I teleport back to the house that was attacked by demons so long ago. Now, it's fixed up quite a bit, and I can get in with ease. Lilith meets me in the woods outside, since the boys aren't here.
She has auburn hair and green eyes and wears a black shirt and blue jeans.
"Sis?" I ask.
"Pandora?"
I nod.
"Holy shit, I didn't think you would really ... you were his prisoner?" she asks.
"Yeah. It's because I'm the only one who can kill him," I say.
"Well, now you're not. So, wanna save your friends?"
"Yes," I say, and she takes my hand and leads me to a clearing in the woods. Habit is talking to some demons, and he's using Evan as his vessel. Jeff and Vinny are there, and I walk over to them, not hesitating.
I can't afford to hesitate when so many lives are now on the line.
"Vin? Jeff? Get up," I say to them.
"Pan?" Vinny whispers, his eyes widening. "You came back!"
"Of course I did," I say, "why wouldn't I?"
"But you made a deal with him?"
"Yea, she did, didn't she?" Habit says, anger etched on his stolen face. "What are you lost little girls doing here?"
"Making our mothers proud," Lilith snaps.
"Oh, I'm sure your deaths will make them very proud of you," Habit says.
The demons circle us and grab Jeff and Vinny. They are holding them and bracing to kill them.
"Let. Them. Go," I snap.
"Make me."
"What, are you twelve?" Lilith asks.
"I thought you were?" Habit chuckles.
"Go to hell," she says.
"Let them go," I say. "Before I start really fighting back."
"What the hell are you on about?"
I close my eyes and tilt my head back. Then, I reach out to Jeff's mind, and then I see through his eyes. As Jeff, I reach out to the creature holding Vinny, and the demon cocks its head and then lets go. Both of them do, and then, as Vinny and Jeff at the same time, we hit the demons in the gut and then groin, then we hurry over to stand behind us.
Snapping back as myself nearly knocks the boys unconscious, but I have no choice when Habit jumps at me, slamming me against the bark of a tree.
"Die, bitch," he snarls.
"No," Lilith says, and she throws Habit off me. "Whatever you're gonna do, Pan, do it!"
I run over to the boys. "What has he done to you?"
"He was gonna kill me," Jeff says.
"Yeah, I don't know what the fuck to do," says Vinny.
"Well, we could always banish Habit," I say.
Lilith is then throw against Vinny, nearly knocking him down. I help her up as he advances on the four of us.
"I need your help," she says. "Whatever it is that you want to do, do it." She gets up and thrusts her hand out, making a force field between us.
"Pan," says Vinny. "If you can save Evan, do it. But if not, then don't try at your expense. He wouldn't want that."
I wipe a tear away. "Okay." I then turn to look at him. "Follow my lead, okay?"
"Okay," they say in unison.
"Habit," I say, and my energy reaches him. He and Lilith stop practically wrestling. "We trade. Give us our freedom and we will give one of us."
"Nice odds. I thought I taught you better than that," he says casually.
"Desperate times," Lilith says.
"Give me Koval there and I'll let you go."
"Fine." I brush away tears. But they aren't from what he thinks they are. I hug Jeff, then wink at him. Lilith walks over to us. And then Vinny looks at me.
We aren't outside, we are suddenly in the house.
"You gave Jeff up?" he demands.
I tap into Jeff's mind. But before I'm in control, I tell Vinny to get one of Evan's knives. Lilith helps him. Moments pass, and then I'm handed a sharp machete.
"Back up, stay out of my reach," I say.
They obey. And then I am Jeff, and I stab Habit in the stomach with the blade, a blade made of energy and my power.
And he falls.
