Dealing with the Devil (The Earthwalker Trilogy Book 1)

by Siddoway, Jennifer

  “Something about a ‘conflict of interest’?” When she did the air quotations with her hands I had to keep myself from laughing. It was hard to take her anger seriously when she was so ridiculously animated.

  I was undoing the combination to my lock when Lacey stepped in front of me and demanded my attention. Her beautifully freckled face, normally tan, was flushed with rage and her aura swelled outwards towards me. “He said that he didn't think he could work with you anymore. What did you do to him, Wynn? I haven't seen Ryan mope around like this since he went through his emo phase in middle school.”

  “We had a bit of a falling out,” I confessed.

  “Well you’d better fix it! The show opens in two weeks and I can't have a broken hearted Jeff! I’m not sure if you’ve been paying attention, but Ryan has been tied up in knots over you for months.”

  “I’m aware. That’s kind of what the aforementioned ‘falling out’ was about.” I did air quotes right back at her. “Don't worry, I'll talk to him,” I reassured her.

  Lacey sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes closed in concentration. “I'm just worried, that's all. I've never seen him this upset. You're the only person I know who could possibly change his mind, but you seem to be the source of the problem. I'm counting on him for the production and it would make my life infinitely easier if the two of you could get along.”

  “It’s fine!” I told her honestly. “Ryan and I are great, he just got a little freaked out. Convince him to be at rehearsal this afternoon and I’ll show him that everything is fine.”

  “What if he doesn't listen to me?”

  I sighed again and placed my hand on top of her shoulder. “Then we’re just going to have to kill him. But seriously, he's got to. I'm counting on you, Lace!”

  She nodded, though clearly unconvinced, leaning forward to give me a one-armed hug. I ran off the other direction and hoped this time I would at least be on time for class.

  ~ * ~

  Monica sat in one of the folding chairs as Lacey French braided her hair, scowling at me in the dressing room mirror. She was our lead dancer and was used to walking over people she deemed inferior. Thirteen other girls shuffled all around us as they changed into their costumes and applied loads of makeup. I sat on the counter next to them with my Cherry Coke, so Lacey could continue her story. “Why is the Gyp in here?” Monica interrupted.

  Lacey paused with what she was doing and grabbed a hair pin from the wig kit. “Do you see how sharp this is?” she asked her innocently. “It would be a shame if it accidentally stabbed you when we put on your wig.”

  I nearly choked on my drink I was so proud of her. Monica's eyes bulged slightly. “Is that a threat? You had better not be threatening me!”

  “Of course not, but if you don't stay still, accidents can happen.”

  She grumbled slightly and sank back in her chair.

  We fell into silence for a couple minutes as she completed her work on Monica and Lacey glanced towards the dressing room door tensely. “Have you talked to him yet?”

  I hung my head, embarrassed, and took another sip of my drink. “No, he's avoiding me.”

  Monica sneered and stood up once her wig was securely in place. “Maybe Ryan's not half as dumb as I thought he was.”

  Lacey rolled her eyes. “Don't listen to her.”

  “I never do.”

  I jumped down off the makeup counter so I could finish presetting all the props, pointedly ignoring Monica's presence as I swept past. “I gotta go, but I'll see you out there, 'kay?”

  “M'kay.”

  On my way out the door I gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and grabbed my script from the prop table so I could start checking things off my list. Ryan and a few of the other guys came out only wearing bits and pieces of their costume since they were still being made. He saw me in the wing and I smiled timidly, giving him a gentle wave. Ryan didn't even respond, he and the boys just kept talking and walked to the other part of the stage. My heart sank and I went back to my work.

  Lacey came out of the dressing rooms a few minutes later and the director called a five minute warning for the show, which was my cue to get in place.

  When the lights went out over the house I decided to try a little experiment and see if I could repeat some of the skills I'd learned while practicing with Aidan. I closed my eyes and pictured myself on the opposite side of the stage. The still foreign sensation came over me and I “Blinked” across the stage, pulling myself there by sheer force of will. Realizing my attempt had been successful, I felt powerful, victorious. The wings were dark with shadow so even though they were full of people, no one even realized what had happened. My ears were still buzzing with energy, but a huge grin spread across my face.

  Still riding the high of my first success, I closed my eyes again and pulled myself back to where I came from by the fly rail. I felt the location so clearly I could almost smell the ropes behind me, and then there they were. I was standing next to my chair with my script and flashlight waiting for me.

  The sound of clapping caught me off guard as the light came up and Lacey told everyone we had a one hour break before act two. I felt my cheeks get hot with embarrassment at the thought of almost being caught and started organizing my things. “Hey Wynn, you coming with us? We’re going to get some burgers,” Lacey called to me from off stage.

  “Yeah, come get something to eat,” one of the other crew members agreed.

  “Really? I'd love that!”

  Lacey laughed and gave me a one armed hug. “Come on, you’re riding with me.”

  I grabbed the wallet from my bag and we exited the theater together, walking arm in arm out to her shiny, gold Toyota. There were four people following behind us and we all piled in like it was some kind of clown car. Kasey was laying across the laps of everyone in the backseat and we all prayed we wouldn't hit a speed bump or get pulled over. By the time we made it to the restaurant, all of us were laughing hysterically and tears streamed down my face.

  “All right, we're here, everybody out,” Lacey announced once we'd pulled into a parking space.

  Carefully, they tumbled out the back and made their way to the restaurant door. Lacey and I placed our orders with the cashier and brought our food to an empty booth. Half the cast was here and it was bustling with teenage hormones. I tried not to glance in Ryan's direction, but a couple times I couldn't help myself. Lacey noticed my distraction and waved me to where he sat.

  “Go, talk to him,” she encouraged.

  I took a sip of my drink and grabbed the rest of my food before walking over to Ryan at his empty booth. He looked up and fidgeted uncomfortably when I approached, but didn't protest, so I slid into the booth across from him. “Are we okay?” I asked.

  “Are you kidding me?” his tone was defeated. He saw the hurt in my face and sighed, setting his burger down on the tray in front of him. “Look, I told you I would need some space and a single weekend doesn’t cut it. I don't think that's unreasonable.”

  “It's not,” I agreed. “But Lacey said you were thinking about dropping out of the show. That's a little extreme, don't you think? If either of us is going to leave it should be me, you were there first and you’re one of the main actors! I can go if you need; although it is a shame, because I was really beginning to enjoy myself.”

  He looked up at me surprised. “You are?”

  I nodded. “Very much, but I know you're freaking out right now, so if you need me to step aside I will.”

  He stared at me for a moment with a puzzled expression and asked, “You would do that for me?”

  I snickered at the irony of his question because of how recently I’d asked him the exact same thing. “Of course I would.”

  Ryan took a few more bites of his burger and wiped his chin off with a napkin before responding. “What do you want me to say? That I'm fine with your mom being a witch and the fact that you're a … a demon?” he whispered in a hiss. “Because I'm not. I'm not okay with a
ny of it. This information is huge. And not just on a personal level, Wynn. The world as I know it is gone. Supernatural beings are out there?”

  “People have been calling my mom a witch for years,” I reminded him curtly. “It shouldn't come as that big of a shock to you.”

  He grumbled slightly, spearing a French fry into his ketchup. “I thought that was all just talk.”

  I smiled weakly. “That’s sweet of you not to judge, but apparently you can’t always make assumptions. This is really hard for me too. You were my best friend, but now you won't even look at me. I'm scared as crap about what's happening to me. A Lord of Hell showed up in my room and told me I was his demon slave. I didn’t ask for this and there's no one for me to confide in except for you and Caleb.”

  He blinked a couple times and took another bite of his burger. “Oh right … that guy you’re ‘kind of friends’ with you were talking to outside Nadia’s shop. I remember.”

  I nodded sheepishly and blushed, tugging absentmindedly on the end of my braid. “That would be the one.”

  He raised an eyebrow at me and sat back in his seat as my cheeks turned a brilliant red, which wasn’t helping the situation. “You really do like him,” he accused. “That just confirmed it.”

  I threw a French fry at him and he laughed, picking it off of the table and popping it in his mouth.

  “Why didn't you just tell me? I would have backed off if I knew there was someone else.”

  “There isn't someone else. I — we're not together. He’s practically my babysitter. Besides, we’re talking about you and me. Now, do I need to quit the show?”

  Ryan sighed as he stared out the restaurant window into the parking lot beyond. His brow was tense and I could tell he was at war with himself. Finally, in a resigned voice he said, “No, I don’t think that’s necessary. The show will be fine, but don’t you have bigger fish to fry? It seems kind of inconsequential if you ask me.”

  “You’re right, but I can’t just pick up and leave, people will notice. What would my dad say? I have to keep up appearances.”

  “Right, I get it,” he agreed. “We can work together, but I still need space while I’m figuring this stuff out — and you can get really weird sometimes.”

  “Yeah, I really can. You have no idea.”

  “Well … as long as you're being weird, and we're both okay with that, is it okay if we eat? Because I'm starving and this is starting to cut into my food time.”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, then eat your fries before I do.”

  I grinned and popped one into my mouth. We ate for a moment in silence and I glanced back to where Lacey was still sitting with some of the other cast. She gave me a thumbs up underneath the table and I nodded once distinctly, so she'd be sure to get the message.

  “So … if you're a demon, does that mean you can do, like, magic and stuff?” he asked me suddenly.

  I smiled, knowing that despite his qualms, he’d been itching to ask me that. “As a matter of fact it does. I learned quite a few tricks since our little escapade to New Orleans.”

  “Oh, really?” he responded with a grin, wiping off his hands. “Show me what you got.”

  I glanced around the restaurant to make sure no one was looking and cupped my hand on the table. I forced a surge of energy out and a tiny flame erupted in the center of my palm. He leaned forward wide eyed and inspected the glowing flame. “You're doing that?” he asked.

  “Yes. Shhhh,” I counseled him, looking around us warily.

  Ryan jumped slightly and laughed nervously to himself. “That. Was. Awesome!” he complimented. “Is that all you can do?”

  I took a fry, put it on the table, and made it levitate for a moment before setting it back down slowly. Ryan hissed, “Telekinesis? That is crazy! What else?”

  “Calm down! I can’t risk anymore with so many people around.”

  “Later then?” he inquired hopefully.

  “Later,” I agreed.

  He smiled, settled back into his seat, and stole another drink of my soda. “So how do I know you won't turn me into a frog or something like that?”

  “That's more my mother's territory,” I responded playfully. “But if I were you, I'd still watch your back … and get your own soda next time.”

  Ryan grinned, still chewing the burger in his mouth, and stole another fry off my plate before I could slap his hand away. “Last one,” he promised with a laugh. I huffed in exasperation and took another one myself. “So, listen,” he started again slowly. “I've invited a couple people over to the house for spring break. It would be cool if you could join us.”

  “I heard about that,” I told him. “It sounds like a lot of fun.”

  “Cool, I guess we'll see you there then.”

  Just then, Lacey came walking up to our table with a smile on her face. “Well, I hope you guys had enough to eat, because we really should be heading back.”

  “Okay,” Ryan conceded with a sigh.

  I nodded in response, still drinking my soda, and slid out of the booth. “Bye, Ryan. See you there.”

  Lacey and I walked out together along with the other kids that had ridden with us and piled back inside her car. Monica and her friend Jasmine sneered at us as we passed. I would never understand her blind and enduring hatred of me, but at this point I had accepted it was just part of life and ignored the two of them completely.

  ~ * ~

  When we made it back to the auditorium, the rest of act two went quite smoothly. I was helping Lacey and her assistant lock up afterwards, making sure all the lights were off, when she turned to me and smiled. “That was really cool, what you did before,” she complimented quietly.

  “What? With Ryan?”

  Lacey shook her head. “No, with Monica.”

  My eyebrows knit together with confusion. “What do you mean?”

  She rolled her eyes playfully and laughed, “I mean how she's always getting on to you! I don't know what her problem is, but it happens every day. Over and over again she will try to get a reaction out of you and you never rise to the occasion, and I just think that's cool. It’s a tribute to your character.”

  I blushed. “Uh, thanks, I guess. I'm kind of used to it.”

  “Well, I still think it’s awesome.”

  I turned off the lights in the sound booth and walked down the stairs with her to the lobby. “At least you patched things up with Ryan,” she told me quietly. I could tell by the tone in her voice that the sentiment was sincere and it brought a smile to my face. “What did you say to him?” she probed. “Not that … I'm trying to be nosy or anything, but he seemed really pumped when we came back to the theater.”

  I shrugged. “Nothing, he just needed some space. I think he's finally coming to terms with the fact that I'm not 'girlfriend' material.”

  Lacey laughed. “Whatever you say. I think that's all of them, you ready to get going?”

  “Yup.”

  The glass doors to the lobby fell shut behind us, and the director came out with a giant set of keys. “Thank you ladies for all your hard work. I'll see you both tomorrow.”

  “Bye!”

  “Goodnight, Ms. Carmichael!” we both called to her as we made our way through the parking lot. I had barely sat down in the front seat of Lacey’s car, when my phone gave a little buzz, so I reached into my pocket and fished it out. It was a text from an unknown number.

  When can I see you again? — Caleb

  Suddenly, my chest felt tight as I typed in a response.

  I'm just leaving the theater. Is everything okay? - W

  Lacey had put the car in drive and was pulling out of the parking lot. Less than a second after I hit the send button on my phone it buzzed again.

  Everything is fine, just wanted to talk. - C

  My heart fluttered in my chest and an eager grin spread across my face.

  I didn’t know angels texted, how convenient for me ;) Come by the house in about an hour — that will give me enough
time to change. - W

  Still keeping her eyes on the road ahead, Lacey cast me a sideways glace, intrigued by my obvious distraction. “Who's that?” she asked me coyly.

  “It's—” the phone buzzed once again and I flipped it over to read the message on the screen.

  Can't wait. I'll see you then. - C

  “It's no one,” I lied to her simply. “Just a friend asking about the show.”

  She nodded and raised an eyebrow knowingly, but didn’t press further. I guided her through the winding streets, making chit-chat along the way. I had a growing sense of anticipation inside my chest — Caleb wanted to see me and that made everything okay.

  ~ * ~

  As I stared out the window of the bus, daydreaming about my plans, Nate was in the seat across from me listening to his earbuds. We had to chance the bus when Dad had a last minute meeting he couldn’t get out of but we figured if we kept our heads down, no one would bother us like last time. I was anxious to get home. Cleo had gone to the vet this morning and gotten spayed. All I wanted to do was get home and cuddle her with a blanket and a good book.

  It was Wednesday again, and like every other Wednesday my family was headed to the hospital to visit Mom in the evening. Dad had given me special permission to stay home and study, which was much needed because Aidan and I had been practicing again which meant sneaking out a lot and not much sleep. That night I would have the whole house to myself for a while. Besides, Dad knew I would raise hell if he tried to make me go after our little chat last week. I’d made my feelings about her pretty clear.

  The bus pulled to a stop down the street from our house and Nate and I jumped up, eager to get off the vehicular monstrosity. A few other guys got off too and we all headed the same direction down the road. There were four of them, and I definitely didn’t like the way they were looking at us. I guess we didn’t get away as easily as I hoped.

  “Hey!” they called out.

  Nate and I looked at one another anxiously, but kept walking.

  “Hey, I’m talking to you!” one shouted again.

  There are some times being a demon has it’s perks, and this was one of those times.

  There’s nothing more embarrassing than falling on your face which, ironically enough, is exactly what happened to the leader when I moved a rock with my mind and whacked him on the shin with it. He swore loudly and fell in the dirt, but his buddies helped him up. I thought taking his pride down a notch would diffuse the problem but Nate’s and my laughter apparently didn’t help. He brushed himself off, red with embarrassment and began towards us again. That’s when the seam on the bottom of his backpack miraculously gave out, spilling its contents all over the ground.