Sealed fate of the unborn

—Lucius

Once upon a time, long before the Nosferaticans on this beautiful land, there were different kinds of people, and these were far more depraved. The land had been untouched and unknown, so demons had found such fertile ground to encourage things like human sacrifice.

We had learned that if human races and tribes were in a large span of land without enough water to separate them into continents, they would find each other.

This was a better scenario for us to have them murder each other. But the isolation of the Nosferatica? The barbarism of ancient societies? My demon purred inside my blood any time I so much as considered it.

Depravity. Such a delicate word, with an artist's touch to the genesis of it. All it took was that first snap of temptation and something beautiful was born.

Anyway, all that is just to explain that my land was desecrated. To the human eye, nothing would grow there, but to my demon hybrid eyes, the ground breathed sin.

Lesser demons couldn't handle my home. It sickened even them to suffer the stench too long. To them, it smelled strongly of boiling blood and burning sulfur, all the delectable things of their real home.

Depravity was strong. We delighted in it. I could even open my windows and bask in the sunlight within the safety of that patch of land.

I knew not what had happened in that place, only that it must have been terrible because there was no hope for redemption.

It was wonderfully secluded, and I had every manner of protective magic around that place. As soon as anything so much as interrupted my daytime rest, I would know.

It was one of those nights, though, that Lott and I were speaking. We walked through his house, and I was powerless to harm any within his residency, except in my own self-defense, but I never worried. He was far too curious and I had too much information for him.

In between his phone calls, he would look to where I read one of his books, in one of his armchairs, and spout off another question for me. His mind never ceased, and I was happy for some company that knew what I was.

That specific night he was sitting with me, got the phone call, and politely disengaged himself. Normally, I tried not to listen. It truly wasn't fair to have supernatural hearing, and it was just rude to eavesdrop.

Just kidding. His business actually bored me to tears. What more do you want from me? It could have been a selfless reason that made me refrain, though.

But then I heard his frantic voice, speaking denial in Italian. And I heard my tarot cards brought up, which earned my interest. His heart rate was thundering in terror, his voice was discordant with distress, his eyes were dilated. He argued. Oh, how he argued with whoever was on the phone with him.

When he hung up, however, he did not have the appearance of someone who had won that argument. He had the appearance of someone walking to the gallows instead.

"Problem, Lott?" I asked it softly, gently even.

It took an immense amount of courage to do what he did next, and I had to respect him for it. It was the moment that let me know that I would be kind to his firstborn. I wouldn't torture them or kill them. I might drink, perhaps, from a fresh supply of the blood they would offer, but I would be kind.

Because he swallowed and sat on equal level to me. And he did not try to lie. He spoke true. "Your cards were taken from the men I sent to retrieve them. They won't say what stole them, and they won't go after them. I will not have it to you in the agreed upon time." His voice shook, and he had to force the words out, but he did so with all the honor and courage of men far better than he.

I inclined my head. "Don't worry about it then." There was no point. The demon pact would seal the fate of his unborn child. "I am sorry that our business went wrong. You have been good company and I thank you."

He swallowed, eyes wide and wild with terror when I stood. But he got to his feet. "I can send your money back to you."

"Don't worry about it." I repeated it softly. Because he would pay me back. He likely didn't remember that fact, and he knew nothing of demons anyway, didn't even know I was one. I didn't say that reason out loud.

Instead, I said, "Consider it a gift for any future run-ins we may have together. A peace offering of a kind. Have a good evening, Lott."

The demon snickered with the feeling of having a human in his debt. He licked his lips and flexed his magic, powerful as it was. I knew before Lott did as soon as his seed took hold in his wife.

I knew as soon as she conceived. It woke me from a nap, and I blinked in interest. Of course, this would technically not count until the child was born, hence the language first born, and it would not belong to me just yet.

I would have to wait for the birth and then another 18 years after that.

But it was almost as if the magic was a doctor, of a sort, and this doctor considered it my right to know about the possibility.

This life was my potential possession. I lifted my hand up to rest my head on it, smiling at the ceiling where I lay relaxed on my bed.

My demon was pleased. He was excited.

***