Betrayal (21 page)

With a shout of fury, Eve launched herself at Alanna. The demon was facing Callum, and that allowed Eve to grab her from behind. She locked her hands together, pulling Alanna back against her. The sword couldn’t touch Eve now.

Her power erupted with a light so bright and white it blocked out everything else. It shot from her entire body. She could feel it flying from the ends of her hair, shooting from her belly, her head, her arms, her legs.

It felt like her body was dissolving into pure power. Like soon there’d be nothing left of her.

If it killed Alanna, it would be worth it.

Eve didn’t hold back. She turned herself over to the power. The world went silent – white and silent.

Then, faintly, she heard Jess calling her name. Eve followed the sound back. It felt as if she was returning from another galaxy.

She managed to blink, then blink again. The blinding white blur that surrounded her faded. Eve stared around, drinking in the sight of Luke, and of Jess, cradling Peter in her arms, of the portal, Callum and Carlos, of the squad who had come to her rescue.

She didn’t see Alanna anywhere. ‘Where is she?’

Jess pointed to the ground. When Eve looked down, she saw the sword – the sword and some bloody shreds of flesh and tiny bits of bone.

‘That was … astonishing,’ Callum said, eyes wide.

‘Yeah,’ Eve agreed. All she felt at that moment was empty, as if she’d been hollowed out. Killing Alanna had almost killed her too.

‘Well, we have a lot to discuss, but for now, let’s get the portal closed up.’ Callum waved over the other members of the Order. They all formed a line in front of the arch and began to chant.

‘Eve!’ Jess called again.

The sound of her voice pierced Eve’s numbness. She hurried over to her friends. ‘Is Peter OK?’ she asked Jess.

Jess nodded, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. ‘He’s in and out, but he’s OK.’

Eve turned to Luke. He’d managed to work the gag free and spit it out. ‘I was wondering if my girlfriend could untie me,’ he said, his voice husky. ‘If she’s through saving the town – again.’

‘On it.’ Eve went to retrieve the sword. Girlfriend. He’d called her his girlfriend. Girlfriend had to be the most wonderful word in the world – at least it was when Luke was saying it about her.

She returned to him and knelt down. ‘By the way, it wasn’t just the town this time. It was the world. Didn’t you hear Alanna say she was going to release all the demons and take over the planet?’ she asked as she carefully used the sword to cut Luke free.

‘Are you OK?’ he asked, running his fingers down her cheek as soon as his hands were released. ‘Saving the world. That’s quite a job.’

‘I think I’m OK,’ Eve said. ‘I had these numb spots from getting cut by the sword, but they feel all right now.’ She felt her side, where the blade had sliced her. Her skin felt smooth and warm. ‘What about you?’

‘Well, physically I’m fine. But I feel pretty stupid. Alanna manipulated me so easily,’ Luke replied. ‘In addition to the world-saving, you think you could manage to forgive me?’

‘Absolutely,’ Eve told him. She balanced the sword across her open palms and held it out to him. ‘This belongs to you.’

Luke’s green eyes were solemn when he took the sword from her. ‘I’ll always be there, with this sword, whenever you need me,’ he promised.

‘Eve,’ Callum called. Reluctantly she looked away from Luke. ‘We’ve done what we can to seal the portal. We need you to finish it off. Do you think you have enough power left?’

That explosion of power had left her feeling somehow cleansed inside, scrubbed clean. But she could feel a spark in the centre of her ribcage. ‘Let me try,’ she answered.

She stepped in front of the arch, the members of the Order moving back. She closed her eyes and focused on the spark. ‘You can do this, Eve!’ Luke called. And the spark brightened.

‘Go, Evie!’ Jess exclaimed. And the spark expanded into a ball about the size of Eve’s fist. She thought about all the people she loved, and all the people who loved her, and the ball grew bigger, brighter and hotter.

She thought about all the people in the town, all of them needing her protection, and then she was ready. She opened her eyes and raised her arms in front of her. Waves of undulating golden light stretched from her fingers to the portal. Strands of light began to stretch back and forth across the opening, crisscrossing, forming a dense net of protection.

Eve smiled. She loved using her power this way, to heal and mend instead of fight. But she was ready to fight again, whenever Deepdene – or the earth – was in danger.

‘I knew that dress would look awesome on you,’ Eve told Jess. They stood in front of the full-length mirror in Jess’s bedroom.

‘I think I’ll keep you on as my personal shopper,’ Jess teased her. Eve had gotten up early the morning after she’d defeated Alanna and gone to Bloomingdale’s as soon as it opened. She’d bought the silver-on-silver dress, figuring she could return it if Jess didn’t like it. Not that she really thought that was possible. And she had been right. Jess and the dress? Love-match.

‘I feel like some kind of kickass princess from another planet. Maybe Planet Fashion.’ Jess turned from side to side, admiring the fit of her short, sexy dress.

‘That’s how I always think of you,’ Eve joked back.

Jess turned to Eve and adjusted the jewelled clip that held a section of Eve’s curly hair away from her face. The clip matched the jewelled scoop neck on Eve’s deep blue dress. ‘You look beautiful,’ Jess said.

Eve loved her new dress. It was prom-worthy, if she did say so herself – short, with a boned bodice and a little tulle showing below the hem.

‘Do you think I’m too dressed up?’ Eve asked. ‘I know Luke told me to, but guys and girls don’t really have the same idea about what dressed up is. Maybe he just meant I shouldn’t wear jeans.’

‘If you are, Luke will just have to take whatever he has planned up a notch,’ Jess replied. ‘Oh, I heard some gossip today.’

‘And you waited until now to tell me?’ Eve demanded, mock angry.

‘We’ve been busy primping,’ Jess reminded her. She moved over to her dresser and dabbed on some FlowerBomb perfume.

‘Well, tell me now, you tease,’ Eve said.

‘I heard that Simon has a date. He’s going to the prom!’ Jess exclaimed.

‘That’s hard to picture,’ Eve said. ‘But good for him. Who’s the girl?’

‘Someone he met in that Russian class he’s taking,’ Jess answered.

‘Do you think they’ll bring big, musty books?’ Eve asked.

‘If they do, that just means they’re perfect for each other. I feel so bad about blaming Simon for all that stuff. I’ve already told Seth that I’m asking Simon for a dance.’

Eve grinned. ‘Good for you! Take a picture with him too. I want to see.’

Jess gave a twirl. ‘Eve! I’m going to the prom!’ she exclaimed, as if she’d just realized it.

And Eve didn’t feel even a mini-panglet. ‘Jess! I’m going out with Luke!’ She gave a twirl of her own. Who would have thought a few days ago that she’d ever feel like twirling again? About anything!

‘We’re still going to do our prom double-date thing,’ Jess said. ‘Only three years until our own Senior Prom.’

Eve smiled. ‘I know! And think of the shopping we’ll be forced to do.’

‘Think of the—’

A knock on the door interrupted Jess. ‘Come in,’ Jess called.

Peter entered, holding a camera. ‘Mom wants pictures of you both up here. She sent me because she says she can’t figure out all the buttons.’ He shook his head.

Eve noticed Peter had flecks of white paint on his shirt, jeans, and even in his hair. ‘What have you been up to, messy?’ she teased, so glad Peter was here for her
to
tease. He seemed to have forgotten pretty much everything that he’d done while possessed, but Jess said sometimes he’d stare off into space with a sickened expression on his face.

‘I was painting the playhouse in the backyard,’ he answered.

‘The playhouse? Why? You thinking of having a party?’ Jess joked.

He shook his head, and his eyes got kind of unfocused. Eve thought she was seeing the expression Jess had told her about. ‘I just … I went out there – I’m not even sure why – and there was blood spattered on the walls and floors.’ He hesitated, swallowing hard a few times. ‘I’m thinking maybe a cat killed a bird in there or something. Even though I didn’t find a bird.’

‘The cat probably took it. They like to leave birds on the porch as presents for their owners,’ Eve said quickly. She glanced at Jess and they had a telefriendic moment. Eve was sure Jess was thinking exactly what she was – that the playhouse had to be where Peter killed Pumpkin and maybe all the other animals.

‘It’s great you got it fixed up, Peter,’ Jess said, with too much enthusiasm. ‘Maybe the little cousins will visit this summer and use it.’ She looped her arm around Eve’s shoulders. ‘Now, picture please.’

Eve and Jess gave Peter a bunch of poses. ‘I have more than enough for a magazine,’ he finally said. ‘I’ll go show Mom.’

‘I’ll definitely need some of those pics for my hatbox,’ Jess said. ‘Evie, I can’t believe Alanna almost destroyed our friendship.’

‘
Almost
is the key word,’ Eve answered. ‘You came after me when I ran to the city, even when Alanna had done everything she could to make you hate me.’

Jess nodded, looking as thought she might cry. Eve pointed at her. ‘Don’t you dare. Waterproof mascara is never really completely waterproof.’

‘I won’t,’ Jess promised. ‘If I start to get teary, we can just talk some more about Alanna. That will make us way too mad to cry.’

‘I actually do have a little Alanna news,’ Eve said. ‘Luke talked to Callum this morning. The Order has figured out that Alanna was a night-hag. That’s a kind of demon who smothers people in their sleep. But I guess she got ambitious. You heard her during our smack-down. It’s like she wanted to start a demon union.’

‘That’s something I don’t even want to try to imagine.’ Jess made a small adjustment to chain of the pink heart pendant. ‘What do you think she’s been doing in the hundred years since your great-great-great trapped her in that body? Which was way too good a body to trap a demon in, if you ask me.’

‘I guess the Order just had info for the past twenty years or so. She had ID as Alanna, birth certificate, college transcripts, all that,’ Eve answered. ‘She probably kept moving around, changing identities, waiting for me to go Witch so she could kill me. She couldn’t access her demon powers, so she couldn’t get into too much trouble.’

The doorbell rang, and Eve and Jess exchanged gleeful smiles. ‘That’s gotta be our guys,’ Eve exclaimed. Luke was picking her up at Jess’s because they’d wanted to get ready together, even though they were going out separately.

‘Well, let’s go show them our gorgeous selves,’ Jess replied.

They answered the door together, Eve’s arm wrapped around Jess’s waist. Luke and Seth stood on the porch. The expression on Luke’s face sent tingles – almost like her power – running through Eve. He looked dazzled. That was the only word for it. Dazzled.

And she definitely wasn’t too dressed up. Luke was in a suit and tie. He was pretty dazzling himself.

‘You both look awesome,’ Luke said, his eyes on Eve.

‘Don’t try and pretend you even looked at me,’ Jess teased.

‘I don’t want him looking at you anyway,’ Seth said with a grin. Eve finally managed a glance at him. The tux Jess had chosen was exactly right – three button had definitely been the way to go. ‘I’m the only one who should get to see you in that dress.’

‘Remember what I told you about Simon,’ Jess said. ‘He gets a dance. If he wants one.’

‘Everyone’s going to want one,’ Seth told her.

‘He’s pretty cute when he’s jealous,’ Eve teased.

‘Isn’t he?’ answered Jess.

‘Just adorable,’ Luke joked.

Together, the two couples strolled down the drive. A limo was waiting for Seth and Jess. Eve didn’t feel anything remotely pang-ish as they climbed inside, Mr and Mrs Meredith taking photos.

‘Have a fantastic time,’ Eve called as the driver prepared to shut the door. ‘And an amazing one. And a wonderful one. And a—’

Jess held up one hand, stopping her list. ‘I’ll have the best time I possibly can without my best friend there,’ she promised. The driver closed the door and got back behind the wheel. Eve and Jess watched until the limo disappeared round the corner.

‘So are we ready to go?’ Luke asked.

‘Go where?’ Eve said.

‘Do I need to get you a dictionary?’ Luke shook his head. ‘I thought you knew the word “surprise”, but clearly not.’

‘Fine. Wherever we’re going, I’m ready,’ Eve told him. And she was. Eve was the Deepdene Witch, and there was nothing she couldn’t handle – with a little help from her friends.

Not that she was expecting to have to go all Witch that night. She was expecting to go all girlfriend.