Gluttony

by Katie May

with a harsh snort.

  “You fucking dumbass.” He snorted again, the noise turning into a harsh

  bark of laughter. “Asshole, the girl is crazy about you. She just doesn’t know

  how to admit it. You have a stick so far up your ass it could be considered a

  colonoscopy. You’re seriously an idiot sometimes.”

  Bash appeared shocked, stricken almost, as he gaped at the golden-haired

  Mermaid.

  “He’s right,” Killian whispered quietly, and Bash’s head whipped in his

  direction. “Z loves us all. I can feel it.” He closed his fist and placed it over

  his heart. “I feel it here.”

  Love for this incredible woman suffused me. Love for her jagged edges

  that somehow fit perfectly against my own. Love for her tainted light that

  somehow made my own shine brilliantly. Love for her darkness that made

  her a warrior, a survivor. She’d faced unspeakable horrors in her life yet still

  managed to emerge strong and compassionate.

  Overcome by the strength of my emotions, I pressed a kiss to her clammy

  forehead.

  “Wake up, baby. Please, wake up.”

  “The Kings,” Jax murmured, and I whipped my head in his direction.

  “Killian, help put him to bed,” Lupe said dismissively, but before the

  Incubus could take a step, Jax began speaking again.

  “The Kings,” he repeated. “They were there.”

  We all turned to stare at him.

  “What?” I asked, my eyes hurling daggers. He couldn’t possibly mean…

  “They were there. With Aaliyah. They were there.” He began to tap a

  staccato against his leg, already lost in his own mind.

  “What the hell were the Kings doing with that...that monster?” Lupe

  roared, pacing. I spotted fur on both his arms and neck. It wouldn’t be too

  long before he lost control completely.

  “The Vampire King…” Dair mused, eyes wide. “He mentioned

  something strange when I was with Atta. He said something about…

  something about living forever. A deal with the devil.”

  I exchanged another look with all of my brothers.

  “You don’t think the Kings made a deal with Aaliyah in exchange for

  immortality?” I whispered, shock sizzling through my veins.

  Bash turned to focus back on Z, stroking her cheek. “If that’s the case,

  then we’re fucked.”

  “No,” I said adamantly, shaking my head. “No. We’re alive. All of us.” I

  pierced each of my brothers with an eloquent look. “All. Of. Us. I don’t know

  what Z is, and I don’t care. She brought my brother back, and that’s all that

  matters. We will save her, no matter what it takes.” The tension in the room

  lessened infinitesimally as if my brothers could hear the promise in my

  words. The vow. “We have two days. Two days to find a cure before she’s

  scheduled to arrive back at the Capital. Two days. We’ll get her a cure, or

  we’ll die trying. Whatever it takes.”

  “Whatever it takes,” they echoed.

  I gripped Z’s cold hand tightly.

  Hang in there, Z. We’re going to save you.

  Then, we’ll kill the Kings.

  EPILOGUE

  T

  I stared intently at the glass vial Hans had given me. What I had

  traded in exchange for it...

  Fuck, this better work.

  When I closed my eyes, I could see Z’s face staring back at me, her

  animosity saturating the air. If she knew the truth about what I did, that I

  betrayed her to that Vampire who ran the Carnival, she would never forgive

  me.

  Shaking my head vehemently, I focused back on the vial. A purple mist

  swirled inside, darker shades of indigo woven throughout.

  A soul.

  His soul.

  She would come to understand the reasoning behind my decision. I knew

  that her mates would do whatever it took to get her out of there. Losing her

  trust was a small price to pay for what I’d gained. She’d forgive me. She had

  to.

  Or, she’ll hate you forever.

  I hit the brakes on that thought so fast that skid marks appeared on the

  asphalt and the air was perfumed by the smell of burning rubber.

  Taking a fortifying breath, I dropped the vial on to the floor. Immediately,

  the purple mist rose until it was approximately my height. It solidified before

  my very eyes, taking the form of a broad-shouldered, brown-haired man.

  Tears flooded my eyes as I dropped to my knees, gazing at the man as if

  he was a mirage that would disappear at a moment’s notice.

  “Brother,” I choked out as emotions assaulted me.

  S stared at his hands as if he didn’t recognize them. Wonderment, shock,

  and confusion flitted across his face.

  “T?” he whispered brokenly. He took a step forward, wobbling slightly as

  if he had forgotten how to use his legs.

  “It’s me, brother. It’s me.” I wrapped him in a tight hug, sobbing into his

  shoulder. He was here. He was alive. He was with me.

  His next words were a metaphorical bucket of ice water being dropped

  over my head. “Where’s Z?”

  Fuck.

  BLINDLY INDICTED

  A prison stand-alone reverse harem

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  As always, I would like to thank my family first and foremost. I don’t

  know where I would be without your love and support.

  Thank you to my incredible readers for sticking with me! I know you

  guys have been eagerly awaiting this book, and I pray it doesn’t disappoint. I

  put my heart and soul into Gluttony! I thank each and every one of you for

  reading.

  I would also like to thank my kickass team for helping me make this book

  the best it can possibly be. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You

  guys are amazing.

  Finally, I would like to thank all of my author friends who stuck with me

  whenever I dealt with imposter syndrome or writer’s block. You guys are

  seriously incredible, and I thank the stars for you.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Katie May is an international bestselling author. She writes everything from reverse harem to

  fantasy to contemporary to horror. She lives in West Michigan with her family. When not writing, you

  can find her curled up with a good book and her cats. Yes, she’s a crazy cat lady. No, she doesn’t have

  any shame. Feel free to message her on Facebook at anytime! Or you can email her here:

  Katiemayauthorkm@gmail.com

  She’s pretty weird, be warned.

  Join her Facebook Group Katie’s Gang - a Katie May Reader’s Group for updates on all her upcoming releases. She posts daily teasers, POVs, and release dates.

  ALSO BY KATIE MAY

  Together We Fall Series (Dystopian Reverse Harem, Completed):

  1. The Darkness We Crave

  2. The Light We Seek

  3. The Storm We Face

  4. The Monsters We Hunt

  Beyond the Shadows (Horror Reverse Harem, Completed):

  1. Gangs and Ghosts

  2. Guns and Graveyards

  3. Gallows and Ghouls

  The Damning (Fantasy Paranormal Reverse Harem):

  1. Greed

  2. Envy

  3. Gluttony

  4. Sloth (Coming Soon)

  Prodigium Academy (Horror Comedy Reverse Harem):

  1. Monsters

  2. Roaring (Coming June,
2020)

  Tory’s School for the Troubled (Horror Bully Reverse Harem):

  1. Between

  2. TBA

  Afterworld Academy with Loxley Savage (Academy Reverse Harem):

  1. Dearly Departed

  2. TBA (Coming Summer, 2020)

  Her Immortal Legacy with Elena Lawson (Time Travel Reverse Harem):

  1. Chasing Time

  2. Finding Time (Coming Summer, 2020)

  Stand-alones:

  Blindly Indicted (Paranormal Prison Reverse Harem)

  Toxicity (Contemporary Reverse Harem)

  Not All Heroes Wear Capes (Just Dresses) (Superhero Reverse Harem)

  Read on for the first chapters of Blindly Indicted and Monsters!

  BLINDLY INDICTED

  Nina

  I push aside another swaying branch, my bare feet pounding against the

  forest floor. Grit, pebbles, and other unsavory substances have embedded

  themselves in my skin, but I barely notice the pain.

  Faster.

  Faster.

  Faster.

  I need to move faster.

  My dress catches on a branch, the fabric ripping, and I let out a startled

  cry as something sharp cuts my skin. I feel a sticky liquid slide down my

  stomach—blood.

  Run straight until you reach the tree cut in two. Then, turn left. Run until

  you see the road. At the road, make sure you go right. Do not stop. Do not

  look behind you. Do not allow yourself to be seen.

  The instructions reverberate in my head as I pick up my pace. My lungs

  struggle to replenish their oxygen supply, and my heart is hammering in my

  chest.

  Faster.

  Faster.

  Faster.

  I extend my senses towards the nearest animal, and immediately implant

  myself in the mind of a squirrel. It’s running through the underbrush, its eyes

  fixated on the human beside him.

  Me.

  Through its eyes, I’m able to see my tangled black hair, blood-stained

  white dress, and dirty face. The moonlight illuminates my haggard

  appearance.

  The squirrel, startled by my approach, attempts to scurry off in the

  opposite direction. It’s at that moment, before it climbs up a nearby tree, that

  I see it.

  In the distance, silhouetted in the inky gray darkness, I spot a strange tree

  cleaved in two. Without a moment of hesitation, I pull myself out of the

  squirrel’s mind and veer to the left.

  Faster.

  Faster.

  Faster.

  In some distant cavity of my mind, I become aware of dogs howling and

  motors revving. However, it’s all background noise, overshadowed by the

  breath rushing in and out of my lungs. My legs ache from the physical

  exertion, and I find myself stopping, one hand bracing against a tree trunk to

  hold myself up.

  No stopping.

  With a cry, I force myself to run even faster. Everything hurts. Branches

  whip at my face, drawing blood, and more than once I trip over a tree stub.

  Usually, I’m more apt at using my other senses, but not today. Not when

  my life and freedom are quite literally on the line.

  I can’t go back there again.

  I don’t know how long I run. Minutes? Hours? Time sludges by slowly.

  In a demented way, I’m used to it. My life as a prisoner and punching bag has

  assured me that time doesn’t exist. It’s just an abstract concept.

  I run until my bare feet touch something hard and grainy.

  Asphalt.

  Make sure you go right.

  I run.

  My chest tightens to unbearable levels, and the pain in my stomach

  intensifies. I’m weak—starved, really—and haven’t done more than walk

  from my cell to the torture room in months.

  Why did I think I could do this?

  Still, I can taste freedom on my tongue. I can hear the crickets in the

  distance. I can feel the wind against my face.

  It’s within my grasp…

  My legs give out from underneath me, and I collapse on the ground. I

  only have a second to pray, a second to plead, before unconsciousness

  overtakes me.

  His grip on my hair is punishingly tight as he drags me down the long,

  barren hallway. I’m in his mind yet again—a power I discovered many years

  ago. Gray stone walls surround me on every side, and the distinct smell of

  copper and urine permeates the air.

  “I’m sorry,” I cry, attempting to dig my feet into the floor. That small act

  of disobedience proves to be futile as his grip only tightens. Pain erupts on

  my scalp as I’m dragged kicking and screaming into a familiar bright room.

  This room has been the star of numerous nightmares.

  Floor to ceiling windows create the walls allowing copious light through.

  It’s the only room in the facility that allows natural sunlight to penetrate the

  monotony of darkness. The rest of the rooms are bathed in artificial

  fluorescent lights, or, in the case of my cell, a single hanging bulb.

  I remember the first time I’d been dragged into this particular room. I’d

  been three, maybe four, and more confused than scared. Where was I, and

  where was my momma? But those thoughts quickly dissipated as the pain

  consumed me.

  Now, the pain is something I am used to.

  He pushes me down onto a cold slab of cement raised in the center of the

  room. It resembles a macabre altar used for sacrificial rituals. At least, that’s

  what Kai always told me.

  Kai…

  His absence in my life is a physical pain, a gaping hole that is growing to

  a chasm. He has been the one constant in my life for years, and every day

  he’s not here is the slash of a whip against my back.

  Kai, I need you.

  I wrench myself out of the bad man’s head as iron chains clamp down on

  both of my wrists and ankles. The last thing I want to see is my own torture.

  “What should we use today, Little Monster?” he teases, and I don’t need

  vision to know his lips are curled into a sinister sneer.

  I don’t whimper, don’t cry. My eyes stare sightlessly at the ceiling as he

  glides across the room, to the wall hosting a variety of weapons. Everything

  from machetes, to knives, to grenades.

  There’s only one rule the psychopaths have to follow: don’t kill me.

  I hear the sound of a blade being unsheathed, but I remain oblivious to

  what weapon he selected. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

  I brace myself for the pain—the never ending agony.

  It’s just another day in the dissonant chaos of my life.

  I wake up to beeping.

  My head is foggy, as if I’d been drugged, and my body aches something

  fierce. I attempt to bring my hand to the back of my head…

  Only to realize it’s restrained.

  I tug, the cold metal biting into my wrist.

  They found me.

  Terror thrums through me—a physical bolt of lightning to my senses. The

  incessant beeping becomes louder until it drowns out everything but the

  pounding of my heart.

  “You need to calm down. You’re safe,” a calm voice tells me, and I flinch

  at the hands touching my shoulders. It’s entirely instinctive. Flinching has

  been ingrained in my very anatomy since I could first walk. Every touch has

  a second agend
a.

  Taking a deep breath, meant to calm my racing heart and mind, I push

  myself into the woman’s head.

  She’s staring down at me.

  I look like a mess. I must’ve been washed off, for the dirt and blood are

  nowhere to be seen. The white, gauzy dress has been replaced by something

  much less comfortable. Paper, maybe? A paper dress?

  A black screen is adjacent to the bed, a line steadily creating waves. I try

  to recall the name of the strange contraption. I know Kai told me…

  A heart monitor!

  I mentally grin at my own epiphany.

  I appear to be lying on a small cot, a scratchy white blanket pulled over

  my lower half. Both my wrists are secured to the bed by silver handcuffs.

  Any comfort I previously felt diminished at the sight of those things. How

  many times have I been strapped to a table just like this?

  The woman seems kind, compassionate, but what darkness is lurking just

  beneath the surface?

  Everyone has a darkness. Some wear it like a badge of honor while others

  hide it away. Which one is she?

  “Where am I?” I whimper. It’s the strangest sensation to see my lips

  move but not be consciously in my body. It’s a gift I’ve always had, and one

  I can’t explain.

  I don’t know how or when I lost my vision. It could’ve been from birth,

  or it could’ve been a product of the constant torture. Either way, darkness is

  all I have ever known. When I was younger, and I found myself randomly

  popping into people’s minds, I thought I was insane. Normal people can’t do

  what I can. From what little I gathered, the person can’t sense my presence in

  their mind. I can last as long as my concentration holds—the longest has been

  a few hours and the shortest was a couple seconds.

  Kai was the one who told me to be quiet, to keep my power a secret.

  But when Kai left…

  I had nothing to live for, nothing I cared about. Like a volcano erupting, I

  confessed everything during one particularly painful session. I told them that

  while my eyes couldn’t see, my mind was more than capable.

  I thought it would help me, would save me, would provide me a relief

  from the persistent pain.

  I was wrong.

  Heart hammering, I pull out of the nurse’s head and inventory my body.

  My eyelids feel heavy and crusty as if I had partaken in a long cry. Both of