“She can’t leave with you until we know you can handle yourself. We don’t know what the hell is going on,” Payne told him.
Sebastian growled at him—literally, then lunged for me. “Sebastian,” Barron yelled, and I had just enough time to see him standing up as Sebastian gripped my hand and faded with me.
Seventeen
Isabella
Istumbled backward with the hard way we faded into his home. I caught myself on the counter and looked up to see Sebastian stalking toward me. My stomach tightened with anticipation and already, the darkness started up again and hummed as he grew near.
It was getting a little out of control at this point. I couldn’t figure out why the darkness wanted more of his touch when it just gave everything to him instead of taking. At this rate, the darkness would give away my very soul for more of him.
I swayed—both literally and figuratively—for the man before me. When he looked at me with those eyes, I felt like I was being stabbed. With that mouth, I’d spend the rest of my life wanting to taste his lips again when this was all over. And with his body, I’d wish I could forever use it over and over until the darkness burned away.
I knew that’d never happen. There was no escaping my darkness.
Good thing it liked the same Reaper I liked.
I opened my channel and studied his energy. It was still a huge storm inside him, but I could also see that the two energies within him that didn’t belong were burning quickly, but not fast enough.
Just when I thought he was going to devour me whole, his brothers faded behind him. August injected Sebastian in the neck with some sort of syringe and he sagged forward. I reached out for him, but Barron pulled him back.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I told them.
“You said he absorbed my sin,” this was the first time Barron was talking to me directly. “I’ve lived with this sin my entire life, even a little can take you over the edge too far.” The truth and pain in his eyes held my tongue.
August helped Barron carry Sebastian to the bedroom. Minutes later, they returned to the kitchen where I still gripped the counter with white knuckles. Truthfully, I had wanted Sebastian to come for me. I didn’t mind the first time it happened, and I didn’t mind it the second.
And I didn’t miss the haunting mood that hit my stomach—unsettling me and rattling the darkness into restlessness—now that he was unconscious.
Did it want Sebastian? Or was it because there was so much power for the taking with three entities in the room with me? Or was it much worse? Did Julius come for me?
August studied me curiously before rubbing his forehead and sighing. “I hate it when he’s right,” he muttered, and there I was again not having a clue what he was talking about. “Seems Harvest has something to do with this after all. Not only that, he seems to want you and all of us.”
Oh, that.
“Do you know what he’s doing?” Barron asked. He had a giant scowl on his face as he stared at me. Considering he was a raging skeleton earlier, I assumed his curse was the sin of wrath, so I wasn’t going to take it too personal that he looked as if he wanted to squash me like a fly.
“He’s obsessed with his creator,” I told them.
“The Devil?” August asked.
I nodded as Barron crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, from what I can remember, he always talked about overthrowing him.”
“Fucking hell,” August groaned. “Why is the Underworld full of power hungry fools?”
“Says the sleazy businessman,” Barron cast his brother a dark look.
“Like I’d want to spend my time doing whatever it is the Devil does.” August arched an eyebrow toward his brother. “Besides, the Devil may be king down here, but I own most of the businesses. I can have anything I want, whoever I want. Why would I want his dark crown?”
Barron’s jaw rolled with tension. “Are you sure that moment won’t ever come? That you won’t ever want it?”
Something passed between their glares, something left unsaid yet understood—an unspoken fear, possibly? Whatever it was, it was over before I had a chance to decipher their intensity. August broke it with a chuckle that was slightly odd and forced, like it wasn’t really a laugh after all. “I’m not there, Barron…” August murmured, proving I was missing a part of the story.
Facing me, August asked, “Do you need us to stay here with you until Sebastian wakes up?” I shook my head, and he sighed in relief. “Thank fuck, I got demons with debts owed, and valuables and women due as payment.” August placed his hand on Barron’s shoulder. “You can let Payne know when you see him.”
August faded, and without a word, Barron faded a second later leaving me alone with a sleeping Reaper in another room that I wished was awake.
I pushed off the counter when I felt something move across my neck. I turned quickly and looked around. There was nothing, but I had a feeling of dread. Was the air changing? Did it feel colder?
