The walls that had sheltered him for so long were no longer a safe haven. Although it had been a few weeks since the incident in the backroom of Malcor’s, the warriors didn’t want to chance bringing him here until they felt it safe.
Snooke would never be safe as long as his uncle stayed free. Marino was on the run now, in hiding just like Snooke had been.
Irony was a motherfucker.
“You got everything, shorty?” Kane asked as he grabbed Snooke’s bags.
“I think so.” He looked around one last time to ensure that he did. There wouldn’t be a second trip here, so he had to make sure he had it all. Snooke ran into the bathroom one last time to check when his uncle’s elf shimmered in.
He held his finger to his lips, glancing past Snooke to the door. Snooke never did trust the guy. “Your uncle has been dealing with some very dark men. I fear he is close to finding out how to use the crystal.”
“Where is he?” Snooke could hear the venom dripping from his own words. He hated his uncle with a passion now. The longer he was around the warriors, Chris, and Dillon, the more he saw what true friendship and caring was all about. The realization had struck him that Marino had never truly cared about him.
No matter what the bastard had done, Snooke had still loved him. Not anymore.
“I can’t tell you. But warn the warriors that he is getting close.” The elf shimmered out.
“Thanks for nothing,” Snooke muttered as he checked under the cabinet and in the medicine cabinet. Flaky-ass elf.
“You almost done?” Kane stepped to the doorway. “Hondo is itching to get back to Chris.”
“I didn’t say that,” Hondo shouted from the next room.
“He’s cock whipped.” Kane chuckled as he pulled Snooke from the bathroom.
“So are you,” Hondo countered.
“Never denied it, my brother.” Hondo and Rainerio grabbed Snooke’s bags as Kane slid his hand in Snooke’s. When they emerged into Kane’s bedroom, Snooke spun around.
“My uncle’s elf shimmered in while I was in the bathroom.”
“What!” Kane’s voice was harsh as he stared down at Snooke. “What did he want?”
“He said my uncle was getting closer to finding out how to use the crystal. That he was seeing some very dark people.”
“Shit.” Hondo dropped the bags onto the floor and headed for the bedroom door. “I need to let Panahasi know.”
Rainerio followed Hondo out.
“Thank you for telling me.” Kane placed his hands on Snooke’s forearms.
“I promised no more secrets.”
“That you did.” Kane pulled Snooke into his arms and kissed his temple. “That you did.”
“Hey, can a guy get something to eat around here, or do I have to wait for you two to fuck?” Dillon asked from the doorway. “I’m starving.”
“One of these days, right to the moon,” Kane mumbled as he released Snooke. “And what does the human want? A cracker, a stale piece of bread, or maybe some millennium-old cereal?”
“I don’t know where you got your sense of humor from, but you need to give it back. It sucks.” Dillon spun around and walked away. “Hurry up before I wither away,” he shouted back to the bedroom.
“Why did we bring him here?” Kane looked down at Snooke.
Snooke chuckled as Tulip came trotting into the room, barking at both of them as if to scold them for upsetting her master.
“Even the dog wants to pick on me,” Kane mumbled. “Would you like a two-headed pit bull as a playmate?” he asked the dog.
It growled and yapped at the two before sticking its nose in the air and trotting away. “A dog with ’tude, just great.” Kane shook his head as he walked out of the bedroom.
Snooke thought it was hilarious. Kane and Dillon constantly bumped heads, and the dog always yelled at Kane afterwards.
He set his bags on the bed, opening them up, and began to put his things away. Snooke still couldn’t believe that after three millenniums, he found his mate. He wanted to shout with joy and kick his heels together.
It felt fantastic.
Dillon stuck his head in and asked, “We’re heading down to the supermarket. Do you want to go?”
“Sure.” Snooke left his bags on the bed as he joined the others in the living room. A trip to the grocery store was his thrill of the week. Kane spouted on and on about Snooke not going anywhere unless two or three warriors went with him. It was too much of a hassle, so he just stayed in. But for some reason, he enjoyed going to the grocery store.
* * * *
“I don’t see how you eat all that without being as big as a house,” Snooke teased Dillon as they put the human’s snacks away.