The strong emotion caught him off guard. It was an unusual feeling that Kobe had never felt for anyone else, but he didn’t have time to question the whys of his feelings toward Zion.

  “How about you let him go and I promise not to kill you?” Kobe offered, his voice an unsheathed blade, ruthless and cutting.

  The laughter coming from Raphael rang loud in the empty warehouse. It was a full, rich laugh that said Kobe’s offer was a waste of breath.

  “If nothing else, you are quite entertaining.” Raphael snapped his fingers and Kobe’s heart skipped an extra beat when he saw at least two dozen men swarm around them. “Since you did not take my offer, it has been withdrawn.” The demon glared at Kobe and Donny as he spoke to his men. “Seize them.”

  There was no way Kobe could control all of their minds at once. There was just too many of them. Donny began popping in and out, evading grabbing hands, but Kobe wasn’t so lucky. He fought like a true Warrior, the way he had been trained, but in the end, Kobe was down on the filthy floor, pinned there by at least half of the demons who had joined them.

  “I’ll make sure to send both your heads back to Panahasi,” Raphael said as he grabbed Zion roughly by his upper arm and lead him across the empty warehouse. The man stopped right next to Kobe, honey eyes locking with brown. “You should have taken my offer.”

  “Fuck you,” Kobe spat as he continued to fight the men holding him down. He heard a loud thud and glanced over to where Donny was to see his mentor on the floor as well. Only Donny was knocked out cold.

  “Chain them to the pillar,” Raphael demanded. “As soon as I take care of my new toy, I’ll be back to finish up with these two.”

  The bleak darkness of what was happening cut through Kobe. His eyes shot up to see tears running down Zion’s face as Raphael took the demon away.

  Chapter Two

  “It seems the Warrior has taken a liking to you,” Raphael said as he marched Zion down the cold concrete steps. “Too bad I can’t recruit him as one of my guards.”

  Zion wanted to spit in the man’s face. Raphael was a mean and sadistic demon. Kobe hadn’t done anything wrong and Raphael was going to…to…Zion nearly shouted out his anguish as he thought about what Raphael was going to do to Kobe and his friend.

  Never before in his miserable life had anyone wanted to help him. But Kobe had come back for him. It was insane, but the man had stood there and defied Raphael—something no one had ever done before—just to free Zion.

  If he could get his hands free, he would rake Raphael’s eyes out.

  A strong breeze blew over Zion as they exited the building, making him shiver. Once again, there was a fey standing there, waiting. The same fey was always there when Raphael needed to be transported. The guy never said anything, just did as he was told.

  Like all the other sheep in this city when it came to Raphael’s demands.

  “Take him back to my penthouse.” Raphael removed Zion’s gag before shoving him toward the fey. “And don’t let him fucking escape.”

  The guy quickly grabbed Zion by his arm and they both shimmered out. As soon as they were in Raphael’s home, Zion pivoted on his heel to face the man. “You have to help me.”

  “You know as well as I do what Raphael will do to both of us if I help you,” the man replied. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

  Zion raked his eyes over the man in distaste. “You can shimmer out anytime you want. Why are you helping that piece of shit?”

  The man’s eyes turned sorrowful for a second before he masked his emotions. “Because, Marino has my brother and I do what he says in order to keep Iam safe. He loaned me to Raphael.”

  Zion didn’t know the man the fey was talking about, but he understood the threat against the man’s brother. “Can you at least get a message to someone for me?”

  The fey took a step back, his eyes wary. “What message?”

  Zion quickly glanced around the apartment before stepping closer to the guy. “Tell Panahasi that Raphael has two of his Warriors and is about to kill them.” Zion felt the desperation take hold as he gazed at the fey. “You have to do it now. Raphael went back into the warehouse to kill them.”

  “He’ll know I helped you,” the guy said with a light panic. “What if he tells Marino that I helped you and that fat bastard hurts my brother?”

  “Tell the demon leader about Marino. I know he’ll help you.” Zion wasn’t real sure about that. He had never met Pahanasi before. But he had heard great things about the man. If anyone could help them, it was the leader.

  The fey shook his head and Zion felt his stomach take a dive. “Panahasi is already looking for my brother. He hasn’t found him yet.”

  “Please,” Zion begged, his voice growing rough and strained as he tried to hold back the tears. “Don’t let Raphael kill two great Warriors. We need as many of the good guys as we can get.”

  If his begging didn’t work, Zion was ready to pounce on the man and beat the snot out of him. His hands may be bound, but he was beyond scared for Kobe and his friend.

  Relief cascaded over Zion when the fey nodded. “I’ll tell him.”

  He hoped the man wasn’t tricking him. Zion couldn’t think of another way to save the Warriors. He couldn’t beat Raphael, and no one in Remtin would stand up to the man. Hell, most of the population revered the guy as some kind of hero.

  As Zion took a seat on the floor, pressing his back into the wall, he knew that there was a large chance that if the leader got the Warriors out, he would be left behind.

  But was it any surprise? Zion’s fate had been sealed long ago. He was never getting out of Remtin so he needed to stop dreaming of his freedom. It wasn’t happening. Dreams were for fools and Zion was nobody’s fool. He may get used a lot, knocked around, and degraded, but he wasn’t foolish enough to think his life would get better.

  Maybe doing the right thing would save his soul. Zion wasn’t too sure about that, but he knew he couldn’t let two innocent men die, not when he could get someone to save them.

  Zion looked up when the apartment door opened forty minutes later. As usual, he couldn’t read Raphael’s expression. He didn’t know if Panahasi had saved the Warriors in time or if Raphael had executed them.

  The demon didn’t look roughed up. His suit was as crisp and clean as always. The man had impeccable taste. Too bad he was the devil himself.

  Removing the binding from around Zion’s wrist, the man said, “Go shower.”

  Raphael walked over to the living room area and took a seat, lounging back like he was the king of the world. “And then come back here.”

  Zion knew better than to question Raphael. It was bad enough he had sold himself to the guy. He didn’t want a beating as well. He walked down the hallway, unsure of where he was going, but found the bathroom after a few attempts of peeking behind closed doors.

  Shutting the bathroom door behind him, Zion let out a shaky breath. He knew what the man wanted and there was nothing he could do to save himself. He just prayed that Raphael wasn’t rough and mean like the other demons who took their frustrations out on Zion.

  As he began to pull his clothes off, Zion felt someone behind him. He spun around, his lips parting when he saw the fey who had brought him here. “Did you get them out in time?”

  The guy placed a finger over his lips before dipping his head, whispering so softly that Zion had to strain to hear. “They got out in time. Panahasi rescued them. Now I have to do as ordered.”

  Zion was afraid to ask. What order and who gave it? He hugged himself tightly as he backed away, his heart hammering in his chest as his mouth dried. Before he could say a word, the fey was grabbing Zion and then they shimmered out.

  He was too damn terrified to open his eyes. Zion had no clue where the man was taking him. His head spun with the possibilities, but all he thought about was Kobe and his pretty mocha-colored skin and pale-brown eyes. Kobe’s eyes were so light that they reminded Zion of the crystal marbles he had as a child.

  “Open your eyes.”

  The voice was commanding, but gentle. Zion couldn’t detect any ill intentions in the tone. Slowly cracking his eyes open, Zion gasped. He recognized the man. He was the same guy who was at the fight a few days ago—the one who had a wolf on each side of him.

  “I am Panahasi.”

  That meant that the demon leader had been in Remtin. There was no way Compton and the other demons knew or they would have attacked, regardless of Raphael’s order to stand down. Every evil demon in this realm hated this man.

  “I–I’m Zion.” That didn’t mean Zion wasn’t in awe of the man’s presence. Legends were told of this demon. Those who didn’t have a black heart revered Panahasi, saw him as the savior of their people.

  Although the guy was rarely, if ever seen. Zion was two hundred years old and this was the first time he was able to put a face with the name.

  “I’m well aware of who you are.” His voice was so soothing, so…so dreamlike. Whether he wanted to or not, Zion felt himself trembling. “This is the second time you have risked your life to save my Warriors. I am indebted to you.”

  What was he supposed to say to that? His tongue felt two sizes too big for his mouth. All Zion could manage was a daft nod. He started to scan around the room, looking for the one man who had been kind to him. Well, now he had to add Panahasi and the fey to that list, but he wasn’t interested in either of them. Zion only had eyes for Kobe.

  “Kobe is getting his wounds looked at,” the man said as if he knew exactly who Zion was looking for.

  “He was wounded?” Zion found his voice, and it was filled with fear. What had Raphael done to the Warrior? How bad were his injuries? Zion felt his knees clack together at the thought of Raphael hurting Kobe. The man had risked his life to come for Zion. He couldn’t live with himself if Kobe was badly injured.

  “Nothing he won’t survive.” Panahasi waved a hand toward a midnight-blue sofa. “This is Kobe’s apartment. Have a seat until he returns.”

  Zion instantly obeyed. Raphael might be the evil leader of Remtin, but everyone knew it was Panahasi who wielded the power. He made Raphael look like a pussycat. “Make yourself at home, but do not leave the apartment.”

  Panahasi left and Zion began to glance around. The apartment was tastefully decorated in dark blues and light greys. Some of the tones were even chrome. It was a far cry from the shithole where he lived.

  Zion got up from the couch and walked over to the large floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out over Serenity City. He had never been here before, but everyone knew that’s where the Demon Warriors lived.

  The city seemed so alive below. It was nothing like Remtin. Zion couldn’t see any boarded-up buildings or gangs combing the streets, trolling for victims. He was in a place where he was certain he didn’t have to worry about gang rape or getting knocked around to the point he had to heal for weeks before he could venture outside for work again. The city streets below looked serene, peaceful, and full of life. For the first time ever, Zion wanted to go outside and explore. He wanted to see what this place had to offer. This city was lit up, not desolate looking like Remtin.

  But he remembered Panahasi’s warning and Zion wasn’t going to disobey. He didn’t want to be sent back to Raphael. Zion was fully aware that he had escaped a fate worse than death. Being the evil leader’s toy was not something he’d been looking forward to.

  “I sometimes forget what a beautiful sight it is from my living room windows.”

  Zion spun around to see Kobe standing there, bare chested, holding his shirt in his hand, wearing nothing but jeans. His eyes ran over the Warrior’s muscled body, looking for any wounds.

  He didn’t see any, but he did see some blood on the man’s light-grey shirt that he was clutching. How had he healed so fast? The shirt didn’t have just a few speckles of blood. There were large stains on it.

  “I didn’t touch anything.” Zion immediately defended himself. There were two kinds of thieves that resided in Remtin. Those who stole for gain and those for necessity. Zion fell under the second category.

  He wasn’t very proud of that fact, but it had helped him to survive.

  “I never accused you of that,” Kobe said as if he were talking about a blasé subject. There was no heat in his tone or accusation, just a statement. Zion could see in the man’s pale-brown eyes that he trusted him here. That was a very foreign feeling to him. No one trusted anyone in Remtin.

  The demons who resided in that god-awful place would rather cut a man’s hand off than give him trust. But Kobe didn’t seem fazed. He tossed his shirt on the couch and took a seat, seeming a bit stiff.

  “Panahasi told me you were injured.” Zion didn’t move from the window. He was now in Kobe’s territory. He was also stuck here, so he was at the man’s mercy. Although Kobe had never done anything to warrant mistrust, Zion had learned a long time ago that looks were very deceiving.

  “I was roughed up a bit,” Kobe answered as if what he went through was no big deal. “But nothing I couldn’t handle.”

  From the blood on the man’s shirt, he was more than just roughed up. But again, Zion couldn’t find one single wound or bruise on the man. Of course, he wasn’t getting close enough to do a thorough examination.

  “You are a guest in my home,” Kobe said. “There is nothing for you to fear.”

  He would be the judge of that. Even though he had grown up on treacherous streets, every now and again someone got one over on him. Trust was not something he gave lightly. “Thank you.” But he did have manners.

  “The kitchen is fully stocked if you’re hungry.”

  That didn’t seem like a bad idea. Zion’s nerves were stretched and maybe a bite to eat would help calm him down. Keeping his eyes glued to Kobe, Zion quickly walked toward the kitchen archway.

  Zion wasn’t a tall demon to begin with, but when he stepped into Kobe’s kitchen, he felt as if he had shrunk a few feet. The counters were taller than the standard models in most homes, the cupboards out of reach. It looked like anyone under six feet was shit out of luck.

  “These apartments were built for Warriors,” Kobe said from the doorway. “I apologize if you can’t reach anything.”

  The man’s voice had startled Zion. He clutched his chest and breathed in deeply. His heart was racing like crazy.

  “Did I startle you?” Kobe had the deepest voice Zion had ever heard. He stood there for a moment openly staring at the man until he realized what he was doing. Feeling his face heat up from embarrassment, Zion quickly looked away.

  “I’m just not used to having anyone at my back,” he answered honestly. Bad things had always happened to Zion when someone managed to get behind him. So he had learned to always keep everyone in front of him.

  Kobe made no effort to move further into the room. He just leaned his large frame against the archway as he studied Zion. It made Zion very uncomfortable.

  “I’m well aware of that feeling,” Kobe replied, his tone suggesting that he and Zion were kindred souls. Maybe it was Kobe’s overwhelming presence, or the fact that he seemed larger than life, but Zion continually forgot that Kobe had grown up in Remtin.

  Yeah, the guy would know what Zion was talking about.

  “I’m going to lie down in my bedroom. You have free rein of the house. Eat what you want. There are just two things that I ask.”

  Zion braced himself. Kobe was a very good-looking man, but he also looked like he would rather gut a man than shake his hand. He just hoped he wasn’t on Kobe’s list to gut. The guy had been nice so far, but in Zion’s eyes, nice was nothing more than an illusion for someone to get what they wanted before they fucked him over.

  He truly wanted to believe that Kobe was being nice to him because the guy liked Zion, but he wasn’t holding his breath on that wish. Zion was nothing more than a street rat. What would a Warrior want with him other than to use him for sex? Nope, as nice as Kobe was acting toward him, Zion didn’t trust the guy.

  “Keep the television down and don’t leave the apartment.” With that, Kobe turned and walked away.

  Zion stood there for a moment, a bit confused. No, a lot confused. The guy was trusting Zion in his home, unsupervised. What kind of person did that? He had seen some very expensive-looking crystal figurines. What was to stop him from stealing them?

  His conscience. That’s what.

  Zion crossed the kitchen and peeked around the corner. The living room was empty. It seemed Kobe had truly gone to his bedroom. He wasn’t sure what to make of the guy. When they first met, Zion had been setting Kobe up, ready to hand the Warrior over to the gang of demons. He couldn’t comprehend how Kobe trusted him after something like that.

  Chewing on the side of his lip, Zion concluded that he wasn’t in imminent danger. With that thought, he turned back toward the kitchen and made himself something to eat.

  Chapter Three

  “I can’t believe you got him out of there,” Hondo said as the two patrolled the streets of Serenity City. “Not that I doubted you could to it.”

  Kobe stopped walking and gave Hondo a gaping stare. “Dude, Wayland told me he made a fortune off of you because you lost the bet that I would get Zion out.”

  “The bastard collected too.” Hondo looked pissed that he had to part with his money. “Chris is going to kick my ass when he finds out.”

  Yeah, right. Chris worshipped the ground Hondo walked on. Kobe felt a tightening in his chest at the thought of someone loving him that deeply. Like all Demon Warriors, Kobe was desperate to find his mate. It was hardwired into them. There was a small part of him hoping that Zion was his mate, but Kobe wasn’t going to hold out hope on that. He’d lived with too many disappointments to set himself up for that hard fall.

  “What are you going to do about Zion?” Hondo asked, amusement heavy in his voice. “You keeping him?”

  “He’s not a damn pet,” Kobe snapped as they passed the Devil Mart.

  “Touchy,” Hondo replied. “Me thinks you want to lay him.”