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“I keep it under my pillow. In Mama’s room. The one farthest from the kitchen.”

“When I grab it for you, you need to keep it on you. Do you remember what I said to do with it?”

She frowns. “Why? I won’t need it again when I’m with you.”

“Tell me how to use it, Diana.”

She blows out a breath. “If anyone ever tries to hurt me, I stick it in their flesh and twist. I remember, Remy; I won’t ever forget.”

A wave of heat washes over me. I lean in, teasing her nipple between my fingers. Softly at first before I twist, and she yelps. “And I mean anyone, Diana,” I say darkly.

She flinches, recoiling slightly. “I know you won’t hurt me.”

I drag a hand across my chin, fighting the urge to turn and smash my fist into the wall above her head. I understand why Tommy gets so worked up with her. She’s so damn innocent with those bright eyes.

I dip my head and kiss her hard, her lips meeting mine with desperate need.

My voice turns sharp and cutting as I cut off the kiss. “Don’t trust anyone in this house, little lamb,” I warn her. “Especially not me.”

REMINGTON

“This place gives me the creeps, man,” Bax says, waving his flashlight as the three of us pile out of the Shaggin’ Waggin’ and look around the empty, dark and soulless property that is the Sheffield farmhouse.

I dragged Bax and Tommy with me to get a few of Didi’s things. It didn’t take much coaxing from Tommy, and Bax needed to sober the fuck up, so I dragged him along, too. The three of us needed some bonding time, and Talia left the house hours ago—probably headed to campus to work. And Didi needed to rest.

Tommy stumbles out of the van last, holding his flashlight, wearing a dark sweater and jeans to match my own. The two of us make eye contact as we take in our surroundings, and the memories of the last time we were here come rushing back.

The shock of dead bodies, blood, and carnage. Seeing Father Malcolm and what we thought was Didi’s body, and the heavy emotions that followed us during the weeks after—solidifying we were, in fact, the monsters that plagued this town for centuries. Even though I’ve known for years.

Bax points his light to the field as we walk up the side of the house to check out the property before we head inside. He jolts and cries out as the light runs across a tall shadow shining in the moonlight.

“What the hell?” Bax shouts, dropping his flashlight. I snap my head toward him while Tommy wanders off.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him.

Bax points at the inky horizon. “There’s a dude over there in the grass, man.”

I glance toward the tall grass and see the outline of the straw man I placed there months ago to scare Didi off.

I chuckle. “Dude, it’s a scarecrow. I put that thing out to scare Didi when she first came here.” Not that it did anything to get her to leave town; in fact, I’m pretty sure she liked the damn thing. She could have chopped it down, but she didn’t. Even after everything, the straw man is still standing.

Bax shakes his head. “No, it’s staring at me, man. I think someone’s out there, watching us.” He whips the flashlight around. “Isn’t this where that pack of hillbillies live?”

The sudden sensation that someone is watching from beyond the darkness tickles the short hairs at the nape of my neck. My senses sharpen as I look around for any sign of Clyde and Billie.

Wind. Grass. Muggy air. No grass people anywhere.

“Dude, you’re tripping. It’s just a scarecrow.”

He gives me a skeptical look, so I head over, hacking at the tall grass with my knife to prove my point, passing the dried-up well as I go. I shudder, knowing a rotting corpse lies just below—her soul likely trapped there. I grab the creepy thing and shake it.

“See,” I call out to him. “He’s made of straw, Bax. You’re going to be okay.”

He stands in the distance, the house behind him, with his lanky arms hanging by his sides.

I head back to him, and he crosses his arms, looking unimpressed. I slap him on the back. “Look, if you’re scared, then stay in the van. Tommy and I are going to grab Didi’s stuff and get the hell out of here. This place gives me the creeps, too.”

He nods manically. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll keep a lookout, man. Don’t be too long.”