Page 65 of Villainous Greed

“August…” Dad’s voice sharpened, as if whatever he was about to say was important. He flexed his gloved hand. “I need you to bring your brothers here. We need to talk about your sister. This conversation can no longer wait.”

Alarm trickled through me. “Which sister is in trouble?”

“Kitty did nothing wrong, but she is in danger.” Dad took a deep breath. “Go get your brothers.”

“Stay. I think I know what this is about,” Nova said. “I’ll go get them.”

I frowned as Nova retreated toward the door. Only she stopped at the entrance when the emptiness smacked me in the chest. My mechanical arm fell against my side. With my powers gone, it was fucking useless.

“Fuck,” I muttered, knowing my weapon was in my old room. We were supposed to be carrying weapons and portal chips around, but it was hard to get used to. Our entire lives, we’d been able to conjure anything we needed at will.

“Get ready.” Dad said, standing, but he swayed.

“Easy,” I said, grabbing him with my only hand available.

Dad’s arm disappeared, though. I slipped right through him as he fell into his seat. My stomach felt like I swallowed acid as Dad leaned back, closing his eyes, panting. He was getting worse. He was translucent, like a ghost. When Harvest first activated the vortex that started that whole mess, Dad had looked sickly and transparent. We had stopped the vortex when Sebastian saved Isabella, but the end was there. We were losing Grim. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

“Don’t stand there and gawk son.” Dad raised his voice. “Get ready because Harvest will be here the second he senses we’re mortal.”

I scoffed, turned, and fisted my hands at my side as fury for Dad guided me. Nova pressed her palm against my chest, stopping me. I hadn’t heard her move closer, but I certainly felt her heat digging into my skin and centering me. “Are you okay?”

My jaw tightened. “No, my little star, I’m fucking pissed.” I softened my expression. “But not at you. I want to end this once and for all.”

“We can.” Nova’s brow slanted determinedly. “If Harvest comes, I’ll trap him. When he was here, I almost had him—”

“I’m mortal, and so are you,” I interrupted. “I want to destroy him as much as you, but I’m not risking you. Protecting ourselves from his attacks is our primary concern right now.”

“I thought you understood.” Nova’s arms swung loosely at her sides. “Harvest will only attack when you’re mortal, which means we’ll likely only encounter him whenever you all lose your powers.”

“I know that, but I’m not taking any chances with you. We can put a tracker on Harvest if he comes.”

“My son is right,” Dad piped in, wheezing slightly. “We’re not risking anyone. I saw the damage you took trying to trap Harvest the first time. You won’t survive without our immortality. We wait until our powers return and throw a tracker on him before he disappears again.”

“ThenI take you to go fuck him up,” I finished for Dad with vigor.

“Fine, but I’m still hungry,” Nova grumbled, which made Dad chuckle despite his condition.

Chapter Twenty-Five

August

Harvest never came, nor did his dragons. His silence was unnerving. An hour had passed since we lost our powers, and we were still mortal. That was the longest it had been. Dad could barely keep his eyes open as Mom tended to him in the library.

Since we were restless and on edge, Maureen offered to make food. So, we left our parents alone and went to the kitchen. Maureen made snacks, but Kitty and Nova were the only ones who ate.

My mechanical arm was heavy as it hung by my side. I tapped my sword against the floor as my siblings talked in hushed whispers.

Kitty attempted to entertain Nova with jokes, but my mate didn’t understand most of them.Nova’s brows furrowed in the middle when Kitty offered a Slim Jim for her to try. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. Kitty had a hard time sharing food. Of course, my mate liked it. After a lifetime of starving, I believed she would appreciate anything. It was a reminder of how much I needed to spoil her. I couldn’t fail Nova again.

There was a giant knot in my throat and my skin felt like it wanted to crawl right off my bones. I couldn’t sit still, anxiouslywaiting. Something bad was going to happen. If Harvest didn’t attack, Derrick would come for my mate. His obsession with her had thinned my patience. I desired payback and to make an example of him. My plan was to torture him and then send his soul to the pits of Hell.

In the end, it wasn’t me who should punish him, though I wanted to. Nova deserved retribution. I just wished he’d stop hiding and attack us so she could have it.

I wasn’t afraid to face Derrick as a mortal. My body could withstand any of his attacks if it meant I could grab hold of his fucking body and pulverize him. I hadn’t realized I still tapped my blade across the concrete until Nova placed her hand on the hilt.

“I’m thirsty,” she said.

Maybe she sensed the tension within me. Or maybe she truly wanted something to drink. I craved a direction, anything that meant providing for her. I wanted to take care of her—do everything for her. It soothed the thoughts of failing her for so long.

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