“I’l manage,” the other shrugged. “How did you find us?” the blonde asked. “Did you know about this? Were you sent by someone? Some revelation?” “I was just here taking pictures,” Alex shrugged, jostling his backpack a bit. “Snuck onto the property. I heard the screaming, so I looked to see what was going on. Turned out the front door wasn’t locked. I had no idea anything like that was happening.” She smiled a bit. “Mysterious ways,” she said. “Bugger your patriarchal sky god,” the other woman grimaced. Alex was silent for a second. Every word he spoke seemed to make this very awkward moment even more awkward, but somehow just standing there didn’t seem to be al that slick, either. “Are you two cold? ‘cause one of you could have my sweatshirt at least…” The women both looked at him blankly. “Hey, I’m just trying to help. This is al so crazy. Who the hell are you two, anyway?” “Interesting choice of words,” the blonde said, looking at the dark-haired one, who spat blood onto the ground. “Sorry,” Alex muttered. “I guess there’s no harm in tel ing at this point. You can cal me Rachel,” the blonde began. “I am an angel of the Third Host, charged with…nevermind. It won’t mean anything to you. I’m an angel, and that’s al you need to know. This one,” she said, gesturing at the other woman, “is… well , why don’t you tel him who you are?” she smirked. “Bitch,” the other grunted bitterly. “I’m sure we could cal you something fouler,” Rachel smirked.
“Woah, hey, how about we not fight?” Alex requested, taking a step further between them and holding his hands up peaceably. “Look, I’m Alex, okay? You’re Rachel, okay, cool, and what’s your name?” “Cal me Lorelei, ma—” she stopped herself. Startled by the name, Rachel’s posture stiffened and she stepped back. She quickly swal owed and regained her composure before either of the others noticed. “That first name might fit wonderful y, then,” she commented. “Look, ladies, can we please cool it? Jeez, you’re like cats and dogs or something.” Rachel looked at him evenly, and then the implication clicked in Alex’s head. He looked at Lorelei with wide eyes. “But… aren’t you supposed to have, like, wings?” Alex felt silly for asking it almost as soon as it had come out of his mouth, but Rachel explained anyway. “They cut off our wings after we were summoned by their sorcery,” she said, “and her little horns and tail. That pile of ashes in the room was what was left… it was al burned to drain our power. Magic often works in symbolism, and I suppose those features can symbolize power. They wanted to weaken us. “Lorelei here is a succubus,” Rachel continued with a hint of venom. “Do you know what that is?” He knew only what he had picked up from the rulebooks for Jason’s roleplaying games. “Isn’t that like a hottie girl demon?” “Yes,” Rachel said dryly while Lorelei rolled her eyes. “A hottie girl demon. The succubae seduce men on Earth to sate their immortal lusts. Their victims give their al until they are shriveled husks, literally abandoning life and everything of importance to fuck the evil little trol ops. Men fornicate with them to their literal deaths.” “Holy shit, is she serious?” Alex blinked, looking at Lorelei, who only reluctantly raised her eyes to meet Alex’s gaze. “She greatly simplifies,” she said quietly. “You have nothing to fear from me, mast—” Again, she cut herself off. Rachel looked on with newly aroused interest.
“So you steal souls like that?” Rachel giggled while Lorelei shook her head. “It’s not like that,” Lorelei said simply. “I can…tel you later.” “Yes, I’l just bet you can, Lorelei,” Rachel said. “What’s so funny about this?” Alex asked. “Oh, I think Lorelei here was affected by this insanity much more than I. Do you remember what the fall en priest was saying?” “Bite your tongue, angel!” Lorelei snapped. “I was kinda busy trying to rescue you two and not freak the hell out at the same time. I’m not like a movie hero or anything. I’m just a college student.” Rachel looked at him seriously for a moment, and then sighed. “I’m probably not supposed to tel you al this, but fuck it.” She leaned back, casually putting her butt against a headstone. Alex blinked at the angel’s language, but she didn’t notice. “Those men in there were trying to use sorcery to enslave us both. well , the priest was, anyway. The others were just his goons. Doubtlessly one of them was the genius who left the door unlocked. thankfully. “They summoned us through ritual magic and imprisoned us. They tortured us to keep us weak. The chains, the whip, cutting off our wings. Al of that, just to keep us both vulnerable. And then, with that goblet as a tool, the priest drew out part of our essences. My purest good, her foulest evil, just as he said.” Alex’s jaw dropped, and he reached up to touch his cheek. “You mean that’s what’s al over my face? Is that gonna do something to me?” “It already has, to al three of us,” said Rachel, with a hint of amusement. “Though I can tel that Lorelei here got the worst of it. He worked harder on her. Neither of us can hurt you nor lie to you now. And again, Lorelei’s just not as evil as she was. We’l have to wait and see how much difference that makes. And I,” she said, a bit sadly, “am something
less now than I was… though the Hosts may be able to remedy that later.” “So you’re not a good guy angel anymore and she’s not a bad guy demon? What happens with me?” “Oh, I’m still good at heart, I can tel you that. And Lorelei… well , that’s up to her, real y. But as for you? Again, the ritual was meant to enslave us both to the recipient of those essences. I can’t lie to you or hurt you, though you didn’t really have to worry about that to begin with. But I sure don’t feel enslaved. Lorelei got it worse, though—” “Go ahead and run your mouth more, wretch,” Lorelei grumbled bitterly. “—or have you not noticed that Lorelei keeps almost calling you ‘master?’ She’s fighting it, but she’s losing.” Rachel was only slightly suppressing her grin. Again, Alex’s jaw dropped. “I—what?!” he blurted. “I didn’t mean—oh my god! Lorelei, I wasn’t trying to enslave you, I was trying to help! Holy shit, this is crazy! I don’t want you to have to be my slave! That’s not right! I just didn’t want you to get hurt anymore or raped, or… oh my god…” Lorelei looked at Alex like he had grown another head and started speaking Chinese. At this, Rachel chuckled. “‘Abashed, the Devil stood, and felt—’” “Oh, shut up,” Lorelei interrupted bitterly. “Isn’t that from ‘The Crow?’” Alex asked. Rachel sighed. “No. Milton. Paradise Lost. Keep going to college, Alex, you’l get it.” “Is there any way to change it back? What happens when I wash this off my face?” “Nothing,” Lorelei answered. “The blood is a symbol and a conveyance, nothing more. The deed is done. We are both diminished. I cannot mislead or harm you, and… I will not be claiming any more lives as I once did. Master,” she added, as if admitting defeat.
Alex was floored. “There’s gotta be some way to free you, though, right? I mean, slavery’s just… wrong!” “This is not slavery as you understand it. That is an oversimplification. Virtually every demon in hell is servant or slave to another,” Lorelei shrugged. “The priest had already severed my connection to my previous master. His ritual was designed to fil that void, yet it fell to you, and that seems far preferable to his original intentions. Regardless, to return to hell diminished like this would be… unimaginable. Given the conditions, this is the least of bad alternatives.” “Magnanimous for a demon. That pul on your essence must have gone deep,” Rachel quipped. “I would still bite off your wagging tongue, hag,” Lorelei snarled. “Well … so… what am I supposed to do?” Alex blinked. “I mean is some other big bad demon going to come looking for her?” “Possibly, but unlikely,” Lorelei said, more to the ground than to Alex. “I wouldn’t worry about it,” Rachel shrugged. “Lorelei’s damaged goods, and greater demons generally cannot act overtly against mortals. You haven’t done anything to lose the protection of Heaven.” The thought gave her pause. She frowned, looking around a moment, and then shrugged. “In any event, there is an angel in your debt. You would be a terribly complicated target.” “You don’t have to feel like you owe me anything,” he said. “I just did what someone had to do. But, I mean… no offense, Lorelei, but,” he turned back to Rachel, “is it really good for a normal guy like me to have a demon, um, working for him? I mean, I don’t wanna wind up in hell !” “Bound to you would be a better term,” Rachel offered. “And that’s something only time will tel . still , it’s not like she can fuck off back where she came from now, and I can’t take her with me. You’l have to keep her close to you so she doesn’t run around being… well , evil.” She smirked at the vicious glare her comment drew from Lorelei. “Hel , someone like you might be a good influence on someone like her.” Again, Rachel looked around as if looking for someone. “I’l be watching over you, Alex,” she said as if deciding
something profound. “Remember, she can’t lie to you or try to bring you harm, including to your soul. Trust yourself. See ya.” She turned and started walking away, and as she did, she seemed to gradually fade from sight. “Wait, you’re just leaving? What am I supposed to do now?” Rachel looked back and shrugged. “What else would you do? Go home.” “Home!?” Alex blurted out. “I still live with my mom!” Silence fol owed. With the angel gone, Alex slowly turned to look at the naked, battered yet beautiful demoness next to him. A mil ion thoughts came at once, and he had no idea where to begin. He was exhausted and wanted to go home. “So you can stay invisible?” “I have great ability at il usion, master, yes,” she responded evenly. “I haven’t the strength just now for much else, but I can manage this. No one but you will know I am present.” “Guess you’l have to be invisible on the back of my motorcycle, then, ‘cause I only brought one helmet and I don’t wanna get a ticket. You sure you don’t want my sweatshirt?” * Alex and Lorelei pul ed into the underground garage of his townhouse complex to find it thankfully empty. Lorelei gracefully dismounted and stood behind Alex once he had parked. Alex got off the bike somewhat slower and more nervously. He had never brought a girl home…let alone a woman like this. Standing next to the bike, Alex pul ed off his helmet and found the breath knocked right out of him as soon as he looked at her. Her bruises had vanished and the scarring from the removal of her horns was gone. Her hair still hung
al uringly over her otherwise bare, full breasts. She had tied his sweatshirt around her waist with its sleeves hanging between her legs at the front, yet al that did was make her shapely hips al the more enticing. There was still blood, soot and other marks upon her, but her face had regained its original shape, which was so beautiful it left him speechless. “I seem able to heal, at least,” Lorelei said, noting his very obvious reaction. “It is…good that you are pleased, master.” Alex looked around to see if anyone saw him being so awkward and nervous. “We are alone. Were we not, we would still be undetected unless you wished it, master,” Lorelei said. “Does it bother you at al ,” Alex asked hesitantly, “calling me that?” “Not especial y. I have always had a master. Now it is you. Does the word trouble you?” “A little. A lot. Yeah.” She gave him that incredulous look again, but he ignored it. “Maybe you should just cal me by my name?” “Very well , Alex. shall I remain unnoticed when we go inside? You said you live with your mother. I imagine you would rather not reveal me to her?” “Yeah, it’s just me and Mom. I mean I wanna move out soon, but I can’t quite afford my own place just yet while I’m in school and…I’m babbling, aren’t I?” “Yes, Alex,” she said, smiling just a bit coyly. “You need not apologize. You will likely be quite surprised at how accommodating I can be. Your material circumstances are irrelevant to me unless you wish to make them my business.” “Okay, well , Mom’s probably sleeping by now, so we should just be quiet and head for my room. Can you make sure neither of us wakes her?”
“Done.” “Okay. I mean don’t wake her tonight,” he blurted suddenly. Her smirk gave him a sudden worry that the demoness might twist his words. “Just tonight. Like let her sleep normal y. Don’t, like, put her to sleep for a hundred years or something!” Lorelei looked at him evenly. “Alex,” she said with a bit of a smile, “You can relax. I am not a genie seeking to forge your doom from a carelessly worded wish. I will not seek to betray you simply because I am a demon. My first role is —was—to ruin and punish the wicked. I was not born to lead the virtuous astray. That task fall s to other demons. And no angel, no matter how crass, would leave you in the presence of one such as I if you or others were in danger because of it.” “You’re being a lot nicer al of a sudden,” Alex said warily. Her smile broadened a bit. “We’re not in the presence of one of the snots of the heavenly hosts,” she began. Her tone was pointedly friendly, which sent his heart into overdrive. “I have had time to recover. You have been entirely kind and considerate, and I am more deeply in your debt than I can say. You are also my master. As I said, I have always served one master or another, and you are already far more pleasant than any of your predecessors. There’s no reason to be disagreeable.” Alex didn’t know what to say for a long moment. He just stared. Her eyes seemed to dance with amusement. Her voice alone was entrancing, and just standing there talking with her gave him the stiffest hard-on of his life—and he wasn’t even looking below her smudged-up face. “How may I serve, master? I’m sorry,” she corrected, “Alex?” “Let’s just… uh… go inside.” Alex tried to be subtle in adjusting his pants as he walked. He failed. Lorelei saw, and was pleased. Inside, they found the living room light had been left on. The townhouse was quiet and his mother had to be asleep.
Alex led Lorelei up the stairs, which she ascended with a slight curiosity on her face as she looked around. His mother had done relatively well in the corporate world, but the realities of single-parenting had made them a more or less middle class family. Alex quietly led her into his bedroom and shut the door. “You need not be so careful,” Lorelei said casual y. “As you wished, I am covering our sounds. Al I need do is whisper into your mother’s bedroom to ensure she will sleep soundly through the night. You can relax.” Alex sighed, dropping his backpack and helmet on his relatively bare desk. “Thank you. I’m pretty tired, I guess. I just need a shower.” “As do I,” she responded. A more experienced man would have recognized the invitation immediately. Overwhelmed as he was, Alex didn’t discern any difference from every other smoldering hot word coming out of her mouth. The hint shot right past him. “Okay. well , there are two showers; I suppose you could use mine and I’l just use Mom’s. I can keep it quick so you don’t run out of hot water. I guess I’m gonna have to get you some clothes?” Lorelei cocked her head to one side curiously. It had the effect of raising the hair that dangled over her right breast, revealing more of the curve and giving Alex’s already thumping heart an extra beat. As if taunting and teasing just happened on autopilot for Lorelei, though, it wasn’t fullly uncovered. “That would be wise. Or, if you wish me to be seen in public, I can create the il usion of whatever clothes you like for others,” she said, “while you will see me as I am, unless my nudity makes you uncomfortable?” A dozen replies tried to come out of Alex’s mouth at once, but jammed up until al he got out was, “Whatever’s comfortable for you. Are you hungry? Do you actually eat?” Lorelei shrugged a bit, realizing she’d have to dispense with the minutiae of mortal life. “I do not need food to sustain myself, though I can eat if the mood takes me. Were I not so worn down by tonight’s troubles I wouldn’t need something so mundane as a shower. I normally need much less sleep than you, though after tonight I would very much appreciate laying in a bed,” she said, indicating Alex’s twin-sized bed. “I am many centuries old, Alex. I have moved through the mortal world for most of that time. Despite tonight’s il turns, I can take care of myself. Your