Born Sinner (Se7en Sinners #1)

by S. L. Jennings

  “Come on, Lil,” Andras whispers, ushering her from the room. He spares a sorrowful glance towards Legion before disappearing to the room next door.

  “Maybe there’s another way…some loophole we’re not seeing,” Toyol offers. He looks to Jinn, who wears the same grim mask as everyone else. “There has to be something we’re missing, right? Another way to anchor him to earth and bring him back.”

  Jinn releases a heavy breath and shakes his head, casting his glance to the ritual circle etched into the floor.

  “Shit. I’m sorry, L.” Toyol scrubs the back of his neck, just as panic seizes his features. He snatches a small, black device attached to his waistband and curses. “Dammit. An alarm was tripped, but…” He looks at the tiny monitor, switching through screen after screen of surveillance. “There’s no one…wait. Is that…? I’ll be back.”

  Toyol slips out of the room to grab his Katanas with Jinn on his trail. To be honest, they’re grateful for the intrusion; neither one of them could do what Legion was requesting, and they couldn’t stand the look of dejection in his eyes. Their brother was hurting, and they could feel it. His pain was their pain, and they had never felt anything quite like the intensity of his suffering. Losing Eden was bad enough, but Legion too? After centuries of camaraderie and companionship? They’d have no part in their friend’s death wish.

  “L, let’s calm down for a second and think about this,” Phenex suggests, his palms raised. “Say you do go back. You find her. Then what? How will you bring her back here when you can no longer enter this realm? Then what good would you be to her? We need a plan. One that ensures that you both come back safely.”

  “And if she’s there, then she chose to go,” Cain adds, pacing the circle. “She chose him, L. Maybe you should accept that.”

  A visceral growl rips from Legion’s throat as he trains his murderous glare on his closest friend. “She didn’t choose him. We were set up. It was either me and her sister, or her. And fuck…she submitted to him in exchange for our release. And I’ll be damned if I sit around and let her sacrifice herself for nothing. That should have been me. Don’t you all see that? I should have been the one to sacrifice for her.” Again, he holds out the dagger to Phenex. He’s the logical one, the even-tempered one. He’ll understand how important Eden is to him. Only he knows of the love he once had, and lost. And finding Eden—not Adriel—gave him hope again. He finally knew what it felt like to be alive.

  Reluctantly, Phenex takes The Redeemer into his hands, running his thumb over the rubies embedded in the hilt. “And you’re absolutely sure? You are irrevocably certain that this is what you want to do?”

  “No, it’s not,” Cain interjects behind his two brothers, cursing furiously. “He’s being a fucking fool.”

  Ignoring his brother, Legion rips off his bloody, tattered sweater, revealing the dark ink etched in his tanned skin. His cuts and bruises have already healed, although the welts around his wrists are still red and angry. It doesn’t matter. The second he steps foot back into Hell, he’ll be able to walk in any form of his choosing.

  “I made a vow, Phenex. To her…to all of you. I gave my life to this cause because I was lost and searching for redemption. But in reality, I was searching for her. I have been since the day I was cast out of Heaven. Not Adriel. But her—Eden. I told you all before…I will protect her or die trying.” He lifts his chin, offering the column of his throat. His chest heaves with the last of his jagged breaths on Earth. “Well, I’m not dead. Yet.”

  Want more?

  Dive into the Dark Light series, and get to know Dorian Skotos…intimately.

  Dark Light Series

  Other works by S.L. Jennings:

  Ink & Lies

  Fear of Falling

  Afraid to Fly

  Taint

  Tryst

  I am incredibly fortunate to have had so many amazing people in my corner during the creation of this book. I honestly could not have done this alone, and it’s comforting to know that they believed in me enough to keep pushing me…keep inspiring me. I am extremely blessed to have them in my life.

  Maureen Sytsma: Woman, you are my rock. No disrespect to my husband, but you are definitely my better half in all things bookish. I can’t thank you enough for all you do day-to-day to keep me on track, and ensuring the S.L. Jennings brand continues to grow. Thank you, Mo, for having my back. You are a great friend, as well as a kick ass personal assistant.

  My betas, Sunny Borek, Kristina Lowe, Andrea Kelleher, and Lauren Bille: Thank you, ladies, for your honesty and encouragement. It’s been a pleasure working with you, and I hope we can continue to create magic together. Not many people would put up with my nagging and demands, and I am lucky to be able to rely on you for feedback, as well as lean on you with my concerns. Thanks for your friendship, your listening ears, and your help in making Born Sinner the best it can be.

  My squad…the SLJ Unicorns: Thank you so much for all the pimping, sharing and enthusiasm! You women are killer, and it is because of YOU that people know about this story. Let’s continue to spread the sparkly rainbow love. We got this!

  The Jonesin’ for S.L. Jennings reader group: As always, I am blown away by your love and support for my stories, and I hope that I can continue to entertain you. Thank you so much for sticking by me over these past few years. I appreciate every one of you!

  BBFT: What an amazing group of reader bishes! You all are incredible, and I hope our little bookish haven continues to grow. Thanks for all the laughs and support!

  The author friends that continue to push me, inspire me and encourage me—Mia Asher, Claire Contreras, Corinne Michaels, Tillie Cole, Leylah Attar, Mandi Beck, K.A. Linde, Amelia Hutchins, Mary Elizabeth, CD Reiss, Tijan, Brittainy C. Cherry, Karina Halle, SL Scott, Tarryn Fisher, Tee Tate, Colleen Hoover, Jessica Prince, RK Lilley and Cynthia Rodriguez: I love you. I appreciate you. This book world is a better place because of you.

  The bloggers that consistently show their support and love: Black Heart Reviews, The Rock Stars of Romance, The Scarlet Siren, Kindle Crack, Totally Booked, Angie and Jessica’s Dreamy Reads, Schmexy Girl Book Blog, Two Book Pushers, Shh Mom’s Reading, SBC, Garden of REden, Erotica Book Club, Blushing Babes are Up All Night, Ana’s Attic, Beauty & Heartbreak, and so many more (sorry if I missed anyone!): You all are the best! And I am forever grateful for everything you have done for me and my career. Thank you!

  The chicks that make my heart smile with their killer teaser pics—The Reading Ruth, Bookish Life, Bossy Book Pusher, Book Whores and Crazy Book Lovers: Thank you for making my words beautiful. You all are so incredibly talented, and I am so honored by your support.

  The folks that rocked the hell out of the Born Sinner Cover:

  Hang Le- You did it again, girl! Working with you is a dream, and I am so excited for what the future holds with this series. Your talent and creativity continue to amaze me.

  Tess Farnsworth Photography- Thank you so, so much for capturing my vision and helping to create something phenomenal. I am so honored to have worked with you!

  Maud Artistry- I only see amazing things for you ladies, and I am so proud to be able to witness it. Thank you so much for believing in me, and devoting your time and effort into crafting something incredible!

  Tyson Holley- Working with you was perfect! Thank you so much for being so personable and professional, and bringing L to life. Wishing you much success!

  Durkin’s Liquor Bar- Thank you so much for allowing us to use your gorgeous space. It was truly inspiring!

  The folks that rocked the hell out of the words:

  My editor, Tracey Buckalew- We did it again, babe! Thank you for all you’ve done for me and my words. This makes book seven… Let’s do it again!

  My proofreader, Kara Hildebrand- You are amazing, woman. I appreciate your kindness, professionalism and friendship. Thank you!

  My formatter, Champagne Formats- Stacey, you continue to blow my freakin’ mind. Born Sinner has t
o be my favorite format of all time. I am so proud to have worked with you, and can’t wait to create more magic!

  My amazing readers: Without you, there is no S.L. Jennings. There’s just a girl with crazy ideas that rambles on about fictional worlds steeped in magic and myth. Thank you for giving me a voice and a platform. Thank you for believing in my words and purchasing my books. Thank you reading, reviewing and shouting your enthusiasm from the rooftops. Thank you for helping to make my dreams come true.

  My family: Tim, Tzion, Tzuriel and Tzachai… Everything I do is for you. None of this would mean a thing without you all in my corner. Thank you for allowing me to chase my dreams, and keeping me grounded with your love. I hope to continue to make you proud.

  If I managed to forget anyone, please chalk it up to my head and not my heart. I am so grateful for what I have achieved, and know that I could not do it alone. So if you’re reading this… Thank you.

  Always,

  Syreeta

  Most known for her starring role in a popular sitcom as a child, S.L. Jennings went on to earn her law degree from Harvard at the young age of 16. While studying for the bar exam and recording her debut hit album, she also won the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking invention of calorie-free wine. When she isn’t conquering the seas in her yacht or flying her Gulfstream, she likes to spin elaborate webs of lies and has even documented a few of these said falsehoods.

  Some of S.L.’s devious lies:

  Ink & Lies

  FEARLESS SERIES

  Fear of Falling

  Afraid to Fly

  SEXUAL EDUCATION SERIES

  Taint

  Tryst

  THE DARK LIGHT SERIES

  Dark Light

  The Dark Prince

  Nikolai (a Dark Light novella)

  Light Shadows

  Stalker links:

  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

  Website: amelia-hutchins.com

  Books sold at all major retailers online.

  Playing with Monsters

  Written by Amelia Hutchins

  Warning: This book is dark. It’s sexy, hot, and intense. The author is human, as you are as well. Is the book perfect? It’s as perfect as I could make it. Are there mistakes? Probably, then again, even New York Times top published books have minimal mistakes because like me, they have human editors. There are words in this book that won’t be found in the standard dictionary, because they were created to set the stage for a paranormal-urban fantasy world. Words such as ‘sift’, ‘glamoured’, and ‘apparate’ are common in paranormal books and give better description to the action in the story than can be found in standard dictionaries. They are intentional and not mistakes.

  About the hero: chances are you may not fall instantly in love with him, that’s because I don’t write men you instantly love; you grow to love them. I don’t believe in instant-love. I write flawed, raw, caveman-like assholes that eventually let you see their redeeming qualities. They are aggressive, assholes, one step above a caveman when we meet them. You may not even like him by the time you finish this book, but I promise you will love him by the end of this series.

  About the heroine: There is a chance, that you might think she’s a bit naïve or weak, but then again who starts out as a badass? Badasses are a product of growth and I am going to put her through hell, and you get to watch her come up swinging every time I knock her on her ass. That’s just how I do things. How she reacts to the set of circumstances she is put through, may not be how you as the reader, or I as the author would react to that same situation. Everyone reacts differently to circumstances and how Magdalena responds to her challenges, is how I see her as a character and as a person.

  I don’t write love stories: I write fast paced, knock you on your ass, make you sit on the edge of your seat wondering what happens next books. If you’re looking for cookie cutter romance, this isn’t for you. If you can’t handle the ride, un-buckle your seatbelt and get out of the roller-coaster car now. If not, you’ve been warned. If nothing outlined above bothers you, carry on and enjoy the ride!

  Chapter One

  I’ve been told that I am a survivor, tough, beautiful, and quirky, but the truth is, it’s my disguise; my shield. I’m mostly broken and I’ve tried to hide what I feel, but failure has been all I’ve known on that accord. I’ve experienced death, love, and now life. I don’t know where I went wrong, or how I allowed the darkness inside of me to grow. I know only that instead of fighting it as I should have, I poked it, prodded it, tried to see what it was made of…And now it’s slipped beneath my skin and I can’t seem to eradicate it from my soul. Can’t eradicate self, is what it whispers to me in the silence of the night.

  Is the darkness a part of me? Have I allowed myself to become the darkness? Why does it whisper such things, so seductive and exhilarating? Why do I listen to it? Maybe I am beyond redemption or saving. But if I am; from what I’ve been taught, that would be the end conclusion. If someone like me can’t be saved after what I’ve endured, then maybe we are all beyond redemption. Maybe none of us deserve to be saved.

  Whatever it is, I’ll face it head-on. He says he can save me, but what if I don’t want to be saved? What if instead of saving me, I want him beside me? I don’t need him to save me, if that is even possible; I have to save myself. I just need to know that when I do, it won’t cost me my soul.

  I don’t know if he’s my savior, my enemy, or the reason I’ve embraced this darkness, but I do know I can’t live without him. He brings out memories that don’t feel right, memories that might be stolen from someone else. I’m not what he thinks I am, and he’s not what he portrays himself to be. I can feel his darkness feeding from mine and it scares me. There’s something inside of me that screams to be set free. If I fall for him, I fear that the monster that sleeps within me will awaken, and I’m scared that if it does, I won’t recognize myself anymore.

  I’m in control for now, and I will do everything I can to remain that way. With the past coming back in patches and glimpses, it’s easy for now. What scares me is I know that I could be the same woman whose life is unfolding in my dreams…or, more to the point, nightmares.

  Can’t eviscerate true self, but what if you could? What if you could erase the past and take control of the future? Oh, but what if. ~Magdalena.

  * ~*~*~*

  I awoke from the nightmare covered in a cold sweat. My hair clung to my neck and I couldn’t shake the remnants of the dream. I knew that they’d been getting a lot more frequent and vivid lately, and although I couldn’t remember much about the details of the dreams, I did know that in each one of them, I died. It wasn’t supposed to happen in dreams; you just didn’t die. You woke up before you did. Everyone knew that. So why did I get screwed? Not only had I died in every dream I’d had recently, but the other consistent thing I remembered was that I’d allowed the monster in my dreams to seduce me right before he’d snuffed the life out of me, literally!

  Tonight’s dream felt so real, to the point I’d woken up wet in more places than I wanted to admit. I showered and sat down to recall the details in the journal I’d kept since my senior year in high school. I wasn’t sure I wanted to write this one down because I knew it was worse than the others had been.

  He’d been with me, and the next moment I’d been running through the forest holding some kind of large trinket box covered in strange writing—one I’d accidentally opened. I’d awoken on the floor in his estate, and the events and reason leading to my arrival at the estate were spotty at best. It had seemed a blur, but I’d felt it, as if it had been me inside the dream; but that was impossible.

  I’d gone to his house on behalf of the coven, with their warnings ringing in my ears, but the actual details seemed to escape me. It was foggy, and I was pretty sure I’d gone there to kill him. I’d felt fear, mixed with the knowledge that I was supposed to do something bad to protect the coven, to keep them away from the monster who had infiltrated our tightknit grou
p with his story of being an outcast warlock.

  He’d been so much more, and I’d fallen in love with him. He’d been everything I was looking for, and now I knew he hadn’t felt what I did. He hadn’t loved me. Instead, he’d used me to get to the others; to try and harness and use our powers for his own. I swallowed past the bile that rose in my throat as I stumbled through the forest. I knew I had to abandon the plan and get away from his house before he came back, yet whatever had been inside the box was making it impossible to even focus on what I was doing.

  I took off at a run, only to fall and hit the ground with a deafening thump. My dress caught on a bush, tearing it as I rose. I looked for the box, but my vision doubled and his voice screamed my name from the direction of the manor house.

  I turned and made my way through the thick, winding forest, escaping the monster. What had I done? I kept whispering it, as if I could find the answer within me. I fell again, and again, my legs too weak to support my flight. The earth rose to meet my fall, and eventually I could run no more. I hid behind an ancient oak tree, whispering prayers to the Gods to aid me in my escape.

  I heard a branch snap beneath his weight and I refused to open my eyes to meet his angry stare. “What did I do, what did I do,” I repeated over and over again numbly.

  “You know what you did,” he whispered as his hand touched my cheek. His palm cupped my chin and I felt the tears that fell for what I had done. I was in love with this man, this monster who had fooled us all.