Page 156 of Unwrapping Deviance

“Now!” I bark.

She’s defiant. Ready to go toe to toe and, fuck, I love that about her, but I wasn’t kidding. I will hook her up on the bed like I had last night.

She’s only saved when Daniel’s heavy strides hit the stairs.

“What’s going on?” he asks, glancing from Mira to me and back.

“Mira was just about to get her ass tanned,” I say, never taking my eyes off my tiny brat.

“The hell she was. You try and I’ll burn your food for a week.”

I almost laugh at the threat. “That’s fine. I like it extra crispy.”

I can see the almost flare of amusement before she bites back. “I’ll spit in your food.”

My laugh surprises even me. “Oh, my sweet, perfect little brat, we’ve swapped my jizz. I’ve tasted your blood. I have licked your cunt from ass to clit. Save the food. You can spit straight into my mouth if that turns you on.”

Mira tries. She mashes her lips together and tries really hard, but I win in the end when she snorts a laugh.

“What is wrong with you?”

Grinning, I lean in and kiss between her brows. “You like it. Now, go.”

My little demon pokes me in the belly, still grinning. “I sure do.” She steps around me to where Daniel is watching the interaction with bafflement. “But I’m only going into the kitchen where all the sharp things are.”

“Take this with you.”

I scoop up the knife she dropped and press it into her palm to take back with her, just in case.

She accepts it and turns to Daniel. Going up on her toes, she kisses him once before stepping back to eye us both.

“You have five minutes. Then I’m coming to help.” She whirls the blade in indication.

With that, she strolls into the kitchen.

Daniel faces me. “What’s happening?”

All humor gone, I turn to my brother. “Someone was outside. I think,” I add quickly when his eyes harden and jump to the door over my shoulder. “Something hit the side.”

As expected, his head pivots to the kitchen, expression cold and set.

“Stay here,” he says at last. “Kill anyone who gets past me.”

Done, but I still follow him out onto the porch. Both our glances fall to the steps, expecting the neat row of dead animals like before.

No animals. The porch is clear.

Daniel descends the steps, starts around the side. His every motion still and silent, the way Dad taught us to hunt.

I study the tangle of trees concealing the motherfucker. Whoever they are, either they’re long gone or watching with eerie stillness from nearby.

It’s only not to startle Daniel that keeps me from yelling for the fucker to come out and face me like a man.

Never should have come back,I think bitterly. I knew for weeks after Daniel texted me to meet him here that it was a mistake, but a sick part of me was morbidly curious. It wondered if maybe I stupidly imagined the hell we lived in, if my adolescent brain conjured the worst of humanity.

Barely a single day here and I got my answer. I had not been wrong.

I sigh and shake my head, mind made up. Fuck this place. I’m not staying another night. I’m not letting Mira stay here another hour. As soon as Daniel comes back, I’m putting my foot down and getting us—

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