to protect the guy while still trying to save his own life.

  Something moved to his right. Lenny swung around and fired again, only this time he’d dug his heels into the earth and braced his shoulders.

  A stranger walked out into the clearing, waving his hand like a fly was buzzing around him, but Lenny had a feeling the guy was batting the bullet away.

  In truth, Lenny had expected the stranger on the street. The hellhound. Not this tall, elegant-looking man who had a head full of silky black hair, piercing hazel eyes, and walked with such grace that Lenny had an urge to bow.

  “You must be Benjamin Trails.”

  The guy smirked. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Daniels.”

  “Can’t say I feel the same way.” Lenny raised the gun again, his hands trembling. “Step any closer and I’ll fill you full of lead.”

  He needed to stop watching so many gangster movies, but it was the first thing that had popped into Lenny’s head. He had to admit that it did sound badass.

  “You have balls for a guy so small.” Trails took two steps closer. “Give it your best shot.”

  Reno spun from his prone position, snatched the gun from Lenny’s hand, and fired while on one knee. Lenny gasped when he saw a bullet hole dead center in the man’s forehead.

  A trickle of blood eased from the hole.

  Trails didn’t crumple. Lenny’s jaw dropped as he watched the bullet slowly work its way out then hit the ground. If a bullet didn’t stop this guy, what would?

  Reno got to his feet and took a stance in front of Lenny. “Jack Frost.”

  “I detest that name.” Trails lip curled. “Do I look like some wintery prankster?”

  “With the games you’ve been playing, I’d have to say it’s pretty accurate. An assassin, a demon trapped in a dog’s body, and turning my teammate against us. You’ve been a busy guy, although all your attempts have failed.”

  “What did you plan on doing with that hellhound?” Lenny demanded from behind Reno.

  Trails looked genuinely puzzled. “I sent no hellhound after you, but I should have. I’ll have to remember that the next time I want to kill someone.”

  Lenny swiveled his head around when he saw a wolf racing toward them. Was that Chavez? If so, how on earth had he found them? Lenny had no idea where they were, and his mate had come running in a matter of moments.

  “We’re in the clearing just beyond the woods in your backyard,” Reno said to Lenny without taking his eyes off Trails.

  They’d been that close this entire time?

  The wolf gave Trails a wide berth as he trotted to Lenny. He sat on his haunches at Lenny’s side. Where was Thor? Why hadn’t he joined them? Was he afraid of Trails and what the warlock could do?

  Lenny would be if the guy had trapped him in a dog’s body. He’d keep as much distance as possible between them.

  “Reno shot him in the forehead, but Trails didn’t die,” Lenny whispered to the wolf. “How are we going to defeat him?”

  Trails walked forward, tucking his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “I was enjoying the games.” He narrowed his eyes at Reno, as if admitting that he had been playing games rubbed him the wrong way. “But you involved the Ultionem. Nice counterstrike, but now I’m going to have to finish this and be on my way.”

  The wolf tackled Lenny, taking him to the ground as lightning shot from Trails’s hand. The bolt whizzed past Lenny’s head, just missing him.

  Reno unloaded his gun into Trails as he, Lenny, and the wolf moved quickly backward. Trails jerked around from the impact but remained on his feet.

  “We could really use a Hail Mary,” Reno said, “or we’re fucked.”

  Trails raised his hand again, but no lightning bolts shot free. Chavez dropped to the ground, shifted, and screamed in pain as he writhed around, his body contorting in funny angles.

  “Stop!” Lenny stared in horror at his mate. “You’re hurting him!”

  He raced forward, but before he could get to the warlock, Trails swished his other hand out and Lenny flew backward, hitting the ground and rolling farther away.

  “You shifters have interfered one too many times in my business,” Trails snarled. “That stops now!”

  Reno tried to run to Trails, but he was thrown, too. He landed a foot from Lenny as Chavez continued to let loose blood-curdling screams.

  Tears ran down Lenny’s cheeks. He couldn’t stop the warlock, and it was ripping Lenny’s heart apart to see his mate in so much pain. Even though he knew it was useless, and Trails just might kill him, Lenny raced back toward him. He had to stop the guy from hurting Chavez.

  A loud, thunderous bark rent the air. The bark was so deep that Lenny felt the sound vibrate his chest. Thor broke through the trees and raced toward Trails.

  Lenny couldn’t tear his gaze away from the magnificent sight of the mountainous-sized dog bearing down on the warlock.

  “Get him, Thor!” Lenny shouted, thankful he hadn’t left the dog on the fire station doorstep with a note tied to his fur.

  Trails twisted around and swung his arms to the right. Lenny screamed when a man and dog flew into the air. The demon and the dog were not completely separated. Lenny wasn’t sure if Trails had planned on freeing the demon, but he had, and fuck, Basta was gorgeous!

  Had he really just thought that?

  Lenny ran to his mate and covered Chavez’s body with his own. Chavez was still jerking around, and his eyes weren’t focused. Lenny was afraid the warlock had scrambled Chavez’s bra
ins.

  The ground shook, forcing Lenny to grip his mate’s body tighter as Reno ran toward them, shouting something Lenny couldn’t hear. The earth cracked and split.

  This was it. Trails’s power was so immense that he was about to let the earth swallow them up. But when Lenny looked Trails’s way, the warlock’s eyes were wide and he was flailing around, as if determined to stay on his feet.

  Even Basta looked stunned. Thor got to his feet and shook his head as his body swayed from the shaking earth.

  Panahasi and Jaden walked from the tree line, a third man between them. It wasn’t Christian. Lenny had no clue who the guy was.

  The air seemed to still all around them. The breeze halted, and the leaves settled. The quietness was deafening.

  “This doesn’t concern you,” Trails spat. “You have no business here.”

  Lenny wanted to pump his arm and shout with joy for the reinforcements. Hell, he’d even do cartwheels to show his appreciation for that Hail Mary Reno had been praying for.

  “You’ve been causing devastation for far too long,” Panahasi said. “And not with just these men.”

  “I’ve been looking for you,” Jaden said with a teasing smile. “Let’s get this over so I can get back to my mate.”

  Trails appeared unfazed. “Do you think any one of you can defeat me?”

  The guy’s ego was as large as the field. Lenny hoped the guy was obliterated. From what Panahasi had just said, the warlock had been creating chaos wherever he went.

  He looked over at Basta, stunned when he saw the demon erupt into flames. He already had a scowl on his face, and his fists were balled as he glared at the warlock.

  Chavez stood naked, his arms wrapped around Lenny in a tight hold. Panahasi stood there with an almost bored look on his face, and the stranger yawned.

  “I think a monkey could defeat you,” the stranger said.

  “Who is that?” Lenny whispered.

  “I have no idea,” Chavez replied. “But I’m feeling immense power bleeding off him.”

  Lenny felt it, too. Like static electricity was scorching the air, making the hairs on his body stand on end.