had cowered for centuries, but suddenly they were willing to die for an existence they thought they deserved. We hadn’t come across anymore Harvester activity, though, since the festival. It was too soon to tell if that was bad or fucking awful. Who knew what Harvest planned? Why did it seem to include me or one of my sisters?
Payne scowled. “Your cursed siblings are too stubborn for your own good sometimes.”
“You’re one to talk.” I met his scowl. Payne flinched and glanced away. “I’m not the one you want to protect.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he stated.
“You might have my family fooled, but not me.”
“Prudence,” he warned. “Don’t. You’re not the only one with issues at the moment.” For a second, I thought I saw smoke—actual fucking smoke—coming from his nostrils.
I blinked. Maybe I imagined it. Shaking my head, I said, “I hope you figure your shit out, Payne. She won’t always be waiting for you.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” A murky shadow moved across his eyes, blackening them completely.
His words made me think of that one time I was desperate enough to slip into his dreams. I indulged my lust by feeding off people’s sexual fantasies. Payne had been the closest man around me. If I did nothing, Lust would turn me into a wanton mess prowling the City of the Dead and sleeping with anything available.
But that night, I hadn’t been able to siphon any desire from his dream. He created his own fantasy I had no control over. And it surprised me who was in the dream with him. I thought he loathed Joy’s affections, but the way Payne crushed the dream Joy into his chest and kiss her proved me wrong.
Then the nightmare began. Joy started screaming shortly after the kiss. Flames engulfed her lips as Joy and Payne pulled away from each other, and her body went up in smoke. I didn’t see much else because he jolted awake.
“You’re right. I don’t, but I know the most important part.” Something told me that Payne still cared for Joy on some level.
He turned his back on me.
Another tingle of lust consumed me. When Payne opened the passage to Hell, I rubbed my thighs together and bit back a whimper as my panties rubbed against my clit. Oh, shit! I’d put my body through the ringer since the human festival with no relief. Did my family not understand I had to do something before I lost my mind to Lust and attacked someone?
Payne focused on sending the evil souls through the passage. It could be my chance to fade and find relief.
“Don’t even think about it,” he said.
I clenched my teeth. “I’ll neuter you,” I promised. When he ignored me, I pleaded, “It’s not an option for me. I have to go.”
He pinched a black soul with his finger and shoved it into the passage. “Call Maureen. She goes with you. If not, it’s me. And neither of us wants that while you’re doing your thing.” He didn’t even know what my thing was. None of them did. I was sure they all thought I slept with everything coming and going.
Not true.
I was still a virgin.
____
No way would I call Maureen. Her pride would be too much to handle. I was jittery and on edge. It had been a long time since I’d felt so out of sorts. I was so used to embracing calmness that my senses went haywire.
I squinted at the flashing lights hanging from the bar Kitty and I were in.
Yes, I called Kitty. If anyone could chill out and eat while I slipped into someone’s head, it would be her. Besides, the Reapers Dad assigned to watch over her stood at a distance against the wall, ready to defend us if Harvest showed up. Payne, however, hovered like an overbearing brother.
“You okay?” Kitty frowned as she shoved a fry into her mouth.
I lowered my eyes and glanced at my untouched drink. Grimacing, I said, “Sorry, I called you out. I’m at my limit.”
“Hey, it’s fine. Your emotions have been on display for the last three days,” she said nonchalantly.
My pulse spiked. “W-what?”
“You want to conceal them, right?” Kitty lifted a brow and smiled. “You haven’t had time to satisfy your sin with Dad siccing the hounds on us. There’s more than the two here, just so you know.”
Shit. I hadn’t noticed. Was my curse affecting my other senses? I had to do something. Soon.