Page 50 of Payne's Envy

Sebastian held up his hands. “August deliberately pissed you off, then faded. Don’t attack the good brother. Go find Gwendolyn and release your wrath. Go find your happy!”

With a laugh, that brother disappeared too.

Barron shook his head as he rubbed his neck.

How old were the brothers? I found them immature for such powerful beings. At least I finally knew their names.

August reappeared in front of me, nearly causing me to bump into him. “Oh, and in case you didn’t realize…” He placed his hand on my naked shoulder. “Thanks for bringing Joy home.”Blisters were visible on his palm as he lifted his arm.“I’m never going to get used to that. By the way, put on some clothes before you run into any of my sisters. Joy probably won’t like others seeing what’s hers.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Joy

I had told my parents about the blood sample Harvest took. Their expressions had been grim until Deathraka burst through the door. My mouth parted as desire throbbed at my clit. The beige silk tied around his hips did little to cover him. His chiseled chest was on display and… And I couldn’t think beyond the spiraling need in my lower stomach because of it! I licked my lips and inhaled, trying to get a whiff of brimstone.

There was a thick silence in the room before my mom said, “Payne, is that my curtain?”

“I am Payne no more. I am Deathraka.”

Melinda snorted. “You’re Payne. Deathraka is what you are.”

Payne’s jaws clenched.

Dad rubbed his forehead. “How long will he be like this?”

The smile left Melinda’s face. “It’s hard to say. As it is, he has no interest in remembering andsomeone…” She looked at me. “…is being as stubborn as him. He needs—”

“A good ass kicking,” I said, materializing my sword as I scowled at Deathraka.

“She’s not behaving like herself,” Mom whispered to Dad.

I glared at them. “I can hear you.”

“It’s the heat making her aggressive. She’ll return to normal when it passes,” Melinda said.

Mom placed her hand on my forehead and gasped. “Your cycle. You’re ovulating again.”

I frowned. “Impossible. You saw me block it off…” My words died out when I sensed what she did. My power was no longer blocking my baby-maker.

Melinda sighed. “Your power can’t stop this, Joy. Whatever you do to block your ovulation, the heat will burn through it.”

“You’re trying to suppress your heat?” Deathraka’s voice was like thunder.

I jumped at the sheer volume in his voice.

“Why?” he asked.

“Joy, I want you and Payne together all the time.” Dad said, undeterred that Deathraka—not Payne—looked like he was two seconds from tearing the castle apart as his chest rose and fell heavily.

Wait! I must not have heard Dad correctly. Who did he want together? “What did you say?”

Dad nodded. “When we must split up, you’ll work with Payne. None of us can separate anymore. It’s not just you.”

“I understand that, but I find it ironic that you’re putting the two of us together when you spent over a century keeping us apart.”

Dad recoiled.

Mom sighed. “You were wrong, Killian,” she said, using Dad’s true name. “There had to be another—”

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