Maya stared at her reflection in the coffee shop window, barely recognizing herself in actual clothes and makeup. It had taken her two hours to make herself look human enough for public interaction. The last thing she needed was to scare away the one person who might have answers.
Elena had suggested they meet at a small café in the arts district, somewhere "with good energy flow and fewer electronic devices." Maya had no idea what that meant, but she'd agreed to anything if it meant getting closer to finding Lucien.
"You must be Maya."
The voice came from behind her, warm and slightly accented. Maya turned to see a woman in her forties with silver-streaked dark hair and the kind of sharp, intelligent eyes that seemed to see right through people. She wore flowing clothes in deep purples and blues, with jewelry that looked handmade and expensive.
"Elena?" Maya stood up so fast she knocked her chair backward. "Thank you for meeting me. I wasn't sure you'd actually show up."
"Honey, when someone calls me about direct contact with a high-level demon, I clear my schedule." Elena righted Maya's chair and sat down across from her. "You look terrible, by the way. When's the last time you ate something that wasn't delivered in a cardboard box?"
Maya couldn't remember. Elena flagged down the waitress and ordered two full meals without asking what Maya wanted.
"Now," Elena said, folding her hands on the table, "tell me about the dreams."
"Dreams?"
"Don't play dumb with me. If Lucien Morningstar has marked you as his chosen, you're having dreams. Vivid ones. Probably sexual in nature, am I right?"
Maya's face burned red. She had been having dreams, increasingly intense ones where Lucien felt more real than anyone she'd ever touched. Dreams where his hands on her skin felt like fire, where his voice in her ear made her wake up gasping and aching for something she'd never experienced in real life.
"How did you know?"
"Because that's how it starts. The bond forms first in dreams, then through digital contact, then physical manifestation. You're already in stage two. Stage three is when things get dangerous."
The waitress brought their food—actual vegetables and protein that made Maya's stomach growl embarrassingly loud. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been hungry for real food.
"Dangerous how?" Maya asked around a mouthful of grilled chicken.
"Demons don't cross dimensional barriers for casual visits. If he's putting this much energy into reaching you, he wants something specific. And beings like Lucien Morningstar don't take no for an answer."
Elena pulled out a small leather notebook and flipped through pages covered in symbols and sketches. "I've been documenting supernatural encounters for fifteen years. Demons, angels, fae folk, ghosts—you name it. But I've never seen a case quite like yours."
"What makes mine different?"
"Most supernatural entities that try to contact humans are either looking for worship, trying to make deals for souls, or feeding off emotional energy. But based on what you've told me, Lucien isn't asking for any of that. He's courting you."
The word sent shivers down Maya's spine. "Courting?"
"Like old-fashioned romance, but with interdimensional implications. He's trying to win your heart, not steal your soul. The question is why." Elena studied Maya's face carefully. "Tell me about your family history. Any unusual deaths, unexplained phenomena, family members who were known for having 'gifts'?"
Maya thought about her grandmother, who had always seemed to know things before they happened. Her great-aunt who claimed she could talk to dead relatives. Her own strange dreams throughout childhood that sometimes came true.
"Maybe," Maya admitted. "My mom's side of the family has always been a little... unusual."
"Bloodline," Elena said with satisfaction, making a note in her book. "That explains it. You're not just some random gamer he happened to notice. You have inherited sensitivity to supernatural forces. He sensed it through the digital connection and decided you were worth pursuing."
Maya's phone buzzed with a text message. She glanced down and froze.
The message wasn't from any contact in her phone. The sender ID just read "L.M."
*Missing you, darling. Elena seems nice, but be careful who you trust. Some people have their own agendas when it comes to demons like me. The black rose is ready when you are.*
Maya's hands started shaking. She held the phone out to Elena, who read the message with raised eyebrows.
"Well, that's new," Elena murmured. "He's monitoring your activities in real time now. That means he's getting stronger, building more connection to this plane." She looked up at Maya with an expression that was half impressed, half worried. "He really has chosen you, hasn't he?"
"What does that mean exactly?"
Elena closed her notebook and leaned forward. "It means, sweetheart, that whether you want it or not, you're about to become the most important person in a very dangerous supernatural game. High-level demons don't court human women unless they're planning something that requires a willing partner from this dimension."
Maya's phone buzzed again.
*Tell Elena that some games are worth playing. And Maya? Tonight, look for me in your dreams. We have so much to discuss.*
"He's listening to our conversation right now," Elena said quietly. "Which means we're past the point of simple contact. Maya, I need you to understand something. Whatever Lucien wants from you, it's going to require a choice. A permanent one."
"What kind of choice?"
Elena's eyes were grave as she reached across the table to squeeze Maya's hand.
"The kind where once you say yes, there's no going back to the life you had before."