Chapter Four

∞Chapter Four∞

 

Jeremiah glared at the drink before him as though he were willing it to divulge the secrets of the world. But the information he sought refused to reveal itself. Across the table from him sat Rufus. They had been friends for decades and he thought maybe going out for a drink would brighten his mood.

Unfortunately, Rufus continued to drone about some trivial nonsense since his arrival. Jeremiah was barely paying attention, but Rufus didn’t seem to notice.

After fifteen to twenty minutes of conversation �" mostly nodding and grunting on Jeremiah’s part, Rufus stopped talking and eyed his friend suspiciously as he slowly took a sip of his own drink.

Rufus’ grayish blue eyes squinted through the black locks that hung in his face. He knew something was up the moment he saw Jeremiah’s number on his caller ID. Rufus had never known Jeremiah to be social. So this request to meet at this shady place piqued Rufus’ interest.

Besides, how could he have refused a request from such an old friend?

Leaning is broad shoulders into the center of the table, Rufus demanded, “Let’s have it,” in his thick Mississippi drawl that had a flare of French underneath.

Jeremiah’s blue eyes widened in surprise at Rufus’s direct approach. That was unexpected.

Glancing nervously around, Jeremiah cleared his throat and leaned in, mimicking Rufus.

“Have you ever made a deal and �"" he started but stooped.

Jeremiah had no clue how he was supposed to word his question, or his feelings. This was all so new. Maybe he was just overreacting?

Shaking his head, he continued, “Did you ever regret a deal you made?”

Rufus laughed. “You mean like did I ever think I was getting the short of the stick? Sure, every day,” he replied with a laugh. “Maybe a few souls I could have gotten sooner.”

Jeremiah just frowned.

“Someone stiff you on their years? People can be so greedy sometimes. Why do they even care about their lousy little souls? We get along just fine without them. Am I right or am I right?
 Rufus laughed and took another sip of his drink.

“What’s the deal you made?” asked Rufus, intrigued. He’d never seen Jeremiah so sullen before.

“Can deals be altered?”

“Um, as far as I know, no. But I don’t think anyone’s tried to do it. I’m sure Goddess can, but other than that, no.” Rufus was frowning now too.

What would make Jeremiah want to alter a deal? Rufus was dying to know what the deal was.

“So, what was it?” he asked again, prodding.

With a sigh, Jeremiah answered, “A coed wanted to save her best friend from terminal cancer. I agreed with the term of seven years.”

“Okay,” Rufus said, confused. “That sounds more than fair. Why do you want to change the terms? Has she gotten to you with begging and pleading, all teary eyed for just a few more years, now that you saved her friend?” Rufus asked with a look of disgust on his face.

Greedy humans.

Suddenly, Jeremiah looked like a scolded child. “I haven’t saved her friend, yet.”

“Why not? You sealed the deal, didn’t you?”

Rufus took another sip and eyed Jeremiah up and down. There was more to this than meets the eye. Jeremiah was holding something back.

Jeremiah nodded, “Yeah, that’s all done. I just am sort of,” he paused, “stalling.”

With narrow eyes, Rufus asked, “And why are you stalling.

Intriguing indeed!

Jeremiah began to fidget. He brushed off an imaginary piece of lint off his shirt before he muttered, “So I could have an excuse to spend more time with Megan.

Shocked, Rufus began to choke on his drink.

“Megan?” he said, as though tasting the word. “Megan. She would be your coed, I assume?”

Rufus looked toward the bar and beckoned their server. She rushed over.

“Can my friend and I get another round? Something much stronger though, preferably.”

After the waitress disappeared, Rufus admonished, “Dude, she’s a human. And one you just damned to an eternity in Hell. Do you job and forget her.”

The waitress came back over and left their drinks.

As Rufus sipped the amber liquid, he hoped his friend was wise enough to take the advice he was given. Something told him though, this was far from over.

***

Megan was pacing back and forth in her living room. All she could think about was the encounter with Jeremiah the day before. She was so furious that she was sure steam was trickling out from her ears.

She had been played a fool, and she didn’t like it one bit!

How could she have been so stupid?

All she wanted was to save Anya. Why was that proving to be so difficult?

With a sigh, she logged into her school webmail and emailed back her last paper. She had been so keyed the night before that she finished editing the last two papers she had taken on, and sent out a silent prayer as she was thankful she had no research assignments. After her current clients were taken care of, she went onto the student website for school and went to her ad on student activities and her student profile; she updated her status that due to a family emergency she would not be able to assist students with papers until further notice.

On her way back into the kitchen for what must have been at least her fifth cup of coffee, there was a knock on the door. She wasn't expecting anyone, so she swung the door open. She was ready to tell whoever to shove whatever they were selling up where the sun don't shine!

Instead, her mouth hung open, and she couldn't even find the air to breathe.

Jeremiah smiled at her. It was one of the most dazzling smiles she'd ever seen. Realizing that she was staring at his mouth, Megan tore her eyes away and looked down.

Big mistake.

She began to salivate as she drank in the sight of him leaning against the doorjamb. He was dressed in all black, and that included a snug black t-shirt and faded black jeans. The sight of him was more intoxicating that any cup of coffee Megan had ever had.

Regaining her composure, and remembering to breathe, sort of, she yanked Jeremiah inside as she once more gripped her anger tight.

"You weasel!" she shouted. "What the hell do you want?"

He was a leech, worse even. He had played on her friendship with Anya just to be able to cop a feel! Pervert!

After she got home last night, she realized that all of this had to be impossible. These things didn't really exist, after all. So how could Anya suddenly get better when deal making demons didn't exist?

The answer was simple: she didn't because they didn't. That also explained why Dr. Carson -er, "Jeremiah", had told Megan that it wouldn't be simple as a wave of the hand to make Anya better. And the eyes, well, the lighting was bad, so Megan could rationalize that she was seeing things and the lighting and shadows were playing tricks on her.

But that didn't solve all her problems. There were still unanswered questions.

She was still confused how he knew that she’d been looking into �" unconventional methods of saving Anya. Had he been following her? Oh God, was he a stalker too? Come to mention, how did he know where Megan lived?

There were so many thoughts and emotions swirling inside Megan’s head that it was making her dizzy. If he wasn’t for real, then Anya was truly doomed.

“What’s wrong, darling?” he asked as he made himself at home in Megan’s kitchen. He kept getting things out of her cupboards and drawers to make some coffee, but every time he took something out, Megan just put it right back.

“Anya is what’s wrong,” Megan seethed. “She’s still in the hospital, and still dying!”

“Relax-“

“Do. Not. Tell. Me. To. Relax!” she yelled, punctuating each word. “We had a deal!”

“And the deal is still good,” he assured her as he grabbed her arm. “She won’t get any worse and she won’t die, because we have a deal.”

Horrified, Megan gasped. “Our deal,” she reminded him, “was for you to take away her cancer! Not to leave her as she is!”

“I will,” he promised, as he went back to the cupboards and made them both some coffee.

“Now. I want you to go and do it now,” she demanded with one hand on her hip.”Sorry, doesn’t work that way,” he chuckled. “Television sure makes humans have high expectations of us.”

“Then how does it work?”

Megan was getting frustrated with Jeremiah’s two-stepping. She wanted him to get this over with, so he could get out of her life!

Right?

Right. The sooner he was gone, then the sooner she could forget about the way his lips felt so soft, even when they were being so demanding of her own. And the way he smelled, a mix of grass and salt water.

Realizing that she was beginning to fantasize, Megan quickly gulped down a few mouthfuls of hot coffee. Though she might need to splash the entire mug in her face in order to crash back to reality.

What the hell was it about this man? she wondered.

With a twinkle in his eye, he pressed a kiss into the top of her head as he walked by. Astonished, she turned to snap a biting remark, but seeming him lounge on the couch, remote in hand, as though he belonged there, made her chest tighten. Damn.

Letting out a sigh of resignation, Megan took her coffee �" which she was silently grateful for another cup �" to the living room and sat on the other end of the couch.

Megan scowled at the nerve of this man �" no this monster! He was sitting on her couch, smirking at her, and he hadn’t held up his end of the bargain.

Well, he had another thing coming if he thought Megan was going to let him get away with it!

Jeremiah was clearly pleased with himself �" but over what, Megan couldn’t fathom. He was pointedly ignoring her and watching some program about a vampire trying to steal some poor unsuspecting innocent to the dark side with proclamations of love.

Oh, his cleverness.

But, Jeremiah already her soul, so why was he sitting on Megan’s couch acting as if this was a normal routine?

Laughing at something he found humorous, he turned and grinned at Megan. She narrowed her eyes and just scowled, ignoring the summersaults her stomach was doing.

That smile could disarm Megan in a way she never experienced before. Surly, this man was going to be the death of her.

Oh, wait. Scratch that, he already was.

“Are you going to answer my question, or what?” she asked abruptly, folding her arms across her chest.

“Oh, right, Anya,” he replied, distracted. It was as though he had forgotten why he was there to begin with.

“You can’t just go in and change things, not when you’re dealing with someone else’s life,” he said, as though that explained it all.

Glaring, Megan demanded more. “And?”

“And, so, you need a bit more finesse. Something of this magnitude requires more of cooperative effort.

“Cooperative effort? You don’t mean Anya?” Megan asked horrified. “No, that wasn’t part of the deal! She can’t know!”

Before she could blink, Jeremiah was in her face, eyes dark and hungry.

“Listen here, missy,” he whispered, his voice barely more than a growl.

Startled, Megan just stared at him with wide eyes.

“You gave me no specific terms, do’s or do not’s. Therefore the ball is in my court, as they say. To make the follow-through by any means necessary, you should’ve negotiated them.”

Jeremiah was angry. Seething red, smoke out of the ears angry. Megan wasn’t why, honestly. Jeremiah wasn’t sure exactly why either.

It was heady, being this close to her. Jeremiah knew he was only torturing himself and should just get the job done, but being in her presence was intoxicating. She smelled of honeysuckle and mint, and he just wanted to spend the rest of eternity buried in that glorious scent.

He liked the way Megan’s breath was heavy and uneven when he was close. It was good to know he was affecting her just as much as she was affecting him.

Bracing herself, Megan waited. She knew that heated look from when they made their deal. She knew she could be blind and body would still react to that scorching look.

Megan shifted slightly, causing a momentary pause of Jeremiah’s descent towards her lips. Before Megan knew what she was doing, her palm was making contact with his cheek. The red blemish appeared in his eyes for only a second before dissipating. But the look in his eyes had turned feral.

And they were looking right into hers.

She didn’t even know why she had done it. Hoping the surprised look on her face would buy her some mercy, she gulped, anticipating his reaction.

Something told her a simple apology would not have all be forgiven. Peeing a look up at him, he seemed just as shocked as Megan, although his eyes had turned completely black.

Crap.

The silence was deafening. She wished he would just say or do something already.

Maybe it was just best to get out of his way while he was immobile.

Megan started to clamor off the couch but her efforts were thwarted by the steel clamp of Jeremiah’s hand around her wrist.

Double crap.

Before she knew what was happening, Megan found herself back on the cough. Only now she was half lying and Jeremiah’s body was pinning her down. By the time she realized his intent, it was too late.

His lips were branding her mouth, staking a claim he had by no means, any right to make. But Jeremiah was beside himself with need.

Megan was being consumed into a toxic fire. This was no good. Everything about this was wrong!

But no matter how much her brain was screaming at her to stop this maddening nonsense, Megan wasn’t listening. Almost as though her will were not her own, she found her hands curling around his deliciously soft locks. Her teeth gently nipped his lower lip to urge him on.

Then there was nothing. Just her nerves on overload as she found herself alone in her apartment.

What the hell?

He had left her, in the heat of passion. She knew she hadn’t imagined it. She could still feel him, taste him, and smell him. And she could see the coffee cup he had left on the table.

Crap.

***

She was totally out of her element. What had she been thinking? Of course Jeremiah couldn’t be trusted.

Megan had a sinking suspicion that Anya was not going to be cured �" even if Jeremiah was the real deal. Did he really have to hold up his end of the deal in order for her soul to be his? She wasn’t sure.

Unfortunately, there was only one person Megan could think of who might have the answers to her questions. Even if all her questions couldn’t be answered, at least if her mind could be eased by some of the more important questions being answered.

Squinting against the morning sunlight, Megan entered Lunar Realities. She hoped that Olivia would be working today. Anyone else, she might not trust to talk to about what was happening. At least Olivia had a little background on what was going on.

At first she wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do. After Jeremiah had disappeared the night before, Megan struggled a lot with the situation. She had ended up with more questions than she had before he arrived on her doorstep.

At first, Megan didn’t see anyone in the store. It looked a little darker than the last time she had stepped inside. As she wrestled with whether she should just leave, her feet led her down the center isle towards the counter.

Perhaps Olivia was in the back? Or maybe she wasn’t there at all.

Megan prayed to not have to go through the humiliation of explaining her plight to someone else.

Suddenly, she heard a bell and jumped as she turned and saw another woman entering the shop.

Wow, normal people do actually shop here, she thought.

The woman looked to be around Megan’s age and had long blonde hair in a braid that went to the middle of her back. The other woman smiled at Megan as she took off her sunglasses and Megan almost let out a gasp at the woman’s eyes.

They were almost the color of lavender. The light purple caught the florescent lighting in the room and from certain angles they almost appeared to be a deep violet.

Ok, so maybe not so normal a person after all.

Trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, Megan went back to browsing the shelves. The other customer’s appearance had startled her, but there was something unsettling about her. Megan just couldn’t place her finger on it. Despite her demure attitude, there seemed to be something about the other woman.

Turning back to the counter, Megan’s heart sank as a man came from behind the curtain that separated the counter space with the back room. Under normal circumstances, Megan might have found him attractive. He had blonde locks that fell past his shoulders, but it didn’t make him seem feminine. Instead, it seemed to serve a purpose of enhancing his square jaw and high cheekbones. Every ounce of him oozed testosterone.

The man seemed just as surprised by his patrons as Megan was of him.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize anyone had come in,” he said with a smile.

Megan smiled back, and as she looked up to meet his eyes, she let out a small gasp.

His eyes; they were such a deep chocolate. They were deep, dark pools you could lose yourself in for hours. Except they reminded her of the way Jeremiah’s eyes turned black.

Suddenly remembering why she was in such a place, Megan flushed.

“I’m- uh. I was looking for Olivia,” she stammered.

Perplexed by Megan’s sudden strange reaction, the man cocked his head to the side. He stared at her hard, as though he could read everything about her. It made Megan uncomfortable and she shifted slightly, unsure what else to say or do.

“I’ll get her,” he said abruptly, and spun back behind the curtain. Before he left, Megan thought she had seen him sneering at something behind her. Turning to look, all she saw was the other customer.

What’s his problem?

After a couple of minutes and he didn’t return, apprehension began to pool in the bottom of Megan’s stomach. Unsure what else to do, she spun on her heels and headed to the door, almost knocking into the other woman who suddenly was right behind Megan.

“Sorry,” Megan mumbled her apology.

This was such a bad idea. She had known it before she even got there. She was stupid for thinking that anyone would be able to help her. There was no help, and there was no getting out of the deal.

Not that Megan wanted out of the deal. Voiding the deal would mean Anya’s death. She didn’t want that.

Then why are you here?

Shaking her head, Megan reached for the door. This was a bad idea. She didn’t even have any real purpose for being here. What could she really accomplish?

But before she could leave she heard someone call her name.

Turning around, Megan saw Olivia standing behind her.

Olivia looked pale and terrified. Megan wondered what was wrong with her.

“What did you do?” Olivia whispered, her eyes wide.

“What do you mean?” Megan wondered how she knew. No, it was impossible.

Looking at Megan intently, Olivia closed the few feet between them. Slowly, she took Megan’s hands in her own and raised them. Looking at the palms, Olivia began to chew the lower corner of her lip. Suddenly, Olivia dropped Megan’s hands and moved them to her face.

Startled, Megan took a step back. It wasn’t that she was necessarily afraid; just that having this other person’s hands shooting toward her was startling. But after regaining her composure, Megan stilled. Though mostly due to the chilling look in Olivia’s eyes.

Nervously, she eyes the other woman, wondering what she thought of what was happening, but she didn’t see her anywhere.

She must have left the shop right after Olivia had vied for Megan’s attention away from the door.

Conscious of the effect she had on Megan, Olivia moved her hands more slowly towards Megan’s face. Closing her eyes, Olivia held her hands just off Megan’s skin. Olivia’s hands moved as though she were caressing Megan’s face and head, but she never actually touched her.

Suddenly, Olivia’s eyes snapped open and her mouth went slack. Whatever she had sensed in Megan caused great fear in her eyes. Seeing the fear on Olivia’s face made Megan’s heart sink. What had she gotten herself into?

As though she could hear Megan’s own concerns and doubts, Olivia whispered, “You are marked.”

“Marked?”

“You’ve been marked by Death. You’re shrouded in its darkness. There’s nothing left of your aura, only death,” came Olivia’s answer. It was as though Megan could see the words escaping in coiled terror.

“I don’t understand,” said Megan, trying to feign ignorance. Olivia’s eyes narrowed.

OK. So Megan wasn’t fooling anyone. Except maybe herself if she thought there were any answers.

“You need to leave,” Olivia said abruptly.

“What?” Megan asked, shocked. “No, you need to help me!”

“There’s no help now. What’s done is done. You made a deal with the devil,” Olivia hissed. “What do you think can be done now? I warned you not to mess with forces you didn’t understand. You did this to yourself! Now get out!”

S**t. If Olivia is terrified, then you’ve really screwed the pooch on this one, genius.

“Wait, please,” Megan pleaded. “Can I at least get some answers?”

“What answers could you possibly want? You belong to them now. I’m sure your friend is overjoyed that you sold your soul for her recovery.”

“She doesn’t know. She can never know. And she isn’t, recovered yet, I mean.”

Olivia stared hard at Megan. She could see the wheels turning in the other girl’s head. What had she said to make Olivia suddenly interested in her plight?

“She’s not recovered?” she asked slowly.

Megan shook her head. “No. He said it didn’t work like that. I was told it would be a few days before Anya was fully back to herself.”

Olivia snorted.

“What?” Megan asked, perplexed.

Had Jeremiah lied to her? Could he not cure Anya? Or was he just not going to? Oh, what had she done?

“That’s bull,” Olivia said. “All he has to do is snap those demonic fingers of his and poof your friend is all better.”

“So, then, I don’t understand. Why would he lie? What could he have to gain by stretching out the process?”

“Time, maybe? I don’t know. Maybe he has darker plans for you and he needs time to figure out how to get you to do what he wants you to do.”

“What would he want with me? I’m nothing special.”

“I don’t know. I just said it was a possibility. And for the record, there’s something special about everyone. Even if they don’t know it.”

  “Right,” Megan whispered, unconvinced.

“Let’s go in the back. Matt can watch out front. That will give us the privacy to talk about what’s happened.”

Olivia led Megan back behind the counter to where the curtain lay. Opening it, she motioned for Matt to come out front. Hesitantly, he made his way to them, his eyes never leaving Megan.

The wary look upon his face made Megan uncomfortable. What was wrong with him? What was wrong with her?

Nothing, she told herself.

“Stay out front. Megan and I need to chat,” Olivia said. But realistically, nothing needed to be said. Matt didn’t want to be in the same room as Megan, let alone the same area of the shop. His steely gaze never left hers as he made his way around her to the counter.

Olivia nudged Megan forward so she stepped behind the curtain. It was darker back there; candles illuminated the area, showing an altar and some tools at the far end. Closer to the shop area there was a room to the left that had shelves lined with supplies to replenish the shelves out front.

Taking a deep breath, Megan moved into the darkness. It was fitting really, when she thought about it. That’s what her life was now, darkness. She was going to die, though granted, Anya would live. But now Megan could never allow herself to fall in love, get married, or have children. She could never do that to someone knowing her time left in this world was limited.

Even if she let herself fall under Jeremiah’s spell, it still couldn’t last, could it? He was the one holding her soul in the palm of his hand. What if she just let him have her heart too? Would that be so bad?

YES! the voice inside her head screamed. He’s a monster, a demon. How could you even think such a stupid thing? He doesn’t want you; he just wants your soul.

“Why did you do this to yourself? You know there is more than one way to skin a cat right?” Olivia was pissed. Terrified, but pissed. Megan wasn’t sure why. “How could you go and do this? It’s stupid and selfish!”

“How is doing something to save my best friend being selfish?”

“You are meant for so much more in this world, Megan. How can you not see that?” Megan was pacing across the wooden floor.

“Well, you wouldn’t help-“

“I did try to help you! You are the one who left the shop before I could do anything,” Olivia cried. The agony in her eyes was too much for Megan to look at. Why did Olivia care so much about what happened to Megan? They barely knew each other.

“You weren’t giving me the answers I was looking for!”

“Maybe you weren’t asking the right questions to get the right answers. Ever think of that? You didn’t need that thing to save your friend.”

Uneasy, Megan sat down. But as soon as she did, she began shifting in the chair.

“I- I, um. I’m not so sure I would call him a thing.”

“No!” Olivia shouted. “Do not let that monster get into your head like that,” Olivia hissed, taking a breath in.

“Look, I know you are worried about your friend. But you have to find a loophole to get out of this deal. You don’t need a deal to save your friend.”

“Why should I believe you?” Megan challenged, perturbed.

“Excuse me?” Olivia seethed, bending down to be on the same level as Megan. “You came to me, remember?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I just, I’m afraid that if I find a way to back out of the deal that Anya will die.”

“You said that he still didn’t do anything, that she’s still dying, right?”

Megan nodded.

“OK. We can work with that. As long as his end of the deal hasn’t been granted then there is still time to undo what was done.”

“I don’t want to undo it,” Megan stressed. “I just want answers. I want to know what will happen to me, to my soul. Will I do, or will I continue to exist, but just without my soul?”

Olivia took in a deep breath. Megan was being very frustrating, and she wasn’t listening to a word that she was being told. Didn’t she understand that she didn’t have to go through with this deal?

“Look at me,” Olivia said sternly, never taking her eyes off of Megan’s. “This deal isn’t the way to save your friend. There are things you can do to save her, without the demon.”

A few tears welled up in the corner of Megan’s eyes. She knew Olivia was just concerned for her safety. But really, this was for the best. Something in Megan knew it the moment it happened. It wasn’t as though she had a whole lot to live for.

“Please. It’s already done. I just want to know.”

“I’m sorry,” Olivia whispered. “I can’t help you.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

Olivia’s silence was enough for Megan. She quickly got out of the chair and made her way to the curtain that would lead her back to the shop, back to the real world.

“It’ll be painful,” Olivia called after her. “I the brujhia will come for you and they will drag you to Hell. Your soul will be added to the collection of whichever demon you sold it to, where it will be on display to the goddess.”

“The goddess? Jeremiah mentioned her too. Who is she?” Megan asked, turning around and coming back into the dark. Seemed she always found herself heading back into the darkness.

“The goddess, Maya. She is one of the Ancients. She is half god and half vampire. Her father is the Vampire King. She is the Goddess of the Unholy. The fact that you have a chance to escape a deal made in her name is almost unheard of. You need to save yourself.”

“Why would one of these demons not act on a deal immediately? Why even make a deal? Why not just steal the soul, or take it right away? Can they really be trusted?”

“I don’t know why he would delay. But yes,” Olivia resigned with a sigh, “you can believe anything that he tells you that pertains to the deal. Maya is a stickler for rules and following them. No one would dare finagle a rule.”

“Is a kiss part of these rules?” Megan asked, embarrassed.

Olivia laughed. “Yeah.” Her smile faltered into a sad half smile. “The kiss got you, huh? Is that what this is all about?”

Walking over to Megan, Olivia led her to another room in the back. This had a table and chair set, small fridge, coffee pot, and a microwave. Olivia pushed Megan down into one of the chairs and fished out a clean mug from the cupboard and poured some coffee.

“You look like you’re a coffee girl. So I gather you could use this,” Olivia said with a wink as she handed the mug over.

“Thanks,” came the muttered reply, but Megan gave her a gracious smile.

Olivia’s smile was forced, but it still brought Megan a touch of comfort.

“Look, I know that you probably don’t want to hear this,” Olivia stated. “But I just want you to know that you can’t fall for his charm. It’s part of the charade. They draw people in using their wit, charm, sensitivity. It’s a weapon, used to find the weakness in people. Then that weakness is exploited. Just like it was for you with your friend.”

“I know, but-“

“There are no buts, Megan. Fact is fact,” she finished gently. Olivia didn’t understand why Megan wanted to believe the best in this monster.

“You weren’t there,” Megan whispered. “The kiss was a kiss, at first. But then there was this, this fire that burned through us; it was all consuming. He looked just as shocked as I did when it was over,” she laughed.

“I can’t really explain it. It just seems like he, like he fits,” Megan said with a shrug. “Besides, he already owns my soul; he doesn’t need tricks or whatever anymore, right?”

Olivia looked down, into her own cup of coffee looking for the wisdom to end this girl’s naivety. It almost hurt to watch. But could she dash her hope, burst the bubble?

Hell yes, she could!

“Megan, honey, this guy, he’s a demon. He’s the goddess’s minion who works for her to ensnare unsuspecting humans into making deals so that their souls are no longer their own.”

“But you said they had rules, and that they couldn’t break them. Wouldn’t prolonging the promise made on his end be technically breaking these so called rules?” Megan rationalized.

“You can’t rationalize evil, Megan. It just is.”

Defeated, Megan slumped her shoulders and took a sip of her coffee. Olivia was right.

Right?

“I should probably get going,” Megan said as she stood up. “Thanks for the talk, and the coffee,” she said, raising the mug.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” asked a worried looking Olivia.

“Yeah,” Megan reassured her with a smile and a nod. After handing back over the mug, Megan left the room and made her way back to the front.

“If you need anything, just let me know,” Olivia called after her, just before she ducked around the curtain.

Matt was standing there, guarding the register. He was looking toward the back, so Megan assumed that he had heard her coming. Not able to look at him, Megan walked past with her head down.

As she got out from behind the counter she heard Matt say in a menacing whisper, “Don’t come back here, and stay the hell away from my sister.”

With a gulp, Megan fled the shop to the safety of her car.

***

After leaving Lunar Realities Megan felt depressed and unaccomplished, so she decided to go visit Anya.  At first, she had thought it would be a bad idea and remind her of all that had transpired between her and Jeremiah. Then, she thought maybe things would be better. They had to be, right? Mega and Jeremiah had a deal after all.

With slightly lifted spirits, Megan was cruising down the street, singing to the radio. It was a beautiful day, despite Jeremiah and Olivia.

Determined to put Jeremiah out of mind, Megan resolved to only think about the fact that Anya was going to be all better soon. She had even gotten coffee for them, including Bryan, although it wasn’t from their normal place, so Megan hoped that they had been made right.

Once parked outside Bryan and Anya’s building, Megan retrieved a package from under the passenger side seat, before balancing the drink holder in one hand. Thankfully, the drinks were in her left hand, making it easy to press the buzzer.

There were only four apartments in the unit, but there was still an alarm system and intercom set up. Anyone who didn’t have a key had to be buzzed in. A few minutes had passed and there was still no answer on the intercom. Glancing over to the side of the building Megan saw Bryan’s car in the lot. She couldn’t see if Anya’s was there as well, but she assumed it was. Shrugging, she pressed the buzzer again.

This time, there was a gruff voice that barked, “What?”

“Bryan?” Megan asked, taken aback. “It’s Megan. Is everything alright?”

The only answer she got was the soft click of the door unlocking. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she pushed the door open and headed for the apartment in the back of the first floor.

The door was unlocked and Megan slowly pushed it open, filled wing with apprehension.

“Hello?” Megan called as she swung the door open with her hip.

Her initial perception was that everything looked normal. There was a smattering of toys from Kia throughout the living room; from what she could see of the kitchen and hallway, they looked neat and orderly. Almost too neat and orderly.

Where was everyone?

“Hello?” Megan called out, louder. “Bryan? Anya?”

Megan put the drinks and package on the counter in the kitchen and began her descent into the apartment.

As she walked toward the hall, Bryan stepped out of one of the back rooms. His face was white but his eyes were bloodshot. He looked haggard, as though he hadn’t slept in days and had done nothing but cry �" and drink.

Megan could smell the distinct odor of whiskey wafting from the man who stood a few feet from her. Suddenly, Megan’s anger returned.

Who the hell did these men think they were?

She quickly closed the gap and before she knew it, she had his shirt wrapped in her first, pulling him closer.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked menacingly.

Bryan’s eyes went wide and he held his hands up in surrender.

“Meg-“

Releasing him, Megan slapped him across the face, effectively silencing any pathetic excuse which was about to come out of his mouth.

At that moment, she realized Bryan wasn’t alone in the hall. A little ways behind him stood Anya’s mother. Her mouth was slack in astonishment, but her eyes shone with approval.

“You have a fiancée and a little girl who needs you. So I suggest you knock this s**t off and man up,” Megan growled with contempt.

Megan had always liked Bryan. This was something she had never expected from him though, silently, she hoped this incident wasn’t going to make a pattern.

Scowling, Megan pushed past him and wrapped Bree into a hug.

“Thank you,” Bree whispered into the younger woman’s ear.

Forcing a bright smile, Megan winked at Bree.

“How’s she doing?” Megan asked.

Bree’s smile started to slip, but she was able to catch herself.

“She’s doing as well as can be expected. Tired. But she’s in good spirits. Though I wonder if some of it’s a front,” she finished, scowling at Bryan. “But I’m sure that as soon as she sees you that she’ll be much better.”

“And I brought coffee!” Megan announced, trying to lighten some of the tension that was starting to build. “I didn’t know you were going to be here though,” she offered, apologetically.

“Don’t you worry about me. I’m going to finish her bath and then I really should be getting going.”

Megan walked back to the kitchen, ignoring Bryan, who at least had the decency to hand his head in shame.

“Where’s Kia?” Megan finally asked when Bryan came in behind her.

“Napping,” was his quiet response.

He looked thoroughly embarrassed and despite her instinct to let him suffer, she put him out of his misery and handed him one of the cups.

“What’s this?” he asked, nodding at the wrapped package Megan had brought in.

“For Kia.”

“Oh,” he said, looking away uncomfortably.

“It’s a small dollhouse. I figured maybe something new that could occupy her would be best for, well, everyone,” she offered with a sigh.

Taking the coffee and dollhouse, Megan went and sat on the couch in the living room.

A few minutes of uncomfortable silence later, Bree came back down the hall, wheeling a weary looking Anya. Kia was on her mother’s lap, hugging her neck, but smiling at Megan.

Megan’s through tightened and tears threatened to spill, but she reined it back and plastered a smile on her face.

Getting up, she rushed over to her best friend. After a quick hug and a hello to Anya, Megan scooped up the little girl and nuzzled her hair.

“Guess what Auntie Megs brought her favorite little girl?” she asked, teasing.

Kia clapped her hands and bounced on Megan’s hip, squealing.

                As Kia clamored to the other side of the room, along with the dollhouse, Anya sat looking at Megan, expectantly.

                “What?” she asked sharply, having to refrain from snapping at the last second.

                For a brief moment Anya’s face fell, and Megan felt terrible. But she felt that at that point there was nothing she could do but try to let it slide and hope it would be forgotten.

                “Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you had talked to Jeremiah recently.”

                While looking curious, Anya also managed to look completely chastised.

                Feeling guilty, Megan smiled at her friend. “I don’t think that’s going to work out. Besides, right now, I just want to spend my time with you,” Megan offered.

                Anya laughed. “And why don’t you think that it is going to work out? I think you two look pretty good together. Have you even been talking to him?”

                “Did I miss something? Who is Jeremiah?” Bryan interjected, intrigued.

                Megan groaned.

                “He’s that hunk of a doctor I had in the emergency room,” Anya teased. “There is love between him and Megs,” she finished, giving Megan a wink.

                This was worse than she thought.

                “I’m serious, Anya. I don’t think he’s right for me. We are too, well, too different,” she decided on. That was as good of a reason that she could actually share as any.

                Anya scoffed. “Different? Please! Spill the beans! What is wrong?”

                Typical Anya; she was like a dog with a bone. Once she got on something, there was no letting go.

                “I’m serious. We would hardly see each other, as he is working all of the time. And he’s a lot older. And it just doesn’t seem right, him being a doctor who treated you and all,” Megan finished weakly.

                “Megan honey, I’m going to tell you this once, and only once. And I’m going to say this with as much love as I possibly can.

                “Get over it. Whatever objections and roadblocks your mind is putting up, you need to knock them down. I can tell that he is a good guy and a great catch. He will treat you good, or I’ll haunt him,” she joked.

                Megan opened her mouth to object, but Anya raised her hand, silencing any excuse.

                “I’m not going to be here much longer,” she whispered softly. “You and I have been two peas in a pod since before we were even thought of. You are going to need someone. Jeremiah would be the type to understand and be there for you.”

                There really was no point in arguing. They all knew that once Anya had an idea, there was no turning back.

                Even Bryan sat there next to Anya and just smirked at Megan. His look told her just to do it, that she’d be miserable if she resisted. And Megan knew that was true. Anya would end up haunting her if she disobeyed!

                “Fine,” Megan said, exasperated. “You win, for now.”