Devotion (John Seed)

16. Atonement

Amelia shifted in the uncomfortable metal chair as John organised something on his workbench. "Do you want restraints?" John asked from behind her.

"No" Amelia shook her head, she was going to do this her way.

John smirked to himself as he prepared his tattoo gun. Amelia turned her head and watched him walk around to the front of her, pulling over a little table with wheels. The small table had a bowl of water, a washcloth, and the tattoo gun on it.

John tucked Amelia's hair behind her ears before placing his hands on her shoulders. "You won't regret this" he assured her with a smile. He then lowered his hands and began to unbutton her plaid shirt. Amelia's eyes widened and she grabbed his wrists in her hands, he just chuckled and pushed her hands away. "You have to trust me" John whispered before leaning down and kissing her forehead, starting to unbutton her shirt again. Amelia nodded and rested her hands on the arms of the chair, watching him work. "Do you trust me?" He asked, meeting her gaze, waiting for the answer. Amelia nodded but John just shook his head. "Say it" he demanded.

"Yes, John. Yes, I trust you" the deputy nodded, speaking softly but surely. John just smirked before returning his attention to the shirt.

Once all of the buttons were undone, John slipped the shirt over her shoulder and down her arms. He then threw the shirt onto the metal workbench, leaving her in her jeans and bra. Using the damp washcloth, he cleaned her skin. He started at her arms, then over her shoulders. Amelia tensed when he started cleaning her chest and then her stomach. Once he finished he put the cloth in the bowl of water and grabbed the tattoo gun.

"You, Amelia, have more than one sin. Many people do, but you are the biggest sinner in Hope County" John spoke, some teasing in his voice. Amelia laughed lightly, knowing how her name was 'sinner' amongst The Project.

"You sin is Wrath, because you let it  consume you and control you" John spoke smoothly, placing a hand on the arm of the chair and leaning towards her. He pressed the tattoo gun against her collarbone. Her breath hitched and she hissed in pain as he carved into her flesh. Amelia gripped the metal arms of the chair so hard that her knuckles turned white. Once he finished carving the word 'WRATH' into her collarbone he pulled the gun away. John glanced up to see her face and saw the few silent tears rolling down her cheeks, he leant up and kissed away each tear.

"Your sin is pride, because you refuse to have people think any less than perfect of you" he whispered against her cheek before walking around her, until he was behind her chair. The baptist placed a hand on her back and pushed her forward gently, making her lean forward. He used the tattoo gun to carve the word 'PRIDE' on her shoulder blade, just avoiding the strap of her bra. Once he finished, listening to her heavy breathing and grunts of pain, he lent down and kissed the back of her neck.

"Your sin is Sloth, because you failed to fulfill your duty" John whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear, making her shiver as she sat up straight again. He walked around her, standing in front of her again. This time he carved the word 'SLOTH' into the flesh on the bottom of her ribs. Amelia out a short scream before gripping the sleeve of John's shirt. John looked at her face, watching it contort in pain but he couldn't help but notice something else in her expression. Something darker, something deeper. Was she enjoying this to some extent? The thought just made John smirk to himself and run a hand through her hair gently. He finished the word and pulled the gun away from her ribs. Amelia's eyes fluttered open and their eyes met, a strange moment shared between the two.

"Your sin, Amelia, is Lust" John spoke smoothly again, trailing his fingers down her arm as he lowered himself onto his knees in between her legs. Amelia's eyes widened. She had expected wrath, pride and sloth but Lust...she didn't expect that. In this case she knew that John was wrong. "I will etch it into you skin...right here" he lowered his voice as he trailed his fingers over the waistline of her jeans.

"I don't-" Amelia began to speak breathlessly but John shushed her, placing his finger against her lips.

"Do not lie to me" he ordered, more stern than earlier. "I can see the lust in your eyes, I have seen it many times, but yours is the most endearing. The most sinful" he concluded, making her eyes widen again.

"I-I've never...committed that...that sin" she confessed, hanging her head and blushing lightly. John's eyes became almost amused when he realised what she was saying.

"Never?" He asked, lifting her chin up to look at him. She shook her head, a little embarrassed. "That is nothing to be ashamed of Amelia, it will only make corrupting you more fun" he assured her.

"Corrupting me?" The deputy asked, wasn't his job to do the opposite of corrupt?

"I will corrupt you so that you can atone for that sin, Lust is such a burden but you will carry it with you so that you can be freed from it" John spoke softly, cupping her cheek in his hand. Amelia didn't think that it would ever be possible to be freed from the lust she felt for John, and John secretly thought that his lust for Amelia would never die.

"Stand" John ordered as he stood to his feet, holding his hand out for her to take. The woman took his hand and stood up, steadying herself on her feet. John stood beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist, using his other hand to hold hers in front of him. He walked her forward so that they were stood directly in front of the large mirror.

He moved so that he was standing behind her with his hands on her hips. "I promise you that this is a good thing, this will free you" John whispered, leaning down so that his lips where right next to her ear.

"Your pride-" he whispered, brushing his fingers over the word on her shoulder blade. "-your sloth-" he grazed his fingers across her ribs and over the bleeding word. "-your wrath-" he ran his hand over the scar on her collar bone. "-they will be forgiven, you will be cleansed" he whispered before kissing the sensitive skin just below her ear.

John glanced towards the mirror as he pressed kisses down Amelia's neck and over her shoulder, their eyes met in the mirror for a moment before her eyes fluttered shut and her head lolled back onto his shoulder. Giving the baptist better access to her neck. "There is your lust" his voice was so calm and collected that it sent shivers through Amelia's body, her hands gripping the material of her own jeans.