Page 40 of Sinful Obsession

“I don’t want you to think of me any differently,” I say finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “After I take a soul—your soul—I won’t be the same.”

Her expression softens, and she steps closer, her hands brushing against mine. “You’ll still be you, Ewan. No matter what happens.”

“You don’t know that,” I mumble, my gaze dropping to the floor. “Death changes you. It consumes you. And once I do this…”

“It’s okay,” she says. “If it’s me, it’s okay.”

I close my eyes, my mind racing with everything that’s brought us to this moment. The portal, the angels, the inevitability of what we are. And her—Vienna, Lilith, the woman who has somehow become the center of it all.

“How do you want me to do it?” I ask finally, my voice trembling despite myself.

She smiles faintly, her hands tightening around mine. “Through a kiss.”

I blink, startled at her request. “A kiss?”

“If I’m going to lose my soul, I want it to feel like love.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I can’t bring myself to argue. Instead, I close the distance between us, my hands trembling as I cup her face.

“Are you sure?” I whisper, my voice breaking.

“Yes,” she says, her eyes locking onto mine. “I trust you.”

I don’t know if I deserve that trust, but I lean in anyway, pressing my lips to hers. The kiss is soft at first, hesitant, but it deepens quickly, a current of desperation and longing pulling us together.

And then I feel it—the shift, the pull. Her soul brushes against mine, warm and vibrant, and I reach out, wrapping it in my grasp. It’s not like taking something by force; it’s like she’s giving it to me willingly, a piece of herself offered without hesitation.

The room shudders around us, the air crackling with energy. A sharp, splitting sound echoes through the walls, and I know without looking that the portal has cracked further.

When I pull back, Vienna sags against me, her breath shallow. Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see her—truly her—before the flicker of Lilith takes over.

“It’s done,” I whisper, my voice hollow.

She nods, a faint smile on her lips. “You did good, Ewan.”

I hold her close, my chest aching with a mixture of pride and sorrow. The portal is closer to opening, but at what cost? And as I feel the darkness settle deeper into my bones, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever feel human again.

Or if I’ll ever want to.

33 – Lilith

Death’s kiss was sweet. It always is. Every lifetime, I coax Death himself into taking my soul so that he doesn’t have to use his gift on someone innocent while he still has his humanity. The human part of me fades away every time anyway. Ewan stirs at my side as I slip from the bed and make my way down the hall, heading for the door to survey the damage down to the portal.

It’s not enough but we’re getting closer to the final stages, regardless of how hard the angels try to keep us at bay.

I can feel Vienna—the human part of me—fraying at the edges, unraveling with every breath I take. By the time I reach the final hallway, she’s all but gone, a whisper of my humanity clinging to the darkness I’ve always found comfort in.

And then he appears.

Michael steps out of the shadows, his pristine suit immaculate, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. He’s radiant, but there’s something darker in his expression as his presence stops me in my tracks.

“Lilith,” he says, his voice echoing through the hallway. “You won’t make it to the door.”

I straighten, squaring my shoulders as I meet his gaze. “You know? It’s about time. You also can’t stop me.”

Michael tilts his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Can’t I? You’re powerful, yes, but unrefined. You don’t even know how to use your gifts yet.”

“I’ll figure it out.” This is the hardest part about becoming myself. While I remember my other lives and all the times I fell in love with Asmodeus again, figuring out my gifts never comes back to me. There’s a lot of trial and error and lots of frustration as the end draws near.

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