Loving Angel

by JL Weil

  Who would have thought that the city girl had gone country? Certainly not me, and I knew she hadn’t either. I stood in the doorway with a grin on my lips, waiting for her to notice me. It was nice to take a moment and appreciate the little things, appreciate her—literally.

  I didn’t have to wait long. Our bond made it nearly impossible to sneak up on the other. Already, I felt the tingle intensify as her lashes fluttered open.

  I watched in mischievous pleasure as her eyes went wide and she jumped out of her skin. Unfortunately for me, those blue eyes darkened to a simmer after seeing my face. It didn’t help that in her startled reaction, she’d knocked her iPod into the water. Immediately after, she tore the earbuds from her ears and wore a scowl on her pretty lips. “God damn it!” she protested, shifting up higher against the tub. “You owe me a new iPod.”

  I laughed.

  “Oh. You think that’s funny.” She took a swooping armful of water and bubbles, flinging them at me. To her chagrin more ended up on the floor than on me.

  And that only made my smile grow.

  “Why exactly are you interrupting my spa night?” she asked, crossing her arms sheepishly over her chest.

  I flicked a bubble off my shirt. “Don’t get modest on me now. You are completely covered by purpled bubbles, and it’s not like I haven’t seen you before.”

  “Still, a knock wouldn’t kill you.”

  “Did you put food coloring in your bath?” I asked, truly curious. It wasn’t the bubbles that were colored, but the water.

  The steam flushed her cheeks. “No, dork. It’s called a bath bomb.”

  “Oh, great. That’s better. You put a bomb in the tub with you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re so lame.”

  I crossed my ankles, admiring the view and wondering if it was really necessary that I do this now. Leaving her alone weighed heavily on my conscience, making me short. “I’m going out.”

  “Where?”

  “Does it matter?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

  She looked up, hurt. “I guess not.”

  I could be such a dipshit. Stress and constantly dodging danger did that to me. My eyes softened as I sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. If you don’t want me to go—”

  “No. I’ll be fine,” she quickly protested. “I’m just going to shave my legs and catch up on some TV.”

  “I don’t like leaving you alone.” Lately, I never knew what she was going to do. The last thing I wanted was to come home and find her wandering around like a robot in the front yard or having a demon bash.

  Her nose scrunched up. “I’m not going to go frolic with the demons at night, Chase.”

  I coughed. “I swear, sometimes it’s like you can read my mind. It’s freaky.”

  Burrowing deeper under the bubbles, she said, “Leave so I can finish my bath in peace.”

  “I won’t be long,” I reassured. We suffered from separation anxiety. It was a pain in the ass, and telling her I’d be back shortly didn’t ease the pressure that clamped on my chest.

  She nodded, pasting on a smile for my benefit.

  I turned and shut the door, heading outside before I did something stupid. My mind was churning a variety of scenarios, all of which included me swooping her out of the bath. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to keeping walking.

  A brutal burst of wind rushed behind me, as if it knew something evil lurked nearby. The star was secured in my grasp as I ran, my feet barely touching the ground. It felt liberating. Bottlebrush and scrub scraped against my legs. Through the woods wasn’t the shortest or easiest path to get to the Underground Café, but I needed the challenge.

  Lexi and Travis were waiting inside for me at a booth, each with a drink. Travis was on his second Coke, and Emma was stirring a cup of black coffee. I slid into the opposite side of the booth, my gaze glancing under the table. “So, how many weapons do you have pointed at my manhood?”

  Emma’s bright green eyes were fixed on me. “I wouldn’t make any sudden movements.”

  I cringed. “Excuse me if I don’t share your enthusiasm.” I was young, but I still wanted to have kids someday. Even little brats like me, so protecting my baby maker from Crazy Pants was currently a priority.

  She leaned eagerly on the table. “Did you bring it?”

  I titled my head to the side. “Does a blind man fart in the dark?”

  Travis snickered until Emma jabbed him in the side, and the chuckle turned into a cough, but he couldn’t hide the twinkle from his eyes.

  Emma obviously wasn’t in a humorous mood. “Just show it to me before I change my mind.”

  I ordered a chocolate shake from Steph, our waitress, and only then did I bring out the goods. A moment of appreciation and awe fell around the table like waking up Christmas morning to a tree full of sparkling gifts. I’d been staring at the iridescent star all night, and its beauty and raw uniqueness still amazed me.

  That was saying a lot.

  I was not easily impressed, intimidated, or caught off guard, yet this small weapon had managed to do all three.

  Emma’s fingers reached across the table. “How the hell did you manage to get your hands on this?”

  I slapped at her hand. “Uh-uh, uh-uh. No touching.”

  Her gaze narrowed.

  “I don’t trust you,” I stated simply, shrugging.

  “The feeling is mutual, assmunch.”

  Lounging, I stirred my milkshake, waiting for it to melt. “Glad to see we’re still on a name-calling basis. I would hate to think anything has changed.”

  “Everything has changed,” Emma snapped. There was a regretful sadness to her words.

  I shifted uncomfortably, the leather groaning under my weight. This was not the direction I wanted our conversation to go. My plan was to steer as far away as possible from all topics that could lead to her father. The fact that we were sitting under the same roof and not killing one another was a goddamn miracle. I had no freaking clue where Emma and Travis had been the last few days, or what was happening between them, and frankly, right now, I didn’t give two shits.

  “Um, so you’ve seen something like this before?” I asked, getting this convo back on track.

  Emma shook her head, swinging her low ponytail over her shoulder. “No. It’s not a hunter.”

  My belly dropped. “You’re sure?”

  “Positive. I have been up close and personal with every weapon at the facilities disposal. There was nothing like this. I’ve only read about it.”

  “Damn. I was hoping for once this would be easy.”

  “Please. Take a look in the mirror, Winters. You are a walking fun bag of problems.” As if she hadn’t just insulted me, her eyes drifted back to the Chinese star laying on the table, just at my fingertips. “The cloudy color is extraordinary.” I could hear how much she was dying to get her hands on it.

  I knew it would take an act of God to get Emma and me in the same room, let alone agree on something. I just hadn’t thought that the phenomenon was going to be in the shape of a shimmering star with razor sides. “I’m not positive what kind of material it is made of, but I sense its strength. This thing is sick nasty. I get the feeling that if it struck me, I wouldn’t like the outcome.”

  “Me too,” Travis said for the first time since I pulled it out. “I don’t like it.”

  The feeling was mutual, but at the same time, I was enthralled.

  “Want to test it out?” Emma sneered, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

  My eyes flamed. “I bet you’d love that.”

  Reclining, she crossed her arms. “Keep your freakish demon eyes at bay. When I come for you, it will be on my terms, one-on-one.”

  Joy. I was looking forward to it.

  “So, how do we find out where this originated? If it’s not a hunter and it’s not a demon, what other options do we have?” Travis asked, leaning his elbows on the table.

  My thumb tapped on the table. “I agree. Nothing good will
come from it, especially since it was intended for Angel’s face.”

  “I swear to God, you guys have all the fun.” Emma actually pouted.

  I shook my head, thinking this girl had more issues than Vogue. “Oh yeah, good times,” I mumbled.

  “I might be able to dig something up if I can find the book. I just don’t remember which one. It might take me some time. You know this doesn’t change things between us,” Emma said, her hands cupping her coffee mug.

  My lips twisted. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  Retrieving the mysterious weapon from the table, I shoved it into the pocket of my hoodie. “Well, if you two lame-brains come up with something concrete, you know where to find me. Thanks for the milkshake.”

  “Have a shitty night, half-breed,” Emma called after me.

  I flipped her off and swaggered into the night.

  Instead of zapping back to the house at record-breaking speeds, I strolled along the moonlit sidewalk, lost in my thoughts. Sure, I had an exorbitant amount of enemies. Yep, they were piling up by the minute. So what? It was nothing new. I guess this was what Death meant when he told me there would be sacrifices for bartering Angel’s life. Knowing there was danger in our connections and living it were two entirely different things. I was just beginning to understand how perilous our love was.

  When I walked through the door, the two besties were curled up side-by-side on the couch, each clutching a pillow to her chest and eyes glued to the TV. The only light in the room was the flickering of the screen.

  “What are you guys doing?” I asked, relieved that Lexi was back.

  When she looked in my direction, I was surprised to see there was no annoyance in her expression. “Getting our weekly dose of Dean Winchester,” Lexi said.

  I climbed onto the couch behind Angel, glad I wasn’t getting the silent treatment. “Huh?”

  “Supernatural?” Lexi shook her head in disbelief. “You need to come back to Earth more often, Chase.”

  Angel tipped her back against my knees. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

  I rested a hand at her hip, reveling in the jolt of energy from contact. “Nope, but I don’t think it was an entire waste.” Emma and I might have had the teeniest, tiniest breakthrough. It was minuscule really, but I’d take it.

  Angel gave me a goofy look.

  “What is he talking about?” Lexi asked Angel.

  She shrugged. “He’s being weirdly secretive.”

  Lexi grabbed the remote and hit pause. Crossing her legs, she sat Indian style on the couch. Once she was comfy and situated, she said, “Spill it. You owe me.”

  Prolonging would have been pointless, because Lexi would eventually weasel it out of one of us. She was a glittering, persuasive bundle that harped until you gave in, so I saved myself the hassle. “Someone tried to sink a ninja star into Angel’s head.”

  “What!” Lexi legs flew to the floor as she sat straight up. “Are you flipping kidding? Why did you guys not tell me sooner?”

  I rubbed Angel’s shoulders. “Because you left before I could, and there is nothing to tell yet. It’s not a hunter tool.”

  Angel turned to face me, and they both raised their brows.

  I extended one of my legs along the couch. “Okay. Jeesh. I consulted an expert.”

  Lexi’s face contorted. “You and Emma talked? Unbelievable. You don’t have single cut or drop of blood on you.”

  Angel’s eyes raked over me, double-checking for the slightest scratch.

  “I’m fine,” I insisted, pulling her back into my arms.

  “And…?” Lexi prompted impatiently.

  I grinned. “Like I said, she’d never seen one in person, but I think I found the perfect Christmas gift for Emma. She was drooling and slobbering all over it.”

  Lexi played with the ends of her hair, shaking her head. “You are such a doof.”

  We spent the next hour bouncing outrageous notions off each other from ninja aliens to Cherokee werewolves. None of them were feasible, but that sort of took the stress out of not knowing where or whom the star had come from.

  Chapter 21

  For the last five nights, I studied and dwelled on the mysterious star, wondering who had Angel on their shit list now? And why? It didn’t make sense. Then again, nothing did to me. Otherwise, if the world made sense, why did people kill, rape, and torture? Why did I exist? How were demons able to invade the human world?

  There were more questions than answers.

  In my mind, it would have made more sense if the culprit had been aiming at me and was a horrible marksman. That I could comprehend, but Angel?

  Only a select group of people knew about our bond, but I was sure those numbers were growing daily. Obviously, I didn’t want to believe that one of my own would try to off my girlfriend, which was why I was keeping an open mind, considering all the whacked possibilities.

  In darkness, I lay on my bed, listening to Angel upstairs talking on the phone to her mom. It was both comforting and saddening. We were all a little homesick. What I wouldn’t give for a home-cooked meal at Chloe’s. Yeah, I might miss Devin a tad, but nothing beat Chloe’s spaghetti sauce. My stomach growled.

  I never thought there would be a day I would admit I missed Devin. Not that I didn’t love him or appreciate everything he had done for me. I had always been the independent one of the three. Yes, I was impulsive, reckless, and an enormous pain in his ass, but Devin could always count on me to protect us.

  Eventually, there would come a day when I wouldn’t be able to save them all.

  Damn if I ever wanted to see that day.

  ~*~*~*~

  The wind carried a whisper: Angel.

  I took a few deep, cleansing breaths and wheeled around, a chill scuttling up my spine. My trigger happy, mysterious, star-wielding buddy was back. It was time we met, and I wasn’t taking no for an answer. Why I ever thought college life was going to be a walk in the park eluded me.

  I glanced between the door to building B and the brick pathway illuminated by the pale glow of the moon, contemplating my options. Angel was finishing her Tuesday evening lecture, and I was being a caring and considerate boyfriend by hanging around to walk her home. But the unexpected guest changed everything.

  I wasn’t giving him another chance to take a shot at Angel. Again. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, bam you’re dead. It had a nice ring to it.

  Ideally the takedown would go much smoother if Angel wasn’t involved, which meant I needed to work fast. According to my phone I had two minutes, not exactly tangible, but doable when you had a select set of skills. Just when I was about to take off for a perimeter check, I saw him.

  At first glance, he was just a photographer snapping pictures of the campus, nothing alarming. But there was something about him that struck a cord inside me. Dude looked eerily familiar. He was a middle-aged man with dark hair and black eyes. Then it hit me. He was the same guy outside my house that day, taking pictures of the fields. My entire body went on red alert.

  If there was one thing I didn’t believe in, it was coincidences.

  My two-minute window was closing.

  Before I could make a move, I felt the unmistakable tingles, and the window slammed shut. Angel was behind me. I glanced over my shoulder as she approached. A swell of terror rose up in me, and it was all coming from the girl next to me.

  Instinctually, I stiffened, ready to throw down. I seriously expected a demon, a hellhound, or Freddy Kruger to jump me. At this point, anything was possible.

  Her face went ghostly pale, and the books in her hand clattered to the ground. “Dad?” she said. Her knees buckled, but she managed to stay upright.

  My mouth hit the ground.

  Holy shit.

  This was a new turn of events. No one moved. Stunned, the three of us stood there gaping. Her emotions, my emotions, I couldn’t decipher whose were whose. They were a tangled mess, and after the grenade that just went off, who could blame u
s.

  “He’s y-your father?” I asked, finding my tongue.

  “Was,” she added snidely, the shock slowly winding down.

  The camera hung around his neck, and I was able to get a good look at him as he stepped under a streetlight. His build was scrawny, and the pasty color of his skin made his eyes appear darker. “Angel. I can’t believe it’s really you. I’ve been waiting for the right time to approach you.”

  A horrible shudder rippled through her. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  All kinds of warning bells went off in my head, ringing from ear to ear. He no longer seemed a harmless bystander. What kind of man watches his daughter for months, hidden and pretending to be someone else? It was creepy. It was disturbing. It made my demon wanted to come out and play.

  I balled my fits, fighting the growl that was soaring up my throat. Although, I didn’t know a damn good thing about her dad, I doubted telling him my not-so-little secret on our real first encounter was fitting.

  Tiny lines of worry wrinkled at the corner of his eyes. His bright, eager smile slowly faded. “I had to see you,” he justified.

  I wanted to take Angel to the side and tell her that this wasn’t the first time he’d been hanging around. My hand crawled to the small of her back, and before I could whisper in her ear, she shook me off.

  “Chris, you shouldn’t have come.” Her voice was stern and disapproving, shining in the hardness of her features.

  Ouch. Shot down. Not only did she revert to his given name instead of dad, but she also dismissed him as if she didn’t have a care in the world. I didn’t blame her. I knew better than anyone how she truly felt about this man. We both had daddy issues.

  “Can we talk? Alone, Angel Cake,” he pleaded.

  Absolutely. Not. Happening.

  I don’t know what it was about Angel’s dad that rubbed me the wrong way. It could have been because I know how hard and how far Angel and her mom had run to get away from this man. However, in my gut, I knew it was much more. Something in his eyes was wrong. I’d be damned if I left him alone with Angel. Those uneasy vibes I’d been feeling, they sprang upon me in tenfold.