"You couldn't wait 'til I'm done dressing up to lecture me at least?" Wrath bitterly raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry master, I only want what's best for you. I don't know if this course of action will bring you any good. You have a bright future ahead of you, but it's really hard for us to help if you have no desire to change and start acting your age."
"Tell me, Tiamat. Will you guys still stick around with me no matter what I do and what it does to people if I think it will solve the problem?" she paused.
"Yes, master."
"That's all, wait for me on the balcony with the rest," she spat and got dressed.
**********
The balcony was empty by the time she stepped outside except for the nine floating spirits just inches away from the railing. Wrath's hair flowed with the strong wind created by the presence of her spiritual servants. The oldest spirit stepped forward, a dark but thin veil covered the bottom half of his face, his eyes were a striking color of honey, his skin as pale as the others. Something about his posture suggested that he used to be a leader of some sort in his past life. He had a stern and serious face, measured at seven feet, muscular built with a scar over one of his eyes.
"You called for us master?" his deep voice boomed.
"Yes, thank you General. I know I haven't been the best human for you to serve, but I can assure you that I will be fine, and I promise to fulfill my end of the bargain in exchange for your services. Now it's time for your weekly reporting. Let's start with you General, how's the damned grave doing?" she lit a cigarette.
"Both of them are still where you sealed them, master. Although, some people have visited to check on the site. They show no threatening signs, one of them is a little girl."
"Good, that's pleasant news. But fuck it, I'm visiting them soon. I can't risk anything; I've spent too much fucking time on those motherfuckers. I'm bringing you and Bawma with me," the owl-looking spirit and the General nodded, "does anyone else have anything worth reporting?"
"Pride and Lust were talking about you– " the young male spirit was cut off before he could finish his sentence.
"I said 'worth reporting', don't be cheeky with me today Eros," she gave a sly but tired smile, "I guess you guys can disperse now, thank you."
Eight of the spirits disappeared into thin air but one. Eros, the youngest of the bunch stayed behind and moved next to Wrath. The air around him became warm though the air wasn't still. He was dressed modestly with an off white colored thin shirt with long folded sleeves tucked into his black leather pants. Mischief was written all over his face. He always had on a bright and cheeky smile with a sly squint on the corners of his eyes. It was a known fact that he had an attachment for Wrath's spontaneously dangerous burst of energy, they both shared the same wicked playful aura.
Wrath lit a floral incense on her shrine as an offering to her spirit helpers and watched as some of them appeared.
"Wrath? What are you doing out here alone?" Lust squeezed through the narrow sliding door.
Wrath quickly turned, "Nothing, just smoking one last before I turn in for the day. Why are you still up?"
"Couldn't sleep with Pride snoring so loudly into my beautiful ears. Can't risk losing my hearing, with my future music career and all. Anyway, I was going to sleep on the couch before I saw your shadow outside and I wanted to make sure it wasn't some ghost or a burglar," he explained.
"You can bring the extra bed and sleep in my room if you want. I know you hate the sunrise."
"He'd be lucky if it was a burglar. But it was just me," Eros retorted as he nudged Wrath slightly.
Wrath rolled her eyes and head inside with Lust following behind her tiny footsteps. Her room was painted black to minimize the brightness that reflect from the window during the day. It was neat and tidy with a pile of semi-clean clothes on her trusty study chair. Her books were filed in a proper manner, from smallest to largest, by color, and by purpose.
The room felt significantly colder than the rest of the house, Eros was her main companion through most of her childhood. This was one of the reasons they went so well with each other and why he stayed after everything that has happened. He knew she needed him and even joked about it on multiple occasions, though she never agreed.
Lust made himself comfortable on the extra bed next to Wrath's bed. She tossed him a thick blanket and curled up into bed while hugging her pillow. The blanket smelled like her and everything she owned. She had one of those smells in which you would instantly pick up and know who it belonged to. The best word to describe it would be floral or airy.
It was impossible for Lust to not smell and think about her as he drifted off into the dreamworld. Her room weirdly felt safer and more comfortable than his own. It could only be described as a warm loving hug from a mother without any actual physical sensation; almost spiritual if you would. In minutes, the room fell silent and peaceful once more. A watchful presence hovered and sulked over Wrath's side of the wall.
"Goodnight my little demon," Eros softly stroked her hair before resuming his duty as her guardian.