Pandora is given a box. Quite simply, she must never open it.
And Pandora is normally very good at following rules.
Until she isn't.
Out comes her curiosity and out comes the contents of her box.
It's not all the disasters you've read about in t...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑐. MADHOUSE
•••
"Kiss me."
My lips fell open. "What?"
Sloth broke eye contact with Beast to look at me, his gaze lit with something that pushed me further back into the sofa. I ended up leaning into Beast, his body hot behind mine.
In one swift move he tugged me into his lap, his eyes boring into Sloth's.
The rest of the Sins fell silent, suddenly aware of the glares Beast and Sloth had been shooting each other.
Wrath cracked an amused smirk. "It's your call, Pandora."
I pressed a quick kiss to Sloth's cheek, my heart hammering against my ribcage as Beast's arm slid around my waist to pull me back into him.
A blue light splintered through my vision and I watched fearfully as sharp claws grew from beneath Envy's skin, their edges glinting in the dim lights.
I felt my face pale as they sunk back in.
Pride watched me carefully, a breathy laugh escaping her. "Relax."
I tried to.
"You have claws?" I pointed, to which she raised her hands.
"Oh no. These bad boys are harmless."
Pride shot her a glare and Envy's mischievous smile disappeared. She pursed her lips, turning toward me.
"It's like a domino effect. I sense envy," she pointed at herself and then at Beast, "which then forces me to evoke even further envy." The corner of her lips twitched. "Take a look at Beast."
I turned my head, catching a glimpse of his golden eyes before he looked away. They were brighter, more intense than I'd ever seen them.
A warm sensation spread through my chest and I put all of me into slowing the race of my pulse. He was tamer than I'd ever seen him, and a calm Beast somehow seemed more dangerous than a feral one.
"So," I swallowed, "you can only cause the emotion if the person's already feeling it?"
"It depends." Pride shrugged. "Some humans are easier to manipulate than others."
I took in a shaky breath, mumbling to myself. "Wrath has wings and Envy has claws."
A flame lit in mid-air, the blaze leaving sparks in its absence. I thought I'd begun to get used to the appearing and disappearing antics of the Sins.
Apparently not.
Two unfamiliar eyes peered back at me; sparkling with a primal shade of amber. They were too bright, orange like the beginnings of fall with a shock of fire floating through her stare.
