Greed's Charity (Seven Deadly Sins Book 1)

by R. A. Pollard

  “Sit with me? I need you,” she pleaded.

  Mammon rubbed the back of his neck fiercely. Grumbling, he moved to sit behind her, pulling her against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her. Isabelle relaxed against him, tapping into her the strength she needed to find her sister Seers.

  Apollo nodded and reached out, touching his fingers to her temples. Isabelle closed her eyes and concentrated on the demon behind her. His enduring strength, his fortitude, his love for her—she let it all seep into her soul.

  She took in a slow breath and felt a trickling warmth spreading from where Apollo was touching her. The heat began to grow, expanding into her limbs, passing to her head. She felt it then, pressing against the barrier she had spent her life building around her mind. It was thick and strong, so many layers of protection. Her automatic response was to reinforce it. But the heat just got stronger, turning into a piercing blow-torch that focused on her defenses. Light exploded behind her closed eyes, blinding her. A sudden stabbing deep in her head had her wincing, then the world around her fell away. The throbbing continued to grow, turning into a hammering pain. An involuntary whimper left her throat. The barriers between her and the world were burned away by the god in an explosion that shattered the layers like glass. They fell around her, one after the other, breaking and exposing her mind, ripping it open to the world. Then the tsunami hit her. Nothing could prevent her from being dragged under by the raging torrent.

  She screamed, at least she thought she did. Her mouth was open but she couldn’t hear a sound. All she could see, feel, or hear was pain radiating throughout her being. Thousands of emotions washed over her in an endless universe of feeling, each mind celebrating, hating, or wallowing in their lives. Each pain, joy, and terror hit her like a sledgehammer, shattering into a million pieces that sliced into her brain and sent her plummeting into the abyss.

  Mammon was losing her; he could feel it. She was convulsing in his arms. Apollo was swearing, trying to keep contact with Isabelle’s temples as she was drowned by the world.

  “Do something!” Ze’s voice echoed what everyone was feeling.

  “Demon! Open yourself to me or we lose her right here!” Apollo offered his hand to Mammon. He grabbed it without hesitation. He couldn’t lose her.

  A tornado of pain whipped around him. The world was nothing but roaring sound, a marbled mix of screams, laughs, and cries. In the maelstrom of swirling light, he could see her. She crouched on the ground, chest pressed against her knees, arms covering her head, robbed of her screams by the overwhelming emotions of millions.

  Mammon took a step towards her, the wind battling against him, ripping at his flesh. He felt the terrible memories from his time in the Pit being pulled from him. The echoed sensations from those hellish years rushed up, crippling his mind and body. Then he was back in that room, feeling the cool slice of metal through his flesh, his body burning as if fresh blood had just been spilt. He could feel the cold seeping into his bones, pulling him back, the rough rusted metal of the chains that bound his wrists. No! Had it all been a dream? They couldn’t be that cruel. Please, no!

  He heard them laughing, their chattering teeth clicking together, driving him insane. Where were they? He knew they were here! Covering his ears, he shook his head and sank to his knees. No, this wasn’t right. He wasn’t in the Pit. He had been released. He had seen the sun, he had tasted real food, kissed Isabelle. Isabelle.

  Opening his eyes, he focused his mind. “You’re not real. I won’t let my past control my future anymore!” He propelled himself to a standing position, forcing his brain to work through the terror that threatened to drag him once more into hell. He locked his thoughts on one thing—Isabelle’s violet eyes. Through the flashing memories and distant pain, he saw her. She was losing the fight against her own power. Never! He wouldn’t lose her. Not here, Not ever.

  With a roar, he pushed through the swirling wall, the Pit vanishing around him. One step after another, each one bringing him closer, each one ripping another devastating memory from him. He felt the claws ripping open his stomach, the teeth gnawing on his insides as his toes were removed again and again. Gritting his teeth, he reached through the vortex, his hand finding her, his light. Pulling her trembling body towards him, he wrapped his arms around her. Heat and light surged through him at the moment of contact, so hot he thought she might burn him alive.

  He saw it then—her spirit—blazing like a star against the vortex of emotions. Strong and resolute, shimmering like a true virtuous being. Beside it, the Sin of Greed was a pulsing mass of black that should have been destroyed by the purity her body emitted. But it accepted the darkness, filling it with love and light. Her soul shone with pure charity. She would give her very life for this world, and he would give anything to protect her.

  “Take all you need from me. I give all I am to keep you safe,” Mammon whispered to her. He put within his words all the emotions he could never seem to voice.

  A blinding flash sent a shock wave rolling out. Light and dark mingled together as one. After the roar of sound, the sudden silence made his ears ache. Isabelle whimpered and lifted her head. She looked around at the pulsing light. It shifted like sand around them, sparkling grains hovering in the air. Then her eyes fell on him, and a sob left her throat.

  “Hush, Minx. You can do this. I’m here with you.” His voice was thick with pain, but he held her, providing the strength she needed.

  He felt her then, within him, her emotions were his, he felt her steel herself. Keeping a tight grip on him Isabelle reached out. This time there was no torrent of emotion, more like the gentle roll of a wave. Expelling a breath, she reached for someone who felt like her, someone who shone with a different light.

  Mammon had never experienced anything like this, joined as if one body and soul. So long he had held his own emotions back and locked away, having the world spread before him was almost too much. There was so much pain in the world, mirrored by amazing joy. Each light he could see through her eyes, she saw each as an individual, laid out before her like bright sparkling fairy lights. Some so dark you could see the corruption they infected others with, there was so much of it.

  One stood out, glowing with a soft pulsing blue power, it emanated ancient magic. With their strength combined and merged together, they reached for that blue glow. Focusing only on that, Isabelle got closer. She could feel this female, her unending loneliness, her isolation, the fear she was going to lose her mind. Fear she would be alone, never knowing another’s touch.

  Mammon let Isabelle take the lead. He felt through her. She couldn’t stop herself from reaching for the woman, sending strength and a promise. She would be found soon, she wouldn’t be alone much longer. The woman opened to her, amazement mixed with immense fear spreading from her. Yet hope blossomed in her heart.

  Isabelle couldn’t speak to her. No words were uttered, but she felt the woman desperately reaching for her. She craved the touch of another person, even if it were just in her mind. Isabelle knew her name it whispered through the link between them.

  “We’re coming, Sera. Hold on.”

  Isabelle’s head hurt. Fuck it, hurt was too pathetic a word for it. If someone had split her skull open and let the pressure out of her head without anesthetic, it would hurt less. There was a cool cloth across her eyes, the darkness in the room welcoming, the silence a blessing. Beside her lay Cercyn, his hellhound body warm against her. Slowly she turned her head, the pain radiating down her neck. The hound lifted his head and moved from the bed. The tingle of energy in the room told her he had taken his human form.

  “I will fetch Mammon. Be still.” Then he was gone vanishing into shadow, and she was left in the dark silence again. What the hell had happened? She didn’t remember much after finding Sera and Mammon trying to pull her back from the vision. How long had she been out?

  She winced a little as she made a move to sit up, a sudden light from the door making her hiss in pain. Strong hands
reached her shoulders, pressing her gently back on the bed. “Woman, if you keep taking years off my life, we’re going to have issues.” Mammon’s voice was soothing, his touch soft against her throbbing body.

  “Never again, Isabelle. I forbid it.” Fear laced his voice and made her heart pound hard against her rib cage. Whatever had happened after the world had gone black had been bad. She could feel it by the tense way he held her and the edge of sadness and strain in his voice. She couldn’t live with the idea she had brought such worry to him.

  Isabelle reached up, taking his hand in hers. She felt him moving, the bed sinking as he lay behind her. His lips brushed against her temple. She turned and buried her face against him. His scent was a better pain reliever than aspirin, but she had to find Sera again. That poor woman was waiting for help, and Isabelle wouldn’t disappoint her.

  Mammon winced at the weakness she displayed. He was never letting her do that again. Even though she had been successful in finding one of the Seers, she had almost died doing so. Apollo had managed to pull her back, putting her brain back together from the surge of emotions that nearly killed her. He also built some damn strong barriers to prevent her doing it again, in case she got it into her head to try by herself. He owed the god everything.

  “We found one. You found one.” He wasn’t going to tell her about the rush to save her life. Or about her nose, ears, and eyes bleeding like she had ancient illness. Or that she had stopped breathing for almost ten minutes. Nor the fact he had been a raving beast the whole time or that Lucifer and Apollo worked like mad men to bring her back to life. Yeah, he couldn’t go back to that memory. He might lose it once more.

  “Never again.” He whispered the words, closing his eyes as his arms tightened around her. His body shook with each breath. Please, by Hades, I can’t lose her.

  “Okay, I promise.” Her voice was soft as she resigned herself to his rule. He felt her bury her face against him. Slowly his heart eased, and finally he felt like he could breathe again.

  They would find the Seers another way. Mammon watched the light of his heart close her eyes, sleep taking her almost immediately. A smile pulled at his lips. Hell, he couldn’t call himself Greed anymore, now could he? Not when he would give his life for her in a heartbeat.

  Damn woman. She had taken a demon created from the Sin of Greed and instilled within him the virtue of Charity. He was sure this was breaking some ancient law somewhere, but he didn’t give a damn.

  EPILOGUE

  Michael rested his head on his linked hands and stared at the nondescript amphora jar on his desk. No scary, haunting voices came from it. No mystical energy ebbed from the clay. He sat back and picked it up in one hand, looking at the simple black paintings upon the gold face. It didn’t appear to be anything special, it just looked like a damn jar you could find in any museum in the world. They had fought a battle in Tartarus for this?

  Curiosity bit at him—killing the cat as the saying went. It certainly ended Pandora’s life. Curling his lip, he gripped the jar in one hand and grasped the lid in the other. He pulled on it. Nothing happened. Growling, he tried again, applying more force. Still the lid didn’t budge. His bronze eyes flashed, and with a roar, he smashed the jar down onto his desk.

  The jar didn’t shatter. Instead, a blinding, golden light exploded from the jar’s surface, throwing Michael across the room and scorching everything it touched. A sound erupted—howls of Torment and Agony, prevalent Terror, and unceasing Hate, mingled with moans of desperate Anguish and Despair. There was something else, something that not only inspired the soul, but also crushed it, stomping out all light within until it would bleed with sorrow and defeat. The darkest and most deceiving of all the Sins, Hope.

  Michael felt them all rush over him like a wave. He stood, laughing as the light withdrew under the clay surface once more, and the sounds vanished from the air. His clothing was scorched from the power hidden within, his office a sad collection of burnt furniture and smoldering carpet, but he didn’t care. Within this jar slumbered the remaining seven Sins. The ones that had been trapped within when Pandora sacrificed herself to seal the jar she had opened. He would release them and give them form, then he would set them loose on the world.

  Laughing, he reached for it again, running his thumbs in reverence over the clay. Oh yes, soon the world would be as it should, his once more. He would right the wrongs done to him so long ago. Those foolish Malakhim, so desperate to have purity in their world. They were the ones who were going to help him destroy it!

  “I think I found our Seer.” Isabelle looked up from her computer as Abbadon spoke, hope spreading through her. It had been almost two weeks of looking, trying to find anything which seemed off in the news or in those Inquirer type papers. So many claiming to have supernatural powers, but none of them had been her, the woman from her vision. Isabelle would have known her instantly.

  Abaddon quickly turned his computer around and tapped the screen. Isabelle leaned over, reading aloud. “Sera Holt. 29-years-old, lives in Battle Creek Iowa. Says she is known for helping the FBI and police on murder cases. It is said she can touch something and know who it belongs to, where they were, and if they are indeed guilty of the crime.”

  “From what I found out, she had a break down about two years back and hid herself away from the world.” Abbadon sat back in his chair, hands behind his head.

  “That’s her! I know it is. We have to find her.” Determination rushed through her.

  “We’re going to.” Lucifer’s voice filled the room as he and the other demons filed in. Mammon came right to her side, his hand circling the back of her neck, his little touches telling her, without words, how much he needed her.

  Voices began to fill the room. Unfortunately, everything was tinted with pain. Hades was still fading from the world, and Tanus had yet to be found. Lucifer was stressed, his face evidence of another night of sleeplessness.

  Abaddon had lost the easy edge to his personality. He had been all work, work, work since he had recovered from the battle in Tartarus. When he wasn’t looking everywhere for Tanus, he had been helping Isabelle with the search for the next Seer.

  Asmodeus was in pain. Isabelle wanted so badly to help him, but he avoided everyone. He was spending most of his time in mist form, refusing to take a human form since he had healed.

  Belor and Ze had been building their new training center, going back and forth to the Underworld to ensure it remained calm and under control. Rumors were flying that Hades was dying, and the lower demons were starting to get brave. Lucifer was preparing to step up and take control until Hades either finally passed or, by some miracle, managed to pull back from the edge of death.

  The Malakhim had yet to make another move. Per Lucifer’s battle report, they had taken major injuries during the fight in Hades. Isabelle just hoped they would remain quiet for a while longer, at least until Sera was safe and protected from them.

  The six demons gathered around the computer. The picture on the screen showed a woman with pure jade eyes etched in pain, surrounded by a halo of red hair. Isabelle needed to help her, needed to find her. The aching loneliness she’d felt during their short connection had been ingrained on her soul. She wouldn’t let this poor woman be alone a moment longer.

  Isabelle felt Mammon tighten his grip on her. He knew how deeply she felt about this, how much she needed this. Her love for him grew every second. Her demon was powerful, strong, and unwavering in his love. They were linked, bonded together as if one soul. The time he had spent in her mind when she searched for her sister Seers had merged them deeper.

  Apollo had told them he had never seen a bonding quite like this. The Sin of Greed that existed inside Mammon seemed to be calm and content. Their souls were marbled together; nothing would be able to separate a merging like this. Isabelle’s life was now tied to Mammon’s, as long as he lived, so too would she. Not even death would be able to part them. They would forever be tied to one another.

 
Isabelle found herself insanely happy, not only had she found the male who made her heart sing, she had found a partner, her true soulmate. He leaned in, pressing a kiss against her temple. He knew when she needed a little touch or a kiss. They now communicated on a level deeper than words.

  They were all about to embark on a monumental task, not only convincing a recluse they could help her, but also finding some way to explain to the poor woman what her existence meant for the world. But Isabelle had made a promise. One she intended to keep. With the help of the demons around her and three over protective hellhounds, Sera Holt's life was about to change.

  Isabelle took a breath and gazed at the powerful demon warriors filling the room. Every one of them was determined this world wouldn’t end with Michael and his Malakhim. They would fight, they would win, and they would stop the coming apocalypse.

  R.A. Pollard was born Rebecca Russell in Portsmouth, England in 1981. She was abandoned by her birth mother and ended up in foster care as a baby. At ten-weeks old she was fortunate enough to end up fostered by the Pollard family and they adopted her when she was six-years-old.

  Despite the difficulties of her childhood and her school life where her Dyslexia had gone undiagnosed, she never let anything stand in the way of her dreams to write. Forging forward, breaking down the walls of conventionality, she battled her own difficulties with reading and spelling. She successfully finished college with the intent to take her diploma in Horse Management and continue to work with one of her favorite animals.

  An unfortunate accident while riding caused a severe back injury which left her with no real direction. With no more career prospect in her chosen field, she returned to her childhood love of rocks and went back to school, completing a B.S.C. in Geology from Portsmouth University. This began her career in the oil industry, working on oilrigs in the North Sea. This was the foundation she needed to move to the USA in 2008, where she now lives in Houston, TX. The many hours of free time between jobs gave her ample time to write and expand on her bourgeoning worlds.