Page 89
Story: Till Death and Daisies Bloom
He gestured almost lazily, and Xavier's remaining men simply...left. Not running, not fighting, just walking away with blank expressions as if they'd suddenly remembered urgent appointments elsewhere.
"Compulsion," my mother breathed, recognition and fear warring in her voice.
"Vampiric persuasion," Gluttony corrected gently. "Though I prefer to think of it as...aggressive suggestion."
Lust released Xavier, who collapsed to his knees gasping. The alpha looked around wildly, realizing for the first time that he was completely outmatched.
"You can't do this," my mother said, her composure finally cracking. "She's bound by sacred contracts. The coven's survival depends on–"
"The coven's survival," Pride interrupted, "depends on you finding a new plan. Because Hazel Blackwood is dead, and Juniper Grey owes you nothing."
"She's still my daughter!"
"Is she?" Gluttony drew nearer, and even the streetlights seemed to dim in response to his presence. "Because from where I stand, I see a woman who was murdered for trying to escape the life you forced on her. A woman who clawed her way out of her own grave to build something new."
His pale eyes fixed on my mother with predatory intensity. "A woman who is now under our protection."
"You can't–" Xavier started to say, struggling to his feet.
"Can't what?" Envy appeared behind him, moving with that unnatural silence. "Can't protect someone from her murderer? Can't ensure she's safe from people who view her as property?"
Xavier spun around, and I saw something that looked like genuine fear in his eyes for the first time. "I didn't murder anyone. She's standing right there!"
"Breathing," Pride agreed. "But not because of any kindness on your part."
The crimson energy that had been building in my chest throughout this confrontation suddenly flared brighter, visible to me if no one else. But the sins...they all turned to look at me at the same time, as if they could sense it.
"She's unstable," Lust murmured, and there was concern in his voice. "The emotional trauma, combined with the magickal confrontation..."
"Get her out of here," Gluttony ordered. "Now."
But Xavier wasn't done. As the sins focused on me, he made his move–lunging not for me, but for the nearest escape route. His werewolf speed carried him past the fountain and toward the street before any of them could react.
"Let him go," Pride said when Envy started to give chase. "We know where to find him."
“No,” I grit out, unable to stop the pressure in my chest, and no longer caring what the consequences were. Ever since the incident with Lust—and the others—my body felt like an overcharged battery, sparking and sizzling with too much power.
“Juniper?” Lust asked. “What–”
Hot magic spiked in the air, standing the hairs on my arms up and freezing me. It was familiar magic, and yet not. What was going on?
Xavier felt it too. He tried to bolt, but Envy and Greed grabbed him, twin shit-eating grins on their faces.
Panic twisted Xavier’s features as Greed twisted one of his arms behind his back.
“Haz …? Help me?”
How dare he.How dare he.
Had he stopped when I’d begged for mercy? Had he stopped when his hands had choked the life from me?
It was too much.
His pathetic groveling.
My mother’s smug superiority.
Something inside of me broke.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89 (Reading here)
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150