Chapter 25: The Angel of Death.

**BEA**

"Who are the brothers of the deadly seven? I don't think I have ever heard of them." The Princess owed it to the somewhat manipulative nature she had to master over the years with her parents and siblings. Despite Aldonis being the youngest child, everyone kept secrets from Bea rather than him. Her thoughts lingered on her family; it was time to ask Lillith if she could make a quick call and make sure her loved ones were safe. But before that, Bea had to find out who her grandmother's mystery guest was. There was something about this man that she couldn't put into words, something that made her want to find out more about him.

"Deadly sins, sweetheart," Lillith chortled. The Vampiress knew Bea was well aware of who her sister's fated mate was, but perhaps no one in the castle addressed him by the generic title. The Vampiress had to be careful when talking about any subject around her granddaughter; she didn't want Bea to find out too many things. There were too many secrets that Lillith had to keep from everyone, whether she was family or not - some things were better left unspoken.

"Oh, like Wrath? I never thought there'd be more; it's not like my parents talk about such things. So what are the other six like?" Bea eased back on the sofa to show Lillith that she was up for a long talk. Of course, she didn't expect much, but experience had shown that Lillith always took her time when explaining things. Besides, it wasn't like Bea had to rush anywhere - she could wait if the vampiress told her more about the mystery man.

Lillith sat down next to Bea and put an arm around the girl's shoulder. The vampires didn't notice her pulling Bea close as if she wanted to comfort the young woman. "Yes, like Wrath. He's the most popular, if I do say so myself. Not for the good deeds, obviously. Wrath is an impulsive and very dangerous man, just like his beast, but I'm sure your sister is quite capable of keeping him on a short leash. Come to think of it; it's been a while since I've heard of him running around destroying everything in his path. So I would assume Ally is doing an excellent job." A faint smile spreads across her lips as Lillith loses herself in the thoughts that she'll probably never see any of her family again as the years pass. Being immortal felt like a great thing until she understood that she would be lonely for the rest of eternity. She wanted something more, something real to hold onto.

Bea crossed her arms in front of her chest and puffed. "Grandma, you're losing the point. I know Darius and how he is, but I want to know about the others too. Please?"

Lillith sighed and let her head fall back against the back of the couch. Sometimes she didn't know how to word her thoughts, especially those she didn't want to share. The woman knew her granddaughter was a curious little wonder, and Bea wouldn't give her a moment's peace if she tried to avoid questioning in the first place. But how was she to tell the girl with the pleading eyes that the intruder had been her mate, to add, one of the seven brothers? Bea had been too young when the Queen had driven River from the castle, so there was no way she could remember anything about the blond man. "Suit yourself, but don't tell me I didn't warn you afterward. So, there are seven in total - Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Envy, and Pride. Since you are familiar with Wrath, I won't bring him up. All of these men represent a deadly sin, but apart from that, they are very dangerous creatures. They have been around for a very long time, but none of us know what to call the creatures that live within them. I know of only one, but I'll leave it for last so we don't stray off-topic."

Bea shot back to her feet, finally understanding Lillit's words. The vampiress deliberately omitted a deadly sin, probably assuming Bea wouldn't follow her words. "Okay, first of all, that's only six, grandmother. You forgot to mention one, I counted. Also, which one was here?" The Princess raised an eyebrow. She knew Lillith was hiding something, but it was too early to judge or confront the woman without reasonable evidence. To assume that Lillith was hiding information beneath the oceans of words that were already leaving her lips was wrong, so at this point, the right thing to do was to wait and observe.

"That would be Sloth, moonflower."

"So the one you didn't mention. Why should you avoid only one? Has this man hurt you? Because if he did, then he'd have to deal with me. I'm pretty scary when I get angry." Bea clenched her hands into fists, trying to look intimidating. Her effort amused Lillith, but amusement aside, she felt something the woman hadn't experienced in ages. Warmth in her heart for someone who genuinely cared about her well being.

Lillith thought carefully over her following words. She could tell Bea a little more about her past and still avoid frightening her granddaughter. "Sloth and I, well, we've come a long way. He was one of the first vampire hunters, and he was the one who killed a very dear person of mine. I don't mean to sound like a savage, but I killed that boy on the spot. Life for life, as we say. Please, don't be afraid of me; I did what seemed right at the time. Watching him die right before my eyes made me a disgusting and vengeful person. I regret the rash decision, but I can't swear that the outcome would be any less deadly than it was. However, I didn't expect to encounter him again after his rebirth. That Goddess everyone believes in has strange ways, I can tell you that. He still holds a grudge while I've let go of the past, so our encounters aren't the healthy kind of reunions." Bea took in every word, wondering why Lillith sounded like she was describing a family member and not someone who was supposed to be her enemy. Or at least wanted to be one. Day after day, her past confused the Princess more than the day before, pulling her into a vicious cycle of memories and reflections.

Bea tapped a finger against her chin and gasped. Lillith had mentioned that she knew what was in one of the deadly sins and deliberately left out her guest. Did that mean she knew what beast Sloth was hiding inside? "What's inside him?" Bea spat out the question before she could think about it. Meeting Lillith's eyes, she cleared her throat and explained herself. "I mean, you said they have beasts, but you didn't tell me what is in the last of them. You purposely didn't mention him with the others, but you told me you knew what was in one. Is it a wolf? Maybe some other animal? A polar bear? Wouldn't it be funny if a ladybug was hiding in that scary man?" At this point, Bea was eager to know more information; her guesses were getting ridiculous.

Before the Princess could get lost in conjecture, Lillith tried to stand up and excuse herself. "Can we stop here? I'm a little tired -"

"No, don't try to escape me now. I've lived by your rules, and now it's my turn to find out what I want."

"Sloth, he is..." Lillith glanced around to make sure no one heard her. Was the information so secret that she had to hide it even from her coven? Licking her lips, the woman pulled Bea closer and whispered. "Have you ever heard of angels?" When their eyes met again, Bea struggled to keep her face straight and serious. When would everyone stop assuming the youngest Princess was weak and stupid? If anything, she was definitely not those two things. Lillith sighed and muttered something under her breath. She hid her previous words by speaking louder and declaring how crazy she sounded. "Who am I kidding? Of course, you have; who hasn't?"

Bea felt some relief when at least someone remembered that she had spent ages in the palace library. However, the assumption had already been made, and it might take her a while to forget. She took a deep breath and spoke her mind. "I may be young and foolish, as many seem to think, but I know there is something you are not telling me." Bea was silent for a moment, watching as Lillit's expression changed to almost startled horror. So she was right; there was more to this than met the eye. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and tapped her foot on the marble floor, trying to look impatient. "What kind of angel, grandma?"

"Don't make me say this out loud. Please, forget I ever said anything; it's not something you should know. Or hear. Especially not from me. The time will come, be patient, moonflower." Lillith did her best, or at least she tried to, to avoid Bea. A hand grabbed her upper arm, and the granddaughter held the Vampiress back.

"And I don't like to repeat myself, grandma. I may seem weak and defenseless, but there are far too many things you don't know about me. I want to know the truth. Either you tell me, or I'll find a way out. And if you or any other coven member won't help me, I'm sure the weird sin guy will get me out of here with ease. So, can I have my answer now?" Backing down hadn't been on Bea's mind since she was ten years old. Back then, the Princess had learned a life lesson - if she didn't fight for herself, no one would fight for her. It was her against the world.

"The Angel of Death."