Envy (Dark Waters Book 1)

Chapter Fourteen:

Greed's hand shot out to my neck. He squeezed his fingers and snarled, but I smirked. He had to do more than that. Wrath and Lust were ready to rip my spine out. Squeezing my neck was nothing. My tongue pressed out between my teeth. "Guess you're not a bitch," I said, my voice strained.

"I should kill you now." Greed turned, so I was in front of him. He moved me closer with one pull, so my nose pressed against his. Any time I got close to any of the other Sins, I'd smell something—Pride and Sloth loved their sweets, Wrath, and Lust had each other with alcohol, and Gluttony needed his full, heavily seasoned meals. But Greed was 'clean.' Smelled like winter fresh gum and mouthwash. Maybe he purposely matched his cold exterior with icy minty scents.

Gritting my teeth, I looked at his burned eyes, blazing with his envious fury. Within them, within their dark void, I saw the hands of his victims, pressing against the black irises for an escape. I felt as if I listened closely, I could hear their cries. That wasn't the energy I needed right now.

"Aren't you supposed to?" I gasped as he squeezed again but didn't drop my grin. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction, I planned to look like the cocky motherfucker he couldn't stand for as long as I could. "It was your one job today. One job, Greed." I coughed.

I was ready to crack another joke to egg him on and add gasoline to his flames. but stopped when I heard Priscilla's whispers. Her voice echoed from the back room, hitting my ears like she was beside me. I slid my gaze in that direction and focused.

Haven't you noticed something, Octavio?

"I need you to get here," Priscilla hissed to someone inside that room. Was she on the phone? She had to be. "I don't know, I was helping someone—yes, yes, I fuckin' know. But he's in trouble, now I'm in trouble, and Gabriel, if you don't get your ass over here, I might die. Yes, die! Shit!"

Oh, the guy she knows. A sense of relief came over me; it was good she had someone to call. In case shit crumbled her and she was left without a place to stay, at least I knew she'd be safe in the arms of another.

Pay attention.

"I'll kill you, then extract her soul," Greed said through clenched teeth. "And I will enjoy every bit of this."

He turned me so my back was to the destroyed front door. He pressed me against the protruding splinters. I hissed as they dug into my back, but this was fine. Like this, I could see into the back of the apartment. Priscilla's door was still closed, but inside, she continued to rummage. Why? And for what?

Greed squeezed his fingers once more, rougher this time, and I found it harder to breathe. Gasping, I glanced at him as the burn lines around his eyes slid down his cheeks, spreading like spilled ink.

You can break free if you try, Octavio.

My arm shook as I tried to lift it. Blood dripped from the tips of my fingers. When did that happen?

'Tis but a flesh wound.

Greed and I locked eyes. I saw the power in his. A black mist swam in circles where the iris should be, obscuring the souls I saw seconds before. I knew that darkness and felt it. Absorbed it; I needed to. It was either fight or die and honestly, after the last century I endured, I didn't want to go out like this. Not with him.

As I sucked in a deep breath, I let the cold of his sin fill my lungs.

Greed grinned. "Anticipating death?"

"No." My hand quickly lifted above his head and came down. My fingers, nails having extended for murder, slashed at the side of his face. Either I moved too fast, or he was so focused on me and how I needed to die, that he didn't block or move away. I struck him, and he dropped me, stumbling back.