Page 99 of Sinful Mates

Fuck. I hope delayed regret didn’t settle in. That asshole made me second-guess myself for weeks after my first reckoning.

I pressed my palm to her cheek and cupped her face. “Don’t. He didn’t atone or repent for his sins.”

“I know,” she murmured, playing with my shirt. “Watching them die naturally is different than forcing them to.”

Understandable. “I was squeamish at first. I lost it after my first three kills.”

She glanced up. “Exactly how many sinners have you killed?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

She snorted and kissed me. “You embrace your darkness, don’t you?”

“I embrace it all, Sorceress. Good, bad, light, dark. It’s all the same. It’s how you apply it that matters.”

She chewed her lip and contemplated this for a moment. “That makes sense.” Her gorgeous eyes came to mine. “You don’t consider yourself a sinner?”

“Sinning is an outdated concept, Sorceress.” I brushed my fingers back and forth over her arms. “Everyone’s guilty of it. I don’t blame or admonish myself for it. I only hold those accountable for it when the balance of good and evil gets out of hand.”

She hummed again, the sound vibrating in my chest. “I’m coming around to your view of the world.”

I cupped the back of her head, pressed my chin on it, my heart alight with a new flame. “I’ll have you reckoning in no time.”

CHAPTER34

Aaliyah

New woman,new outfit. Time for something else new, too. Bright and early, I shimmied down the club’s hall to Slade’s office, pausing outside it, thinking about my day yesterday with Castor.

Going to his reckoning bunker was the best thing for me. I hadn’t seen Danny in days. The relief I felt was immense, my body lighter, my mind freer, my soul taking flight with my falcon.

At first, I was hesitant to venture into the dark world of reckoning, but Isis gave me a little nudge, a dark whisper, the order to do her bidding, and I couldn’t stop my feet from carrying me forward, oath or not.

Reading Castor’s files accumulated as evidence for his trial, the witness testimony, the falsified drug trial data, minutes from Morna Pharmaceutical’s board meetings and shareholder meetings, I had to meet that James asshole. When I questioned him, he didn’t show any remorse for his actions, only ego at his achievements.

Isis’ dark whisper made sense to me then.Some men cannot be saved. They do the work of their demons.

James’ almost black eyes were depraved and immoral. There was no way to save him. No way to save the world from him except putting him to death. Another might take his place, but that was where my mate came in. Castor and Thoth would see to it the Maat was balanced. I was always welcome if I wanted to balance the light and dark sides of my goddess.

Sometimes those you loved knew what was best for you better than what you thought was good for you. I took an oath to save lives and not take them. But in order to do that, sometimes the rules had to be broken. Save the majority over a few. Greater good, and all that shit.

James Dolher deserved nothing less than pain, suffering, and death. Exactly what his drug caused thousands of people who bought and trusted in his medications. CEOs of a company weren’t above responsibility for those lives, especially when they committed fraud to get their products on the market.

As for the guilt for committing the sin of wrath… poof. Gone.Adios, fucker!

Isis hummed her endorsement, relieving me that I did the right thing.

Slade opened the door for this angel with a dark halo to come out.

Zethan introduced an understanding that sin was just a concept for the soul to contemplate its bad deeds.

Castor taught me to correct imbalances and get justice for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. In Danny’s case, I fought for my daughter and the women he abused and scarred mentally, physically, and emotionally.

As for Alaric, he taught me that love conquered all, including demons.

Slade yanked his door opened and surprised me. “Sugar?”

“Hey, handsome.” I pulled him into a kiss, ready to rev him up and goad him. Our little game. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

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