Sacrifice: Beyond Series, Book 2

Chapter 8

I listen to Lindy talk about her trip with Logan to see her parents a few hours away. It's easy to see how happy Lindy and Logan are together. We've all been friends for years, but it wasn't until she flat out told me she liked Logan that I noticed their affection for each other. That's not surprising. I was too stuck in the poor-me-my-life-sucks mindset. Lindy has somehow managed to always pull me from the darkness I seem to allow to take over my life.

The oven timer beeps. Lindy pulls the pizza from the oven and cuts it into serving pieces. I get two plates from the cabinet and sodas from the fridge. We load our plates with pizza and head to the couch.

"Just like old times," Lindy says, smiling.

"Mostly, only here we don't have to sneak out."

"True."

Almost every weekend, Lindy and I were together growing up. Her parents were hardly home so she was and is my soul sister. At first her parents would get sitters to stay with her, but Lindy never liked being raised by other people. So she would sneak out to my house. The ginormous two-story house she lives in made her feel alone when they were gone. Some nights I stayed at her place and others she would stay at mine.

"Logan has been acting weird," she says in-between bites.

"How's that different than usual?" I raise an eyebrow. "I mean he's a guy. They are strange."

Lindy laughs. "Not going to argue with you there. But, he's been stranger than usual. There's times I feel he's distancing himself. Then I think it's me. Thinking things that aren't really true."

"I know the feeling," I say finishing a slice of pizza.

"Are you and Eve okay?"

I shrug. "I think so."

"Why do you only think so?"

"She hasn't been sleeping very well. I've tried to get her to talk about it, but she won't."

"Sounds like you're getting a taste of your own medicine." Lindy smiles.

"Shut-up." I smile, shoving her arm playfully.

"Seriously, Lindy. I know something is troubling Eve and if it has shaken her enough to lose sleep over then it has to be something pretty big."

"Or maybe she's afraid?" Lindy says.

"Afraid? Afraid of what? We're talking about Eve here. She is hardly ever rattled about anything. She's immortal after all."

"That doesn't mean she can't be afraid, Allie."

"I know, but I'm worried she's going to leave me."

Lindy sits her plate on the end table and turns to face me. "Allie, there's no way in hell that girlfriend of yours is going to just up and leave you. If anything, I think she's afraid of losing you."

"Weren't we talking about you and Logan? What's going on there?" I ask.

"You're just changing the subject." She rolls her eyes. "Logan has seemed nervous lately, yes. I'm not sure why."

"He isn't going to leave you either," I say.

"How do you know that?"

"The same way you know Eve isn't leaving me."

She smiles. "You're probably right."

The apartment door opens and Eve walks in. "Hey ladies." She smiles, closing the door behind her.

"There's pizza on the stove if you want some," Lindy says.

"Yum. Okay, I'll be right back." Eve says heading to the kitchen a few feet away.

"How was your meeting?" I ask.

"Fine," she says walking back into the living room. Eve takes a seat in the double recliner. "How are you feeling, baby?"

"Better since I've had some food." I say, trying to read Eve's vibe.

She smiles. "Good."

"Eve," I say.

She raises her eyebrows in question.

"Where did you go?" I ask.

Eve stops eating and rests the plate on her lap. "I went to a meeting."

"Who was the meeting with?" I ask, nervously.

"I think I should probably go," Lindy says, standing up.

"You don't have to leave, Lindy," Eve says.

"No, no. It's okay," she says.

The tension between Eve and I must be more prominent then I think.

"Logan will be off of work soon." She leans down for a hug.

"Thanks for babysitting me," I say hugging her.

"Someone's gotta do it." Lindy releases me from her embrace. "Take care of her, Eve," she says before heading out the door.

"Why did Lindy say that?" I ask.

"Because she's your friend and she cares about you."

"I don't need people watching me when you up and leave," I say.

"Lindy isn't people. She's your best friend, Allie."

I stare at Eve trying to figure out what's up with her and what it is that she's keeping from me. She moves over to the couch, sitting next to me. She rests her hand on my thigh.

"I didn't mean to make you feel like you needed to be watched. You weren't feeling well and since I had to leave I asked Lindy to come and be with you until I could."

"It's not that, Eve." I sigh. "I'm tired of the secrecy. There's something going on. I can feel it. You know I can feel it. Hell, I can even see it written across your face."

Eve keeps her gaze to the floor, avoiding eye contact with me.

"If you don't or can't tell me everything, can you at least give me a small piece of the story?" I ask.

Eve covers her face with her hands. She leans forwards and rests her elbows on her knees for a second before standing up. She removes her shirt, revealing a heavily bruised torso, shoulders and back. "If I had told you that I was meeting with Damion, you wouldn't have allowed it."

"Oh, my god, Eve," I gasp.

"Before you lose your temper, know that I asked for this," she says sliding her shirt back on.

"You asked for him to beat the shit out of you?" I ask feeling my anger boil inside me.

"No. I didn't want him to. I asked him to make me stronger."

"Why? You creator is dead," I say. "You killed him."

"Yes. That's the thing though. There's other creators and someone who might be even worse than a creator."

"Stacey?" I ask.

"Worse."

"Who?"

"Amara."