The Darkest Whisper (Lords of the Underworld #4)(65)
Author: Gena Showalter

Forcing his expression to remain neutral, he settled into the chair he’d occupied for far too long already. He balanced the tray on his stomach.

“We need to talk,” she said, gazing at the food with longing. “About what happened in the forest…”

Before she could venture down that path, he told her how long she’d been out, how he’d guarded her, how no one had seen her neck, no one knew what she’d really been doing and how everyone assumed they’d been going at it like animals.

“There is a God,” she said on a relieved breath.

Or gods. But whatever. Any other woman would have been horrified, he thought, fighting a grin. Still more proof that she was the only woman for him. “Now you’re going to answer some questions for me.”

She gulped, eyes luminous in the sunlight that streamed through a gap in the dark, heavy curtains. “All right.”

“Why can you only eat stolen food?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not supposed to discuss it.”

“I think we’re beyond that point.”

“I guess we are,” she said grudgingly. “Why do you want to know?”

“So I can understand.” He popped open the brownie and bit into the end. “You’ve trusted me with your body. You’ve trusted me to guard you while you sleep. You’ve even trusted me with your weakness. Now trust me with your secrets.”

Up and down her chest moved, her breath emerging shallow and raspy. Her stomach rumbled, and she rubbed it without looking away from him. Or rather, the food. “I—I—okay. Yes.” She licked her lips. “Will you pay me?”

“Pay you? How much and for what?”

“Just say yes!” It was snarled.

“Yes?”

She licked her lips again, words tumbling from her. “The gods despise Harpies and consider us an abomination since we were the spawn of a prince of darkness. Long ago, they hoped to bring about our ruin in a manner that would not reflect poorly on them. A way that would seem as if we’d destroyed ourselves. So they cursed us in secret, stating that never again could we enjoy a meal freely given to us or one we had prepared ourselves. We sicken terribly if we disregard the curse; some even die. It only takes once to learn that lesson. As you saw for yourself at the camp in Egypt.

“Anyway, the first of my kind learned through trial and error that they could still eat, but only what they’d stolen or what was given to them in payment. The gods didn’t succeed in destroying us, just making our lives difficult. So pay me. I gave you the answer you wanted, now you owe me.”

Her demand for payment suddenly made sense. And hadn’t Anya mentioned something about eating what they earned? Gods, he had to smarten up and listen better. “For the secret.” He tossed the brownie at her and she caught it with a too-quick flick of her wrist. The dessert was consumed a second later. This was yet another similarity they shared, he reflected. Both their lives had been affected by a curse.

“You should have told me I could pay you with food,” he chided. “I could have been feeding you all along.”

“I didn’t know you well enough to share the fundamentals of my race. And as my sisters say, knowledge is power. You didn’t need more power over me.”

He’d often said the same thing, though he thought he did need more power over her. “But now you do?” he asked softly, foolishly pleased with her. “Know me, that is?”

Her cheeks burned bright red. “Well, now I know you better.”

Fair enough. Sabin dangled the bag of chips from pinched fingers. “Tell me who you didn’t want to see you, what you didn’t want them to see.”

“My sisters. I didn’t want them to see me sleeping.”

So that had been the reason. “Wait. Tell me how you rested with your chicken, and then you’ll get these.”

“Sabin. Chips!”

“You haven’t answered to my satisfaction.”

“I never rested with a chick—Oh, you mean Tyson. For a long time, I didn’t. Didn’t rest, I mean. Does that count? Did I earn the chips?” She reached out, fingers waving eagerly.

He held firm. “How long were you with him?”

“Six months.”

Six. Months. He gritted his teeth, not liking the thought of her with anyone that long. “You remained awake for all that time?”

“No. At first, I let him think I had insomnia. I’d stay up all night. But when the fatigue would get to be too much, I would call in sick at work and sleep in the trees. That’s the only location we’re supposed to sleep, since it’s nearly impossible to be seen or reached. But as the months passed, I thought, why not rest with this man I trusted? So I started sleeping in bed with him. And before you ask, not sleeping around other people wasn’t a command or curse of the gods, but a safety measure every Harpy is taught from birth.”

He didn’t recall her sisters leaving at night to head for the forest, but as silently as they moved, they certainly could have. “Why?”

She pushed out a frustrated breath. “Our wings can be bound while we sleep, as proven by my time in captivity. Now give. Me. The. Chips.”

He tossed the bag.

Plastic ripped and orange-stained chips sprayed. Gwen popped one in her mouth, closed her eyes and moaned. Sabin had to swallow a moan of his own.

“Do you want to earn the apple?”

The tip of her tongue emerged, swiping over her lips. “Yes. Please.”

“Tell me your thoughts about me. About what we did in the forest. And don’t lie. I’m only paying for the truth.”

She hesitated.

Why didn’t she want him to know? What didn’t she want him to know? A minute ticked by in silence, and he feared she would simply content herself with the food she already had. Then she surprised him.

“I like you. More than I should. I’m attracted to you and want to be with you. When I’m not with you, I’m thinking about you. It’s stupid. I’m stupid. But I love the way I feel when I’m with you. When your demon’s quiet, I don’t feel ashamed or forgettable or scared. I feel worthy, desired and protected.”

Sabin tossed the apple at her and she caught it, her gaze avoiding him. “I feel the same about you,” he admitted gruffly.

“You do?” Her eyes snapped to him, bright with hope.

“I do.”

Slowly she grinned, but that grin soon fell away and her shoulders slumped. She bit into the apple, chewed, swallowed.