I stepped into a temple filled with dark life. The black mists in circulation filled the temple, so much that I brushed them away, like smoke from a bar, with my hand as I entered. The edges of our Deadly Seven home were as dark as normal. The center was filled with every sin—which was abnormal. I chewed on the insides of my cheeks as the temple's floor reacted to my presence and those that I knew—Greed, Sloth, Lust, and Wrath—turned to look at me.

Pride stood in the center of them all with him—the new Envy.

I ground my teeth and growled under my breath.

"Oh, Glut, you've arrived!" Pride faced me with a smile. He happily clapped his hands once. "So glad you answered the call."

I approached, weaving between Lust and Wrath. They hissed as I broke their embrace, but I turned back with the same energy. I was sure they spent their days lost in dark sex and sinful torture with souls that deserved it; they could break a hug to let me through.

"I did answer," I looked back at Pride as I stood a foot away, "but if it's to welcome him, I would like to leave."

Leave and go back to Rosalia.

"Welcome him?" Pride pointed at the new Envy. They were close in height but this Envy's hair was curly and light tan skin was the opposite of our leader. Not to mention his eyes were black as obsidian, empty, and carelessly shallow as my original Envy described. I barely said but a few words to the newest member of the Seven and I already thought of ways I'd destroy his immortal life.

"I didn't call you here to welcome him. I knew you wouldn't, so the others and I conducted his ritual without you." Pride forced a smile.

"It's a shame you weren't here to say hello." The new Envy frowned.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care," I muttered to him, then I looked back at Pride. "If it wasn't for him, then why am I here?"

"So cocky," the new Envy cooed.

"Enough." Pride extended his hand to shush the newest member. His eyes darkened, black like his magic, and he faced me again. His fake smile turned sinister, lifting into an evil, unnatural grin. He waved one hand in front of him as he bowed slightly, locking eyes with me.

I gulped. "What are you gesturing?"

"You, of course," Pride said. "I summoned you because I wanted to talk to you and ask you a question."

"Questions," Sloth hissed. He stepped to my left but the moment we locked eyes, he turned into his disgusting mist of energy, reeking of rotten eggs. His spirit traveled to his seat beside Pride where he returned to his solid form, now perched like a bird on the back of his seat. His yellow eyes peered at me with malice.

I gulped again. "Ask what? I've done my duty, more than once recently," I said. "If this is about Envy," I pointed at the newest member, "and not you, so don't say a word—"

"I wasn't." The new Envy smirked and lifted his hands.

"—On Envy's last day, I wasn't alerted of the change in departure time. I promised to see them leave. Envy was my friend."

"Lover," Sloth snickered.

"Once," I muttered, my power surging, "but that was over a hundred years ago."

"A hundred years isn't enough time to forget." Lust appeared at my right.

"You'd need thousands, if not millions." Wrath stood beside him and smirked, leaning against the taller, slender sin. She passed her hands through his hair. "I would know, that I want to forget."

"Oh, love, you flatter me," Lust breathed.

"I'd rather fuck you." Wrath licked his cheek with her long, snake-like tongue.

I growled and balled my hands into fists. "Someone tell me why I was summoned! I have things to do!"

"Oh, do you?" Pride cupped their hands in front of their chest. "Does it have to do with the woman you're with?"

My heart stopped. I wasn't sure if I was breathing. All sound vanished and I remained in silence, staring into the eyes of the most powerful sin within us. My tongue dried, I swallowed air, but I found the words to ask, "What woman?"

Pride smiled. "The woman you asked to kill you."

Sound returned but it was only the sound of my raging heart. Each beat pounded in my ears. I opened my mouth, and cracked my jaw, and that sound was comparable to tumbling boulders down a hill. Had it gotten hot in here? Or was I terrified? "I, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Gluttony." Pride approached me. "You should know that the Seven always knows what a fellow Deadly is doing. You can't keep secrets. The Sin who helped you remain in the shadows with your sadness is gone, so your lies are now open to all."

I stepped back. If there was an opportunity to leave, now would be it. They would follow me, sure, but I could leave before answering a question; anything I said would be a lie to this circle.

"The woman you're with is a pure soul, did you know? Being pure doesn't mean she's completely immune, it just means she's harder to lure. Have they captivated you? Have you seen her purity?" Pride came closer, shortening the distance I'd taken.

"Perhaps." There was my first lie. I knew she was pure. In the beginning, I told myself I was confused because those made of purity were kind, sweet, perfect, and immune to every sin within our circle. Rosalia fell into many and yet shimmered with the whitest of lights granted by the Gods we opposed from the other realm. And that shimmer healed my soul.

"If you knew, when will you bring her?" Pride lifted his chin. "I request her entire body this time, not just the soul. I would like to extract her myself."

My ears rang. The steady build-up of mutters filled the air. My gaze panned the room, and I caught the suspicious glances of all the others. I should've ignored this call, I should've stayed home.

"I'll give you a week, that's enough time to convince her to follow you." Pride stood directly in front of me. "Or, we'll find her and kill her ourselves. Do you want that?"

I shook my head.

Pride's voice deepened, as did the darkness in his eyes. He stood on the tips of his toes. "Bring her to me, John."

***

I rushed back home. Strangled by my heart and emotions, I couldn't think, I couldn't feel. I needed to be away from Rosalia, she and Sophie needed to be safe. And there was only one way I knew how. If I'm gone, they cannot find her.

I pushed through the front door of my cottage and saw a dinner spread. The beef, potatoes, and bread filled the air, but I looked for Rosalia. She stood by the basin, rinsing a stone mug I'd purchased years ago.

I slammed my hand on the door to get her attention. She fearfully whipped around and stared at me. "You need to kill me tonight," I spat.

Rosalia blinked, shaking her head. "I—what, no. I cannot kill you. I refuse!" She pushed away from the counter and wiped her hands. "I know what we agreed to and I understand if the deal is null and void, but I cannot complete it."

"No." I walked to the table and leaned against it. The smell of dinner filled my senses, but I couldn't think of enjoying it. The Seven would come and look for her. I would be the beacon connecting them to her. She refused her end of the deal and I understood, but I refused to be the reason she died. I couldn't go on in this world with that in my conscience.

Inhaling sharply, I looked up and scanned the cottage. There was nothing but emptiness; there were no additional auras, no movements or shadows. I tensed and looked back at Rosalia. "Is Sophie not back yet?"

"No," Rosalia frowned as she shook her head, "she's been gone since you left, and I—"

"Fuck," I hissed, pushing off the table. I turned for the door and pulled it open, searching all around the hill. "I thought she'd be back by now, I really..." My voice trailed off.

"When you left, I assumed you went to look for her," Rosalia said. "If it wasn't for Sophie, where were you?"

I looked back at Rosalia. Tears welled in her eyes. "I was summoned by the Seven."

"The demons," she whispered.

I nodded. "I, yes, demons. And," biting my lip, I hurried to her, "they know you're here with me and will kill you if I don't."

"Me?" she gasped. "What have I done to them? Is it for my crimes?" Her tears fell. "I did it all for my sister, and she, she's out there—" Rosalia's trembling fingers pointed at the window. Her cheeks darkened as she cried into her hands. "—Sophie is out there. Will they find her? Will they kill her?"

Shit. I hadn't thought of that, but that was an opportunity within the hands of the Seven. I wouldn't put it past them, either. Reaching toward the coat rack, I grabbed my jacket and put it on in one motion. "When Sophie is upset, where does she go?"

"Um." Rosalia paced for a moment, flattening the folds of her dark red dress. Her nails plucked at the wrinkles as her free hand wiped at the tears on her face. "Sometimes she would go to church."

My brows lifted. Church. And this is why our relationship bothered her so much. It didn't matter how much money I offered them or the promise of fresh beginnings, I was what the church warned them about. I was evil. I was a devil incarnate in her eyes. I needed to find her.

Moving back toward the door, I went to open it, but it slowly opened on its one. Immediately, I jumped back and protected Rosalia. Had the others found me already? My shields were put up around the cottage, as much as I knew it was hard to break through, I knew that when the Deadly Seven was determined, they would be here in a heartbeat.

I stretched one arm out to keep Rosalia behind me.

"John," she squeaked.

I ground my teeth, ready to attack—until I saw Sophie's face. She was dirty, with dried tears on her cheeks. Relief filled her eyes as she looked at us. Then she hiccupped and covered her face. "I'm sorry," she whimpered, "I'm so sorry."

"No, don't apologize!" Rosalia hurried from my protection. She wrapped her arms around her sister and squeezed her tight. For a full minute, they cried together, mixing tears with dirt on their faces. "You did nothing wrong," Rosalia whispered as she looked into Sophie's eyes. "You had every right to be upset."

"I am, I still am." She sniffed at her tears. "And I'm sorry, John, and I love happens, but my sister swore to kill you—"

My heart pounded. I was glad to see Sophie safe and sound, but the moment she mentioned love, my body reacted as such. This wasn't love, was it? This was love, purely a sexual attraction that neither of us could resist. Moving my gaze to Rosalia, she locked eyes with me but didn't say a word. Was she thinking of it, too? Love. It is too soon for love, isn't it?

It had been a few months. What started as a witnessed murder, turned into the following. Stalking, even. And the following and learning of potential death sparked an opportunity. The deal of death brought us closer, yes. Being near her made me feel better, yes. And I believed her; I shouldn't crave death when she could teach me life. Is this truly why she's hesitant?

"—And as much as I don't want my sister to be unhappy," Sophie said, "I don't want her soul banished to Hell. The good book wants us to be pure. She's killed enough men in the name of good, but sleeping with a demon, falling in love with pure evil—she can't escape that. So, I need her to finish this deal. I need her to put an end to the two of you."

I held Rosalia's gaze and saw every emotion take over. As she squeezed her sister, a tear fell. I knew in my heart that tear was for me. She thought of me. But Sophie was right. As wonderful as this was, I pulled Rosalia into my circle to end my life, not be a part of it this way. I promised Envy that I would love and be happy with the time I had left—this was it. I spent nights worth her, mornings lost in her eyes, and in those hours, I was pleased. I felt lucky. Now, my time was up. It was either death at her hands, or death by the Seven because I would protect her soul and they would kill me for it.

I need to say goodbye.

I blew out a slow bread and ran my fingers through my beard. "Rosalia," I said, "I said it earlier. Despite it all, regardless of everything that has happened, you need to kill me tonight."

More tears fell from her eyes. Slowly, she shook her head. "I can't," she whispered.

"Kill me, Rosalia. Do it or they will kill you—"

Sophie's eyes widened as she looked at her older sister.

"—Do the job, sever my heart, and grab my coin and run. Run far away, escape, and live happily with Sophie. She needs you more than you'll ever know." I couldn't breathe as the words left me. But there was no other option.

"John, I..." Rosalia covered her face.

She was going to say no. I felt it. And that wasn't what I needed her to say.

I crossed the room and pulled her hands away from her face. Sophie gave me the room to hold Rosalia close for a moment. Then I extended my arms and whispered, "You promised."

She shook her head. "You hate promises..."

"I do," I touched her chin, "but you don't. So, tonight, now—do it, please."

She was silent for a moment. Her mind raced. But after a minute, she nodded—slowly, painfully, and regretfully. I held her tighter.

"I'll do it," she whispered.