not to like it, I’m pretty sure it tipped me even further into his favorite pile.”
Jerif just looks at the others with pure exasperation on his face. “I...I...I don’t even know what to say! You can’t fucking do shit like that, Delta!” he snarls, looking at the others like he’s waiting for them to agree. I cross my arms and glare at him.
Iceman cuts in before Jerif and I can start to argue. “Pride, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, and Acedia are the seven major sins that mortals struggle with. Those Abdicated have to make sure that those sinful natures are equally spread, so they hire demons to do that in Hell and in the Mortal Realm. The Generals they choose to serve under them are each in charge of a branch from their sin,” Iceman explains.
My head is spinning. “Meaning what?”
“Meaning they control all the ways in which their sin is used. How it’s used against souls or used for them. It’s a huge honor and responsibility,” Echo adds.
I fix my gaze to a tall headstone as I try to take everything in. I guess that explains a lot about everyone’s personalities at that dinner, especially red-haired, big-boobed Elle. Which...now that I think about it, probably is actually L for Lust. Damn. Lust almost sauntered out of the dinner party with Crux on her arm. That thought pisses me off.
“So when you say that your brother works for an Avarice think tank…”
“His job is to come up with new ways to use Greed to lure, condemn, and punish with it,” Iceman explains. “It’s a rather boring office job and the exact opposite of the physical role he thought he would have fighting and being a Guardian badass or savior of Hell,” he adds, and I nod, comprehending how much that probably sucks for his brother.
“So I’m guessing you’re his favorite person to be around then?” I tease.
Iceman grunts a laugh and rubs at his horns again. “Yeah, let’s just say that Samhain—the only time we all get together anymore—is very awkward.”
I give Iceman an apologetic look.
“You should go back for Equinox this year and show off your new Nihil hottie. I’m sure he won’t hulk out from jealousy at all,” Crux says with a mischievous grin.
“He’d deserve it after the shit he pulled at the last Beltane I went to,” Iceman replies on a sad smile and a sigh.
“If the Gate chooses though, how can he hold all of this against you?” I ask, gesturing to the graveyard and mausoleum in front of us.
“He’s just a sore loser,” Crux states. “He acts like Raf did something to sway it, even though he knows that’s not how it works. And Raf’s family lets him get away with it because they’re embarrassed about backing the wrong kid. It’s stupid, but that’s family for you sometimes.”
My heart breaks a little for Iceman right then and there. I walk over to him and lace my fingers through his cool palm, and he looks over at me in surprise, like he’s never had someone try to comfort him. I give him a sideways look. “You want me to scythe him for you?” I ask, aiming to raise his spirits. “I can cut off his horns or something. Then you can have the Best horns in the family title, plus the kickass job. Bet that’ll really piss him off.”
To my relief, Iceman actually lets out a rumbling laugh that nearly curls my toes. “I would like that, actually. I might just take you up on it.”
I give his hand a squeeze. “Good. Just say the when and where, and I’ll take care of it for you, Iceman,” I say with a wink.
He lifts up our joined hands and places a kiss on the back of mine in a sweet gesture. I want to stop and take his face between my hands and kiss him until he forgets all about his asshole brother, but I don’t. I know we need to get this induction thing rolling, so I put it on my to-do list for later, right along with yelling at Taz for not telling me he’s one-seventh of the Deadly Sins. How’s that for a family tree?
When the five of us finally reach the mausoleum, I take a moment to notice the singing birds and shining sun and warm breeze in the air. You’d never know that right here, there’s a Gate into Hell. Maybe that’s the point.
Jerif swings open the mausoleum door, and our