STORY EXCERPT

Hansel headed up to his bedroom to find his cat, Shadow, lounging on the windowsill.

“Hey, boy,” Hansel crooned. “I’ll take you out after my shower, okay?”

The cat waved its tail and went back to gazing out the window. He was a magical breed of cat that was normally the size of a regular old cat. However, he could become the size of a panther when in attack mode.

The animal was also intuitive beyond what Hansel thought an animal should be. He often wondered if Bastet, the cat goddess, had imbued the breed with a special kind of consciousness to make them companions and defenders of their witch.

Hansel took a quick shower and was dressing when Shadow hissed at the window.

“What is it, Shadow?” he asked, going to the window.

Out on the street, Hansel spied a man and a woman staring up at the house. He’d seen the two before a couple of weeks ago in the warehouse district. He knew they were demons, and judging by Shadow’s reaction, he was right.

They continued to stare up at Hansel, and a soft song drifted to him. It was in a masculine voice, the energy of it a caress. Shadow hissed again, and Hansel backed away from the window.

Anger smashed into the song still in his head, and he started for the bedroom door, but Shadow grabbed him by the back of his pants. The cat jerked him hard enough that he stumbled and lurched toward the dresser.

“Shit, Shadow,” Hansel muttered.

The bedroom door opened, and Dallan stepped inside. “What are you doing?” Dallan asked.

“Dallan, demons are out there,” Hansel said and pointed to the window.

Dallan went to the window with Hansel behind him.

“You know for a fact they’re demons?” Dallan asked.

“Yes,” he said, staring out the window. The murmur of a song was back in his head.

“Hansel, come out and play,” the masculine voice whispered. “Let us teach you how to use your power.”

Hansel turned from the window again, and Shadow hissed at him, but it was Dallan’s hand that stayed him this time.

“Hans.”

“I have to see what they want,” Hansel said.

“Not right now. You can talk to them later,” Dallan murmured.

“No,” Hansel said. “I have to—”

“Hans, baby.” Dallan gripped his upper arms. “Hansel, look at me.”

Hansel met his gaze, but the need to answer the call didn’t cease.

“Fight it, Hansel,” Dallan said softly. “Fight to stay with me.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Dallan turned and pulled Hansel into his arms and kissed him. The kiss was slow and sweet. Hansel curled his arms around Dallan’s neck and allowed himself to savor the taste of his lover.

He needed the contact after last night. Dallan hadn’t even come to bed until after he had fallen asleep.

“Sorry about last night,” Hansel said. “I should have been more on guard.”

“That could have happened to any one of us,” Dallan murmured and trailed kisses along Hansel’s jaw.

“It just so happened to be me,” he muttered.

“And that was a good thing,” Dallan told him as he slid a hand down to cup Hansel’s ass. “If it had been anyone else, I’d still be getting shit this morning over knocking them out.”

“They would have understood,” Hansel said.

“In what universe?” Dallan demanded and nipped Hansel’s earlobe. “Forget about that for now.”

“If you’d come to bed last night—”

Dallan kissed him into silence, and Hansel went with the flow, allowing Dallan to turn him to face the tiles. Droplets of water slowly cruised down the tile he’d scrubbed clean himself, and Hansel braced a hand on the cool wall.

Dallan’s lips brushed his nape before moving down the spine. Then, his hands were on him, along with a slightly rough feeling of rocks sliding down his skin. It was oddly erotic, and Hansel moaned.

“I love you, Hans,” Dallan told him softly. “I don’t blame you for yesterday.” Dallan kissed his shoulder and reached to one side of Hansel. “I’m going to find the demon behind that attack.”

“Because he could have gotten to the warrior,” Hansel muttered.

Dallan dropped a hand on his ass, and Hansel jumped. Dallan’s hand connected with his damp flesh again, and the sting drew a cry from him.

“The warrior can take care of himself,” Dallan said and struck him again. “I love you, love, and I’m more upset at myself for not realizing that could happen than I am at anyone else.”

“It wasn’t your fault either.”

“Shh,” Dallan urged. Then, the coolness of lube licked down the crease of Hansel’s ass.

Dallan’s fingers followed and dragged the liquid to the pucker of his ass and just inside. Then, he worked his finger in and out, the movement making his cock leak.

“Dallan,” Hansel moaned.

Dallan withdrew his finger for a moment before sliding it back in, the slick digit penetrating Hansel with slippery ease. Hansel shivered, and then the anger and fear was blanked out by pleasure that streaked through him.

Dallan’s hand was hard as it connected with the side of his butt cheek, and Hansel groaned, the incredible feeling going to his cock.

“I love your body, Hansel,” Dallan told him as he worked two fingers inside him. “I love everything about you. When I look at you, it’s still just like the very day we met.”

“How?” He needed to know, ached to know what Dallan thought about him.

“I want you every bit as much, only now I don’t just want you.” He drew his finger out, and the head of his dick teased the entrance of Hansel’s body. “I crave you with every fiber of my being. I need you so much being without hurts.”

Hansel’s eyes slid closed as relief and love flooded him. “Damn, I love you,” Hansel said, and Dallan’s thick cock breached his ass.

Hansel pushed his hips back slightly and widened his stance a little as Dallan forged deeper into the depths of him.

“Oh,” Hansel moaned. “You feel so fucking good.”

Dallan’s fingers gripped his hips as he filled him with a long thrust. Hansel’s breaths came out in shallow puffs as his body adjusted to the wide girth.

“You’re the only one for me,” Dallan whispered as he drew back and drove back in. “Just you.” He drew out and bent his knees for the push back in as he kissed the side of Hansel’s neck.

Their bodies rocked together, Dallan setting the pace, which was a slow one. One hand curled around Hansel’s dick and pumped it, pushing his desire higher. A thumb placed over the head made him throw his hips back.

He moved erotically against Dallan, taking him in and out of his ass, his lust growing stronger with each movement they made together.

“Oh fuck,” Hansel cried, his body was a becoming a living flame. “Dallan, please, fuck me.”

Dallan released his hold on Hansel’s cock and ran his hand up his chest. “Savor the moment,” he said even as he drove into him, sinking deep.

“I need more,” Hansel insisted. “Fuck me hard.”

Dallan nipped his ear lobe but gripped his other hip and drew out and powered back in. He moved with a quicker pace and firmer strokes that made Hansel grunt.