Hell To Pay

by Marc Cabot

  “What would you do if I told you to say it? I’m not!” He blurted out this last as an image of her exploding in the middle of the floor flashed in his head.

  “I’d tell you to go fuck yourself. You have the right to command me within reason, not to make me kill myself.”

  “How can you die? You’re immortal, aren’t you?”

  “Look who knows all about demons.” Somehow she just kept getting more and more derisive. “Of course I can’t die, idiot. But I can be destroyed and...” She just jerked her head up. “...has no sense of humor.” After a pause, she said, “At least not where we’re concerned. Obviously you people are some kind of Divine joke.”

  Simon ignored this. “If God made you, why would He strike you down? Why doesn’t He just strike you down for rebelling?”

  She shrugged. “We weren’t made Upstairs, and I have no idea. All I know is if we follow the rules we’re safe.”

  This was yet another boggling revelation. “What do you mean, He didn’t make you? He made everything, didn’t He?”

  The anger turned back into mockery. “Was your shirt made Upstairs? I ask rhetorically, as it’s obviously as far from Divinely inspired as it’s possible to be.”

  “No. Well, not directly. What has that go to do with it?”

  She jerked her head with an upward glance again. “... made the Angels. One rebelled. After the War, He went into business for Himself. He made us to help Him. I’m as much the product of Creation as your shirt.”

  “So you’re not a fallen angel?”

  “Do I look like an angel?”

  Simon considered this. “Well, you’re dressed a little racier than I’d expect, and you’ve got no wings, but the rest of you could be.”

  The anger instantly turned back into a sweet smile. “You are a nice boy. Let me out of here and I’ll make it worth your while.” She leaned forward and Simon’s eyes almost jumped out of his head and down her cleavage. He pulled back with an effort.

  “Not just now,” he said when he had his brain under control again. “Like I said, I just want to talk.”

  She laughed and it went right to Simon’s raging libido. “This is a new one. What do you want to talk about?”

  “Life. The Universe. Everything.” He couldn’t help himself.

  “Wrong department, sweetie. I do lust. I don’t do philosophy. Is Hell real? Yes. Is it awful? You won’t like it. What happens when you die? You go there. That’s as much as I know.” She seemed to be enjoying the conversation, despite her professed ignorance.

  “Are there other demons? Ones who know more?”

  “Yes. No.” She was also apparently enjoying his confusion.

  “Who knows more?”

  “Upstairs. Him. They don’t pass on a lot of information.”

  Simon stopped to reflect on this. So much for getting the secrets of the Universe out of her. “Can you teach me more magic?”

  “Yes.” This made her smile even wider.

  “Why does that make you look so smug?”

  She tried the innocent look again. “No reason. I like to help.”

  “Tell me the truth. Why does the idea of teaching me more magic make you so happy?”

  She sighed. “Because any magic I teach you is going to be diabolic. Practice it much, and it’s right Downstairs with you. You would have figured it out anyway. Like I said, I hate the smart ones.” She didn’t look all that hateful, more resigned.

  “So you can’t help me without damning me, and I can’t get you to do anything without giving you my soul?”

  “That’s about the size of it, sweetie. But it’s a Hell of a way to go. I’ve had no complaints.” She batted her eyes at him outrageously. “At least not until after. But there is one alternative.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You could give me somebody else’s soul. I’d take that. But I don’t make change.”

  Despite himself Simon’s eyes closed and he shook as he remembered what Irena had tried to do. This is probably what she wanted me for. A bargaining chip. That damned bitch.

  The succubus grinned evilly at his discomfort. “Oh, come on, lover. Don’t you think I’d be worth it?” She ran her hands up and down her body and gave him a look that caused him physical pain as his cock strained against his pants.

  “To be honest, parts of me think so.”

  “Flatterer. So how about it?” She licked her lips again and they glimmered in the light.

  He tore his eyes away and took several deep breaths. “Not today, ...” He paused. “What is your name, anyway?”

  “You couldn’t pronounce it. You haven’t got enough tongues.” She giggled at him and he looked despite himself. Her breasts were bouncing as she laughed and he had to take another deep breath.

  “What do you like to be called?”

  “’Mistress.’”

  At that it was his turn to snort. “How about I just call you Lilith? Wasn’t she a great temptress?”

  “You are such a nice boy. And I’m sure she’d be flattered too.”

  “Lilith, then. Or maybe Lily. You should have your own name.”

  The succubus gave him a strange look. “You are a very unusual man.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “No one ever worried about my feelings before.” She was looking at him quite speculatively, as if for the first time she was taking him seriously. It actually made her more tempting. He could feel himself weakening.

  “Lily, if I send you back, and do the ritual again, will you come? Or some other demon?”

  Now she had to consider. “That’s a good question. Nobody’s ever bothered with that for a succubus, but you can call a specific demon if you know which one you want. If you don’t, you get whatever He sends you. If you thought about me, you’d probably get me again. Why?”

  “Because if I look at you much longer I’m going to jump through that circle dick-first.” She grinned. “But I’d like to talk to you again.”

  “You silver-tongued mortal. Any of us could look like this - not that it doesn’t look best on me - but I think I’d like that too. You are interesting. And if you see me again I’m sure you’ll come around.” She made a kissy-face at him while drawing one finger down her neck and through her cleavage. Simon fought with every ounce of strength to stop himself jumping across the lines. He won, but barely.

  “Then until next time, Lily. Demigro!” He spat out the word of dismissal, in fear she’d find a way to convince him to let her stay just a little longer.

  She disappeared, still smiling. Simon sank to the floor and sprawled in relief, but on his back. He wouldn’t be able to lie down on his front for hours.

  #

  Over the next few months, Simon learned the true meaning of the phrase, “demon-haunted world.” Lily’s laughing face was the first thing he saw when he closed his eyes at night. The feeling of her body under his hands filled feverish dreams. He sweated through the sheets every night.

  I’ve made a terrible mistake, he realized. She’s so tempting. I’ll never be free of her. I have to have her. But I don’t want to go to Hell. There has to be a way.

  The books were no help: mostly what they talked about was how to put off your reckoning once you were in too deep to get out. He’d never know how old Irena had been, or how many souls she’d traded to the dark powers. Magic could be used to extend life more or less indefinitely, although if you wouldn’t use your soul - or somebody else’s - for the purpose, it was much harder.

  So he spent a lot of time researching the history of demonology. He couldn’t get into the Vatican library - his family wasn’t that connected - but there were lots of libraries in Europe with lots of very old books. Most of what existed was scholarly research about why the stupid primitives had believed such silly things, but by comparing the content of many other sources to what the books claimed, he managed to construct what he thought was a fairly reliable set of principles.

  Demons could make bargains, and they
kept them - but they were both extremely literal and extremely good at twisting them to produce an unfortunate outcome for the bargainer. And they took payment in souls, period. What they could or would give in return varied widely and seemed to be limited mostly by the imagination of the summoner. He couldn’t find any instances of somebody using a demon to accrue excessive worldly power: he suspected that the Church, or other magicians, would intervene if they caught you at it. So you kept your head down or you got it chopped off.

  The religious literature was very clear that making a deal with a demon, for good purposes or evil, was a big no-no. And using the soul of another to pay your debt was unforgivable in the eyes of God. A few obscure stories seemed to indicate that the demons didn’t always win, but if you gave them another’s soul, you were done. Not that Simon would ever have done such a thing, but in a way it was good to know that that avenue was closed from the start.

  As the days went by, Simon lost interest in everything but finding a way to have Lily. At first he did try to maintain a little social life, to take the occasional “break.” But every woman came up short when compared to the green-eyed succubus. He withdrew into his apartment, coming out only to get food, or take short trips to view more books. But no matter how he struggled with it, he couldn’t find a way. He could summon her, and she’d talk to him - but she would give nothing more without payment. And it was not a price he could pay.

  #

  He was writing out a new ritual of summoning when it came to him. He had already decided that he would have to sell himself as dearly as he could and take the consequences: when he made that decision, it somehow kicked his chain of thought free and a desperate possibility presented itself. There was no way to know what would happen: he could find no clue that anyone else had ever tried a third way out.

  All resolve exhausted, Simon resigned himself to making the bargain and taking his chances. He cleaned himself up, and for once enjoyed a lovely meal at one of his favorite restaurants. With the decision made and the knowledge that he would see her again, he was able to let go for just a few hours. They might be his last. The ritual itself wasn’t without danger, and if Lily got loose before he sealed the bargain, it was all over.

  Finally, he had read and reread and reread the ritual again. The circle of containment was relaid (Simon didn’t mess around with chalk: he used paint, and waited for it to dry.) He took a deep breath and read out the words of summoning, gathering his power and releasing it with the mystic phrases. With each breath, each pause in the ritual, he visualized Lily’s perfect face and thought her name, trying to bind the magic to seek her out and no other. Then it was time.

  “Lily, prodio et oboedio!”

  And she was there, as if she had never left the circle.

  “Took you long enough. I thought you’d managed to get free of me. I was insulted.” She didn’t look insulted. She looked quite triumphant.

  He drank her in for a moment before answering. “I wanted to get a few things straight, that’s all. It’s not like your side makes it easy for we poor mortals.”

  She laughed. “I just get one thing straight, and I find it very easy to do. So are you just going to gawk again, or are we going to do business?” She licked her lips in that maddening way she had. Simon could almost feel her tongue sliding over his cock.

  He swallowed. “I want to make a deal.”

  Lily’s smile grew huge. “That’s delicious. It’s been a long time. I can already taste you.” She gave him a hungry look.

  She doesn’t mean my body. She wants to eat my soul. What am I doing? “Not so fast. I have terms.”

  “Of course you do. They always do. Let’s hear them.” Her tone of voice was... playful. Like a cat might sound if it could talk to a mouse.

  “First, that you shall be mine in any way I desire. I may use you for my own pleasure as I see fit.” Despite his fear and dread his cock twitched as he spoke. Oh, all the ways I desire you...

  She looked very pleased. “It’s nice that you put that first. So often they start with vengeance or some other silly thing. Sometimes they even forget that part because they think I’m easy. I’m not easy.” Her grin became more predatory. “And there’s nothing free in this world or any other. But done.”

  “Second, that you will obey my every command, save to destroy yourself.”

  She shook her head. “Uh-uh. I do that, you let me out and the first thing you say is ‘Give up your claim on my soul.’ I know you’re one of the smart ones. Try again.”

  It was worth a try. “Fine. You will obey my every command, other than to destroy yourself, or to alter the terms of our agreement.”

  She thought about this. “Closer. No putting me on the Internet or otherwise using me as a sideshow. Demons who go public get destroyed, either by Upstairs or those bastards in the black dresses.” The playful tone returned. “And just so you know, the Church won’t help you get out of a deal with a demon. That kind of thing pisses them off. It’s not as forgiving as it might be, but trust me, you run to Rome and ask for help, they’ll pray for you all day long but they won’t lift a finger. And I won’t go near a church. That would be too close to an order to destroy myself.”

  He’d expected this. “You will obey my every command, other than to destroy yourself, alter the terms of our agreement, or overtly reveal yourself as a supernatural being to other people.”

  Another nod. “That works. Plenty of slack in there for me. Anything else?”

  “You will allow me to share you with others or give you to them for my pleasure, in any way I see fit, so long as it doesn’t violate the other terms of our agreement.”

  Her eyebrows rose in perfect arcs. “Oooh, kinky. I’m up for that.”

  “Good. All these terms shall apply for the rest of my life, and neither you nor any other being you have influence with or over shall try to end my life prematurely.”

  She laughed again, harder. “Nice try. Magicians live a long, long time. I’m not trading the whole store away for one little soul. You can have a year or you can up the ante.”

  “Ten years.”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m giving you the deluxe package. What you’re getting is about the best deal I’ve ever made, if I do say so. One year. If you want more, you’ll have to sweeten the pot.”

  Simon had been waiting for this. He had to look desperate or she might start thinking too hard about what she’d already agreed to. “All right. A year. But you must promise not to try to find a way to claim your price before the year is up, or in any way induce or ask any other being you have influence with or over to do so.”

  Lily pouted. “That’s half the fun. But you interest me, mortal. And it’s been a hundred years since I tasted a fresh soul. Another one is nothing to me. Done.”

  “And finally, the payment. Prescium animus. The price is a soul. My own, or one that is given me to command.”

  She nodded with delight. “Of course. You seem like sort of a goody-good, but give me a year and you’ll be harvesting souls like an incubus.” She winked at him and he shuddered.

  No, never, he thought, but only said, “Then the terms are acceptable?”

  “I accept your terms as you have spoken them,” came the confident reply. “Release me from the circle, and in that moment, the bargain is struck and the year begins.”

  Simon took another deep, deep breath. One way or another, his fate was sealed. It had been sealed since the moment he saw her. It was time to roll the dice.

  “CIRCULUS VOS EXIMO!”

  CHAPTER THREE

  An Unimaginable Journey

  The sound of Simon’s voice was still in the air when the circle of containment vanished and Lily gave a wordless cry of delight. She gave him another of those hungry looks and started to walk toward him with slow and devastating grace.

  “Well, master, here I am. What would you have of me?” She didn’t sound very subservient, “master” or no.

  “Stop.” She gracefully paused a f
ew feet from him. He was sweating and dizzy, as if he had a fever.

  “Are you doing anything to me right now? Answer me truthfully when I ask you questions.”

  “I’m just standing here,” came the amused reply. “I can’t do anything to you you don’t ask me to do.”

  It’s just her presence. At long, long last...

  “Follow me. Don’t get any closer than you are right now until I say.” She rolled her eyes.

  “I made the deal. I’m a demon of my word. You’re perfectly safe until the year is up.” Before he could say anything more she added, “Unless you have a weak heart or something. That’d be too much to ask, wouldn’t it?”

  “My heart’s in fine shape. Come on.” He turned, steeling himself as his back went to her. Nothing happened except a little laugh and he walked out of the ritual room and through the hallway. He turned his head and saw her coming behind him, very deliberately counting steps to match his. When she saw him looking she stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed himself. It was a little unsteady but it made him feel better. He paused.

  “Do you know what a white mutiny is, Lily?”

  She gave him a sweet smile and said, “Master, we invented them. Your terms were not bad at all, but don’t think for a second I couldn’t obey you in ways that would make your life miserable. I might, if you bore me.”

  Simon mock-shuddered. Well, it was mostly mock. “I will try very hard not to make that mistake.” He turned away and walked into his bedroom. In anticipation of surviving the ritual, he had freshened it up, although his private-school days had put him in the habit of keeping things generally tidy anyway. She came along behind, humming quietly.

  He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her. She had stopped a foot or so inside the door and was looking right back.

  “Can you undress, Lily?”

  “Yes.”