Page 61 of Wicked Believer (Original Sinner #2)

“That’s called sisterly love, right, Mimi?

” I cast a fake affectionate grin in her direction but shut this line of conversation down before she can respond to me.

“First, I want to thank all of you for being here, but especially Gluttony for all the delicious food he made.” A few awkward claps come from the humans at the table—Mia, and Az’s fuck buddies.

“Plus, a special thanks to Envy for sitting next to me,” I mutter softly, trying and—from the annoyed look on his face—failing to keep him appeased. “I’m sure you’re all curious why I invited you here.”

Mimi scoffs. “That’s the only reason any of us came.”

I press my lips together into another fake smile.

Sisterly love. Sisterly love, I silently repeat.

“Of course. Thank you, Mimi,” I say with only a hint of sarcasm just as Mia stands and announces, “Okay, humans, that’s our cue. Everybody out.”

She ushers out the remaining staff and Azmodeus’s fuck buddies, each of whom he takes painfully long to make out with in lieu of a goodbye kiss, even though they’re only headed up to the second floor for a few minutes.

Assuming this all doesn’t blow up in my face and end with several of the most powerful beings in the world brawling with one another on the penthouse floor.

You know, like most human Thanksgivings.

As soon as everyone who isn’t an immediate member of Lucifer’s family exits, Azmodeus clears his throat. “So, are we going to get down to the naughty bits or what?”

The naughty bits?

Oh God. Here we go.

I lift a brow. “What do you mean, Az?”

“You know, the part where you tell us you’re planning to fuck Lucifer and ask if we all want in.” The other Originals nod in agreement.

“Fuck Lucifer?”

Az shrugs. “In a political sense, of course.”

I forgot they still believe he’s working with Michael, rather than against him. But maybe if they think ...

No, I internally chastise myself.

Honesty is the best policy when it comes to family.

Even one this divinely messed up.

“I’m not doing this to fuck Lucifer.”

“She already does that every night.” This from Envy, who from the covetous way he’s looking at me, might be more of a usurper than Az on that front.

“And most mornings,” Az adds helpfully.

I shoot him a narrow-eyed look, and he throws up his hands in surrender.

“What? I’m sure what the two of you have is supremely special , lovey, but I’m getting tired of feeling you getting reamed before I’ve even rolled out of bed.

” He takes a generous sip of his coffee, like it might shake whatever celestial hangover he’s nursing.

“Try to keep it to the evenings, would ya? You know, when the rest of divine civilization is awake.”

“The bickering too,” Wrath adds. “Could you believe that the other day they—?”

“Enough.” I bang my fist down on the table as I stand, silencing them all.

Five devilish expressions turn toward me.

Apparently, they only like me when I’m allowing them to needle me.

I clear my throat, my nerves suddenly making my pulse race. All five of them watching me is infinitely worse than being pinned beneath Lucifer’s gaze, or even Azrael’s.

Why didn’t I account for that?

But then I remember that the woman I was several months ago wouldn’t have been able to handle any of this. That’s one of the many things falling in love with Lucifer gifted me.

Confidence in myself.

Plus, a hint of a devil-may-care attitude, even in the face of my nervous doubt.

Or maybe I’m not doubtful, and it’s because the stakes are considerably higher here.

It’s just the potential end of the world that’s at stake.

No pressure or anything.

Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “I called you all here today to try and convince you to join Team No Apocalypse.”

“Team No Apocalypse? What the fuck is Team No Apocalypse?” This from Az. “Is that some kind of band name or something?”

“The name is beside the point,” I snap, causing Az to turn and scowl at me. Like he did when I told them there would absolutely not be any fireplay allowed during our engagement-turned-play-party tonight.

The last thing we need is the penthouse burning to the ground.

Even if at least seven of the guests are used to hellfire.

I let out an annoyed huff, already exasperated. How has Lucifer been dealing with all of them since the beginning of time? It’s like herding cats. Or sins, in this case. “Clearly, I can see I was mistaken to assume any of you would ever take me seriously.”

Mimi scoffs. “We’re here, aren’t we?” she says, subtly coming to my aid while simultaneously insulting me.

That is so Mimi.

The rest of them murmur in agreement.

I roll my eyes. Sisterly love indeed.

I give her a small nod as I inhale a deep breath, brushing myself off.

“You all can’t really be okay with the world ending.

You can’t possibly want that, for Michael to get his way, do you?

Who would be feeding power to you if there was no more humanity?

” I turn toward Greed. “Mimi, I know you don’t want to subsist off what little crumbs your angelic siblings are going to throw you or give up the money you get from all your cultish self-love followers.

Az, need I remind you you’d only have other celestials, Lucifer’s demons, and whatever other weird creatures happen to be roaming around to fuck with?

I know that probably sounds like a lot, but we all know it’s not for you, and limiting your sex pool can’t possibly be your idea of fun. ”

“There’s also the Nephilim and the few primordials who are out and roaming about, like that fine piece, Death, you’ve been lusting after, but fair point,” he cedes.

I flush and make another mental note to ensure I never allow our two Azs to be alone together in the same room. Not unless I want to die from embarrassment.

And what in God’s name is a primordial?

I shake it off. That’s a question for another time, another place.

And Az’s half-hearted encouragement has bolstered me.

I turn to Wrath next. “Wrath, no more humans? No more war. No more killing or rage, and then you’re all one big happy family again.

Does that sound good to you? And, Envy, well, you’d be jealous of anything we all choose to do anyway, so why not be a part of the team?

It’s the same outcome for you either way.

And, Gluttony,” I say, the moment I see he’s reentered the room, “I know you don’t want to give up watching most of Western civilization regularly overconsume—”

“Enough, Charlotte,” Azmodeus groans, rolling his eyes, like he’s suddenly their unified spokesperson. “You didn’t have to convince us.”

I blink. “I . . . didn’t?”

“None of us give two flying shits about our Father’s apocalypse and certainly not about how Michael wants to have a little hissy fit fight with Lucifer and call it Armageddon until Dad finally decides to come home. Why do you think I offered to pop your celestial cherry?”

“O-kay,” I breathe, drawing out both syllables. “What do you all want then?”

“For things to stay as they are, of course.” Mimi wrinkles her nose as if the whole thing is obvious.

Az sits forward. “As you may have noticed, we kind of have a sweet deal going here now that Dad has let us out of Hell.”

“But what about the redemption competition?”

Az shrugs. “Well, who wouldn’t want to get back in Dad’s good graces? But that doesn’t mean we have to blow up the whole fucking planet.”

Mimi gives him a pointed look from across the table. “She would think that, considering she’s with Lucifer. You know how bombastic he is.”

“Nearly as bad as Michael,” Gluttony grumbles from the corner of the table he’s now claimed.

“And you should probably know that humanity’s offerings to us are more like divine bonus points. We still have all our powers without you,” Az explains, admiring his reflection in one of our silver spoons, “even if my skin wouldn’t have quite the same luscious sheen.”

I lift both my hands. “Hold up. So let me get this straight. You mean to tell me that you all were just going to sit by and let Michael and Lucifer basically blow up the world, even though there’s no benefit in it for you?”

The table goes quiet.

They’re all more like Sloth than I realized.

“What’s the point in trying to stop them?” Wrath asks. “Better to let them rip each other to shreds.”

Of course he’d think that.

“And humanity? The fate of the world?” I ask.

Envy shrugs. “May the chips fall where they may.”

“Oooh, that one pissed her off real bad.” Wrath chuckles like he can feel the temperature rising in my face.

I pause and force myself to take a deep breath, inhaling through my nose. I can’t allow my anger, or my powers, to get the better of me right now.

Can’t allow myself to get any more out of control.

Or maybe that’s the whole point?

Maybe I’ve been holding myself back too much? Not releasing all my righteous fury.

Maybe I should take a page out of Lilith’s book?

“So, if you all don’t give a crap about the apocalypse, why are you here then?”

“To see what you have to offer us,” Mimi says.

Az rubs his hands together. “Your PR firm, lovey. Your little business proposal.”

“Why should we trust handing our PR firms over to you? Why bother to consolidate?” Gluttony bites into a bit of scone he baked this morning. With his take-no-shit attitude, he’s starting to become my new favorite.

I nod, a deeper understanding coming over me.

I’ve been going about this the wrong way. Trying to convince them to see the good in themselves when really what I needed to do was speak their language.

Show them how vicious you can be, Charlotte, Evie’s advice comes back to me.

It didn’t work out with Mia, but it just might be what I need with this crowd, I think.

I stand and place my hands on the table where I sit at its head, a reminder that I am now their wicked queen.

“Because I’m the only person in this city, in this whole goddamn universe, who has been both human and divine.

If you think your current human teams are getting enough offerings for you without any true knowledge or understanding of what they’re actually doing, imagine what I could do from where I stand straddling the celestial divide.

” I stand at my full height, snatching Envy’s half-full mimosa glass and throwing back what remains of it before setting it down hard on the table without shattering it as I level a furious glare at all of them.

“I take payment in celestial favors only.”