Shadows (20 page)

Still, he wasn’t sure they knew about the kissing. Had they read the translation of the church papers about the demons stealing souls through victims’ mouths? It meant that all the people who’d gone mad – who’d lost their souls – had been kissed by the demon. Megan Christie … and Bet Carrothers … both girls he’d kissed, and now their souls had been taken.

Eve might be right that I’m a player
, he thought,
but I’m not so bad that I don’t care if girls I’ve been with go crazy
. He’d liked Megan and Bet – just not as long-term girlfriends. If a demon had hurt them, he wanted the demon to pay.

And the only way to do that was to find the demon. Bet had kissed someone recently, someone demonic, and Luke was determined to find out who it was … just as soon as the bus managed to drag itself the rest of the way to Ridgewood.

Luke was the first – and only – one off the bus when it finally reached the psychiatric hospital.
PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION CENTER
was what the place called itself on the big sign out front. The front lawn was huge and gently rolling. Weirdly, it looked like a great place to have a picnic. A couple of patients were sitting outside, soaking up the last hour of sunshine for the day.

Luke hurried into the main building. The nurse at the reception desk was happy to hear that Bet had a visitor. ‘I have to warn you that she’s in restraints,’ the nurse told him. ‘We had to do it to prevent her from hurting herself. She’s also somewhat medicated. You’ll find her in room three-o-four.’

The nurse gave him brief directions. Luke took the stairs to the second floor. He couldn’t bear to wait for the elevator – even if it only took thirty seconds. Bet’s room was easy to find. But it wasn’t easy to look at her lying there with her arms and legs in restraints. Her mouth hung slack and her eyes were halfway between closed and open. Her face had three deep scratches across one cheek. Was that why they’d had to restrain her? Had she clawed her own face?

‘Bet,’ he said loudly. She didn’t respond. He tried again, this time patting her arm at the same time. Her eyelids flickered, then opened all the way. Luke didn’t think she recognized him. He wasn’t even sure she knew where she was. ‘Bet, hi,’ he said gently. ‘It’s Luke. Luke Thompson.’

Bet’s eyes focused on his face for the briefest of moments, and she flinched.

‘I’m sorry to see you in here,’ he said.

‘The shadows came too. They’re here. But they’re
hiding,’ Bet said. Her voice was different, he noticed. She sounded like a little girl.

‘Maybe they’re gone,’ Luke suggested. ‘Maybe that’s why you don’t see them.’

Bet didn’t answer. Her eyes slowly travelled round the room, searching, searching.

‘Bet. I, uh—’ Why hadn’t he planned out what to say? ‘I was wondering who you went out with after me.’

Bet began rapidly flexing and unflexing her fingers. He could see her feet move restlessly under the sheet. With the leather cuffs on her wrists and ankles, it would be almost impossible for her to move the rest of her body.

‘Did you have another boyfriend?’ Luke tried again.

‘Shh! Do you hear that?’ Bet murmured.

‘What?’ Luke asked.

‘The shadows are whispering secrets about me,’ she answered. The hairs on the back of Luke’s neck stood up. He wanted out of this room; out of this whole place.

Luke put one hand on Bet’s forehead. It was cool and clammy. He tried to reassure her, calm her. ‘Nobody could say anything bad about you, Bet. Everyone likes you.’

She began tossing her head from side to side,
knocking his hand away. ‘Why are you saying that?’

‘Because it’s true,’ Luke answered.

‘Stop saying that. He does love me. He does!’

Was she talking to him? Was she talking
about
him?

‘I like you, same as everyone,’ Luke said, feeling his stomach churn. He didn’t want to lie and say he loved her – if it was him she was even thinking about. It just felt wrong.

‘He loves me, he loves me, he loves me,’ Bet continued in a soft singsong. ‘He wouldn’t have kissed me if he didn’t. You only kiss the one you love.’

Luke had kissed her. But someone else had too. The demon. ‘Who, Bet? Who did you kiss?’

Bet giggled, still wiggling her fingers and toes. ‘He does love me!’ Her voice suddenly escalated into a screech. ‘He said so. So shut up, all of you!’

‘Who, Bet? Who loves you? Tell me and I’ll tell them,’ Luke begged. ‘I’ll tell them all.’

‘Yes. Tell them.’ Bet smiled. It was horrible to see on her ripped-up face. ‘Tell them about me and Mally, Mally, Mal.’

Mal’s front garden was illuminated by dozens and dozens of fairy lights. Eve thought about the night she’d first seen him. All the fairy lights on Main Street had flicked on at that exact moment, like something out of the most romantic movie ever. She was glad she’d decided to wear her Diane Von Furstenberg dress. It was long and flowy, with streaks of blues and greens, but not at all formal. It completely matched the mood set by the glittering garden.

The door swung open before Eve had a chance to knock. And now she was especially glad she’d worn the dress, because Mal had dressed up too. He had on a midnight-blue jacket with just a touch of sheen to it, over a grey T-shirt that looked so soft it was hard for Eve not to reach out and stroke it.

‘I’m glad you could come,’ Mal told her, stepping back to let her inside the house.

‘Me too,’ Eve answered. As usual, it seemed that she’d need a little warm-up time to get into a real conversation with Mal.

‘Would you like something to drink?’ he asked.

Eve laughed. That was why she sometimes wondered how he felt about her – he was so polite. Almost formal. She could imagine him treating any guest so courteously.
But he wouldn’t try to kiss any guest
, Eve reminded herself.

The empty living room now held a table for two, set with candles and flowers. Eve’s stomach did the roll-over move again. Were they all alone? ‘Um, aren’t your parents eating with us?’ she asked.

‘They had to leave for Sardinia at the last moment,’ Mal answered. ‘They were really disappointed not to have the chance to meet you. They said to ask you to forgive them, and they want you to come back for dinner as soon as they come home.’

‘Oh. OK. Where’s your brother?’

‘Who knows? He doesn’t keep me informed of his plans,’ Mal said. ‘Would you rather go out someplace?’ He smiled. ‘Someplace with chaperones? I’m cooking, but I can shut stuff off and we can go.’

‘Cooking, not blending?’ Eve asked.

‘All the major appliances were involved,’ Mal assured her.

Eve knew her parents wouldn’t be thrilled about her being on a date in a boy’s house with no supervision. Still, what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. And, really, being alone with Mal was what she most wanted. ‘I have to see the results if all the appliances were used,’ Eve said.

‘So … what would you like to drink?’ Mal asked again.

‘Sparkly water.’ Eve bit her lip, embarrassed. That had just slipped out. It’s what she used to call sparkling water when she was little. Maybe Mal hadn’t noticed, but his half-smile suggested that he had.

‘Coming up.’ He led the way to the kitchen, poured two glasses of sparkling water, and ushered her into a sitting room that looked out over the garden. The French doors were open, letting in the scent of roses and the last of the evening sun. Soft jazz played from a ceiling-mounted speaker.

‘You have more furniture than you did at the party,’ Eve commented, taking a seat on a chaise longue. She loved its swooping lines and old-fashioned orb-shaped feet. Mal sat in the chair across from her. ‘So,’ she said.

‘So,’ he said, and he smiled a full-on smile. Dazzling.
It was a good thing he didn’t use it often. It was powerful.

Eve smiled back. It was impossible not to. ‘What exactly are you making for dinner?’

‘A soufflé,’ he told her.

‘Yum,’ Eve answered. Who was this guy? Was there anything he couldn’t do? ‘Is there anything you can’t do?’ she blurted out.

‘That’s something you’ll have to find out for yourself,’ he said.

‘Sounds like fun.’ Eve smoothed the long skirt of her dress.

‘Yes, it does,’ Mal agreed. He was flirting.
They
were flirting. This was going to be the best date ever. The best night ever. ‘What do you—?’

Eve’s cellphone interrupted him, making them both jump. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I should see if it’s my parents.’ She pulled her iPhone from her bag, wondering how her mother could possibly know that she was alone with a boy all the way from an operating room in Manhattan. But the name on the screen wasn’t her mother’s. It was Luke’s. Eve frowned.

‘Something the matter?’ Mal’s dark eyes searched her face.

Eve rejected the call. ‘No. It was Luke, but I don’t
want to talk to him. I found out something about him – something that means we can’t be friends any more.’ Saying the words made her feel sad. She and Luke had been on their way to being really good friends. He’d tricked her into believing he was someone she could trust.

Mal raised his eyebrows, clearly wanting more details. But Eve wasn’t going to spend her time with him discussing Luke. Or demons. Or how Luke was a demon. Mal seemed to realize she didn’t want to talk about it.

He stood up. ‘I’d better check the soufflé.’ He walked out of the room, graceful as a jungle cat.

The iPhone in Eve’s hand buzzed, the sign that there was a text message. From Luke, she knew without even checking.
If I read it, I’ll get sucked into dealing with him right now. I’ll start thinking about how he’s been stealing girls’ souls … and how much I’m dreading the moment when I have to smoke him
, she thought.

Eve looked at her cell. The screen had a little icon that said
MESSAGE FROM LUKE THOMPSON
! Underneath was a box that said
READ
, and another one that said
DELETE
.

She stared down at it for a long moment. Then hit
DELETE.

Luke pounded on Jess’s front door, panting from running all the way from the bus stop on Main Street. Jess opened the door – with the chain on – and peered at him though the small opening.

‘Jess! I need—’

‘I can’t talk now,’ Jess cut him off. ‘I have to—’

‘Look, I know you guys are mad at me,’ he interrupted. ‘You think I’m a jerk and you’re right. But we have to get to Eve right now. Mal’s the demon!’

‘What?’ Jess cried.

‘It’s Mal! He’s the one. And I think Eve’s having dinner at his house right now,’ Luke went on, desperate. ‘I heard them arranging it this morning. I didn’t mean to listen, I just kind of … Well, look, the point is I tried to call her, but she won’t pick up. You have to help me!’

‘That’s a lie, Luke. You’re lying,’ Jess told him, her
voice shaking. ‘My brother’s home, my parents will be home soon, and I need you to leave.’ She started to shut the door, but Luke caught it with his hand.

‘Wait. Just listen, OK? I’ll let go of the door.’ He let go, hoping she wouldn’t slam it. She didn’t. ‘Please, please listen to me.’

‘OK.’ Jess’s eyes – what he could see of them – were filled with fear and doubt.

‘The demon sucks out a person’s soul by kissing,’ he said. ‘It said so in those papers we found at the church.’

‘I know,’ Jess snapped. ‘And Eve knows too.’

Her voice was angrier than Luke had ever heard, and all of a sudden he got it. ‘You think it’s
me
!’ he gasped.

‘Well, you’re the one who kisses everybody,’ Jess said. ‘So get out of here!’

‘No, no, no,’ Luke cried. ‘I swear I will never kiss anyone ever again – well, until we destroy the demon. But it’s not me. It’s Mal! When I figured it out about the kissing, I realized the demon must have kissed Bet.’

‘Right. And you were with her in the pool house at the party. You expect me to believe you didn’t kiss her?’ Jess demanded.

‘Not in the pool house. I was in there telling her that I wasn’t really her boyfriend. I wanted to do it in private. I did kiss her though,’ Luke admitted. He knew
it made him look guilty. But lying would be worse. ‘I kissed her when we went to the movies.’ He had to get Jess’s trust back. ‘But I’m not the demon. So somebody else had to have kissed her. I went to Ridgewood to find out who.’

‘You went to Ridgewood?’ Jess sounded curious, but she didn’t make a move to take the chain off the door.

I have to convince her. It’s the only thing that will work. She’s the only one Eve will listen to
, Luke thought. ‘Yeah. Bet – she’s in bad shape. She was really out of it, hardly making any sense. But she was talking about Mal and kissing.’

‘Why would I believe that?’ Jess said. ‘If you’re a demon, you would lie about everything. Besides, you kissed the other girls who’ve gone insane too. Do you expect me to believe it’s all a big coincidence? You even kissed Shanna’s mother!’

‘
What?
’ Luke felt heat flood his face. ‘I did not! Ew. What are you
talking
about?’

‘Kiki told me. By the way, all the guys on the football team think you’re a stud. Congratulations,’ Jess spat out.

‘Look, I’ve been a jerk. A man ho. Whatever you want to call me. But I’m not a demon.’ Luke ran his
hand through his hair, upset. ‘And I’ve never even met Shanna’s mother.’

‘I don’t believe you. You’re trying to trick me.’ Jess started to close the door.

‘Check for yourself!’ Luke exclaimed. He took a step towards the door, then forced himself to stop. He had to remember that Jess was terrified of him. He couldn’t look as if he was about to attack her. ‘You know Megan Christie. Call her. Ask if she and Mal ever kissed. That’s all I’m asking.’

Jess hesitated.

‘Jess, think about Eve,’ Luke cried. ‘If I’m telling you the truth, then your best friend is with the demon right this second!’

‘OK,’ Jess finally said. She did shut the door then, leaving Luke on the porch. He paced back and forth. Would Megan be coherent enough to talk? Or would she be like Bet? Would she confirm that she’d kissed Mal? Because she must have. Why else would she be locked away in a psychiatric hospital now?