Remus (12 page)

He stopped outside the door, and she placed a hand on his arm.

Nero looked over at her in alarm.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “Thank you for saving me.”

He grunted and looked down at the keys for the door.

“This isn’t about you,” he said. “There are just lines that shouldn’t be crossed.”

Jenna took her hand away, uncertain if he was talking about Romulus or herself.

“He won’t last long,” Nero said and opened the door. “They’ve started the reversal process.”

Jenna frowned. “Reversal?”

Nero stared at her for a moment before saying something.

“The process to separate him from his human side.”

He pushed open the door. Jenna stepped in and nearly sank to the floor.

Rem lay on a small bed. His clothes were drenched in sweat, and he moaned in his sleep.

She raced over to his side and placed a hand on his head. He was burning with a fever.

She looked around the tiny room and found a small sink. Not caring about decency, Jenna pulled off his shirt. She raced over to the sink and rinsed it out the several times. She wiped down his body with the wet shirt. It wasn’t much, but anything to help him cool off would help.

He mumbled in his sleep, and she hoped that he could tell she was trying.

The door clicked shut softly behind her, and she signed. Whatever happened, they were together and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Jenna repeatedly wetted the shirt and wiped down his fevered body. After about an hour, the worst of Rem’s suffering seemed to have passed. He lay sleeping quietly on the bed.

Despite her relief, Jenna wanted to stay busy.

In the quiet, she was able to think over what had happened and what might have happened. She took in a deep breath and sighed. Tears dripped down her cheeks and onto the bed.

Exhausted, she lay her head on the bed and let out all the tears she had been holding back.

Chapter Twelve

Rem kept his eyes closed and enjoyed the good feeling. Something smelled amazing, and he didn’t really care if it was just a dream. He sighed and moved toward the warm scent. It tickled his nose, and he blinked one eye open. Curly brown hair blocked his view.

He frowned and sat back a little before opening his other eye.

Quietly sleeping, Jenna rested her head against his shabby cot.

“Jenna?”

She stirred in her sleep and lifted up her sleepy head. Rem watched as she opened her eyes. It took a moment for her to register what was going on.

“You’re awake,” she said quickly and scrambled to her knees.

With a laugh of pure joy, she tossed herself at him.

Still weak, Rem fumbled backward, more than a little confused.

She sat up quickly and stared hard at him.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

Rem placed a hand to his head. “Like I got hit with a train.”

The bed dipped as she climbed off. She poured a glass of water. Jenna came back and handed him the glass.

“Drink this,” she said.

Rem took the glass and chuckled to himself. “Last time someone said that I nearly died.”

He watched her over the rim of the cup as he swallowed down the water. Confusion, irritation and fear warred in him. She was supposed to be far away from this place, but here she was. As much he wanted to be with her, her presence would only lead to her getting hurt.

“Where’s my shirt?” he asked. A few droplets of water ran down his chest. Jenna blushed as she stared at his naked chest.

“I used it to sponge you,” she said quietly.

He grabbed her hands and pulled her to the bed.

“Did they catch you going home?” he asked.

He knew it had been a risk asking her to come. It was his fault she was in this mess.

She shook her head, and he frowned.

“Did they go to your house?”

She looked down and shook her head again.

“They came for the book? I knew they were catching on…” he started. He chastised himself silently for not warning her off earlier.

Jenna placed a hand on his chest, and he stopped talking.

“I came to save you,” she said and looked up at him.

The room spun as he processed what she was saying. No. It couldn’t have been what she said.

“Save me?” he repeated.

She nodded and stepped off the bed again.

He could feel his anger growing as he thought about the situation.

“You put yourself in danger on purpose?” he ground out.

Jenna straightened up as she looked down at him.

“I put myself in danger to save you,” she said.

He could feel it, the anger he kept in check, burning just below the surface, fueled by fear for the woman he loved.

“I didn’t need your help,” he growled.

Jenna frowned at him. “Didn’t really look that way last night.”

He glared at her. Using his weakness against him hurt more than he would have thought.

“I would have managed,” he said and looked away from her.

She sighed.

“Well, now you don’t have to,” she said softly.

He climbed off the bed and made his way to the sink. Maybe a few splashes of water would help. Despite all his planning, he never would have guessed Jenna would pull such a stunt.

Rem could hear her fall heavily onto the mattress and groaned inwardly.

Having her there was going to complicate things. He leaned over the sink and sighed. There were too many things up in the air, and now he had to keep her safe.

“Why did they bring you to me?” he asked and gripped the edges of the sink.

Jenna cleared her throat. “I told them we were bonded.”

Rem whirled around and stared at her in horror.

“Bonded?”

The room spun as she nodded.

“It was the only way they would bring me to you.”

She had no idea of the horror they had been exposed to, no idea what sort of hell the Horatius Group would put them both through.

“It would have been better if you never came,” he whispered.

Jenna lay on the cot quietly, letting her silent tears slip onto the hard pillow below her head. She knew he’d be mad but thought he’d at least be a little happy to see her.

She pulled off her glasses and wiped her face.

“Here,” he said from behind her.

She rolled over and squinted her eyes. He was squatting close to her, but she could only make out the fuzzy outline of his face with her glasses off. He gently wiped away the tears with the wet towel in his hand.

“Did you fall?” he asked. “They didn’t hurt you…” Rem turned and glared at the door. “I can smell him on you.” He growled.

She put her hand on his.

“I’m fine,” she said.

Rem stared at her for a long moment. He placed a hand near her knee.

“You aren’t fine,” he said.

She’d forgotten the cut, but when she thought on it, memories of earlier haunted her.

Rem frowned. “Something happened,” he said. “I know he was involved.”

Jenna slipped her glasses back on and tried to scoot away. She didn’t want to talk about it. Besides her own feelings, it’d only set Rem more on edge. They wouldn’t escape if he tried to kill Romulus the first time he saw him without thought.

His firm hand shot out and pulled the injured leg back to him. His eyes burned into her.

“Let me clean it,” he said.

She watched as he pushed the leg of her pants up over her knee. The harsh material scraped the cut, and she hissed at the pain.

Rem frowned at the jagged cut. He wiped the bloodied spot until it was clean.

“I don’t have anything to put on it,” he said quietly and looked over to her.

Jenna shook her head. “It’s fine. I really didn’t…” She trailed off as Rem gingerly leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the cut.

Her heart thumped at the tender act. She reached forward and placed a hand on his cheek.

They stared at one another in silence for a moment, just trying to forget all the things that had put them in this mess.

“I had to come,” she said.

Rem closed his eyes and rubbed his face against the palm of her hand. Her thumb brushed his lips, and she could feel the pressure inside her mount.

“It’s dangerous,” he rumbled.

Jenna nodded. She knew how dangerous it was. Everyone involved in the situation knew how dangerous it was. Still, she had to come, regardless of the consequences to her.

“If you hadn’t noticed, pretty much anything to do with the hybrids is dangerous,” she said. She followed with a light laugh.

Her smile faded as he stared at her.

“You should get away from us,” he said, his face uncharacteristically serious and earnest. “As far away as you can.”

Rem pulled away from her hand, and the loss rippled through her.

“No,” she said and scooted to the edge of the bed.

Rem was on his knees in front of her. She watched as surprise washed over him.

“I’m not leaving you,” she said.

All the worry from the last day came crashing back over her. With everything in her, Jenna leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his.

Rem tensed at her touch and pulled back.

“I can’t…” he fumbled. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jenna stared into his beautiful green eyes.

“I trust you,” she whispered.

When her mouth touched his again, he groaned against her. Jenna wrapped her hands around his head to keep him from pulling away. He wanted her. She knew he did, but something always seemed to hold him back.

She pulled back and stared at him again.

“I’m not letting you go,” she said and kissed along his mouth.

His breathing was ragged, and she hoped that she wasn’t pushing him after being so ill. The need to be close to him raged in her body. It was as much a driving force as the heartbeat in her chest.

She made her way to his neck. She nibbled the heated flesh.

His hands slid down the side of her body. He brushed along the side of her breast, and her breath caught in her throat.

Her hands rested on his chest. The bare skin beneath her fingers twitched as she let them roam. When she reached his stomach, the hard ridges made her tingle deep inside.

“Jenna, I’m no good for you,” he whispered.

She shook her head and continued to trail down his body with her hands. When she reached the top of his pants, she stopped.

“I don’t believe that,” she said.

As if something broke in him, Rem pulled her hard against him. Jenna lost her balance and found herself half on top of Rem, her body straddling his.

He rolled his hips under her, and she moaned at the feel of him between her legs.

Her center ached for him as it had for some time. She squeezed her legs to help with the pressure.

Lost in the feel of their bodies finally connected, she didn’t feel as his hand snaked up her shirt. Jenna rocked hard against him and threw her head back when he pinched her aching nipples through her bra. She rubbed herself against his hardened cock as Rem continued to roll her nipples between his fingers.

“Rem,” she whispered and leaned forward.

His eyes were closed, and she could only hope that meant he liked what they were doing.

Her mouth met his, and he kissed her feverishly. His tongue crashed against her own, and she moaned for more.

She could feel the build from deep inside. Something fluttered in her, and Jenna gripped his shoulders hard.

“More,” she groaned and pulled back from his wicked mouth. She wanted to feel him inside her. Have his hard body over her own. She wanted to see him as she came.

Her eyes found his, and she gasped at the sight.

His eyes glowed blood red.

Rem placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back hard. Within seconds, he was standing over her.

“This,” he growled at her. “This is the real me.”

She shrank back. Rem knew what she was seeing: the monster that bubbled just below the surface, the beast that he could never bring out fully because of the dire consequences.

One time he had allowed his emotions to get the better of him. Years ago, during a practice fight, they had brought in an older hybrid. He was ruthless and fought like an animal.

He didn’t know then, but now it made sense. The man likely fought like an animal because there had been no other choice but to fight that way. Still, Rem was young. He had no idea how to stop a brute like that.

Scared and with no other options, Rem unleashed the full extent of his powers, the true form of himself that he’d kept hidden so well.

When he came to, his hands were covered in blood. The evidence of his evil inner self lay with the bloodied and broken man across the room. There had been little they could do for him. And with the death came the shadow of his guilt.

“Do you see now?” he shouted. “Do you see I’m a man that you can never be with?”

Jenna trembled. Her eyes were wild with fear.

He turned away from her. Seeing that look on her face hurt more than he ever thought it would. Knowing she was scared of him crushed his heart.

Rem ran a hand over the back of his neck. Hell, he was afraid of himself. She was only reflecting the fear that already existed.

“Rem,” she whispered.

His name on her lips cut through him. He shook his head.

“No,” he said firmly. “No more.”

He jumped when her hand landed on his shoulder.

“Please,” she whispered. Her arms wrapped around his middle, and she placed a cheek on his back. He could feel the muscles there twitch at the feel of her hot cheek against his bare back.

“Jenna,” he groaned. Didn’t she know what she was doing to him?

She kissed him, her tender mouth a soothing balm.

“I don’t care,” she said quietly. Her hands linked to get around his stomach, and she squeezed him hard. “I love you.”

Rem let out a choked laugh.

“How?”

The door slammed open, and Agatha stepped in.

“Well,” she said with an evil smile. “Isn’t this cute?”

Chapter Thirteen

Rem cursed himself for not paying attention. With Jenna around, he found himself consumed by her. It was not the best plan if they were going to get out of there alive.