“But the Council is eventually going to arrange a wife for you.”
It’s not a question, but JJ answers it anyway. “Probably. Neophyte hunters like me and Chester are so unprecedented that no one really knows the plan yet. They’ll probably pair us with mixed-breed hunters to keep the purebred lineages clean, but…” He shrugs uncomfortably. “The Council might also match us with purebreds, just to give us more legitimacy. That—that would be ideal, honestly. We finally wouldn’t be at the bottom of hunting society anymore.”
For a long moment, Cass is quiet.
And then he asks the last question JJ was expecting. “Does it ever bother you that they refer to you like you’re dogs? Purebreds. Mixed breeds. I’m surprised they don’t just go all the way and start calling you ‘mutts.’”
And, for a split second?—
For a split second, JJ thinks about how easily Councilwoman Nasir talked down to him today. Thinks about Bryant calling him and Chester outsiders without a second thought, thinks about Roma instinctively blaming him when he “lost the demon” at the beginning of the month.
Most of the Sanctum doesn’t even consider you tworealhunters, so?—
“Yeah,” JJ admits quietly. “Yeah, itdoesbother me.”
Cass’s expression shifts. “JJ?—”
Instantly, JJ realizes he’s said too much—waytoo much. Too much about the Sanctum, too much about the bloodlines hierarchy?—
Too much about himself. “I should probably get back,” he blurts out, taking a hasty step down the hall. “I usually eat lunch with Roma and Bryant, so—so they might be looking for me. I’ll just?—”
“Wait,” Cass says, and unexpectedly, he waves a hand. A purple-gold rift shimmers to life between them. “Less suspicious, right? No one will realize you ever left your room. And—and this is a different part of Redwater. You might not know the way back to the Sanctum.”
Right. This is Cass’sactualhouse, not the safe house where JJ usually meets him and Desi. Cass might’ve made JJ leave his phone behind, but if JJreallywanted to, it wouldn’t be hard for him to figure out this address—and to map out an exact floor plan, complete with weak spots.
And Cass knows it, too. He’s just trusting JJ not to take advantage. Strange how a centuries-old demon has more faith in JJ than his fellow hunters do. “Yeah. Thanks, Cass,” he says haltingly, and he tries his hardest not to look back as he steps through the rift.
13
So this is weird.
Cass leans against the ice cream truck parked at Lakeside while he waits for Melinda to finish preparing their sundaes, watching JJ and Desi race along the shore. They’re at a bit of a distance, just enough that Cass needs to concentrate to maintain their glamours, but right now, he’s having some trouble focusing.
Namely, because JJ and Desi are playing tag.
He can’t figure out why that’s so distracting today. After all, he’s watched JJ sit down and play dragons with Desi, watched him toss her up into the air and catch her again, watched him lift her onto his shoulders and do squats just to make her laugh?—
Now, JJ is actively letting Desi win their game, slowing downeverso slightly whenever Desi starts to fall behind. The shoreline of Redwater’s small western lake is the perfect place to run around like this, the wide expanse of grass that houses the food trucks and picnic tables bleeding into a soft slope of sandy beach. JJ comically dances away whenever the waves get too close to his sneakers, and Desi breaks into a fit of giggles every time.
Cass likes watching them. He likes how Desi always peeks behind her to keep JJ in eyeshot while she’s racing away, and he likes how JJ gives their little game one hundred percent of his attention, and heespeciallylikes how JJ smiles every time Desi dashes into view. There’s something very particular about JJ’s smiles when they’re directed at Desi, something soft and warm and overwhelmingly fond, and Cass can’t get enough of them.
Which is starting to become a huge problem, and one he really isn’t inclined to dwell on right now.
Or ever, hopefully.
Cass bites back a grimace. He knows something changed between them after Desi’s nightmare two days ago, of course. He could see it in the way JJ’s entire demeanor shifted afterward, the way his shoulders were the slightest bit more relaxed than normal and the way his deep brown eyes softened from their usual steel.
The way he leaned against Cass’s chest while they were curled up together and quietly shared his doubts about the Sanctum and took such care to make sure Cass wouldn’t get burned again and?—
Cass forces his thoughts back to the present, scowling. So he’sawarethat their relationship shifted from passive dislike to mutual respect, but that’s no reason for his brain to start imagining they’re something more.
No reason for him to get caught up watching JJ play tag with Desi and fleetingly wish his co-parent were here to do that every day.
“All set,” a voice behind him says, and Cass turns to see Melinda carefully wedging three ice cream sundaes onto Cass’s already-packed tray. “Quite the spread you’ve got here.”
Currywurst for Cass, samosas for JJ, and poutine for Desi. Cass smiles. “Yeah, we disagree about everything except ice cream. And we’re allveryprotective of our favorites.”
“I hope you enjoy,” she says, and she smiles over at where JJ is dramatically collapsing to the ground, letting Desi jump on top of him with a laugh. “Your husband is really good with kids.”
