by T. G. Ayer
Maya wouldn’t have been surprised to find the old woman herself standing in the shadows across the street from the house. A bit drastic but one never knew, especially with the company capable of ousting the people who had built it from the ground up.
So, because she’d wanted to avoid working herself into a frenzy of suspicion, Maya decided instead to work herself up into a frenzy of fire. Pulling on gym shorts and a workout crop top, Maya left her room, peeped in on Joss and her mom who were sleeping, and reading respectively, then wandered down to check on her dad. She still worried about him, as he wasn’t yet one hundred percent back to his old self.
The study door was open and she poked her head inside, spotting his head lit by a pool of light from his desk lamp. He was staring down at the screen of his laptop, his forehead crumpled with concentration. And she decided to leave him be.
She went down into the basement to the training room her dad had set up for her. The walls were now covered in a heat resistance plastic similar to silicone which, weathered Maya’s fireballs way better than the fire-proof paint he’d first installed for her, or the metal plating he’d replace it with.
Tying her hair up on the top of her head with an elastic band, Maya did her warmups, a series of part-yoga, part-kung-fu moves that primed her muscles and ligaments for the intense strain Maya would put them through.
Soon, she was moving smoothly across the mats, sending dozens of spinning balls of fire at the far wall, aiming at the irregular line of target dots painted on the plastic.
She transitioned from fireballs, to arrows of flame, her movements liquid, a fighting dancer shooting flames from her hands. Soon she was ready to kick it up a notch. She’d considered using swords and other pointy blades, but had settled for increasing the power of her fire weapons instead.
Reaching deep within her solar plexus, Maya drew as much energy as she was able to control and shoved it into her fireballs, sending half a dozen at the wall in short bursts.
And found herself staring at the wall in shock.
The supposedly fireproof plastic was slowly sliding down the wall and dripping onto the carpet in gloopy mounds, glowing and steaming like lava hitting water. And stinking to high heaven of burnt rubber.
Oh, fudgebuckets.
Sweat coated her skin and she swiped her hand across her forehead. A sound on the stairs had her spinning on her heel, hands so ready to incinerate her uninvited visitor that fire streamed from her palms unchecked.
Nik.
Maya stared at Nik, the sight of him almost destroying the strong barriers she’d been building to withstand her struggles regarding Claudia and now her fears for Joss.
She swallowed her tears, a part of her wanting to run to him, to seek some form of comfort in the warmth of his arms, but another sliver of her simmered with resentment.
He didn’t deserve that, but Maya couldn’t help it. She felt those complicated emotions even as her heart thudded with every step he took towards her.
Nikhil, son of Yama, Lord of the Underworld, Deliverer of Justice. Nikhil, also the guy who gave Maya the kind of looks that made her want to melt, to swoon like all those ridiculous boy-crazy girls she’d known in school.
She watched him now as he strode forward, honey-golden skin, dark hair that hung well below his ears, curls that would be the envy of every girl who set eyes on him, flickering obsidian eyes that tended to shimmer with a deep coppery fire when he was angry or frustrated.
Maya lowered her hands, allowing the fire in her palms to retreat as he crossed the floor. Nik was tall and broad shouldered, his biceps corded and hard with muscle. He wore a pair of blue Levi’s and a thin sweater that hugged his torso and enhanced the ripples of his six-pack. He was a demigod, half-man, half-god, and despite the immortal blood that ran thick and fast within his veins, he still faced the trials of his mortal lineage.
And it never failed to make her shake her head in wonder that this god among men—literally—was as interested in her as she was in him. Not that the whole relationship with a guy who lived and worked in hell was ever going to be easy, but she gave herself the chance to revel in it whenever her mind would allow her to.
He slowed a few feet from her, extended a hand to her, fingers outstretched. And Maya reached out, placing her palm in his, absorbing the rush of heat that singed her skin and sank deep into her bones. This was not hunger or lust, though. Far from it.
This was fire. Literally.
Because Nik was the only other being, other than Kali herself of course, who would wrangle her fire. She was growing stronger though, and one day she may be a danger to him. Soon, but not yet.
So she’d enjoy it for however long he was able to temper her power and keep her from killing him, or herself. But those morose thoughts fled now, and Nik wrapped her up in a hug that was filled with warmth and sparked with heat as their fire magic brushed up against each other.
A kiss, sweet and far too brief for Maya’s liking, and then she was craning her head to stare up into his eyes, enjoying the smile he gave her, the curve of his lips filled with amusement and tender remonstration.
“You really should try not to melt everything around you. Some people would say that’s bad manners.”
Maya made a face at him, then said, “Sabala got a hold of you fast.” She stalked over to the shelves and grabbed a towel, drying herself off quickly though she suspected the scent of burnt plastic had soaked pretty deep into her skin by now.
“Yep. He made it sound urgent though he refused to give me details. He’s getting a little stroppy these days.”
“You can say that again,” Maya said, turning on Nik, eyes narrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me the pooch can speak?”
Nik’s response was merely to open and then close his mouth, then shrug as he tried to look innocent.
Maya gave him a disgusted glare before walking across the room. Over her shoulder, she said, “I never knew what you meant when you spoke as though he’d literally said words to you that you could understand. Not until recently. He certainly knows how to keep a girl on her toes. He had me about ready to check myself into a psychiatric ward.”
They’d reached the first floor by the time Maya took a breath and she was all too aware that she was babbling. And that Nik was strangely quiet.
She paused to look at him. “You okay? I promise this is important or I wouldn’t have asked you to come so quickly.”
He shook his head. “It’s not about you calling me. There’s just a bunch of stuff going on. Underworld politics, if you want to pigeonhole the issue.”
Maya sighed and pursed her lips. “There’s a lot of politics going around,” she said, hurrying up the stairs to Joss’s room. “Hopefully it’s a short season and we return to regular programming ASAP.”
Nik was chuckling behind Maya as she paused, hand on Joss’s room door handle. She looked over her shoulder at Nik. “Gimme a sec. I just want to make sure we don’t scare the wits out of Mom by barging in on her.”
Maya opened the door quietly, and her mom looked up from the armchair beside the window where she’d been working on her laptop in the darkened room, her monitor the only source of light.
Leela got to her feet the moment she spotted Nik behind Maya. Closing her laptop, she tiptoed over to the door. “I’ll leave you two for a bit. I’ll see if your dad wants anything to eat or drink. You two want something?”
When both shook their heads, Leela nodded and hurried off to the stairs, her bare feet making no sound. Maya waved Nik inside and closed the door behind her. “Not sure why Mom is whispering,” she said as she waved a hand at Joss’s unmoving form. “Joss isn’t about to wake up any time soon.”
“What?” Nik asked, then cleared his throat, eyes wide, filled with confusion. “Is something wrong with Joss?”
Maya bit her lip, then folded her arms as she said, “There was an incident on one of our training missions. The suspected summoning of a demon turned out to be the real thing and one thing
led to another and Joss ended up with a vamp demon living inside her head.”
“She what?”
“Do you need to sit down?” asked Maya, worried now to see how badly Nik had been affected by Joss’s condition. He had been fond of her BFF and for some reason it hurt her more to see him in pain.
“No. I’m fine. I’m…this just threw me for a loop. Just go over that one more time, please? A vamp demon?”
Maya shrugged. “I’m not sure what they are called but these kids summoned one of them and she seemed to thrive on their blood, hence the vamp label. Also, she’s definite a humanoid demon. Not one of those formless things looking for a home.”
Nodding slowly, Nik went over to Joss’s side then touched his palm to her cheek. Then he touched her temples and frowned for a few seconds before straightening. When Nik looked up as Maya came to his side, his face did not make her feel any better. In fact, the fear she saw in his eyes was almost enough for her to burst into tears.
She saw fear and hopelessness, neither emotion she wanted to see in the person who was supposed to deliver Joss from the evil inside her.
Taking a shaking breath, Maya said, “Please tell me there is something we can do.”
Nik’s swallowed hard. “To be honest I’m not certain there is anything you or I can do. The vamp-demon is a Mahavitala, the most powerful of the vitala race. And this possession, it’s nothing that I’ve encountered before.”
Terror filled Maya’s lungs, making her feel a little lightheaded. “There must be something we can do,” she said, her voice pleading with him. When he didn’t reply, she sucked in a harsh breath. “What about your father?”
Nik turned to look at Maya, pursing his lips. “He would be likely to help. But I suspect most of the more powerful gods would know what to do. Have you spoken to Kali yet?”
“No. I wasn’t sure I could ask her for help on this.”
“Why not? You are her Hand, Maya. If anything, she would want to help you.”
Maya shrugged. “I’d rather use Kali as the last resort.”
Nik’s eyes narrowed and he paused for a few seconds to study her face, as if he’d be able to detect her reasoning. Then he relaxed and held her close. “Okay. I’ll go and speak to him. He should be able to see you soon, so try not to worry.” His warmth lent her some comfort and she curled into it, almost enveloping herself in his energy.
Maya nodded, though she heard the uncertainty in his voice, heard the words he hadn’t uttered.
Not yet.
Chapter 28
After going through her go-bag and taking stock of weapons and supplies, Maya set it back in its spot inside her closet, ready for grabbing if the need arose. Then she went in to check on Joss—despite knowing Sabala was keeping watch and that he’d call if anything happens, she felt the need to reassure herself.
This late in the evening, she fell into an automatic urge to tiptoe before reminding herself there was little point. She shuddered now as she stared at Joss’s sleeping face. The memory of the demon’s presence filled Maya’s mind. She hadn’t told her parents the worst of what had happened, and she had no intention to either.
Bad things were always going to happen, and she suspected she’d soon have to start trimming down the amount of detail she provided to her mom and dad. If that was even possible of course, considering she’d never been all that good at keeping stuff from them, her feelings included.
Maya turned as the door opened slowly, her lips parting to stop the intruder in their tracks, expecting to snap at the nurse who she was sure would ignore the instructions she’d been given. But no words left Maya’s mouth as the girl slipped inside the room and shut the door behind her.
Her eyes held Maya in silence as she leaned against the door, a message perhaps that neither of them were about to leave until they got their unfinished business over and done with.
Maya shook her head slowly and stared at Ria Gupta, her other bestie, the third part of their little trio of friends. They’d shared a friendship that had stood the test of time, but which had been recently strained by both domestic abuse and betrayal.
And Ria was supposed to be in the Kali Refuge, deep in the jungle of the Varandha Pass, south of Mumbai. She was supposed to be as far from the action as possible, so what the hell was she doing here in Joss’s room? But Maya didn’t challenge her, or question her presence, because Ria’s eyes were swollen, probably looking very much like Maya’s own. And she loved Joss just as much as Maya did.
Still, neither girl said a word and the only sound in the room was that of the machines beeping and air-conditioner humming. And even Sabala had fallen silent, as though he’d glamored himself from Ria to avoid distracting her.
Maya’s muscles tensed. She wanted to go to Ria, to hug her or to both give and take comfort. But neither of the girls moved. Had it been so long that she couldn’t read Ria anymore? Or was it just that she didn’t want to finally break down and bawl her eyes out?
Or maybe she was terrified that Ria would blame Maya for their friend’s condition. Not that Maya didn’t take responsibility for Joss’s predicament, but it was a different thing when your friend threw the accusation at you. And Ria had always been known to speak her mind. She’d been the peacekeeper, but she’d also been a straight-shooter.
She looked different now, her body encased in leather pants and singlet, and draped in a swathe of fabric that was then tucked into her waistband at her hip. Her honey-brown eyes were watchful but no longer timid, dark waist-length hair tied, not in her usual nape-of-the-neck twist, but instead cut to her shoulders and framing her elfin face.
And then Ria took a breath, as though she too had used those moments to assess the situation, to try to read Maya and figure out her next move. A ripple of guilt filtered through Maya as she realized that Ria would have been as just nervous as she was.
Then Ria sighed and stepped away from the door, crossed the white tiles slowly as though she approached a feral animal and she was poised to flee the moment Maya threatened her.
What strange thoughts you have locked up in that head of yours, murmured Sabala.
Maya relaxed now as she sensed the energy that emanated from Ria’s aura, the concern, the fear, the frustration and anger, but none aimed at Maya herself. Not yet, anyway.
Ria came to a stop at the foot of Joss’s bed, eyes tracking the inert body of their friend now covered in a multicolored Kim Possible blanket that Maya’s mom had found in the wash. Ria’s lips curved into a smile and her eyes shimmered, the tears making Maya’s own eyes burn.
“So help me god, if you so much as shed one tear I can’t be held responsible if I turn you into burnt Ria-bacon,” Maya muttered, blinking hard as the words came out on a voice thick with tears.
Harsh words, don’t you think? asked the hellhound softly.
Ria only snorted, let out a half-sob and then said, “Sorry,” as tears snaked their way down her cheeks.
“Bloody hell, Ria,” Maya grumbled as her own tears fell, she sniffed and stepped toward her friend and then the two girls were hugging each other for dear life.
You humans are complicated. Strange and complicated, Sabala muttered. But Maya didn’t pay him any attention. Poor hellhound had so much to learn.
Long moments passed before the girls drew apart. Their arms remained curled around each other’s waists though, free hands working at discreetly drying their eyes as they faced the bed and their unconscious friend.
“I came as soon as I heard. Your mom gave me the spare room,” Ria whispered. “What happened?”
Maya took a breath and then gave Ria the rundown of the practice mission that was not at all a training run, the demon who wouldn’t just die, and the time-glitch anomaly thing that had a bunch of exec-types all up in arms with their collective panties in a bunch.
Ria rolled her eyes at the crudity of the reference—so nothing had changed with their prim and proper pal—though strangely she didn’t follow with a verbal admonition. In
stead, she just gave Maya a squeeze and said, “So? What now? How do we fix her?”
Maya let out a deep breath. “I’m not so sure you’re going like it.”
Ria lifted one eyebrow and stared at Maya in silence. Waiting.
Exhaling slowly, Maya said, “I’ve asked Nik to help me get a meeting with his father. Maybe Yama can help us.”
Ria stared at Maya for a long moment. “I’m confused. So you have a goddess, a very powerful one I might add, who is your benefactor. Why are you not going to Kali first instead of asking for help from your boyfriend’s father?”
Maya avoided Ria’s eyes. “I’m not sure what I would do if Kali says she can’t help me. What if she says no and I start to resent her?”
“Maya, that’s not going to happen.”
“But what if it does?” Maya whispered so softly she was beginning to wonder if Ria had even heard her.
“Seriously, Maya! I’m not sure what’s going on in that head of yours. You don’t seem to be thinking clearly. I’m beginning to wonder if I need to send you to therapy. Maybe a shrink can get you to see clearly.” Ria glared at Maya, lips forming a thin line, hands planted on her hips.
Maya sucked in a quick breath. “Now who’s got their panties in a bunch?” she asked, trying hard to keep the smile on her face. Ria’s challenge had hit her like a punch to the gut.
Ria simply snorted in response, then said, “Glad to see you’re still the smart aleck I know and love. Now, we need to get on with this because when this girl,” Ria pointed her thumb at Joss, “comes to, she’s going to give you hell.”
“Me?” asked Maya affronted, brow furrowing.
Ria met her eyes, expression serious. “She’s been lying here all this time and you did absolutely nothing with her hair? Or her face. She’s going to kill you, you know that?” Ria was grinning, eyes sparkling in a brief moment of amusement.
