Ch.12 Three Full Moons

Chapter 12

The feeling of falling from the skies woke Maya as she stirred up on her bed. The heavy covers were pulled over her body as she laid in the dark room wondering what had happened. The last thing Maya remembered before falling into a strange dream was looking up at Xavier as he carried her back into the hospital room.

Maya kicked the covers off of her and pushed herself up. When the left side of her head started to throb, she groaned in pain and collapsed back onto the bed. After a few seconds, she tried again but only for her head to protest with more aggression.

"As entertaining as this is," a voice spoke from somewhere in the dark room. "I think the smart thing to do would be to lay in bed. Wouldn't you agree?"

Maya's heart leaped up as she pushed against her aching head and sat up straight. Her breathing was labored as her eyes tried their best to adjust to the darkness and find the source of the voice. She knew exactly who it was. The voice had been in her head for years. There was no way she would ever forget it.

"Good morning, birdie," Heyder said as he stepped into the tiny slither of sunlight peeking in through the curtains.

Maya opened her mouth but no sound came out. Her chest started to hurt from how fast her heart was beating. Her eyes took in the jinn as he stood a few feet away from the bed, gazing at her in wonder. His tattoo covered arms were folded over his broad chest as he bit down on his bottom lip. The edges of his brown eyes twinkled with mischief.

Unable to help herself, Maya jumped off the bed and flung her arms around Heyder's neck. He caught her instantly as her feet dangled off the floor. At first he held her against his body with one arm wrapped around her narrow waist. But as Maya buried her face in the crook of his neck and pulled him closer, Heyder moved his other arm around her and caged her into his embrace.

Maya shivered as she felt Heyder dig his nose into her hair and take in a deep breath. Every inch of her body that pressed against him sparked to life as they stood in the dark room tangled in a complicated mess of emotions, questions, and worries.

After a few minutes, Maya leisurely pulled back to look up at Heyder. Her feet still hovered off the ground as he held her against him. Heyder lifted his head and let out the breath he had been holding.

"Hi," Maya cooed a bit breathlessly.

"Hi," Heyder smiled looking into her eyes.

"I....you..." Maya struggled to form words. "You're here."

"So it seems."

"I....don't know what to say," Maya gave a nervous laugh.

Heyder raised a brow, "I was told you were vicious and scary. Pardon me, but.....I'm not seeing it."

"Who told you that?" Maya placed her hands on his upper arms and pushed back to get a better look at his face.

"Doesn't matter," Heyder shrugged. "How are you feeling?"

"Overwhelmed," Maya said honestly. "Excited, nervous, and maybe a bit pukey."

Heyder took a step towards the bed as he carried Maya over. She watched him wondering what he was going to do as he sat her down on the edge and took a step back.

"How are you feeling?" She asked as Heyder switched on the lamp on the nightstand. Maya felt her heart flutter as she caught sight of the jinn in the light. Her hands itched to trace over his tattoos and have him on her skin.

"Golden," Heyder said with a blank expression. He turned to face Maya as he pushed his hands into his pockets.

Maya blinked several times as her mind ran in circles. She had so many questions for him but she had no idea where to start. Her jittery nervous cooked up a nervous laugh and her rapid heart pushed it out.

"I don't know what to say," Maya laughed, shaking her head. "I have so many questions but I don't even know where to start."

"Good. Then I'll start," Heyder said. "Question number one, what in the world is wrong with you?"

Maya was taken back by his harsh tone and rude question. She frowned as she waited for him to tell her he was kidding. But Heyder stared at her waiting for her to answer.

"Um, excuse me?" Maya asked.

"Why did you release me?" Heyder questioned. "You obviously saw what happened in the past. Did your mother drop you as a baby or something? Or do you enjoy self inflicted pain."

"What the fuck?" Maya jumped up from the bed. Her head did not agree with her sudden movements at all. Her feet stumbled as her vision swayed. Out of reflex, Heyder reached out but Maya shot him away with a glare.

"I was expecting a thank you or maybe some appreciation but you're just over here throwing insults at me," she expressed.

"Did you expect flowers and chocolates too?" Heyder laughed.

"What is your problem?" Maya scowled.

"I didn't have a problem. I was doing just fine."

"Oh yeah," Maya laughed. "Trapped in a itty bitty jar hanging from a human's neck. You were doing really well."

"You're talking about my wife like that?" Heyder smirked.

"I'm your wife!" Maya hollered in anger.

"Careful now," Heyder laughed. "That might send some men screaming for the hills."

Maya shut her mouth and pressed her lips into a thin line. She crossed her arms over her chest as her blue eyes narrowed.

"Get out," she said.

Heyder didn't move. He stood in his spot eyeing Maya as if he was very entertained. His tongue darted out as he wet his bottom lip before smirking and taking it in between his teeth.

"If you're going to be an ass then leave. Come back when you want to talk like a fuckin' adult."

"Ooo," Heyder chuckled. "Your mother lets you talk like that?"

"I'll show you what my mother really lets me do if you don't get out," Maya's eyes narrowed.

"Nah," Heyder shook his head. "I think I wanna see."

Maya flicked her arm and instantly Heyder dropped to his knees in front of her with his hands pulled behind him. A short groan escaped his lips as Maya smacked him with an exergy blast.

"Cute, baby," he said looking up.

Maya was about to hit him with another one when he suddenly jumped up and blasted her with a wave of strong and forceful oxygen. Breathing became difficult as the wind beat against her face like a rough tide. Maya raised her hand and created a shield with her magic in front of her face. From the other side she found Heyder observing her.

Enraged by his lack of gratitude and affection, Maya released an illusion spell. She showed him flashes of Willow lying dead face down beside her as she screamed in panic. Instantly, the smirk disappeared from Heyder's lips. A deep frown formed as he rushed forward and dismissed Maya's shield.

When he tried to reach out for her, Maya smacked his hand away. Heyder frowned as he tried again.

"No!" Maya shoved him.

"Birdie," Heyder's voice came out in a gentle plea. "Please."

When Maya didn't move or protest, he took her hand and tugged her forward into his chest. Maya buried her face into his hard chest as his arm crushed her against his body. She felt his heart beating under her cheek as his labored breaths tickled her neck.

"I don't want the same happening to you," Heyder whispered into her ear.

"What happened to her?" Maya raised her face. "Who did that?"

"There's a lot we need to talk about,"

"Then start fighting me and start talking," Maya sassed.

A hint of a smile crossed Heyder's lips as he looked down at the girl in his arm. Reluctantly, he let go of her and watched her take a seat at the edge of the bed.

"Is Mirza you brother?" Maya asked.

"Unfortuniatly, yes," Heyder rolled his eyes.

"He said I belong with him,"

"Of course he did."

"Is it true?"

"What do you think?"

Maya shook her head. "I....it's you and I."

Heyder didn't say anything. He walked over to Maya and took her chin in between his finger and thumb. His dark eyes bored into her as the seconds passed.

"I am the youngest of four sons," he said as he released Maya's face and took a seat beside her. "On the night of my birth an oracle declared a prophecy. It said the fourth son of Ira, my mother, would be the one to kill her other three children."

Maya gasped. In the dimly lit room she saw Heyder flinch slightly from her reaction. He looked away and stared at the walls as he spun a ring around his finger. To show him she wasn't afraid, Maya reached out and pushed her hand in between his. Heyder's eyes dropped to their hands as Maya shifted closer.

"My brothers, especially Mirza, couldn't have that," he continued. "They tried for many years to kill me when I was younger. But my parents were always around to stop them. But as we got older and they moved on, I had no choice but to defend myself."

Maya's insides shrank as she listened to her mate's words. She knew he couldn't lie to her and so far everything he was saying, she knew, wasn't to trick her either.

"As time went on. They got more and more creative," Heyder absent mindlessly started to play with Maya's fingers. "Each of my brothers placed a curse on me."

"What....what kind of curse," Maya dared to ask.

"Idris, the second youngest, cursed me to have the temper of a madman," Heyder said. "The littlest things would set me off. I demolished cities and civilizations to the ground."

Maya kept her hand as still as she possibly could. Even the slightest movement would indicate to Heyder that she was scared of him. The last thing she wanted was for him to shut down and stop talking.

"Do....you you still...."

"No," Heyder shook her head with a sigh. "I got rid of that."

"How...."

"I killed him," Heyder turned to look at Maya's reaction. "I killed my brother to release me from his curse. And then I killed my other brother, Nasir, who cursed me to be enslaved by the gatekeeper."

"The gatekeeper?" Maya asked in shock. "From the veil?"

"Yes," Heyder said.

"She's the collector of souls," Maya knew all about the gatekeeper from her father.

"And Nasir had bound me to her bidding. So I killed him too,"

"So now it's just Mirza...."

"His curse is the worst," Heyder's expression darkened. "He waited until the others placed their faith upon me to bury me under his."

"What did he do?" Maya's voice was so low she didn't know if he heard her.

"It's called the curse of the Noia," Heyder explained. "Noia meaning sand. It is one of the cruelest curses for our kind."

"Why?"

"Because not even Mirza knew what it would be," Heyder said. "When you perform the curse of the Noia, you leave it up to the universe to turn it into anything it wants."

"What....what did it turn into for you?"

Heyder looked up and turned his face towards Maya. The sorrow in his brown eyes made her choke up as her lips started to tremble.

"What did it do?" Maya pushed to know.

"No matter how hard I try no matter where I hide, no matter what I do......I always find you," Heyder's voice dropped as a tear ran down Maya's face. Her chest started to shake as the stifling air in the room started to thin and turn cold.

"I find you and then I can't stay away," Heyder lifted his hand and cupped Maya's face. He pulled her closer as his thumb wiped the tear on her face. "As soon as we kiss, the countdown to your last day starts."

"How long..." Maya asked.

Heyder hesitated.

"How long?" Maya demanded.

"Three months."

"Three full moons," Maya gasped. "I.....I was three full moons."

Heyder dropped his hand and got off the bed. He shook a hand through his hair and then rubbed the back of his neck.

"How do we stop it?" Maya asked.

"There is no cure for the curse of the Noia."

"There has to be," Maya frowned. "Magic is about balance. There has to be something to balance it out and end it."

"I've been trying for centuries," Heyder huffed.

"So all those times.....it was the curse? Fiza....Willow.....Theodora?"

"Yes," Heyder sighed.

"And the other 42."

"What other 42?" Heyder asked in confusion.

"Your 42 wives," Maya said.

"That's news to me,"

"Sofia told us..."

"Of course," Heyder laughed. "Sofia. What else did she tell you?"

"You married her because of a bet with your brother," as Maya spoke, she started to clear up her own confusion. "You married her because you thought she was me."

"We're not gifted like the lycans. It takes us time to tell who is our mate," Heyder said. "And throw my brother in the mix, I was like a blind fisherman."

"So no 42 wives?"

"That's a hell of a lot of alimony."

"Well that takes care of one issue," Maya sighed. "Now the curse. There has to be something we can do."

"Something I can do," Heyder corrected her. "You stay with your witch magic and let me worry about jinn magic."

"Why?"

"Because it's not meant for you," Heyder stated. "And I think I might have a lead this time."

"I'm helping you," Maya said with a stubborn expression.

"No, the fuck you're not."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Maya," Heyder let out a hard breath as he moved closer to her and cupped her face. "Listen To me. I don't know how good this lead is. I'm going to go after it but I will need you to stay away in case it leads to nothing."

"But I can help,"

"I don't need your help," Heyder pulled her face closer. "I need you to stay safe and away from me until I figure this out."

"Then why tell me anything?" Maya pushed away from him. "Why are you here?"

"I didn't see the point in keeping secrets from you."

"Heyder," Maya took a step closer again. "Two heads are better than one. At least tell me what you are trying to do."

"I can't,"

"Why not?" Maya groaned.

"You didn't ask so many question before,"

Maya lifted her eyes and glared at the man in front of her. Her scowl and angry eyes only made Heyder chuckle harder.

"Come here," he said.

"No," Maya looked away. She heard Heyder sigh and watched him hang his head from the corner of her eyes. After a few seconds, the jinn took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Sweet baby," he said against her temple. "Don't be so stubborn."

"You're talking about leaving," Maya frowned.

"It won't be long,"

"I don't care. I want to come with you."

"And what about your family?"

"What about them?"

"Sweetheart, you parents hate my guts and your aunt and uncle want me dead."

"I wonder who's fault that is," Maya rolled her eyes.

"I was told you would be a Dorin Queen!" Heyder said in his defense. "And you never had blonde hair before. It's always been dark and only once was it red."

"You could have been married to my aunt," Maya gagged.

Heyder laughed as Maya shivered in his arms. He kissed the side of her head again before moving over to her forehead.

"Will you at least consider taking me along?" Maya asked hopefully.

"No."

"I'll make your chocolate cupcakes,"

"Do you even know how?"

"Heyder," Maya pouted. "Stop. Please. I've waited for you for so long, don't go without me."

"I need to do this task as fast as I can," Heyder said, hoping she would understand. "I can't afford to get distracted with you around or your family chasing us."

"They won't do that,"

"What did you grandma just do to you in the hospital?"

Maya groaned as she stomped her feet. She pulled away from Heuder's embrace and began to pace the floor.

"What are you even asking of me?" she asked. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Just stay here," Heyder said. "Go on with your life. Take the punishment Mavi will probably give you for setting me free."

"And then?"

"And then when I have the cure, I'll come back."

"And if you don't have the cure?"

Heyder grew silent. He gazed at Maya as she paused and looked up at him.

"And if you don't find the cure, Heyder?" She asked again.

"I will fail miserably at keeping myself away. I'll end up kissing you and dooming you. You will die in my arms once again but this time.....this time I'm begging that your family tears me apart."

"No..." Maya whispered as her heart froze. She took a step forward and lifted her hand to wipe away the frown on Heyder's face. But as she moved closer, something shifted in the jinn's eyes.

The air around him shimmered like heat rising off the pavement on a hot summer day before he vanished into thin air.

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