Page 76 of Virgin Lust

“He’s right,” Shepherd’s form rippled. All the heat I couldn’t feel before burst across my skin as he left me. The air was still scorching even after the monster stopped vomiting fire. “It’s not the same.”

Joy faded in. “Sorry, I got here as quick as I could.”

Derrick held her up by the waist. He pushed her hair out of her face and watched her. I narrowed my eyes as I began to understand why I disliked him. Despite the stick up Payne’s ass, I would always root for him and my sister. So Derrick needed to—

“Joy!” My stomach churned when I saw the blood on her pants.

“What happened?” August demanded and grabbed Derrick by the shirt collar. “And who the fuck is this?”

“I’m her bodyguard.” Derrick said, trying to pry August’s hand from his shirt. “August, right? I’ve heard so much about you.” Derrick’s voice dropped an octave. Even the way his eyes slanted at August was unusual, like he despised my brother.

“I’m fine, August,” Joy muttered.

Pushing Derrick away, August glanced at Joy. “You good?”

Joy tensed. “I’m fine. I’m already healed.” She lowered her head. “But we need to talk.”

“We already know.” Her head lifted quickly. I grabbed her hand, and she squeezed it tightly.

“You too?” she whispered, and I nodded.

“Luckily, I was there, or your sister would be dead right now,” Derrick butted in. “We were in a bird demon’s nest when her power disappeared again.”

Not acknowledging Derrick’s boasting, August whipped his head in the other direction. “What the fuck! Payne!”August snarled.

I did a double take. Mortal twenty-four-seven Payne walked up to a flaming monster that even we knew not to approach.

“Payne!” Joy screamed and began running toward him. “Payne!”

He ignored her. Or maybe he couldn’t hear her.

“Joy!” August shouted, then gritted his teeth when she didn’t listen. Looking at Shepherd, he yelled, “Soul Reaper!”

But Shepherd had slipped over my brother, shielding his body within his reaping form.

“What the fuck is Payne thinking?” August muttered before fading with Shepherd.

It was too late. Payne disappeared inside the flames raging around the creature.

“August can lose his flesh and become a skeletal monster. Why did he need the soul reaper to shield him from the flames?” Derrick asked as his brows furrowed. Then his lips curved up. “It’s not just Joy, is it? You’realllosing your powers here and there. That’s why he needed the soul reaper. To protect him in case his powers went away while he was inside the flames.”

I glowered, disliking Derrick even more for pointing out the reality. And the way he clenched his fists watching August made my skin crawl. Still, he kept Joy safe when her powers vanished. Dad wouldn’t have requested Derrick’s help if the proxy couldn’t be fully trusted.

“Thanks for keeping Joy safe earlier. It could have been bad for her if you weren’t there.”

“It’s what Grim brought me here to do,” said Derrick. “Did you notice?”

“Notice what?”

“Payne. He never screamed. A normal demon would have died screaming and burning. What is he?”

That was the million dollar question. But why did it seem like Derrick stood backanalyzingus. Was I overthinking?

Instead of blazing up in the air and spreading out, the flames on the creature suddenly withdrew. The orange and red embers swirled and formed a funnel. It shrank until there was only the monster and Payne.

“Did Payne...” I drifted off as I gawked at him. He glowed red, lines of orange raced across his skin.

“He absorbed the flames,” Derrick finished for me.

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