Sinners (SAINTS #2) | ✓

1

THE BREEZE WAFTING THROUGH her open window was tickling her skin, softly, like a whisper.
Summer was full on beginning, those days filled with golden sunshine, luxurious events and silk dresses just glittering in the air. Honestly, to Jasmina it couldn't have come sooner. High school had finally come to a close and along with it had started a new chapter in her life. A few more months until college would begin and everything was already prepared for her. She had been enrolled in her father's alma mater, ready to follow in his footsteps. Her Louboutins were waiting to carve her own way in them, step by step.

Jasmina yawned, the palms of her hands pressed against her eyes. It felt like she was floating on air, the sweet scent of nectarine and cherry blossoms kissing her nose. Her mansion was beautiful all year round, but in these warmer days it really shone. Every piece of the garden was blooming in various shades of red, yellow and blue, like they were right out of the prestigious paintings on the walls.

Every part of her estate was under her supervision while her parents were away and she controlled it all. Everything, except -

"Gio, you're doing it again."

She didn't need to open her eyes to know she was truly floating on air, but when she did a sigh left her lips. Living with the seven deadly sins wasn't easy, but especially so when Gio managed to pull her along as well with his magic whenever he had a good dream. He had been having more of those lately. Though almost all of the sins had left to travel and explore the world now they were human, he had stayed behind.

"You promised me the best bed in the world," he had said. After she had given him exactly that, he had barely left it.

Occasionally she heard from Daichi or Ira when she needed to bail them out of trouble, but mostly they were just having fun. She was glad for it. Money had never been a problem and so they could spend it all they wanted wherever they were - even though her future husband was bitter about it.

The devil had very clearly stated he wanted them to stay by her side as the glorified bodyguards they had been, but she had batted her eyelashes and he had listened. Besides, two of the sins had remained by her side anyway. She supposed that was enough for him.

When the thought entered her head she opened her eyes, only to be greeted by navy butterflies and fluttering curtains, her balcony showing a part of her backyard. Victor was sitting in his usual spot by the weeping willow, the green branches spilling down like tears. Somehow it looked like a cage, but most days she felt like he thought the same about his own bones, rattling with a grief no one could understand.

He didn't speak much, just sat there and read book after book. When she had asked him why he didn't leave, he had just told her he had nowhere to go. She hadn't pried further, just given him access to her private library. That seemed to have satisfied him at least.

"Gio," she repeated, still floating, her white kimono flowing down beneath her like makeshift wings.

A moment passed and then she felt gravity press down on her again, the soft feeling of her bed a warm greeting. She had just placed her feet on the Persian carpet when a sleepy head popped up from the doorway.

"Sorry," Gio yawned.

In the morning light he seemed like he was made of silver dreams and soft clouds, spun from his hands like cotton candy, as cold as early dawn. The shadows underneath his eyes were as dark as ever and they had remained that way, even though all he did was sleep. It somehow made his eyes pop even more though, the blue so sharp it looked chemical, like the bottles of sleeping pills on his bedside drawer.

Now they were human their powers had changed, like their bodies had. There was no intense sense of fatigue anymore when she was around him, like he was water and she was drowning; his eyes enough to lull her to sleep. No, these days she didn't feel anything, but he certainly did. He had left the house only once ever since her engagement had fallen into place and he had returned with boxes of benzodiazepines. She didn't ask him how he had gotten them and he didn't tell. His body was between human and immortal now after all. He treaded that border with clumsy feet and smeared it out time and time again, like a child chasing death.