Strange words

Lucian's POV

"Maya!" I called out, surprised at what she'd just done.

"Hi, brother" she grinned

"Why the fuck! You didn't have to hit her that way."

She pushed her hip out, resting her weight on one leg in that casual pose of hers, waving her fingernails dismissively. "You can make the pain go away after erasing her memory."

"And don't call me brother…" I added

"What then do you want me to call you?" She clasped her hands behind her back, steeping closer and tilted her head to look up at me.

At 5'6" to my 6'3", she looked like a child staring up at me. But Maya was no child, 138 years old and still youthful because of the Eternis root she'd consumed decades ago.

This was Maya, stubborn as a mule and twice as dangerous. I'd pulled her from the brink of death once, and she'd been shadowing me like a lost puppy ever since. I'd abandoned her for the past 35 years while undergoing punishment (which was fifty thousand years there) and chose not to contact her, but she always finds me.

"Not brother," I muttered, pushing past her to kneel beside Selene. My fingers hovered over her still form, checking for injuries.

Maya's voice turned serious behind me. "Damien has grown much more powerful," she said, I guess she watched everything.

I scooped Selene into my arms, her head lolling against my chest, and started toward the parking lot. Her hair smelled nice like vanilla.

"Why are you following me, Maya?"

"I missed you, you know!" she responded, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Terribly"

I didn't dignify that with a response, but Maya never needed encouragement to keep talking.

"You always fall for the humans, don't you?" She skipped beside me like this was all some grand adventure.

"I'm not in love, and she's just a kid," I found myself shouting.

"Age is just a number." She laughed

"Go away, Maya"

"Can't do that. I've been hunting you down for ages." She spun around to walk backward in front of me, arms spread wide. "Do you have any idea how hard you are to track when you actually try?"

My steps faltered. "How did you find me?"

That Cheshire cat grin widened. "Trade secret. Oh, and did you read my letter?"

"No."

"If I were you, I'd read it soon."

"What's in the letter?" But she was already dancing away from the question, literally spinning in circles as we walked.

Maybe I had missed the kid a little.

"Getting enrolled here was almost too easy. Humans are so gullible about paperwork…" She chattered on about forged documents and compelled administrators until we reached my car.

I settled Selene in the passenger seat, her face peaceful in sleep. But my mind kept circling back to what she'd said earlier, about the incident at the parking lot, I had erased her memory of our encounter completely, how come she remembered.

"I think she remembers what happened," I said, more to myself than to Maya.

Maya peered over my shoulder with curiosity. "What happened?"

"She's seen me before, once, and I erased her memory, but it seemed it'd come back somehow"

"How's that possible?"

"I don't know. Maybe my powers are getting weak."

"Even if they are, erasing a memory should be permanent for demons," Maya said, examining her. "Well, she does look like she has stubborn blood. You should erase her memories now before she wakes up."

I let out the heavy sigh I'd been holding. I didn't know if I should make her forget or not, but making her forget seemed like the safest option.

"Why are you hesitant? She might wake up any moment, and you don't want your precious student feeling pain in her head when she does."

"Cut that crap, Maya. She's just a student, my student."

"Your student." Maya's grin could have lit up the parking lot. "How territorial of you."

I ignored her and placed my palms against Selene's temples, closing my eyes to focus. Her skin was warm and soft.

Then she spoke suddenly.

"You left me when I needed you the most." The words came out low, barely a whisper.

I stared at her, surprised. Was she sleep-talking?

"She's sleep-talking. I want to hear this," Maya stepped closer, hoping for entertainment. Everything was fun to her.

"You said you loved me, Drax," Selene said louder this time, making me flinch and pull my hands away from her face.

The only person who had ever called me Drax was Selene Adragon, my former lover.

"Maybe she dated someone called Drax," Maya whispered behind me. She knew nothing about Selene Adragon.

"Time's running out, Lucian."

I didn't answer. I was deep in thought, still in shock. Maybe Maya was right, it could be a coincidence. I regained my composure and placed my hands back on Selene's face. Looking at her sleeping so peacefully made me smile despite myself. She was truly beautiful, and for a moment, I felt the urge to kiss her.

Focus. I closed my eyes and let my power flow through my fingertips, carefully extracting the last hour from her memory. Then I placed my hand on the back of her head where Maya had struck her, drawing out the pain.

I checked her injured arm and saw the wound was healing fast, even faster than I'd expected after my touch.

"Can you help me take care of her?"

"You see? I'm useful after all. I'm always useful." Maya's entire face lit up

"Tell her she fainted when she wakes up, and that you found her."

"Sure thing."

"And there's a party tomorrow. Just for tomorrow…" She knew what I meant and chuckled.

"You're adorable when you're being protective."

I shot her another deadly glare.

"Nah," she waved her hands dismissively. "That scary face stopped working on me about fifty years ago."

"Thank you," I said quietly, the words barely audible.

Maya's expression softened, "Anything for you, brother."

Then that annoying grin was back, and I remembered exactly why I'd avoided her for years.

I gathered Selene back into my arms, The faculty lounge would be empty at this hour, most professors had long since gone home, and the cleaning staff wouldn't start their rounds until midnight.

Maya held the door open with exaggerated courtesy as I carried Selene inside. The room smelled of stale coffee and old books.

I settled her onto the leather couch near the window, adjusting her position so she looked naturally asleep rather than unconscious.

Maya had already claimed the armchair across from us, legs tucked under her like a cat. "She really is pretty," she mused, tilting her head. "I can see why you're—"

Selene's eyelids fluttered. A soft sound escaped her lips, not quite a word.

I was gone before her eyes could open, using every ounce of supernatural speed I possessed. The last thing I saw was Maya leaning forward with practiced concern, already slipping into her role as the helpful student who'd found her collapsed classmate.