1906

The sound of rustling wakes me before the sun has a chance to.

Sitting up, I rub my eyes, hardly aware of the blanket half draped over me, concentrating more on the knot that has gathered between my shoulders. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to sleep outside on the couch, although I doubt I would have gotten much sleep had I been sleeping opposite Cian's room.

"Good morning," I hear from behind the couch. Looking over my shoulder, I spy Cian walking around the living space, clearly looking for something. "You coming."

I haven't yet had a chance to get my bearings, so for a long moment, I just stare blankly at him.

This morning his jacket is a dark colour, as usual, to match his pants. As the morning sun glides up across the cityscape from the horizon, a euphoric glow settles across Cian's complexion, his golden roots glittering, dark eyes swallowing all of the light. I only allow myself a moment to admire his appearance as my heart flutters incessantly.

"Where are we going?" I lower my eyes to the blanket, wishing I could curl back up beneath it for some more sleep. I'm not sure I'm ready to face whatever this day is going to entail.

"To meet another one of my siblings," Cian mutters, circling the couch to face me.

I sit up, eyes widening. Not only am I still dressed in yesterday's clothes that I slept in, but I'm not ready to face yet another one of Cian's siblings. The only reason Astro put up with me is because he owes Cian. What if this other sibling of his decides he doesn't want a mortal in his presence, and just kills me on the spot?

"Another immortal, you mean?" I ask meekly.

"This one will be far more accommodating toward you," he assures me, tone softening. "That much I'm certain of."

He sits down on the other end of the couch, a frown knotted between his brows. I sit up more, the certainty in his words suggesting it isn't a good thing that this immortal will be more accommodating.

"Why that look?" I question, narrowing my eyes pointedly.

He leans back on the couch, rolling his sleeves up. Once again, I look away from him, hating the flutter in my stomach every time I notice something about him that I hadn't before. I have to remember that all pure blood's are flawlessly attractive for a reason - to make their job manipulating far easier. How I feel when I look at him is likely how everyone feels.

"He's Lust," Cian mutters drily.

"How much of your personality is actually based off...You know that?" I shift uncomfortably on the couch, preparing myself for his answer. If he truly is the epitome of greed, then I should be terrified, although I'm aware that if he admits he is, it's not going to change anything.

"Enough of it that it becomes annoying," he sighs, fiddling with the cuff of his shirt. "There is a lot we Sin's can do, however, to separate ourselves from our true nature, though."

I release a long, tired breath. I was right, this doesn't change anything, I'm not foolish, I know who Cian is and what his true nature is, and I'm still deciding to trust him. At least with him, I'm aware of who he is, to an extent, but with Stace and Noah, it seems their true natures are hidden, only emerging in the worst circumstances.

"Okay, I'll go with you," I relent after a moment's thought. "Why do you want me to go with you anyway, I doubt I'll be much help."

"You and Lev can both come," Cian claps his hands together, getting to his feet.

I eye him warily. "Why?"

"My brother is very particular about how he comes across to people, so he will be more willing to help us if I have company in asking him," Cian explains, walking over to the main window, looking out across the city, at the mountains that can be glimpsed close to the horizon.

I swallow drily, folding the blanket up. "He won't kill us?"

"It's unlikely," he shrugs.

"If anything happens to Lev...I'm done with all of this," I remind him coolly, getting to my feet also. I wish my clothing wasn't so crumpled, my hair so unkempt.

Cian turns to look at me, a shadow passing over his eyes, carrying with it an emotion I miss. There is a tension that grasps him whenever Lev's name is mentioned, suggesting he either doesn't trust him, or just flat out doesn't like my friend's presence.

He tilts his head, hands gliding into his pockets. "You really care about him, don't you?"

"He's my best friend. He doesn't deserve to be dragged into anything that can hurt him," I explain, leaning my shoulder against the window, trying not to look out and at the dizzying height we are at, the ground nestled between other tall buildings, terrifying immortals dwelling below.

"He's in love with you," Cian notes darkly. "But you already know that, don't you?"

I shift uncomfortably, lowering my gaze to the floor as I silently pray my face doesn't flush with embarrassment. "I've recently been informed, yes."

"And yet you're not dating him." It's not a question, but a statement. I tilt back and forth on my feet under the intensity of Cian's gaze. Those dark eyes are pulling me apart, exposing the deepest parts of me, daring me to admit more than I'm ready for. Is he wanting me to divulge information about my relationship with Lev out of personal amusement, or is he genuinely interested?

"I'm surprised an immortal cares about anything as trivial dating," I mutter.

"I'm just curious," he murmurs, although he doesn't look away from me, pinning with his gaze, a burning passion alighting his dark irises. "Although I would recommend waiting for your mate."

I frown, withholding my retort that his advice isn't necessary. He had a mate, and he lost her...Whatever that means for him now, I don't know, but I doubt I should be using his example as a glimpse of hope for a future mate bond.

"Lev would be just as good as any mate," I divulge. I've thought about this before, over the years. If Lev and I were to be mates, it would make me happy. We aren't mates, that much is known, but I could settle down with him and live a perfectly sound life, if I wanted to. "I've known him my entire life, and he treats me better than anyone I've ever met."

Cian takes a step toward me, swallowing up any distance that was between us. My instinct is to step back, but I hold my ground, hand pressed against the cold surface of the window. His otherworldly scent is intoxicating, his eyes tracing my face as if captivated by it.

"You couldn't be more wrong," he breathes.

"Everything alright?"

Cian doesn't move, but I flinch away from him at the sound of Lev's voice. He walks from the hallway, his clothes also dishevelled, blond hair ruffled in all sorts of directions. Cian turns his head slowly toward my friend, who is looking at us with raised brows.

"Grab Amolet's hand. We are leaving," Cian mutters, stalking towards him. Lev meets my gaze, so I nod, approaching him also.

Cian grabs Lev's shirt, while I grab his hand, tightening my fingers around his. Cian wastes no time, the world beginning to dissolve around us, the image of the beautiful city turning to dust, before blowing away into darkness.

The scent of jasmine awakens my senses before I even open my eyes. The world around me is most definitely different, as I look around, realises we are atop a mountain. Everything is covered in a thick layer of snow, my boots delving deep into it. Yet despite the ice that shrouds the place, there is no evidence of cold, my bare arms feeling nothing but a mild, jasmine scented breeze.

"Where are we?" I question, turning around in my spot, Lev doing the same. A mountainous range extends as far as my eyes can see, and atop this one, a towering estate, warm, inviting light spilling out onto the snow from the inside.

Cian let's go of Lev. "Stay here, I will locate him."

Before I have a chance to respond, he disappears. For a moment, I'm offended he left us out in the cold, telling us to wait, but even though there is snow, the air is warm, the slightest metallic taste in the air. Magic. I shouldn't be surprised, he are in the immortal realm, visiting a pureblood.

"Cian's brother's house. He's another Sin...Lust, apparently," I say to Lev, realizing he likely has no idea what is going on.

Lev swallows, looking up at the work of art that is the manor before us. "I'm starting to really dislike these immortals."

"Any point you want to go back, just tell me."

"I'm not going anywhere until you come back with me," he explains firmly, still clutching my hand, not looking like he is going to let go any time soon. "Which I'm hoping is soon."

"Cian is trying to kill Alpha Noah as some kind of revenge plot. I'm helping him." Lev frowns, not looking pleased to hear that, but at the same time, he doesn't look surprised. It has definitely come out of nowhere, but he knew I was wrapped up with immortals and Alpha's, whether I have wanted to or not.

"Why would you help an immortal?" he asks, sounding genuinely confused.

Standing amidst the snow, I explain as much as possible to Lev. He watches me carefully, drinking everything in without interrupting me once.

"I still don't trust him," he mutters once I've finished explaining.

"I want to help," I tell him. It's hard to explain to him when he hasn't been involved in all of this like I have. "I've been dragged into this for a reason, I can't just back off now and live my normal life."

"Yes you can, Amolet. You can with me," Lev insists.

He grabs my other hand, facing me. The concern etched into his face is for me only, not him. He is far too kind for this world, for the Sin's he is about to meet...

"There is far too much sexual tension around here for me to handle," an unfamiliar voice notes from beside us.

I flinch away, gasping as I take in the sight of the man who has appeared amongst the snow. He's as tall as Cian, which is no easy feat to achieve, wearing a dark jacket and pants that matches his sable hair. His eyes are a wondrous lavender colour, so unnatural it's terrifying.

"You must be...Lust," I breathe. It's written all over him, from his perfect features, to the smirk that plays along his lips.

"The name is Sinful," he murmurs. "Nice to meet you."

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Sophie_Midika

Midikacrane

~Midika 💜🐼