Envy's Kindness (Seven Deadly Sins Book 2)

by R. A. Pollard

  “Quit that.” His silver eyes flashed with irritation and Asmodeus flipped him off.

  “Not like I’m doing it on purpose. Keep your panties on, sweetheart. I need to feed is all.”

  Sera frowned. Was that disgust in his voice?

  He shoved himself to his feet and turned to Abbadon. “Any luck finding Belor?”

  Abbadon shook his head, almost crushing the phone in his hand. “It’s been what? Eighteen hours since he left to ‘get help.’ I’m going to kick his ass when he shows up.” He swore and grabbed his jacket from the couch, following Asmodeus to the front door. He paused, looking back at them before tensing his shoulders and exiting the apartment. Sera felt the trickling sensation of jealousy from him. The Sin of Lust jealous? It was evident the demon was miserable. She knew what that emotion looked like.

  The two hellhounds had remained silent the whole time. Only when the room began to empty did the form of the largest begin to shift into black mist and smoke. The hound vanished into ethereal vapor, replaced by the image of a large man with glowing steel eyes undulating within the mist. Sera didn’t even blink. This kind of thing no longer registered on her freaky-new-and-odd-life-changing-events list.

  “We have only been able to find the scents of the children as far as school and playgrounds. However the Malakhim moved them, it left no trace for us to find. We are going to begin a street-by-street search. Unless Michael has the children behind some kind of barrier, we should be able to pick up something. If your theory that he is using someone in town as a pawn proves true, then we should find traces of the children in or around that person.”

  Lucifer hung up his call and nodded to the hellhound. “Good, Ben. Take Rus and see what you can find tonight. We will have to separate, join the search teams. As much as I don’t like that idea, it will help us blend in more. I have called Mammon and Isabelle. They will be arriving this evening to help. If anyone can find four scared children, it will be our Empath.”

  “Isabelle is coming?” Sera turned her eyes to the leader of the Sins, and he nodded with a small smile.

  “She is eager to meet you as well. Mammon has been trying to keep her busy tending Hades, while he continues to look for Tanus. Isabelle is a wild one. He can’t keep her distracted for long. I figured the best place for her would be here with one of her sister Seers.”

  “Lucifer! Thank you!” She might well have launched herself across the room at the speed with which she hugged him. She did notice, however, that he barely responded. His body went tight as a drum as if he didn’t know how to react to being hugged, let alone by a woman. She gave him a sheepish smile. The expression on his face was actually quite funny, like a lost little boy who just got kissed by a girl for the first time. Honest to God, he appeared terrified. He backed up, rubbing the back of his neck—and was that a blush peppering his pale cheeks?

  “Sorry. It’s becoming a habit. I never used to hug either. I was terrified of being touched, too. Surprising how quickly you get used to it, you know. Then one day you wonder—how did I ever live without it?” She caught a glimpse of Ze’s astonished appearance. God, why was he acting like she’d just committed some kind of atrocity? He was one to talk!

  She was more wrapped up in the fact she was finally going to meet the woman who had started all this! The woman who’d reached out to her and promised they would come and had given her the hope that had become so much more than she ever believed. Lucifer was just going to have to get over being hugged and put his big boy pants on.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Gabriel slid into the antechamber, keeping to the back of the room. Michael paced back and forth at the front of the room, his hands tucked behind his back, under his wings. He seemed on edge, more so than usual. Gabriel sidled closer to Uriel. The young angel kept to the corner, away from the angry gaze of their leader.

  “Where are we on gathering the necessary tools for the ritual?” Michael’s voice sounded through the room, making Uriel wince. Gabriel moved to stand before the young Malakhim, semi-shielding him from sight.

  “We have the dagger. Zadkiel is going to cleanse the blade, ensure its purity. Chamuel will soon have all the herbs gathered for the altar. As for Gabriel, well he…”

  “Is right here, thank you, Raphael.” Gabriel was going to have to watch his ambitious brother. He was slowly usurping his place as the most trusted in the Malakhim, mainly because he was as crazy as Michael. Michael turned his cold copper eyes to his second-in-command, pausing in his pacing for a second before nodding.

  “And what are our little Seer bitch and her demon lover up to this evening?” Michael kept his steady gaze on him, and for once Gabriel felt uneasy having those copper eyes on him. Michael rubbed the bridge of his nose and sucked in a deep breath. Gabriel frowned, disconcerted as Michael swayed on his feet. It passed quickly.

  “Tell me, brother, does she fear for her life? Have they discovered my revenge will be harsh and swift?” There was way too much joy in his voice. It chilled the very air.

  “They know about the children. Although they have no idea where they are located. You did a good job hiding them, brother. The town is in a panic, and the Seer feels their pain. All eyes turn to her as the cause of their sorrow.” Okay, that was a lie, but it was painfully clear to him now that Michael was out of his mind.

  “Good, very good. Humans are so fucking pathetic, so easy to manipulate into doing my bidding. All I needed to do was show up glowing, wings outstretched, and that human vermin fell before me, my willing slave. Even killing children will not be abhorrent to this one, not when the Archangel Michael selected her to save their precious little souls.” He put his hands together in mock prayer and grinned.

  The demons had been right in their assumption. Michael had influenced someone in town to do his dirty work for him. How was he supposed to get the location of the kids without raising the suspicion of Raphael, or worse—Michael? The others he didn’t worry about. Uriel would not say a word. Chamuel and Zadkiel were on the fence over the whole plan. He didn’t think they would fully side with him but doubted they would go out of their way to stop him from saving those children. Raphael, however, was another matter entirely. Hatred emanated from that angel. He had always been jealous of the position Gabriel held under Michael’s command and would do anything to wrest it from him.

  “Can we be sure the human will not get a surge of conscience?” Gabriel desperately hoped he could be the voice of reason. Raphael trembled with rage as Gabriel stared him down. Eventually, the lower angel dropped his gaze.

  Michael shrugged and then burst into laughter. “Oh, brother, you do watch out for me! I appreciate your concern, but that human female would let me fuck her if it got her into heaven. Not that I would lower myself to touch one such as her. She believes with every fiber of her being that these children will become pure angels. She sees the demons now for what they are. I helped out with that a little bit.” Michael tapped his forehead, his smile cold. Revolted, Gabriel fought the urge to take a step backward.

  Gabriel swallowed hard. It was against the rules to give the power of Other Sight to a mortal. The power tended to fracture their minds with horrors they were unable to comprehend and ill-equipped to handle. What was worse, this female was clearly already close to madness. Now with the world of Others open around her, she would break, and break hard. It just remained to be seen how many people she took with her when she exploded. How could Michael do such a thing? That poor woman, her mind would forever be shattered.

  “I will return to that sleepy little town tonight. So many ripe minds, so many true believers. So damned easy to manipulate, it‘s almost tragic. I will have the town hunting down the demons before the moon rises. And they will do it with adoring smiles on their faces, pledging their very souls to my cause.”

  Gabriel kept silent as Raphael and Michael discussed how they could best help to influence the humans. He felt a cool hand encircle his wrist and looked into the haunted eyes of Uriel. He no
dded, and they left the chamber. Gabriel could see the bare patches where Uriel’s feathers had not yet regrown. He honestly didn’t know if the angel would ever fly again. Michael’s rage had been too hot the day he ripped the feathers from Uriel’s wings for his failure to keep the Seer Isabelle trapped.

  Uriel opened his mouth, then closed it again. His voice was gone. Either he couldn’t or wouldn’t speak. Gabriel didn’t know which it was, but silence was his youngest brother’s constant companion since his punishment.

  “You knew where I was?” Gabriel kept his voice low, and the young angel nodded, his almost black eyes scanning the hallway. “I’m starting to think this whole plan is cursed. I fear I no longer believe it’s the correct course for the future.”

  Uriel opened his palms and shrugged, a frown bracketing his once-bright eyes.

  “I don’t know what we can do either, brother. But I can’t sit by and let this continue. However, I do know that the person Michael is using is female. That’s a start.”

  Uriel lifted his finger to his lips and dropped his gaze quickly as Raphael strode toward them. Gabriel stood protectively before Uriel.

  “Brothers! We must rejoice in Michael’s mastery of the mortals. Who else would have used them in such a way?” Raphael might be acting like he was happy, but Gabriel could see the pain that still lingered in his eyes. Raphael’s hatred for the Seer, Isabelle, and what she’d done to him, was written all over his face. It was palpable. He hated to think what would happen if Raphael ever got ahold of her.

  Ever since the night she’d ripped into his mind like it was tissue paper, he had been ‘off,’ unable to deal with the emotional pain she’d inflicted upon him. He now took his pain out on others. Unfortunately, the humans tended to be the ones in the firing line.

  “Agreed. He truly understands their minds better than any of us.” Gabriel kept his eyes on the dark-haired angel. How could he have been blinded to the madness seeping into those he considered family?

  “So, you were watching the Seer? Did you do anything else? You were gone for a long time. Look, I know Michael’s disgust for human flesh. I will admit one or two of them have sated my appetite in the past as well.” He was fishing for information. Anything he could use to unseat Gabriel as Michael’s second.

  “No, I have no desire for mortals or other supernaturals. You should keep your extracurricular activities to yourself, Raph. If Michael finds out, he will not be impressed.”

  “My name is Raphael, not Raph! And If I want to fuck a human, I will. If I want to gut a human, I will. They are beasts, nothing more. They exist for our killing pleasure or whatever other use I find for them, that’s it. Besides, as long as you kill the vermin afterward, it doesn’t really count, now does it?”

  Is that how he justified it? At that moment, he saw what Sera had seen when she looked at him in that church. A being who enjoyed toying with humans, with no consideration for their wellbeing. Someone who considered himself above them. Someone playing god. It turned his stomach.

  “Clearly you have a lot of experience in this matter. I will bow to your superior knowledge on fucking humans and killing them.”

  Raphael hissed, fire sparking in his icy eyes. Gabriel could feel his breath on his cheek.

  “You won’t always be the favorite, Gabe. One day Michael will see me for the loyal soldier I am, and I will be rewarded. You’ll slip up, and I will be there to make sure you fall hard and fast. I will crush you.” Raphael’s loathing was easy to see.

  “That sounds like envy talking, Raphael, or would that be greed? Definitely some wrath and pride.” Raphael scowled, spitting at Gabriel’s feet, then stormed off.

  Wide-eyed, Uriel let out a small sound. Gabriel laid his hand on his brother’s black hair, and he visibly relaxed. Maybe he should find a way to get Uriel away from Michael. It might help him heal mentally from his torture.

  “Don’t worry, Uriel. He’s all bluster and words. Come on, we shouldn’t linger here. I fear a sickness plagues this place.”

  Gabriel made up his mind in that moment. He would not leave his daughter unprotected, not anymore. If Michael found her, discovered that she was a half-human abomination they called Nephilim, he would use her against him. He needed to keep her safe. Unfortunately, the only people who could do it were the same people he was supposed to be fighting against. The Fates certainly had a sick sense of humor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Sera let the hot water pound against her tired body, an audible groan of appreciation leaving her throat. It felt like days since she’d been able to shower and feel clean. The heat sank into her skin, easing the tired muscles of her neck and back. Today had been a trial not just for her, but for all of them. Frustration was beginning to get the best of the demons. Despite the hounds searching until exhaustion forced them to rest, no one had found a trace of the missing children. Hope had started to wane as the darkness fell. By ten o’clock the search had been called off, as it was too dark now to keep looking. The town would resume searching again at first light. The Sins reluctantly admitted they needed Gabriel to come up with something or there would be four new angelic weapons within the next few days.

  She filled her wet hands with the motel’s free shampoo and began to lather her hair. She didn’t know how Ze had managed to procure a motel room and she really didn’t care—she just hoped he buried the body really well. Right now she had hot water, a real bed, and no one else around to disturb them. Ze had relegated his brothers to the RV on her property, and he was being a true gentleman, letting her shower before him. Yet she was finding it hard to concentrate on the shower when she knew he was only behind that flimsy door. She felt a stab of guilt. There were four missing children being held somewhere by Michael. Yet all she could think about was Ze and what his skin would taste like under her tongue.

  Her mind kept playing fantasies of him coming into the bathroom, then joining her in the shower. Her throat went dry at the idea of his hands trailing over her slick body. Damn, just thinking about him touching her made her knees go weak and her heart race. Her body ached, reminding her of the orgasms he had wrought from her just that morning. He hadn’t touched himself or forced her to touch him at all during his focused exploration of her body. He must be in pain. No wonder he had been willing to kill poor Peter Walsh just for looking at her that morning at the church.

  The idea he was possessive sent a curl of heat spreading through her, making her tummy erupt in butterflies. He was a damned biker sex god—her biker sex god. He made her crave things she’d only read about in romance books, and he wanted her. She had never felt so beautiful and powerful before. He didn’t seem to find the reclusive woman she’d become a turn-off at all, not if his permanent hard-on was anything to go by.

  Tilting her head back in the stream of water, Sera let it wash away two days of dirt and grime. Closing her eyes, she allowed her mind to roam, thinking about Ze naked, hard for her. It made her body wet in places the shower wasn’t responsible for. With a soft sigh, she ran her hands over her breasts, her nipples peaking as she brushed over them, sending soft pulses of pleasure down into her womb. The damned man had turned her into a ravenous wanton, craving his touch like some kind of drug—one she could happily lose herself in.

  Biting down on her bottom lip, Sera trailed her hands down over her tummy and toward the juncture between her thighs. She slid one finger down between the soft, tight curls, a smile pulling at her lips. She rubbed the pad of her finger round and round in small circles against her clit, small shocks rushing up through her body, bringing a soft moan to her lips.

  For one insane second she believed he was in the room, his thick, hot scent enveloping her, his teeth biting down against the column of her throat. Rolling her hips toward her probing fingers, the imagined growl got louder. She opened her eyes and looked toward the door. She hadn’t even heard it open. Ze stood there, his misty form visible through the shower door. His bare chest heaved hard and fast, hands clenching into fists.
He looked upon her like a man dying and she was the only antidote. The thrill of power that rushed through her brought a moan from her lips, and she moved her hand again, spearing her fingers harder against her clit, making her knees shake.

  His silver eyes were locked on her like some ravenous beast. He watched her fingers slipping down and vanishing between her wet lips. His chest heaved. Thankfully, he had left his shirt off so watching the full play of muscles over his chest and the tightening of his hands into fists just spurred her on. A moan of pleasure left her lips, almost lost to the pounding water. She must have snapped the leash holding him back as a ripple of silver rushed over his skin, then his hands were on the button to his jeans. He strode toward her, stepping from the jeans and taking his steel length into his hand, drawing down along the shaft.

  Sera watched every movement of his body, how his muscles rippled under his skin. He was like some great cat hunting his prey, and she was on the menu. That idea sent a thrill rushing through her, intensifying as she watched him grip his cock and stroke, long and slow along the length. The few pictures she’d seen of naked men did not do him justice. She wasn’t a freaking nun, and she’d seen photos of men with erections, but nothing came close to his pure masculine power. The swollen, dusky head of his shaft already glistened with his arousal. She licked her lips, longing to taste him, make him go weak at the knees, just the way he’d done to her.

  “Get in here, demon. Your willing sacrifice is awaiting her fate.”

  His low growl rumbled the glass of the shower door. With the pure grace of contained power, he stepped into the shower, crowding her against the cool tile, his vast body taking up the space. Bolstered by her little show for him, Sera reached out and ran her hands over his sculpted chest and down his stomach, making the muscles twitch under her fingertips. The demon hissed as she grazed his skin with her nails. She turned her gaze to his face and gave a small gasp. The pupils in his eyes had become slitted, reminding her of a snake, but the blazing silver remained. It swirled and undulated, almost hypnotic in its dance.