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"Convenient timing," I remarked skeptically.

"Pride doesn't do anything without purpose," Lust said, leaning back in his chair. "Whatever brought him here today, it must be important."

Pride shot him a look that I couldn't quite interpret.

"It is." His gaze returned to me. "You're right that we need to discuss the implications of your reanimation, but perhaps not all at once."

I considered this, suddenly aware of how exhausted I felt. Learning you'd literally died and been magickally brought back to life was a lot to process in one afternoon.

"Alright," I said decisively. "I'm going to take some time to think about all this. But when I'm ready, we're going to have a longer conversation about exactly what happened and what it means for me." I fixed Pride with a hard stare. "And in the meantime, no more unexpected kisses or claims of fated connections. Are we clear?"

Pride nodded, looking somewhat chagrined. "Crystal clear."

"Good." I straightened my blouse, reclaiming some professional composure. "I think I'll get that coffee now. You two obviously have something to discuss."

Lust made a dismissive gesture. "Take your time."

I stood, gathering my purse and the twenty dollars Lust had handed me earlier. Damon butted his head against my leg once more before sauntering back to Pride's side. The gesture felt oddly like approval.

As I headed for the door, Lust caught my eye with an expression I wasn’t used to seeing on his face. Sympathy.

"We're not done here," he said quietly.

"No," I agreed, holding his gaze steadily. "We're not."

Pride paused as I passed him, looking at me with an intensity that made me want to step backward.

"For what it's worth," he said softly, "I am truly sorry for how I approached this, but I'm not sorry I brought you back."

Before I could respond, I slipped past him into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind me. I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths to steady myself.

I'd died. I'd returned. I'd discovered powers I'd never dreamed possible. And somehow, I'd become entangled with beings so powerful they casually discussed reanimation as if discussing a minor medical procedure.

I should be terrified. I should be falling apart. But instead, I feel...powerful.

Pushing away from the wall I headed toward the door, past the curious gaze of Thea. Outside, the bright afternoon sun felt like a cleansing after the intensity of the office. I inhaled deeply, feeling the crisp air fill my lungs—lungs that had apparently stopped working completely not too long ago.

I was Hazel Blackwood, who died. I was Juniper Grey, who lived. I was neither and both and something entirely new.

And I was going to become a force to be reckoned with.

Chapter

Sixteen

GLUTTONY

Something was wrong.

The boys either hadn’t realized it yet, or were trying to gather themselves to tell me together. None of them ever had the courage to face me by themselves.

Well, not entirely true. Lust would, but as the one sin who bridged the gap between mydistinguishedself and the much younger sins, he normally took it upon himself to mother them.

Not that I was complaining. I wasn’t the nurturing type.

Gluttony came in many forms, after all.

The sun was annoyingly bright. This was why I rarely left my house. Well, that and the vampirism, but at my age the sun was only a mild irritant. Humans vexed me far more, but at least my appearance could be explained away as albinism. These days, all I needed to pass among them was a good pair of sunglasses.