Devil's Plaything

Noah

Mira didn't mind being on her own, after all. She felt safe here, surrounded by people who could immediately help her if she needed them to. Like, say, if a certain demon made an appearance. She was happy to be here too, it was nice to be out in public with two friends she had no secrets to hide from. Charlie and Sam were hardly the friends she had expected to make in college, but Charlie's bold honesty and Sam's nervous enthusiasm were quickly becoming things she felt she relied on. Even though Marci had declined her invitation to join them last minute, she was thankful for her too. And it was probably for the best, she wasn't sure how well she would get along with Sam and Charlie. Marci was a great, smart person, but she could be judgmental. She also may have fed off of Charlie's need to make situations awkward. After all, her last text message to Mira after telling her she couldn't make it was "Go get that D, fam".

Mira strolled leisurely toward the Ferris wheel, relieved to see the line for the classic ride was a short one. Speed she didn't enjoy, but height was something else entirely. She loved feeling as if she were closer to the clouds, able to look down and keep an eye on the world below her. A content smile touched her lips and she took some tickets from her pocket to get on the ride.

As she stepped towards her designated seat on the Ferris wheel, she began to feel strangely nervous. She had never been worried while boarding this attraction before, but when she glanced directly up and saw how immensely tall the ride was, she considered turning and exiting while she could. She noticed, however, that the exit was on the other end of the seat and there were people already boarding the ride who had been in line after her. She took a deep breath and sat, feeling better now that she was not having to stand up. She put her head in her hands and massaged her temples. She had done this before and been fine, she told herself, this time was no different. It was irrational to be frightened of a Ferris wheel. Her seat shook slightly as another person sat next to her. She was glad she wouldn't be in this seat alone, she was feeling faint and needed someone to be there in case she started passing out.

"Hi," she said, her head still in her hands. She grimaced as she felt the ride start and her seat lift off the ground. "Sorry, I'm feeling a little off."

"You don't look so good, darling." That voice was unmistakably familiar. Everything very quickly began to make sense. He had been trailing her and her fear was her body's response to him, not to the Ferris wheel. Now that she could see him, leaning casually back against the seat, his dark hair tousled and a mischievous and undeniably sexy smile on his lips, her body was responding with something far more heated than fear.

It was her demon.

"Well, you always look good," he amended. The seat seemed suddenly much smaller as she took in his tall, imposing form. "But you are welcome to rest your head on my lap if you're feeling faint."

"You," she said between gritted teeth.

"And you," he said back easily. "I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to have a long overdue conversation. Given your habit of avoiding me or running away in the middle of our conversations." He rested his arm on the seat behind her with feigned casualness, but the gesture struck Mira as something predatory.

"You don't have anything better to do than to follow me around at a fair? Hell must be a boring place." She tried to move away from him as much as the chair would allow, but his hand grasped her shoulder and moved her body even closer to his with ease. His face was near hers now and he was examining her with unrestrained curiosity. She stared straight ahead, ignoring how the feeling of his breath against her cheek sent tingling sensations down her spine.

"I have many things to do, but among my many weaknesses is that I am a hedonist, and you bring me great pleasure. More and more frequently, in fact, I find pleasure in thinking about you." Her eyes moved to his as she gave him a disgusted glare. But she could not find it in herself to actually feel disgusted. In fact, the statement sent a thrill through her that made her suppress a shiver. Based on the private smile he gave her, she wasn't fooling him either. "And I don't stalk you, Mira, unlike some of your acquaintances. Now that I have your soul, I just know where you are, like I know where my own hand is." He stroked her bare arm lightly with the hand that was still holding her to him.