by T. G. Ayer
Archana shook her head, her expression confident and sure. "No, I didn't. You see, I can tell the difference between a human and a half-god. Being from heaven and all." Maya's eyes went wide but she remained silent. This girl can tell a demigod from a human but surely she can't see that Maya has Kali's powers within her. "Anyway, let's get you two out of here. Once you're in the ballroom the guards won't touch you, although I suggest you be prepared for an audience with Mr. Thakkur. He will want to see the lovebirds, face to face."
Maya shuddered at the thought, but thankfully Archana was looking at Nik. Again. The Apsara held out her hand and on her palm was a folded piece of paper. Nik took it and opened it. Maya leaned forward to see a telephone number. Instinctively she stiffened, narrowing her gaze at the girl. Why was she giving Nik her number?
Then Archana said, "Please keep my number. It's not every day a demigod walks into this house. You have to find a way to get me out of here, out of this binding. " The look on her face, the desperation, suddenly made Maya want to cry. She couldn't even begin to imagine what the Apsara felt, imprisoned and bound to a man for thirty years. "Please. I don't think I could survive another year trapped with him, let alone another thirty years."
Nik glanced over at Maya and she could see he was on the verge of agreeing to help the girl. Maya nodded and said, "We'll try to help you. Give us some time. We'll find a way to get you free."
The Apsara looked over at Maya and for the briefest moment Maya thought she saw a hint of haughtiness in her eyes. And then it was gone. Archana nodded and walked to the door. "Follow me and say nothing until we reach the ballroom."
They obeyed and followed in silence as she led them through a warren of corridors. Maya was thoroughly lost and very glad to have the Apsara leading them. At last the sound of the party began to grow louder and then they were at the edge of the ballroom which still glittered with guest and chandeliers alike.
Nik glanced at Maya and crooked his elbow, "Shall we?"
"Thank you," she said and took his arm.
He led her down into the crush and bent to whisper, "We'll stick around a few minutes then leave through the front door. We can come back later for the bow."
Maya nodded then grabbed a crab roll from the tray of a passing waiter. She popped it into her mouth, nerves getting the better of her. The roll was delicious and went down fast enough. Only problem she was now left with oily fingertips. "Damn," she said.
"What's wrong?" asked Nik.
"My finger are oily and I don't want to get any of it on my dress." She raised herself on tiptoe in search of a waiter. The last one had had a small pile of mini-serviettes on his tray but Maya hadn't been fast enough to grab one as he rushed by.
"May I be of assistance, my dear," said a voice at her shoulder.
Maya turned slowly and her stomach twisted. Raj Thakkur stood before her, holding out a much needed paper towel.
"Oh, thank you so much," she gushed her thanks, hoping her bright smile convinced him she welcomed his company.
While she wiped her hand he held his out to Nik and said, "Rajiv Thakkur. A pleasure to meet you."
"Nikhil Malhotra," Nik shook his hand, his smile looking so genuine Maya almost believed it.
Almost.
Then Thakkur turned his attention to Maya and said, "And this must be the beautiful Mrs. Maya Malhotra."
Maya wanted to die laughing at the ridiculous monstrosity of a name but instead she gave a husky laugh and said, "Guilty as charged Mr. Thakkur. Although I have to admit I have only had the pleasure of the name for a few days. Nikhil and I are newlyweds." She glanced at her husband and sent him a seductive smile.
Nikhil held out his hand and Maya took it, a move Thakkur didn't miss.
"Ah, so that would explain it," Thakkur nodded but when Maya frowned he didn't elaborate. Then he gave them a slight bow, "I do hope you enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra." And with that he turned and disappeared into the undulating shoal.
As he departed Maya let out a pent up breath. She gripped Nik's arm, uncaring that her nails threatened to rip into the tailored suit fabric. "Let's get the eff out of here."
"What's wrong." he asked as they turned to the staircase.
"I think we made a mistake bringing you with us. Joss and I should have come alone and we should have had you outside just in case," Maya said, lifting her skirts as she took the stairs.
"What do mean, Maya?" he stopped her at the top of the stairs but she pulled him along toward the front door.
"He made you. He knows what you are." She ground the words out between clenched teeth.
"How do you know that?"
"You know those bloody vials you made me taste?" When Nik nodded she continued, "Well, he's a demon. A Rakshasa. A very, very, very powerful Rakshasa. And a bloody Rakshasa with freaking powerful glamor." Maya's voice shook as they headed outside into the warm night.
Somehow the odor of the Mumbai night was infinitely more preferable than the air conditioned air inside the Rakshasa mansion.
Chapter 36
As soon as they got outside Nik and Maya hurried down the driveway, their shoes crunching on the loose driveway gravel. They ignored the car guy and walked down the road in the dark. The second they rounded the first corner Nik transported them straight into his room.
"Are you okay?" he asked, holding her shoulders gently.
She didn't answer. Instead she said, "He made you. He knows."
Nik shook her by the shoulder. "Don't worry about that right now. We're out and safe. And nothing stops us from trying again. Then he shook her again. "Okay?" he asked.
She just nodded and gave him a weak smile.
They headed for the door and Nik hovered at the shoulder as Maya dug into her bag for the card key. He watched until she shoved the door and entered her room.
As soon as the door shut behind them, Maya heard Ria's voice. She glanced back at Nik who seemed to have heard Ria too. He kissed Maya gently on the cheek, rubbing her chin with his thumb. Then her slipped outside as quietly as he could. Maya held the door open for a moment then let it swing shut on its own, announcing her arrival with a whoosh and a click of the lock.
The voices went silent almost immediately and only when Maya walked into the room did she realize why.
Ria sat on the bed beside Joss who was holding her hand. Both girls had tears in their eyes and Ria had a black eye that made Maya's own face throb with empathy.
Maya breathed slowly as she sat beside Ria, "What happened?" She asked softly but what she really wanted to do was to scream and rant. She knew what had happened. Viren had hurt Ria. But for now she had to force herself to calm down and listen for Ria's sake.
"Somehow he suspected I'd been out of the room. I have no idea how."
"Did he find our room key?" asked Maya keeping her tone soft. She didn't want to upset Ria by sounding accusatory.
Ria shook her head. "No. He didn't touch my personal stuff. He was yelling about how he can never trust me. And said a few disgusting things, like I was a slut and there was only one thing I was good for. And then he started to hit me."
Joss shook her head then stood up and walked to the window. "Show her," she said as she stared out at the water, her voice dead.
Ria looked at Joss and hesitated, then she stood up and reached for the hem of the long overdress of her salwar kameez. Underneath, the drawstring pants was loosely tied and hung sadly on Ria's jutting hipbones.
Maya could see why she hadn't dared to tied the pants tighter. Her abdomen was adorned with blue and purple bruises. "How can you even walk with those injuries?" asked Maya. Ria let go of her clothing and looked up. And Maya saw the fresh bruises on her neck. The marks of fingers that had tried and failed to strangle her friend. "Oh, Ria." Maya's eyes filled with tears but they weren't sad ones. Vile fury filled her and she clenched her fists. She felt the burn in her palms and ignored it.
"Maya." Joss called her, a hint of warning in her voice.
<
br /> When Maya glanced at her, irritated, she saw that Joss was looking at her hands and realized how close she'd come to showing Ria her true power. She forced herself to calm down, to breath and tamp the fire back down. But she couldn't do anything about her anger. "I want to kill that bastard," she said, her voice vibrating with pure fury.
Ria laughed. "He's gone. No idea where. He left me in the room and grabbed his coat then left. That was just after lunch. I was unconscious for some of the time and when I woke up I figured it would be better to get the hell out of there before he got back. I took the stairs just in case."
"Smart thinking," said Maya, pointing at the bed. "Sit. You don't look strong enough to stand." Ria obeyed and for a moment Maya a felt ashamed. Viren would have ordered Ria around as well and Maya had just done the same thing. "Right so we need to get you out of the hotel without anyone seeing you."
"Easy enough," said Joss. When Maya and Ria looked at her she stalked stiffly to the closet and grabbed one of the Burqas Nik had gotten them. "This should do."
"Brilliant," said Maya, nodding. "You can wear that and leave the hotel. We can't be seen with you so you'll have to leave alone but we can sort that out soon enough. For now I need to make a call."
"Maya, who are you calling?" Ria asked her voice filled with panic and tears.
"Don't worry, it's just my Mom. I'm sure she'll know exactly what to do and where we can take you."
"You can't tell her, Maya."
Maya paused and glanced at her friend. Seeing the fear flickering in Ria's eyes she said, "Please. You have to trust me. If it will make you feel better I won't tell her who you are." Ria nodded and gave Maya a weak smile.
Maya pulling her phone from her pocket and called up her mom's number. She paced the floor, waiting for her mom to answer, praying they wouldn't already be on their plane.
And sighed with relief when Leela answered on the third ring.
"Maya, honey how are you all doing?" Her moms voice sounded weak and tinny.
"Not time to chat, Mom. Sorry."
"Okay, what do you need?" her mom replied all brisk and businesslike.
"I need a place to send someone. We met a friend here in Mumbai and we need to get her somewhere safe where her husband won't find her."
"Is she being abused?"
"Yes. Badly." Short and to the point.
"You can send her to the mountains, to the compound. They take many women who need safety and hope," said her mom. And for a moment Maya thought she heard a strange hitch in her voice, but she brushed the thought from her mind.
"That will be fine. Text me the address and we'll send here there ASAP."
"Why don't you wait for us, we're catching our flight in two hours. Can she wait for us to take her?"
"I'll make sure she waits. We'll have to figure a way to get her out of here without her being seen with us. We have a Burqa she can wear, but Joss and I can't be seen with her. Or Nik."
"Okay. We'll figure it out when we get there," said her Mom, the calm and comfort in her voice coming through the connection and settling over Maya like a warm blanket. "How is everything going there?"
"We hit a small snag but it's nothing major."
There was slight pause as her mom spoke with someone in the background. "Dad, says hello and be careful."
Maya laughed. "Same to you, Dad."
Her mom rang off and Maya sat next to Ria. "My parents are coming to Mumbai. They have seats on a flight leaving in a couple of hours. They should be here tomorrow."
"But Maya. They know me." Ria shook her head. "No. No, I don't want them to see me like this."
"Then, that's fine Ria, they won't see you," Maya kept her tone soothing and soft as she held Ria around the shoulders. "Wear the Burqa and just don't remove it while they're here."
Ria looked doubtful, her eyes searching Maya's face for something. Eventually she gave in and nodded. "I'm trusting you. I don't want them to know this happened to me."
"Ria. You do know this is nothing to be ashamed of, don't you? He did this to you. You don't deserve anything he's done to you."
Ria laughed. The sound bitter and harsh. "He didn't just abuse me. He used me too. Now, nobody will want to marry me."
Maya stared at Joss, horrified and unsure of what to say. It made sense though. Ria never mentioned a chaperon and usually an unmarried couple never went anywhere without someone to ensure the girl's honor.
"Oh, don't worry. He made sure it was all legitimate. We were married at the local courthouse as soon as he knew he was coming to Mumbai. My father couldn't have cared less. And my mother, well of course she wouldn't have been allowed to say anything. We were legally married before we left the States so that's all they cared to know."
"And here? Do his parents not care about your well-being?"
Ria shrugged. "His mother is probably in the same position as I am. The most they did was send a doctor to make sure I was one some sort of contraception. Which of course I'd have to stop once the wedding is over. Can't do anything to prevent the babies from coming." Ria laughed again and then she started to cry.
And Maya wanted to cry with her. Instead she swallowed her own tears and just held Ria while she shed hers.
After a few moments, she patted Ria's back. "Wanna have a soak in the tub? Or a hot shower?"
Ria smiled. "A soak sounds good."
"Hungry?" When Ria hesitated Maya said, "We didn't each much so I'm going to order something from room service. Look at the menu and pick something. You need to eat."
"And there is one other thing I think we need to do," said Joss
"What's that?"
"We need photos." Joss looked at Ria, sadness clear in her eyes.
Ria stared at her, all emotion and color draining from her already pale face. "No way. I'm not allowing you to do that."
Maya nodded and turned to her. "I think it's a good idea. Then you have proof of what happened."
"No." Her response was short and sharp, meant to end the conversation but Maya wasn't done. Even when she saw the glint of tears in Ria's eyes.
"Okay, fine. So what happens if they find you here? Kill you and bury you body out in the desert. How does anyone ensure that he gets punished if something were to happen to you or to us?"
"Maya," Joss admonished, shocked at her audacity.
"No, Joss, Maya has a point." Ria sighed as she looked at Maya. "You're right. We need some sort of insurance." She got to her feet and began to undress, pulling the long top of her salwar kameez over her head.
Joss and Maya were much more comfortable taking their clothes off around each other but Ria had always been on the shy side. So, watching their friend disrobe was a strange experience especially when her bare skin revealed the extent of her suffering.
She stood there in her plain white underwear and said, "This is the best you're getting. I am not stripping." She gave them a wry smile, and Maya loved her even more for her strength in the face of dealing with this horror.
Maya stood and said, "I don't think you will need to go as far as that. You ready?" she asked as she got out her phone. Ria nodded although her face remained pale, putting the purple bruises on her cheek and eye into start contrast. "Okay, turn around. Let's start with the back." Maya instructed, thinking it would be better to ease Ria into the pictures.
Ria obeyed and turned away and Maya snapped a few pictures of her bare back and thighs, patterned with bruises and marks. "Okay, turn back when you're ready." When she faced her Maya said, "I'm taking pictures of you which include your face. We need to prove these images are really of you and having your face in the picture is important. Are you ready for this?"
For a moment a stricken look crossed Ria's face and Maya waited, giving her friend as much time as she needed. In the end, it was Ria's decision to make. Ria looked from Maya to Joss and then back again. Then she nodded, although her eyes filled with tears. Joss handed her a tissue and Maya waited while she dried her eyes.
Maya took a
few pictures of Ria from head to toe, then snapped a few of the specific bruises on her stomach and her throat. It was over quickly and Maya shut the phone off and tucked it into her pocket. "I'll download that to my PC when I get home and we'll know we have the proof just in case."
Ria nodded and gave both her friends a weak smile then headed into the bathroom. They watched her turn on the taps and then return and curl up on the bed to wait for it to fill. The girls chatted about school and home and nothing until the tub filled and Ria headed into the steam engulfed bathroom.
Maya and Joss headed over to Nik's room to give her some privacy.
Chapter 37
Nik let them in, and went to his jacket which was folded and thrown over the back of an armchair. He withdrew the notepaper containing Archana's number from one of the pockets and stood still for a moment, staring at the green Post-it.
"You calling her?" asked Maya softly, trying her best to keep the hard edge out of her voice. Just the mere thought of the Apsara sent a million icy prickles racing along her skin. There was just something about the girl that Maya couldn't put her finger on.
Nik nodded and didn't seem to notice Maya's misgivings. "She did ask for our help."
"Yeah, but I wouldn't trust her if I were you," Maya said, folding her arms as she sank into the armchair, preferring not to look at him in that moment.
Nik came around and sat on the foot of the bed, just in front of Maya. "You sound jealous," he said, an amused grin curling at his lip.
"Who's Archana? And who is Maya jealous of?" Joss butted in, frowning as she sat beside Nik.
Maya turned to look out the window, leaving Nik to give Joss the rundown of the evenings events. When he fell into silence, Joss snorted. "I agree with Maya. You need to watch yourself. She's sounds like she does have the hots for you."
Nik shook his head, "I really don't think so. She's just desperate to get out of that demon's control."
