Psycho Devils (Cruel Shifterverse, #5)

by Jasmine Mas

Yes, my aesthetic was mental illness; no, I didn’t want to talk about it.

John pursed his lips as he continued to half hug, half strangle me. “So you don’t have your period. You’re just being a bitch?” I punched him in the throat. Hard.

Never mind—death to all men.

“My little depressed, angry Smurf.”

Sometimes a girl was just too tired to murder. My creative killing juices weren’t flowing. Yes, my depression was definitely impeding me from living my best life. I was aware. Just another thing to talk to Dr. Palmer about if I survived this realm.

“Don’t try to goad me into action.” I pulled back from his embrace. “You know it’s your turn to choose if we kill someone. You can’t just expect me to always decide. That’s rude.”

Lothaire asked, “What’s going on here?” I studied my cuticles. “Malum needs a tampon.”

New life plan: figure out how to kill myself before the Legionnaire Games began.

A short pale goblin child with black hair and the eyes of a psychopath sauntered forward to the shifter legion. As she walked by the angel legion, she glared at them with disgust. A ferret was draped across her shoulder. Jinx was here.

“Why are you staring at me with mopey eyes? Buck up and get ready for the games, cannibal.” Jinx looked over at me with disdain.

Mentally, I was a slut. Physically, I was terrified of intimacy. Spiritually, I didn’t like men.

My new aesthetic was cozy, drug-dependent swamp monster. Not to brag, but I nailed the look.

“Fine!” Jinx paused, then said, “I-have-the-ability-to-make-people-forget-things-if-they-look-into-my-eyes.” I gaped. Let her words sink in. She can make people forget things if they look into her eyes. I paused because she’d acquiesced way too easily. Slowly I said, “And you’re telling me this because you still plan on making me forget this conversation. Correct?” I shook her back and forth, and her silence was damning. “Well, checkmate, little girl, I’m never looking at your face ever again.” Jinx kicked the wall. “You’re a fool. You have no idea what’s going on.” “Explain why I need to be righteous. Explain what’s going on.” I gasped as it dawned on me. “Oh my sun god. What else have you made me forget?” Jinx said too quickly, “Nothing, just evidence that I’m in pain. Forget about this please. I’m begging you.” I body-slammed her, pseudo-gently, into the wall. She was lying.

It took everyone at the table a second to realize that the jewels embedded in Cobra’s skin were now slithering shadow snakes, and he had slit pupils. “Oopssss,” he lisped and flashed two elongated front canines and a slightly forked tongue.

“What are you doing? You’re acting like a psychopath,” I growled at her over the unintelligible music blaring through the room. So much for appearing less aggressive. “At least I’m on a path,”

“To everyone I’ve done wrong.” She gestured to the room like she was making an announcement. “I just want you to know.” She put a hand over her heart. “I’d do it again.”

At some point, you stopped caring and accepted that life was not worth living. I’d reached that point fifteen years ago.

Half-delirious, I mumbled, “Why. Do you have a weapon?” Luka choked, and I peeled open my eyes.

“That’s not a weapon,” I whispered like an idiot. Luka didn’t take his eyes off my neck where he was working. “No, Your Highness, it’s not.”

I thought Aran was the coolest guy I’d ever met.” I hiccuped and bit down on my fist to quiet myself. Warm, callused fingers tangled in my curls, and Luka palmed the back of my head. He pulled me closer and said, “And now I think Arabella is the coolest woman.”

This was exactly why all fae men would be jailed at birth and not released until they proved themselves peaceful. Thank the sun god I was queen and not some male whack job.

I’d said it before, and I’d say it again: men were deranged, and they should all be shot. On sight. No questions asked.