Chapter Eleven (Amaya)

I was in a deep sleep when someone shook my shoulder. I grumbled and rolled over, ignoring them.

“Come on, girl, wake up.” Abigail urged sternly.

“What’s going on,” I asked as I sat up to look at her rubbing my eyes. She had a look of worry on her face as she looked behind her. I leaned to look behind her. Two men were carrying Samuel into the cottage. He looked badly injured, his leg was sitting at a funny angle, and he had cuts all over blood soaked his clothing.
“I need your help, granddaughter.”

I nodded "y... yeah" I replied as I quickly stood. Abigail directed them to put Samuel in a small room off the side of the cottage that she used for her patients. I followed behind them, watching closely.

“What happened?” I asked, looking closer at the broken leg and the cuts and bruises that covered his body, he was out cold.

“He walked out in front of a stagecoach that had been out of control, it ran him over.”

One man shared as he helped lay him on the bed. Abigail moved around the bed, assessing his injuries.

“I will need boiled water and rags to clean these wounds and the bandages we made yesterday.” She told me as she moved around the room, pulling poultices and ointments out of cupboards. I nodded and headed out of the room, I made sure the kettle was full and hung it over the fire to boil, then headed into her room and grabbed some of the clean bandages and rags that we had cut up the day before.

In a rush, I turned around to head back to the room and ran into a hard chest; I stumbled back as hands grabbed my shoulders and steadied me. I looked up to see Sin’s red eyes looking down at me shimmering between his normal orange, yellow and red colors.

“What are you doing here?” I hissed under my breath so the others wouldn’t hear me.

“What’s wrong, little flame?” he asked as he tilted my chin up to look at him.

“A man has been badly injured.” I paused, “My grandmother needs my help.”

“Grandmother, eh?” he smiled.

I glared and whispered, “You know... Abigail. I am not the only one here.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Amaya, hurry with the water and bandages.” Abigail yelled from the room.

He held his hands up, "Don’t let me stop you," he smirked as the kettle boiled.

I walked around him, grabbed the kettle, and headed back into the room, filling the wash basin as I noticed Sin following behind me.

Soaking one bandage that I had grabbed in the basin, I wrung it out and moved to clean the wounds while Abigail put a poultice on the wounds I cleaned and bandaged them, some seemed impossibly deep and in need of stitches.

Abigail, seeing Sin, smiled then turned to the other two men and ordered them to help set the bone in the broken leg, one man held his knee while the other gripped above his ankle and pulled until the bone snapped back in place. Samuel shot upright, but I pushed him back down as Abigail felt the wound to make sure the bone was in the proper position before splinting and wrapping it snuggly.

After it was done, Samuel settled down and the two men with him excused themselves and left the room, without noticing Sin was in the room with us. When I looked at him, he smiled and whispered. They can’t see me.

After the men had gone and I could no longer hear their footsteps, I turned to him. “Why don’t they see you?” I demanded, as he laughed.

“Because I am seen only when I want to be seen, little flame, one perk of being a King.”

“King of what, exactly?”

“Well, hell, of course.”

“I can never tell if you are joking or not." I muttered in frustration as Abigail chuckled. "It's like you two are always laughing at some inside joke."

Sin cupped my face, "No joke, you are just in denial." He whispered as he gently kissed me. I backed away as if burned and glared at him.

“Here, drink this.” I heard Abigail as she offered Samuel a cup of something. I turned to look at the injured man.

He drank it and looked at Sin as well. “Who is he?” he asked, his eyes narrowing angrily.

"You can see him?" I asked confused as I looked at Sin, who shrugged and said nothing, just glared back at the man.

“A family friend.” Abigail answered without hesitation before leaving the room. I looked at Sin and he didn’t look impressed with Samuel, either. The amount of hatred emanating from them both it was as if they knew each other.

Sin grabbed my arm and led me from the room.

“What is it?” I asked, annoyed. “She needs my help.”

“No, I am finished. He will be asleep soon.” Abigail informed as she re-entered the room with a quilt over her arm. She moved to place the blanket over Samuel as Sin succeeded in dragging me from the room.

“I don’t want you two near him.” Sin blurted as Abigail joined us in the main part of the cabin a few seconds later.

“I can’t ignore a patient Sin you know that.” she scolded him.

He grumbled and turned to me, “Stay as far away from him as possible. Okay?”

“Are you serious? Take me home and I will be years away from him.” I stated coolly, not liking his attitude. He was the one that stuck me here in the first place. Infuriating man. “What exactly are you anyway, I know for a fact you’re not human?”

“And what makes you say that?” he smirked as his eyes shimmered.

“You dropped me in the past for one, and your eyes… they aren’t human.”

“Perceptive little flame.” He spoke proudly as he walked toward me, instinctively I backed up, running out of space. I hit the wall as he leaned down to me, barely an inch between his lips and mine. “Well, as I told you, I am a demon.” He breathed as he went to close the space between us. I went to move to the side but met his arm, his other hand holding my chin. He kissed me, I went to slap him, but he grabbed my wrist to stop me.

Pulling away, he warned, “Do not hit me. Little flame.”

"Then don’t kiss me." I spat.

“Would you rather I do more?” he inquired, rubbing his thumb along my jaw.

“I... what?” I stammered, words escaping me as my face heated.

“Quit bothering the poor girl.” Abigail scolded him and he pulled away from me.

He chuckled and moved to sit at the table where Abigail had set out some tea and biscuits. I moved to sit down too but realized there were only two chairs so went to sit by the fire, but Sin rose and grabbed me around the waist and as I struggled, he sat down with me in his lap.

Abigail laughed as she looked at me, "you okay dear, you're awfully red?" she joked.

“No, I am fine.” I mumbled, sticking my chin out, not daring a glance behind me.

So, he’s a demon? Why didn’t that shock me, am I just gullible? Maybe I am in a coma, and this is all a dream, I reached and pinched myself, nope not a dream, so why didn’t he scare me like a demon should sure he was an ass, dropped me in a time that wasn’t mine and knew nothing about personal space, but I didn’t fear him. Hell, I might even be attracted to him.

“So can all demons' time travel?” I asked, still without looking at him.

“No, only the higher court can.”

“What else are demons capable of?” I asked seriously.

“Many things want me to show you?” he asked as he squeezed his arm around my waist, kissing my neck.”

“No. I’m good.” I paused, “Why me? Why send me here? Why not one of the many other women wandering around?” I turned in his lap to look at him as he looked at me, his eyes seeming to peer into my soul, making me feel vulnerable.

“To be honest, I am drawn to you. It is something that I can’t fight. I just want to be near you and see what this is.” He spoke seriously, leaving me speechless.

“Hmm, feeling like a bit like a third wheel over here, dear.” Abigail interrupted, breaking the awkwardness.

“I apologize. I was being rude.” Sin spoke sincerely as he inclined his head towards her.

“You’re not from this time either, are you?” I asked her as she looked at me, surprised.

“Why do you ask that?” she queried.

“For one,” I motioned to Sin holding me, “this would be highly inappropriate, but some of the comments you made make me wonder.”

“Hmm, well, I am from this time, but let us say that I am influenced by something that is aware of how things are in your time and things others find shocking don’t shock me.” She smiled.

Sin sighed, sounding disappointed, “I have to go now, little flame,” Sin hesitated as he released me and stood up. He looked down at me, brushing my cheek softly.

“Please stay away from that man… he is no good.” Grabbing my hand, I tried to pull away, but he held it firm, kissed the back of it and whispered, “Until next time.” Before releasing my hand and disappearing into his flames.