True Intentions (30 page)

Was he one of them too? He has to be.

"Some guy broke into his room. He and Vladimir were taking him some—"

"Taking him where?" I ask, interrupting him mid-sentence. I'm shaking uncontrollably.

Theo doesn't answer.

I'm tired of messing around, tired of all the lies. "You're one of them, aren't you?"

I ask point-blank.

"Yes."

I stand motionless.

He takes a step toward me. "Are you afraid?" he asks, appearing amused at my stillness.

"Should I be?" I ask, looking straight ahead as I respond. I attempt to conceal that I'm scared out of my mind. But I'm not convinced it's working.

Theo stops mid-stride and laughs.

His response is not what I' had expected.

"I am not here to hurt you. William had me stay behind in case you came looking for him or your buddy, Samuel Perry." He emphasizes Sam's name as if he's beyond the word disgusted.

"You don't like Sam," I say, stating a fact.

He smiles, tilting his head to the side, watching me closely. "I don't like Lucifer's traitor, that's all. Obviously you do." He doesn't move his eyes off me for even a split second.

His voice chills me from the inside out. I inhale with a shudder.

"Where did they take Sam?"

He looks away unexpectedly, turning around as though he is making sure no one can hear us. But even after he surveys the area, he remains quiet. I wonder where his thoughts have taken him.

"They're taking Sam to be dealt with, per request. There is a nice, little bonus out there for any of us that bring him to Lucifer. Your friend is wanted very damn badly.

William and Vlad went to deliver their package and collect the reward."

He grins at me the entire time he's making that statement. I sense he's overly pleased Sam is their captive and will be taken care of. Looking around the bedroom, I wonder if there is any possibility Sam had caused any injury to Theo or to the others before his capture—or if it was the other way around.

I decide to go out on a limb and see what other information I can get from Theo.

"Why can't you guys hurt me as long as I'm a virgin?" I bluntly ask, unable to suppress my curiosity any longer.

"Well, Well . . . . That is quite a direct question," Theo chuckles, giving me a mischievous looking smile.

He looks me over like I'm a tempting piece of meat.

"Let's see . . . how can I possibly begin to explain that?"

He thinks a moment then continues. "Purity is powerful. We can't overpower that gift from God."

"You can't hurt
any
virgin? Not just me?"

"Correct."

I can't help but smile, which seems to intrigue Theo even more.

"Why do you ask?"

I shake my head. "Just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat you know," he reminds me. "If you're contemplating trying to catch up with them and save your beloved Sam, it won't work."

His negativity interrupts my desperate thoughts as I consider my options. I know catching up with Sam is virtually impossible. My mind has moved in another direction.

According to the prophecy Kate told me about, if I die without Satan possessing my soul, Sam will be free and become human once again. So, in theory, he will be protected from Satan and all the dark angels as long as he remains a virgin.

I try to think back, to make sure I got it right. The most important detail I remember from the prophecy is Sam must not be destroyed prior to my death. If he's getting transported to Lucifer as we speak, and there's even a bonus to get him there, there is not a chance in hell he'll survive. He'll be gone forever, and my life will go on.

How many others will I drag down with me? William, Sara, or even Kate?

Eventually Satan will get me exactly where he wants me; where he has all the power. I'll be put in a position of pain and suffering. Then I'll be more vulnerable and may give him my soul. Right now, I have the power. If I die without giving him my soul and go to heaven, Sam will live.

I feel strange thinking about my own death so lightly. But when a person knows there's another side, one much more amazing than what we are living with here, death isn't nearly as scary.

"What is going on in that head of yours?" Theo asks, looking attentively at me.

Maybe Theo could be of assistance to me. After all, wouldn't he want to get me into a position of death?

"You're right, I can't save Sam. But I don't want to live without him. I want you to help me. I want to die."

Theo's dark eyes get even darker as he contemplates my words.

"You want to die?" he asks, making sure he heard me correctly.

"Yes. But I want it quick and as painless as possible. Can you help me?"

He steps back and laughs. "You can't be serious."

"As serious as a heart attack."

Theo steps back. He glares at me once more, before he responds to my bizarre request.

"What about poison. I can get you poison. It will be quick. You will go unconscious, and it will be like being put to sleep."

I stare back, picturing the scenario. It makes sense. Better than any other alternative I had imagined. Poison would be an easy way to go. I could go to heaven, and Sam would be saved. Someday, he would be able to join me. We could be together forever.

I nod at Theo. It's absolutely crazy, but I'm going to do this—not only for Sam, but also for myself. I can't live the rest of my life knowing Sam's dead.

"Okay, let's do this."

Theo tells me he needs to get supplies, and he'll be back shortly. I decide to wait in William's room. Being alone, and extremely nervous, I open his closet and look inside—anything to pass the time. William's clothes are neatly hung. They're even separated by color. I don't find anything of interest in the closet, so I move on to the drawers. I pull a drawer open and see a stack of photos. I flip through them, looking at pictures of William with friends. But searching through William's drawers does nothing to help pass the time. Each moment seems to drag on eternally. I question my decision to die several times, wondering if it's the right move. Will I regret it after the fact? Am I making a big mistake?

I know it is the only possible way. I don't have a choice.

Around an hour later, Theo returns with a Gatorade bottle with a strange, green liquid inside it.

"Here it is. It took some work, but it is the best stuff out there. It should be quick and painless," he says, and then hands me the bottle.

I open the container and smell the juice. It doesn't smell nearly as bad as I feared.

I start thinking about my body and make one last request.

"Please wait until I am 100% dead to call 911. And tell William I am sorry."

Theo nods.

My mother's face crosses my mind, but I immediately try to think of something else. I can't think of her now, or I won't be able to go through with this.

I take a deep breath and bring the bottle to my lips. I feel the liquid burn my throat, but I continue to swallow until it's all gone.

I throw the empty container on the ground and look back at Theo. The uncanny look on his face shocks me. I stare in surprise, watching his expression. He has the most malicious, atrocious grin strung across his face.

My eyes widen as I glare at him, unsure of why he seems so happy, and I regret not paying closer attention to his facial expression when I began drinking the poison.

He nods, acting as though he's answered a question I hadn't asked.

"What?" I whisper. I'm not even sure I've spoken loudly enough for him to hear.

He laughs. "You know you just committed suicide don't you?" he asks, still smiling from ear to ear.

My voice gets louder this time, "What? What are you talking about?"

"You drank poison. You killed yourself—that's called suicide. You should know you can't go to heaven if you kill yourself."

I don't move.

"Oh, Ava . . . . You stupid girl! I win . . . . Now you don't have a choice, your soul belongs to Lucifer."

I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. I slide down the wall until I reach a sitting position on the carpet.

"Finding out about your gift was unquestionably a complication for which you were unprepared."

I'm appalled by his statement. Then, it sinks in, all too soon.

I look up from the floor suddenly realizing I've been tricked. I am going to die, and there is nothing I can do to get out of it now.

I, and only I, made the choices that led me to this horrific fate.

How could I have been so stupid?

How could I have trusted him?

As I think back, I know deep down in my heart I never had a chance to begin with. This would have happened one way or another.

The pain seems to be getting worse. Even the simple act of breathing has become more difficult. Cold sweat glistens on my eyebrows.

"Will it be quick?" I ask him, in too much pain to move.

"Probably not," he answers honestly.

His sheepish smile grows larger as he walks circles around where I lie—
helpless
and in agonizing pain.

His beauty is probably the last thing I will see.

He will remain here, an angel among us.

While I die, betrayed by a boy I trusted.

I know there will be no heaven for me. No real angels in my future.

He stops at my feet, looking down at me with disgust.

"I thought you would have figured it out. You're not nearly as smart as I gave you credit for. I had you checkmated from the moment I met you," he brags.

His intuition is frightening.

I have nothing to say in my defense.
Maybe he's right
.

Chapter Forty – Escape from Evil

The HUMMER pulls into the rest stop. Vladimir gets out of the SUV and walks around to the passenger side, back door. He opens the door, grabs Sam by the collar of his blue button-up, and drags him out of the vehicle.

"Let's go," he says as he leads him toward the rest stop's bathroom.

"You want me to go with you?" William asks Vlad, now following. Vladimir has been around over twelve hundred years, so William treats him as a superior. This behavior would be expected in Lucifer's circle, and William has made sure all his actions imply he is one of them.

"Stay here at the truck. You never know if we're being followed. I can handle this piece of trash without you," Vlad says. He pushes Sam forward, still holding tightly to his neck. They walk gracefully into the restroom, and Vladimir does a quick check to make sure there is no one else inside before he pushes Sam through the door.

"Are you going to hold it for me?" Sam sarcastically asks him, lifting his shoulders enough to emphasize his hands are still cuffed.

"You wish."

He doesn't offer to remove the cuffs, as Sam had hoped.

"I can't even unbuckle my pants." Sam reminds him, still hopeful.

Vladimir digs into his pocket and pulls out the key to the handcuffs. "I'm giving you two minutes. You try
anything
, I call Theo back home. Your girl won't survive past the hour. Got it?"

Sam nods, making a mental note,
I got to make sure he won't be alive to make that
phone call.

Vladimir walks over to Sam and reluctantly starts to unlock the cuffs, pushing the tiny key in the hole. As soon as Sam feels one of his hands has been freed, he spins around with all his strength. With all his built up anger, he slams into Vladimir and shoves him violently against the tile wall. The grimy, white tiles crack into pieces, shattering on the ground.

Sam grabs him by the neck, and with a swift twist of his body throws Vladimir over his shoulder, slamming him onto the floor. He swiftly straddles him before he can recover from this unanticipated attack. He has Vladimir pinned down, unable to move.

Sam wraps his hands tightly around Vlad's neck.

Vlad's eyes widen in horror as he comes to the realization Sam, in his angelic youth, has overpowered him. He had not anticipated Sam would strike until both cuffs were removed.

"I am sorry, brother. I did not want to have it to come to this." Sam whispers into his ear, looking at Vladimir's eyes for the last time. He closes his own eyes, and with a twisting motion, he feels the snap. Vladimir's body immediately becomes dust beneath him. Sam stands up, relieved that the odds are now even. He notes the condition of the room after their brief altercation. He is shocked William had not raced in here. The altercation had to have been extremely noisy and easily heard from outside. Sam removes the cuff from his other hand and cautiously peeks out the restroom door.

He catches a faint glimpse of William sitting in the HUMMER with his eyes closed. They had been driving most of the night.

This couldn't be more perfect. At least it will be much easier for him to get out of here. He considers sneaking up on William and finishing what he started, but reconsiders. He needs to focus on finding Kate and Ava. He quietly slips around the corner of the building and disappears into the nearby forest. He'll have to travel by foot for now, at least until he can find an empty car.

* * * * *

After several miles of running, Sam comes across a well-known, superstore chain's parking lot. He looks up to the sky and, by the location of the sun, figures it must be close to noon. During his entire journey by foot, he's been heading toward west—remembering Vlad and William had been taking him to NY—to Lucifer.

Therefore, heading west now should get him closer to California.

He walks through the parking lot, watching for security cameras. Once he's sure they're pointed in the opposite direction, he locates a black SUV and smashes the passenger window with his fist. The tempered glass shatters and falls into the vehicle.

He unlocks the door, quickly climbs inside, and starts pulling the dash apart. He knows exactly what to do, and it doesn't take him long to reconnect some wires. He hears the engine turn over and smiles at his accomplishment.

I would have made a great criminal
.

Without further delay, Sam takes off toward the highway, State Road Ten. He needs to locate a payphone and call Kate as soon as possible. Hopefully she's with Ava since he didn't show up as planned this morning. He needs her to know he is safe,
for
now.