Demon Warriors 1: Hondo
Demon Warriors 1
Hondo
Chris has hung around the Demon Warriors, trying to emulate them, for one hundred years. He's in awe of these magnificent warriors but has eyes for only one of them.
Hondo is as thickheaded as they come. Everyone around him can see how Chris feels about the big, bad warrior—everyone except Hondo.
When bizarre occurrences keep taking place in the demon realm, Chris is ready for action, rushing in where wise men fear to tread.
Can Hondo keep Chris from running into a battle he may not survive, and can Hondo set aside their friendship and become a lover to the little demon who worships the very ground he walks on?
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:
35,355 words
HONDO
Demon Warriors 1
Lynn Hagen
EVERLASTING CLASSIC
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic ManLove HONDO
Copyright © 2011 by Lynn Hagen
E-book ISBN: 1-61034-633-5
First E-book Publication: July 2011
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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www.SirenPublishing.com
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Hondo
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Demon Warriors 1
LYNN HAGEN
Copyright © 2011
Hondo watched as Panahasi emerged from the shadows near the corner of the bar after taking the mates of the Brac pack back home.
His leader looked weary and not his usual self. Seeing other breeds interacting with their mates had driven home the fact that none of the Demon Warriors had found theirs yet.
It was difficult watching the wolf shifter, Dagon Santiago, with his mate while feeling a longing to find one’s own. It seemed to be affecting Panahasi more so than the rest of them.
His leader strolled over to the bar, talking to the bartender for a moment and then accepting a glass of amber liquid. Hondo knew it was whiskey, the man’s choice of drink.
Hondo tipped the beer bottle back, taking a long swig as he watched his leader make his way over to his table. Hondo pulled his feet from the cushioned seat across from him as Panahasi slid into the booth.
“How’d it go?” Hondo asked as he sat his bottle down.
His leader waved his hand at him in a dismissive gesture.
“They’re humans and shifters, boring.”
Hondo could tell by his tone there was more to it than he was letting on, but he didn’t push. No one pushed the guy if he didn’t volunteer the information. “Taylor gonna be okay?”
“He’ll be fine. He’s accepted his demon and will live a happy ever after, yadda, yadda.”
Hondo looked over at Rainerio, giving a slight shrug, and then finished his beer. Another drag queen took the stage, peacocking and prancing to the music flooding the club.
Hondo would never understand how a man could dress up in drag.
He didn’t judge them. He just didn’t understand them. The warriors hung at Diablo’s because there were plenty of guys to fuck, good food, and even better eye candy strutting around.
“I’m gonna head out.” Rainerio tapped knuckles with Hondo and glanced at Panahasi before walking through the crowd. Everyone parted, allowing the warrior his space.
“You might as well go, not much happening around here tonight.” His leader spoke in a deadpan voice.
Hondo hated to see him like this. He was usually fun to be around, always livened the place up, but after the last assignment, things seemed to be spiraling downward. He knew the mood would pass and Panahasi would be back to his usual self. It just sucked to see him so morose.
“I’ll catch up with you later.” Panahasi nodded that he’d heard Hondo but still had that faraway look on his face. Hondo made his way to the front door, taking in the fresh air as he walked to his apartment.
“Hey,” Chris called out as he ran up beside Hondo, zipping around him excitedly. Hondo was six nine, and the squirt was five seven. It took three of Chris’s steps to match one of Hondo’s. It was a good thing Chris had super speed, or else Hondo would have to carry the little demon in order for him to keep up.
“What have you been into tonight?” he asked the small demon.
Chris hung around the warriors, running errands and trying his best to
Hondo 9
be like them. Unfortunately, he never would be. They were an elite group, born into warrior status. Chris was too short, and slim as hell.
“Nothing.” Chris shot to Hondo’s side. “I saw Gammy tonight.” This got Hondo’s attention. They’d been after the demon for some time. “What was he doing?”
“He was trying to suck out another soul in the back alley. I tried to call you, but you guys never answer your cell phones.” Hondo cursed. The seedy little demon bastard somehow always knew when the warriors were in another realm and caused as much havoc as he could while they were away. Trying to catch Gammy was like trying to grab hold of a fish right out of the water, slippery little bastard.
“Did he succeed?” Hondo asked as he walked down King Kennedy Ave. He was tired but knew he had to check in with the other warriors and track down Gammy.
“No, I threw rocks at him and yelled Panahasi’s name as if the leader were heading my way. It scared Gammy away.” Hondo smiled at the small guy. “Good job.”
“Thanks.” He beamed. Chris was so easy to please. Give him encouragement and he blossomed. Too bad everyone else wasn’t like that.
“You want to hang tonight?” It was going to be slow anyway and company would help take his mind off the fact that he was mateless.
Chris was good company, a little chatty, but the conversation was never boring.
If he let Chris go with him, Gammy wouldn’t pose a threat to his buddy as long as the demon stayed out of the way. What harm could it be to let his enthusiastic buddy hang out for a night?
The smaller demon’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Sure, just let me go home and shower, and then we can head out.”
Chris gave him a hearty salute, and then put on a burst of speed to catch back up with him. They climbed the steps to his building, and walked up the three flights to his apartment. Hondo inserted the key and went in first, checking the place for any danger before waving Chris in. Being a Demon Warrior gained him and his unit a lot of enemies, and he didn’t want the shorter man to get hurt.
Chris flopped down on his couch as Hondo went to his bedroom, digging out fresh clothes from his dresser and then heading into the bathroom.
After his shower, Hondo stood in front of the mirror, running his hands through his wet hair. He analyzed his mug, wondering if, no,
when
he found his mate, if he would appeal to him. Problem was, demons didn’t know who their mates were until they slept with them, and then the bond formed. The process of finding a mate made demons slutty as hell, but they were desperate to find their mates.
Giving up the thought because it only tortured him, he pulled his T-shirt over his head.
“Hey, gonna be much longer? I gotta whiz.” Hondo rolled his eyes at the elegant way Chris worded things. “Be out in a minute.” He shouted through door.
Can’t a guy have some peace even in the bathroom?
He pulled his hair from the back of his shirt and let it fall to his shoulder, running his fingers through it one more time and then ran into a snag. Hondo reluctantly grabbed the brush from the medicine cabinet and worked the knot out. He tossed it back in and shut the mirror.
“All yours,” he announced when he entered the living room.
“Thanks.” Chris shot from the sofa, running straight in and slamming the door closed. Hondo shook his head. The guy must have a small bladder.
“All done.” Chris beamed as he came from the bathroom and headed for the door. “Ready?”
“Let’s roll.” Hondo followed Chris back down the stairs, heading out into the night.
It was always night here. Demons couldn’t live in the sun. Their corporeal form would fade away when the sun’s rays hit them. He’d visited the human realm thousands of times, but only at night.
“We’ll start on Broadview Avenue and ask around.” Chris nodded in quick bursts. “Okay, Torky hangs out there. He hears everything.” Chris ran alongside Hondo.
“I wanna grab a bite to eat once we dust Gammy off.” Chris jogged in front of Hondo, jumping around like an excited puppy. “I get to help? Please tell me I can help. You guys always make me go home when the real fun starts.” Hondo had to slow his pace or else bowl Chris over. “You can help. But if I say get back, then get back. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” Chris gave him another hearty salute.
Fondness washed over Hondo for the short demon yapping at his heels. Chris really did try hard to fit in with them and help out as much as he could. Hondo spotted Torky standing by a stoop in front of his apartment building, holding court with a bunch of losers. “Hey, come here.”
Torky gave him a cocky grin as he sauntered over. “You bellowed?”
“Seen Gammy?”
Torky’s smile turned into a snarl as he looked over his shoulder at the losers watching him and then back at Hondo. “Someone needs to take that fucking slimeball out. One of these days he’s gonna go after the wrong one and get his ass kicked. Seen him an hour ago over on Granger. Good luck catching his ass.” Torky walked back over to his crowd, never looking back.
“Granger it is.” Hondo and Chris walked up Broadview, made a left on King Kennedy, and then another left onto Granger. They crept quietly, hoping to catch the soul-sucking demon off guard.