“Oh, thanks,” I tell her and pick up a box and pull out what legitimately looks like a shirt that you attach to the sides of the table. Lucas and I fiddle with it a bit, making sure it’ll be to Eliza’s liking. We help her with the balloon arch, which she adds strings of fairy lights and a shimmery white backdrop to, and then ushers me upstairs to do my makeup.
She goes back down as soon as she’s done, leaving me to change into the dress she got me, which is a long white dress with a pretty floral pattern. It’s flowy and pretty and the most girly thing I’ve ever worn after my wedding dress.
“Care to trade your Hell-crown in for this?” she asks as I walk down the stairs. “And you look beautiful.” She holds up a headband made of flowers.
“Ohhh, that’s pretty! And it’s a hellfire crown.”
Eliza smiles and puts the headband on, messing with my hair until it’s perfect. Lucas has been shooed into the office once again, and something tells me he’s not too broken up about it. I’m sneaking snacks from the kitchen while Eliza rushes around like a crazy person making sure everything is perfect, which it is.
Tabatha and Kristy are the first to arrive, followed by Ruby along with three other witches from our coven. I wasn’t sure who to invite since my social circle is small and I’m fine with it, so Tabatha helped me pick and choose a handful of witches she’s close to, and who live for these types of things. Danielle, Vanessa, and Betty from the store all arrive together, and I don’t think Vanessa was even aware I was pregnant until she got the invite to the shower. Once Abby, Penny, and Melinda arrive, the party officially gets started.
I’m mostly interested in the food, and Eliza must have asked Lucas for help planning the menu because it’s all of my favorite things. Eliza promised to keep this party classy while still being traditional, and she pulled it off perfectly. Once we wrap up a game about guessing Elena’s due date, we go back into the kitchen for cake.
And then after that, it’s opening presents…in front of everyone. Why is this a thing? Whoever thought up the whole open gifts and fake excitement in front of the gift givers was a sadist, I swear. I take my time eating cake, hoping people will just leave and I can open gifts alone with Lucas.
“Take a seat right up front,” Eliza tells me, motioning to a pink velvet chair in the middle of the living room. Kristy, who knows I don’t like being the center of attention like this, pats my hand. Putting my sparkling cranberry juice down, I go to the chair.
“Open mine first,” Eliza says, picking up a big pink box that’s probably a lot heavier than it looks considering she has super-strength. “You’re going to lo—” She cuts off tipping her head. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” I ask right as Lucas comes out of the office, speeding into the living room. Whatever Eliza heard, he heard it too. “What’s going on?”
“It sounded like chains dragging over the ground,” he tells me, and my blood goes cold. “I’ve heard it before.”
“You have,” I say, breath coming out all shaky. “When Varrador came through the gates of Hell.”Chapter 37“What do we do?” Kristy asks, springing to her feet.
“The nons,” Tabatha says, somehow thinking clearly. “We need to get them out of here.”
“I’ll handle it,” Lucas says, breaking away from me. He holds Betty, Vanessa, and Danielle all spellbound, telling them they enjoyed the party but now it’s time to go home. He breaks contact and they gather their stuff, thanking me for inviting them and saying they had a good time.
No sooner are they out the door, I notice smoke rising from miles away. If Hell did come to earth, the demons are wasting no time. My fingers start to tremble, and I turn, closing the door. How is this happening? The protection spell worked. Demons didn’t get through our lines last night.
We won.
There’s a slight shift of energy in the air and I turn to see Julian in the foyer.
“The gates of Hell have been opened,” he says, eyes wide with fear. “The demons are coming to earth.”
“How did this happen?” I rush out. “We cast a protection spell on the Ley lines last night.”
“I don’t know,” Julian answers. “The demons must have found another way.”
Footfalls come from behind us, and Tabatha, Lucas, and Kristy all hurry to us. “The gates opened, didn’t they?” Kristy asks, blue eyes full of fear.
“Yes,” Julian answers, holding out a hand. “And they’re headed here. They’re going to flock to the towns along the Ley line first, taking what they can before moving onto the next one.”