Demon Warriors 1: Hondo Read Online Free Page A

up and took off, feeling his black blood trickling down his chin. Wiping at it, he ducked around a corner and pushed at the first door he saw, rushing in and slamming it shut.
    He held his hands to the door, panting and gulping to catch his breath.
    “What do we have here?”
    Chris spun around and slammed his back into the door, his eyes scanning all around him. It was an ordinary backroom with stock piled high and a small desk with papers strewn about on top of it.
    What didn’t seem ordinary were the five large demons—not as big as the Demon Warriors—sitting at a round table in the middle of crates and boxes.
    Oh, crap, what had he gotten into now?
    “Come, have a seat.” The largest of the five stood. His smile was lecherous as he nodded to a sixth and empty chair.
    Chris felt for the doorknob and cursed when he didn’t feel one.
    His night was getting more fucked up by the hour, minute actually. “I can’t, I have a hair appointment.”
    The five laughed, but the one standing was the guy who advanced toward Chris. Oh boy, this was gonna hurt.

    * * * *
    Hondo was going out of his mind with worry. Chris had never ignored his phone calls before. Sure, he had yelled at the little guy, but that shouldn’t have been enough to make him unreachable.
    It had hurt like hell when Chris demanded he leave. The guy had never been this upset with him before, and Hondo was at a loss on how to fix it. He didn’t want to wait a few days. He wanted it fixed now.
    He once again thought of Takeo’s words, but dismissed them. If Chris was sweet on him, he wouldn’t be acting this way. Hondo couldn’t think of this right now. They had to find Chris first. Then he would try to figure the rest out.
    He had looked everywhere he could think of, but Chris had just vanished.
    “We’ll find him,” Rainerio tried to reassure Hondo. Why was everyone trying to comfort him? They were all his friends. Why single him out?
    They all sat around in Panahasi’s apartment trying to think of where he could be.
    They were all worried about Chris. They sat silently for a long time.

    Hondo pounded his fist onto the table, wanting his little buddy back. “There’s no way he just vanished into thin air.”
    “I agree.” Panahasi sat very still, his eyes narrowed. “Something’s not right.”
    Hondo leaned forward in his chair, and in a controlled voice, he said, “If that scumbag that was here the other night hurt him, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.”
    “What about Torky? Has anyone asked him if he’s seen Chris?” Takeo rose in one fluid motion, staring down at Hondo.
    Hondo rose from his seat as if propelled by an explosion. “I never thought of him.” He raced to the door and tore the door open, running from the apartment building and down the street.
    How could he forget about loudmouth Torky? The demon that had the lowdown on everything and everyone…for the right price.
    Hondo raced down King Kennedy, cutting a left onto Broadview.
    Torky always hung out in front of his apartment building.
    Hondo prayed he would be there now.
    Torky was lounging casually against the brick wall of his building, arguing with one of his loser subjects. Hondo took in the scene as he approached.
    Perfect.
    “Torky,” Hondo shouted.
    The neighborhood know-it-all looked over his shoulder to see Hondo gaining fast. He shrugged indifferently and then looked back at the guy he was arguing with. Hondo had an urge to set the fucker on fire. He couldn’t stand Torky and his sheisty ways. The guy would sell his mother out for a buck.
    He grabbed Torky’s arm and pulled him away from the building.
    “Chris is missing. Have you seen him?” Torky pulled his arm away, sneering at Hondo. “It’ll cost you.”
    “You didn’t charge me earlier for the information about Gammy.” Hondo growled at him, pissed that Torky was being difficult.

    “That’s because I wanted his ass off the streets as well. He’s bad for business.” Torky turned his