Page 104 of Payne's Envy

“Where are we going?” Oden asked.

“You guys are going to stay here. I’m going to slip into the city and get us food.”

“Yay!” the little girl screamed.

“Shh,” Nova hushed her.

Boom! The branch I’d been resting on snap unexpectedly. Burst apart more like, shattering into thousands of small wooden pieces. Luckily, I had quick reflexes and landed on my feet. Turning around to where the voices were coming from, I spotted five people.

But it was the oldest one that held me captive for I had never come across anything more radiant than the girl in front of me.

Heat swept over my cheeks.

Maybe she was an angel. Why else would parts of her glow so bright? With a dark blue complexion, certain parts of her skin illuminated a white rose. The pigmentation around her eye was a creamy color, then so was another place on her neck and hand that I could see. The rest was blue.

Calico cat. That was what she made me think of. I’d never wanted to steal one from the human world, though, like I did the beautiful creature in front of me. I’d never wanted to take any living or breathing persons before.

Such beauty couldn’t exist anywhere else.

And she wasn’t even a woman yet.

Greed had so many thoughts inside me. She’s special. She’s unlike anyone else. And She’s mine. Somehow, I knew, the future held no one else. My heart slammed against my ribcage again. My curse heated my skin, especially my ears as chills rolled over me. I also knew by one glance that nothing she could say or do would change the fact that her future was with me. Because I would steal her like I did everything I wanted.

I knew how romance worked. A few words, my killer smolder, and she’d be mine anyway.

Entranced with her beauty, I barely noticed the four youngest ones running to her sides and gripping her taupe dress that went to her ankles and covered her arms. I was heavily focused on her full lips when she mouthed a word. I cocked a brow right about the time the apple exploded in my hand. I yanked my hand away before narrowing my eyes on her. “Did you mouth ‘boom’?”

So my future woman wasn’t an angel, but a witch. I could feel the staticky energy of her power in the air even after the spell had cast.

“Don’t say boom, Nova!” That had to be Odin. The whiney one complained once again. That time I got a face to go with it. A scrawny little blond boy with bright blue eyes. He was shirtless, a giant golden coin swung against his chest tied by a brown string around his neck. “Don’t let them hear you say it!”

There were so many strange things about what the boy said that I didn’t know what to focus on first. Who was them, and what was wrong with saying a word? Boom was hardly a word to get upset or obsessed over.

“Shh!” the red-skinned little girl pressed her finger to Odin’s lips. She glanced over her shoulder nervously like she was afraid someone was going to appear.

“I won’t let you take them,” Nova said while glaring at me. She tucked all four of them behind her tiny frame. All of them were still visible to me.

I scratched my chin. “Why would I want the brats for?”

You, I thought greedily. You I will take and make mine.

“They’ve sent young ones like you after us before,” Nova told me. I took a step toward them, and she threw up her hand. “One step closer, and your heart will burst!”

“Burst?” I laughed. “It’s been pounding nonstop since I’ve seen you anyway.”

Her nose crinkled, flinching her head back quickly. “What?”

“How old are you?” My boot lifted off the ground.

“I’ve warned you!” Panic laced her sweet voice.

I wanted to be closer, so I moved my foot out anyway.

Considering I had two explosive encounters with my future woman, I should have taken her warning literally. Fire encased my chest as I felt my heart being torn apart from the inside. The good thing was that it didn’t last long.

After all, I didn’t sense pain when dead.

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