A Deal with the Devil

Dating the Dead

Maya couldn’t help but notice the way the waitress, and any other woman in the vicinity, seemed to stare and fawn over Cillian. He seemed oblivious to it, but certainly a man of his stature noticed it. Maya had to admit that Cillian was attractive. He was tall and muscular, but not to the point where it became odd. She wouldn’t call him a body builder, but clearly he went to the gym. He had a nice jawline and a close trimmed beard.

Control yourself, Maya, she thought. A man like that was just being polite to someone like her. Or he was attaching his grief to someone who experienced a similar type. Either way, it was impossible to think Cillian was actually into her the way Chloe thought.

“So you’re still in town then,” Maya said awkwardly.

“Um, yes, I’m actually thinking of staying for a little bit,” Cillian lied. He didn’t know why he said that. He wasn’t going to stay in Boston. He might come and go between here and his home, but that was it.

“Do you have a job here in the city?” Maya asked. She didn’t know how to politely ask what he did for a living. She knew his deceased wife was a lawyer, so maybe he worked in law as well.

“Not exactly,” Cillian answered.

“What is it you do for a living?” Maya asked bluntly.

Cillian hesitated. How do you explain to a human that you’re in charge of an entire pack. If he said mayor then it wouldn’t make sense that he was staying in Boston. “I’m in politics,” he said with some hesitation.

Maya raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t always like to tell people,” Cillian lied, trying to smooth over his awkward response. “People equate politics with liars and cheats, so usually I try to not say.” He laughed quietly. “Maddy was a lawyer, so she understood.”

Maya smiled slightly. “I’m sure,” she agreed. “Well, I’m sure there are a few honest politicians somewhere. Maybe you’re one of them.”

Nice, Cillian thought dismally. He was f*****g this up already.

******

“You’re missing the best parts!” Persephone shouted from her seat on the sofa.

Hades sighed and left his desk to attend to his wife. While he was interested in this bet of theirs, his wife was more than entertained by watching the lives of Madison and Cillian using the crystals he had given her to watch her mother all those centuries ago. The crystals allowed Persephone to see the mortal world in real time, thus allowing her some connection to her family, which had long since passed away. She now used them for her “pet projects” as she called them. People she watched over and helped from time to time. Lost souls she wanted to helped. Now, however, she watched Cillian and Madison as if their lives were a soap opera.

“What did I miss?” Hades asked, taking a seat next to his wife.

“Madison asked Cillian on a date,” Persephone said excitedly. “I told you they’d end up together!”

“Her name is Maya now,” Hades pointed out.

“Oh, whatever. The point is they’re going out to lunch, and they’re going to fall in love again,” Persephone said with a smirk. “I knew it!”

“What’s the saying about chickens and eggs, love?” Hades asked.

“Oh posh,” Persephone replied. “These two were made for each other. Fate did not bring them together just for her awful little rat of a brother to kill her.”

“I believe she killed him as well,” Hades mused.

“That girl suffered so much, Hades. Why couldn’t she have had a happy life?”

“The world doesn’t work like that, love. You know that,” Hades said with a sigh. “Madison Beck was supposed to die in that battle to save the Crescent Moon Pack. If she hadn’t, The Commission would have continued to hunt her down, and they would have destroyed the pack. Sacrifices had to be made.”

Persephone sighed. “It just isn’t fair,” she replied, looking back at the projection of Maya and Cillian in the restaurant. “The world asks too much of some people.”

Hades wondered if Persephone was thinking about Madison now or herself. He knew she sometimes longed to go to the mortal world and live a human life. She had been distraught for centuries after her mother had died. Inconsolable was the word. Hades had tried everything, but the only thing that had worked was allowing Persephone to adopt lost children as her pet projects. When Madison Beck had first visited the Underworld, Persephone had been overjoyed. A living human girl who was unafraid of demons! She had become quite attached to the girl and invested in her well-being. It was this interest that fueled the bet now.

Madison and Cillian had enjoyed a romance that few could rival, and watching that unfold had brought Persephone much joy. Madison’s death was quite a blow, but fate had its reasons, as Hades always said. Fate, however, could be fickle. Hades had proven that when he allowed Madison to come back to life. Granted, his magic only allowed her to do so in a limited way at the moment. Madison’s body was gone, burned on a pyre. She now inhabited the body of another dead woman, one who's soul had found its way to the underworld. Hades had kept Madison's memories, however, deciding that allowing them would cause too many problems. It was best to create a new life for her, and so the new Maya was born. Maya had memories of a husband who had died a violent death not long before her own. Maya had a career and degree she used in the human world. Maya, in many ways, was similar to Madison, in both age and education. Hades had just changed memories and bodies.

“They are a good couple though,” Persephone remarked. “In either variation.”

Hades simply nodded. He didn’t quite care to be honest. This was for his wife.

“I think Maddy was stronger and offset Cillian nicely there, but Maya’s personality gives him someone to protect,” Persephone mused. “Although I suppose once they fall in love, the spell breaks and Maddy gets her memories back and Cillian will know who she is, so really this relationship,” she gestured to Cillian and Maya, “is nothing but a means to an end.”

“You’re assuming they will fall in love,” Hades pointed out.

Persephone laughed. “They will,” she said adamantly. “You know very little of love, dear. These two would cross any boundary to be together.”

“True love requires complete honesty,” Hades replied. “Cillian has to show her who he really is, and I don’t think Maya can handle that. Not without Maddy’s memories.”

Persephone thought about that for a few moments. He did have a point. Humans didn’t know about werewolves and the supernatural, so Cillian revealing himself to Maya would be dangerous and detrimental. Perhaps she was putting too much hope in their budding relationship. After all, what sane person would be able to handle a supernatural lover? Certainly not someone as logical as Maya. The odds were stacked against them, yet Persephone still held out hope. She needed to believe in their love because if Madison and Cillian couldn’t make it work than what hope was there for anyone else in the world?

**************

“This place has excellent vegan tacos,” Maya remarked as she and Cillian looked at the menu. She didn’t know why she said that. She sounded stupid talking about vegan tacos. She was trying to make conversation, but she felt tongue-tied and awkward. It was like puberty all over again. She couldn’t even remember what it felt like to be on a date. Not that she wanted to count this as a date. She was simply out to lunch with a friend. Well, she had only met him once before so maybe “friend” was a bit far-fetched.

“Are you vegan?” Cillian asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Vegetarian,” Maya corrected. “Don’t worry though, I don’t judge meat-eaters,” she added with a slight laugh.

Great, Cillian thought dismally. The human girl he seemed inexplicably drawn to didn’t eat meat. That was unheard of in the werewolf community. They were hunters. Could he and Maya be any different?

“I only say that because people always think they need to order something without meat after I say that, but honestly, it doesn’t bother me,” Maya continued. It was only then that Cillian realized he hadn’t replied.

“Oh, um, I’ll try the vegan tacos as well,” he said. “I’ve never had anything vegan or vegetarian actually. I’m a meat and potatoes person.”

“I bet,” Maya said before she could stop herself.

Cillian raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry,” Maya said hurriedly. “I just meant you looked like someone who worked out a lot and most men think they need meat based protein to build muscle. I’m going to stop now,” she said with a sigh.

Cillian chuckled. He liked Maya. He liked the way her cheeks got red when she was embarrassed and the way she spoke what was on her mind without regard for what people thought, even if she didn’t mean to.

“I’ll admit, I do need the protein,” Cillian said. “I’m not opposed to alternatives though.” Yes you are, his wolf said in the back of his mind. He’d still try it for Maya though, and when the vegan tacos came they did look and taste good.

“So? Not bad, right?” Maya said with a grin after they had eaten.

“I’ll admit, it wasn’t bad,” Cillian agreed with a laugh. In truth, it hadn’t been. It had been different, but not bad. Perhaps he felt drawn to Maya because she was different. Was that so bad?