by Laurèn Lee
“So secretive,” Charlotte mimicked.
“I didn’t want your nosey self to get involved.”
“Hmmmph. Ass,” Charlotte mumbled.
“I heard that.”
“I meant for you to hear it.”
The lock clicked, and Liam swung the door open to reveal the dark and ominous staircase to the basement.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” Charlotte’s voice cracked. Was she ready to see what was hiding in the shadows of their condo? What could be so bad that Liam had to hide it from her? Well, the wait was over now.
Unintentionally, she clung to Liam’s arm while they went further into the dark, one step at a time. Charlotte couldn’t see the smile on Liam’s face while she held on to him for balance.
“Turn on the lights,” Charlotte urged.
“Why? We could have so much fun in the dark, and no one would know.”
“I would know, idiot.” She let him go with an indignant huff.
“Suit yourself.” Liam snapped his fingers, and a large flame blazed from the center of his head, illuminating the basement.
At first, Charlotte didn’t notice anything different. There were a few pieces of exercise equipment, boxes of clothes she kept forgetting to donate, and other miscellaneous goodies. Then, she saw it: across the wall were several eight by ten photographs of a variety of women. The very last photo was familiar to Charlotte. It was a picture of the waitress Liam and his late coworkers tortured and murdered. Her stomach dropped as though she’d went over the tallest loop of a roller coaster. The other photographs were of women who looked similar to the waitress. All of them had red X’s drawn through their faces. Charlotte drew the only obvious conclusion: Liam killed these women, too.
Her vision blurred, and her body grew faint. Despite being neither entirely human or entirely something else, Charlotte’s heart couldn’t handle the sight before her.
She thought it was bad enough that her future husband, now demon lord, killed one woman, but now she had discovered there were more? A part of her secretly hoped it was one drunken night’s mistake. She prayed the darkness within him could be exorcised one day. But now? There was no redemption possible now. Liam was a serial murderer. When had it started? Had he killed before they fell in love? Before they kissed? Before they met? How had she not seen this coming? Why didn’t she take things slower when they first met?
Charlotte’s head buzzed with endless doubts and possibilities.
“I told you you didn’t want to know,” Liam said and smirked.
Charlotte glared at him with pure, unadulterated loathing. Rage grew in her belly, and she felt nothing but hate for the man, or demon, before her.
“You’re a monster,” she seethed.
Liam yawned.
“How could you do this to me?”
“Do this to you?” He imitated her tone. “Darling, I did this for us.”
“What?” Charlotte’s heart raced and thumped against her chest.
“It’s a long story, but you have to believe me. Everything I’ve ever done was for us.”
“I-hate-you,” Charlotte spat.
Liam rolled his eyes and kept steady. “One day I’ll explain everything to do.”
“I don’t want to hear it!”
“Don’t you want to know why I killed these woman?”
“No reason could ever make me forgive you. Nothing will ever repair what you’ve broken, Liam.”
“If you say so,” he said nonchalantly.
“I know so!”
“Well, you don’t have a choice, so you better get used to my past.”
Charlotte howled manically. “Of course I have a choice! And, my choice is to get the hell away from you!”
“Soon, very soon, we are going to rule Hell together, Charlotte. Just wait and see.”
Charlotte felt nauseated and faint at the same time. Her vision grew spotty, and she swayed on her feet. Liam grabbed her arm to steady her, but she yanked it away.
“Don’t touch me.”
She closed her eyes and thought back to before her life turned upside down. She was going to marry Liam, and they would live happily ever after. How could the man she fell in love with have tricked her so profoundly? Was love truly blind?
Charlotte remembered when she and Liam went to a co-worker’s child’s first birthday party. Charlotte didn’t want to go, but it was Liam who convinced her to support her friend. He reminded her it’d only be a few hours, and they’d make the most out of it.
“There’s going to be so many kids running around.” Charlotte cringed.
“I know, I can’t wait!”
Liam destroyed every narrative Charlotte held about men in her head. She assumed all guys despised children and couldn’t care less about silly celebrations like first birthday parties, but he seemed more excited than her co-worker for the party.
She caved, and they went to the party together. It was a Disney theme, and the little birthday girl wore a Belle costume. Once there, Charlotte softened, and as soon as she saw Liam playing with the other children and pretending to be Prince Charming, her insides turned all warm and gooey. Not to mention, she wanted to mount him right then and there and make a baby of their own.
She never saw it then; she never saw even a speck of evil shine through his brilliant eyes. She loved him, and she trusted him. She never thought he’d end up being a repugnant murderer. She almost wished she’d never found out about his crimes. Charlotte thought about what life would be like if she were allowed to continue existing in ignorant bliss.
Then, she glanced at the photos of the girls on the walls, and her stomach churned. Liam was never the man she thought he was, and he never would be. Charlotte turned on her heels and bolted up the stairs, leaving the basement behind her. She needed to get away from the basement, the photographs, and Liam. She needed Adriel, and she knew just where to find him.
15
Past
Curiosity struck Adriel while he traveled to the truck depot and watched closely in an attempt to find a suitable truck driver to hitch a ride with. He knew the task before him was extremely important to Lucifer. However, he had no idea what kind of impact it would have directly upon himself. He hadn’t felt this kind of buzzing excitement since he snuck around with Cyndy. But, this feeling held more of an unknown to him. With Cyndy, Adriel knew reasonably well what kind of situation he was in. With this new woman, though? It was a mystery.
He didn’t know exactly why Lucifer picked Charlotte out of all the women in the world. Lucifer didn’t always explain himself, but Adriel knew better than to question his motives. All Lucifer said about Charlotte was that he found her because she was near great evil, and that’s how she came onto his radar.
A warm sensation coursed through his veins while in the backseat of the semi’s cabin. He knew this girl, Charlotte, grew closer and closer. He felt her essence in his very core. Once the headlights were in sight, Adriel shrieked and scared the driver senseless. He swerved, narrowly missing Charlotte in her vehicle, but came close enough to make them veer them off the road.
Adriel jumped out of the semi and chuckled to himself. He imagined the driver had no idea what had just happened. He’d probably assume he’d momentarily fallen asleep at the wheel and dreamt a handsome man jumped him from behind.
Adriel peeked over the cliff and saw the effects of the SUV’s plunge. He saw his target, Charlotte, and her fiancé, too. He smiled at the wreckage and knew his plan was set in motion.
All was silent at first, and then he floated to the ground, a perk of demonhood. He watched within the shadows as the girl stirred and looked around the scene. She mustered all her strength and crawled to the man, unconscious and still.
“Liam? Are you okay? Wake up, baby. It’s me, Charlotte. I’m here. I’m here!”
Adriel quietly snickered to himself. Then, the girl hobbled over to the crash site once more to retrieve her phone. Adriel smiled and knew it wouldn’t be much
help out here.
The girl whimpered and frantically cried out, “Oh my, God! What are we going to do? What are we going to do?”
Adriel decided now was as good a time as ever to reveal himself. He stepped out of the shadows, and a twig snapped under his weight. He delighted in the fear cascading over the girl’s face as her jaw dropped in awe.
“God can’t hear you, Charlotte,” Adriel said.
16
Charlotte ran out of the condo as though the entire building was about to erupt in flames. She prayed Liam wouldn’t follow her, but she didn’t waste any time looking to see if he tailed her.
She didn’t have access to their only remaining car, so she had no idea how she’d make it to The Hairy Dog. All she knew was she had to get there and fast. Charlotte’s phone rang, and she hastily pulled it out of her pocket. Liam’s face smiled back at her from the caller ID, but she ignored the call.
Screw you, she thought.
She reminded herself to block his phone number as soon as possible after she figured out her ride situation.
Then, with her phone in her hands, she remembered Buffalo finally offered Uber, and she could order a ride to The Hairy Dog without a problem. She opened the app and saw hordes of drivers were swarming downtown Buffalo. Someone could pick her up in two minutes or less. She ordered the ride and stood near the street so the driver could easily find her. One time, Charlotte hopped into the car she thought was her Uber ride, only to find out it was a businessman from out of town. He thought she was there to mug him, even with her pleasant demeanor and kind eyes, and he screamed like a little girl. She jumped back out of the car as quickly as she’d gotten in and laughed while her actual ride pulled up. Charlotte didn’t want to make that mistake again.
A black sedan pulled up, and Charlotte peered into the car. A gorgeous girl, no older than she, sat behind the wheel. She recalled the driver was supposed to be a man, so skepticism raced through her body. She didn’t want to get in the wrong car again, but the driver waved to her with friendly recognition while she rolled down the front window.
“Are you my Uber driver?”
The girl’s brown eyes appeared smooth as honey, and she smiled. “Yes, are you Charlotte?”
“Mhmm.” Charlotte nodded and sighed with relief. She opened the back door and climbed into the clean car.
Now that she’d found her driver, nerves reentered Charlotte’s mind. She hated making casual conversation with strangers. She preferred silence over the awkward and sometimes intimate squabble. Another Uber driver had voluntarily shared his life story with Charlotte and Liam one night as they traveled home from the bar. Charlotte tried to stifle her fits of giggles when the man started to cry over his baby mama leaving him for her obstetrician.
However, this time, the woman driving the car emitted a cool and comforting aura. Charlotte immediately felt at ease, and a sense of safety washed over her.
“Are you having a good day?” the stunning woman asked.
“Could be better,” Charlotte replied. She noticed the woman sent an angelic smile to her from the rearview mirror.
“I have a feeling things are going to turn around for you.”
“Why do you think that?” Charlotte’s curiosity piqued.
“Just a good feeling.”
Charlotte wondered if her Uber drive was psychic, or maybe she was a demon, too? Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked again into the rearview mirror. Her chestnut eyes had no hint of flames. Instead, they glittered as though they reflected a priceless chandelier.
“You’re beautiful,” Charlotte said and blushed.
“Not as pretty as you,” the woman confirmed with a wink.
Silence once again blanketed the car, and Charlotte peered outside the window as they exited the city of Buffalo and ventured into the quiet suburbs, closer to the outskirts of town where The Hairy Dog was located. Charlotte wondered if the driver thought her destination was an odd choice. How many people willingly choose to venture toward the boonies?
Still, Charlotte felt an odd sense of protection in the air. It was as though it didn’t matter if Liam was after her, because he wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on her with this woman in the vicinity. Who was she? Her sheer white top practically glowed from the front seat, and she never stopped smiling.
“Are you from around here?” Charlotte asked, breaking the silence.
“Oh, yes. I grew up not too far from Buffalo,” she said excitedly. “It’s certainly changed a lot though since I’ve been here.”
Charlotte closed her eyes and smiled too. Buffalo’s revitalization throughout the recent years had become a spectacular feat. Even though it still had its flaws, the Queen City would always be home to her.
“Me, too. I love it here.”
“We’re almost to the destination,” the driver confirmed.
“Wow, we got here quicker than I thought,” Charlotte said. She craned her neck and swallowed hard as they passed the cemetery, or as she now knew it, the Gates of Hell.
The Hairy Dog loomed ahead, and it looked even dingier than it had a few days ago.
The driver parked the car and pulled the key out of the ignition. Charlotte furrowed her brow and wondered what was going on. Why would the woman park the car? Didn’t she have other passengers to pick up? Something suddenly felt off.
“Well, shall we?” the woman asked Charlotte.
“Uh, you’re coming in, too?”
“I’ve never been here before, but I always wanted to try it out.”
“You have?” Shock erupted from Charlotte’s voice. She couldn’t imagine anyone ever planning to come to The Hairy Dog. It was the dive-iest dive bar she’d ever had the unfortunate opportunity to patronize.
“Oh-kay,” Charlotte responded slowly. She opened the passenger door and stepped out into the clean air. Despite the very faint scent of sulfur from the cemetery, the atmosphere was much cleaner out here away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The driver, maybe a model, stepped out, too. She opened the door to the bar and held it so Charlotte could enter first. Her heart raced as she scanned the room for Adriel. Then, she saw a dark figure slumped over the bar with an amber liquid in hand. It had to be him; she could feel it.
The Uber driver closed the door behind them, and the entire bar fell silent. All ten or so patrons whipped around, and Charlotte saw their mouths drop. She, too, looked back at her female companion and noticed her fair skin glowed in the squalor of the establishment.
Adriel looked up from his drink and also turned around to find the source of the disturbance. His eyes grew to the size of lemons as he saw who stood before him.
“Charlotte?”
She nodded enthusiastically, wanting nothing more than to run and jump into his arms. Then, he looked at the woman beside her and smiled. It was not the reaction Charlotte had been hoping for. Shouldn’t he be happy to see her?
“It’s you,” Adriel said in awe. His jaw dropped.
“It’s me,” she replied with a shrug.
“How is this possible?”
Charlotte looked back and forth from Adriel to her driver. What the hell was going on?
“Anything is possible, love.”
Charlotte’s heart stopped. Did she call him “love?”
“I can’t believe it’s you.” Adriel set down his drink and walked toward the girls.
“It’s me.” She smiled brilliantly.
“You look the same as the day I met you,” Adriel cooed.
Charlotte felt invisible as Adriel’s eyes lingered upon the woman beside her.
“You look a little different,” she observed.
“I’ve been through a lot,” he admitted.
“I know.”
“What is going on here?” Charlotte asked, panicked.
Adriel’s gaze finally broke, and he looked to Charlotte. “Charlotte, this is an old friend of mine, Mary Elizabeth. Mary Elizabeth, I think you already know Charlotte?”
; The room shook as the wall hangings vibrated with urgency. Charlotte realized the source of the quake was right at Mary Elizabeth’s feet. She backed away against the filthy wall behind her.
In the next moment, Mary Elizabeth spread out her arms, and a gloriously brilliant set of wings appeared on her shoulders.
“You’re not an Uber driver!” Charlotte accused.
“No, I’m not,” Mary Elizabeth said. “I’m an angel.”
17
All the patrons inside the bar, even the burly bikers with long beards and tattoos, gasped. While Mary Elizabeth didn’t wear a halo, the light emanating from above her gave the appearance of one. She glowed like a beacon of hope in the darkness of a stormy night.
“You’re a what?” Charlotte cried.
Mary Elizabeth giggled. “I’m an angel. You know, from Heaven?”
“This can’t be happening,” Charlotte said faintly.
“It’s happening,” Adriel said and smiled.
Charlotte’s gut continued to constrict. She couldn’t remember Adriel ever looking at her the way he was looking at Mary Elizabeth. Did he love her? Were they together in a past life? If they were an item, how the heck did a demon and an angel ever get along?
Mary Elizabeth grasped Charlotte’s hand and squeezed gently. She shook her head, and Charlotte instantly felt at ease, just as the same calm washed over her inside the car on the drive here.
“It’s not what you think,” Mary Elizabeth said.
“I honestly don’t know what to think right now,” Charlotte replied with a furrowed brow.
“Everything will become clear soon enough, I promise, Charlotte,” Mary Elizabeth said.
Charlotte hung her head and realized this was not the outcome she planned at all. She expected to walk into the bar, see Adriel, and have him sweep her off her feet. Instead, the angel beside her stole the show and Adriel’s attention.
