Page 80 of Virgin Lust

“Go find your sister—” I didn’t stick around to hear more. If Derrick was evil, he posed a threat not to just Joy. I left Prudence with him.

Twenty-Six

Prudence

My agitation turned to worry when Joy refused a mask after I told her to use one. Derrick cast a black sphere of magic that glowed over his mouth and nose to protect his lungs. Even he knew to shield himself from this smoke in some way. Yet Joy said she was good. Sure, she surprised me by not dying, but Joy was far from all right.

I couldn’t see her face through the ash and grit covering her from head to toe, but what I saw was the way she gasped as she struggled to breathe. “Joy.” I exhaled. “Please put on a mask. You’re going to keel over.” The idea of her dying while our power malfunctioned made my heart pound.

“It’s not the smoke,” she whispered hoarsely. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not,” I disagreed, grabbing her shoulder and forcing her to face me.What the…Through her cloak, she felt feverish. “Joy, listen to me. We’re losing our powers. A second without them is enough to end you permanently.”

She wiped her sooty face and glanced down. “You’re right. I’m sorry—I’m just so…”

“So what?”

“It’s embarrassing,” she admitted, still not making eye contact.

“What is?”

“The fever,” she murmured, and then looked over her shoulder at Derrick. “What it’s doing to me. Something’s coming for me. I don’t know what, but every night I see him in my dreams.”

“Joy, you’re confusing me. Who’s coming for you? Harvest? We won’t let that happen.”

“Not Harvest. This is something else. The man I dream about gave me thisfever!”

Something snapped behind me. Joy and I looked at the same time. I materialized my scythe and transformed it into a blade. “I heard something.”

“Me too,” Joy murmured.

“I still hear it.” I concentrated on listening and peering through the smoke. I saw movements. Shadows or something. A chill ran down my spine when I heard the groans. And there was another noise I couldn’t quite place. Like objects slapping together. It wasn’t loud enough to be metal. More like body partssmackingtogether.I crinkled my nose, stepped closer, and heard a slight whistle. I turned and ducked as something whizzed by my head. Then I saw fingers.

“Was that an arm?” I asked.

“Prudence, the body parts,” Joy shouted. “They’re coming together!”

“To making something new.” I lifted my blade. Then a numbness hit me square in the chest, stealing my strength. No, no, no! The bitter emptiness. I froze as my blade vanished. I glanced down at my hand, heart quickening. The mask I wore evaporated too. Smoke filled my nostrils, and I choked.

“Prudence!” Joy panicked. Her weapon disappeared.

“My lady.” Dirk tugged on my cloak. “What’s wrong?”

“Our powers disappeared.”

“And here I thought it would be difficult to steal one of Grim’s daughters.” Derrick’s chuckle grabbed our attention. He sauntered toward us.“But Grim is fading away and his children are becoming mortals. Harvest is going tolovethis bit of news.”

Twenty-Seven

Shepherd

I faded, slipping through the out-of-time place. Only I didn’t pass through. Instead of reaching Prudence’s location, I went to the darkened space and floated. There was no light or sound in the void. The blackness had no presence. Just a bleakness that stole all my thoughts and left me with an overwhelming panic.

Prudence… Prudence, I tried to ignore the desolation weighing on my shoulders.I need to get to her!

Trying to leave again, I couldn’t. Suddenly, I understood. Prudence’s powers were acting up. Which meant...

No!

---