Depravity's Daughter

I had the dreams and those were things that made me never want to fight.

They started shortly after I brought up my desires to go to school, real school, with my father. He stared down at me with a fond kind of dread and sorrow in his eyes, the same look that he generally got when he looked at me. And he sighed. "I'm sorry, Lily bug, but you can't. You stay in your classes here at the mansion. But what if I offered you something in return for it?"

"What kind of something?" I grinned up at him, easily distracted. My father had all kinds of strange trinkets around the house.

"What about magic?" His eyes twinkled and my grin widened.

"Magic is kids' stuff, Father. There's no such thing."

"Oh, is that a fact? What if I proved you wrong?" He stood, still smiling at me, and I was enchanted. His library was a wild, sprawling place and it had all kinds of mystical books that drew my fantasies. I watched eagerly while he got down a bowl and chalice. He drew a symbol on his desk with a strange chalk and placed the bowl over top of it. I couldn't hear what he said under his breath, but he whispered as he poured water out of the chalice into the bowl. He held his hands over top of it, still whispering.

For a while, nothing happened, but then, while I watched, the water turned to dirt in the bowl and I squealed when a beautiful red lily grew there. "Druids adore the Earth," he finally said, touching my nose.

It worked. He had my attention. He showed me his other rooms, the ones with all of his strange artifacts and I was instantly drawn to a specific glass case. I don't know what it was about that case, except that it called to me, as if many voices swirled inside of it. I wandered over to it and stared into the case, feeling as if those voices were speaking with me. It was as if they knew me, as if I belonged to them somehow. "Lily!" I turned, broken from a reverie, and my father was staring at me with a kind of terror. While I watched, he seemed to calm himself. "There are many dangerous types of magic. Anything in one of these cases is locked and sealed. I don't care how curious you are. You are never to touch these types, understood? If you do somehow open one and trespass, I will bar you out of these rooms for a long time. You have to be good, Lily."

I nodded, but my mind was on that terrible case. "Yes, Father. Show me more."

That was the night the dreams started.

————

I dreamed of a prince, a handsome prince, and he seemed a bit surprised to see me. Which struck me as odd. He was trespassing in my dream, right? Why should he be surprised? But then, as I watched, his brow smoothed and he smiled. "Hello, little one."

This had to be one of those storybook saviors. If I was the princess locked in a tower, then this was the man who would slay the dragon. My fantasies of him started that night and I had an instant obsession for the creature in my dreams. He had sharp teeth, like a wolf's, and his hair was almost as black as his swirling eyes and cut short. What was more, he was built like a savior would be. He was huge, like a tank. I don't know why, but I instantly trusted that man. As soon as I saw him, some magic took hold of me. "Are you here to save me?"

He chuckled. "I doubt that very much. Why, do you need saving?"

I hesitated. The answer would make me sound very spoiled because I knew that my life was charmed. And yet... I wanted to speak the truth. I frowned because my thoughts were these broken things. "I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with me. I hear these voices and I'm so confused and I can't go anywhere to find any answers."

"Ah." Then he made a grimace and his voice was strange. "For Christ's sake, D, I heard you the first time." He rubbed his temple and then focused back on me, smiling gently. "You're not crazy, little one. You are merely torn at the moment. Let's see. How to explain best... You're different, little one, and that's true. You need to hide these differences from others because they will think you crazy, though I can attest that isn't the case. Do you know about butterflies?"

I crossed my arms and glared at him. "Everyone knows about butterflies."

He grinned. "Fair enough. So, let's liken your life to a butterfly's. You're in the cocoon and it's disorienting. You were given away and everything in you is changing to acclimate to the life that awaits you."

"I don't understand." He was making everything sound much more complicated, more terrifying.

"It's nothing to be scared of." His eyes turned concerned with my agitation and a soft purring sound escaped him. Strangely, it was soothing for me to hear. "There we go. There's nothing to fear. It's going to be confusing, but it will all make sense in the end, I promise."

Those words calmed me even more because I trusted that creature. Everything in me trusted him, even if I could have never said why. I nodded. "Okay. Okay, I'll be good."

He smiled in approval and I warmed to it. "Don't tell anyone about these dreams or the voices, alright?"

Again, I nodded, knowing his words to be true. I had to keep my secrets.

But after that, I started to sneak into the artifact room so I could sit in front of that special black case with its strange books and even stranger pentagrams. They whispered to me and it made me feel closer to that creature from my dreams. My shoulder started to itch as I sat in front of that case night after night, until one morning I looked in my mirror and blinked.

There was a mark on the back of my shoulder, a strange mark. It formed a star of a sort and looked almost like a scar. My father's paranoia turned even more pronounced when he discovered it and my mother started to fight with him. She told him he was crazy, begged him to let me have some freedoms, but all of these arguments were met with no give on his part. He kept me in my tower and I stayed quiet, kept my secrets to myself. I settled for the company of the man in my dreams, on those delightful nights when he appeared to me, and I kept my head down. I was allowed to order anything at all I wished, allowed to go for walks and swims as I pleased. I studied everything given to me and all the magics I was allowed access to in the library. I had nothing but time to learn these things and I used it all to my heart's content. I didn't know why I was drawn to some topics and not others, but I never forgot what my dream prince told me. I had been given to something and I didn't know what, but I was changing and growing to fit whatever end waited for me.

————

Lucius

After she pulled me into her dreams, it gave me cause to consider a lot of questions. I had never actually had a pact payment of my own before, not like this. People usually bargained on their own lives and then death was the answer, but I was forced to understand that this form of payment did not work like others. There was something more elaborate to this form. That being said, it was once a common pact to be made and there were still demons that had this.

I hunted one down. It took a few months of searching through cities and tracking down various demons that were free on the Earth. Speaking with them was often a lesson in frustration, as their minds didn't work like a human's or a vampire's. Often, my direct questions, such as outright asking if they knew a demon who had a pact payment, were met with indiscernible and riddle like answers. But I was a vampire and I didn't have anything else to do, so I kept my patience and spoke with these creatures for a time even if they didn't give me any useful information. When they met me, they seemed able to sense Depravity in me, and they never had harmful intent. It was a strange thing, but demons didn't seem overly inclined to hurting one another. They might feed on one another, if they had kindred names of sin, but this was always mutually and politely done. I was not bothered by their company at all and only casually searched for my end goal. Journeys could often be as enlightening or enjoyable as their destinations, after all, and this was one of those instances.

Eventually, with time and patient talks, I found a demon who could give me answers. He was an interesting creature, with a subtle name, and he had taken up his residency in the most hilarious place imaginable. It was a southern little rural town that was small, but well kept and well centered in their churches. And this demon's name wasn't actually a sin unto itself. He was called Doubt.

I couldn't help but grin with Depravity when I found his home. It was in the middle of a street, all with two acre, neat little lots, and his two story home looked the same as every single one surrounding it. The only difference was varying shades of brick. I like this one. D seemed to be finding his voice again, now that Lott's daughter had entered our lives, and it was a fun thing. I had to agree with him on the sense of humor this demon seemed to have.

Me, too. I rang the doorbell of the house and the answer was so immediate that I knew my presence had been anticipated and felt. The demon who opened the door had taken the appearance and form of an unremarkable man in his early thirties. He was just handsome enough to make himself charming and welcoming to any human who would fall prey to Doubt. "Hello." He was even polite, very coherent, but then his name was a subtle thing, so I imagined he had to be good at feigning sanity in order to reap his seeds where he found fertile ground in human minds.

"Good evening. I have curiosities I think you might have answers for."

His smile widened. "And you are host to a friend, little vampire. I invite you as a guest with full restrictions."

Fair enough. I crossed the threshold when he stood back and felt the magic restrict me, but neither Depravity nor I minded. We followed Doubt as he led us into a living area and then around to a kitchen. Hysterically, he had an ornate bible laying on a table in the foyer, with a purple ribbon as a bookmark. Decorative snow globes were displayed in a curio cabinet in the living room, alongside bookshelves with all manner of conflicting theologies. "I like you," I said. It was straightforward and strange, maybe, but I'd spent months speaking with mentally unstable demons, so I couldn't really be blamed.

He grinned. "I have to be able to host things like scrabble parties for the Sunday School group I teach. The more exotic books are back in my bedroom in the closet. You have to hide the things that are too strange or you'll scare them away and they won't play."

And there we were. Some of the insanity and drive I was used to. Alright, so it was there for him too. Good to know. "That's fair enough. Can I ask you something private about your life? Depravity and I are having some interesting events."

He tilted his head for a moment, his eyes twinkling, and then he laughed. "Oh, you're no fun, little vampire." It was teasing, playful. "Everyone who mentions interesting events is supposed to have doubts, didn't you know? You don't have a one. What if I said I didn't want to answer?"

I shrugged. "Then I wouldn't be so rude as to take up anymore of your playtime, especially since I'm terrible food for you."

"Damn. I can't ignore good manners. Okay, go ahead and ask. If I can answer, I will."

I had learned early on that even the darker creatures of the world were appreciative to hear a kind word and basic propriety. "Please" and "thank you" really did go a long way in most cases. And if they didn't, then they hadn't cost anything to begin with, so there wasn't a loss. "I earned a pact payment. She's been born and I'm not entirely sure what to expect. She drew me into her dreamscape."

His eyes lit up with excited pleasure. "Oh, did she? You're a lucky one. Most of the time the pact magic is blocked on the payment's end, so she must have been near something demonic to allow for a connection. Much like a phone call, I suppose. Most humans don't have our kind of phones, if that makes sense." He spoke of all this so easily, as if it were obvious, and it was an amazing fact to me that, for demons, these kinds of things were obvious. They couldn't follow logic, but they had vast knowledge that leapt to them easily. "As for what to expect." He shrugged. "The same as any pact payment."

"Yes, but I don't know what that is and, well, I heard you had a ward of your own."

"Oh, right. You're a vampire. It's really easy to forget that you're not a full demon. I just sense you and think that you understand." Like any other demon would. "I can show you." He got up from his chair happily. "It will be fun to show you." I made to stand, but he waved me back down and only called out down the hallway instead. "Abigail, come here, please. Pretend like we're alone. This person is a friend."

There was a pause and then I inhaled sharply when the girl came around the corner to his call. She wasn't wearing a thing and appeared to be 19, maybe 20, years of age. What was more, she was stunning. Her hair was a deep gold and long down her back, like something out a fairy tale. Her eyes were the color of warm chocolate and when she smiled, her teeth were perfect. Freckles decorated her nose. "Yes, Sir?" She looked up at Doubt with a smile that was real.

Depravity froze in my blood. It was like he was a hungry dog and Doubt had held out the most wonderful treat. Doubt turned her in his arms so that she was facing us while he held her from behind. While we watched, he took her hands and used them to cup her tits, showing them off. He was smiling behind her and she lifted to his sensual touch. "This is a new friend. He's getting a pact payment too and wanted to see how we worked." He used one of her hands to pinch her nipples and I hardened. There was something special about seeing him hold her, something deep. "I'm not sure how to explain to you, vampire, besides to say that they're payments. They are whatever you like. They come to us, demons, as blank slates, untouched and obedient. I'm not sure how it will be for a vampire holding a demon because that's not something I've known to happen yet. I would assume that her blood would be untainted, if I had to guess. Before they come of age for us, they seek knowledge that will be useful. Abigail, for instance, always enjoyed learning languages before I collected her." He kissed her hair with loving affection even while he glided one of her hands down between her legs and pressed her own fingers inside of her sex.

Blasts. Depravity was being taunted as all hell. And yet, for all of Doubt's casual objectification of his ward, it was clear that he cherished her. "May I ask her some questions?"

Doubt kissed her hair and she nuzzled her cheek up against his. "Of course you can. Come and sit on our friend's lap, Abbie."

"No, wait, I-" But he had already lifted the girl to his arms so that she laughed, and he settled her into my hold, where she wrapped her arms around my neck and nestled into my embrace. Oh. Oh, but it felt so nice to hold her. She smelled like her demon owner and there was something different about her, something that made holding her far different from holding another human. It was like she was made to fit against a demon, even one who was held in a vampire host. Depravity seemed to tremble in my bloodstream. Great honor. His voice was reverent in my mind and it was clear why. Holding her did feel like an honor. I wondered, very briefly, if demons had problems with another demon trying to take their payments from them. But Depravity quickly gave me the answer with a snarl in my head. Never. They belong to a rightful owner and it is unholy law. Never would one break it.

Doubt grinned at the way I looked at the girl and moved one of my arms so that I cradled her. He moved my other hand down between her legs and I let him slide my fingers inside of her channel, closing my eyes to the blissful feel. She was silky to my touch, and so very ready. She opened up for these touches too, without a blush, so that it was clear Doubt used her body often. Her body curved against mine and I opened my eyes to see her smiling up at me. "You had questions, sir."

"I do," I answered softly. Doubt had let me go and I was twisting my fingers on my own now, just to watch her body turn flush. She so readily opened to demonic pleasure, accepting it where every other human feared it. "Do you remember your human life?"

At that question, she glanced at Doubt, who sat across from us, watching me pleasure his ward. "Answer him truly, Abigail. It's alright."

"Yes, sir. I remember." She said it softly, her breasts teasing against my shirt when she shivered with sexuality. "There was no change, really, not like a vampire goes through anyway. The clock just struck midnight on my birthday and Master was there. It felt right when he carried me from my home. It's hard to explain. Okay, so, for an example, I would try to date boys like everyone else my age, but one time, the guy tried to kiss me. And I couldn't let it happen. There wasn't a thought of if I wanted to or not. There was only the reaction of backing away before I could think about it." She blushed in my arms. "I gave up after that. But there were little things like that, all through my life, things that felt wrong or that didn't add up. And then I was in his arms and those things fell into place. Sometimes I would feel sad when I remembered my life, my family, but it was only a temporary family. That was 70 years ago, though. Most of them are all dead now."

70 years. She looked like he had just collected her. I scissored my fingers inside of her and she moaned. It was all I could do to turn my attention to Doubt. "Do they all stop aging?"

He leaned back, his hands behind his head, the picture of ease. "Most do. It depends on what the owner wants, really. I know a few demons who kill them in front of the pact violator when they get them. That always seemed like a waste to me, since they're the perfect creatures for us. They travel with us, serve our needs, give us companionship and sex. They're wonderfully adaptive, as well. Some of the names of violence prefer little torture toys and their wards always develop an extremely high pain tolerance along with an ability to heal. I prefer Abigail as a sexual creature." He grinned and Depravity whimpered. "She craves it, burns for it continually. Her sex drive is unrivaled, leaving barely enough room in her mind for things like the different languages she loves so much. She never grows hair from the neck down and her little pussy is always wet. Like I said, little vampire, I don't know how to explain. They are payments." He shrugged. "Even now, your ward is wondering what is missing from her life. She's seeing the pact brand appear in her flesh and wondering why it soothes her to see it there. They are what we make of them. I'm not sure what that means for you and yours. As I said, I haven't seen a hybrid like you receive a payment. If it seems like too much trouble, you could just kill it."

"No." I said it instantly and Doubt smiled. He spoke of it so easily. He spoke of things like ownership as if they were second nature, but he looked at the girl in my arms with such affection that it didn't feel like the thoughts that went with slavery. Yet I knew he was right. Not every demon would have the same desire for their ward. I was both disturbed and aroused by those thoughts, wondering how this would play out.

They were what we made them to be, he said, but what would D and I make ours to be when the two of us together were something strange and volatile as it was? Did my desires even matter in this case? He was the demon. What if his were the only ones that mattered? Depravity wasn't a very coherent creature, so I worried infinitely about how his desires might manifest in a ward like that. And what if it did matter what my desires were? What did I want from a payment that could be absolutely anything?