Ch.20 Bleeding heart

Chapter 20

"Why do you want the ophiotaurus?" Ali asked as he leaned back on the armchair in the study. Heyder's research was sprawled out in front of him as the other jinn sat across from him.

"It's the price to break my curse," Heyder said as his eyes scanned the papers in his hand.

"Have you kissed her yet?"

"No, of course not," Heyder scuffed.

"Wow, how did you manage to do that?" Ali started to chuckle. "You could never keep it in your pants before."

Heyder couldn't help but crack a smile. He sat the paper down and copied Ali by leaning back leisurely in his chair. With his head placed back, Heyder stared up at the ceiling. How could he ever begin to explain why he wasn't rushing with Maya? Something was just different this time around. There wasn't an immediate sense of doom or an hourglass in front of his eyes with the sands of time rushing through the little hole.

Heyder knew she was it. With every cell in his body he knew Maya was the one he had been waiting for. She was always his, even before he had even set his eyes on her. He had to do this right for her. But until he fixed everything, he couldn't let himself slip up. And with Maya around, slipping up would be so easy.....

In front of the door, Heyder's lack of response to Ali's question had sent a completely different message to Maya who was about to walk into the room. She felt her stomach twist in an uncomfortable way as images of Roy and Willow kissing on that ugly yellow couch flashes before her eyes.

"Like I said," Maya frowned from the doorway. "He doesn't want to sleep with me."

Ali and Heyder turned to look at the witch as she walked in. Her blonde hair was thrown up into a knot and her beautiful blue eyes were clouded with hurt.

"Screw him!" Ali laughed. "I would totally sleep with you."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," Maya sighed as she sank into the chair beside Ali. "Did you two get any work done or was it just talk about screwing me?"

Heyder carefully watched Maya from across the table. She avoided looking at him as her eyes glossed over the scattered research.

"I could talk about you all day, angel," Ali winked.

A small smile appeared on Maya's plump lips, "My dad calls my mom angel."

"See it's meant to be,"

"Can we focus?" Heyder suddenly snapped. "Ali, put your dick away."

Ali sighed dramatically as he turned back to his friend. He picked up a few of the papers and passed them to Maya.

"According to myths, Zeus has the Ophiotaurus hidden on a secret island off the coat of Halki in Greece," Ali pointed to the paper. "The island is covered in spells to hide it from sight. The goddess of the seas, Thetis, is the island's keeper. She steers away anyone who dares to get close to the island or the beast."

"How do we get to the island?" Maya asked.

"That I don't know," Ali said. "But I do know someone who might be able to help."

"I don't want this information spreading," Heyder said. "Mirza already has wind of it."

"That idiot won't be able to put the pieces together," Ali waved his hand in the air.

Suddenly, as the three sat around talking, there was a light knock at the door. They all turned their heads to find Fiza standing at the entrance with a tray of food.

"I thought you all might like something to eat before dinner is ready," she smiled.

"You still haven't changed," Ali smiled at her.

"You know her?" Maya turned to look at the man next to her.

"I knew all of you," Ali said. "Granted Heyder never introduced me to any of the others, but I still saw them around."

"Maya," Fiza spoke as she entered the room. "Could you help me with dinner?"

"I can't cook....." Maya looked at Heyder and then back at the girl.

Fiza sighed as she sat the tray down on the table, "Then you can learn. I'll teach you how to make all of Emir's favorites."

"No, thank you?" Maya said in confusion as she looked around the room.

"You don't cook, you don't clean........ No offense, but how will you take care of your home?"

Maya bit down on her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud. Was this girl for real? She looked over at Heyder, who pretended as if he wasn't paying attention.

"Ali," Maya spoke as he kept her eyes locked on Fiza. "Do I need to cook or clean to be your wife?"

"No, meri Jaan," Ali moved his chair closer. "I will do everything. Just say the words."

"Problem solved," Maya smiled sweetly at Fiza.

"Fiza," Heyder finally spoke up. "Maya is helping with something important. If you need help I'll help you. And didn't I ask you to stop cooking. I'll get take out or something."

"No," Fiza complained. "I like cooking for you. Let me take care of you while I'm here. I can't stand around and watch you like this."

"Like what?" Maya asked in confusion. "He's a big boy, he can take care of himself."

Fiza rolled her eyes as he turned back to Heyder, "You were gone almost the whole day. You come home and haven't spoken a word to me. What has gotten into you?"

Maya felt Ali lean in closer, "Should we leave the room? This seems personal."

With irritation, Maya was about to tell the jinn she was going nowhere when Heyder ose from his seat. She watched with frustration as he walked over to Fiza and took her hand. A huge part of her wanted to throw the stapler in front of her at his head, but she was too stunned by Fiza's neediness and Heyder's treatment of her to move.

"Come with me," he said to her softly as he led her out of the room.

Maya couldn't believe what she was seeing. Was this really happening? Her heart and mind shared the burning fire in her soul. The bitterness in her belly made her want to throw up as she watched Heyder lead Fiza out of the room.

"Are you okay, angel?" Ali asked slowly.

Maya nodded her head. She didn't trust herself to speak out of fear she might snap at the man.

"This is all so complicated," Ali continued as Maya sat quietly in her seat. "To have to juggle two significant others under the same roof."

"Just one," Maya's voice was barely audible. The tips of her finger and her toes were starting to grow cold as the seconds on the clock ticked by. She had never felt so alone in her life.

"Maya," Ali timidly reached across the space between them and touched her shoulder. "He cares about you. It's just a mess right now because she's here."

Maya took in a deep breath as she lifted her eyes to the jinn, "Do you think he will ever be able to forget her?"

Ali frowned, "I can't lie, angel."

"No one really forgets their first love," Maya looked down at her hands. "And to have them back in your life......"

"Hey, hey," Ali pulled her chair closer. "My mother always says pretty girls shouldn't ever lose their smile and if a man can't make a girl smile then he is no man at all."

Maya couldn't help herself as the corners of her lips perked up. She looked at Ali through her lashes and watched the man's face light up.

"Oh baby, you are a star," Ali placed his hand over his heart and swooned.

"You are such a flirt, Ali."

"I get it from my mama."

"Is she around?"

"Of course!" Ali laughed. "Eager to meet your mother in law already, huh?"

"I'm dying," Maya said.

"My mother is easy, but my sisters are evil."

"What?" Maya laughed.

"They are horrible. They used to dress me up as the fourth sister when I was little and if I complained they would hand me in the well by my ankles."

"Don't worry," Maya patted his hands. "I shall protect you."

"I will hide behind you, angel."

Maya wanted to ask Ali more about his family when she felt her mind-link open.

I'm stepping out for a few, Heyder said.

Where are you going? Maya raised a brow even though he couldn't' see her.

Fiza isn't feeling well, I'm taking her to go see her parent's home. We'll be back in a few.

Ali sat still as he watched the smile slip from Maya's face and be replaced by a frown. He had heard the conversation and if he was alone he would have smacked his forehead at his friend's stupidity.

"He's just trying to m-" Ali started by Maya cut him off.

"I hate having her here. It's like every time Heyder and I take a step forward, he drags him back," she said.

"Then take two steps forward."

"What?"

"Pull Heyder close to yourself as much as you can," Ali shrugged. "That way, even if Fiza drags him back, she has more of a distance to cover."

"But it's so hard to get close to him!" Maya jumped up from the chair in frustration. "He's so closed off and whenever we're together it feels like we are just arguing."

"No one has really done that before," Ali said. "You're the first one to really hand his ass back to him."

"I don't know what to do with this boy," Maya groaned.

"Angel," Ali patted the chair and urged Maya to sit back down. "It's you and him. Don't stress it."

"How can I not?" Maya frowned. "How can we get close to each other with Fiza always in front of his eyes?"

"Men are simple," Ali laughed. "We are like dogs. Distract us with treats head rubs."

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you think Fiza is always cooking in the kitchen?"

"I don't know," Maya complained.

"She's trying to stay in his heart through his stomach."

"Are you serious?" Maya groaned. "I have to cook for him?"

"That's one way to do it,"

"I can't cook!"

"I can," Ali jumped up. "Come, I'll teach you."

"Right now?" Maya asked, a bit surprised.

"Why not?" Ali said as he grabbed Maya's hand and began to drag her to the kitchen. "Just imagine him coming home to find you cooking up something special for him. It will over shadow his evening with Fiza."

"You are just full of drama,"

"I have three older sisters, okay? They didn't all find husbands just by sitting around frowning."

Maya laughed as the jinn tied an apron around her waist. He snapped his fingers and the fridge opened. The ingredients started to fly out one by one and line themselves up in front of Maya. Ali snapped his finger once more and his jeans and sweater transformed into a chef's outfit.

"For a second I was completely naked in front of you," he smirked. "Did you catch that?"

"My poor eyes," Maya rolled her eyes. "I might need to bleach them."

"Alright!" Ali grabbed a large knife. "Let's start, shall we?"

"I have no idea what to do," Maya looked at all the things in front of her.

"It's easy," Ali comforted her. "Here, take this. Peel the onion."

"Sir, yes, sir," Maya nodded.

Ali watched her as she used the knife to peel the top layers of the onion in the sink. He turned on the water and let the onion soak to spare her any tears. Once she was done, he instructed her to dice the garlic and tomatoes.

"Not too bad," Maya said as she slowly minced the little cloves of garlic.

"I forgot to take the meat out the fridge," Ali shook his head. He opened the door and peeked his head inside. "Ooooo."

"What?" Maya asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Pixie brew!" Ali grinned as he pulled out a large glass bottle. "Haven't had this in years."

"Come to my house, my grandfather has a whole cellar filled with pixie brew."

"I already said I was going to marry you, woman," Ali laughed. "You can stop trying."

"You ass," Maya shook her head, grinning. "Pour me a cup."

"You crazy?" Ali asked, looking at the bottle. "Focus on the cooking. No drinking for you."

"Fine, but at least get me a glass of wine," Maya pointed to the bottle near the coffee maker.

"That you can have," Ali said as he busied himself in making the drinks.

For the next several minutes, Ali guided Maya step by step on how to marinate the meat with the different spices. She prepped everything she needed to the best of her abilities. Ali wasn't too impressed with her cutting but he said it was all going into the stomach anyways.

"Add the cumin," he said to her as he washed the beets in the sink.

Maya eyed the many bottles of spice in front of her as she reached for her wine glass. She complained about them not being labeled as she took a sip of the red wine.

"It's the third one from the left," Ali said looking over his shoulder.

"I had a feeling,"

"Only a teaspoon,"

"A tablespoon? Okay."

"I thought the goal was to make Heyder love you not give him food poisoning?"

"Maybe I changed my mind," Maya shrugged as she took another long slip of her wine. She felt her belly grow warm as a giggle rose to her lip.

"Hey, it makes my plan of marrying you much ea-" Ali froze as he turned around from the sink with the beets. "Maya!"

"Yes?" Maya giggled, batting her lashes.

"You drank my pixie brew!"

"No, I didn't. I've been drinking my wine," Maya held up her glass.

"That's my drink! Yours is over there!" Ali pointed to the glass by the stove.

"Oh," Maya couldn't stop the laughter that spilled out of her. She dropped the knife in her hand and it crashed against the floor.

"Tick your finger down your throat," Ali said as he took off his apron.

"What? Why?"

"If you throw up the brew won't be in your stomach," he said as he began to pull Maya towards the bathroom. "The longer it's in your belly, the more drunk you will be."

"I'm fine!" Maya pulled her arm back. "I only had a few sips."

"You're stumbling," Ali facepalmed. "This is a disaster."

"Oh please, I drank like an alcoholic in college. I'll be fine. Now, let's finish this dinner."

Before Ali could stop her, Maya picked up the knife from the floor and swung it at the beets on the cutting board. But her aim was all off and instead of the beets, she slid the sharp edge of the knife right along the back of her hand.

"Ouch," Maya said looking down in confusion as blood poured out of the large cut.

"Shit!" Ali jumped forward and grabbed a towel. He pressed it over Maya's hand and pulled the knife away with the other.

"Do you know any healing spells?" he asked.

"Hocus-pocus," Maya laughed.

"Ooooh god, help me," Ali put his arm around Maya's shoulders and guided her to the living room. But just as he was about to make her sit down, the smoke detector above the oven went off. He flickered his hand to turn it off, but the stubborn thing was out of the reach.

"Press down on the cut," Ali told Maya as he placed her good hand over the towel. "I'll be right back."

He ran into the kitchen as Maya started to make sounds like a fire engine. Ali cursed under his breath as he stood under the smoke detected and hit it with a small energy blast.

"Oh Heyder is gonna be mad," Maya said.

Ali looked over his shoulder and shrieked. Maya stood in the arch way of the kitchen as her bleeding hand dangled by her side. There was a trail of blood that followed her from the sofa.

"Ali, I'm hot," she frowned.

"Yes, you are. But where is the towel?"

"It was turning red," Maya scrunched up her nose. "I don't like red."

"Woman!" Ali snapped. "You're bleeding all over the place."

Maya picked up her hand as the dark red blood trickled down her forearm, "You ever heard the song bleedin' in love?"

"Maya," Ali took a step towards her. "Come to the bathroom."

"No, I'm too hot," Maya frowned as she began to tug at her sweater. "These clothes are too hot."

"Ah!" Ali jumped forward and tried to stop her but she stumbled back and yanked off her sweater, leaving her in a thin peach tank top. Maya threw the sweater at Ali as she ran out the backdoor by the side of the kitchen.

"Maya!" Ali yelled as he ran after her.

In front of the house, Heyder and Fiza had just stepped out of the portal when the sound of Maya screaming reached their ears. Heyder raised a brow as he pushed the main door open and Fiza walked in.

"Oh my god," Fiza gasped at once as her eyes landed on the blood on the floor.

"Maya!" Ali yelled somewhere outside.

Heyder dashed towards the kitchen following the bloody trail. His eyes flashed silver as he spotted the blood covered knife on the counter and Maya's sweater on the floor. He turned to the wide open door and ran back out into the night.

"Maya!" He yelled over the winds.

"Heyder!" Ali called from a few yards ahead. "Over here!"

Heyder pushed off the back porch with his strength and arrived under the large oak tree within seconds. His heart started to race like a wild horse as he looked down at Maya laying on the snow.

"I'm a snow angel," she said as she flapped her arms up and down. Her left wing was scarlet red as the blood from her hand spilled onto the fresh snow.

"What the hell?" Heyder said through his teeth as he looked over at Ali.

"She drank pixie brew accidentally," the jinn took a small step back.

Heyder turned to look back at Maya laughing on the snow. He dropped to his knees in front of her and took her injured hand. Maya tried to pull away but Heyder flashed his angry silver eyes in her direction and she froze.

"Baby," she cooed as she sat up. A smile played on her frozen lips as Heyder placed her hand in between his and pushed his energy into her.

"How did this happen?" he asked, looking into her blue eyes.

"I was cooking," Maya smiled. She swayed like the branches of the trees over her head with the wind. Heyder tugged her upright and onto his lap.

"Maya, you don't know how to cook," Heyder frowned. "What were you thinking?"

"The way to a man's stomach is through his heart,"

"My little genius," Heyder rolled his eyes. He removed his hand from Maya's injury and inspected the healed skin. "Anything else broken?"

"Yes," Maya nodded. "My heart."

"Aww," Ali said from behind Heyder.

Heyder groaned as he pulled Maya to her feet and lifted her into his arms. Her skin was ice cold from laying on the snow and her lips were trembling. Quick as lightning, Heyder appeared in the kitchen with Maya.

"Look at this mess!" Fiza said at once. "Is she a child?"

"Next to you? Yes, grandma," Maya laughed from Heyder's arms.

"Is she drunk, Heyder?" Fiza gasped. Her eyes flickered to Ali walking in behind the couple. "She was drinking with a man in the house!"

"Fiza," Heyder snapped. "Enough."

"I'm looking out for her," Fiza protested. "How can she drink with a man in the house? What if he tried to take advantage of her?"

"Woah! Hey!" Ali jumped in. "My mother raised me to respect women, okay?"

"Did her parents not teach her anything?" Fiza pulled the burnt pot off the stove and threw it into the sink.

Maya threw her hands over her ears as the loud bang rang around the room.

"Are you talking about my parents again?" Maya looked at the girl. Heyder tried to hold onto her but Maya squirmed down from his arms and grabbed the counter. "Listen here, stale cracker. Talk about my family one more time and I'll make you live to regret it."

As Maya spoke, she swayed to one side. Just as she was about to stumble, she grabbed the edge of the counter and pulled herself up right.

"I won't be the only one talking when others see what a mess they raised!"

Not a single second was wasted between the words leaving Fiza's lips to the energy blast shooting out from Maya's palm. She had aimed for the pots hanging over the girl's head, but with her dizziness it was impossible to calculate. The energy blast flew, threw the wind like lightning and hit Fiza in the head.

"Maya!" Heyder yelled as he ran towards Fiza. He grabbed her before she fell and pulled her closer.

"She shoots and she scores!" Maya laughed.

"Emir...." Fiza began to cry. "I....I.....it hurts."

"No it does, you weasel," Maya snorted.

"Ali," Heyder's eyes were once more flashing silver. "Take her upstairs."

"No!" Maya said as her eyes focused on the way Fiza clung to Heyder's body. "Take your hands off of him!"

"Maya, enough of this," Heyder said through his teeth. "Go upstairs."

"Emir, don't' leave me," Fiza sobbed. "It hurts so much."

"Oh my god," Maya rolled her eyes. "Relax!"

"Let's go angel," Ali took her hand slowly.

"No!" Maya meant to only shake him off but the surge of energy that built up in her and the wave that rose from her toes sent Ali flying through the air.

Fiza screamed somewhere in the background as Maya stared in shock. The last time she had felt her magic do that was when she was just thirteen.

Heyder jumped to his feet and pushed Fiza behind him. He pulled his magic to his finger tips and braced himself.

"Maya..." he called to the stunned witch.

"I....I didn't...." Maya said in confusion as she turned to look at Heyder. She stared at his concerned filled brown eyes before she noticed the way his finger tips buzzed with energy.

Without any control or intention, Maya felt her magic rise up to her to the surface of her skin. Her eyes grew wide like the moon as the surge of power shot out of her straight at Heyder.

"Maya! What the hell?" Heyder groaned as he stumbled back against Fiz and knocked her ground.

"I didn't do that," Maya looked down at her hands.

"Stop lying!" Fiza screamed as she grabbed her elbow. "Emir she just attacked me twice. She wants to kill me!"

"No," Maya shook her head.

"Maya, stop this right now," Heyder held up his hand.

Maya took a step back just as another blast radiated out of her hitting Heyder straight in the face.

"Emir!" Fiza shrieked.

"Ali!" Heyder called to his best friend. "On my count."

Maya looked around the kitchen frantically. She was backed up against the wall as Heyder approached her from the front and Ali from the side. She couldn't make sense of anything that was happening to her as her legs locked and she felt her body get ready to run out. It was like watching herself from outside her body.

Heyder cursed under his breath as Maya dashed towards the door. He summoned an energy blast and aimed for her feet. She stumbled forward as her head bounded off the hardwood floor. Heyder rushed forward and gathered her in his arms.

"Birdie!" Heyder turned her around.

"Emir!" Fiza called to Heyder from where she laid on the floor curled up.

"Ali, take her upstairs," Heyder handed Maya over to his friend and ran back to Fiza.

____________________

"Are you feeling better?" Ali asked as he passed Maya the glass of orange juice.

"Yes," Maya nodded.

"We had quite a night," Ali gave a soft laugh. "You were on fire, angel."

"I remember."

Ali frowned. He tilted his head to one side and peered at the witch, "You shouldn't. You drank pixie brew."

"But I do," Maya said slowly. "I remember everything."

"Good," Heyder suddenly said from the doorway. "Care to explain what the hell happened?"

Maya's eyes jumped to him. Images of him holding Fiza in his arms and passing her off to Ali flashed behind her eyes. Her blue eyes narrowed as her anger boiled.

"How was your date last night?" Maya asked.

"Cut the crap, Maya," Heyder said sternly. "Start talking. If you remember everything from last night then it means the brew was burnt out of your system. Why the hell were you trying to attack us?"

His demanding tone didn't sit well with Maya. Her heart began to shiver from the word attack. She didn't know how to explain what had happened last night. She had absolutely no control over her magic.

"I don't know," Maya said.

"You don't know?" Heyder huffed. "That's the best you can do? Fiza was scared out of her mind all of last night thinking you were going to come back and attack her again."

"So glad you were there to comfort her," Maya spit out before he could stop herself. She felt a sense of betrayal blossom in her as she remembered laying in bed last night being just as terrified if not more of her own self.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Heyder threw his arms up. "Stop behaving like a teenager."

"I was scared too, Heyder!" Maya threw the covers back and jumped out of bed.

"Yeah, okay," Heyder rolled his eyes.

"How would you know?" Maya screamed. "You didn't even bother to check in on me!"

"I was busy cleaning up the mess you created!"

"Guys, guys," Ali stood up from his chair. "Calm down."

"You gave Fiza a concussion. She wa-"

"Oh fuck her!" Maya yelled. "She can go to hell for all I care. And funny how not a single word is coming out of your mouth about her insulting me and my family."

"We can all have some tea," Ali summoned a tray of tea on the bed.

"You can't handle that shit?" Heyder hollered. "You're going to fly off the handle every time anyone says anything about your family?"

"Yes, I will!" Maya matched his volume. "Are you seriously defending her?"

"Who wants sugar?" Ali asked as he held up the pot.

"You are so childish!" Heyder shook his head. "Is this how you want to become a queen?"

"Your wife seems to be the only one complaining," Maya laughed.

"Well, maybe I see her point now too."

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