Wicked Souls: A Limited Edition Reverse Harem Romance Collection

by Rebecca Royce

  School has been absolute Hell. Every class, I’ve had to avoid Zolroth trying to sit next to me or talk to me. I’ve ignored about twenty notes from the school counselor’s office getting me out of class, much to the dismay and confusion of my teachers. Because who the fuck says no to the counselor’s office? They have donuts. Even the teachers try and sneak in there. And now that Van, the lust demon, is posing as a counselor, every damn girl in the school is trying to go to counseling as often as she can.

  Every girl but me.

  Because if I get close, a stupid flock of white-feathered, halo-wearing shitheads will hurt him. Him and the rest of the demons.

  I’ve skipped decathlon, my favorite thing, for three days straight in order to avoid seeing Kastros, the silent vengeance demon. Instead, I’ve come back to the hotel and put on violent movies, the kind of thing I can’t watch when Adam is around, remembering the night that Kastros destroyed my house and the look in his eyes.

  It was so…fucking hot.

  I’ve been jilling off to movies like Die Hard, to my utter and complete shame, because their badassery reminds me of him.

  But I shouldn’t even be thinking about him. I shouldn’t be thinking about any of them. They’re leaving. And that’s that.

  It doesn’t matter that Raz—who’s been posing as my gym teacher—pulled me aside in gym class today and shoved me up against the door of his office as soon as we were away from other students’ eyes. It doesn’t matter that his hand traced my cheek as he told me I was never going to get my way.

  My hand lifts now to trace my cheek, but as soon as I realize it, I shove that traitorous limb back down. “I’ll cut you off,” I threaten.

  My body is not on board with this whole “abandon my demons” idea. My nipples nearly jumped ship when Raz touched me earlier.

  Too bad, so sad.

  I’m no good for them. So this is how it’s gonna be.

  “Katty! You’re supposed to be a shark!” Adam scolds, smacking his hand against the water and splashing me.

  I give him a fake grin and comply, dipping my hand underwater until it looks like a shark fin and then starting the Jaws theme song. “Dun-nuh. Dun-nuh.”

  He squeals and starts to bounce away through the water. I follow slowly, trying to focus on how utterly adorable he is in his turtle floaty.

  I do not allow myself to think about what the guys would be doing with him right now if they were here. Not at all. I don’t picture Raz and Kastros climbing into the pool, their amazing torsos on display as they launch my brother high in the air and let him splash down into the water. I don’t imagine Adam’s peals of laughter or the way Akor’s hand would try to reach around the side of my bikini and brush against my breast in public as his eyes dare me to stay still.

  I’m really good at suppressing my thoughts, aren’t I? Like, expert level zero.

  In an effort to distract myself from imagining Van—sauntering through the hotel in board shorts, bringing me a margarita, and insisting I drink it as I devour the sight of his happy trail—I turn my eyes over to a heavyset old business man who’s lounging in the hot tub.

  He’s been at the hotel nearly as long as Adam and me. I only know because he uses the hot tub every single night, and I made the mistake of letting Adam get in there the first night after this guy had left. Adam came out covered in chest hair. At least…I hope it was chest hair.

  Now we have a rule that we only use the pool.

  Hairy old guy gives me a friendly wave, and I give him a nod in return, a subtle “thank you” for turning my thoughts away from longing and sexy times, and over to hygiene.

  I chase Adam for a few minutes before I tell him I need a break. Then I climb out of the pool and wrap myself up in one of those scratchy, thin white hotel towels.

  I, unlike Zolroth, can’t afford to splurge on hotels. I have a checking account with about seven grand from working summers and saving up for a car, but I know that money won’t last long, and I’m going to have to figure something out soon.

  My cell phone buzzes on the pool chair, and I sigh as I turn it over to look at it. The guys have been texting. Calling. And though it takes more self-restraint than edging and orgasm denial, I haven’t responded or answered yet. They need to leave. For their own safety.

  But this text isn’t from one of them. It’s from William, who’s suddenly transformed from the crush of a lifetime into an annoyance. He’s contacted me almost every day since the tournament.

  Sorry you said you felt sick after school today. I wish we could hang. I can bring you chicken soup if you want. Or something else hot and homemade.

  At first, I smile because I feel like he’s being thoughtful, but the incoming message bubble appears below his text.

  That was a dick joke, in case it wasn’t clear. Just trying to make you laugh.

  Laugh? No. Now, I’m just annoyed at you, idiot, I think to myself. I wish he’d stop texting. But part of me doesn’t want to let go of his attention, because when my demons finally do leave, he might well be the only thing I have left.

  I want to laugh at the irony that the very reason the demons came to me—to help me win over William Washington’s heart—is now such an utter and complete burden.

  Adam appears, dripping wet at my feet, his goggles askew. “I’m done. I’m hungry. Can we have marshmallows?” His comments are all rapid-fire.

  “Huh? Um, sure. I mean no. We have to have dinner first.” I carefully towel him off as he complains about the hotel restaurant—complaints I secretly agree with, but it’s better than fast food.

  “Come on, let’s go get changed, and maybe after all your veggies, you can have some marshmallows,” I tell him.

  “You’re the devil! I hate you! Vegetables are evil! I hope you get haunted by a vegetable ghost!” Adam whines as we climb into the elevator.

  I give an apologetic smile to an older couple inside, but they only chuckle.

  When the elevator dings and we step out onto our floor, I’m immediately accosted by the most delicious smell. It’s like we’ve stepped into a perfume factory. I furrow my brow as I lead Adam by the hand towards our room. Did someone spill a perfume bottle? Did it get crushed in their luggage?

  I stop short. Adam yanks out of my grip and runs forward, because in front of our door is a delivery person. And our little room is filled, every surface covered, with hundreds of roses.

  Akor

  Don’t gift Katrina bombs, they say.

  Don’t put human-eating animals into her hotel room, they say.

  Don’t shoot off fireworks in her bathroom while she’s resting in the tub, they say.

  Honestly, I’m so fucking sick of the rules and regulations the mortal world has. Where’s the fun in that? We always go on and on in Hell about the angels and their ridiculous rules, but then they try to hamstring me with a million rules? It’s bullshit.

  But despite my misgivings, I heeded Zolroth’s advice, and instead of the local zoo, I find myself in a small pet shop.

  “Excuse me.” I wag my finger in the air to garner the attention of the bored, college-aged worker. The lanky man gives me an unimpressed look as he saunters towards me, his shaggy brown hair framing his lean face.

  “Yes?” he asks, his voice just as dry as his looks.

  “Do you have any animals that won’t rip the face off a human? Apparently, that’s a requirement in the art of wooing.” I give him a droll ‘what can you do?’ type of look.

  The man doesn’t even blink.

  “Come with me,” he says on a prolonged sigh, leading me through the various aisles until we reach a section that displays cats and a few energetic dogs. Without waiting to see if I have any more questions—which I don’t—he hurries away. Probably a smart move, considering the fact I was seriously tempted to test out the ‘won’t rip the face off a human’ bit on him. I mean, it’s not technically murder if I lather his face with cat food, hold him down, and allow a cat to eat his skin off, right? That’s assuming tha
t the cat has a taste for human flesh, of course.

  “Now, what do we have here?” I squint my eyes at the various critters pawing at me through their glass cages. There are a dozen or so diminutive holes in each crate that allow the animals air to breathe, and I waste no time sticking my finger in each one. Immediately, my finger is nipped and licked at as I attempt to pet as many as these fuckers as humanly possible.

  “Too fat,” I murmur to a bright orange tabby lying lazily in the corner of his prison cell. “Too skinny.” This one is a light gray kitty with darker splotches on his back. At least, I’m assuming it’s a he. Either that, or a very masculine-looking female.

  At the next cage, a puppy barrels forward, practically face-planting with the glass. She releases a pathetic cry as she paws desperately at the cage, attempting to be released.

  “Too needy.”

  “Too ugly.”

  “Too tiny.”

  “Too…gray.”

  “Too stinky.”

  I can see the lanky worker returning with an older woman, who appears to be his manager.

  “May I help you with anything?” she asks, her eyes giving me an appreciative once-over. I resist the urge to growl at her and then gouge out her eyes. My body belongs to Katrina, thank you very much. She can take her ‘fuck me’ eyes and shove them up her ass.

  The only person going up my ass is Katrina with a dildo.

  Mmm.

  “Yes.” I smile cruelly, and both workers take an automatic step backwards. I’ve been told I have a quite scary smile. It really makes me feel good about myself. “I’ll take them all.”

  “Roxy! Hold still, you adorable fucker!” I hiss as the dog barks happily, wiggling in my arms.

  Finally, I manage to wrangle a pretty pink bow around her neck before moving to the next cage. This one is the fat tabby from earlier, lazily licking his paws as if he doesn’t give any shits that I just saved his pussy ass from being euthanized.

  “Your turn for a bow!” I say cheerfully, and he merely blinks golden eyes at me.

  “Akor…” Raz appears in the doorway, practically jumping out of his skin when a cat jumps up on the ledge beside him and begins to nuzzle his shoulder. “What the fuck is going on here?”

  I smile brightly as I secure the final bow on the thirteenth animal. “A present. For Katrina.”

  “You gave her…”

  “Cats and dogs, yes. And these aren’t even raining.” I lean forward to whisper conspiratorially. “Apparently, it actually rains men.”

  “For fuck’s sake…” He plucks the cat off the shelf, but instead of putting her immediately down, he begins to rub her soft fur. The cat purrs in contentment and allows her eyes to flutter shut, a dopey grin on her kitty face. “You can’t give Katrina this.”

  “Why the fuck not?” I retort immediately, hurling daggers with my eyes at the leader of our murder. I love the guy like a brother, I do, but I sort of want to kill him right now. Painfully.

  I don’t even know why, except for the fact that his declaration sent Katrina running. For as long as I live, I’ll never be able to forgive him for that. Ever. And we live a fucking long time.

  So long as a stupid angel doesn’t kill us.

  “For one, she’s living in a hotel. Did you even bother to check if the hotel allows animals?” He quirks an eyebrow as I wave away his words with a flick of my wrist.

  “Semantics. Rules are arbitrary, after all. Meant to be broken.”

  “Secondly,” he continues on, piercing me in place with his dark stare, “you can’t expect Katrina to take care of twenty—”

  “Thirteen.”

  “—animals.” He throws his arms up in the air. “It’s absurd.”

  “Obviously, I’ll help. I’ll be the best damn animal daddy in the world.” I grab Rocky and give her golden head a kiss. “This will be practice for when we have real babies.”

  “Jason will get jealous,” Raz points out, and the smile slips from my face. I completely forgot that I am already an owner to a zombie-dog-human creature. Oops.

  Jason was a football player who I may or may not have accidentally killed. And when I say “may have,” I actually mean I did.

  “Jason!” Raz whistles piercingly, and a moment later, a mop of blond hair enters the room as he runs on his hands and feet, his ass in the air and wiggling.

  “Did my humans call me? Did they? Did they? Did they? Human!” He begins to lick Raz’s hand enthusiastically, much to the other demon’s horror, before he races towards me, practically tackling me to the ground. “Other human!”

  “Hey, buddy,” I say as I begin to scratch him behind his ear. His leg twitches as a rumbling noise erupts from his chest. His eyelids flutter shut…before they abruptly open and fixate on my three-year-old Dalmatian, Spotty.

  “What is this?” Jason’s tongue lolls out of his mouth and hangs to the side. “Friends? Eat brains?”

  “No!” I say immediately, whacking him on the nose. “No brains.”

  “But—”

  “No brains.”

  Jason pouts but crawls forward anyways to sniff the Dalmatian’s butt.

  “These will be your brothers and sisters!” I spread my arms wide to encompass all of the animals loitering about. “You will be the fiercest pack of animals that ever walked this earth!”

  “Brothers? Sisters?” Jason’s butt begins to wiggle once more. With a happy yip, he jumps three feet in the air before landing on the gorgeous golden retriever. The two of them begin to play wrestle, and I just barely rein in my desire to give Raz a pointed look.

  Oh, what the hell. I’m totally going to give him one anyways.

  “Told you so!” I sing as his eyes narrow into thin slits. “They’re total besties.”

  “I’m not going to allow you to do this,” he huffs, folding his arms over his chest.

  The smile fades from my face as abruptly as it had appeared. Anger thrums through me like I’m an electric guitar and some unknown person is plucking each individual string. I can feel the vibrations low in my stomach.

  “You don’t get to tell me shit about what I can and can’t do,” I bite out through gritted teeth. “Katrina left because of you. And I’m going to fucking win her back, no matter what it costs me.”

  A gorgeous white kitten begins to knead my leg, and I run my hand down her soft fur. With her pink bow, she looks fucking adorable right now. Hmmm…

  Maybe Raz is right.

  Maybe I don’t need to give Katrina all of the animals, only one.

  I hold the white kitten up to my face as she begins to pepper my skin with tiny kisses.

  “You’re right.” Raz’s soft voice pulls me back to the present, and I turn to find him now sitting in the armchair of the living room, two cats nestled in his lap. “I fucked up, but she deserved to know the truth.”

  “She loves us,” I point out as I contemplate the survival rate of the kitten if I shoved her in a wrapped box. Probably not the best idea, dammit.

  “She does,” he agrees with a heavy sigh. “And we love her. So now we just have to show her that a relationship can work.” He pauses, turning to stare at the dog curled around his feet. “What the fuck are we going to do with all of these animals?”

  My smile is as sharp as a shark’s, and just as deadly too—scenting blood in the water and preparing to bite down. “If you get rid of my pets, I’ll remove your fucking head,” I say sweetly.

  “We can’t take care of thirteen fucking animals,” Raz growls. “We barely take care of Jason who’s—for fuck’s sake!” He sneers at the zombie boy, who currently has his wiener in his hand as he pees on the decorative plant.

  “We’re keeping them all,” I warn in a dark, deadly voice. “Except for this cutie.” I rub my nose against the white kitten’s, who purrs back at me. “This one is going to Katrina…and will hopefully help me win her back.”

  Choosing to gift Katrina a live kitten instead of one that suffocated in a closed box, I hold the fluff ba
ll to my chest as I pound on her hotel room door. I received a few evil looks when I entered the hotel with the pet, and a ballsy manager even tried to talk to me. But one look into my eyes had him scurrying away like his ass was on fire.

  Well…

  That could also be because I literally set his ass on fire. Pain demon perk.

  “Adam, don’t just—” Katrina’s sweet voice wafts to me as I stand at attention, the kitten curled up under my chin. I give her tiny head a kiss as she meows softly.

  The hotel room door is pulled open, and Adam blinks wide eyes up at me, a wide smile blossoming on his chubby face.

  “Akor!” He immediately wraps his arms around my legs as the kitten begins to squirm, demanding to be set down. When Adam pulls away, his gaze immediately latches on the white ball of fluff. “Oh my gosh! Is that a kitty?”

  “Adam, what are you talking about?” Katrina appears from the bathroom a moment later, and my heart stops when I look at her.

  I allow myself a moment of vulnerability to sweep my eyes over her. Today, she wears a pair of gray joggers and a ratty t-shirt that somehow makes her appear even more delicate and fragile. I yearn to pull her into my arms and never let her go, protect her from this entire world which seeks to do her harm. She blinks innocently up at me, shock sparking in her expressive eyes. She then lowers her stare to rest on the kitten.

  “What is…?”

  “This is for you!” I say enthusiastically as I push my way into the hotel room. Adam trails behind me with a besotted, dopey grin.