Demon

- Caleb -

Reed... What can I tell you about Reed, other than that he was the first human who drew my interest? I've walked among humans a lot. I love to have sex with them, plain and simple. But Reed is different. Maybe it's because he thinks demonology is inconceivable. If he only knew that his best friend Tanner is an angel trying to protect him from me.

Reed sometimes thinks Tanner and I are having an affair. But really, Tanner can hear my thoughts and would know if I summoned Reed to me. I may have 'accidentally' summoned him in the past, so Tanner keeps a close eye on me, or ear, I should say.

I like both of them, Reed and Tanner, aside from Tanner being an angel, and since I'm a demon, that means we're immortal enemies. Sometimes I wish Reed could see the Tanner that I see. Tanner is beautiful. He's light with wings, blinding light with arched wings tied behind his back. I can also see the human shape that Tanner has taken on, the image Reed sees, but it's like every pore of his body emits this white light.

On the other hand, I know what Tanner sees every time he looks at me: darkness and glowing green eyes. I can take any shape. My proper form is much bigger than a human male. I'm what most people fear when something goes bump in the night.

Still, I'm generally a demon of seduction. In ancient times, I would seduce both men and women into their beds. Got to claim a lot of souls this way for our master, especially during the days of the witch hunts. I guess books have me categorized as an Incubus. For the last few hundred years, I have preferred how a man feels over a woman.

That brings me back to Reed. What doesn't? I was sitting outside a coffee shop one day, trying to decide if I was done with the human world for a while or not. I had not bothered with taking any souls for many years. Basically, humans had started to bore me. Then Reed walked in, ordered, and came back out to sit at another table. He had two coffees, so I knew he was meeting someone, but there was already something about him that held my attention. That's when I put the suggestion of him joining me at my table into his mind. As I said, an 'accident.'

He immediately got up from his table, taking the two coffees and his things, and came to mine. He popped out of my trance a few minutes after sitting down. I put into his mind that I had said hello, which is why he sat down, to cover the fact he changed tables.

We talked a whopping five minutes before the big ball of fucking white light, Tanner, showed up. Tanner almost got me to show Reed my glowing green eyes.

Of course, Tanner knew what I was before walking up to us, so he knew I wasn't paying attention as he interrupted. When Reed noticed Tanner, he turned to say hello to him. When I looked up, Tanner smiled at me as I quickly put on my sunglasses. Even though Reed couldn't see Tanner's light, it would reflect off of my eyes, causing them to glow. We can wear coverings like contacts for our eyes, but usually, angels and demons don't cross paths as much as all the religions would have you believe.

But in our case, it's different. Tanner wasn't sent to protect Reed. He just became friends with him while doing his work. Now, it seems, he's made it his duty to protect him. This makes me want Reed even more.

Reed works in a small bookstore downtown. I was amazed I hadn't seen him before because I'd been in that bookstore many times. He even says he's been working there for years. So maybe we've just missed one another, I don't know.

When Tanner came that day to the coffee shop, I excused myself but told Reed I'd see him around. I know he didn't believe me, but I smiled as I walked away, not knowing at the time that Tanner could hear my thoughts.

The next afternoon, I took a chance that Reed was working on a weekday and went downtown to the bookstore. Luck was on my side. He was there, and the bookstore was empty.

He was looking at his computer when I walked in, not even looking my way. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, I will," I responded. I do like to read, so I proceeded to look around. I don't know why I never looked before, I'm here a lot. Maybe it's because I have been in lots of bookstores before and all I'm generally wanting is a book to read. But I was surprised to find they had an extensive section on angels, demons, and witchcraft.

I walked back over to the current fiction, picked up a random book, and walked over to the counter. Reed looked up, not recognizing me at first, and then smiled. "Are you ready to? Oh. Hi, how are you?"

I smiled. "I'm doing better, knowing you're here." I knew that was a bit forward, but Reed seemed to like the comment.

And no sooner than we got comfortable talking with one another, the big fucking ball of light shows up to remind him that they were going to the movies that evening. "Oh, that's right, I almost forgot." Reed looked at me to include me in their conversation. "Caleb, would you like to go with Tanner and me?"

If looks could kill, I would have been dead. I was tempted to say yes, since at the time I still didn't know that Tanner could hear my thoughts. Instead, I replied, "No, thanks, I'd love to, but I already have plans tonight. Maybe another night, and maybe just the two of us." I looked Reed in the eyes, and he smiled. And of all things, I believe I heard Tanner growl at me.

I gave Reed my number before leaving the store to return to my apartment. I figured I would go back to the store later in the week if I didn't hear from him soon. So I deposited the book on my coffee table, and I dropped onto my sofa to relax. I was immediately interrupted by a knock at my door. I groaned, then got up to answer, wondering who it could be. Then I snarled when I found the big ball of fucking light standing there.

He laughed. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Do I have a choice?"

Tanner smiled. "Yes." I started to close the door in his face. "Caleb, please, I want to talk to you."

I laughed, "You're like a fucking vampire. Once I invite you in, you'll come in whenever you like." I turned around and took a few steps back towards the couch, leaving the door open for him.

"How often do angels come and visit you?" Tanner asked as he came in and shut the door.

"Honestly, you're the first one since I fell, more than a thousand years ago." I turned around and looked at him. "Not that I didn't run into them, but visiting me? That's another story."

"Leave Reed alone before he starts falling for you," Tanner said, and I only smiled, then he frowned. "Caleb, I'm asking nicely."

"I like him."

"Caleb, you'll kill him. You know that." Tanner said, and I stared at him intently. "What?" He asked.

"You're not a guardian. You're trying to act like one, but you're not." I took a pace forward and grabbed Tanner by the throat and he held onto my wrist. I'm stronger than he is. I looked him in the eyes. "You're young, a little more than a thousand years old. A high arch?" Tanner nodded. "You achieved that on your wits." I let go of him and turned away. "Call off the others. I won't hurt you."

"I didn't come here with anyone."

I laughed. "You would've been foolish to come here without a power. How many are there?"

"You were a power. You know they come in pairs," Tanner said. My phone started ringing, and I looked over. So did Tanner. "Don't answer it."

"Why?" I asked.

"It's Reed."

I reached for my phone, smiling as I hit the answer button. "Hello." Tanner vanished.

- Tanner -

I'm meeting with Reed today. His memories have been changed, but he doesn't know it. He thinks we've been friends for ages. I was running late. I was talking to the archangel Michael. He was filling me in on why I was being sent to watch over a human. I had a feeling that I wasn't being told the complete story, but Michael can block me from his thoughts.

When I walked into the coffee shop's outdoor sitting area, I saw Reed right away, and my mouth dropped. He was sitting with a demon. A demon of all things! I know Reed didn't know who or what he was sitting with, but I could see what he was, as he'll know who I am once I walked into his view. He was complete darkness.

I was behind him, so I could tell he was a fallen angel, not some other type of demon. His wings were broken, though not much remained that would remind one of wings -- all bones, no flesh, and no feathers. I don't know if they had been damaged in battle. I'm not sure how old he is. He didn't fall in my lifetime. He's also burnt. Most demons are dark, but he's really burnt. I have seen demons burned before on parts of their body, but he's burnt over all of his. So did he run into humans in the olden times, and they thought they could kill him by burning him to death? Or what?

I scanned Reed's mind to find out how he started talking with this demon. Found that the demon's name was Caleb. I scanned back a little further and heard Caleb summoned Reed to his table, so I knew they had just met one another.

Knowing this, Caleb wouldn't be prepared to see an angel at all. I snickered to myself as I walked into Reed's view. Reed smiled when he turned to me and waved like he had known me for years. Then Caleb turned to see who Reed was waving at and grimaced as he quickly grabbed his sunglasses.

Reed and I spoke for a long time after Caleb left, even making plans to go to the movies the next day. But, when I stopped into the bookstore the next day, I found darkness again with him. I knew that I needed to talk to this demon to tell him that he needed to leave Reed alone. So, I followed his trail to his apartment.

I could hear him on the other side of the door. I listen to his thoughts. He was thinking about Reed and what he would do with him. They weren't the best thoughts. They would be if it were two humans attracted to one another, but in this case, it wasn't mutual attraction. It was a demon manipulating a human. I knocked, and he growled. He wished whoever was at his door would just go away, but he didn't know who was on the other side of the door. When he opened it, he snarled, and I laughed.

Of course, I couldn't get him to leave Reed alone, so I had to keep a close eye on the two of them. It was hard. It was like trying to keep two lovesick teenagers apart. To Reed, I had the uncanny ability to show up at the wrong time to keep them from going to the bedroom. Caleb knew I was protecting Reed. I had to go and talk to my superiors. I needed to know who this demon was and when he fell, I went back to speak with Michael.

- Caleb -

Another day Tanner knocked on my door, and I answered, and after I returned to my couch, Tanner stated. "I read your mind that day," Tanner sat down across from me. I looked at the door of my apartment. "He's still across town."

When Tanner noticed the look, I said to him, "You're not supposed to be able to hone in on subjects that aren't your charges," I also responded. "But Reed intrigues me."

"Caleb, you were thinking about leaving. You know you'll only hurt him if you stay." I looked down, not wanting to talk about this because I didn't want Satan overhearing. Tanner heard my concern. "No one can hear us, not even our makers." I had a feeling that Tanner was powerful but hadn't been quite sure, now I knew he had some additional powers.

"You can heal the damage I caused. You know it will just show as a weakness in Reed."

"Weakness, at first, then he'll get sicker. The more you're with him, I'll not be able to keep up."

Tanner looked up to the Heavens, and I could have sworn he became brighter. "You know once he sleeps with you, he'll want it more and more."

"I want him. He's the first human that I can say was for me. Not for my Lord." I was getting angry.

"And you don't think Satan will be watching? If only because God is?" Tanner questioned, and I growled. "Baz..." Tanner started to say. I shook my head at that name. Tanner said, "You cast aside the name God has given you." He had raised his voice.

"I'm not one of his anymore, hence my darkness, and you're light." I dropped my head.

"Caleb, how many souls did you take after you fell?"

"Countless."

"How many have you taken in the last ten years? Better yet, fifty?" Tanner asked.

I just raised up my shoulders. I knew but didn't want to say the number. Then, Tanner reached over and touched my hand. With that brief touch, a scene, a vision came to me.

*

It was thousands of years ago and from someone else's perspective. The observer was invisible. I don't remember anyone there at the time. I was an angel, beautiful, a bright white light, my large frame with even a more enormous wingspan. Next to me was my best friend, another angel, and we were talking with a demon. It wasn't unheard of for angels and demons to speak, but that was apparently my downfall.

The vision didn't let me hear what we were talking about. Instead, it was a quick visual play of what happened that day. When my best friend and I turned away from the demon and went to leave, I had turned back around quickly. Even being well over a thousand years old, I do recall that moment. But the vision showed the demon was still yards away from us, so I saw myself shake my head, and we left.

As the vision continued, the demon pulled out from behind his back a white feather. A feather had fallen from one of my wings. Then the day faded into another.

Next in the vision, my best friend was bloody and kneeling in front of me. I could see him telling me not to do it. I saw myself lift the sword and remove his head. As I saw myself fall to my knees, the demon spoke in my ear as my feathers fell from my wings and my light faded to darkness.

*

"What did the demon say to you?" Tanner asked. Apparently, he couldn't hear anything in the vision either.

He said, "Now you're mine." I looked down. "How did you get this vision? You weren't alive then." Knowing there was only one entity that could have given him this knowledge. Still not knowing who the seer was in the first place because it wasn't God himself.

"When an angel falls or is killed, all his memories are acquired by God. You've done Satan's bidding since you fell." Tanner stated.

I closed my eyes, "Of course I did. I didn't have a choice."

"Why did they choose you?" Tanner asked.

"He was a demon born. Taking souls, you acquire only so much power, killing angels more. Causing an angel to fall." Tanner nodded, knowing the power this gave Caleb's maker. "The only thing that released me from my maker's bond," I responded. "Was my maker being killed."

"That's why your numbers dropped," Tanner stated, and I looked at him. "You think we don't notice how many souls all demons take?" Tanner looked me in the eyes. "You stopped almost completely seventy years ago. No other fallen angel ever has, and God took notice."

I looked at him and exhaled loudly. "I'm just tired of it."

"You're saved from answering right now, but I want the truth later." With that, Tanner disappeared. There was a knock at my door.

I still can't explain why I'm drawn to Reed. I don't think it's an attraction, even though he's beautiful. It's more than sexual. It's on another level entirely. I opened the door to find Reed standing there smiling. "Hello, gorgeous," I said.

"Well, hello yourself." Reed stepped in, kissed me on the cheek, and pushed past me. "I had a wonderful day, but it was quite weird."

"Weird?" I questioned.

"Yeah, a guy came into the bookstore asking for any book I had on angels and demons. God, what a stupid topic." I smiled at the comment. "He was an older man too. He kept saying something is coming that there are too many around."

"Yeah, that's odd." But it put me on alert. "What did this man look like?"

"He was an old dude, you know, with white hair and a beard." Out of the corner of my eye behind Reed, Tanner appeared for a second and disappeared. To let me know he was listening.

I pulled Reed over to the couch. "Why do angels and demons strike you as such a stupid topic?"

"Because that stuff isn't real. You can't honestly believe in it, can you?" Reed looked at me, and I just smirked. "Anyways, what are we gonna do tonight?"

I smiled at him. The topic of the old man, angels and demons was last week's news, just that quickly. I was always amazed at how quickly Reed chose to forget about a subject. "I thought I'd cook for you, and we'd watch some TV or whatever."

As much as I wished to take Reed, I didn't want to hurt him. I could feel the desire in him peak, he wants me, but I still haven't influenced him. He's precious to me. It's like a light I've been missing. But once I do cross over and have sex with Reed. He'll know what I am but will have no control over his feelings for me. He'll continue to want more until it kills him, and his soul is mine forever, or I should say Satan's.

I had sex with humans in these past seventy years but never more than once. Eventually, the spell I had over them fades, providing I don't have sex with them again. They will no longer want me, but it takes time. I'm afraid I won't be able to leave Reed once I take him to bed. My attraction to him is strong.

We had a nice dinner, and he cuddled into me as we watched one of his favorite TV shows. "For someone that can't believe in angels and demons, you like your vampire shows." I laughed, and he elbowed me in the stomach. "Oof."

"I need to get home. They're expecting me to open the bookstore in the morning." I kissed the top of his head as I held him. I wanted to take him to bed, I could influence him, and he'd forget about going home. But I pushed him up, picked his shoulder bag off the floor as I led him to the door. Reed laughed as I kissed him. "Why do I get the sense you're trying to get rid of me?"

"You said you needed to go home." I smiled as he kissed me again, and I let him push me against the wall. I can't let my guard down, or I would take him. "I'm just helping you."

Then he whispered in my ear, it almost knocked me to my knees right there, and I would gladly have let him. "Caleb, please, let me fuck you."

A low growl escaped me, "Oh shit, soon, Baby, we will fuck one another. I promise." I winced, and I'm glad he couldn't see it. I was hugging him. He moved his hand between us and started stroking my already hard cock. "That's a bold move," I said as he laughed.

"What are you gonna do about it, call on the demons of Hell?" He laughed and pushed me away. Maybe it would be better if I just left town now.

"Babe, if you only knew." I chuckled but decided to mark him as mine, just in case there was another demon in the area. I reached up and took the necklace from around my neck and put it around his. Of course, it won't be as helpful as smelling my scent on him, but seeing my symbol, they will know not to touch him. He turned his head cockeyed at me. "Just something for you to wear of mine."

"Mmm, okay." I opened my door as we kissed one last time before he turned and walked away. I returned to my couch.

*

In a daydream, I was recalling:

"Bazeel, why do you love me?" Akeele asked.

I pushed his hair back from his face as I kissed him, and his golden eyes smiled at me.

"You're my best friend, my only love. We do everything together." His wings wrapped around us both.

*

I opened my eyes to find Tanner sitting there. "Akeele loved you?" So I guess Tanner can listen in on my daydreams too.

"We loved one another."

"Then how could you have killed him?"

I looked at my hands. I was no longer in human form. I have bones coming out of my back. They don't move anymore like they used to. When I had wings, I could tuck them in so they'd lay a certain way if I ever sat or laid down. Now they look dark, charred, and stick out unmoving while some of my wing phalanges are still intact. My light turned to darkness, my gold eyes to glowing green. Nothing about me looks angelic.