11. Carter Josman.
11
Carter Josman.
“ Incubus/succubus : A species of higher demons, often called demons of lust, who feed on sexual energy. Incubi have been mentioned in texts in medieval times. According to myths, they have the ability to shapeshift and change form to have sexual intercourse with their victims. Some other cultures even describe their goal as to impregnate women with their semen (incubus) or steal the semen of men (succubus). As an exorcist, you will rarely encounter them on the field. Incubi possessions are extremely rare. But beware of their power if you ever face one. We humans are ill-equipped to resist their magic (see case study page 213).”
-Extract from the State Exorcist’s Manual , edition of 2047.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 2052
To Leo’s credit, it was a good throw. The vial of holy water sails over my head, flying straight for Azeroth. But the hybrid is fast. A barely perceptible movement to the side, and the vial breaks on the wall behind him.
Azeroth smiles. “And who might you be?”
“Boss, get behind me!” Leo shouts.
He pulls out a butterfly knife from his pocket and a titanium chain. I would laugh if I wasn’t so worried he might actually get himself killed.
“Leo, it’s—” I start.
But he jumps into action, reaching for me and slashing the knife in the air while reciting words he must have learned in the State Exorcist’s manual. Which only seems to amuse Azeroth. It would take much more than that to have an effect on a hybrid, and they’re not the right incantations to activate his tattoos.
“Oh, you humans never cease to entertain me,” Azeroth says.
The demon reaches for my assistant. If he gets his hands on him, he will break bones. I come between the two of them and trip Leo with a precise kick. Then the Dagger of Redemption is in my hand, and I angle it under Azeroth’s chin. The skin in contact with the sharp edge sizzles and blisters. The hybrid’s fingers close around my throat in a tight grip.
“One wrong move, and I cut your throat,” I tell him.
“Not before I break your neck, exorcist,” Azeroth says. He still looks amused.
I sneer. “Try me.”
I’m not entirely human anymore. He wouldn’t be able to kill me so easily. But my enchanted blade would be fatal to a hybrid like him. Azeroth slowly opens his fingers. His dark claws scratch my skin lightly as he takes his large hand away.
Leo is still on the floor behind me, watching our exchange with round eyes.
But before peace can settle, he does something stupid again. He tries to get to his feet to attack once more. Azeroth sends a powerful wave of sexual energy his way. I stand straight in the middle of the onslaught, and air gets knocked out of my lungs. Behind me, Leo falls to his knees, whimpering. I stay on my feet, but barely. I glare at the demon as delicious heat licks my insides.
“Stop…it,” I snarl, pointing the dagger at Azeroth’s face.
The demon backs away, opening his hands in surrender. His power is already receding like a wave into a dark ocean. I struggle to get air back into my lungs.
A menace… Azeroth is a menace.
He makes his way to the old leather chair and sits nonchalantly.
Leo whines from the floor. “What—what the fuck…? I think I just—I just came in my pants…”
I groan and put my face in my hands. Azeroth laughs.
I gave Leo a change of pants and a plastic bag. He disappeared into the bathroom quickly, ashamed, even though I explained it wasn’t his fault. Azeroth is a powerful incubus. I seem to be the only one who can stay on my feet when he uses the full scope of his power.
“Your little man toy or your lover?” the hybrid asks, eyeing the closed bathroom door where Leo disappeared.
I frown, disgusted. “He’s just my assistant.” And almost a decade younger than me.
“Good. I don’t like to share,” the demon jokes.
I give him a scalding look. “Shut up.” I gesture toward a closed door. “This room is unused. You can stay in it while our deal is on. But my roof, my rules.”
Azeroth smiles. “Oh, bossy. I like it.”
I ignore him. It looks like his favorite pastime is trying to get into everyone’s pants. I should have left him to rot in the Deep Market’s brothel.
“Rule number one,” I say. “Do not use your power here. Not on me, and certainly not on Leo.”
“But we can have so much fun,” he mumbles.
“Rule number two,” I continue. “No demonic activity, manipulation, invasion, fighting… I won’t hesitate to send you back to Hell in less than a heartbeat if you only show your fangs for one second. Am I understood?”
He seems amused by my rules. “Understood.”
I’m already regretting making a deal with the devil. And I’m certain that by the end of whatever this is, I’ll regret it even more.
Azeroth disappears inside his room around nine to sleep the day off. I have a talk with Leo to make sure he understands the situation and to just go home. He refuses.
“I can’t let you sleep here without protection while a demon is under the same roof,” he says. “I’ll stay and keep watch. You need rest.”
He pulled out my shotgun from its case and keeps it on his lap. I’m more afraid he’s going to hurt himself than anything.
“Leo—”
“Boss, please. I’ll keep watch.” His eyes are riveted on the door to Azeroth’s room. He has taken a strong dislike to the hybrid. I can’t blame him.
I’m not in the mood to argue with a resentful assistant. “I’m going to bed. Try not to shoot yourself in the foot.”
There are runes on Azeroth’s door, too. If he opens it during the day, a thrum in the air will wake me. And years of being possessed by a demon have turned me into a light sleeper.
I disappear into my bedroom. The curtains are closed, and I welcome the darkness. The days in Los Angeles are always too bright and yellow.
I take my clothes off and drop them on the bed, sighing. I didn’t expect to come back home with a demon. We’ll have to figure out how to make all of this work without it turning into bloodshed.
My skin feels too tight as I get under the blanket. The friction from the fabric makes me shiver and I have an erection. After being exposed all night to the incubus’ sexual energy, my body is on edge.
I spend half an hour trying to ignore my needs and fall asleep, but there is no helping it. I’m terribly turned on.
I rarely give in to my urges—years of sharing a body with a demon taught me to keep my desires in check, too. But I’ve been alone for a while now. And yet, it’s still difficult to give in.
I slide a tentative hand into my boxer briefs, finding my erection. I’ve been hard for so long today that it hurts. Damned incubus.
I give myself a slow stroke and bite my lips so as not to moan out loud. I doubt Leo will hear a thing from the living room, but the hybrid certainly has a keener hearing.
Against my will, my hand speeds up. I need the release—to get rid of the heat that has accumulated deep inside, menacing to combust me. Images rush to the surface. Azeroth fucking the woman in the brothel. The way he plunged into her as we walked closer to his cage. I try to push the memory away; he’s already too much on my mind. But it’s no use, I’m already so close. The way he used her carelessly is awakening a sick desire in me. I want . I just want so fucking much.
Maybe I should have taken his first offer when I walked into his prison. Let him serve me. For once in my life, I could give in to my base urges and have a good time. Let me be damned for other reasons than my usual crimes.
He could have fucked me against the bars of his cage for all to see. Just like the other clients in the brothel. Fuck my brains out and—
I gasp as I come all over my fingers. The orgasm takes me like a punch in the gut. My head spins, and I arch my back on the bed. For the most perfect moment, frozen in time, all thoughts and worries have escaped my mind. I’m only existing as pleasure courses through my entire body.
But reality has a way of catching up. I stare at the dark ceiling, my hands and belly sticky from my release.
I’m disgusted with myself. I’m as weak as the rest of them against his power.
I use my boxer briefs to clean myself up before throwing them in the room’s corner.
Sleep, against all odds, comes to release me from my shame ten minutes later.
The thrum in the air wakes me. Azeroth has opened his door. I’m instantly out of bed, putting on fresh clothes in the dark. My phone tells me it’s six p.m. The sun is still up.
When I get out of my room, Leo is aiming the shotgun at a smiling Azeroth.
“Care for a second run, human?” the demon is saying.
“I’ll shoot you in the face if you move a finger!” Leo shouts.
Azeroth laughs. “Trust me, I don’t need to move a finger to disarm you.”
I sigh and walk into the living room. “Leo. Can we please not do this before I’ve had my coffee?”
My assistant looks at me. “Boss, how can you be so relaxed with a demon just standing here?” he asks me. His voice is a little too high today.
I’ve lived for years with a demon in my body , I want to say. At least this one isn’t in my head.
Azeroth smiles at me. “Good evening, ashy one. You slept well, I take it? I felt your… contentment early this morning.”
I frown, watching him. There is no mistaking the hidden meaning behind the word ‘ contentment’ . He knows I’ve pleasured myself in bed. He must have felt it, even through the walls. I’m a fool.
I was wrong; this demon is as bad as my first. Worse, even. The other one, at least, wasn’t a pervert.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I say. “Then we can get this show going. Leo, drop the shotgun and make coffee, please.” My assistant is about to argue, but I add, “Or, you can go home?”
He frowns and disappears in the kitchen. Seconds later, there is the loud purr of the coffee machine.
“Do demons drink coffee?” I ask Azeroth.
He nods. “We enjoy all the pleasures of your world.”
“Hooray,” I grumble.
I take a quick shower and dress up. When I get out, Leo is waiting for me with a fresh cup of coffee.
“Thank you kindly,” I say to him.
I notice he hasn’t offered one to Azeroth, so I go into the kitchen and make him one myself. Leo’s frown only deepens. I’ll need to keep him busy, somehow.
“Leo. Would you mind buying some clothes for Azeroth? We can’t have him dressed in the same tank top and too-tight pants for days. And he’s too big to wear my clothes.”
“We can’t?” he says, full of resentment. He’s still wearing my pants since this morning.
I groan. “Leo. I like you. You’re an excellent assistant. But right now, you’re not helping. Make yourself useful or get the fuck out of my place.”
That seems to finally take the wind out of his sails. He looks sheepish. “Sorry, boss. I’ll go out right now and find some clothes.”
“Thank you.” I pull out a credit card from my coat and throw it to him. “And buy more food, please. The hybrid eats like a ravenous pack of wolves.”
As soon as Leo has finally left the apartment, I pace the living room.
“So, where do we start?” I ask Azeroth. “I hope you have something of value to exchange for all the trouble you’re putting me through.”
“And the coffee,” he says, raising his mug. “Before the demonic traders locked me up, I had narrowed down the location of a general of Hell’s armies. A rival gang called her to Earth a few weeks ago. They’ve contained her in an actor who lives in one of the fancy neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Rumor has it she was on track to find the gate during her previous possession, before the State Exorcists got to her.”
“Very well,” I say. “We’re leaving after nightfall.”
Carter Josman was a Hollywood rising star fifteen years ago. I remember the girls at school used to talk about him and his upcoming movies. He was young, beautiful, and talented. But Los Angeles got to him, and he fell into drug abuse and excess. Now he’s a second-rate actor who plays roles in average shows.
It looks like he still has enough money in his bank accounts to have a house in Malibu. And tonight, his gate is wide open.
“And here I thought we might need to sneak in under the cover of darkness,” I say, frowning.
I would have preferred that. There is an ongoing party, and people come and go. The pool is full of half-naked guests with drinks in hand. No one tries to stop us as we enter the property.
Azeroth walks by my side, humming. His illusion is on, hiding his demonic attributes. Nevertheless, many heads turn his way. So much for discretion. We took a cab to get here. I forbade him from using his power again, so it took us three tries before a driver accepted to take us. I’ll have to figure something out, eventually.
The hybrid takes a deep breath and growls deeply.
“Are you feeding right now?” I ask, annoyed.
His blown pupils devour the gold of his eyes as he looks at me.
“I’m just tasting the energy,” he says. “There are plenty of humans having fun around here.” Indeed, there are. I’m pretty sure the trio in the Jacuzzi are having sex. “But trust me, exorcist, it takes a lot more than that to feed me,” he continues with a smile.
I shake my head. Of all the demons I could have partnered with, he had to be an incubus.
“Let’s find our target,” I say, pushing my way through the drunken crowd.
There are holograms all over the house, floating among the guests. Lifelike visions of creatures and characters dancing to the music or offering small talk. It must have cost a fortune to equip the house with so many holo projectors.
The hologram of a shining hummingbird flies around Azeroth’s head. He swats it away with a smile.
Carter Josman is fairly easy to locate. He reigns over his party like a king, bestowing pills and expensive drinks on his subjects. He’s shirtless, not even trying to hide the intricate tattoos all over his tanned chest and arms that contain the demon inside him. Most guests know about it and still choose to be here. They’re attracted to power—whatever the origin—like flies to a carcass.
“What did he sacrifice?” I ask Azeroth as we get closer.
He questioned a demonic trader thoroughly to learn about this possession a few weeks ago. They did the ritual in this very house.
“Does it matter?” the hybrid asks, looking at me.
“Yes.”
The way the exorcism will unfold afterward depends entirely on the answer. To attract a class-two demon like a general of Hell’s armies, one must make a great sacrifice.
“He killed his girlfriend,” Azeroth says matter-of-factly. “They did the ritual in the basement. He put her body in the freezer.”
The heaviness of his words clashes with the raging party around us. Bitter anger rises from my core. The intoxicated joy surrounding us turns ugly. They’re all enjoying the festivities of a murderer.
“Can you use your power to attract him to a quieter part of the house?” I ask.
Azeroth shakes his head. “My power has little effect on higher demons.”
I guess that explains why I can resist him, to a degree.
“Then we’ll do it my way,” I say.
I walk around the crowded house, slowly getting closer to my target. A few hands reach for me, but I ignore them, even as I plaster a fake drunk smile on my face. Tonight, I’m wearing a black jacket and dark pants. It denotes the rest of the guests’ looks, but not enough to raise suspicions. I could be someone’s agent. Azeroth lags; a group of women has surrounded him.
They’re hunting in packs now , I think to myself.
He seems relatively pleased by it.
Carter Josman is standing on a table now, singing out of tune, while a few guests holler at him. His muscles ripple as he dances. I bet he’s already twice as big as he was a few weeks ago. His mutations are turning him into an improved version of himself. At least on the outside. There’s no improving his rotting soul.
I pretend to laugh with the others, before discreetly giving a hard kick to one of the table’s legs. It breaks, and Josman falls backwards. With his new abilities, he might have landed on his feet. But he’s far too wasted for that and he crashes heavily on an expensive couch, spilling his drink. People scream and laugh. I’m the first to help him get back on his feet. The syringe is already in my hand; I pulled it out of my inner pocket. I crouch over him, pretending to help, and inject the holy water into his veins.
The effect is immediate. Josman howls and thrashes as the liquid burns its way through his veins. It won’t kill him, but it hurts terribly.
“Oh, shit, buddy. Are you alright?” I ask over the ruckus, faking worry. He takes a moment to calm down. “Make room!” I say to the crowd. “He must have broken something.” I grab him under the armpit and hoist him up. Azeroth appears on the other side to do the same.
“It’s nothing!” the hybrid says to the onlookers. “He’s been having too much fun. He needs a little rest.”
His dark power reaches outward, spreading in a sensual wave. People immediately turn their attention to their friends and other guests, looking for fun.
We make our way deeper into the house, through a dark hallway where there are no holograms. Josman is whimpering between us.
“I can feel people inside all the rooms,” Azeroth says.
I nod. “Let’s find the basement.”
Where the dead girlfriend might still be. It’s time for Carter Josman to face his mistakes.
“Wait…” the drunk man says. “Take me back to the party… I’m fine…”
We ignore him.
There’s a locked door at the back of the house. Azeroth breaks it effortlessly with a kick. It leads down to the basement.
For a moment, I stare. It looks nothing like the one where my mother tried to kill me, but the familiar smell of sulfur and clotted blood still lingers in the windowless space.
Without so much as a hesitation, I push Josman down the stairs. He lands heavily with a cry of pain and surprise.
Azeroth chuckles beside me. “Very demonic of you, exorcist.”
You don’t know the least of it.
I’ve turned more ruthless over the years. I don’t balk at cruelty anymore, or at getting my hands dirty. It might be from my job; being an exorcist isn’t for the faint of heart. But deep down, I know that devouring my demon might have brought some changes to my personality. He became a part of me, just as he had once explained.
“Close the door behind you,” I say, going down the stairs.
Carter Josman is coming to his feet, fuming. He has a powerful demon inside him, even if he only started mutating a few weeks ago.
“Oh, dudes…” he says drunkenly. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with…”
He shakes himself, taking a lazy fighting stance. He thinks being possessed makes him the shit , even though I’m pretty sure he never took part in an actual fight. If he expects brute strength stolen from a demon to be enough, he’s sorely mistaken.
Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, I dodge his weak attempt at a punch and kick him in the leg. There’s a sickening noise as his knee gets dislocated. Josman screams loud enough to burst an eardrum. Luckily, his party is raving above our heads, and nobody will hear him.
Azeroth comes around the screaming man and drags him to the center of the basement by his shirt.
“You want to do this here and now?” the hybrid asks.
I nod. “Let’s do this here. After all, this is where it all started for you, right, Josman?” I say to the possessed now struggling against Azeroth’s firm grip. “I can still smell the blood—your girlfriend’s blood. You haven’t cleaned the place well enough.”
“Who…the fuck…are you guys…?” the actor says, holding his torn knee. “I don’t… know you!”
As if on cue, Azeroth drops his illusion and his wings cast long shadows over the basement. Josman screams again.
“You don’t,” I agree. “And I wish I never knew about you or what you did here to satisfy your twisted vanity. But here we are. And this isn’t about you. I need to have a talk with your demon.”
I pull out two enchanted chains from my arsenal. Azeroth looks at them with disgust but says nothing. He has the same ones around his wings and chest. He holds our prisoner down as I tie his hands behind his back and his feet together.
At last, I pull out my dagger.
“No!” Josman shouts. “Don’t!”
Azeroth holds him in place as I trace a path all over his chest, cutting his tattoos. His blood hisses and sizzles in contact with the artifact.
The artist inked the tattoos to have a certain integrity. Even if some parts are damaged, the demon will remain contained by the whole artwork. The demonic traders he hired for the ritual knew what they were doing.
But I also know what I’m doing. And I know exactly where to cut to weaken the tattoos enough to bring the demon back to the surface.
Josman’s limbs twist at unnatural angles as the general of Hell’s armies retakes control of her borrowed body. He arches his back, and cracks appear on the basement floor around us, like a spiderweb.
“Oh, hello there, White Exorcist,” the demon says with Josman’s twisted voice, before reaching for my throat with her teeth.