11. Bree

Today is the weirdest day.

Rellick woke up asking why ‘Bubby' didn't like him. Madison was being super rude all day. Envy asked me on a date. Then, Madison's attitude got worse. Now, I'm trying to get dressed for a night out while the sin of gluttony sits on my bed with Rellick, ‘helping' me.

"If anyone knows what Levi likes, it's me. I am his brother, after all." Sweetie is full of shit. He's chosen the ugliest outfits I have in my closet. I'm not sure if he's playing a joke on me or Envy. "Isn't that pink dress beautiful?" he asks Rellick.

"I like it Mommy." This is the fourth time I've heard that. This is also the fourth outfit. Rellick is just ready to go play, but I could kiss Sweetie for including him.

"Well, I don't like the pink." I reopen my closet door, looking for anything that catches my eye. Purple looks the best on me, but I don't want to represent Lucifer. It's so hard when they each have their own specific color. The green dress I have is a little tight.

Envy is gorgeous! A serious Adonis. His green eyes have a sly gleam. His mocha-colored body looks sculpted to perfection. Levi is the complete opposite of me. Our only similarity is the color of our eyes. I'm pale. I'm sculpted like Jello. I'm the same height as a child. Why does he want to date me? Because Sloth and Gluttony do? Am I a competition? Didn't Pride say I was a bet?

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Beelzebub's voice breaks me out of the self-depreciative trap in my mind.

None of the sins have lied to me yet. Can I expect Sweetie to be truthful? "Angel said I was a bet…." I turn to look at this gorgeous man who's tickling and wrestling with my son on the floor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm listening to you," Gluttony breathes out. "Wait, little man." He stands, lifting Rellick on his hip. They look like a father and son duo and, I swear, I could get pregnant again just looking at that. "You aren't a bet, but you are part of one."

"Explain." Without thought, I place my hands on my hips like I'm talking to one of my daycare kids. It's a habit that I don't mean to do, but at the same time, I want to be intimidating.

Sweetie chuckles to himself, showing me that I'm not as intimidating as I think I am. "Hey little man. Why don't you go into your room for a minute? I need to talk to your mom." He places my son on the ground who doesn't hesitate to follow his suggestion. Why doesn't he listen to me like that? "I have no idea what you know or what you teach your son." He says to start off. "We believe that God has forgotten Earth. Us Sins are more powerful than ever; however, we still have our curse in place. We…"

"What curse?"

"Only one of us can leave Hell at a time. God placed this punishment on us when Azazel tried to take over and lost."

"Who's Azazel?"

"He's Adon's twin."

"Who's Adon?"

A loud sigh escapes Beelzebub's plush lips. "Brianna, do you want to know about the bet or not?" His tone is aggravated while his face shows amusement.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Continue." I sit in the middle of my bed, legs crossed like one of my toddlers, giving him my full attention.

He nods his head, moving on with the history lesson. "Thank you. Adon is God. It's his real name. He and Azazel are twins from another realm. Adon created Heaven. Azazel created Hell. We are of equal strength. The brothers came together to create Adam and Lilith."

"Lilith?" An eyebrow raises in a silent warning. I mime zipping my lips and locking them.

"Azazel created Lilith. Adon created Adam. Lilith was meant to be Adam‘s wife. She was not submissive. Adon cast her out. She was sent to Hell where she ruled by Azazel's side. Adon then made Eve, using Lilith as inspiration, but this woman was submissive." Why did the woman have to be submissive? What's wrong with a woman being in charge? Go Lilith! "I agree with you, Honey." Did I say that out loud? "Lilith got tired of being in Hell. She rose up, with Azazel's help, and started a war. There were twelve of us at the time; thirteen including her, that were being punished for our sins.

"Adon killed Lilith, and Azazel followed her. She was his love and favorite creation. We lost because he committed suicide. Adon took control of everything after. He sent Lucifer to watch over us. Lucifer's pride made him believe he was the King of Hell and that he could go against Adon. God gave him a punishment. He would be equal with the six sins that were left after the war."

Wow. This is a lot of new information that I won't even try to process right now. "So… the bet?"

"I'm getting there, Bree. Patience." He sits on the edge of my bed and takes my hand in his. My hand looks childlike compared to his. "We no longer feel Adon's Presence. We've been getting away with a lot more lately. Coming and going out of Hell more frequently. We believe that the curse is slowly being lifted." Gluttony brings my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles. "But you are repeatedly being absolved of your sins, something only God would approve of his favorited Archangels."

Is this what Lucifer meant when he called me ‘God's Favorite'? I don't go to church or do anything really religious… Why would I be a favorite? "I don't understand. Why me?"

"We don't know. We want to keep our eyes on you, to see who is constantly with you or around you."

"So, you're with me to see who's following me." It hurts hearing this because I was starting to believe that they wanted to be around me. To learn they're only around to see who else is around? My walls are starting to build back up. Should I have had sex with Sloth? Probably not. Not only is he a King of Hell, but he's only around to see if God is stil here. I'm a steppingstone in their exit of Hell.

"No, Honey." Beelzebub pulls me into his lap, attempting to comfort me with his words. "We want to be around you because you're feisty. Wrath and Lust are practically in love with you just from that first night. You're a fantastic mother to that little boy who is becoming my best friend. You're strong. If anyone deserves to be absolved of sin, it's you."

Tears fill my eyes, making me glad that I hadn't started my makeup yet. "Why does Envy want to take me on a date then? For the bet? Or because of me?"

"I don't know, Honey. That's a question for him." He squeezes me tight, letting me gather my head. "If you want to gain his appreciation, too, I would wear green."

Nodding, I pull myself together, lifting from his lap and grabbing my only green dress from the closet. I put it on, having to take off my bra because it's a little too tight. I don't really like the way I look in this dress, but I catch Sweetie's reaction in the mirror and my confidence lifts a little. His jaw hangs low as his eyes focus on my chest. I guess, my tits do look nice in this dress. "You think he'll like it?"

"If he doesn't, he's an idiot and I'll kill him. If anyone should be taking you to eat, it should be me. Let's take Rellick and leave. Right now. Leviathan can't even come here until I take Rellick, anyway."

I can't keep the smile off my face at his small rant. The fact that he includes Rellick in all his plans warms my heart.

Until his words register. "I thought I was going to Hell for the date…"

"No. I'm taking Rellick with me and Envy is taking you to a restaurant here."

"You're taking my son to Hell?!"

"Well, where am I supposed to take him Brianna? Heaven?"

"I don't know, Beelzebub! He's a child. He shouldn't be in Hell!"

He moves towards me, lifting my face so I can see directly into his eyes. "I would never let anything happen to Rellick." We stay in that position for a few moments, until he knows that I believe him. "Now. Rellick and I will leave so Levi can come meet you." After a quick brush of our lips, he calls for Rellick. "Give your mom a hug, little man."

Rellick's little arms wrap around my neck, and he squeezes tight. "Bye, Mommy. I love you."

"I love you, too, Sweet Boy. Be good and listen, okay?"

"I'm always good." I hug him to me once more and then kiss his cheek. When I stand, Rellick takes Beelzebub's hand and waves to me as Gluttony opens a portal.

As they walk through, Leviathan walks into my bedroom. "You ready?" His green eyes take in my room before widening when they land on me. "Fuck," he mumbles under his breath.

"Is this okay?" Envy hasn't actually acknowledged me and it's making my nerves bad. Did I choose wrong? Is this dress horrible like I think it is?

"Spin." His subtle command throws off my equilibrium. This dress is a v-neck, showing off my chest. It's a flair bottom that accentuates the waist without showing every roll I have. It's a little tight in the chest and shorter than I remember. I do a slow spin to make sure the dress doesn"t lift to show my barely there panties. "Dammit, Brianna. How am I supposed to sit across from you tonight and focus on anything you say?"

Am I meant to take that as a compliment? Or am I right in that I chose the wrong outfit? "You ready?" I grab my small black sequined clutch and step into my 3-inch wedges. Still, I barely come to his shoulders.

I lock my door behind me and place my keys in my purse. I don't see any different cars in the apartment complex parking lot. "Are we taking my car?"

"Of course not," Levi scoffs. What the hell? This date has barely started and I'm already having second thoughts. I'm too insecure for this shit.

Envy grabs my hand and pulls me against him. Within seconds, we are no longer in front of my apartment but in a nice up-scale restaurant.

Surrounded by others!

However, as I look around… no one seems to be phased by us popping up in the middle of the lobby. "How many?" the girl at the reception desk asks. She's making it seem like it's a normal occurrence for random people to just appear in the middle of the waiting area.

Levi holds up two fingers, then places his hand at the small of my back to lead me to our assigned table. "What's going on?"

"This is what you call a date, is it not?" He holds out my chair, pushing it in after I sit before placing himself across from me.

Rolling my eyes, I look around at the decorations. Skulls, paintings of monsters, heavily tinted windows. Are we at a Halloween restaurant? There are more than you would think in New Orleans. "You're being deliberately obtuse."

"It's a supernatural place. There are a few here, but this one is the best. They cater to every species. Aren't biased about demons." I know my eyes are growing increasingly wide with every word. Supernatural? "Granted, I would be welcome anyway, being a king."

A tiny waitress comes to stand at the edge of our table. "Hello. My name is Rissa and I'll be your server today. What can I get you to drink?" She's the same height as me but a barely there wisp of a girl. Her hair is almost white, and her skin is a sickly gray. White irises lift up and lock on Envy. "Levi! It's so good to see you! You've been gone for so long."

"Hello, Clarissa. Haunting anyone lately?" My eyes flit between the two of them. Is he flirting with her or just being friendly? Am I being overdramatic already?

‘Clarissa's' hand slides down Envy's as she overexaggerates a laugh. "Heavens, no! I'm still waiting on you. Your usual wine?"

"Yes, thank you." They stare up at each other with secretive smiles. Should I make my presence known?

Rather than focusing on the fact that I am in a restaurant catered to the supernatural, I am focusing on the fact that my date, the Demon King of Envy, has barely acknowledged that I'm at the table with him. He didn't say anything positive or negative about my dress or how I looked… I guess I shouldn't be vain about that, but it would have been nice to have a small compliment. The tone of voice he used regarding my car was sarcastic. Am I reading too much into that as well?

But now… he's not paying attention to me. I focus on our waitress. From his words, I can guess that she's a ghost of some sort. Or a zombie? Am I stereotyping? Regardless, she's still stunning. And skinny. The opposite of me. Is Envy only here for the bet?

"What would you like Brianna?" I lift my eyes to meet Levi's, not realizing I had been looking at the table.

"Just a water please." Alcohol would put me in my feelings, and my insecurities do not need to be broadcasted right now.

Clarissa nods her head, giving a wink to Levi before walking off. "Why only water? You don't have to watch what you eat or how you act around me. They have fabulous drinks here."

I didn't plan on watching what I was going to eat. Now I feel like I should. Scanning the menu, I try to focus on the ingredients. It doesn't look out of the ordinary. The entrees seem like normal meals that would be at an Olive Garden.

Rissa comes back, placing our drinks on the table. "Are we getting any appetizers?"

I look to Levi for an answer, who's looking at Rissa. Beginning to feel invisible, I start to pick my nails. My brain is attacking itself, asking what I'm doing wrong. "Not for me. Brianna?"

"No, thank you." My voice is small, and Envy hears it. His head tilts to the side, confusion in his eyes.

"Have you decided on a meal?" Rissa hasn't even looked at me, too focused on the gorgeous man across from me. Can I blame her? His forest green button-down shirt matches his eyes perfectly. His aura radiates confidence and power. Why is he here with me?

"Brianna? Have you decided?" I shake my head, pushing out the horrible thoughts. I am better than this. "No?"

My eyes meet Levi's across the table. He thinks I shook my head as an answer. "I'm sorry. Yes. I'll have the seafood scampi with zoodles as a substitute for pasta."

Handing the menu to Rissa, I take a sip of my water. From the start, Levi seemed serious. He looks like the CEO of a major corporation. Maybe I should treat this as a business meeting rather than a date. Straightening my shoulders, I lift my chin, forcing all insecurities out of my mind.

I am a bad fucking bitch! I am stronger than this!

Levi orders his food, his attention now solely focused on me. "Thank you for agreeing to join me tonight." I don"t answer because it doesn"t really seem like he"s wanted me here. "You look beautiful tonight."

"Oh, you"ve noticed?" I tried to hide my attitude, but I couldn"t.

Levi"s lips widen into a smirk, and he raises an eyebrow. "How could I not? You wore my color in the most sinful dress I could"ve imagined." Is he happy that I have an attitude?

"Thank you? Sweetie helped me pick it out." I'm starting to think Beelzebub was right. I should have gone to a restaurant with him. He wouldn't focus more on the waitress than me.

"I think it's cute you asked your son to help you get dressed."

It takes a moment for his words to register. Oh, in the words of the goddess Taylor Swift, Karma is my boyfriend. I cross my arms on the table, emphasizing my chest. "Rellick did help me pick out an outfit, but he's not my Sweetie." Envy's eyes darken as they lift from my chest. "That's what I call Gluttony." His smile falls to a frown. "It's because of how sweet he is to my son. But it does help that he tastes like chocolate."

"I'd rather you not speak of my brothers while having dinner with me." Levi growls. His eyes darken to black in his frustration.

I'm past caring as I reply, "I'd rather you not eye-fuck other women in front of my face while on a date. Guess we're both disappointed." I don't even want to be on this date anymore. I'd rather be with my son and my guys. "Where's the restroom?" Levi stews for a second before pointing towards the back corner of the room.

Once I'm alone in the restroom, I'm conflicted. Sweetie told me that only one sin can be on Earth at all times. Sleepy said if I ever needed him all I had to do was call his name. I've done it before but there wasn't another sin out of Hell at the time. "Belphegor." I pour my heart and soul into his name, hoping he hears my desperation.

A bright light appears behind me, blinding me. I can feel the tears in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. "Snow?" Sleepy is standing behind me in a dark room, a blue ring of light around him.

"Is this a portal?" Even in my distraught state, I still have time for questions.

"What's wrong, Snow?" He stays on the other side of the portal. I open my mouth to answer but nothing comes out. He holds out a hand to me and I take it, stepping through to Hell and leaving Envy behind.