Page 24 of Virgin Lust

My lips flattened before I said. “No. Payne has nothing to do with my leaving.”

Shepherd’s brows knitted together. “We need to talk.”

I pulled away and jumped out of the flatbed. “I agree, but not right now.” Payne and Kitty watched us intently. Plus, I needed space.

“I’ll go with you then,” Shepherd grumbled. I watched him hop to the ground. After our time together, didn’t he realize there was something strange about me? My heart fluttered in my chest and reality hit. He probably wanted to yell at me for attacking him all night, and my heart got all funky and thought the wrong thing about us.

“No,” I said quickly, swiveling away from him. Kitty ogled Shepherd as she bit into a Slim Jim. At least he was completely clothed, but that didn’t keep my sister from staring. I had the weird urge to steal her Slim Jim and stab her in the eye with it. “Kitty.”She turned, and a grin stretched across her face.

I glanced at Shepherd and then pushed back my shoulders. “We’re heading to the castle now.” Before Kitty could question it, I grasped her arm and dragged her away from the truck.

“A soul reaper?” Kitty whispered. “I thought you didn’t do physical—”

“Oh, there’s more,” I told her.

“Prudence.” My feet froze as Shepherd said, “This isn’t over.”

He had no idea.

____

“Sorry. I tried to buy you more time, but once Payne returned from his duties, he wasn’t as easy to fool as the others,” Kitty said as we sat at the kitchen table.

Growing up, the castle had been enormous, but ever since the human festival it seemed too small. My childhood home suddenly became a prison since Dad forced us to live there. I missed the privacy of my home. Having Payne and my little sister witness my walk of shame was unacceptable. The entire situation had been beyond my control.

“You saw me leave the castle yesterday?” I asked.

“No, but I felt it when you left. I figured you were… You know.” She placed her hands together, laid her head against them, and faked snoring. “Making someone have that good dream.” She winked and laughed.

“I don’t know which of us is more embarrassing.” I covered my face. The longer I stayed hidden, the quieter she became.

“Hey,” Kitty said softly. “Was last night really that bad?”

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and met her concerned gaze. How did I answer that? “It was humiliating. Ijumpedhim. And nothing will be the same.” I shrugged. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Her nose crinkled. “You’re right. I don’t understand. Tell me what’s happening.”

“The dreams no longer work.”

“So that’s why you were with the soul reaper? Why isn’t your trick working?”

“Because I encountered my mark.”

“Your soulmate?” Kitty gasped, then her eyes widened. “The soul reaper?”

I took a deep breath. “I think when I encountered Shepherd at the human festival it awakened his mark and therefore prevented my curse from seeking relief from anyone but him.”

“So you two…last night…” Kitty let her words drift off as if she was afraid of upsetting me. “By jumping him, you mean you…”

“We didn’t,” I admitted. “But he did give me what I needed.” After saying the words out loud, I realized how lucky I was. From the way Shepherd looked at me and his body’s response, he felt what I did. My good fortune could have been a nightmare for him. I remembered rubbing my sperm-coated finger inside myself. My heartbeat quickened.Oh, Hades!

Kitty snorted. “I bet it was a real hardship on him.”

“It was all about me.” Quietly, I thought about the rough way I pleasured him. Well, not entirely… I did give him a hand job.

“So he didn’t get any relief from taking care of your needs?” Kitty folded her arms as if to say,yeah right.

“I-I didn’t say that.” I sputtered and regretted the entire conversation because it made me relive the dirtiest parts of the previous night.

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