Perennial

by Potter, Ryan

  Fire has tainted William.

  “You’re telling me that if I can’t pull this off, not only will I not see my mom again but I’ll probably die, and your soul will be possessed permanently by the Army of Fire?” I don’t wait for an answer. “William, how could you do this to me?”

  He steps closer. Blade has stopped moving, so I don’t protest William’s advance. I want to drop to my knees and give up, but I can’t show any sign of weakness. I love William Weed, but what do you do when your true love is a lying ghost whom you can’t trust?

  “I know it sounds selfish,” he says. “And maybe it is, but it also shows how much faith I have in you. Vagabond’s not the only one who sensed how special you are. Fire offered me the opportunity to physically be with you for four days. I jumped at it, regardless of the personal risks.” He pauses. “I know you’ll solve my murder and destroy Oval City. I’m not worried about that. If getting the chance to be with you for four days means risking where my soul might end up for eternity, I’ll take it. I’m already dead, and trust me when I tell you that most dead people never get an opportunity to do something like this.” He gently grabs my left hand. “You don’t have to trust me, but I know how we feel about each other. We have a little more than twenty-four hours left together. I think we should make the most of it.”

  “But what happens if Vagabond finds out?” I say, succumbing to an overwhelming urge and running my right hand along the dragon on his arm. I can’t resist. He’s too beautiful and my feelings are too strong for him.

  “He won’t find out,” William says. “But even if he does, it’s between him and me. I’m here to be with you, not to interfere with you.”

  “Meaning what exactly?”

  “Like I said, Vagabond’s challenge rules still apply.” He takes my right hand in his left, clasps our fingers together, and kisses the top of my wrist. “I might be physically present, but I can’t help you with anything related to my murder.” He smiles. “We can do a lot of other things, though.”

  He leans in and starts kissing my neck. I close my eyes and feel like I’m melting.

  “Wait,” I say, somehow managing to pull away and open my eyes. “What about everything you’ve already done to help me? As Lewis, I mean. You told me about Perennial. You took me to Oval City. What if you’ve already ruined everything?”

  “I haven’t told you anything you didn’t learn on your own,” he says. “Think about it. You basically forced me to take you to Oval City. And yes, I told you what Perennial was, but only after you already had it in your hands. Deep down you knew the purple powder was some type of drug.” William smiles. “And even if I did steer you in certain directions or let certain things slip, Vagabond never said anything against a guy named Lewis Wilde helping you out a little.”

  “What about the Vagabond’s Warrior blog post?” I say. “And the list of words in the first dream? That’s what started all of this.”

  “Vagabond set all of that up and told me what to do,” William says. “Vagabond put you on the scent of Perennial. You took over from there.”

  I’m silent as I take it all in. I think back to the evil homeless man in Oval City and how he claimed he’d seen “Lewis” the previous night. That was true, I realize. If William crossed over via the Oval City portal, it only makes sense that he’s spending time in Oval City. Again, more lies. Still, I want to trust him. If William crossed over for my love, I have to give him a chance.

  “Oh, William, I don’t know about this,” I say, putting my face in my hands and groaning. “I sure hope you’re right.”

  “Hey, listen to me,” he says, taking my hands and lowering them. “Don’t you think Vagabond would have already called things off if he thought you had broken any major rules? Alix, you’re developing into a badass two-way psychic demon slayer. That’s exactly what the Army of Light was hoping for. I’m here until the end of tomorrow. There’s nothing you can do to change that. I can’t help you in any way, especially now, but you’re at the point where you don’t need help from me or anybody else. Just do what you have to do and end this thing.”

  “Thanks for the pep talk,” I say. “But the last thing I need is the future of your soul on my already overloaded plate.”

  “Forget my soul,” William says, grinning now. “I’m right here in front of you. Right here. Right now.”

  “You’re awfully happy for a guy who’s literally playing with Fire.”

  William scans the street and yard. There’s nobody around.

  “Close your eyes until I tell you to open them,” he says.

  “What?” I give him a look. “Why?”

  “Just do it. I want to show you something I think you’ll like.”

  “Fine.” I fold my arms in front of my chest and close my eyes. “But don’t take forever.”

  I hear what sounds like something brushing against his jeans. Seconds later, William clears his throat, stifles a laugh, and says, “Okay. Open your eyes.”

  I open my eyes. “Oh my God,” I say, trying but failing to muffle a laugh of my own. “Now I see how you pulled it off.”

  William Weed has just become the “William” of my dreams. He’s wearing his black baseball cap backwards on his head, all of “Lewis’s” dark, wavy hair tucked up inside, his dark sunglasses concealing the “Lewis” aqua-green eyes. Although the black cargo shorts are missing and he isn’t quite shirtless, I instantly understand the lengths to which he went to conceal his identity when he crossed over.

  “Told you you’d like it,” he says, smiling.

  “Was your hair that long when …?”

  “When I died?” he says. “Yeah, but I always wore it tucked into this hat.”

  “Why?” I say. “It’s gorgeous hair.”

  “Thanks, but this is Beaconsfield,” he says. “It’s not exactly a friendly city to long-haired guys. I’ve lost count of how many jocks have given me dirty looks the past three days.”

  “And your eyes,” I say. “They’re the most beautiful color I’ve ever seen. Why did you wear sunglasses all the time?”

  “Think about it.”

  It takes a few moments, but I finally figure it out.

  “The drug,” I say. “Perennial makes your eyes all glossy and bloodshot.”

  “Exactly,” William says, inspecting his arms now. “But the dragons worried me most. Even though I never went to Beaconsfield High when I was alive, and it’s been two years since anybody has seen me, I knew I had to hide the tattoos. It was too risky to show them.”

  “And your parents?” I say. “Where are they?”

  “I lied about Eastland but not about China,” he says. “My parents have been working in Shanghai since shortly after I died. They needed to get far away from Beaconsfield.”

  “And the truck we took to Oval City?” I raise my eyebrows and rub the back of my sore neck. “The truck that crashed and gave me whiplash. If it wasn’t your grandfather’s, then where did you get it?”

  “Right,” William says, rubbing his palms together and shrugging. “I sort of borrowed it from the parking lot of a liquor store.”

  “You stole the truck?”

  “Borrowed. I returned it after I dropped you off. Damaged, yes, but insurance will take care of that.” William clears his throat. “Look, I’ve done it before, okay? It’s amazing how many drivers still keep their vehicles running when they need to make a quick stop. I look at it as teaching them a lesson.” He pauses. “That’s the first time I ever crashed one, by the way.”

  Maybe it’s the stress of the past few days and the enormity of what lies ahead of me over the next thirty-plus hours, but for some reason I find the truck story trivial and funny, so I start laughing. It begins as a giggle, but I soon lose control and break into hysterical laughter. William joins in too, and before I know it I’m back in his arms, the two of us laughing and managing to put aside the harsh realities facing us. I feel wonderful, normal, and innocent for the first time in days, and I decide to preserv
e the mood for as long as possible.

  “Take this off,” I say, grabbing the hat and throwing it onto the porch. “I want to see that incredible hair for as long as possible.” I run a palm across the side of his pale face and through his wavy hair. “Let’s ditch these while we’re at it.” I reach for his sunglasses and toss them onto the baseball cap. “That’s better,” I say, staring into his lustrous eyes. “It should be illegal to cover eyes like yours.”

  “Wow,” William says, planting a soft kiss on my lips. “Who’s being aggressive now?”

  He pulls me against him and kisses me deeply, William placing his hands on either side of my face as our mouths open. A wonderful heat floods my body. I wrap my hands around his powerful shoulders, enjoying his minty breath and soapy smell.

  “I just remembered something funny,” I say, pulling back.

  “Funny enough to stop kissing me?” He smiles.

  “Just for a second,” I say. “The mint and soapy smells.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “When you were kissing me in the last dream, there was a moment where I figured you and Lewis must use the same soap and toothpaste.” I start laughing again. “Now I know they—or, I mean, you—do.” I close my eyes and shake my head. “It’s still hard to believe it’s you.”

  His lips are on mine before I can open my eyes, William’s soft, moist tongue exploring my own. We press closer. I feel his strong thighs against me, his fingertips traveling lightly down my spine and settling low on my waist.

  “Mmm,” I whisper. “So what else can living ghosts do?”

  “Maybe we should go inside and find out.”

  “It’s tempting, but I can’t risk my dad coming home.”

  “There might be a way around that.” He kisses my neck. “Can I show you something else I think you’ll like?”

  “Anything,” I say. “As long as you promise to keep kissing me when you’re done.”

  “Deal.” He steps back and takes my hands. “Close your eyes again.”

  I smile and close my eyes, but as soon as I do so, I realize my hands are free. Then I hear William say, “Now open them. Fast.”

  I open my eyes and look around. William is gone. Vanished. The porch is empty, just his baseball cap and sunglasses lying on the concrete.

  “William, where are you?” I say, holding a hand over my mouth to muffle my laughter. “How did you do that?”

  “Look across the street, Alix.”

  It’s definitely William’s voice, and he sounds like he’s right next to me, but there’s still no William in sight. Scratching my head, I look toward the other side of Maple Grove and spot him on the lawn across the street, William standing there and waving at me with an irresistible grin on his perfect face.

  “William!” I whisper. “Can you hear me?”

  “Loud and clear.”

  The proximity of his voice makes me flinch.

  “Get back here before the neighbors see you.”

  “Okay,” he says. “Are you looking at me right now?”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  “Cool. Check this out.”

  He’s gone again. Poof, William disappearing right in front of my eyes, leaving me staring at the finely manicured lawn.

  “Hey, stop it,” I whisper, my head on a swivel as I search for him. “Where are you now?”

  His voice: “You know that old belief about ghosts being invisible and able to travel through walls and all that?”

  “Yes,” I whisper. “Stop it. Where are you?”

  “Well,” he says, laughing. “It’s true!”

  “William!” I spin around, looking but knowing I won’t see him until he decides to become visible. “If anybody saw what you just did, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do. Stop showing off and get back here.”

  Three loud knocks from the closed front door startle me. I step back off the porch and stare at the door.

  “William, are you inside my—?”

  “House?” he says. “I might be.”

  He delivers three more quick knocks, which are followed by the sound of the deadbolt coming unlocked and then his adorable laughter flooding my ears. I shake my head and groan, but I’m having the time of my life, and William knows it. I open the door and enter an empty foyer and living room.

  “Okay, William,” I say, hands on my hips as I look around. “I’m inside. Where are you?”

  His voice is in my ear, but he’s nowhere in sight.

  “Take a guess.”

  I glance toward the kitchen, but then I hear a footstep above me. I look up and smile.

  “Are you in my bedroom?”

  “No, Alix. I’m in my bedroom.” He laughs.

  “Good one,” I say, my heart bouncing as I walk toward the staircase. “But technically it’s my bedroom now.”

  “True,” he says. “How about a compromise?”

  I ascend a few steps. “I’m listening.”

  “Why don’t we call it our bedroom,” he says. “At least until the end of tomorrow.”

  “Hmm.” I smile. “I think I like the sound of that.”

  I reach the top of the stairs and walk down the hallway.

  “It does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” he says. “Our bedroom. Alix and William’s bedroom.”

  I open the bedroom door. William is in my bed, lying on his side and facing me, with a gentle smile on his face. He has no shirt or shoes on, just his pants. He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Hi,” I say, grinning as I walk toward him. A nervous excitement rockets through me. “It’s nice to see you again.”

  “Likewise.” He moves over to make room for me. “For the record, this bed is ten times more comfortable than mine ever was.”

  I sit beside him and run my palms over his dragons. My heart feels like it might explode.

  “Now it’s twenty times more comfortable,” he says.

  “William?”

  “Yes?”

  I bring my legs up onto the mattress and lie beside him.

  “Do me a favor and don’t disappear for at least the next hour, okay?”

  “That sounds promising.” He kisses me softly. “Alix?”

  “What?”

  “You might want to put the knife on the floor.”

  “Shh,” I say. “Stop talking.”

  I close my eyes and let William take the lead.

  Chapter 27

  William stays for three hours. We do many things. Not everything, but let’s just say that I learn a lot and can’t imagine being that close with anybody else. I manage to set all of my troubles aside for the first two hours and focus my attention on him, amazed with his beauty, gentleness, and uncanny ability to do everything just right. But reality keeps creeping in during the third and final hour, and I struggle with the harsh fact that the ghost I love will vanish forever tomorrow night.

  “I have to leave now,” he finally says.

  We’re lying on our backs in bed. Our bed. A slight sheen of sweat covers our bodies. I prop myself onto my side and let my fingers explore his chest and stomach.

  “Why now?” I say. “My dad will probably work late again, and you know how to make a fast getaway even if he does walk in.”

  Staring at the ceiling, William says, “We both have deadlines. There are things I have to do. Important things I can’t tell you about.”

  “Because they’ll break Vagabond’s rules?”

  He doesn’t say anything, so I interpret his silence as a yes.

  “Let me ask you a question,” I say. “You crossed over through a Fire portal in Oval City. Do you have to go back through it before I figure out how to destroy it?”

  “No,” William says, leaning on his elbow and looking at me. “My energy simply disappears. I’ll vanish tomorrow at midnight.” He pauses. “Hopefully I’ll know who murdered me, and my soul will be with Light forever.” I watch his Adam’s apple rise and fall as he swallows. “I’d rather not think ab
out the other possible outcome.”

  “Ugh,” I say, knocking the back of my head against my pillow. “Why’d you have to bring that up? Seriously, what if I fail? Let’s talk about that. How am I supposed to keep on living if I fail this test, knowing you’ll basically end up in hell for eternity, Face will win and get away with double murder, and Perennial will continue to ruin lives and gain souls for the Army of Fire?”

  “Double murder?” he says. “And what do you mean by Perennial gaining souls for Fire?”

  “You don’t know?”

  He shakes his head, William giving me a serious look now, so I tell him about my visit with Mary Watkins and my belief that Face murdered Mr. Watkins to avoid getting busted by the Feds. I also tell him about Vagabond’s theory that Face’s ultimate goal with Perennial is to possess as many human souls as possible.

  “Unbelievable,” William says, rubbing his temples as if he has a headache. “This is way bigger than I imagined.” He crawls over me, gets out of bed, and slides his shirt on. “Try not to think about where I’ll end up,” he says. “I’m the one who made the deal, not you.”

  “Easy for you to say.” I stand and grab his shoulders. “I’m in love with you, William. I always think about you and always will.”

  He pulls me close and kisses the top of my head, William saying, “I love you too, Alix. Please don’t doubt yourself. You have incredible gifts. Use them.” He kisses my forehead. “I have to go.”

  “I know,” I say, lost in his eyes. “When will I see you next?”

  “Are you going to Oval City tonight?”

  “No. Tomorrow’s when it will happen. Friday. It’s just something I feel. Why do you ask?”

  “Because you’re not going back there without me.”

  “But you’re not allowed to help me with—”

  “I know the rules,” he says. “It’s okay. I can be with you as long as I don’t help you.” He smiles. “Besides, I really want to borrow another truck. Or maybe a sports car this time.”

  I roll my eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “I’m scared, William. Really scared.”