Under the Burning Stars (16 page)

“Yes. Thank you.
How do you get beyond the guilt?”

He gave a sympathetic look. “It never really goes away. But you learn to come to terms with it.
”

Ava wanted to know more. Why had he killed
Ephemerals? Were they trying to kill him, too? Were they Hunters? She knew she had no place to ask. “I think it would be easier if they were Hunters. But they were just kids my age. They were just hurting and wanted blame.”

“And revenge. They could have killed you, Ava.” Gabriel lowered his voice. “Don’t think for a second they were innocent.”

His quick judgment concerned Ava. Did he dislike Ephemerals? Had he agreed with her decision as a way to encourage her?

“Seth wants to go to the Halloween dance.” Peter dropped his tray on the table and Seth sat across from him.

Ava
gave him a sidelong glance. Why was he telling her this? Did he want her to go?

Melissa dipped a small celery stalk into her dressing and took a bite. “They’re still having that?
I mean, in light of everything that’s happened.”

“Probably want to maintain some normalcy, or
least help some of the grieving.” Nicole opened a bag of potato chips. “I’ve noticed the taunting has settled down a little lately.”

“Why do you want to go to the dance?” Link asked. “You really think we’ll be welcome there?”

“I just want to take Amanda out, but she hasn’t agreed yet,” Seth said. “But I know she’ll be there.”

Ava barely paid attention. She poked her food with a fork. She tried to stab a cherry tomato but it slipped and jumped across the table at Melissa.

Melissa sighed and tossed the tomato back onto Ava’s tray. “Okay seriously, Ava. You have got to stop being depressed. Eat something.”

No one else knew what had happened to Ava a few weeks ago. Since Gabriel healed her, she didn’t have to tell anyone why she was limping or in pain. The secret was still under wraps.

But Ava couldn’t move on from what she had done. The nightmares and thoughts worsened and she had consumed most of her time trying to figure out a way to get answers about her mother. She had begun seriously considering Link’s suggestion and studying Necromancers in private, telling everyone she was just busying herself with school. No one seemed to notice. Even Peter kept busy by hanging out with Seth.

“I’m not hungry.”

Peter leaned over. “You need to eat.”

“I know.”

“Are you sick?”

“Yeah.”

Melissa looked skeptical. “Go back to the Manor and get Savina to help.”

“I will.
Why are we going to this dance again?” Ava asked. They never went to the school dances. Why start now?

“You want to do normal human things don’t you?” Peter asked. “Now’s our chance.
Besides, I think you need a night of fun or at least a night to get your mind off things,” he whispered. “Will you go to the Halloween dance with me?” He smiled. It was a sweet sexy smile that always made her heart melt in three seconds. How could she say no to him?

“
Sure.”

“Great, so we’re all going,” Seth said. “I’ve been leaving Amanda notes all week in her locker. I hope she comes.”

Melissa popped the last bit of celery in her mouth. “I’m sure she will. If not, she’s dumb.”

“I don’t think I
wanna go,” Link said.

Nicole took a sip of water. “Yeah, me either.”

“It’ll be fun,” Melissa said. “Who cares what these people think? We need our own fun, too.”

“What are we dressing up as?” Ava asked.

A mischievous grin stretched Melissa’s lips. “Witches.”

“Seriously?
” Nicole said. “I think the people of this school are freaked out enough by us wearing these necklaces. They all think we’re coming after them.”

Ava’s stomach dropped. Nicole didn’t realize how right she was. Ava
had already killed two. And she was sure the Cimmerians had convinced Trent to kill all those people including himself. The bullying slowed, but it was still there in hindsight. And as much as Ava disliked Drew, she hated seeing his empty seat in front of her in class. It was her fault he wasn’t there.

“After Xavier happened, do you blame them?” Seth asked.

“And you all still wanna go to this dance?” Ava asked.

“Why not?” Melissa lifted a shoulder. “Just one night of fun. Finally. Maybe we can get Thomas to go. I think he could use a break from training.”

“No kidding. Ever since they cut us from football, that’s all he’s been doing. He’s gonna be an expert now.”

Ava groaned. She really didn’t want to go through the trouble of dressing up in some costume so they could sit around in the gym and watch no one dance to music that no one liked. Couldn’t she and Peter just do their own thing? But they were doing this for Seth. Not that Ava understood what was so special about Amanda. Then again, Amanda was probably a completely different person not around Ava.
Either way, she hoped Amanda and Valerie wouldn’t be there.

“
It’ll be like a date,” Peter said.

“A date.” Ava smiled. “
Hopefully it will go better than the last.”

“
I hope so, too,” Melissa said. “Then maybe you won’t ruin one of my dresses.”

Ava rolled her eyes.

“It will be a lot better.” Peter kissed her cheek. “I promise.”

“Gag,” Melissa said.

Ava was starting to feel excited about the dance. Maybe they were all right. Just one night to let go of everything that weighed her down. Except it was going to be in a room full of Ephemerals.

Ava stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She was aghast. How did Melissa talk her into actually wearing this to a school dance? The red velvet bustier barely covered her, with its off-shoulder top and a wide skirt that was way too short. Granted, there was a black underskirt that came down to her ankles in the back.

The see-through black
knee-high stockings were itchy. She was sure by the end of the night she would have broken ankles from the three-inch heels. The top was a little loose, and Ava presumed it was meant for someone a little more voluptuous. Was she really going out in public like this? Couldn’t she have just draped a bed sheet over herself and gone as a ghost? 

There was a knock on her door and she sighed. Might as well get this over
with.

Ava opened the door to Gabriel standing on the other side. His eyes roved down and then back to hers.

Heat pricked underneath her cheeks. “Don’t laugh,” she said. She didn’t know why she blushed, but maybe it was in the way Gabriel looked at her. Or maybe it was how his eyes never seemed to leave hers.

“I
’m not. You look great.”

“I shouldn’t be wearing this. I feel ridiculous.”

He chuckled. “It’s just one night. I think every male in that school will be looking at you though.”

Ava felt herself shrivel. “
Great. I look like a slut. I should change.”

“
You look fine, Ava. You’re beautiful. Go with it. By the way, Peter’s downstairs waiting.”

There was no way she was going to
be seen in this with everyone here.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just don’t want anyone to see me.”

“I don’t think the Queen of Hearts ever cared what anyone thought of her, but.” He took her hand and a second later, they were outside.

“Thanks.” She smiled. “Now to just face everyone at that dance.”

“Play the part. The Queen was vicious and uncaring.
Although, you are neither of those things. But, just be confident and have some fun tonight. You deserve it.”

She nodded. “Thanks, Gabe.”

He smirked. “I’ll get Peter.”

She waited for him and when Peter came out, she smiled. He was dressed as a gangster with a slick silver vest over a white button down shirt and a fedora hat. His sleeves
were rolled up just above his wrists. He was sexy.

“Wow
, you look amazing.” He paused and looked at her costume. “What are you?”

“Queen of Hearts. I guess it isn’t so obvious.”

“It’s different. Are you ready?”

Ava took a deep breath. “Yes.”
Tonight, she would forget everything. It would be fun. A night spent dancing with Peter and it didn’t matter how bad the music might be. She would be with him.

He opened the door for her and she got in. Her phone beeped and
she checked it. It was a message from Melissa.

G, Jeremy, and Thomas are coming tonight too.

Great. Just what she needed. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps they could actually have a conversation. Ava was tired of the silence from Gillian.

“What’s wrong?” Peter asked once he slid in behind the wheel.

“Our party grew.”

“Oh. It’s okay. We’ll be there together.” He smiled and kissed her hand.

She fidgeted with the hem of her dress. For some reason her palms were sweaty.

“You’re going to tear a hole in your lip if you keep chewing on it,” Peter said.

“Sorry.” Why was she so nervous?

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m nervous for some reason.”

“About going to the dance?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” she lied. She couldn’t tell Peter she was afraid to be around Ephemerals. Or what she’d done a few weeks ago.

He
smiled, his dimples showing. He slowed to a stop, leaned over the stick shift, and kissed her cheek. His lips grazed her neck. He pulled back. “Still nervous?”

She smiled. “No.”

“Good.” He accelerated.

“Why’d you stop?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “I think you know why.”

She did know why.
If they were not careful, one thing could lead to another. It was nice however, not to have someone constantly throw himself onto her or demand anything from her.

Peter turned down a road.

“Where are we going?” she asked. “The school is the other way.”

“I’m picking up Seth. I figured it would be okay since this is all for him.”

So this wasn’t really a date after all. “Oh.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Ava.”

“I just thought this was a date.”

“Seth didn’t want to go alone.”

She swallowed the angry words that had formed in her mouth. “Okay.”

“Don’t be like that. Please.”

“I’m not being like anything.” She began to regret dressing up for this thing. What were they going to do all night? Play matchmaker for Seth and Amanda? Listen to Amanda and Valerie accuse her of brainwashing Peter? Or maybe she could listen to Gillian yammer on about how much of a mistake she’d made by having Peter become one of them. And she couldn’t forget Thomas’s intense jealousy.

“I promise we’ll still have our date.
We’re just giving him a ride. Nothing more.”

“Okay.”

Peter swung by Seth’s house and picked him up. He was dressed in blue scrubs and Ava felt his nervousness radiating heavily. They arrived at the school and met up with Melissa and Lance.

Melissa had curled her long blond hair and she wore a long sleeved black knit dress that came above her knees. She had a high wing collar cape around her neck complete with fishnet stockings and knee boots. Lance was dressed as Dracula.

“Vampires?” Seth asked.

Melissa grinned. “Yep. I tried to get Lance to put some glitter on, but he wouldn’t.”

Lance rolled his eyes. “That’s because vampires do not glitter.”

Ava laughed. “Some do, apparently.”

They walked inside the dark gym lit only by black lights. Dance music reverberated off the cement walls and there were streamers and spider webs everywhere. Fake bodies sat in chairs or poked out from the closed up bleachers or hung from the rafters. She hadn’t expected the bodies and wondered if anyone would have flashbacks to the bombing or something.

Peter slid his hand in hers and
pulled her toward the middle of the dance floor, where several people actually danced.

“What are we doing?” she shouted over the music.

“Dancing. I know the music sucks, but we should make the best of it.” He turned around and kissed her fervently. She didn’t know where the sudden burst of zeal came from, but she followed along, enjoying the feel of his emotions as intense as hers. The euphoria was like a drug in her bloodstream.

She felt his hands on the small of her back, holding her close as they
danced to some song that had no rhythm. But she didn’t care. She completely lost herself in him. There was no one else there, no one but them under the black lights. This was what she needed. The music, Peter, the way he held her, all of it made her feel alive.

“
I can’t believe you,” someone shouted behind them.

Ava and Peter
broke apart to see Valerie and Amanda, dressed in identical angel costumes, their wings glowing in the black lights, standing with hands on hips.

“
What?” Peter asked.

“You’re dancing with this
devil worshipper
,” Valerie said with such incredulity. “She and all her friends are responsible for the bombing. What the hell is up with you?”

Not this again.

Ava crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I do not worship the devil and we had nothing to do with the bombing, you freak.”