Page 45 of Virgin Lust

Prudence chuckled. “I’m curious how you’ll convince the Grim Reaper to let you look after me.”

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“Ah, Shepherd. I’ve been expecting you,” Grim said as he strode down the massive circular stairs into the ginormous ballroom.

Why did he need a ballroom?

Father and daughter liked fancy surroundings. Prudence had a giant-ass black chandelier in her home, while her father had an even bigger white one. Grim seemed to prefer gray and stone walls and floors, with a single piano in the corner of the ballroom, making the area seem bright, but my mate loved black. It was darker, cozier, and perfect for her. I adored her sense of style. Every beautiful thing I discovered about her only made me hate the way I’d lived since my accident. What would my princess think if she saw where I laid my head down at night?

“Payne told me Prudence was with you,” Grim said in a questioning tone.

Sensing Prudence upstairs, I relaxed.She was safe.

“Do you think your castle is big enough?” I asked.

“It feels small with all of my children here.” He stopped at the bottom of the steps. “I’m surprised to see you after all these years. Payne said you had quite the feast at the festival.”

Payne.

Prudence wasn’t kidding about him being a friend of the family. Jealousy cut through me like a knife and made my chest hurt.

I shrugged, trying to release the tension. “Does he tell you everything?”

“More than my kids.” Grim folded his arms over his chest. “What are you doing with my daughter?”

Gritting my teeth, I said, “I could watch after Prudence instead of Payne.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Not many demons can harm me.”

“Our enemy is no mere demon.”

“Payne’s a Reaper, right? I’m sure they can get more done when they’re not together.”

Grim smiled. “Prudence and Payne are like siblings. Your jealousy is showing, Shepherd.”

I knew that.

It didn’t change the dark streak running through me. I wanted to be the only one Prudence confided in. While I wasn’t immortal like her, I would spare my existence to keep someone from kidnapping or harming her.

“In the end, you’re protecting your daughter. I can do that. I’d die to keep her safe.” My voice deepened. “Let me look after her.”

“I know how good you are at looking after others.”

I stiffened. Grim would know how much I looked after those I loved. That was one of the things that led him to me all those years ago.

“I was going to visit you soon, anyway,” Grim continued. “You helped us a great deal by devouring all those souls at the human festival. I was going to ask you here to protect one of my daughters.”

“You were?” I slammed my mouth shut to keep from gaping at the man.

“Yes.”

“I want to protect Prudence from whatever Harvest has planned more than anything,” I said, then paused. “As immortals, what would this demon do to them? And why?”

“Just because my daughters are immortal, doesn’t mean they aren’t vulnerable. There are plenty of ways to break someone’s spirit. I don’t force watchdogs on them because I think they’re weak. They are vulnerable because they’ve grown comfortable with their powers. My daughters fail to see how easily someone can kidnap or trap them. Harvest has a very strong witch in his group—a proxy. Without even lifting a finger, that woman can take anyone I love and hide them. We can’t track Harvest. He’s concealed so well that if he manages to get his hands on one of my children…” Grim dropped his head and sighed. “I’ve been responsible for the balance of both worlds since the beginning of time. Now that obligation falls on my children. I can’t protect them from the end, but I can at least make sure nothing happens before they get the chance to stop it.”

“I’ll protect her with my life,” I promised.

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