Mischievous Games

Chapter 19- a girl and her puppy

Maia's POV

She couldnt believe she had acted without thinking. 

Maia knew what they had seen, she knows how it looked. 

She didnt understand why she felt so attached to a man she had only met two nights ago. Yet here she was...sitting in his living room. She felt her hands turn cold, the realization of what was happening starting to settle. 

She had shown them what she was.

She knew Ash's words shouldn't be running through her head but she had to admit, it was troubling her.

Could she be a demon? Maybe he wasnt so far off...she was able to do things no other human could. She knew she was different...but shed never wondered what she was.

Maia always considered herself just different. She'd seen enough cartoons and sci-fi shows to thi k that maybe she was just an experiment gone wrong. But still, shed always considered herself human. Just abnormal.

She felt her hands tense into tight fists. So much for a good first impression. She thought.

Daniel had left her alone with her thoughts, quickly pulling his other company into another room where she could hear them talking quietly. 

Maybe I should leave... she wondered if he'd ever want to see him again.

She had only ever shown her sister. Lilian had been only 3 years old when shed fallen from their small tree house. Their mother had been gone only for a few minutes and Lilian tried to jump off.

Maia couldve sworn that she heard her leg when it cracked. The sound causing her heart to skip a few beats in fear.

She had slowly climbed down to avoid falling the same way, Lilian was already screaming her head off.

She remembered the feeling she had at that moment, it felt the same way it had felt today. A sudden peace that filled her heart, warmth seeming to ooze from her hands. Something told her to walk up to her sister and gently touch her leg.

Lilian tried to yell, she had tried to stop her from touching her broken leg, but when Maia had gently laid her hand on Lilian's knee she stopped in her tracks.

Instead she stared at her sister, tears rolling down her cheeks. A small smile formed on her face.

"Did you...was that...it doesnt hurt anymore." said Lilian, her fingers playing with her lower lip.

Maia just looked at her sister and smiled, she didnt know what she did...but she was glad her sister was no longer in pain.

After that day, whenever Lilian had felt sick or hurt, shed always searched for her sister's help.

Today had not been any different. Today she'd felt oddly defensive of the man behind her, as if no one could hurt him and get away with it. Not as long as she was around.

The very thought gave Maia pause. Am I going insane? I have no idea who he is. And here I am...now fully exposed.

She knew she should be scared. She knew she shouodnt have done that.

Yet here she sat like a motionless i***t. Waiting for this man she didnt know to do something. He hadnt ran away. Maybe thats why she was still there?

She breathed in deeply. No. He hadnt ran away.

He had hugged her, comforted her really. Before he had gone to the other room with his friends, hed turned to her and kissed her lightly. He had asked her to wait for him.

What would she say? How could she explain it? Maia knew the answer, she couldnt.

She could hear their conversation faintly...they were talking about what had happened.

Daniel seemed to be talking about some girl named Luna. In reality, Maia didnt want to hear it. She didnt want to hear them speak about her or this Luna that apparently seemed very important to all of them.

She leaned back in the couch, a sudden wave of exhaustion made her body feel heavy. 

She relaxed slightly, hopefully no one tried to hurt her while she rested her eyes for a few minutes.

Slowly, the room began to twirl rapidly.

Maia knew she had fallen asleep...but this felt too real for her taste.

Suddenly, she felt her room had settled.

She blinked around and recognized she was home...but something was completely off. Her windows were bare, no curtains covering them but her room remained dark. The dark room had began to fill with fog, it slowly consuming the furniture around her.

Maia stood up in her dream, slowly walking around.

A dark chuckle filled the room, causing Maia to turn around in search of it.

The fog seemed to part in front of her, allowing her to see what was right infront of her.

Ash stood there, folding his sleeves up his arm.

He wasnt wearing what he had been the night before. He was wearing a flashy red shirt with a golden chain around his neck. His black hair gleaming despite the lack of light.

"So i heard you've adopted a puppy?" said Ash, his face filled with a snear.

Maia stared at him in confusion. Even in her dreams he was incredibly annoying.

He turned away from her, lifting his hand as he dismissed the fog.

"I dont have a dog." said Maia simply.

He giggled mostly to himself, clearly enjoying this conversation.

He turned to her again, his eyes shinning brightly once more.

"Well...its not as if you can pick your mate. Sometimes we have to deal the cards we are dealt with." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Maia stayed quiet, she wasnt sure what in the world he was saying.

He giggled again, causing an anger to stir inside of Maia.

"What do you want Ash?" Demanded Maia.

She wished the dream would change to anything else.

"The name, my love, is Asmodeus. When you address me, make sure to pronounce it correctly." said Ash, pursing his lips.

Maia knew that name. She didnt know from where, but it rang a distant bell.

"And I am guessing that this isnt a dream?" said Maia, turning to her windows feigning disinterest.

She could sense that he was now closer.

"Yes. This is a little family reunion...of sorts." Said Asmodeus.

"Im not in the mood. I had a slip up earlier that im not proud of. Take me back." Said Maia. She felt tired, even in a dream.

Suddenly the room changed, the furniture disappearing as well as her walls. Maia was now left standing infront of a fountain.

She looked around, mildly impressed at Asmodeus' attention to detail. He had changed her dream to one of a random fountain surrounded by trees.

Maia walked over to the fountain, gently playing with the shallow water.

"You shouldn't worry about a power slip. Its a tiny hiccup coming from a powerful being." said Asmodeus from behind her.

Maia refused to turn to look at him.

"Besides, your pup will bring his pack to terms. You have much more to worry about girl." He continued, obviously encouraged from her silence.

"I dont have a dog with a pack. I dont have a dog." Said Maia again, finally turning to look him in his eyes.

He smiled, leaning close enough to her to whisper.

"You might want to worry more about the enemies around you love." Said Asmodeus.

Enemies? She knew she had screwed up, but she didnt think of that woman as a threat. She definitely didnt think she had anyone else.

"Listen...Ash...i dont really know what they could do to me." Said Maia, letting a little cockiness mix in her words.

She had taken a blade of grass as she stood. She knew she couldn't feel it due to it being a dream, but the look of frustration on Asmodeus' face made the gesture more comical as she twirled it between her fingers.

"You'd be more wise to heed my warning girl. Those you hold dear to you do not hold you in the same regard." Said Asmodeus, his voice emphasizing every word carefully.