True Intentions

by Lisa Kuehne

  "How deep?"

  "Deeper than you think," she says. "Lucifer has another angel involved with Ava.

  I believe he's planning to trick her."

  Sam's voice shoots up unconsciously, "Who?"

  Kate gives him a "shh" look. She once again glances around the room watching every human closely.

  "Some dark angel . . . I think his name is William. I heard Lucifer planted him in Chicago. Ava must have met William there. If he—" She's at a loss for words. "If he takes her purity, she'll be unprotected, and he can destroy her."

  "And if she doesn't fall for it?"

  "Then, William uses our human followers to create some type of accident where she is torn between death and surrendering her soul."

  Although Sam doesn't want to believe it is possible, it makes sense. Whatever Ava believes her purpose to be, Lucifer knows, in the end, her true purpose will be only to serve his. He will stop at nothing to get to her soul.

  "What does this William look like?"

  "All I know is he is around our age, and I believe he's really blond. He belongs to Sigma Nu at UCLA."

  Sam thinks back to Chicago. Ava was always by his side. There wasn't a time a dark angel could have . . . no wait, she was alone. He wasn't with her at the baseball game or at the cemetery.

  Of course, any other dark angel would know he has to approach her when she isn't with Sam. Sam would be able to tell they weren't human. William had to approach Ava when she was alone, away from Sam's protection.

  "Sam, you need to find him and stop him before it's too late." Kate speaks up, interrupting his mental images of Ava and William laughing together at the game.

  "I know."

  He doesn't have to say another word for Kate to understand his intent.

  He must destroy William.

  Kate pulls something out of her purse and slides it to him underneath the table.

  He grabs a white envelope filled with hundred dollar bills and shoots her a smile.

  He whispers, "thank you."

  "Find a way to get to this William. Then, meet me at the elementary school playground at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. I need to make sure you're okay. If you don't show, I'll assume the worst and will find Ava by myself and try to protect her."

  Sam sits up in his chair in disbelief. "You would do that?"

  He can't grasp the concept of Kate being willing to protect Ava, knowing it would mean ending her own existence.

  "Yes, I would do that. Now take care of him, and don't make me have to protect her."

  Her last words echo in his mind . Take care of him . . . . That's exactly what Sam is going to do.

  * * * * *

  Sam's plan is simple. He knows William belongs to the Sigma Nu fraternity at UCLA. All he has to do is get to get in the frat house, find William's room, and then take care of him. If William happens not to be there, then Sam will have to stay hidden and wait.

  The mere thought of Ava and William alone together makes him nervous— for multiple reasons.

  Sam has never killed another angel. This is unfamiliar territory. The more he thinks about it, the more breaking William's neck seems too humane. Especially if he finds out this dark angel hurt Ava.

  Sam closes his eyes and tries not to think about that possibility, but the mental images flood his mind. He pictures Ava kissing William, giving him her purity.

  She wouldn't . . . .

  Then he thinks back to how much Ava had wanted him in that intimate way.

  Would she feel the same way for another?

  It's dusk, and, luckily for Sam, the majority of the Sigma Nu fraternity is at a costume party at a nearby sorority tonight. A sign in their yard advertises the party.

  Something about the date catches his eye.

  Prom . . . .

  He would be at prom right now, if he hadn't kissed Mallory. He scowls at the memory. He wanted to take Ava to their prom, to see her elegantly dressed in a gown, and to dance the night away with her in his arms.

  What if she ended up going to prom with someone else?

  That question frustrates him. Especially since he has absolutely no clue what she's been up to since he left her house several weeks ago. He had stayed away. It would have been too painful to see her.

  Sam gasps at the next thought that enters his mind.

  Maybe she took William to her prom!

  He shakes his head. He can't think about that now. He needs to remain alert and remember he is here for one reason—protect Ava. He won't be able to go on if he finds out she is dead.

  It's now or never. He looks around one last time at the neighborhood, then heads to the back of the fraternity house.

  Chapter Thirty-Five - Broken

  Luckily for Sam, the rear of the building is not well lit. That's a major plus since it's getting dark. He glides gracefully through the grass as though upon a sheet of ice and reaches the backdoor effortlessly. He stares at the screen door. It's the only thing that separates him from entering William's domain. He'll need to enter the fraternity without being noticed. If he is discovered, he'll use the lame excuse that he intends to go to UCLA next year and wants to join the fraternity. In that case, hopefully it would be a human making the discovery.

  The screen door creaks lightly as he opens it, but luckily music is playing from one of the other rooms.

  The back door leads into the kitchen. A small, solitary light over the dirty sink barely illuminates a small area. Perfect.

  Sam moves away from the door, standing in the darkest corner of the room. He inhales slowly, preparing mentally to go farther inside. Cold sweat glistens on his brow.

  He's nervous, but knows he has to keep moving. He creeps slowly out of the corner and crosses the kitchen, heading toward the hallway.

  He makes his way to the staircase—his footsteps echo on the old and dirty, wooden floor.

  Was everyone at the other party?

  Thus far, he has only seen one frat brother, who is asleep on the sofa. The dude is in such a deep slumber; Sam can hear him snoring from the staircase.

  He moves forward, the stairs creak with every step. He reaches the upstairs hallway and leans against the wall, pausing to make sure he's still alone. He then hurries past the closed door of one of the bedrooms with "Bob" marked on the painted, wooden door. He goes past yet another bedroom and walks through the shadows coming from an amber light around the corner. Still no bedroom labeled William.

  The music is getting louder. There must be other rooms up ahead.

  As he turns, he makes out the name William written on a door at the end of the hall. Before his courage fades, he walks with purpose toward William's bedroom. His breath comes hard now.

  Screw it. I gotta do this.

  He still has the element of surprise. William won't be expecting him. That makes Sam smile. He places his hand on the knob, and turns it without hesitation. He explodes through the doorway expecting to find William.

  The room is empty.

  You got to be kidding me!

  He flips on the light. He sees a single wood nightstand with two drawers, a full size bed with a wrought iron frame, a large antique dresser, computer desk, mini-fridge, television, stereo, and a reclining chair. There are posters of women in bathing suits, a neon sign, and a flat screen on the wall. By the looks of the worn carpet, with small debris all over, it probably has not been vacuumed in quite a while.

  An average boy's college bedroom.

  Though he knows William is far from average.

  His attention is diverted when he unexpectedly hears footsteps coming up the same stairs he climbed only moments ago. He hurries back across the room and closes the door, which he had mistakenly left cracked open. He then looks frantically around the room for a spot to hide. He needs a place fast. Besides the closet, or possibly under the bed, the room lacks any good hiding places. He stares at the bed, confident he'd be too vulnerable underneath the frame. The closet is the only logical option. He promptly flicks on the dim, closet li
ght. It's small, but there is some standing room.

  It will have to do . . . .

  He jumps inside and hastily closes the door with one hand while turning off the light with the other. The closet is cramped, and he has no visual of the bedroom once the door is closed. He rolls his eyes in disbelief.

  You gotta be kidding me.

  Sam hears a thump coming from the hallway and notices William's bedroom door opening.

  He tenses.

  It doesn't look like he'll be waiting long after all.

  Chapter Thirty-Six - Surrender

  There is nowhere to run. I'm stuck on this speedboat with our chests pressed tightly together.

  I'm certain William is another dark angel, but my solving of this mystery has come a little too late.

  I tense in his arms. He moves his lips across my jaw line, slightly brushing my skin. He cups the back of my head while his lips remain in pursuit, not noticing my fear. He touches my lower lip against his for a second then presses our lips together. I taste his sweet breath mixing with mine. I pull back with all my strength, separating my body from his.

  "What the hell are you doing?" I yell, jerking away from his touch.

  He stiffens. I can only assume he isn't used to being denied.

  "I was trying to kiss you. That's what I was doing," he says, his voice as cold as ice.

  I don't hold back any longer.

  "I know what you are," I confess as I wipe his taste off my lips. I instinctively raise my voice, although it's not like anyone can hear me or come to my rescue now.

  I'm screwed.

  How do I keep getting myself into these situations to begin with?

  Aren't there any cute, human guys left in California?

  "Okay . . . I don't care." He leans back and cracks his knuckles.

  "Why are you doing this, I trusted you?"

  My eyes begin to burn; hot tears blur my vision.

  Am I that stupid?

  I should have never allowed myself to be alone with William.

  I know better.

  I'm at his mercy.

  William flexes his jaw. He doesn't reply to my "why are you doing this" question.

  He simply watches me as if he's contemplating what to do.

  Just make it as quick and painless as possible.

  After everything that has happened in the last eight months, I'm not sure how much more pain I can handle.

  "Do you know why I was sent here?" he asks, his voice cold.

  "No," I whisper.

  I knew.

  "I thought this was going to be simple. A quick in and out. But no! You had to complicate everything," he continues.

  I repeat his last sentence in my mind.

  He coils his hands tightly.

  My pulse increases in response to his stress. I'm not sure I'm following what he's saying.

  How did I complicate this?

  He looks over the side of the boat.

  "I wasn't sent here to kill you. I'm not a demon, although I'm beginning to wonder if it would have been easier. I thought this role would be a piece of cake. You should have found comfort in my arms, and then I would be able to keep you protected."

  "Protected?"

  "Yes, protected." He still won't look at me. "Believe it or not, I was sent here by God, not Lucifer."

  "What?"

  "God put me here to protect you. My job was to pretend to be one of them, that way I could find out how Lucifer would try to destroy you. I've been stuck here playing this crappy undercover role since November. But now, I can't keep up this charade. I refuse to keep lying to you anymore."

  "Why?" My voice cracks through my stiff lips.

  "Because . . ." he hesitates, looking for the right words. "I don't know."

  Then he tries again. "Because . . . I've fallen for you. I don't want to be away from you."

  I tug his arm, so he has to turn around and look at me.

  With a shame-filled expression, he continues. "I expected you to be hurt after you broke it off with that guy of yours. But I let it happen 'cause it gave me an easy way into your life, and I couldn't break cover. Theo and Mallory set it up perfectly."

  Mallory? Did he say Mallory?

  "Mallory? Set what up perfectly?"

  "Yes, your bud, Mallory. She and Theo set up your boyfriend. Mallory blackmailed him with the threat she'd expose your cousin secret to your mom if he didn't kiss her. Theo took pictures of the entire event, so she could convince you he cheated. Mallory was certain you'd break up with him. Then you'd be unprotected.

  I can't find the right words to respond.

  My heart aches.

  Mallory? She set me up, so I would break up with Sam? So I'd be destroyed? My best friend in the entire world would do that to me?

  No, it can't be true . . . .

  My head is spinning. I'm not sure where the truth begins and all the lies stop anymore.

  "Why are you telling me this?" I demand, my eyes feeling grainy. Tears instantly form in the corners. I blink rapidly trying to stop them from spilling over.

  He looks up. I can see the shame slowly disappearing from his face.

  "I'm telling you this for one reason—I want to be with you. I don't want to lie to you. I want you to love me in spite of who I am. I don't want to protect you from a distance any longer."

  William runs his fingers through his hair and continues. "All I want is for you to look at me in the same way as you do at that Sam guy. The way you looked at him at the lake before you broke up."

  My eyes widen in disbelief. "You followed me?"

  William nods. "I was watching from the forest. I saw how you looked at him."

  Memories flash in my mind from all that has happened since I met Sam. The Chicago trip. Mallory's letter. Breaking up and meeting William.

  I put my head down to my lap hoping this is all a bad dream, and I will wake up soon.

  He reaches out with his hand and touches my left shoulder.

  "I just want you to know that I had nothing to do with Aiden's death. I wasn't involved with Lucifer then. God sent me here to go undercover after Aiden was killed, to make sure you were safe."

  "Aiden? Lucifer had something to do with Aiden's death?" I spit out.

  William nods.

  "Lucifer found out Aiden had the gift. That's why Lucifer had him killed in an accident. Lucifer didn't know Aiden had a twin sister. That's why God sent me here to make sure they didn't realize Aiden wasn't the only one with the gift. Then Sam discovered you and practically obsessed over you," William says in a disapproving tone.

  "Sam's feelings for you were easy to read. Lucifer put the pieces together and—"

  "Lucifer had Aiden killed?" I interrupt. I have the sudden urge to throw up. Just the idea that Satan killed my brother and father because of this so called gift makes me sick.

  It all makes sense. The guy who checked Aiden's pulse must have been sent by Satan. Duh . . . . He was making sure Aiden was dead. That's why he never checked on anyone else in the car. All he cared about was making sure Aiden didn't survive.

  I'm unable to control my emotions any longer. Tears pour down my face.

  "I . . ." my weak voice trails away. I want to tell him I'm on an empty gas tank emotionally. I don't know what I feel any longer. I'm torn. But I can't tell him that. This situation is already complicated, why make it worse?

  Instead I finish with, "I need time alone."

  William doesn't say another word. He climbs into the driver's seat of the Malibu and turns the ignition.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven - Entrapment

  The closet is dark. Sam can't even see his hand in front of him. He hears the bedroom door creak open and footsteps shuffling on the bedroom carpet. He strains to distinguish between multiple noises. It sounds like two sets of shoes. Questions flood his mind. Is there someone else here with William?

  Crap.

  He had hoped William would be alone. He instantly visualizes Ava entering the bedroom with Willia
m.

  Maybe to give up her virginity . . . .

  He shudders. If she is here, that's a costly complication. William will use her as a shield.

  The immortal flesh on the back of his neck crawls. The last thing he wants is for William to use Ava as a pawn in this mess. And there's another issue to consider. Even if he could kill William with Ava present, the killing of an immortal is not something he wants Ava to witness. He remembers a movie in which a girl witnessed a violent act performed by her father. It caused permanent scars on her psyche, and she ended up in a mental institution for the remainder of her life. Could witnessing such violence cause permanent scars on the girl he loves—the girl he is willing to die for?

  As he attempts to relax through deep breathing, Walter enters his minds. Ava witnessed Sam beating Walter's face in. Maybe she is a hell of a lot stronger than he is giving her credit for.

  Without warning, the footsteps stop, and the bed squeaks as if someone just sat down. Sam suppresses his desire to crack open the closet door and peek. A sweat droplet rolls down the side of his face. The closet is extremely warm, and Sam's anger isn't helping any.

  Sam closes his eyes, trying to remove the vision of Ava burned in his memory and focus on the task in hand.

  He hears more footsteps on the carpet. He leans forward to place his ear as close as possible to the closet door. It's impossible to tell if the steps are from a male or female. He waits for voices, but then the stereo is turned on.

  Shit . . . .

  The music playing is from the 1990s. It's a band called Nirvana. Not exactly the type of music a guy would choose to set the mood for sex. Sam growls at the thought.

  I can't wait to destroy him, to rip his head off.

  Typically, all the dark angels get along without much conflict. Once in a while, two angels will be working on the same human, but that is very uncommon. There are plenty of humans to go around. In the rare circumstance there is an irresolvable difference, Lucifer has the final say. He leaves no room for negotiations.

  Sam's mind immediately jolts back from his thoughts to the voices coming from outside the closet. With the stupid music playing, he can't tell if either voice belongs to a female. But one thing is for certain, there are definitely two of them. Each voice is different.

  Sam reconsiders his game plan. Once he leaves the closet, he will have to attack William with upmost speed. As he runs his plan through his mind, he can't help but think about how much he misses Ava. The last few weeks have been pure torture. Not just because of the isolation, but because he can't be with her. He longs for her as a junkie does for their next high. Sam isn't certain how much longer he'll be able to stay away from her.