Francine Rivers The Last Sin Eater Novels & Stories

Her skin felt like it was covered in a layer of filth that had accumulated over her captivity. It had been so long since she'd had a warm bath. So long since she'd felt anything resembling comfort. She played with the water, running her hands through it, feeling it warm her from the inside out. She grabbed the shampoo and began washing her long dark hair, watching as dirt and grime fell away, swirling down the drain. The shampoo smelled expensive, like lavender and something she couldn't identify.

I try a smile, but it’s strained. While we wait, I pull out my phone. I need to clean up the mess at the meat plant. I call a fresh crew of Gambinos and give them the address. “Feed all the bodies into the machines. Get rid of every trace of those cops, and more importantly, every trace that we were ever there. Bleach it clean. Do not leave a single thread of evidence behind.” They don’t hesitate to say they’ll do exactly as instructed. Paetyn brings me a bottle of water and then hands me a shot of whiskey for the pain. “Drink it, Ace.”

My jaw ached from clenching it too hard. Sera thought she could humiliate him? That she could replace him with her? My grip on the phone tightened before i exhaled sharply and dialed a number. "Mr. Carter," a smooth voice answered. "I need information," I said coldly. "Everything you can find on Raven Sinclair. Every business dealing. Every connection. Every weakness." The man on the other end chuckled. "Ah, I see. The little vixen has become a problem." My eyes darkened. "She took what’s mine. And I want to know exactly where to strike."

He turns toward me and his eyes widen when he sees how badly I'm injured. "Get the pack healer here now!" he shouts at one of the betas. He starts walking toward me but then one of the Silverfangs that we thought was dead suddenly lunges up from the ground. His claws are extended and aimed straight at Damon's back. "Damon, look out!" Sarah screams. Damon spins around, but he's not fast enough. The Silverfang's claws sink deep into his side, ripping through skin and muscle. Damon grunts in pain and grabs the Silverfang by the throat, snapping his neck instantly.

Two men were on the porch, one older, silver at the temples, the other younger with the same dark hair as Nath. “Pa! Sammy!” Nath called. “Got a stranded lady. Car died on 47.” The older man, Job, stood, wiping his hands on a rag. He had kind eyes and a smile that crinkled deep. “Well now, welcome, miss. I’m Job Rivers. This is my youngest, Sammy. Come on in, cool off. We’ll sort your vehicle.” Sammy grinned, dimples flashing. “Ma’am. Hope Nath didn’t scare you on that big beast of his.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s taken over my nights. Even now, it’s all I can picture.” My mind, against my will, sparks to life. I squeeze my hands together, knuckles white, forcing myself to breathe. “You know God’s mercy is infinite,” I say, the line I use for everyone. “If you’re truly sorry—” “I’m not sure I am.” Her interruption is soft, playful, but there’s an edge. “Is it still a sin if you enjoyed it?” Her question lands squarely between us. I hear myself swallow. “It’s not pleasure itself that’s the sin,” I manage, but my voice cracks a little, betraying me. “It’s what you do with it.”

Unfortunately, it seemed as if he had put me off dates for a while. I picked up my fork, ready to dig into my second slice of cake. The diner we were in was a cute place located on the corner of a busy street. Sixties themed-white and pale pink interior. The classic checkerboard flooring. It was our first time trying it and it was already becoming a favourite. Silvana sighed, reaching over the table to rest her hand on mine. Her nails were painted a bright red, matching the colour of her hair. She had a concerned expression on her face when she spoke again, "You have no idea how sorry I am."

--- Back to Nick Three days later, another ghost walks in. This one hides it better. Elena Moretti — money launderer, syndicate accountant, survivor. She smiles when she sees Rafe, but there’s calculation behind it. She sits. Orders tea. Studies him like she’s solving a puzzle. I don’t leave my seat. She doesn’t look at me directly — which tells me she knows exactly who I am. When Rafe steps away, she finally speaks. “He looks good,” she says lightly. “He’s alive,” I answer.

Clearly, it showed how disgraceful this fucking virtuous man was. A man who killed his friend could go to any length, and before he did that, I needed to have Grace as my wife. Sitting in the lavish house Hale built over the dead bodies, I finally understood we were both the same kinds. A monster that killed and sucked blood to achieve its dream. They built empires in plain sight and maintained that they would go to any length. Like killing their friend. “Can I ask why you are here, Mr. Moretti?” Hale asked after hesitating for a long time.

It was suddenly quiet which was strange, not even a sound of a cricket could be heard and Evelyn clutched my clothes. “Is th.. that also a squirrel?” “Shhh….not a word.” She nodded obediently and pressed her lips together while I kissed her hair. I wasn't good when it came to perceiving any scent aside from my mate but I couldn't miss this one. I've encountered them severally here; they even had the effrontery to barge into my Kingdom. This Vampire hunters were sturbborn as fuck!! Their scent swirled heavily in my nose and I held Evelyn closely, we stood there impatiently without moving and what happened next made my mate scream with horror.