His Wicked Smile

Whoo...
I exhaled.

In front of my eyes, for miles it seemed, a long stretch of a stone pathway. It was cracked, and crumbling. I looked over the ledge of pathway, which was quite narrow.

Abyss.... a red abyss.

The painting behind me was now of the door parallel to the painting on the other side. It floated, I didn't bother looking around it, this place was already a little strange for me, and that's saying something.

I walked along the pathway for a long while. I wasn't keeping track of time...
In the distance I could see a dark cloud of smoke, well I assume it's smoke because not many clouds are a dark grey. I walked faster, not running, being pregnant kind of prevents that.

Soon I came upon a cottage, the door was open. Smoke exited from the chimney, door, and windows. The house was made of stones in tans, beiges, and greys. The wood of the door was becoming blackened by the darkening smoke, I had to help. My natural instinct kicked in and I knew something was wrong.
I stopped. Sucked in a big breath and ran inside.

"Oh! Oh, no no no no no."
I hunched myself over trying to get a better look at whomever said that. Obviously, it was a woman. Probably older. My eyes watered, as I tried to look around. A small kitchen with a small table, on either sides of that table was only two chairs. And some counter space was adorned with some regular kitchen items....and some not so regular....

Someone was trying to fan out the fireplace. but smoke was still pouring out of everywhere. There wasn't really a specific place. They were wearing an odd dress, a black and white apron and had their hair, which was a blue grey color, pulled back into a loose bun.

She sighed and stood up straight, waved her hand, and the smoke vanished.
I stood up straight and coughed, trying to clear out the smoke I had breathed in.

We stared at each other for a second before I realized how awkward this is. A pregnant girl ran to a smoking house of a strange older woman.

"Um, hi, I was just.....umm..."

She looked at me a second longer and went to her cupboard. "Sit down, sit down.," She said waving her hands at me, gesturing to the kitchen table. "Would you like some tea? That's marvelous, it'll be just out."

Ok........I'm having tea I guess.

I sat down in the worn wooden chair and took in her home. It was cosy, and welcoming. It was spick-n-span clean like you see in the magazines, and make it look like it's not even lived in.

I watched as she waved her hand like before and the tea immediately started to whistle, She picked it up with a cloth and poured it into two mugs.

She walked over to the table and set it down and began to sip it. "Hello, dear."

I sipped the hot tea, and resisted the urge to spit it out as it burned my lip. "Sorry for barging in, I-....I don't even know..."

"Well, what do you know?"
I looked up at her. Her grey eyes looked wise and knowing, ''I came in through here from a painting.."

She leaned back. "Ahh, yes. The painting. You know who painted that, do you? My little Damien, that's who. He hasn't visited me a long while though." She sighed and lost herself in her old memories.

"Damien? Lesul?" She nodded.

"Yes, a young vampire when I met him. He was a wondering soul, out in the market place. Took a wrong turn and ended up in the black market. That's where I was being sold. I'm a djinn. Of higher standings, but I have mortal in me, hence my growing age. He bought my painting, and used my powers for guidance...." She laughed. "What a smart young boy!"

I sipped my tea. "He's still smart, and about to have a kid, and is looking for a queen, after that he's going to become king."

She didn't look surprised, "He still has much to learn. So, why are you here again? Oh, you must want to know about your future! I'm a Guiding Djiin. I work with things like these."

i debated. On one hand I have me taking her advice. And on the other I can try and get more information on Damien, maybe for blackmail. I probably needed more guidance than information.

"Oh, yea of course. I, erm, need guidance."

She closed her eyes, opened them and went to get a piece of wood from the fireplace. She touched it gently and it lit on fire. Her hands pressed on the wood as she closed her eyes.
I sat, amazed. Her hands were NOT on fire.
What?

She smiled. "Trust your instinct. You may think that your baby will be born as a blood fiend, but take notice to what you've created. Think on that."

She blew on the wood and the fire ceased.

"Go, I need sleep. See me again another time, Willow."

Of course, she would know my name. "What is your name?" All I knew was that she was a djinn....

"Alria."