Famine (The Four Horsemen, #3)

by Laura Thalassa

I’m going after him. Even if it means certain death, I’m doing it. That evil fucker made one huge mistake coming here: he didn’t make sure I was dead. And now he’s going to pay for it.

“Never, ever fuck with what is mine,” he says. And then he crushes the man’s windpipe.

“Please,” he rasps. “I can … still help … I’m … sorry … misunderstanding.” There’s a pause, then I hear the Reaper’s low laughter. “A misunderstanding? No, no, my friend. It was one thing to try to hurt me. But then you went and tried to hurt her.” Famine glances over his shoulder, casting me a look. In the lavender glow of the morning, the horseman stares at me with a fervent sort of intensity. At that look, unbidden warmth spreads through me. The horseman has now defended me multiple times, and I can’t help but feel … cherished.

“You’re not going to die, Heitor. You haven’t begged enough yet. But you will. And even then I’ll make you linger. Because, believe it or not, you are not the worst thing to walk this earth.” The Reaper leans in close. “I am.”

“Kissing you again was …” Bewitching. Intriguing. Addicting, “a mistake,” I say, trying to convince myself of that very fact. I can still taste Famine on my tongue, and my lips are raw from the kiss, and all of it is addling my mind. “It was a mistake,” he agrees. “Let’s make another and another. We can regret them all tomorrow.”

“You said everything was going to go back to the way it was before,” I accuse, my voice a whisper. “I lied.” There’s no remorse in his tone. “I cannot forget how you saved me and all you have admitted to me since. And I cannot forget how your skin felt against mine and the look in your eyes when I touched you. But most of all, Ana, I cannot ignore the way you draw me in, again and again.”

I don’t even have a dick in me, and I’m fucked.

i cackled

“Tonight,” he says softly, “you’re going to forget all the ways you were mistreated. I’m going to make sure of it.”

“I never could’ve imagined that I would love the slope of your nose or the space between your eyes. I know you are considered lovely by human standards, but I don’t have human standards, and Ana, you are the most exquisite thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Even when you sleep with your mouth open. Even when you yell at me—especially then because I love seeing your fire.”

“Marry me,” Famine says, ignoring them as he stares up at me. My breath catches for an instant. “No.” He looks greatly annoyed. I’m beyond gleeful. “This isn’t over,” he vows. I sincerely hope not.

“You are the devil.” “Nope,” Famine responds smoothly. “He’s nicer than me.”

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Famine says, staring down at me. I swallow, looking back up at him. “This is too good to be true. You’re too good to be true.” He laughs at that. “Too good to be true? You wound me, flower. I haven’t built a reputation of violence and destruction to be so easily complimented.”

“There is only one thing Thanatos ever wants,” Famine says. “Death.”

me. Then, I do to Death what I could never do to Famine. I stab that motherfucker.