DARE THE DEVIL

A lingering touch

HUMAN WORLD

Maddie sighed heavily when she entered Sloan’s car and shut the door. Yet another day was over, the job for the day gone with it. Yet, she felt more drained than she had felt for months.

“Are you okay?” Sloan stole a glance at her, seeing the troubled look on her face.

“Are you okay?” Maddie pouted, giving her a look a child would bear. Of course, they couldn’t be okay and Sloan knew that. Her shoulder slumped and she gave out a loud sigh as well and roared the engine into life.

“She will be fine,” she drove into the road, keeping a straight face as much as possible. Maybe, it would help her feel more confident, just maybe, it was going to help her feel better about the whole thing.

“It’s been days now, Sloan,” Maddie mumbled, turning to the window to take a view of the city. Her heart was aching more than it should and she was worried beyond reasoning for a friend who she wouldn’t mind beating up one day.

Aziza had been unconscious for three days and it was beginning to get them worried. After the incident with the fire, she had drank from Maddie and had fallen unconscious immediately after. It was disheartening and confusing and the fact that they could do absolutely nothing but wait according to Russel’s final words before he fell unconscious as well, made it even harder.

“It’s all their fault, you know.” Maddie placed her hand at the nape of her neck, feeling the plaster on her skin that reminded her of what it was like being sucked dry.

“Those damn Roxwell had put her in danger, made her lose it and now she is unconscious while they go around, telling lies of how they were almost assassinated by Aziza.” She gritted her teeth, remembering the events of the past few days. While they had been worried that the fire caused by Aziza might have killed her mate’s parents, it turned out that it didn’t. They were safe, too safe, so safe. Which was confusing as not a burn was on their skin, not a bruise, not a scar. Nothing. No one knew how they escaped and it was a relief that they did. Damon was missing and just in case he returned, it would be terrible to find out that his mate killed his parents.

However, Maddie bore a grudge against them. The kind that made her tighten her hands into a fist at the mention of their name. They escaped Aziza’s fire, they were safe and should be grateful. It was a mistake of theirs anyway, they had been the ones to make the mighty Aziza angry. Yet they weren’t. Instead, they went about, telling the media that an assassination attempt was made on their life. They conveyed to the news that the bodies found in their building were simply that of guards, efficient guards who had come to their rescue when Aziza came for them.

Their friend was wanted way more than before, since she had attempted murder on such powerful men of the state and they were being watched, interrogated, monitored like some criminals who had committed a serious atrocity. While all this happened, their beloved friend was unconscious and the Roxwell’s were gaining the sympathy and support of the people while Aziza was seen as a vile thing, an alien, a witch and more. They wanted her to be burned in a stake.

“Just let them be, for now would you?” Sloan let out a sigh.

“Aziza should be our priority now. She would handle those treacherous beings when she wakes up.”

“If she wakes up,” Maddie commented. Sloan immediately stepped on the break, receiving a blow that was not intended and the honking of angry cars behind her. Her heart skipped a mile and fear overwhelmed her.

“The doctors or hospitals can’t take care of her. Russel who might have been our best shot at this is unconscious and recuperating. We don’t know if her situation is dire or not and….”

“Don’t say that,” Sloan snapped. Her eyes raging with fear and anger. Car honks followed, snapping them out of their world. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the road, seeing as she was cursing a major disturbance and stepped on the accelerator.

“Aziza has been through hell and back. Fighting for her life and survival as a child, sacrificing her happiness for her mate, keeping him safe from danger…”

“And being a total b***h,” Maddie added. Sloan chuckled, nodding her head in agreement.

“she is, isn’t she?” her heart warmed up and the thought of their bitchy friend left a beautiful feeling within.

“But she is our b***h now and she is way too strong to simply…” she paused looking for the word to complete her statement.

“Well, nothing is going to happen to her. We still haven’t found Damon, yet. Do you think she can give up so easily?” she lifted her shoulders, proudly and confidently. Nothing could happen to her and it was that belief they had to hold on to. Maddie shook her head, taking that confidence from Sloan’s tone and taking it in.

“She is going to be fine,” she repeated and nodded her head in agreement.

The ride became quiet for a while but the atmosphere wasn’t so tense and clouded. They had been too worried for Aziza, but felt better after their reassuring words. Maddie’s phone beeped after a few minutes and she turned to the text. A smile caressed her lips at the sight of the caller ID and she turned to Sloan.

“I think we will be having a guest today.” Sloan opened her mouth, with her eyes ajar to ask what she meant. But the knowing look in Maddie’s eyes made a smile caress her lips. She turned back to the road.

“About time,” she commented.

“Have you sent him the address yet?” Sloan asked as she turned a corner.

“He says he knows the place and would get in discreetly.” Madly dropped her phone and smiled again. They hadn’t had allies for a long time and she was happy seeing one again.

“Hey…” just as they reminisced about the emotions in their heart, a voice echoed in their heads at the same time. Sloan frowned, her upturned eyes furrowing, but she shook it off.

“Hey…” The voice came again, this time higher, though it sounded tired. She turned to Maddie whose face was tight and cold, then back to the road.

“It’s in my head….” Her thoughts whispered and once again she shook it off. For a while longer, she heard nothing and breathed in heavily.

“That was weird,” Maddie mumbled to her. Before she could ask her what she meant, the voice came again.

“Stop being stupid, will you?” This time louder, fiercer. Sloan matched on the break again and threw them forward.

“Sloan…” Maddie yelled. It was the second time and she was not willing to die yet.

“Did you hear that?” Sloan turned to her. Her eyes wide and confused.

“Hear what?” Maddie furrowed her eyes, wondering if it was the exact thing she was hearing. But it couldn’t be. Seeing the look on her face, Sloan shook her head, refusing to believe that she heard something. She would be seen like she was going mad. Maddie wouldn’t believe her, she couldn’t tell her.

“Nothing…” She turned back to the road. Took a deep breath and started the car again.

“Tell me, did you hear something?” Maddie asked, refusing to take that answer. She heard a voice too and needed to confirm if she was losing her mind or not.

“What no…”

“Wait…did you?” A voice let out a loud groan in their head at that point. Their hearts skipped and they all went still.

“I can’t believe the both of you can’t recognize my voice.”

“Aziza…” they both screamed, slightly perplexed, slightly happy, slightly relieved.

“Come home soon,” she entered and they could just picture her rolling her eyes.

“Get me something edible. You left no food here and I think I grew a hole in my stomach,” she added. Excitement danced in their eyes and face and a reasonable glow radiated from them. The smile on their face was one in a million and it just kept broadening.

“So that’s what it's like,” Maddie mumbled, jamming her lips together. They had been so jealous of Russel who Aziza could speak to from anywhere, without a phone or text.

“What do you think she would want?” Sloan asked Maddie. Maddie turned to her and shook her head as she bounced and smiled like she won a lottery.

“Pizza…”

“Eww…no…”

“We are getting it for Aziza. Not you, you pizza freak,” she protested.

“She likes pizza too…”Maddie pouted.

“Yeah ofcourse…” she stole a glance at her nodding her head, waving her off.

“It's true…” Maddie hated that look she gave her.

“Ofcourse, ofcourse…” Sloan nodded her head again, refusing to protest.

“I mean it….”

“I am not protesting,” she chuckled. Maddie snapped her mouth shut at that instant and flashed her a glare. She felt stupid.

“Come on, we would get pizza if you want that too. But she needs real food. We need real food. Come on, when was the last time we had something nice for dinner?” Maddie jammed her lips together, knowing she was speaking right.

“How about the French quarter, there is a famous restaurant there known for their beignants. You like that, don’t you?” Sloan’s voice rang with excitement and ecstasy.

“We can get etouffee or sandwiches or oysters. It’s been a while since I had those…” she licked her lips, salivating over the thoughts of foods in her head.

“Hmmm,” Maddie sighed, seeing the light in her eyes as she spoke. She was no longer sure if her excitement was because Aziza was awake or if it was simply because of food.

Nonetheless, Sloan did a revise back and towards the French quarter she went. It was further away from where they lived or where they had gotten initially but she was persistent. They found a public parking lot and stepped down. Almost immediately, the life and light that radiated from the streets that glowed and revealed a certain charm and night life that possessed it hit them.

Maddie sighed at the sight and Sloan smiled broadly, loving the French quarter even more.

“Come on…” she intertwined her arms with Maddie’s and pulled her along, ignoring her clear reluctance. She followed, knowing she could not stop Sloan from doing what she wanted but it didn’t stop her discomfort. With sharp and wary eyes, she looked twice at every stranger, every gathering, every artist, every bicycle rider. It was a populated place and the genuine smile and life just made her uncomfortable.

“Isn't this place lovely?” Sloan breathed in heavily, taking the air it gave. Matched with marble stones as ancient as time, the french quarter felt different, magical even. With houses built in two, three stories and clothes hanging in long lines. Restaurants at every corner and people outside having lovely and chatty meals. Decorations were being made at every corner and poles while kids rehearsed a dance routine at a corner.

“It is,”

“For you,” Maddie responded.

“Stop being a downer,” Sloan glared at her.

“Oh, you should know I am not the black sheep of this family of ours,” the other grinned in response. Finding so much joy in whipping Sloan’s silly smile away from her face.

“Oh, no, you are not. Aziza is,”

“You are the grey sheep.” Sloan retorted and pulled her arm away from her hold.

“What?”Maddie’s eyes widened.

“You know, no life, no light, no happiness, no joy. Just dull moments. Grey…” Sloan grinned at the look of bewilderment on her face. Then something caught her eyes. An artist whose drawing was very similar to something she had seen. Before Maddie could protest, she walked past her and started towards the little stand that had lots of portraits, sketch and drawings.

Maddie glared at her back as she walked. Her eyes burned with annoyance and anger. When someone bumped into her, almost pushing her to the ground. Losing her footing, she leaned over, almost hitting the ground when a cold hand grabbed her arm and another by her neck, pulling her up before she could hit the ground. The coldness of the touch made her shiver and left a cold and dark feeling crawling up her spines as she regained her footing. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed hard.

“Thank yo….” She turned around to thank her saviour. Only to find no one, nothing but empty space. Her heart skipped and for a moment, she thought it was simply in her head. But the lingering feeling of the cold touch on her neck told her otherwise.