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“Hand it over. I’ll do your back. We need to make sure you don’t get burned.”
Remi just continued to stare at him for a long moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed and scent spiking with nerves and… something else. Something that made the saltiness in his scent deepen and tickle at the back of Jeremiah’s throat, catching his Hellhound’s attention.
He ran his free hand through his hair and wiggled the fingers of his still-outstretched one. It wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t like they suddenly liked each other, but he hadn’t been lying when he’d told his mother that he’d keep her son safe.
That meant from the sun, too, if need be.
As far as he was concerned, as long as he was in charge of Remi’s safety and well-being, not a hair on his head would be hurt. Or a cell on his body burned.
Finally, Remi huffed and slapped the bottle into Jeremiah’s hand, his face flushing an even darker pink as he turned and presented his back to him. The tops of his shoulders were a little red too, but he had a feeling that was more sun exposure than embarrassment.
Ignoring how rigidly Remi was standing or how he was grateful no one else from his team was there to see him at the moment, Jeremiah squeezed some of the sunscreen into his palm before tossing the bottle aside.
As soon as Jeremiah put his hands on Remi’s upper back, he realized his mistake.
He could tell himself all he wanted that he was annoyed by the prince’s behavior, that he didn’t see the attractiveness of a protectee no matter what they looked like. That he could remain detached and professional under any circumstances.
But as he slid his palms over the smooth skin of Remi’s back, his gut lurched, his Hellhound rippling just beneath the surface. Wanting out. Wanting to rub his scent all over Remi’s body.
Marking him as Jeremiah’s.
There was only one reason he’d react like that, but his brain fought the instinct. It was impossible. Hellhounds didn’t have mates. Not like other Supes. They were an abomination. An unnatural combination of Werewolves and Demons that were never meant to exist.
He watched his hands rub the white lotion into Remi’s skin, transfixed.
It didn’t matter what his brain was screaming at him, his beast was sure.
He wanted to claim the fucking prince of Midlona as his damn mate.
What. The. Fuck.
5
REMI
“—and I swear to every god, if I look over my shoulder to see his ugly face one more time, I’m going to lose it.”
Thad laughed darkly. “Throw holy water on him. I heard that shit’s deadly to freaks like that. I swear, I can’t believe your parents got you a Hellhound bodyguard. It’s like they want you to get maimed and left in some alley somewhere. They’re literally dogs.”
Remi winced, glad for once that Thad couldn’t see him. He embraced his humanity because what else was he supposed to do with the fact that his mom’s genes had decided to, like, take a nap or something when he was gestating. But he still struggled with how hateful some of his friends were toward Supes. Sure, he found Jeremiah’s overbearing presence annoying, but Thad’s words grated down his spine, setting him on edge.
“Remiiiii.”
He looked up and saw Sadie in his doorway. “Hey, man. I gotta go.”
“Lame,” Thad whined, but Remi hung up before he could hear the kids and say something that would make Remi want to forget their friendship and knock him out. Thad liked him in spite of the fact that he was half Siren, but he’d always been a little more shitty about the twins.
Fuck, maybe he needed some new friends?
Tossing his phone on the edge of the bed, Remi hopped up and held out his arms just in time to catch his sister. He spun her, slipping into a beam of sunshine filtering through the window, and his heart clenched in his chest at her visible scales. She was like him—half of one thing, half of the other—but she wouldn’t have the same struggle he did.
It felt pathetic being jealous of a four-year-old.
“Where’s Percy?”
“He’s…” she said slowly. “Nuffing.”
“He’s nothing?” he asked, letting suspicion color his tone.
