Saints (SAINTS #1) | ✓

28

IT DIDN'T EVEN TAKE Lena a minute to notice her. Jasmina wasn't surprised, after all, she had always been hard to miss. Besides, her entourage of three tipsy sins probably wasn't helping either. Still, she had counted on the look of horror, anger and shame that flashed across Lena's face.

She lived off that look.

A passing bartender held up his plateau filled with flutes bubbling with champagne and Jasmina grabbed two off it, turning away from Lena's prying eyes as she looked at Gio.

"Open your mouth," she ordered.

He complied, his expression a mix of apathy and confusion, but before he could question her she had already emptied the champagne in his mouth. As he choked on the alcohol and Priyanka rushed to his side, she quickly poured the silver liquid from Ari's cup in the flute, raising her eyebrows in question to the sin as she rose the glass.

Ari's eyes lit up in recognition of what she was doing as she tapped the glass, the silver immediately turning the same shade as the champagne. She smiled then as Gio recovered, gaze unreadable as she nodded at Ari.

"Swap it with her glass," she said.

"I'm not your slave," Ari frowned.

"What would my good friend Lucy say if she heard you didn't want to help me?" Jasmina sighed," I guess I'll have to ask her when I see her after this -"

Before she could continue though the flutes were already swapped, the only remains of the magic the red, faint smoke that was vanishing around it. A worried frown creased Ari's forehead as she parted her lips, but Jasmina just gave her a reassuring smile as she watched Lena take sips from the flute.

"Don't worry," she said," I'll make sure she'll hear how much you've supported me."

Relief flashed over Ari's features as Jasmina turned towards Gio and Priyanka.

"Gio," she said," you can induce and read thoughts, right? Does Lena's friend know Lena has cheated?"

Gio's eyes welled blue as he stared at them, before shaking his head.

"Like I thought," Jasmina smiled," now, if you'll insert the memory that the girl's previous boyfriend has cheated on her in Lena's friend, I'll promise to give you the softest bed known on Earth."

Her promise seemed to motivate Gio as he nodded, concentrating on Lena's friend as the white drained out of his eyes into a misty blue, until her eyes mirrored his for a second. And then she blinked and it was gone, replaced with a brief disorientation as she looked around, before resuming the conversation.

"You have a task for me as well?" Priyanka asked.

"I want your snide remarks," Jasmina said," I'm quite talented at getting under people's skin, but I want Lena as angry as possible. Help me with that."

She leaned forwards then, whispering her second order in Priyanka's ear as the sin's eyes widened briefly.

"Got it?" she said as she tapped her hand.

"You're a sadist," Priyanka said," but fine."

"And you'll help with picking and testing out Gio's new bed," Jasmina said, her voice so soft only Priyanka caught it," I guess we both win."

Priyanka blushed then, but before any of the sins could say something else Jasmina turned around and walked onto the balcony, heading towards Lena.

"My," Jasmina said as she daintily parted her lips in mock surprise," I hadn't expected to see you here, Lena."

"What?" Lena said, the conflict on her face vanishing at the confrontation," don't tell me you really expected me to fall for that act, Jasmina. I know you better than that. You're not capable of emotions."