STORY EXCERPT

He was out the door and heading down the street but felt someone following him, heard echoing footsteps in the dark. Caine popped the collar of his jacket and shoved his hands into his pockets.

Ordinary demons couldn’t fade in the sunlight. Mid-level demons had no choice. Caine, on the other hand, could do it at will. So could the demon warriors. Even in the dark. He thought about fading until the person following him lost him, but Caine was in a foul mood and wouldn’t mind taking it out on someone.

Fucking demon warriors. Why couldn’t they leave him alone? Caine didn’t go around causing chaos like most men the warriors hunted down. Caine kept to the shadows, hired himself out as a bodyguard or an enforcer.

What he did for a living was legit, though sometimes his actions were questionable. If the warriors only knew his dirty little secret. Would they back off then?

Probably not.

But all demons were born with a certain power. Caine was no exception. He waited until he came to an alley then slipped into it, keeping to the shadows.

When the person trailing behind passed by, Caine grabbed him and slammed him up against the wall, curling his hand around the person’s neck.

Caine frowned. The white hair registered and then the blue eyes. “Bowen?”

“Do you mind?”

Caine released him and took a step back. “Why the fuck were you following me?”

Bowen licked his lips and backed away. “I just needed you to touch me.”

The alcohol had dulled Caine’s senses. It took longer than it should have for the ramifications of what he’d just done to sink in. “You bastard!”

Right before his eyes Bowen transformed into a copycat Caine.

Fuck. The destruction Bowen could cause while he was an exact replica of him. In all the time they’d known each other, Caine had been very careful never to make skin-to-skin contact.

“Why?”

Bowen’s hands flexed and convulsed at his sides. “It’s about time I get the respect I’m due. People will tremble in fear of my name by the time they find out who I really am.”

The guy had no idea just how many enemies Caine had, of the hatred most held for him. He said as much.

“Liar!” Bowen screamed with a scowl.

It was the creepiest thing ever to argue with yourself, to look into your own face while trying to convince the replica of how much danger he was truly in.

And damn, Caine wasn’t half-bad looking.

“The demon warriors,” Caine reminded Bowen. “They get their hands on you and…” Wait. That was actually an upside. The warriors could send Bowen to Hell instead of Caine.

Still, the shifter could cause a lot of damage before then. Caine had a reputation to protect as far as his business. He couldn’t let Bowen accept contracts. That had disaster written all over it.

“Toodle-loo.” Bowen spun and took off, Caine giving chase. Bowen might have his looks, but he didn’t have Caine’s powers. If he could catch up to Bowen, Caine could right this wrong.

But the shifter was fast, dodging around buildings and disappearing around a corner.

Caine stopped and looked around, but the bastard was gone. He cursed as he looked up and down the street. Bowen had to be stopped.

Caine closed his eyes and concentrated. What the shifter didn’t know was now that Caine had touched him he could track him, though the connection was weak. The faint signal kept flickering in and out, making it hard to latch onto.

He returned to the alley, finding the darkest corner to transport himself. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the parking lot of a gas station.

He recognized the sign above the door, the color scheme of horrendous orange and tacky blue. Caine looked around at the empty parking lot, the tall safety lights attracting millions of bugs.

A car pulled into one of the pumps as Caine stood there, trying to latch onto Bowen’s whereabouts, but he’d lost the connection.

If Bowen was somewhere else, why had Caine emerged here? He was supposed to come out of the portal at Bowen’s location.

A door slammed. Caine looked behind him at the car that had pulled up. It was driving away. Grinding his teeth, he went inside the gas station.

Why couldn’t he escape god-awful music? The piped-in music was playing some upbeat instrumental melody that made Caine want to rip the speakers out. He walked toward the cooler then stopped. He wasn’t thirsty or hungry.

He was on a mission to track Bowen down. Caine glanced at the counter, but no one was there. The place was empty, brightly lit, and clean.

A noise the next aisle over caught his attention. Caine fisted his hands as he marched toward the source. He came to a stop when he saw some guy kneeling in front of the shelf with a duster.

The guy looked up and squeaked, falling to his ass. He pressed a hand over his chest, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry. You scared the daylights out of me.”

A strange sensation rippled through Caine. He cocked his head to the side, studying the guy. The nametag on his shirt said his name was Abel.

Abel got up and straightened his blue work vest. He brushed a hand through his dark hair. A brilliant smile replaced his frown. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Caine tamped down the attraction he felt toward Abel. “Have you seen me?”

The guy gave a nervous chuckle. “Uh yeah, you’re standing right there.”

“No.” Caine shook his head, his frustration mounting. “Was I in here before now?”

Abel’s green eyes cast a wary glow. “I…I’m not the only one working here tonight. There’s another employee. He’s just on break.”

The fear was evident in Abel’s voice. The guy was also lying. Caine didn’t sense anyone else in the store.

Abel took a step back. He waved his pink feather duster at the counter. “I’ll be over there if you need me.”

“Where am I?” He had his suspicions, but Caine wanted to be sure.

“Earth?”

ADULT EXCERPT

Abel stepped from the shower and wiped his hand across the steamy mirror. God, he looked like crap. There was a wild look in his eyes and dark circles underneath them. He touched the bruise on his cheek that had formed after being struck by Tremblay.

He could very easily blame Caine for all of this. The running, the danger, and the guy’s surly attitude. Abel wasn’t going to. Caine hadn’t meant to touch Bowen. The shifter had tricked him.

In truth, Abel felt his blood pumping after the terrifying adventure. His boring life had been shaken up, and he felt as though Caine was his partner in crime.

“You really need to sort out your priorities,” he said to the mirror.

Abel curled the towel around his waist and walked out of the bathroom, billows of steam trailing after him. He started toward his bedroom but stopped and looked down the hallway.

He smiled and headed for the kitchen. Caine was seated on the couch, flipping through a magazine. The guy looked relaxed, but Abel knew better. Caine’s mind was working on a solution to their problem. How to capture Bowen without taking Abel with him.

That wasn’t going to happen. Abel wasn’t going to let Caine leave him behind. They were in this together, no matter how much Caine argued otherwise.

Abel bit his lip as he slowly moved toward the kitchen, hoping Caine looked up and noticed him. He should’ve gone to his bedroom and checked his phone, knowing how worried Aaron would be, but all Abel could do was think about Caine, and how he wanted to get laid.

When Caine looked up, Abel blushed. “I was getting something to drink. Can I get you anything?”

Caine’s dark eyes turned molten as he set the magazine aside. He stood and charged toward Abel, hemming him against the wall. The deep snarl turned Abel on. He grabbed for Caine, their mouths fusing in a heart-stopping, hungry kiss.

Abel started pulling at Caine’s clothes, and the demon didn’t stop him. He unfastened Caine’s pants, gasping for breath as their tongues dueled, and fisted Caine’s cock.

The guy hissed into Abel’s mouth, helping Abel remove his shirt and throw it aside. God, all those glorious muscles were exposed, and Abel trailed his hand over them, never letting Caine’s cock go.

“I want you so badly,” Abel said into Caine’s mouth as he jerked the man’s dick.

“You should be running from me, not begging for my cock.” But Caine didn’t back down. His hands were everywhere, ripping the towel from around Abel’s waist, and then he pulled Abel up until Abel had to curl his legs around Caine’s thick waist.

“Not going anywhere.” Abel’s lips found the hollow of Caine’s neck and began to trace it with his tongue. “You’re gonna give my body what it needs.”

“Even if I’m seven kinds of bad for you?”

Abel gripped Caine’s biceps. “Now it’s your turn to shut your mouth.”

He sucked up a bruise on Caine’s neck, loving that he’d just marked the guy. For a brief moment in time, Caine would be his. Abel wasn’t foolish enough to think he could tame such a wild beast. Caine belonged to no one, but for at least an hour, they would scratch the other’s itch.

Caine walked to Abel’s bedroom, Abel still clinging to him. He felt Caine’s hard cock bobbing, tapping at his ass. Abel didn’t want to let go but pulled his legs back when Caine lowered him to the bed.

Abel lay there watching Caine as he pulled his jeans off. Abel’s mouth watered when Caine’s cock slapped his stomach. Damn the man was hung. He’d felt the erection in his hand, but an up-close look had him panting.

Even more wondrous was the fact that Caine’s horns appeared on top of his head and his eyes looked like they’d caught fire. More like Abel was looking through a window at a fireplace.

God, Caine was breathtaking.

Unable to resist, Abel got to his hands and knees and sucked Caine’s cock between his lips. He moved his head up and down, pulling up and suckling at the head, drinking in the clear liquid that was flowing freely.

Caine didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to. The muscles in his neck were taut, and his jaw was clenched. The fire in his eyes burned brighter as he fisted Abel’s hair, fucking Abel’s mouth in short bursts.

Caine closed his eyes and breathed out slowly, removing his cock from between Abel’s lips. “Not like this. When I come, I want to be buried inside you.”

Those words sent ripples of excitement through Abel’s body. He backed up then turned, presenting his ass to Caine. “Don’t forget the lube and condom in my drawer.”

Caine shook his head. “Don’t need either. I can’t catch human diseases or spread any, and I already come with lube.”

Abel had no idea what that meant. “What?”

Caine winked. “You’ll see.”

He blanketed Abel’s back, pressing the blunt head of his cock against Abel’s hole.

“Please don’t tell me you plan on fucking me dry.” And without even stretching him. Abel was all for experimenting, but he wasn’t into pain.

“Trust me,” Caine whispered against the shell of Abel’s ear. “You’re gonna enjoy every second of this.”

Abel blew out a few breaths, unsure he should put his trust in Caine’s hands.

Then he felt something wet squirt against his hole. His ring of muscles began to relax. “What the hell was that?”

“My natural lube.”

Holy fuck! Abel wasn’t sure what to think when the next squirt happened. He expected pain when Caine inched inside him, but all Abel felt was untapped pleasure. Caine filled him up, stretching him wide as he worked his way inside Abel’s ass.

“Oh god…this is…I don’t…ung.” Abel lowered his head and closed his eyes, feeling as if his body had just caught fire. Caine had him pinned down, trapped, as he laid soft kisses along Abel’s spine.

Who knew such a rough man could be so tender? Abel had expected to be tossed around and possibly mauled. That wouldn’t have been a bad thing, but this slow and sweet was just as nice.

They turned onto their sides, Caine staying behind Abel. He curled his arms around him and punched his hips, kissing along his shoulder. Abel held on, throwing a leg over Caine’s to open himself up so Caine could go deeper.

Abel trembled as pulses of pleasure overtook him. Each thrust nailed his gland. and he groaned, undulating as they moved together.

Finally, one strong hand encircled him, slowly stroking Abel’s already sensitive flesh. He hissed and bucked, thrusting his cock into Caine’s fist.

“I’m-I’m close,” Abel managed to get out between needy sounds.

Caine’s hand moved faster, matching the rhythm of his hips. He turned Abel onto his stomach, and Abel pushed to his hands and knees. He rocked back, meeting Caine thrust for thrust.

Sweat dripped onto his back as Abel curled his fingers into the sheets. He spread his legs wider, his limbs trembling, his orgasm cresting.