Page 21 of Sinful Obsession

“Good morning, Vienna,” he says, his voice smooth but there’s nothing sincere about his greeting. His eyes flick to the four men around me. “And good morning to you all.”

None of the horsemen respond, Michael doesn’t seem to care. He focuses on me again, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“I trust you slept well and I see you’ve made some… interesting friends. But I would caution you against getting too comfortable with them.” He glances at the others, his smile turning deviant. “They’re a lot of trouble, you know.”

Kaua tenses beside me, his jaw clenched, but he doesn’t say anything. The others remain still, their expressions unreadable, but I can feel the tension radiating from them like a coiled spring.

“If you want to get out of here, Vienna,” Michael says. “You’ll need to prove that you can handle the outside world. And that starts with choosing better company.”

With that, he straightens, nodding to the others before turning on his heel and walking away. The room slowly comes back to life, but I’m frozen, my chest tight, my breaths shallow and rapid.

“Vienna?” Kaua’s voice cuts through the haze, low and concerned.

I shake my head, trying to pull myself together, but the panic is overwhelming. Before I can stop myself, I’m gasping, my hands shaking uncontrollably. Kaua doesn’t hesitate. He pulls me into his lap, his arms wrapping around me like a shield, grounding me as I struggle to breathe. I curl into his chest the same way that I would with Asmodeus at times when the world was too loud.

“You’re okay,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against the top of my head. “He’s gone. You’re safe.”

The others watch in silence, until Ewan speaks. “We’ve all noticed how… off the doctors and orderlies are here,” he says slowly. “But scared? That’s not a word I’d use for them.”

“I’m not scared,” I manage, my voice trembling. “I just… I don’t like them. Their presence makes me want to vomit.” Itwas even more pronounced a few seconds ago than it was at my house or even last night when Michael told me that I wouldn’t be leaving.

Kaua’s grip tightens slightly, his warmth anchoring me as I slowly start to calm down. Nevan snorts, breaking the tension with a soft laugh. “Careful, Vienna,” he says, his tone teasing. “Kaua has a weakness for small, cute things.”

I laugh despite myself, the sound shaky but real. “Maybe I like big things,” I shoot back as I make eye contact with Vito, earning a chuckle from all of them.

The tension eases, as I settle into Kaua’s arms, the weight of Michael’s presence lifting bit by bit. For the first time since I arrived at Briarwood, I feel a sliver of comfort in the daylight. Asmodeus’ presence is still there but these four add to it and their physical presence gives me something my demon couldn’t.

Ewan, Vito, and Nevan disappear to grab food, the moment easing into a comfortable silence. I stay where I am, leaning against Kaua, letting myself breathe as the strange, twisted dynamic between us settles into something almost… normal. For now, it’s enough.

I just hope that Asmodeus meant it when he said he liked to watch or our next meeting is going to be awkward as fuck.

16 – Ewan

The day stretches on uneventfully. I keep my eyes on Vienna, watching her as she moves through the bleak monotony of Briarwood like a flicker of light in an abyss. She doesn’t belong here, that much is obvious. She’s too bright, too untainted compared to the shadows that cling to the rest of us. And yet, she’s here, clinging to the idea of Asmodeus like it’s her lifeline.

It’s maddening.

The way she speaks of him, her tone filled with reverence and longing, makes me want to shake her. She doesn’t see the danger, the manipulation, the strings he’s no doubt pulling. She’s precious,pure, and she’s infatuated with the darkest thing she could’ve found.

It doesn’t help that the four of us have become just as obsessed in the brief moments we’ve spent with her, needing to touch her, kiss her, and wrap ourselves around her. I can understand because of my curiosities but even Kaua and Vito can’t seem to part with her.

We return to the rooms as the day comes to end, Vienna staying close to Kaua or Vito, her small frame practically disappearing in their arms whenever she feels Michael’s presence. It’s almost comical, seeing her cling to them for safety when they’re easily two of the deadliest beings here. Aside from me, of course.

The difference is, I’ve learned restraint. I haven’t truly unleashed what I am in years. Mostly because I have absolutely no idea how my gift works. With the others, they push and pull the fabric of life and play with the delicate balance. I destroy it. There is no immediate balance with death. Everyone thinks my balance is life but it isn’t. I have no idea what it is and it’s one of many reasons I haven’t tried to push forward and discover my limits.

I do know that I can coax a soul from its vessel like a lover’s whisper. They’ll thank me for taking their essence as they breathe their last. Their face always lights up as I replace their soul with a sense of peace. They believe I’ve given them a gift and instead, I’ve just claimed their existence. It’s the main reason I’m in here.

We manifested as one of the horsemen but I found my gift before I stepped into Briarwood. It’s a sweet calling, a craving that grows every time I do it which is why I keep from practicing it. There’s a limit to the souls in Briarwood Institute and it would be very obvious after a while who was taking them.

Vienna doesn’t shy away from us—from me—the way most do. It’s fascinating, almost unsettling. I could reach out and take her soul with a thought, yet she looks at me like I’m… human. The others, too. There hasn’t been one moment that I’ve been Death that someone has looked at me as if I’mjust a man

She catches me staring as we settle in our room, her brows furrowing. “What?” she asks, curious.

I smirk, leaning back against the wall. “Nothing. Just trying to figure out how someone like you ended up in a place like this.”

Her eyes narrow, and she crosses her arms. “We already went over how I got here.”

“No,princess, I know that. I also know that you’re not as pure or untouched as we previously thought. I know that there’s a reason for you to be here but on the outside, you just looksweet.”

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