Chapter Three

∞Chapter Three∞

 

Glancing at her watch, Megan realized she was running late. For the last few days she could do nothing but read the book she purchased from Lunar Realities. Olivia's words unwillingly echoed through her mind from time to time, but she would just push them aside and determination would dig in. She had to find answers. Failure was not an option.

Reading the book was quite a new experience for Megan. She was definitely receiving an education and not the type she was paying for (and not attending). It was amazing how many different kinds of demons there were. And apparently not all of them were fond of their eternal master. But there was still a vast majority that did his bidding. One couldn't always count on specific demons or devils for certain tasks, though. It appeared that Lucifer's minions tended to be busy and whoever was available and best suited was sent.

Who knew the devil worked on a case-by-case basis?

The book did contain a section about how to conjure a demon in order to make a deal, but it all seemed too simplistic to actually be real and work. Though, despite however much Megan didn’t believe it was going to work, she still had to try.

Thankful she still had the black candles from last Halloween, Megan made a pentagram out of salt on her living room floor, and lit a candle on each of its points.

Brining the book into the center with her, Megan began the incantation.

“At the crossroads of life,

I beckon thee forward.

Come and be bound,

I pledge that which is mine,

For my will to be done.”

Momentarily, Megan thought she saw a brief flicker in the candles, but then they seemed to settle. Waiting, nothing appeared to happen; there was no devil or demon there to save Anya. She had failed, and now there was nothing left to do but sit by and watch Anya wither away and die.

With a sigh, Megan put the book down.

Frustrated, Megan left her apartment, slamming the door behind her a little harder than necessary. First the summoning didn't work and now she might miss breakfast. But she could still make it to Anya's in time for breakfast if she hurried, so she quickened her pace.

She had thought about bringing the book with her, but figured she didn't know how to answer the questions that book would surly raise.

As Megan turned onto Anya's street panic enveloped her entire body. There was an ambulance in front of Anya and Bryan's building, with a small crowd starting to gather.

"No!" Megan shouted, slamming the car into park after jerking it to the curb. She felt as though she were trying to run in quicksand. The closer she tried to get, it seemed like the further she was.

Just as she reached the front of the crowd, she saw two EMTs wheeling a stretcher out. Anya was hooked up to oxygen and Bryan, holding Kia, was right behind them.

Breaking though the crowd, Megan rushed over.

"What happened?"

"Ma'am, please step aside," the EMT instructed, holding out his arm to block Megan's path.

"Bryan!"

He moved around the EMT and crumbed into Megan's arms, bringing Kia along for the ride. Megan could feel his tears falling onto her bare shoulder. Stunned, she patted his shoulder.

Noticing Aunt Megan, Kia began to squirm, trying to get Megan to hold her. Both of them let her move freely, and Megan took a small step back from Bryan and she scooped up the baby.

"I heard her scream," he whispered. "I never heard a sound like that before. I ran into the living room just as she fell to the ground unconscious."

"Oh my, God!" exclaimed Megan. "Is she going to be alright?" she demanded to the EMT - not the one who had tried to dismiss her.

The woman glanced over at her partner who was scowling, at Bryan.

"We're taking her to Mercy Memorial. The doctor there can tell you more."

Nodding, Megan nudged Bryan towards her car. "Let's go."

After a few steps, Bryan reached out and grabbed Megan's arm. "Wait, let's take my car. I have her seat."

Looking at Kia, who looked as though she were ready to start crying, Megan's heart broke. Nodding, Megan changed directions, but insisted that she was driving. Bryan gave her no argument to the contrary.

After pressing the button to unlock the car, Bryan and Megan swapped the keys and Kia. Megan started the car and waited while Bryan tucked Kia safely into her car seat. After making sure she was secure, Bryan climbed into the front seat, buckled himself, and then leaned his head back and covered his face with his hands.

"She'll be alright," Megan promised as she watched the ambulance pull away.

"You don’t know that. I can tell the doctors don't think it's good."

"I don't know what!" Megan argued emphatically. "Trust me."

Bryan sighed and looked out the window. He wished he could believe Megan but he had to prepare himself for the inevitable. The five mile drive to Mercy Memorial was torture for Bryan, who couldn't help but wonder if the woman he loved would even still be alive when he arrived.

After finding a parking spot on the street, Megan fed the meter and raced to catch up to Bryan.

Racing into the ER, they saw the EMTs wheeling Anya in on the stretcher.

"Bryan," she cried weakly, seeing her fiancé staring at her, desperate to take it all away. Reaching her hand out, Anya tried to comfort him, though she knew doctors weren't going to be able to deliver any good news.

 She knew the fight was coming to an end as she lost consciousness. Her suspicions were confirmed when she came to in the ambulance. But there was no need to cause a panic. Anya decided to wait on the doctor before she said anything.

Her heart swelled to see her family, as Megan was as much a part of her family as Bryan and Kia - they were the family she chose. How she loved them and would miss them. Knowing her death would destroy them many Anya want to weep. She wished she could take their pain away and let them have as much peace as she felt. The biggest regret Anya would have was that her little girl would be let without a mother at such a young age.

Kia wasn't allowed to come back to the room yet, so Megan held her goddaughter on her lap, squeezing her tight. In the midst of playing peek-a-boo, she caught a familiar voice. Looking up, she saw Dr. Carson talking to another family in the waiting room. After locking eyes, Megan smiled nervously at him. He held up a finger, indicating he would be over in a minute.

After reassuring the man a few seats down, Dr. Carson made his way over to Megan. She didn't know if she should pretend not to notice or if she should watch him, as the voice inside her head kept urging.

Could it be possible that he seemed to be even better looking than she remembered?

"Megan?" he asked, stopping in front of her. "Is everything alright? Did something go wrong at Anya's appointment? If I recall correctly, it was today, no?"

Megan’s face crumpled, and Jeremiah sat down in the empty chair next to her.

“Hey, it’ll be alright. Everything will work itself out, you’ll see,” he tried to reassure her.

"We never made it to the appointment. There was an ambulance at her place when I got there. Bryan said she passed out. I don’t know anything else," Megan finished softly.

"I'm sorry. I'll be sure I get assigned to her case, since I already am familiar a little with what's going on," he promised, putting a hand on her shoulder and offering a smile.

"Thank you."

Kia started to fuss, and the doctor looked like wanted to say something else but quickly shut his mouth. Smiling, he leaned over to Kia and took a few moments to continue Megan's game of pee-a-boo.

The little girl laughed and shyly tucked her head into Megan's neck, but still had her face to the doctor. After a few moments, Jeremiah got up and gave a little wave as he excused himself to the pair as he headed back behind the doors.

After the doctor walked away, Megan watched the next sixty minutes pass every-so-slowly by on the click behind the nurse's station.

Just as she got up to try to get an update from the nurse, Bryan came out of the back. His face was pale and she could tell he had been crying. Things were not looking food for Anya.

Slow and zombie-like, Bryan moved into the waiting room. If he hadn't come over and scooped Kia out of Megan's arms, she would've wondered if he even saw them.

"How bad?" she whispered. She was afraid of what his answer might be. Maybe Megan was better off not knowing.

"Bad," Bryan said. His voice was flat and gruff. Megan thought he must either be in shock or denial. Possibly both.

"The cancer has spread. It's spreading too fast for them to do anything. It's in her bones and blood now. Damn it!" he shouted, causing other people to look up at him. "She's paralyzed," he whispered, not even registering the looks he was getting.

"What? How?"

"It's in the spine. She can talk and move her arms, but that's about it. It's weakened the bone, muscle, and tissue almost everywhere in her body. They think it could even be attacking her nervous system. They think that's what happened when she was trying to get off the couch.

"Megan, they said they've never seen cancer spread so fast."

The tears were returning in Bryan's eyes. And like the disease that was rapidly killing someone they both loved, Megan found herself infected. They held each other, Kia between them, and cried for a few minutes before they were able to regain their composure.

This couldn't be happening. Megan didn't know what she was going do to without her best friend.

"How long?" came the muffled whisper from Megan's trembling lips. She couldn’t believe she was asking how long until Anya's brilliance would diminish. This world would surely be a darker place without Anya.

"Weeks, maybe."

Megan's jaw dropped in horror and her hand covered her mouth, mostly it was in effort to keep a scream from escaping. All she could do was shake her head in denial.

"Dr. Carson said that they could keep her here or set her up at home if she'd be more comfortable. With the paralysis, she really shouldn't feel much pain, but if there is any discomfort, they can prescribe something."

As if magically summoned, Dr. Carson came through the doors from the emergency room. Spotting Megan and Bryan, he made his way to them.

"I just wanted to make sure you were aware of everything that was going on," he told Megan as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Bryan just told me, " she replied, fighting back a new onslaught of tears.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking at both of them. "But we can ensure that she's as comfortable as possible."

He knew his reassurance meant nothing, but he wanted to convey his sympathy and assure them that Anya was in good hands.

"So, there really isn't anything you can do?" Megan asked desperately.

 "I'm sorry. At this point, the cancer is too aggressive and spreading far more rapidly than expected. The best thing that can be done for her now is to make her final time as comfortable and happy as possible."

Looking at Megan, Dr. Carson continued, "I can take you back to see her if you want. Then Bryan can take Kia back when you're done."

"Thanks."

Megan deposited Kia back into the arms of her father and followed Dr. Carson through the swinging doors and down the hall. Anya's room was down a side corridor and to the left.

"She needs to rest, but a few minutes with you would probably do her some good," he whispered just before Megan stepped through the door.

Megan had to swallow the lump in her throat when she saw her oldest friend lying prone in the bed, hooked up to machines making an array of buzzing and whirling sounds. Tears once again threatened to flow from Megan's eyes. Part of her wondered if she'd even be able to cry is she wanted to. Surely, she must have shed her entire supply already.

"Anya," Megan breathed, rushing to her friend's side. She grabbed Anya's hand, careful to avoid the IV, and squeezed gently. Horror washed over her as she quickly wondered if Anya could even feel the pressure being applied to her hand.

Ever so in tune with Megan's thoughts and emotions, Anya said, "It's my legs, remember? This nerve damage is far enough down my spine that I still have use of my arms." To prove her point, Anya squeezed Megan's hand in return.

"Oh, Anya! I'm so sorry!" Megan sobbed. "I would take it all away if I could. I'd do anything!"

"Shh, Megs. It's alright. I feel very little pain."

"This isn't fair! You are such a good person. There’s so much for you to live for. Please, don't give up," begged Megan.

Smiling, Anya told Megan, "I'm not giving up, just preparing myself for the next part of my journey. I'll never really be gone."

A lone tear slid down Anya's face for the difficult task that lay ahead of her loved ones. She would make sure that she would make things as easy for them as possible.

Thinking of the preparations she must make was making Anya sleepy. Her eyelids fluttered, but she tried to fight it.

"Sleep, Anya, We'll all still be here when you wake," Megan assured her.

After watching Anya's chest rise and fall a few minutes, and checking the machine readouts, Megan stepped out of the room. Leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, she let out a breath that she hadn't even been aware she was holding.

"Megan?" a voice called from behind her.

"Oh, Jeremiah. You startled me."

"I'm sorry. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course," Megan said with a nod.

Flashing a brilliant smile, he said, "Excellent. Can we go to my office and talk?"

Shifting her weight nervously, Megan cleared her throat and stammered, "Oh, um, yeah sure."

Feeling like an idiotic schoolgirl with a crush on the teacher, she followed Jeremiah through several corridors and past a set of door which he needed to swipe his ID to gain entry. After a few more turns he stopped and unlocked a door. He opened it, stepping aside, letting Megan enter first.  

Glancing around, Megan saw several degrees hanging behind neatly organized desk. One of the side walls had a bulletin board with photos of various people pinned to it. Megan assumed they were people Jeremiah helped.

He motioned for her to sit and she placed herself in the leather high back chair closest to the door.

She wasn't sure why, but suddenly Megan began to feel very uncomfortable. For a doctor, his office appeared to be too neat and tidy. Nobody was this organized.

Her anxiety only increased as the little voice in her head reminded her that no one knew where she was. Anya was passed out in her room and Bryan had Kia in the waiting room.

"How are you doing?" he asked, sensing Megan's uneasiness.

"You mean, about Anya? Not well, I guess," she said with a shrug. "We've been friends since we were little. Our families have been friends for generations. It's tough on everyone."

Megan glanced at her watch and saw she'd only been with the doctor for a few minutes. It felt so much longer for some reason. Looking at him here, through the shadows cast by the lone lamp which shone from behind his desk, he seemed off somehow. His eyes appeared flat, though interested and his smile held promises of a more sinister rendezvous.

Shaking her head to clear the thoughts, away and allowing herself the moment she needed to regain her composure. Megan smiled.

"It's okay to be afraid. In fact, it's normal," he started, steepling his fingers as he leaned over the desk toward Megan. "It's a big change in your life. Everything that you've known up to this point is about to be irrelevant. Change, especially such a big change, can make a person feel like they are losing a part of their self, and cause copious amounts of anxiety.

"Well, I have been feeling quite anxious since I found out about Anya's diagnosis. Perhaps even desperate," she finished, eying the man in front of her carefully.

"Desperation can lead man down a dangerous path, Megan. One has to be careful they can finish what they start," he said pointedly.

Nervous, Megan began to chew the corner of her bottom lip, looking for the correct response.

"This isn't about Anya, is it?"

"You tell me, Megan. You're the one who wanted to talk."

Despite the low lighting in the room, suddenly everything became very clear to Megan.

The smile on his face made Megan's stomach turn. How had she ever been attracted to him? Then she remembered what she read. The devil trained his subjects to be appealing and to charm those they thought could be swayed.

Although the impact of what was happening was hitting Megan and her heart began to race, she felt a calm settle around her. Something was finally going to be accomplished. She was going to be able to save Anya after all!

She thought she had failed to perform the summoning correctly, but here sat a gorgeous doctor ready to whisk her soul away and save her best friend.

"Are you-? Are you the devil?" Megan asked quietly.

Looking amused, Jeremiah laughed. "Oh, no. I'm merely a tool to perform work in her name."

"Her name?" Megan asked, shocked. "You mean the devil, right? The devil is female?"

"I mean the goddess, Maya," he corrected.

Even though he still worse a smile, his piercing eyes slowly faded black.

"Are -. So you aren't even a doctor? Anya's been coming to see someone who can't even really help her?"

Megan was starting to get angry. Had Anya never had a chance because Luci- Maya- had sensed a weakness in Megan? Did Megan do this to Anya?

"Relax," he said abruptly. "I've actually had medical training. I know what I'm doing."

After a brief pause he said, "Although I do usually arrange only to see those I feel I can make a deal with. But, unless a deal is made, when it's time, it's time, kid. No amount of medical training will fix that.

"So, shall we talk terms?" he asked, back to all smiles, as he turned the conversation back to business.

"Terms?" asked Megan, confused. "I feel like I'm talking about getting a loan," she finished with a feeble laugh.

Letting out a chuckle himself, he nodded. "In a way, you are. From the moment the deal is sealed, your soul is only on loan to you until the agreed amount of time has passed."

"'Agreed amount of time'?" A horrified expression crossed Megan's face. "You mean I don't get to just live out the rest of my life?"

Jeremiah clucked his tongue. "Now, now, Megan. You can't have your cake and eat it too. That wouldn't be playing fair, now would it?" he asked, looking disappointed.

"How many years are we talking?"

"Five," he answered, stone-faced.

Megan's face went white and the room began to spin.

"No."

"Okay, then I suggest you go back to Anya's room and prepare for her to go home and say your goodbyes." He was smug, and Megan wanted to slap him across the face. A little voice in her head told her that wouldn't be a wise choice. Wise or not though, part of her didn't care.

"Twenty years," she countered.

This time it was Jeremiah’s turn to reply with a simple, "No."

Pursing her lips, Megan asked, "How long will Anya live?"

"I don't know; when I fulfill my end of the deal, it will ensure that Anya will not die from cancer. The rest will be 'in God's hands', as they say."

The irony wasn't lost on either of them. And as much as Megan wanted to walk away just because of that stupid smirk, she knew she had to give Anya back her chance at a long and fulfilled life.

"Ten, final offer," she demanded.

"Seven, final offer," he said, mocking her.

He knew she would take it. She was desperate after all.

"So, what happens in seven years, when you get my soul?" she asked, almost afraid she already knew the answer.

"You will die."

He sat there, cold and unfeeling. In contrast, Megan was fidgeting and terrified.

Internally, she let out a silent chuckle. Of course, she meets someone she might be interested in and he's a minion of the devil. He was a man, so in a way, she should have expected that, right? He turned on his charm and used his good looks to get what he wanted, just like every other man Megan had ever met.

Closing her eyes, Megan whispered, "Deal."

Jeremiah stood up and clapped his hands together, and his vibrant smile went from ear-to-ear.

“And you’re sure that all you want to deal for is your friend’s cancer? No riches or fame?”

Megan wasn’t sure if he was mocking her or if he was serious. Either way, she just shook her head.

"Fantastic!" he exclaimed. “It’s so thrilling to meet someone who knows what they want and isn’t a greedy little bugger hungry to have everything!” he laughed, rolling his eyes.

Not so thrilled, Megan just looked at the floor, fighting back tears. She knew she had made the right choice; in fact she knew most of the time it is the right choices that are often the hardest to make. She loved Anya and she was willing to sacrifice herself in order to save her best friend.

She saw his shoes walking toward her but she refused to look up at him. When he touched her hand, she snatched it back, clutching it to her chest. Her head jerked up and she looked startled, as if she had just burned her hand.

"We need to seal the deal, darling," he drawled.

She looked at him, confused, and he simply gestured for her to stand.

After a few moments, she figured what the hell. She was already going there now anyway, right?

She stood there, still not able to look him in the eyes. They were still darker than before, but at least the blackness had begun to fade.

Slowly, he tilted his head and raised hers with a finger under her chin. His eyes burned through her. She felt a band of heat snap in her stomach. It started her, but she tried to tell herself it was probably normal.

Frozen, she stared as Jeremiah appeared to be standing just as still. It took a moment for her brain to realize he was actually moving - towards her.

Holy Hell! she thought. Does he actually think he's now going to kiss me?

Finding her will to move again, Megan stumbled backward, nearly falling over the chair she had just vacated a minute earlier.

"Whoa!" she said, holding her hand out. "Just what do you think you're doing?" her voice came out in a hiss.

With an amused chuckle, he said, "I think I am sealing our little deal."

"A kiss was never part of the deal," Megan spat.

Arching an eyebrow, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his chest. Strong arms quickly held her in place as his lips assaulted her mouth. He had intended to release her before she could begin to object, but as soon as their lips met, a hunger overpowered him. He tried to fight her stoic resistance by teasing her lips apart with his tongue.

Be careful, a voice inside his head warned, you can't take her soul just yet.

With a growl of defiance against his internal voice, he pushed Megan hard against the wall, never breaking their kiss.

Suddenly, they were both startled as she began to stop resisting and her own arms snaked under his to his shoulders.

The fierce exchange became a battle of wills. Who would surrender first? But their moment was cut short an announcement paging Dr. Carson to radiology.

Startled, Megan cleared her throat a few times before she found her voice.

"So, um, like, how does this work now? Is Anya instantly cured?" She tried straightening her clothes in order to ignore the man who was still holding her.

He breathed softly into her hair and kissed her lips again, but only for a moment. He smiled as he relaxed his arms and patted a few strands of hair which were framing Megan's face.

He stared at her startled face; she looked like a deer in headlights. Her lips, swollen from their passionate kiss, with her smeared lip gloss, were beckoning him back she licked her bottom lip. He would never let it show, but he was just as startled as she.

Jeremiah felt the hunger grow. The primal need to have all that she was began to take over the passion. He'd never experienced such a mix of emotions before.

She was going to be his undoing, for sure.

Letting out a slow breath, Jeremiah extracted himself from Megan's space. She wasn't sure if she felt glad or bereft.

"I have to go. But no, it's not so simple. We'll talk about this later," he promised with a wink as he walked out the door.

"Oh, mother of God," Megan whispered once she was alone. "What am I doing?"

Megan wanted to scream, to cry, to hit something; maybe all three.

Her life had always been ordinary. Nothing extraordinary ever really happened in her world. She remembered wishing for something exciting to happen, but this - this was more than she bargained for.

But, remembering the kiss, she wondered if it was just her, or if he actually felt the heat that engulfed her as soon as they touched. She could have sworn that just for a second he looked shocked and just as needy as she had felt.

 Wishful thinking, she thought, and then snorted at the notion that she was actually into that - that repulsive thing!

Wasn't she?

From the moment they had met, Megan felt an undeniable tug from the handsome doctor. But wasn't that just a façade? He was only pretending to have an interest in her because he wanted her soul. Right? She would have thought so, except for that damn kiss!

She thought about his brief moment of sweet tenderness after their kiss broke. At first she hadn't even realized she'd been swept away by his embrace, until the yearning kicked in once his lips left hers. Then suddenly she had been left wanting more.

As she left his office, Megan began to wonder if his comment about them talking later was in reference to their deal, or the kiss.

It took her a few minutes to find her way back to Anya’s room. She was so confused about everything that she was having a hard time concentrating on where she was going. A few wrong turns later and she found herself back at the emergency department.

She was surprised to see that Anya was awake when she entered the room. Hadn’t she only been gone for a few minutes? Anya had just fallen asleep right before she left, right?

She hoped Bryan wasn’t out in the waiting room, worried. Wondering how long she had really been gone, Megan walked over to where Anya lay starting at her.

“Hi,” Anya whispered. “Where did you go?”

“Sorry,” Megan whispered back. “I was talking with Dr. Carson,” she told her, trying to plaster the fakest smile she could on her face.

“Oooh, Dr. Carson,” Anya teased in a conspiring voice. “I see how it goes now. You like him, don’t you?” she asked with a wink.

Giving a snort, Megan shook her head. “Not in the least.”

“You can’t lie to me Megan! I saw how you were both eyeing each other up the other day. No use pretending.   ”

If Megan wasn’t so on edge from her conversation with the good doctor, she probably would have laughed at Anya’s sing-song-y voice. It was comical, and ironic.

“Really, I’m telling you the truth.”

“Uh huh,” Anya said with a tsk-tsk. She knew better, but she’d play Megan’s game, for now. “So, what did you two talk about?”

Uneasy, Megan tried to dodge and give her best non-answer. “Just about how you’re my best friend and I would stop at nothing to save you.” At least that was true.

“Aw. Megs,” Anya said softly, holding out her arms for a hug.

Giving her first real smile since entering the room, Megan scooped Anya up into a hug as fierily gentle as possible.