Rules of Engagement

by Lynn Hagen

  “Give it your best shot.” Trails lifted his arms and swung them outward just as Jaden did the same.

  Lenny screamed and shoved Chavez backward when corpses crawled out of the earth. They went after Trails, but with a swish of Trails’s hands, the corpses fell and didn’t move.

  Panahasi’s talons were as sharp as the finest blades and grew until they were twelve inches long, scaring the hell out of Lenny. A row of deadly teeth emerged, and his skin turned crimson as a tail grew four feet in length. Horns burst from his scalp, his body contorting into the likes of which no one had ever seen.

  Lenny had no clue what Panahasi was, but he prayed he never pissed the guy off.

  A scythe appeared in Jaden’s hand as if he were ready to do battle, but the stranger still hadn’t said a word, still hadn’t moved. Lenny was dying to know who the guy was.

  “Forgive my manners,” Jaden said as he looked at Lenny but nodded toward the stranger. “He is called Aldrin, but he goes by many names. Most often the Keeper.”

  “The keeper?” Lenny said. “What does that even mean? The keeper of what?”

  Aldrin flourished a hand. “Time, space, the universe. Everything in existence.”

  Lenny’s attention was torn away when Panahasi went after Trails. The battle shook the ground as the two attacked each other. The demon leader roared as he shoved his talons into Trails’s gut, but the warlock once again didn’t go down.

  It was as if he were immune to death, which was odd considering Jaden was Death. Lenny only knew that because his father had told him. He’d told Lenny that he’d had a brush with Jaden many years ago and nearly lost his life.

  But the Keeper? Lenny couldn’t wrap his head around the revelation.

  When it looked like Panahasi wasn’t going to take Trails down, Jaden joined them. He sliced Trails with his scythe, tearing a hole in the guy’s stomach.

  Lenny spun around, burying his face in Chavez’s chest, unable to watch the carnage. But it was like a car crash that he couldn’t look away from. Lenny twisted his head and looked over his shoulder.

  Aldrin had joined them. He had his hand covering Trails’s forehead as Panahasi landed on the ground and Jaden backed away. The warlock was bloody, and the hole in his gut was still gaping wide open. He staggered back, gasped, looked wide-eyed at everyone, and then vanished.

  Aldrin glanced at Panahasi and Jaden. “I sent him somewhere he’ll never escape from, a place that renders his powers useless.”

  “Why didn’t you just do that from the beginning?” Jaden groused.

  “And miss watching you two in action?” Aldrin’s smile was breathtaking. “Now I have to get back to Trey. We’re going on a picnic.”

  A man as powerful as Aldrin was going on a picnic? Lenny burst out laughing. He held his gut, tears in his eyes. The whole situation was insane!

  And here Lenny had been worried about his cousin being brainwashed. That wasn’t shit compared to what Lenny had just gone through.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Panahasi, sir,” Lenny said. There was no way he was on Trails’s side, but he had a burning question he wanted answered. “Can you guys just banish Trails like that? I mean, doesn’t he have to be tried in front of the Ultionem?”

  Lenny didn’t know how all of that worked, but he wanted to make sure Trails couldn’t be set free.

  Panahasi’s smile was soft. “When you’re the most powerful—”

  Aldrin cleared his throat.

  Panahasi rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Fine, the second most powerful—”

  Jaden cleared his throat and gave Panahasi a “bitch please” look.

  “Shut the fuck up.” Panahasi glared at Jaden. “I’m Life, and you’re Death. I think my powers supersede yours.”

  “You wish,” Jaden argued. “I not only reap souls but command a whole legion of reapers. What do you command besides twelve warriors?”

  “I’m not gonna argue with you on this,” Panahasi replied. “You’re third. Deal with it.” He turned back to Lenny. “I follow Ultionem rules, but Trails was a danger that didn’t need to walk free. Besides, you’re newly mated, and Trails interfered. So technically I didn’t break any Ultionem laws.”

  Lenny wished he’d kept his trap shut. He didn’t like the way Jaden was still glaring at Panahasi. If those two fought, Lenny didn’t want to imagine the devastation they would leave behind.

  The three vanished as Lenny glanced at Thor, who was rolling around in the grass. Basta was already gone. Who could blame the demon for leaving? He was probably worried Trails would somehow trap him again.

  Reno looked their way. “Now that the threat is gone, I’m heading back to the house.”

  When Reno walked away, Lenny turned to his mate. “Are you okay?”

  Chavez rolled his shoulders and hissed. “It was like getting hit with lightning bolts. My body is still tingling all over.”

  Lenny smiled when Thor ran toward them. He was now just an ordinary dog, but still huge. He wagged his enormous tail and licked the side of Lenny’s face.

  “Eww!” Lenny wiped away the slobber then turned to Chavez. “Can we keep him since he no longer has a demon inside him?”

  When Chavez opened his mouth, Lenny feared his mate would say no. But Chavez scratched Thor behind his floppy ears. The dog was acting like an overgrown puppy as he took off and rolled around in the grass and then chased down a squirrel.

  Chavez chuckled. “Yeah, we can keep him.”

  Lenny launched himself at his mate, fully aware that Chavez was naked. “Thank you!” He pulled back and furrowed his brows. “Trails seemed genuinely confused about the hellhound. He swears he didn’t send that guy after us.”

  “Maybe he was just passing through town,” Chavez said.

  Lenny grinned when Chavez curled his arms around him. His mate was nude, so he knew exactly what the guy had in mind.

  “But Thor is watching,” Lenny whispered.

  “Thor, go home,” Chavez shouted.

  The dog looked at them before trotting away through the trees.

  “Any more reasons I shouldn’t take you to the ground and fuck your brains out?” Chavez wiggled his brows, making Lenny laugh.

  “Unless Reno decides to come back, no.”

  Chavez gave a low growl as he helped Lenny out of his clothes. Lenny had never been naked outside and felt a bit exposed, but one hot and heavy kiss from Chavez made him forget his worries.

  The ground was still cracked and uneven, a reminder of what had taken place there, of the fact that all of them could’ve been killed if the three powerful men hadn’t come to their defense.

  Lenny cupped Chavez face as they broke their kiss. “I love you,” Lenny said.

  “Love you, too.” Chavez gripped Lenny under his butt, and Lenny jumped up, circling his legs around the man who had won his heart. They sipped at each other’s lips as Chavez lowered them to the grass.

  He untangled Lenny’s legs and crawled backward on his hands and knees and then kissed the inside of Lenny’s thighs.

  Lenny was up on his elbows, watching every single move. Chavez stuck out his tongue and licked Lenny’s balls then took each one into his mouth and sucked them one by one. Chavez began to gently roll Lenny’s testicles and then reached up to pinch an innocent nipple.

  “Oh god.” Lenny threw his head back and groaned. “I need to be doing something, too.”

  Right there in the clearing, Chavez lay on his back and Lenny climbed atop him, reversing his position so they could enjoy each other’s cock.

  Lenny moved swiftly and engulfed his mate’s straining erection. The taste of pre-cum exploded on his tongue as he worked Chavez’s cock down his throat.

  He sucked and licked until his mate was shouting Lenny’s name. Talk about getting his ego stroked. Lenny smiled until Chavez attacked his cock with a vengeance. He worked his skills and had Lenny crying out his release.

  They lay there in the grass afterward, cuddling. When Chavez kissed him on his nec
k, Lenny finally felt as if he’d found his place in the world, as if he truly belonged. It no longer mattered that he was a half-breed. Lenny didn’t care. Chavez loved him deeply, and that was all Lenny cared about.

  “You know Thor’s gonna eat us out of house and home.” Chavez ran his fingers over Lenny’s cheek.

  Lenny grinned. “I like the fact that he has a home.”

  And Lenny had one too. His place was with Chavez, in their beautiful rental, building a life together, and facing each challenge as partners.

  “I love you,” Chavez said.

  “I love you, too, always my novio.”

  THE END

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