Way Down We Go

Chapter 8

Rory couldn't absorb all of what he was saying. But, one part stuck out in particular.

"This person, who can help," She said slowly, "Did you talk to them before you talked to me? Before you told me you were suspicious of what I am, did you tell this person?"

"Well, I--"

She held up a hand. "You and I, Asa, are going to get one thing straightened out right the fuck now. I don't care if you are the demon-est of all the demons, the most powerful mana wielder to ever wield mana, it doesn't matter. If you want to attack me like a Rubik's Cube, you need to tell me. If you're running off to your realm to talk to people about me, clear that with me first. We can figure this out, together. Got it?"

Whatever he had expected, that had not been it. Shock was written all over his handsome face, and for once, he had both eyebrows risen, not just one.

Asa moved closer to her, and said very slowly and carefully, "Rory, I apologize. I should have told you my suspicions. I thought, originally, that you were just an unusually strong human. But without thinking, I gave you my power. And you were able to hold it. At that moment I was afraid for your safety, and it took me a moment to fully comprehend what that meant. You cannot simply be human. For the sake of transparency, my contact in the demon realm believes you to be half demon or half mage. I would need to give him a sample of your blood to know for sure. It's why I was short with you earlier today, and again, I'm sorry. I wasn't sure how to go about getting it or asking for it without telling you why."

She stared into his eyes. Through the black, she could see his sincerity.

"Can I come with you? When you give it to him? Is he-"

"No," Asa shook his head, "He's in the demon realm." He waited another moment, then asked, "Will you let me take it to him?"

"Why do you care so much?" Rory asked. "You can leave here, go home, whatever. This seems like an awful lot of work on your part. I cannot imagine you spend your days, normally, hanging around humans, so why?"

Asa smiled again. "You said it yourself. Though, I wouldn't phrase it as you did. You're a puzzle, and one I want to solve."

"There are lots of mysteries in the world," she said. "You make it sound like I'm a shiny new toy or something."

"If you want to think that, that's on you. That's neither what I said, nor what I meant."

"I'm just, I'm just finding this all a bit hard to believe, all right?" she snapped back at him.

"I'm enjoying that you are more confused by my fascination with what you are than you are by the fact that you are a part of my world."

She shook her head. "After all we've done, even in the last couple of hours, telling me that there is an explanation for why I'm able to do this, I'm appreciative. I do want to know why I see things others don't. If you can give me that answer, then I want it."

He moved closer to her, a sparkle of something in his eyes.

"Can I ask you something now?"

"Sure."

"You were acting oddly, after the trance. I thought it was because you had no memory of what had happened, that it would feel like you'd blacked out. Clearly, that was not the case. So, were you worried then? Why wouldn't you tell me?"

She gaped at him. She hadn't been acting all that weird, had she?

No, you were just still lost in thoughts about his damn lips on yours. The evil, unwanted thought popped into her head.