1900

~Amolet

I rest my head against Cian's chest, bathing in the morning light streaming through the gap in the curtains.

"You know I've been terrified of you since I met you," I murmur, tracing the tip of my finger along the contours of his chest. It feels strange admitting that, knowing where I am now. I'm not sure when that fear faded away, but it's utterly gone, replaced instead by this warmth inside me that has bonded us so deeply it would be painful to be torn away from him again.

"Is that why you brought me a children's book in to read?" he asks. I can feel his soft laugh against my hear, making me smile.

Tilting my head up, I point at him. "You read it!"

I still can't believe I did that. Were it anyone else, were we not naturally drawn to each other, I don't think I would have done it. I chose that book, not because I thought he would actually read it, but because it meant something to me at the time, and I wanted to show him that...

That he could trust me.

"I glanced at it," he nudges me, making me fall back to the pillow with a laugh. The image of him reading that book will give me infinite enjoyment from this moment onward. "It amused me, that you would do that for a dangerous Sin locked in a mental facility."

"I'm not exactly known for my good decisions," I merely say, adjusting my hair that is fanned out over the pillow. I think everyone I was around, Lev included, thought I was out of my mind for that period of time.

Cian sits up, leaning over me. "If it ended up bringing you here, to me, then everything is as it should be."

I smile, letting him lean in to kiss me. Absoloute bliss spreads through me, my arms coming up to wrap around Cian's torso. His kisses are soft and lazy, move along from my lips, to my cheeks and down to my neck. His silken hair brushes along my skin, which I can't help but to dig my fingers into.

As per usual, a thought forces it's way into the front of my mind, my eyes fluttering closed in defeat. "I met Abella."

Cian stops, and then raises his head, eyes wide as he examines my face for more answers.

"In Death's Realm?"

"Yes. Noah was hiding her in there, using her power," I explain slowly, aware that until now, he didn't know she was dead, and that this could be heart-breaking for him to hear. "Now she is dead, but yet alive...She should be dead, I mean. It should have killed her, which is why she can't leave the realm."

He sits up, the blankets falling away from him as the stunned expression remains on his face. I stay where I am, just watching him, unsure of whether I should comfort him, or let him think this through.

"I can't believe he really killed her," he breathes, his chest rising and falling quickly.

I nod calmly. Upon meeting Abella, I can see why Cian loved her so much, why he was so affected when she chose Noah over him. If he left me now, I might consider putting myself into a dark prison for years to not have to witness the outside world. Cian hid to stop himself from hurting anyone with his powers...I wish I had that kind of restraint.

"He's a monster," I remind him, grabbing his hand to squeeze is tightly. "I think Abella is going to get some good revenge on him down there."

He manages the softest, slightest smile. "That makes me feel better."

"You should know, though, that he faked their mate bond." I feels wrong to keep this from him. I may not have ever known my original mate, who Sinful assumes I had and who died, forcing a bond to be made between Cian and I in absence of what was originally there, but I would want to know.

He stares blankly at me.

"You were her only mate the entire time." I bite my nail, wishing this wasn't so hard to say.

His brow creases, and his gaze drops to his lap. "Oh..."

"I'm sorry. I truly am," I murmur, reaching out to embrace him. He lets me, trembling ever-so-slightly under my hands. I hate seeing him like this, in pain, considering how much time he has already spent with that emotion.

When he pulls away, he summons a calm breath, settling himself. "Like I said, everything is where it needs to be."

"And I'm Immortal now," I note. "Nothing can stop us from being together."

He smiles, and it's genuine, and happy, despite what I know he is trying to push down. He will mourn his relationship with Abella for a long time, and I'm okay with that. I want to be with him for every moment, even where it hurts. And I know that Cian will be there for me, especially when I have to tell Lev that I've accepted the mate bond with Cian, and want to be with him from now on.

And, he doesn't know that I'm dead yet...

Cian's doubtful tone brings me back. "Except Stace."

Ah yes. Stace. For a beautiful moment, I could forget Stace, and the fact that he blatantly killed me, and will likely want to do it again, when he finds out I'm reunited with Cian again. But this time, I know I can kill him. And I'm not going to hesitate...

"Speaking of," a voice exclaims from the doorway.

Both Cian and I flinch, very naked under the covers that we tug further around ourselves, looking toward the door where a very smug, lavender eyed man stands. I don't even have the energy within me to be surprised that he is here right now.

He steps into the room, followed by Ira and Hale, who look less than impressed to be in Cian's apartment right now.

"Seriously?" Cian mutters at the sight of them.

"Heard the good news," Sinful exclaims brightly, stretching his arms out like I actually believe he cares whether I am dead or alive. We only have a common enemy stopping me from strangling him too. "Scared me for a moment there, Amolet."

"Seems today is the day for revenge," I sigh. I had hoped Cian and I would have a moment longer to actually enjoy each other before being forced to face Stace. It seems Sinful isn't in the mood to grant that. At least once this is all over, I won't have to see Sinful, Ira or Hale for a very long time.

"We have decided that Hale is going to be the one to kill him," Ira notes, motioning to her brother.

Hale stares at me with that dark, cold stare of his. I can't tell what unnerves me more about him...his silver eyes, or his silver tattoos. He has a face you know you'll never see again, so beautiful in an angular, graceful way. And yet he decides to hit it in a magnificent cave, away from curious eyes

"Why you?" I ask him.

He shrugs. "Nothing to live for."

Typical Sin. Bored, sardonic and brooding. He genuinely doesn't think he shouldn't be here anymore, and even though I'm tempted to offer him that sweet release from his sad life, I know there is a better way this can be done.

"Maybe it's time for you to start looking for life's purpose, because I've figured out I can kill Stace," I say to the group.

Ira snorts, looking between Sinful and Hale, not believing a word. She's swapped out her pretty sundresses for a bright purple coat, her fluffy brown curls pulled into an up-do. She still can't hide her evil, though.

"How so?" Sinful asks.

"No offense, but he easily snapped your neck, and will do it again, I imagine," Ira cuts in, looking over me like I'm weak, like being an immortal now is still pathetic. I may not be a pureblood, but I know I have strength to rival hers.

"Just believe me when I say I can use my powers on him. I thought I couldn't but I can," I tell them firmly, glancing at Cian. He nods, smiling.

"Comforting," Hale mutters.

"Unless of course, you all want to send Hale on a death mission so someone else can take his place as a Sin, which will likely be Stace, if he fails," I remind them. The thought of that doesn't sit well, most of them shifting uncomfortably at the thought alone.

Ira nudges Sinful. "I don't need another insufferable sibling."

"The moment he sees you, he's going to kill you again," Sinful reminds me.

Sometimes, in the way he frames his words, he makes me think he actually cares what happened to me. I know he doesn't, but there was something in his eyes when Stace was killing me that makes me have doubts. I wish he was easier to hate.

I chew on the edge of my lip, wondering if I should even be saying. "I met Stace's mate. We can use her."

Ira claps her hands together. "Perfect. Let's kill the bitch."

"No!" I exclaim, still pinning the blanket against my chest. "I mean, there's no need. We just need to let Stace think we want to kill her, and when he gets close, I use my powers on him, and I kill him."

Aven doesn't deserve to be killed because she is mated to Stace. It isn't fair.

"Anyone else sceptical?" Hale questions, looking around the room. I'm not surprised he would be doubtful. And I feel sorry for him, for whatever he is going through.

"You're only saying that because you want to be the one to do it," I say softly. "Why do you want to die so bad?"

His eyes glitter. "Who said I wanted to die?"

"It's obvious, even to me," Sinful mutters.

"I just said if I died, it wouldn't be anyone's loss," he shrugs.

"It's because he doesn't have a mate, and two of his brothers do," Ira explains. Hale looks down, suggesting that for once, Ira isn't lying about something. I can't help the sour feeling that spreads through my stomach. "Look, darling Hale. Be like me...Completely content without the dead weight of a mate."

Hale doesn't react. He just remains silent.

"Content is not the word to describe you, sister," Cian reminds her, leaning back against the wall with his hands braced behind his head.

Hale backs toward the door, as if he can't stand looking at us for a moment longer. "Whatever. Let's just get this done."

"If you can do this, Amolet, I will be very impressed," Sinful comments. I roll my eyes at him. As if this is about impressing him. I'm going to get personal enjoyment out of killing Stace.

"So will I," Cian says, running his hand down my back. "If anyone can do this, it's you."

I sigh, squaring my shoulders back. "Let's hope you're right."

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Sophie_Midika

Midikacrane

~Midika 💜🐼