Lucyfer
Said you'd die for me, well -- there's the ground
A demon did not go unnoticed in the territory that Lucia Antonius called her own. Sandaled feet took her to where he was, within one of the hookah bars while a belly dance show was going on. She ignored the dancers, attractive as they were, and made her way to the man with the golden skin lounging on the cushions and laughing.
There were a few tell-tale signs that had given him away, and caused the vampire Marshall to report to Lucia. The obvious one was the hair. Sure, people could dye their hair that shade of blue, but that hue paired with the mark on his forehead, the elfin ears, and the inhumanely dark blue eyes caused a bit of a fuss.
The woman slipped onto the couch besides him, where his arm was, and she pressed back against it so he would notice her. He did, with a start, eyes widening at the presence of a woman who looked both out of place, and wonderfully in place on his arm and in that slinky, backless, black dress. He purred, “Can I help you?” As he leaned towards her, moving to let his other arm rest over her abdomen.
“One inch closer and you’ll be dinner, dear.” Her burgundy lips curved into a grin, just enough so he could see one fang extend. He stopped where he was and matched her grin.
“I’m not sure that would be so bad,” he’d been bitten before. The bite of a vampire had an intoxicating quality to it, and he knew they thought the same about his blood. Far better than human blood. “To what do I owe the pleasure, miss…?”
“Antonius.” The black-haired woman introduced, keeping her hands in her lap.
“Oh!” He hadn’t expected this. He heard the name whispered about in the underworld. Lucia Antonius, the secret ruler of the city, the one with all the money, and every politician bought.
He let his fingers idly pull through her wavy hair. “What an honor.” He locked his deep blue eyes with her silver ones.
“You never introduced yourself.”
“I didn’t know where to go.”
“You didn’t want to be known.”
He looked away, a mockery of shame written on his face, before he looked back at her, “Am I in trouble?” He asked as his hand slid down her waist to rest on her hip. One arm was still around her shoulders.
“You may be,” she spoke softly, “If you’re responsible for the angel that has been spotted.”
He straightened immediately, arms leaving her. The friends he was with looked over, startled. They were mere humans. “I haven’t done anything. I—”
“I know, Meir,” those burgundy lips smiled as the woman rose, and offered him a hand.
He hadn’t introduced himself. The woman knew far too much already. He wasn’t even using his real name in this town, “Walk with me,” she directed, and he didn’t refuse. He found it curious he wasn’t immediately in trouble, and so took the hand. She pulled him to his feet, and he immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he waved goodbye to his friends, and the very pretty dancers.
Out of the hookah bar they went, and into the streets of that college town. “I’ll give you asylum here, if you’ll help me.”
The demon arched one perfect eyebrow. “Oh? Antonius needs help?” He couldn’t help the joke, “Is Caesar being a brat again?” He looked out of place out of the hookah bar, since he was only in an ornate red vest and loose white slacks. At least he and Lucia had the same idea of shoes—sandal style.
“I will rescind my offer.”
Not much into jokes, clearly. “What’s the issue?” He sighed out.
“A vampire moving in on my territory. Claims to want to meet for diplomacy. I want to enlist you as a…praetorian.”
That eyebrow remained up, “Really now, darling?” He couldn’t help but tease, “You know it’ll cost you your soul,” he didn’t take souls. Rubbish. He wasn’t even sure vampires had souls.
“That’s fine,” she said coolly, “That means I don’t have to pay you or house you.” He wrinkled his nose. “Or would you prefer stable housing and an allowance?”
“Yeah…yeah I would.”
“Good.”
There were a few tell-tale signs that had given him away, and caused the vampire Marshall to report to Lucia. The obvious one was the hair. Sure, people could dye their hair that shade of blue, but that hue paired with the mark on his forehead, the elfin ears, and the inhumanely dark blue eyes caused a bit of a fuss.
The woman slipped onto the couch besides him, where his arm was, and she pressed back against it so he would notice her. He did, with a start, eyes widening at the presence of a woman who looked both out of place, and wonderfully in place on his arm and in that slinky, backless, black dress. He purred, “Can I help you?” As he leaned towards her, moving to let his other arm rest over her abdomen.
“One inch closer and you’ll be dinner, dear.” Her burgundy lips curved into a grin, just enough so he could see one fang extend. He stopped where he was and matched her grin.
“I’m not sure that would be so bad,” he’d been bitten before. The bite of a vampire had an intoxicating quality to it, and he knew they thought the same about his blood. Far better than human blood. “To what do I owe the pleasure, miss…?”
“Antonius.” The black-haired woman introduced, keeping her hands in her lap.
“Oh!” He hadn’t expected this. He heard the name whispered about in the underworld. Lucia Antonius, the secret ruler of the city, the one with all the money, and every politician bought.
He let his fingers idly pull through her wavy hair. “What an honor.” He locked his deep blue eyes with her silver ones.
“You never introduced yourself.”
“I didn’t know where to go.”
“You didn’t want to be known.”
He looked away, a mockery of shame written on his face, before he looked back at her, “Am I in trouble?” He asked as his hand slid down her waist to rest on her hip. One arm was still around her shoulders.
“You may be,” she spoke softly, “If you’re responsible for the angel that has been spotted.”
He straightened immediately, arms leaving her. The friends he was with looked over, startled. They were mere humans. “I haven’t done anything. I—”
“I know, Meir,” those burgundy lips smiled as the woman rose, and offered him a hand.
He hadn’t introduced himself. The woman knew far too much already. He wasn’t even using his real name in this town, “Walk with me,” she directed, and he didn’t refuse. He found it curious he wasn’t immediately in trouble, and so took the hand. She pulled him to his feet, and he immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he waved goodbye to his friends, and the very pretty dancers.
Out of the hookah bar they went, and into the streets of that college town. “I’ll give you asylum here, if you’ll help me.”
The demon arched one perfect eyebrow. “Oh? Antonius needs help?” He couldn’t help the joke, “Is Caesar being a brat again?” He looked out of place out of the hookah bar, since he was only in an ornate red vest and loose white slacks. At least he and Lucia had the same idea of shoes—sandal style.
“I will rescind my offer.”
Not much into jokes, clearly. “What’s the issue?” He sighed out.
“A vampire moving in on my territory. Claims to want to meet for diplomacy. I want to enlist you as a…praetorian.”
That eyebrow remained up, “Really now, darling?” He couldn’t help but tease, “You know it’ll cost you your soul,” he didn’t take souls. Rubbish. He wasn’t even sure vampires had souls.
“That’s fine,” she said coolly, “That means I don’t have to pay you or house you.” He wrinkled his nose. “Or would you prefer stable housing and an allowance?”
“Yeah…yeah I would.”
“Good.”
