But Marduke understood why now. When Merry had been giving the boy a bath the previous night, he’d made a point of finding out everything he could. Underhanded? Yup. He knew she’d downplay anything bad that had happened to her and the kid. He wanted the truth.

The truth was ugly. Miguel was held at gunpoint during a drug deal that saw his dad shot in front of him. It happened at a holiday parade. The shooter was some gangbanger dressed in a Santa suit. A shitty thing to happen, but at the same time, Miguel’s dad, Brian, had asked for it. The Hell records had Brian listed as a petty con artist. Druggie. Thief. A murderer, too, lacing drugs with crap he knew would kill people.

Didn’t seem like Merry’s type at all.

Then again, she’d had sex with him, and he definitely wasn’t her type or even genome. He was one hundred percent demon, but like many of his kind, he preferred to fuck humans. The females tended to be less dangerous. He’d yet to encounter a human female with teeth or traps between her legs. With a demoness? Sometimes you didn’t leave with all your body parts intact.

The boy reached out to rub behind Morgana’s ear, and soon she was on her side, leg thumping, grunting happily and even drooling. Kid had a knack with hounds. Maybe even a future as his apprentice.

The thought froze him. A future implied he’d be sticking around. Given Miguel’s mother’s attachment, they came as a package duo. Was he ready for that?

Marduke glanced back to the door leading to the main house. Might not be horrible.

“If you’re going to stick around and work for your keep, you’ll need a job title.”

The boy glanced at him.

“How’s assistant to the kennel master?”

The kid’s nose scrunched.

“Means you get to help me with these lumps.” He grabbed Roisin before his massive head could knock him or the boy over. “Mostly, it involves making sure they’re fed and interacted with. Wild hellhounds will kill anyone. Tamed ones? Only those they consider a threat to their friends.”

The boy cocked his head in question.

“Well, yeah, they’re my friends. And you are, too.”

The boy said nothing, but Marduke understood.

“Your mom as well. She’s under my protection, which means the hounds will defend her so long as she does no harm to me, them, or the Dark Lord.”

The boy’s lips pursed.

“Bah, don’t let the stories bother you. Don’t get me wrong, Lucifer’s a dick. He’d sell his own mother if she were still around, and he’s got awful taste in clothes, but he ain’t all that bad.”

A wry expression showed Miguel’s doubt.