Master Maker

Chapter 17 - Deal with the Devil

I had been spending more and more time being at the lake house than I had at my own house. I could still remember the fight my mother and I had, had a few days ago, where she had basically told me that she was going to rent out my room seeing as I was no longer using it. Amanda and Justin were becoming the only interactions I was having with people other than Lucis. I had noticed that even while at the campus, I lost my temper easily with people, over the most simple things.

Not To mention that Greg was becoming the biggest thorn in my side, and he wasn’t even with me anymore. Over the last few days, he would find any reason to try to talk to me. I had eventually lost my patience and told him that I’d stab him with a pencil the next time he had spoken to me. I couldn’t take his puppy dog face he made when trying to talk me out of, well, anything lately.

News of Keith’s death had made headlines in the news, everyone and I mean everyone knew about, even people who had no idea who he was, knew about it. some girls had helped, whatever her damn name was, set up a memorial shrine to I’m on the sidewalk near the campus gates. Every day anew group of girls would there, bringing candles and teddies and whatever else they thought was appropriate. As sad as it was I made it a point to show that it affected me very little. So little in fact that I had been called heartless a few times in the last week.

“Can I just say here, and play?”

“play, you going to go on an adventure without me?”

“you can stay with me”

“I have somethings to do today little Demon” he looked back at me while tying his shoe. I huffed and pouted my lips. He looked back at what he was doing and laughed softly to himself.

“you know” he snickered “you could come with me”

“well, what do you have to do?”

“I need to close a deal” I got up onto my knees crossing my arms,

“and having me with you would help you how exactly?” I frowned at him, before getting up and walking into the cupboard. Lucis had basically cleared out the one side of it, that now held a lot of my clothes, new clothes.

“that” Lucis said a little too calmly. He stood against the wall, his hands in his pockets “that crazy new attitude that you have picked up”

“And who pray- tell, said I picked it up, I have always had it, just been too much of a goody-two-shoes” I grabbed a pair of jeans and a white top, and a white bra, slowly getting dressed, making sure that Lucis had a good view of me. I looked back in the mirror, watching how he swallowed as his eyes wandered over my movements.

“I’ll go with,” I said looking up at him as I slipped on a white high heel onto my foot, “but” I trailed off, putting on the other and started to apply makeup to my  face

“but,” he asked, his voice horse

“but” I smacked  my lips together “it's going to cost you” I turned and walked up to him,

“oh, “ he said keeping his eyes on my face as I got closer to him

“a lot” I winked and walked away towards the door of the room.

We had been in the car for close to an hour, the route that Lucis was taking was completely unfamiliar to me and in the opposite direction to anything that I knew.

“so what deal are we closing?” I finally asked breaking the silence that was overrunning the atmosphere in the car

“a gentleman is interested in the game, and seeing as we are going out the beta part of it might as well get more people sponsoring it”

“what do you need me to do”

“Smile and wave” Lucis smiled

“seriously? Smile and wave” I raised an eyebrow at him, he glanced at me quickly and looked back to the road

“Okay fine, you are one of three women that are currently playing, we need to convince this guy that woman can have just as much fun”

“soo like the fact that having an all guys team wouldn’t help on some quests like the when we in the Forest of the Dead”

“exactly”

“how do you know it's only three?”

“you have to upload a photo to the database don’t you?”

“oh,” I looked out the window watching as the world sped by. Lucis put his hand on my thigh and squeezed it slightly. I took his hand in mine and brought it up to my mouth, softly kissing his knuckles, he pulled his hand away and placed a box in my lap a few seconds later. I picked it up and held it up to him frowning.

“I need you to put it on” I frowned at the little box opened it and inside sat a red jewel set in a ring.

“what the hell for?” I said, sounding more outraged than I meant to.

“trust me?” it wasn’t a statement I could hear the question in his voice, he swallowed hard as I stared at the ring. I pouted my lips to the side taking the ring out and siding it onto my ring finger

“you know its bad luck right” I hissed at him while holding my hand out in front of me.

“I don’t, and trust me, you will soon find out why it is necessary.

Unknown

He watched as the young couple walked into the restaurant, he immideltly who the man was, however the woman he had never seen before. She was stunning though. his mind went to places that he knew it shouldn’t.

“good morning” the man outstretched his hand. He took it, cringing at the coldness of the man’s skin on his.

“Lucis, I believe,” he said looking him in the eyes, as young as this man was he still seemed to command respect “and who is this lovely creature” Lucis face changed for a fraction of a second, it wasn’t long enough for the man to catch what emotion he had shown

“My wife,” Lucis said in a low intimidating voice. The woman looked up at him, not surprised by what he said instead she looked amused

“that’s a shame,” he said to Lucis but his eyes were on her “does this wife of yours have a name?”

“Lilith” she held at her hand, her voice was like music sent from the angels. The man didn't take her hand instead he gave an awkward bow and sat back down

“Please,” he said gesturing to the two to sit “let's talk business”

Having the woman here was extremely distracting but, then again that is probably what he wanted. But there was no way for him to know that exactly. He took a dee[p breath trying to focus on what Lucis was saying to him.

“it’s a game,” he asked looking Lucis dead in the eye, he felt slightly insulted.

“one that feels like it happing” Lucis didn’t answer it was his wife’s voice, its silky-soft sound filling his ears,

“is that so” his interest suddenly peaking, she didn’t answer this time but she did give a wide smile. It was Lucis that answered, explain how exactly the game worked. The way Lucis spoke almost made him feel like he was going into a trace, one that he felt would be impossible to resist for long.

“and you can guarantee people will go for it”

“oh trust me, they will sell their souls to play,” Lucis said sitting back in his chair with a smirk on his face.

Throughout the whole meeting with the old man, I noticed that he looked more at me than he had Lucis. Lucis’ hand was constantly on mine if it was on the table or he would hold I his own and kiss my knuckles softly, all the while keeping the converstation going. By the end I was bored to death, I had hardly had to speak, just my presence seemed to have this creepy old man hooked on the idea of investing in Master Maker.

When we arrived back at the lake house there as a car parked in the driveway. a lady stepped out of the car and walked up to the driver's side of the car. Frowning Lucis opened the door, almost smacking her in the face.

“can I help you”

‘I’m looking for the owner” she said pointing to the house

‘that would be me”

“oh great” she bit her bottom lip and looking Lucis up and down “he didn’t mention that you were good looking.” I got out of the car, loudly clearing my throat. She looked my way lazily and looked back at Lucis taking in a deep breath

“Mr. Sanchez sent me to hand you this personally,” she said holding up a thick brown envelope

“great,” he said snatching it “now leave”