Page 44 of Sinful Obsession

I stand, the restraints of the room laughable now. My fingers trail along the edge of the door, feeling the angelic sigils carvedinto the metal. Once, they would have stopped me. Once, I might have feared their power.

Not anymore.

With a flick of my wrist, the sigils flare and then dissolve, their light snuffed out like a dying star. The door trembles before bursting open, the force of it shaking the walls. The sound echoes down the hallway, a warning to anyone foolish enough to stand in my way.

I step out, barefoot and unbothered by the cold floor beneath me. I can feel Ewan’s presence, faint but steady, like a beacon calling me forward. My Death, always so stubborn, always so loyal. Ewan meets my gaze, the horsemen laughing as he shakes his head and then approaches. “I would have beat down every fucking door until it killed me, Lilith. How are you here? They would have locked the door.”

“They can’t kill Death,” I joke before stepping into his chest and wrapping my arms around his waist. “And they did lock that door. Vienna would have never been able to open it.I,however, can’t be contained by such inferior gifts.”

He laughs, a beautiful sound in the darkness. I catalog his angled features and mussed hair, the twinge of fear in his eyes as he stares down at me. “We thought we lost you for a little bit.” And then he kisses me, devouring my lips despite the fact that we might be caught at any moment.

I separate us and start moving back down the hallway, away from Michael’s office. “You still have a piece of your humanity, Ewan. Death would not have come for me because Death cannot love.”

“Please, for the love of the apocalypse, tell me that you did not get yourself captured to show me that my humanity still exists.” When I don’t answer, he tugs on my hand and drags me into his chest. He presses me against the way, those silver eyes glowingas he searches my expression. “Lilith, tell me that you didn’t do all that to prove this to me.”

“I didn’t. Michael genuinely surprised me but it’s a lesson learned all the same.MyDeath always retains a little bit of his humanity.Always.”

That feels impossible but he doesn’t question it. “One day,” he says, his voice softer now, “I’d like to hear the stories of our past lives. All of them.”

I smile, the weight of his words settling over me. “One day, I’ll tell you. All of them.”

***

The hallways are quiet as we move through them, the air heavy with the weight of what’s to come. As we round a corner, the others come into view. Nevan leans casually against the wall, his arms crossed, but his gaze flicks to us immediately. Kaua and Vito stand a few steps away, their postures tense but ready. They straighten as we approach, their eyes locking onto me. There’s a moment of silence, heavy with unspoken understanding, before I step forward.

I step closer to them, my gaze softening as I take them in. The weight of our shared purpose binds us, but it’s more than that now. It’s something deeper, something eternal. My hands reach for Nevan first, cupping his face as I press my lips to his. He responds eagerly, his hands gripping my waist as if to anchor himself to me.

When we pull apart, his eyes are alight with mischief. “I’ve waited centuries for that.”

I smile, turning to Kaua next. He doesn’t wait for me to reach him, pulling me into a crushing embrace before his lips crash against mine. His kiss is rough, possessive, and I meet it withequal fervor. When we part, his wolfish grin matches the growl in his voice. “You’re even better than I imagined.”

Vito is next, his cocky smirk softening as I step toward him. I take his face in my hands, my fingers brushing against his jaw as I kiss him. His lips are warm and demanding, his arms wrapping around me as if he’ll never let go.

When I finally turn to Ewan, his expression is unreadable, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that makes my chest ache. I step closer, my hand resting on his cheek as I kiss him. It’s slow, deliberate, filled with everything we’ve endured and everything we will face.

When I pull back, I glance at all of them, my voice steady as I say, “There will be time for each of you later. But now, we have a portal to open.”

There’s no more time. The angels already know we’re coming.

We head for that forbidden hallway, a single guard standing before the door to the portal. He’s tall and broad, his presence imposing, but it’s laughable. He’s nothing more than a minor obstacle, a flicker of resistance in the face of inevitability.

“Really?” Vito asks, a chuckle following his question. “This is what they send to stop us?”

The guard shifts, his expression hardening, but he doesn’t stand a chance. Vito steps forward, his movements fluid and precise, and before the guard can react, Vito’s hand shoots out, gripping his throat. The guard’s eyes widen as Vito leans in, his voice deadly.

“You don’t belong here,” Vito says, and with a twist of his wrist, the guard crumples to the ground, lifeless.

The door looms before us now, the energy behind it pulsing, almost alive, the portal’s cracks widening with every passing moment.

Just as we step forward, Michael’s presence appears, moving into our path. He’s not truly here, just a piece of his essence as heno doubt races down the hallways to stop us. This version of him flickers in the darkness, an almost laughable sight. His wings are out, glowing with a brilliance that feels almost overwhelming, his expression is tight with anger and desperation.

“Vienna,” he says, his voice sharp but imploring. “This isn’t you. Your humanity is still there. You don’t have to do this.”

I tilt my head, a knowing smile tugging at my lips. “My humanity?” I repeat, my voice laced with amusement. “I gave that to Death.”

Michael’s expression falters, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. “You don’t have to become her,” he says, his tone softening. “You can fight this. You can—”

“Iamher,” I interrupt, stepping closer. “I am Lilith and I would appreciate it if you addressed me as such.”

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