A Demon's Devotion Ch. 06

In a curious maneuver only a panicked mind could make, Beatrice suddenly found herself thinking about physics. As her grip around Levi's arm slipped and the two of them stepped towards her waiting friends, the addled servant had a vague recollection about the theory of relativity, and her struggles to learn it junior year. Back then, the idea that an object's velocity could somehow alter time had seemed impossibly abstract. But now, with her thoughts racing at light speed and her surroundings slowing to a crawl, Beatrice felt like she finally understood.

Of all times to have a scientific epiphany, it had to be while she was wearing a mini-skirt.

The space between Beatrice and the food court seemed to expand and envelope her, magnifying not only the distance, but every experience within it. She became helplessly aware of the fabric stretching across her thighs, each step making her legs feel somehow bound and naked at the exact same time. Her blouse swished and flounced like a ridiculous costume, one she regretted anew with every blink of Teresa's curious eyes. Beatrice could track the emotions spreading across her friends' faces, first in Teresa's slowly stretching smile and next in Suzi's open-mouthed amusement. Beatrice knew what she was in store for, knew that they wouldn't let her new outfit and closeness to Levi go unexploited. But there was no way for her to warn him now, no way to avert the coming collision. To run would be to invite even further scorn--all that was left to do was grit her teeth, tense her shoulders, and endure the crash as best she could.

"Wowwww look at that." Teresa reclined in her chair, her grin somehow lifting another notch as Beatrice and Levi settled across from her. "Look at you all dolled up today. What's the occasion?"

"N-nothing." Beatrice shrugged. "Just felt like trying something new, that's all."

"Oh totally." The smug redhead laughed. "I mean, who hasn't gone through a slutty secretary phase, right?"

Suzi giggled. "Maybe she's hunting for a husband."

"Aaah, good point! Is that it, Bea? Are you looking for a big, strong man to help you with those heavy bags? Maybe give you a nice tiara and call you a princess?"

"Princess!" Suzi clapped. "Ohmigod, that's hilarious!"

Beatrice's fingers curled into fists, but she forced a crooked grin. "Wow, you got me there. If you weren't so clearly jealous, it might've actually been funny."

"Aw c'mon now," Teresa waved the comment away. "We're just messing with you, Bea. You look great, really. Don't you agree, Levi?"

Beatrice sensed Levi stiffen beside her. She glanced his way, dreading and anticipating what his response would be. Could he keep his head and play it cool? Or would he hijack the conversation with his typical, infernal arrogance? As embarrassing as that would be, a sick part of Beatrice thrilled at the thought of his dark gaze cutting through the tittering teens, of their smiles falling as they sensed the danger only she'd experienced thus far.

But curiously, the demon's eyes remained downcast, in the same position they'd assumed since he'd sat. "Um. S-sure," he finally mumbled.

"Awww he's embarrassed!" Teresa snickered. "It's okay, Levi. You should be proud. We all know you're the real reason Bea's become such a good little girl lately."

Levi straightened, aghast. "What? Why would you think that?"

Suzi smirked. "Uh, 'cause she told us? Duh?"

Now Levi's attention darted to Beatrice, his pupils burning with black fire. "What did she say?"

"Just that you have very...particular tastes," Teresa explained. "And that you're very good at keeping her in line. Which is kinda impressive, really. Our Bea can be a real wildcat, can't she?"

Beatrice's eyes narrowed. "I just don't take any bullshit. Unlike certain drama queens who can't get enough of it."

"Ouch. See, Levi? This kitty's got claws. Make sure you keep her on a short leash."

Once again, Beatrice hoped for a scathing retort, but the demon appeared to have sunk back into himself. "Y-you're mistaken," he grumbled. "She does as she pleases. It has nothing to do with me."

For some reason, Beatrice felt as though she'd just been slapped. Even Teresa and Suzi seemed taken aback, but it wasn't long before their gleeful grins returned.

"Really?" Teresa purred. "That's a shame. You two make such a cute couple."

"Yeah, it's like..." Suzi paused for thought. "What's the saying? 'Opposites attract?'"

"Opposites attract!" Teresa slapped the table. "Exactly. It's like...grungy podcast host and his Insta thot wife."

"Oh oh! Or like um...beauty and the...uh...emo...beast."

"Emo beast! Oh my god!"

Both girls erupted into giggles, jostling the anger lodged in Beatrice's throat. She glared at Levi, no longer hoping for a response, but demanding one. Surely, the domineering demon wasn't going to take this lying down. Even if he wasn't exactly a social savant, there was no reason for him to let these idiots walk all over him.

His eyes met hers for a fraction of a moment, then fell. "We're not a couple. I barely even know her."

"Whaaaaat?" Teresa exclaimed. "Are you sure? You guys seemed pretty close just a minute ago."

"That was...she did that on her own," Levi fidgeted. "Maybe she's obsessed with me. I dunno."

Beatrice didn't hear the laugher that followed. She could see her friends' lips and eyes widen, could read their shock and mirth plain as day. But her ears were filled by a faint yet painful ringing, as though Levi's words had detonated beside her skull.

Obsessed with him?

Obsessed with him?!

"Oh Bea, I'm so sorry," Teresa chortled. "He really didn't let you down easy, huh?"

Beatrice snapped her focus away from the downcast demon. Clearly, she couldn't count on his support, so she would have to go on the attack instead. She scanned her opposition for angles, noticing that, despite their earlier mockery, they were dressed just as provocatively as she was. Suzi was practically spilling from her tube-top with every giggle, and Teresa's elaborate makeup and teased up tresses were clearly compensating for her comparative lack of curves.

"It's such a shame too." Teresa plucked at Beatrice's sleeve. "After you got all dressed up and everything."

"At least I have an excuse." Beatrice forced a fanged grin of her own. "What's yours? Hoping the Cinnabon guy will give you some extra special icing?"

Teresa's smile wavered but she didn't back down. "Actually, Lucy set us up with some boys from the football team. Said they wanted to meet some swim team hotties so...here we are."

"Really?" Beatrice cocked an eyebrow. "What, did she find some JV benchwarmers for you to toy with?"

"Nope!" Suzi beamed. "They're first string varsity players. And they said they're gonna show us a real good time!"

Beatrice frowned. Apparently, Lucy had been busy the past week or so. Typically, when it came to club cross-pollination, the football team coupled with the cheer squad or even the color guard if times were tough. Now it seemed the golden goddess was trying to forge a new alliance, though why Beatrice couldn't say. A part of her was annoyed at being kept out of the loop but, then again, she had been awfully occupied with Levi lately, and it was kinda her fault that the basketball team was no longer an option. So maybe she wasn't exactly in a position to question her leader's judgement.

That didn't mean she couldn't take advantage of it though.

Teresa made a show of checking her phone. "Anyway, the guys are supposed to be here any second now so..."

"Oh good." Beatrice brightened. "I'm looking forward to meeting them."

Suzi blinked. "Um. But...they're uh...we were supposed to..."

"Relax," Beatrice assured them with a smile. "I won't get in your way. I just wanna say hi. Unless," she arched an eyebrow, "you think I'd be too...distracting."

Teresa let out a brittle laugh. "W-well, it just seems like you and Levi might have some things to hash out, and I'd hate for you to embarrass yourself in front of our new friends so..."

Beatrice could sense Levi staring daggers into her, but she pretended not to notice. "No, it's fine. There's nothing to discuss really. It's like Levi said: I do what I want. And right now, I wanna meet some cute varsity boys."

"Uh...okay, but..."

Suzi interrupted Teresa with a tap on her shoulder. "Um. I think that's them, isn't it?"

All eyes followed Suzi's to a pair of smirking, swaggering specimens making their way through the mall crowd. Beatrice didn't recognize their faces, but their toned physiques and athletic t-shirts left no doubt: they were varsity jocks through and through. One was a blonde behemoth with a surprisingly boyish face, a likely lineman if Beatrice had ever seen one. The other wore a ball cap over his shaved head, his body a sculpture of twitchy, compact muscle. Beatrice gave a cute little wave as the boys approached, and allowed herself a satisfied giggle when the straw-haired giant returned it.

"Hey, you're the girls from the swim team right?" the smaller player accepted the chair that Suzi scooted in his direction. "Sorry we're late. I'm Tyler, and this is Josh."

"'Sup," Josh confirmed with a tilt of his chin.

"Sooo glad you could make it," Beatrice put on her best girlish lilt. "I'm Bea, and these are my friends Teresa and Suzi."

"H-hey," Teresa struggled to cover her irritation. "It's great to finally meet you guys. Lucy told us great things."

"Yeah," Suzi bounced in her seat and gave her boobs a little jiggle. "And we're like, super excited to hang out."

"Same here." Tyler nodded, though his gaze quickly returned to Beatrice. "You girls look like you know how to party."

Beatrice turned away, as though struggling to hide her excitement. In truth, she had no interest in 'partying' with the puffed-up pair. She'd been fooled by their type in the past, and knew all too well what lay under the flimsy façade. These two jocks were merely a useful tool, a stone she could throw to kill three traitorous birds at once.

"Y'think so?" Beatrice gave a shy laugh, shifting and peering over her shoulder. "Is it 'cause of my outfit? What do you think? I got it special for making new friends."

"It's...nice. Very nice." Tyler's wolfish eyes roved over her legs and bust. "I like how...stylish it is."

"Aw, you're sweet," she tittered.

Josh frowned, looking over their heads at the hunched figure beyond. "Who's he?"

"That's Levi," Teresa interjected. "Beatrice's boy toy."

Beatrice gave a playful gasp. "Don't be mean! He's my shopping buddy." She rested a hand on the demon's shoulder, and suppressed a grin when he flinched. "Isn't that right, Levi?"

"Y-yeah," he uttered through clenched teeth.

"Pff. More like shopping slave." Teresa shot the jocks a conspiratorial wink. "Take it from me--she's got the poor guy totally whipped. And she'll do the same to you if you're not careful."

Beatrice scoffed as though offended, and Tyler laughed. "Thanks for the warning," he said. "But we know how to take care of ourselves. No offense, Levi. You just keep fighting the good fight, alright buddy?"

The surge of rage was so strong Beatrice felt her crest prickle. Not that she needed the warning: Levi shot up from his chair so fast he knocked it over, cuing a cacophony of clattering plastic and surprised laughter.

"B-bathroom," he grunted as he left, failing to cover his swift and humiliating retreat. Beatrice watched his skinny shadow recede into the crowd, allowing herself to bask in her success.

Or at least trying to.

"Damn," Tyler shook his head. "You got that guy down bad for sure."

"For sure." Josh nodded.

Beatrice tried to laugh, but could barely manage a fleeting smile. She'd expected some sense of accomplishment from a job well done, yet for some reason, her irritation had only increased. It all seemed so stupid now, fighting over territory she hadn't even wanted in the first place. And now that she'd finally claimed it, all she could think about was how to escape.

Suzi pouted. "You, uh, sure you don't wanna go after him, Bea? I mean...he seemed pretty mad..."

"So?" Beatrice snapped, only to realize she was passing up a perfectly good exit. "Actually, now that I think about it, he is my ride back. So I should probably make sure he doesn't jump out of a window or something."

"Aw c'mon," Tyler protested. "We were just getting to know each other."

"I'm sure we'll get another chance." Beatrice scooped up her shopping bags and offered a parting wave. "You kids have fun now."

"We will." Teresa's voice dripped with barely disguised venom. "See you Monday, Bea."

Beatrice glanced back with a smirk, trying to savor her friend's wounded pride. But even with her vengeance achieved, disgust and anger still simmered in her gut, choking her victory with acrid fumes. She turned her attention to finding Levi, shooting off a few curt texts before wandering the storefronts in a bitter haze, half-searching and half just giving her restless limbs something to do.

Eventually, a reply from Levi lead her to the parking lot. The demon was sulking in his truck, arms crossed as he sat rigid in the driver seat, refusing to look at her as she approached. When she reached, for the door, however, the corner of his eye met hers, and a shiver of the old fear stayed her hand. For a moment, she remembered the power he held over her, and the supernatural danger his crest always posed. But her hesitation didn't last. Not when her heart bellowed for satisfaction.

She climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door with a slam. "Boy, you sure know how to make an exit. For an ancient demon, you can be a real baby sometimes, y'know that?"

"Don't speak to me of childishness," Levi fumed. "It's been centuries since I've suffered such insolence, such humiliation. There will be consequences for this, I promise you."

"Try me." Beatrice stuck out her tongue. "Waste all the power you want. Your threats don't scare me anymore. Not after I've seen what a coward you really are."

"C-coward? How dare you--"

"Oh please. You know it's true. What kind of Master, no, what kind of man throws his girl under the bus just 'cause two teenagers make fun of him?

"I did not 'throw you under the bus.' I did what was necessary. And if you had held your temper in check then--"

"What was necessary? How was stabbing me in the back necessary?"

"Because you told them I was controlling you!" Levi snapped. "Don't you see the position that puts me in?"

"Oh get a grip. I didn't tell them you were magic or anything. I just said you were the reason I was acting so weird. Which, by the way, is completely true."

"It doesn't matter. Your carelessness could've gotten me killed."

Beatrice blinked. "What are you talking about? Are you afraid Suzi and Teresa are gonna exorcise you or something?"

"It's not that, it's..." Levi let out an exasperated growl, appearing to recollect himself. "Never mind. The point is, you shouldn't be speaking of our affairs to others."

"Then what am I supposed to do? You're the one who wanted me to act like your little servant girl at school. I had to come up with an excuse."

"Couldn't you just say it was your way of seducing me? To blackmail me, or whatever your original scheme was?"

Beatrice groaned. "That's not how this works. I would never in a million years think of dressing like this or waiting on you at lunch, even if I was trying to get in your pants. I keep trying to tell you that, but instead of listening to me, you just go on making a total mess of things, and then get mad when I try to clean it up!"

Levi started to argue, then stopped, as though struck by a sudden, awful realization. He turned away, the fury falling from his face. "Have I really been so obvious?"

Beatrice hesitated, her momentum thrown. "Wait, really? Do you seriously have no idea how other people see you?"

Levi shot her a glare. "Of course I do. I'm not stupid. Only..." He groaned, sinking his head into his hands. "Ugh. It's this damn, detestable body. Back in my prime, I could read a mortal's heart at a glance, and change it just as easily. But now I'm trapped by these walls of flesh and these...awful, insufferable organs. It's all I can do just to survive in this shell, much less acquaint myself with whatever obnoxious new niceties and rituals this century requires. It's...so exhausting."

A tired sigh slipped from his lips, and Beatrice's rage evaporated with it. As stupid and annoying as Levi had been, the heaviness in his expression seemed like punishment enough. For the first time, Beatrice found herself wondering what it felt like to carry that weight. She'd always assumed demons like Levi were creatures of pure chaos, devils that delighted in seizing human forms and wreaking as much havoc as they could. But for all his power and malicious imagination, the boy in front of her seemed just as uncomfortable in his skin as she had been only a year ago. Maybe even moreso.

A raindrop splattered on the windshield. Then another. The quickening staccato seemed to finally snap the demon out of his malaise, and his eyes flitted to the darkening clouds above. "A shame," he said. "It was such a beautiful day to."

"Yeah..." Beatrice smoothed the edge of her skirt. "It was."

Levi exhaled and sat back in his chair. "We should probably go back and return those dresses now. Before we have to sprint through a tsunami."

"Wait, what?" Beatrice reflexively rested a hand on the bags. "Why would we return these?"

"Weren't you the one just saying you would never wear them? Even to...'get inside my pants,' as you put it?"

"W-well sure, but..." she faltered, chewing her lip. "I mean...it'd be weird if I suddenly went back to normal just like that. Especially after everything Teresa and Suzi said, it might look like we were caught trying to hide something, right?"

Levi's brow furrowed, but he nodded. "I suppose..."

"So, what I'm saying is..." What was she saying? And why couldn't she stop? "I...don't think it would...hurt to keep these for now and...play things by ear a little bit. Maybe we, I dunno, ease up a little on school days but...there are still weekends and, y'know, as long as we're careful then..."

Gradually, the demon's frown softened into a smile. He nodded towards the bags. "You're fond of them, aren't you?"

"I-I just don't want all that work going to waste." Beatrice ruffled pointlessly through the outfits. "And even if these aren't exactly my style...some of them are kinda nice. Those varsity chuds definitely thought so."

"Ugh." Levi groaned. "Don't remind me. The way that short one was looking at you was just..."

"Oh?" Beatrice grinned. "Could it be? Is the big bad demon jealous?"

Levi glowered at her, then smirked. "For your sake, you'd better hope not."

"Ooooh scary." Her tone was teasing, even as her words trembled. "Why? What are you gonna do to me?"

Levi titled his head, as though noticing something on Beatrice's cheek. "Nothing...for now." He started the truck. "However, if we are indeed going to be 'easing up' during the week, I think a few new...protocols are called for. Just to ensure we make the most of this time."

"Protocols?" Beatrice arched an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"That's for me to know..." The demon's eyes gleamed. "And for you to find out."

____________________________________________

Pink neon blazed through the rain, the looping letters shimmering as Levi's truck parked underneath. Beatrice peered up at the sign. Its hazy aura would've been quite alluring if not for the words underneath:

"The Special Spot: Adult Emporium."

"A sex store?" she gawked. "Seriously?"

"Why so surprised?" Levi cut the engine. "You're with a demon of lust. Surely this possibility entered your mind."