“No. If Marino saw us anywhere near Keegan, he might figure out that Keegan has helped us out. It could put him in danger, more danger than he is already in.”
“Well, I don’t like it.”
“I know, little flower.” Takeo’s hand rubbed up and down Kamiko’s arm. “I don’t like it either.”
“Can’t we send Carter or something?” Kamiko smacked Takeo on the arm when he burst out laughing. “It wasn’t that funny.”
“I’m not laughing at your idea, little flower. I’m laughing at the look Tryck Santiago is sure to have on his face when he discovers his mate has been shimmering around the world. From what I’ve been told, he isn’t a very understanding wolf.” Kamiko didn’t want to get Carter into trouble. After all, the guy had helped Kamiko. He wasn’t sure what they should do, but Kamiko knew he couldn’t let Keegan get into any trouble for helping him. All the guy wanted was his brother. “Do you know if Panahasi has found Keegan’s brother yet?”
Takeo sobered as he shook his head. “Wherever Marino has him is undetectable.”
“So was the location you and I were held. Panahasi said that he couldn’t locate you. Is it possible that Keegan’s brother is in the same place?” Kamiko yelped when Takeo sat straight up, his eyes wide.
“I heard a lot of screaming there,” his mate confessed, his eyes tortured. “We already saved one man. Wayland rescued him.” Takeo jumped up from the bed. “I’ll be right back.” Kamiko nodded as he lay back down. There was nothing else he could do at the moment. If Keegan’s brother was in the same place he and Takeo had been locked up in, the poor soul was probably either close to death or out of his mind.
Kamiko prayed it wasn’t either, but he had a bad feeling about this.
* * * *
Panahasi walked the underworld, thinking of the question Kamiko had posed. What would he do for love? He had a ready answer for Kamiko, but honestly, Panahasi wasn’t sure.
He’d never been in love.
It was a foreign and strange concept to him. He had been alive for so long, walked the planet for thousands of years, that Panahasi had given up on finding his light, his other half. The problem with closing off his heart and resigning himself to a lonely existence was watching the other warriors mate.
It drove home that he had no one to warm his bed or call his. Sure, he took a lover here and there, but it wasn’t the same. As mighty as he was, as all-powerful as he was, Panahasi couldn’t find his mate.
Maybe he didn’t exist yet, or had died long ago before Panahasi discovered who he was. Regardless of the reason, he still walked alone.
“What brings you down here?”
Panahasi pushed his somber thoughts aside as he walked into the keeper’s personal chambers. The room always reminded Panahasi of a wizard’s laboratory. Concoctions brewed with unsightly things floated around in jars. There were tons of books perched everywhere.
Some lay open while others looked as though they hadn’t been touched in eons.
“An elf was able to shimmer down here. He brought one of the warriors mates with him. How can that be?” Panahasi posed the question as he picked up what looked like a green crystal ball.
“Are we speaking of Keegan?” the keeper asked.
“Yes.”
“That elf is a unique one. Not even he is fully aware of his true potential. He is more than meets the eye,” the keeper explained as he took a seat on a stool that looked as though it were going to break any second. Panahasi watched for a moment, but it didn’t collapse.
“How so?”
“That is for him to discover, my friend. Keegan has the power to find his brother, if only he looks inside himself.” Panahasi hated talking to the guy sometimes. The keeper liked riddles. He knew probing wouldn’t get him anywhere, so he didn’t ask the man to elaborate. He had promised Keegan that he would try and locate his brother in exchange for the elf’s help, but he wasn’t too sure he would be able to keep his end of the bargain.
And that pissed him off to no end.
Panahasi kept his promises. “Have you located Constantine or Crypt?”
The keeper smiled, a twinkle in his eye. “I know where both are at. The problem is that they move around so much they are hard to pin down for more than a second.”
“How did they escape?” That had been the question he had meant to come down here and ask.
The keeper sighed as he leaned over an open book, entwining his hands together. “The locket.”
Panahasi’s brow rose as he leaned against the wall. “But I thought only a warrior or the crystal could unlock the detention cells?” This was very disturbing news. If other objects could be used, they were in deep shit.
Shrugging, the keeper answered, “Marino found a way to transfer the crystal’s powers using Dillon’s blood. The crystal is unlocked by submerging it into a pool of human blood. Marino figured that part out. He must have used dark magic to transfer its powers. He’s dabbling in the ancient arts, which is not good.”
“No shit,” Panahasi replied. “He’s proving to be a big pain in the ass. Even I am having trouble taking him down.” The keeper chuckled as he stood, walking over to Panahasi and patting him on the shoulder. “You are truly a great warrior, Panahasi.
One of the few I would trust with my life. But even you have your limitations. There are only a handful that are the oldest creatures to walk the earth, you being one of them, but some things are so obvious that they are overlooked.”
There went those damn riddles again.
Panahasi knew he had gotten all he was going to get from the keeper. And from their conversation, he was even more confused than when he first walked in. He didn’t have any answers and was no closer to finding out how Keegan had entered the underworld.
But the keeper knew Keegan could enter. That was all he needed to know. If the man was fine with it, Panahasi wouldn’t worry about it.
He just had to figure out what he was overlooking.
God, he hated riddles.
* * * *
Takeo found Wayland at Diablo’s slamming back drinks. Roxy was on stage strutting his stuff as multitudes of men gathered around the stage to drool and pant. He pushed his way to the bar and leaned against the wood as he stared around the room.
“You take care of the person we found?” Wayland nodded as he slammed the glass down. Diablo, the owner, refilled it, only to have Wayland empty the glass in under a second. He was going at it hard, which only meant he was troubled.
“Care to tell me?”
Wayland shook his head.
Takeo sighed. And people called him closed off. All the warriors had assorted backgrounds of varying degrees, but he knew Wayland’s, and it hadn’t been a picnic.
It hadn’t been the same as his years in Baku, but his was on a different level. “Where did you stash him?” Wayland turned his head, eyeing Takeo before he downed his drink. As fast as Wayland was pitching them back, Diablo was refilling them. Takeo was surprised Wayland wasn’t laid out by now.
“Can’t tell you.”
Takeo leaned in close, making sure his voice was only a whisper.
“I need to see him and identify who he is.” He needed to make sure the guy wasn’t Keegan’s brother. If he wasn’t, Takeo needed to go back to where he and his mate had been tortured and search every last godforsaken room.
“It’s not that easy.”
“Why?”
“I took him to the human realm to heal. And then he was moved. Not even I know where he is.”
Kamiko cuddled closer to his mate as sleep slowly left him. He inhaled Takeo’s scent, smiling to himself. There was no place he’d rather be than tucked under his mate, feeling Takeo’s weight pressing down on him.
“Are you finally awake, lazybones?” Takeo asked in his husky, sleep-laced voice. Kamiko could listen to the gravelly timbre of his mate’s voice all day long and never grow tired of it.
“No,” he answered as he burrowed deeper, enjoying the warmth of his mate’s body.
“Then how are you answering me?”
Kamiko smiled again as he rubbed his cheek against his mate’s muscular side. He was content to stay right where he was. He didn’t want any intrusions to disturb his comfort. If he opened his eyes, he would have to get up. That was the last thing Kamiko wanted to do right now. Nope, he was happy right where he was.
“Kamiko?”
Sighing, Kamiko opened his eyes and gazed up at Takeo. Now that was a sight he looked forward to seeing for the rest of his life. A rough shadow formed on Takeo’s jaw, making him look ruggedly handsome. Not that his mate wasn’t gorgeous already, but it only added to his striking appearance.
“I’m awake,” he grumbled but didn’t make any attempt at moving from his spot. He was warm and cozy.
“I have to leave, little flower.”
Kamiko stiffened at Takeo’s words. The last time his mate left, he had to hunt his location down. He didn’t like this one bit. Kamiko glanced up at Takeo, feeling dread fill him.
“Where are you going?”
Takeo must have seen the apprehension in his eyes. He smiled as he cupped Kamiko’s face and laid a soft kiss on his lips. “I won’t be gone long. I may have a lead on Keegan’s brother.” Kamiko breathed easier knowing Takeo would be back soon. He grabbed Takeo when his mate attempted to leave their bed. He wasn’t ready to let Takeo go yet. The man was his entire reason for living, and he just wanted a few more minutes with him before the bed turned cold with his absence.
Using all the strength he possessed, Kamiko pulled Takeo back down to the mattress and then straddled him.
“What are you doing, little flower?” Takeo chuckled as he placed his hands on Kamiko’s hips, smiling up at him. Kamiko loved when Takeo smiled. It made him devilishly handsome in a way that made Kamiko’s heart swell with love. His mate’s eyes sparkled when he smiled.
“I’m kidnapping you,” Kamiko said as he ran his hands over hard, rigid, and lean muscles. Takeo was perfectly shaped in every way.
Kamiko could lie there for hours just worshipping his mate’s sculpted body.
The man was a god in Kamiko’s eyes.
“And what are you going to do with me?” Takeo teased as his thumbs drew lazy circles around Kamiko’s hips.
Oh, Kamiko had many ideas of what he wanted to do to Takeo—too many for just one morning. It would take days to explore all the possibilities.
Kamiko was all for that. He knew he didn’t have that much time, though. As much as he wanted to explore every possible way he could love all over Takeo, Kamiko knew he had to be choosy.
But there was one thing he was curious to do. He just wasn’t sure how far he could go with Takeo. Would his mate let him?
“What can I do?” Kamiko asked shyly as he ground his ass into Takeo’s groin. His mate’s desire-filled eyes started to close as he pushed Kamiko down onto his hardened shaft. Kamiko could see that Takeo wanted him just as badly.
He could feel Takeo’s hard cock run up his crease, making his body yearn to be filled. They were both naked, which was perfect. But he had other ideas as far as what he wanted them to do.
“Anything you want, little flower.” Takeo groaned, his fingers pressing harder into Kamiko’s flesh. His cock was pulsing with need as Kamiko basked in the feeling of Takeo under him, want in his dark and seductive eyes.
Kamiko licked his lips, watching how Takeo’s neck throbbed from the vein, knowing that Takeo was getting close to the edge.
“Anything?”
“Anything,” Takeo confirmed as he turned his head to the other side, looking lost in what he was doing.
Kamiko sure hoped he could take his mate at his word. He was praying he could because Kamiko wasn’t backing down. He reached a hand behind him, grabbing Takeo’s balls as he massaged them, seeing his mate’s approval on his face.
“Can I do this?” Kamiko asked.
“God, yes.” Takeo panted as he spread his legs just a little wider.
Kamiko continued to play with Takeo’s balls for a moment longer and then his fingers inched down to Takeo’s perineum, his fingers sliding up and down the smooth patch of skin. Takeo’s chest was rising and falling at a faster pace, the pulse in his neck beating faster.
“Can I do this?” Kamiko asked.
Takeo’s lips parted as he began to move his lower half around, making Kamiko’s fingers slide closer to Takeo’s hole. Kamiko bit his bottom lip as one lone finger pressed into his mate’s entrance.
“And what about this?”
Takeo nodded, pushing down on Kamiko’s finger. “More.” Kamiko’s heart began to race, but he still wasn’t sure how far he would be allowed to go. He knew how far he wanted to go, but the choice was Takeo’s to make. Kamiko leaned forward, grabbing the lube from under the pillow. He smiled as he remembered why it was left there.
He wet his fingers and then slid two inside his mate’s body. “How about now?” His voice was unsteady as his excitement began to mount.
Kamiko was getting closer to his goal, and he prayed he didn’t come beforehand. It wasn’t going to be easy to hold back, but Kamiko had plans and he didn’t want to ruin them by shooting his load all over Takeo’s chest. The image alone almost made him lose it.
Takeo’s eyes slowly opened as he gazed up at Kamiko. They studied each other for what felt like forever. Kamiko took a chance and slid a third finger into his mate as he watched Takeo closely.
He wasn’t sure if the warrior would allow him, but until he said no, Kamiko was going to proceed, slowly, cautiously.
Kamiko could see the hesitation in the man’s shadowed eyes. He looked as though he were having some sort of internal battle. Kamiko kept his fingers buried deep as he moved them around gently.
“What do you want, little flower?” Takeo finally asked. Kamiko shivered at the hoarseness of his mate’s voice. It was so deep, so alluring that Kamiko had to concentrate on what his mate just asked him.
He could feel his face heat to the point it felt as though liquid lava was pooling to the surface. Kamiko wanted to reply, to tell Takeo exactly what he wanted, but the words were lost in his throat, lodged there, refusing to burst from his lips.
“Tell me what you want, Kamiko.”
“I…” Kamiko bit his lip as he broke the eye contact and glanced down at his rigid cock. Pre-cum was practically flowing from the head of his shaft. “I want to fuck you.” His heart was beating so hard that it was pounding in his ears.