Envy (Dark Waters Book 1)

Chapter Eight:

There were two sins the Deadly rarely saw. The two were thoroughly engrossed in their sins, excitedly taking pleasure in the torment they inflicted on mortals' lives. They were also the two a Sin never wanted to see for their own fuck ups.

My entire time within the Deadly, and even my years after, I'd only seen the duo a handful of times. Important meetings, a single 'social' gathering. But never like this. They never addressed me by name, while the darkness focused on my failures.

Gluttony did always have your best interest at heart.

Wrath, with her short brown hair, eyed me with her chin lifted. Her hands were uncurled, and long black nails picked up the moonlight. They shined like a weapon. Gulping, I wondered if it could rip meat from the bone in one swipe.

"Envy," she licked her lip as her eyes glowed, "I heard you wanted to come back."

News traveled fast, didn't it? And she didn't seem... wrathful. The first time I'd met her, she threw Sloth against the wall because he took too long to leave the room. I didn't feel the hostility in her gaze. I felt nothing.

Lust trailed his tongue along the side of her neck. "Do we need to do this?" he whispered. When she shot him a side-eye, he chuckled and nipped her ear. "He's just a lost puppy."

"Lust," Wrath hissed.

"I wanted to fuck." His hand lifted to her neck, and his fingers closed around it. Wrath reacted, sighed, and closed her eyes.

Sins reacting to sins was always a mystery, wasn't it?

"I need you to run." Gluttony turned his head, glancing at me. "They're distracted. You run. And I'll answer your fucking questions."

Where would I go? I'd been so out of touch with the Seven, my abilities were limited. And speed wasn't something I had at the moment.

I also couldn't move. Gluttony was still in the way.

"Glutt," I grounded myself and looked up at the two Sins locking eyes with each other, "I can't just leave."

Gluttony straightened, rolling his shoulders back. "They're going to kill you."

"I can't leave you." I was angry, but leaving him with Wrath and Lust was out of the question. They only behaved with Pride close by. And if they were here for me, it meant Pride had been the one to send them.

No one went against his words. Just like he never went against Him.

"Are you ever going to listen to me?" Gluttony's voice deepened as he looked at me. We held each other's gaze. This was familiar. Gluttony hovered over me ever since I entered the Deadly Seven. And never, ever, had I listened to him. I was young when He came and scooped me from my deathbed. I grew up as a man with childlike tendencies; paired with Envy, I was a nuisance. I knew it and always acknowledged it.

But she helped you find yourself, didn't she? She dug into your soul and showed you the man you can become.

"Not today," I whispered, looking back at Wrath and Lust. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Yeah, if we live." Gluttony chuckled in defeat. I'd take that. I needed him to understand my brash, irresponsible, disorganized decisions came with consequences I understood, even if it took me a while to realize it.

Funny how torment and death opened the eyes of a person. Mine were open. And I focused on the two who planned on ending me.

Holding my breath, I watched as Wrath turned her head to Lust. Her mouth opened, accepting the fullness of his kiss. He looked like he'd devour her, dipping her back so her hips pressed against his. The grip of his long fingers digging into her skin was visible, even with clothes; the red burn showed through her shirt.