Betrayal

by Amy Meredith

  Luke nodded. He hated even looking at the trees Eve had zapped.

  ‘Was she fighting the demon? I thought it was over by Jess’s house,’ Alanna said as she stood up.

  ‘It was.’ He struggled to decide how to describe what had happened. ‘Eve had just found out that the Order had put up the force field without telling her. She was devastated – and furious. Basically, she just lost it. She ran out here and this is what happened.’ He swept out a hand, indicating the ground and trees. ‘Then, when she got to the barrier, she threw her power at it until she blasted through.’

  ‘This wasn’t a momentary loss of control, like what we just saw at Jess’s,’ Alanna commented. ‘This is major destruction.’

  ‘I was just glad she had the sense to get herself away from people,’ Luke admitted. He didn’t like talking behind Eve’s back. But he was worried about her slips in control.

  ‘Does that happen a lot, where her powers are in charge of her instead of the other way around?’ Alanna asked.

  ‘It used to happen more at the beginning, when she first got her power,’ Luke replied. ‘But not really since then. It was mostly because she got mad. Emotion made it hard for her to keep a grip.’

  ‘Still does, it seems to me,’ Alanna said. ‘Back there with Jess, it was clear that Eve was upset.’

  ‘She and Jess are really good friends,’ Luke explained, feeling protective. ‘And what Simon did – it had to be him – was really horrible. That’s why she lost it.’

  Alanna pursed her lips, as if trying to decide what to say. ‘Luke, you have to remember that Eve isn’t completely human. She might never be able to fully control the demon part of her nature.’

  ‘Eve is as human as me or you. Having that demon blood is what gave her and the other Deepdene Witches their power. And she uses that power to fight demons,’ Luke protested. ‘OK, occasionally she lets her power slip, but before this it had been months. She just got especially upset. And who could blame her, given what the Order did? They could’ve killed her!’

  ‘There are always going to be things that upset her. There’s no avoiding it.’ Alanna’s brows came together in a frown. ‘It’s possible the demon part of her is getting stronger and that’s why she isn’t able to keep her power in check the way she used to. If that’s true, it will keep happening. And the results might be a lot more serious than some burned-up grass and a scorched dress.’

  ‘You make it sound like her power is a bad thing,’ Luke said. ‘Eve uses it to fight evil. She uses it to kill demons. She wouldn’t be doing that if even a small part of her was demonic.’ He wanted to believe that. He did believe it most of the time. But the way Eve had let her power explode here in the woods disturbed him. If she hadn’t made it here, if she’d lost control on Main Street …

  Luke didn’t want to think about that, but he wasn’t able to push the idea away completely.

  ‘I understand that you want to see her as human, Luke, but she’s not. You have to face that. It’s dangerous for you if you don’t. Demon blood makes her part demon. That’s simply a fact. Maybe her human side will always be dominant, but that doesn’t mean the demon side isn’t there.’ Alanna took his hand and gave it a squeeze. ‘I’m going to tell you something that I’m not supposed to,’ she said. ‘And it’s partly because I’m afraid for you – you and Jess.’

  Luke locked eyes with her. ‘What?’

  ‘The Order is very concerned that Eve blasted down the force field. The reason they put it up in the first place is because they wanted to observe Eve in a contained environment, where any damage she did would be limited,’ Alanna explained. ‘That’s why I’m really here. They sent me to investigate. I’m supposed to determine if Eve can be trusted – or if she’s a threat.’

  Chapter Nine

  Luke followed his torch beam deeper into the woods, comforted by the feel of his sword strapped to his back. He wanted to take another look at the dead animals. There had to be something he’d missed. Some clue that would help him figure out what was going on.

  He followed the course of Eve’s fire. It was the easiest way for him to find the unmarked border between his town and East Hampton. The damage looked worse at night. So many bare branches twisted up into the moonlight. Luke hadn’t remembered so many leaves being destroyed. And wasn’t the path of scorched grass wider than before?

  Suddenly he was aware of the beating of his heart. Hard, shuddering thuds, as if his heart was trying to escape from his body. Cold sweat began pumping from his pores and slithering down his back. His body was telling him something was very wrong. It was telling him to go back, to run back to the safety of the town, the rectory, his bed.

  It took all his will, but Luke continued down the dark path. He felt the presence of evil around him, heavy and smothering, stronger than anything he’d felt during a demon battle. What was out here?

  He reached behind him to touch the sword. His blood ran cold. The sheath was still strapped to his back, but the sword was gone. How was that possible? It couldn’t have fallen out of the sheath. Should he turn back and look for it? He would need it soon, if his instincts were right. He should—

  A shriek, long and saturated with pain, dragged him away from his thoughts. Luke did the only thing he could – he ran towards it.

  His torch beam found Eve at the end of the scorched path. Relief surged through him. He wouldn’t have to fight whatever was out here alone. A moment later, he realized that Eve was in a long white nightgown, and it was spattered with blood. She swayed on her feet, her face pale, so pale.

  ‘Where are you hurt?’ he exclaimed as he rushed towards her. Something caught his foot, and he fell to the ground, the taste of ashes filling his mouth. He struggled to stand, but he couldn’t pull his foot free.

  He twisted round to see what had caught him – and he screamed. The scream felt like it was ripping and tearing his body as it surged out of him.

  A hand. A hand grasped Luke’s foot. Jess’s hand. Her throat had been slit. Blood gurgled from the wound when she spoke. ‘Stop her. You have to kill her.’ Jess’s eyes went blank, her soul slipping away.

  Luke jerked his foot free from her grasp and leaped to his feet. Two more bodies lay between him and Eve. Throats slit, eyes staring up at him.

  ‘Eve, what have you done?’

  She smiled at him, and he could see spatters of blood on her teeth. ‘I’ve been killing demons, Pooh Bear.’ She pulled the sword, the sword Payne had entrusted him with, from behind her back. ‘This town is full of them.’

  Luke stumbled backwards, but before he could turn and run, Eve was on him. The slash down his throat didn’t hurt, but he could feel his hot blood, his life, gushing out of him.

  ‘Nooo!’ he shouted.

  And then he jerked upright in bed.

  In bed. He’d been dreaming. He pressed both hands against his throat. Damp with sweat, but that was all.

  Luke lay still for a moment, his heart still racing. Then he got up slowly, his eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room. No way was he going back to sleep now. He might never go back to sleep for the rest of his life.

  He sat down at his computer, taking a deep breath. Eve’s face smiled at him from the screensaver. He reached out and traced the line of her cheek with his finger. This was the real Eve, smiling, full of strength and righteousness. The girl who had killed demon after demon.

  He shuddered, remembering the words of the dream Eve. ‘I’m killing demons,’ she’d said, with the bodies of their friends lying around her.

  ‘I talked to Seth last night about the dress,’ Jess told Eve the next morning. They stood in front of the school finishing up their coffees from Java Nation. Star-shaped silver flyers for the prom had been tacked to some of the trees, and they fluttered gently in the light breeze. ‘He was so furious. He’s positive Simon did it.’

  ‘It’s really the only thing that makes sense,’ Eve answered. She’d thought about it a lot. She hadn’t been able to stop herself. Bu
t all the scenarios she came up with had ended up involving Simon.

  ‘At least the house won’t be empty today. Peter has the flu and mom decided to keep him home,’ Jess said. ‘He’s been pretty out of it, but he’ll hear if anyone tries to get in.’

  ‘Have you been able to figure out if he saw us with’ – Eve did a check to make sure no one was in hearing range – ‘the squishy demon?’

  ‘I didn’t come right out and ask him, because if he hadn’t seen anything, I didn’t want him to know there’d been anything to see,’ Jess replied. ‘But I made sure to talk to him once I got cleaned up. I’m almost positive he would have said something to me.’ She finished her last sip of coffee, then crumpled the paper cup. ‘You ready to go in?’

  Eve glanced at her watch. Almost fifteen minutes before homeroom. ‘I want to stay here and keep an eye out for Simon. I want to at least ask him some questions.’

  ‘How will that do any good? He’s not going to say “Yes, I sneaked into Jess’s house and went at her dress with a knife,”’ Jess pointed out.

  ‘Maybe I won’t ask any questions then. Maybe I’ll just—’ Eve stuck out her hands and wiggled her fingers.

  Jess grabbed her by the wrists and pulled Eve’s hands down. ‘You wouldn’t do that! Would you?’

  ‘Of course not! I was joking.’ Eve shook her head. How could Jess even ask her such a thing? ‘Simon is a person. Probably a sick, deranged person, but a person. I’d never use my zap on someone who wasn’t a demon.’

  Jess gave an apologetic smile. ‘I guess I was thinking of the way your power shot out at the dress yesterday.’

  ‘I got so furious. I didn’t mean to do it. It just happened,’ Eve explained. ‘I’m so sorry. I know it was already ruined, but I hate that I did that to your beautiful, beautiful prom dress.’

  ‘I know. I think you were as upset about the dress as I was. That’s because you’re a true friend,’ Jess said. ‘But if we talk to Simon, stay calm, OK? Maybe there are some breathing techniques you could use. My mom is all about the breathing techniques.’

  ‘I’ll be OK. It was just the shock of seeing your dress, I think. And realizing Simon had been in your house. In your room. It made me a little crazy. But it won’t be like that today. I’ve had a little time to process it.’ Eve finished her coffee. ‘What about you? How’re you doing now? Have you thought more about what you want to do for a dress? Are you sure you don’t want to find something sort of like it. Maybe something chiffon at least?’

  ‘No. I’d just keep thinking about the first one,’ Jess said. ‘But we need to get to Manhattan soon. There’s not much time left to shop.’

  ‘It’s a good thing I busted down the Order’s force field, then,’ Eve said. ‘Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to go to Manhattan with you – or anywhere else, for that matter.’

  Jess clapped her hand over her mouth. ‘You know, I never even thought about that! How dare they try to keep my prom adviser trapped here?’

  Eve smiled. ‘Well, their barrier wasn’t strong enough to keep me trapped! We’ll go to the city, and we’ll find you an even more perfect perfect dress,’ she promised. ‘And I won’t call dibbies even once.’

  Jess shook her finger at Eve with a mock scowl. ‘You better not, missy.’

  Eve kept the smile on her face, but it wasn’t too easy. She still thought she’d been completely within her dibbies rights when she’d called them the last time.

  Jess’s teasing smile faded and she wrapped her arms around herself. ‘Here comes Simon.’ He was cutting across the front lawn of the school, head down, his usual big leather book under his arm.

  ‘Do you want to talk to him with me?’ Eve asked. ‘You don’t have to. I’m fine doing it by myself. Although I bet Luke would want to come with me, just cause—’

  ‘Cause he’s a boy,’ Jess finished for her. ‘That’s a good idea. Wait and do it with Luke.’

  ‘Uh-oh. Someone’s going to beat me to it,’ Eve said, gasping as Seth’s Escalade lurched up onto the sidewalk and came to a stop. The head of every person in the quad turned towards the sound of the squealing brakes.

  A second later, Seth and Dave jumped out of the SUV. They were on Simon before he even had time to turn round.

  ‘Seth, no!’ Jess shouted. Seth already had Simon pinned to the ground, his fist poised to slam into the other boy’s face.

  Eve and Jess rushed over to the melee. A small circle of spectators had already formed around them. Eve wasn’t sure how they were supposed to break up a fight involving two big guys – without the zap – but they had to try. Or was there a teacher around? She scanned the area. Nope. Never around when you needed them. But maybe someone would report the fight to the office.

  ‘I’m sorry I sent the letter,’ Simon cried. ‘I was going to tell Jess that. I waited at her house, but she wouldn’t talk to me.’

  ‘That’s why you were at my house?’ Jess exclaimed.

  ‘You slashed up her prom dress, you little freak. You’re giving Jess the money for it, and you’re never going to so much as look at her again!’ Seth yelled. He started to deliver the punch, but Jess grabbed his arm in both hands.

  ‘No!’ she told him. ‘We don’t know he did anything. Not for sure.’

  ‘Who else would have gone into your room and slashed up your dress?’ Seth demanded. ‘He did it because he was pissed off that you turned him down.’

  ‘No I didn’t! I don’t even know what you’re talking about. What dress? What do you think I did?’ Simon blurted out, his words tripping over each other because he was speaking so fast. He sounded sincere to Eve. But she agreed with Seth. Simon was the only person who had a reason to destroy Jess’s prom dress.

  ‘Leave him alone, Seth,’ Jess begged.

  ‘Smash his head in!’ Dave called at the same time.

  ‘I won’t go to the prom with you if you touch him. Are you listening?’ Jess shouted. ‘Are you hearing me?’

  ‘Yeah.’ Seth opened his fist, getting a few ‘boo’s from the crowd, and Jess let go of his arm. ‘I know what you did,’ he told Simon. ‘Stay out of my way. And stay away from Jess,’ he ordered. Then he jerked his chin at Dave and they both started towards the Escalade.

  Seth looked over his shoulder. ‘Come on, Jess.’ Jess shook her head, not moving from her spot next to Eve. ‘Whatever,’ he muttered as he got in the SUV.

  Simon scrambled to his feet, his face pale. Eve picked up his book, squinting down at the dusty leather binding. ‘What is this, anyway?’ she asked, running her fingers over the symbols on the front. They looked strange, but they couldn’t be demon runes. If they were, she knew she’d be able to read them.

  ‘It’s a textbook for Russian,’ Simon muttered, taking it from her. ‘My dad’s making me take an accelerated course this summer, and I’m trying to get a head start.’ He turned to Jess, but he kept his eyes on the ground instead of her face. ‘I am sorry about the letter. I was a jerk. I’m sorry. That’s why I was at your house. I just wanted to tell you that.’

  He began to walk away, then suddenly turned back. This time he looked Jess right in the eye. ‘I really don’t know what he was talking about. With the dress, I mean.’

  Eve chewed on her lip and watched him as he walked back towards the school. It really did sound like he was telling the truth.

  ‘I kind of believe him,’ Jess said.

  ‘I kind of believe him too,’ Eve admitted. ‘But if he’s telling the truth, then who slashed up your prom dress?’

  ‘Type in … warm Jell-O demon,’ Eve suggested to Luke.

  ‘Rotten-fish-smelling, shoe-destroying, warm Jell-O demon,’ Jess amended.

  Luke tapped his fingers impatiently on the keyboard of Eve’s laptop while the girls lounged on Eve’s bed. He was trying to research the demon Eve and Jess had fought the other day, so he could update his database. But the girls were not being helpful. ‘Can you focus a little?’ he asked, trying not to sound irritated.

  Eve flopped
back on her bed. ‘Come on, Luke, we just got out of school. And it was a crazy day with Seth almost pounding Simon into the ground. We need a break.’ She nodded her head towards Jess. Luke got that Jess had had a hard day, but they still needed to research the latest demon.

  ‘Yeah, that was scary. I thought I might have to break out my kung fu on Seth to get him to back off,’ Jess said. ‘I keep thinking about Simon’s face when he said he didn’t know what Seth was talking about. If he was lying, he should join the drama club immediately.’

  ‘Which means we have no idea who destroyed your dress,’ Luke said.

  ‘I can’t think about that. Not right now. My head will implode.’ Jess flopped back next to Eve. ‘Right now, me need fun.’

  ‘Fuuuun,’ Eve groaned, like she was Frankenstein’s monster.

  ‘Fuuuun,’ Jess groaned back with a monster voice.

  Luke gave a regular groan. They were making him insane. He was trying to discuss a demon here. A demon! ‘That thing was in our town,’ Luke reminded them from his seat at Eve’s desk. ‘What if it had stumbled across someone else? Someone with no power or kung-fu training.’ He leaned forward, looking back and forth between Eve and Jess. ‘I need you both to get serious. What else do we know about the demon?’

  Eve raised her hand, waving it like an over-eager student. ‘I know something!’

  She made him ask. ‘What?’ Luke said.

  ‘The demon? It’s dead!’ she answered.

  ‘And that’s all we really need to know,’ Jess chimed in.

  ‘No, it’s not,’ Luke snapped. ‘What if it turns out that the demon can reconstruct itself? Maybe the puddle of goo returned to demon form as soon as it hit the sewer. Or maybe this kind of demon travels in packs. For all we know, a demon could have been in Jess’s house, slashing up her prom dress. Somebody had to have done it, and it doesn’t seem like Simon is such a likely choice any more.’