Destiny's Wrath (Destiny Series - Book 3) by Straight, Nancy (read full novel .txt) 📗

the most: Samael is in Jimmy and may refuse to leave, making Jimmy lethal for years to come.

Max suddenly announced, “I know what you’re thinking.”

Surprised, I asked, “Really? Enlighten me.”

“If Samael really did make that kid kill all those people, maybe he’s stronger than we thought.”

That hadn’t even crossed my mind. “What do you mean?”

“Didn’t Renny say something about if they let him live inside me, he would get his strength back, or something?”

“Yeah, I remember. But if he were getting stronger, wouldn’t he draw his strength from me? Wouldn’t I be getting weaker?” Max shrugged, so I continued, “I don’t feel like my old self. I feel just as strong as the day I took the bank vault door off. I just used the ‘sight’ thing a little bit ago and it worked fine. I think I would feel it if he were getting stronger.”

“But he lost his powers when he went up against you. If he’s pretending to be weak, lulling us into a false sense of security, maybe his plan is to take you on and get his powers back?”

“You’re giving him way more credit than he deserves. I don’t think he’s that smart.”

“Lauren, I spent a lot of time with him. Don’t underestimate him. Remember, I had Samael inside me. I don’t think he’s ever ridden the short bus.”

“So, you think he made the kid kill nine people, so he could make us come to him?”

“This whole thing feels like a trap. I don’t know how he made the kid kill all those people, but our first thought when we heard about it was to go to the kid, right? Maybe he did it so he could get you to come running. What if it’s an ambush?”

“You’re forgetting. I have my secret weapon this time.”

Max looked confused, “What, Renny?”

I shook my head, “No. I have you this time. Remember? The Dynamic Duo. As long as we’re together, Samael doesn’t stand a chance.”

Max’s hand began to caress my back, “I just think we’re walking into something neither of us is really prepared for.”

I shook my head, dismissing his doubt. “My whole adult life, I’ve only wanted two things.” Max raised his eyebrows, silently asking what was dearest to my heart. “To meet you and to spend the rest of my life loving you, we’ll never have a normal life if Samael is allowed to exist.”

“Don’t you see, Lauren? Getting involved puts you at risk. It puts our future together at risk.”

“But what kind of future would it be if the guilt from doing nothing consumes us?”

Max stopped caressing my back and pulled me to him in a tight embrace, pain intertwined in his whisper, “You are my world. I’ve come so close to losing you so many times, I don’t think I can risk it again.”

“This is bigger than you and me, Max. This is bigger than Jimmy. Samael made him murder nine people. If Samael is gaining strength, we need to stop him now, before he could do it again. We have to stop him.” I didn’t need Renny or Dakota to validate my belief. Stopping Samael was not just my destiny, it was life’s mission. In my mind it was no longer even a choice.

“I love you, Lauren. I trust you. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you, but promise me, if you confront Samael – you won’t do it alone.”

“Promise.”

Chapter 10

It took a whole day of talking through all the possible scenarios, we agreed, neither of us could live with the decision of doing nothing. Max was clear that he wanted me nowhere near Samael, I couldn’t help but feel there was something he wasn’t telling me. We would keep our distance, but would find a way to help Jimmy if we could. We decided not to take Peanut with us because we didn’t want to lock him in a motel room. Julio had been the farm’s caretaker before Max and I moved in together there. Julio stayed in our guest house and offered to take care of Peanut while we were gone. When I packed, I was “packing.” Since Samael had been out of our lives, I’d barely given my handgun much of a thought, but as I was closing the suitcase, I slid it in, just in case.

Two days later we were at the funeral, grieving for people neither of us had ever met. I watched Max, the turmoil on his face difficult to bear. He blamed himself; I didn’t need to hear him say it - I could see it. Because Jimmy had annihilated two families in such a small community, the outpouring of friends and neighbors was heart wrenching. There wasn’t a funeral home or church large enough to accommodate all the people who had been touched by the deaths.

We sat looking at retracted basketball hoops, a blackened score board, seated on wooden bleachers not meant to provide any comfort to those grieving from their loss. We saw mourners of all ages. Max and I sat near the top and to the right, away from the tight knit group below. We didn’t want to be comforted, nor did we feel like we belonged there.

There were seven full-sized caskets and two smaller ones lined up on the gymnasium floor. All the caskets were closed with silver framed smiling faces placed on top of each. Flowers lined the tables up against the wall, behind the minister’s podium. The sobs coming from all directions were overwhelming.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the place when an uncle was talking about the youngest victim . . . “And little Melanie only just started kindergarten. I was there the first day of school as she bounded toward the school bus, blonde curls bouncing as she skipped her way to the bus with her Barbie backpack. She rode the school bus with her big brother, Bradley. Melanie had a soft place in her heart for every stray animal that