Dorian's Deal

A short story. Perhaps the start of a longer one?

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The time was right. The planets aligned, and the world would be at the correct orientation to cross the divide between the normal world, the human world, and the spirit world.

Dorian had prepared for this moment. He'd gone to school in Europe, making a point of taking a trip to Romania and collecting some arcane and occult books there. One of them had been a jackpot, purchased at the reluctance of an older second-hand book store owner who made sure he would be returning to the 'States before trying anything in it. He was afraid of some kind of repercussions, but Dorian wouldn't dream of causing him trouble, or even sharing the location to anyone no matter what happened.

The ritual was quite simple, now that he'd learned the proper pronunciations. That had been the hardest part of the whole thing; the candles and the pentagram were easy as could be. Romanian was a Romance language, related to French, and the particular gravitas of it made him giddy every time he said anything in it. He'd practiced the phonetics, the individual words for months. He never said more than two or three from the invocation at a time, just in case; but now the moment came.

The five candles crowded together in the middle as close as they could go, lined up with the five candles on the outside of the pentagram. He started reading, even though he was sure he knew all the words by heart. He wasn't worried about the meaning; whatever it was, he was sure he meant it.

The candles in the middle all went out at once. Dorian tilted his head sideways, confused.

"...that's it?" he said. "All that work and that's all that happ- woah!"

The smoke curling up from the candles had stayed in place, growing thicker as the tiny embers of fire ate the last of the wicks, and the heavy smoke pulled inwards with a life of its own, taking a definite shape. A humanoid shape. A very feminine, very naked, humanoid shape.

"Oh, bless me," Dorian said.

The smoke woman opened her eyes, shaking away the particulates caressing her skin. Her eyes were all black, matching her hair, both on her head and the artistically trimmed arrow on her mons, pointing further down. She stuttered for a moment.

"A... ahem. This... is your tongue, yes? Is how you say?"

He hadn't actually learned the Romanian language properly, and for some reason it never occurred to him that he might need to. Fortunately, it seemed that would not be necessary after all. This was good; the archaic version would no doubt have been even more difficult to find resources for.

"Greetings, angel. This is indeed how I speak."

She laughed mirthlessly. "You have big mistake. No angel here. How you say... leave message at the tone?"

"You're an odd duck, aren't you?" Dorian said, breaking into a lopsided grin.

"Hm. Strange, accuses the strange man. Long has Ovidia been, much longer than strange man Dorian. Long will she remain after Dorian as dust in the wind."

"Wha- how do you know my name!?"

"Ah, sad day for Dorian. Calls spirit, does not know the traditions. Tragedy shall befall, he can be sure."

"Sad day for Ovidia. She comes when he calls, and is trapped in the circle forever."

"Okay. Until Dorian mom says, clean his room."

He laughed, unable to hold it in. "Ahhh, well, you may have a point there. But I have your name now. What happens if I write it down in this book, and cast this spell in the back? A banishing, it says. See?"

"Ha! Foolish man. Knows not what he does. Banishing, written in jest. But let us make deal. Ovidia could use new pet."

"I'll never agree to be your pet. So just forget it."

"Woe betide thee, then. Dorian has offered to make exchange. The word is the bond, and payment is due. Come then. We must at least give each an offer. Unless you perhaps wish to forfeit the price?"

"What price?" he frowned. This was not written anywhere he'd seen.

"Small thing. Tiny spark of self. A morsel, nothing more."

"...self? How much of the self?"

"The spark."

"The whole spark?"

"Just so."

"My whole soul!?"

She grinned. "Ah, man is not so quick to rush to deal now? Maybe lives a little longer."

"Let us be clear. You are a succubus?"

She tried the word on with her lips.

"Not the tongue last shared with mortals, is this. Nevertheless, in this time, the word is true."

"And you have sexual powers you can grant me?"

"Is maybe possible. Is not guaranteed."

"But it is if you agree to it. I know that much."

"Equal payment in kind, there must be. Name your offer."

"I want attention from women. Lots of women. Attraction, sexual interest, on silent command."

"An exchange I extend. Interest, for ability."

"Meaning?"

"The words are the bond. The meaning is exactly as spoken."

"Let me test this, by example. I go to a bar. I meet a pretty girl. I want her to want me. I look at her, and use the magic. What then?"

"The woman wants. Dorian, likely leaves with her."

"And when I get home?"

"Dorian gets freedom from his clothing, and hers as well."

"And when I put my dick in her?"

"Undefined."

"What!? What do you mean, undefined?"

"Before then, actions must be taken, which collapse possibility into reality. You must define."

"I lay her down on the bed. I touch her breasts, I kiss her. I lift my cock to put inside her."

"Cock is soft."

"Oh, if I like her I very much doubt that. Especially if she likes me."

"Nevertheless."

"...and it's your fault, is it? This is what you mean, I want it but I can't actually perform?"

"Yes."

Dorian swore under his breath.

"I don't like that offer. Make me another one."

"There is always a cost. You want from me, you must provide. What will you give in trade?"

"What else do you want?"

"You offer service to Ovidia? She does not merely serve, but is served in turn?"

"Hmm. What would you have me do?"

"Long, Ovidia lives. Few things, she has not done. Fewer, she has not seen. One stokes intrigue beyond all others. To watch, to observe, to direct. This, for an equal time spent for each... you say, encounter."

"I sleep with a woman, and you tell me how to do it?"

"Da."

"The same woman I take home with me?"

"...no."

"No? Who then?"

"You will know."

He pondered for a minute.

"You know a particular woman, that you refer to."

"Da."

"Name her."

"The surprise, she is ruined, if so."

"Not acceptable. I simply won't."

"Come on, young man. How you say all together... you know you want to!"

"Nope. I'm not sleeping with some homeless trans woman with five different diseases. You tell me who, before I agree, or the deal's off."

"Hm. Much disappoint. Still, some laugh to have from the knowing. I tell you who."

"Yes!?"

"...Tatiana."

He blinked. "Tatiana who?"

"Tatiana. You know. Down the hall."

"Tatiana- my sister!?"

"A promise I make you, she has no disease."

"This is madness. I couldn't do that. Even if I wanted to, she'd never let me. She hates my guts."

"Is no imp... impedi... impediment. I tell you, you do, it work. You have her, just as I say."

"Oh my god..." Dorian said, putting his face in his hands. "No, no. Not that. Something else. Who else do you want? I'll do it. Anyone a five or higher on the scale of ten, I'll do it."

"No. Tatiana, or none."

He stared at her, eyes nearly popping from his head.

"...you can't be serious!"

"Pact we make. The most serious, every word. Binding, and final. No, ah, backsies. Here I draw line. Deal is offered, take it or leave. Mark I make, on this place, on you. Never to summon again, if this deal don't take. Useless, the book becomes. Forever."

"But- my sister! She'll kill me, for even bringing it up. She'll tell all my friends. My parents. The internet. My life will be over! Every job I apply for, they'll look me up, and they will know."

"The sound this makes, it says to me... personal problem, of yours. Not mine."

"I can't do that. I won't. I don't care what else you offer me, that's too much. You make me fuck her, and then leave me to my fate - for what, for one night of fun? Fuck that. No deal."

"Hm. Long have I waited for this. Longer still, much longer, until the next offer made. Maybe, never. Perhaps I can grant you a boon, to help with the after part."

"Nobody knows. Nobody can know, if I do that."

"Hm. Is possible. Is not easy. Dorian must do exactly as instructed."

He took a deep breath. "This was a mistake. I can't. I won't take this deal. Sorry."

"Be not so hasty. Moments ago, Dorian considered. Deep within himself he looked, and objection he found. But not with the act itself. Other effects, too much, he says. But the deed itself, he already knows. He can do it. I take the other effects, by careful obedience only. Binding, we already know this to be. This is final offer."

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck fuck. Fucking fuckity fucker fucks fuck."

"And more. The pact- fullfilled once, renewed can be."

"I do it one time, and hold up my end, we can do it again?"

"Yes."

"Eeeeeuuuuuurrrrrrggghhh! You're unbelievable. I can't... son of a... gnnnnnnreeaaaaaaaugh! I hate you. Just so we have that clear."

"Then you agree?"

"..."

"Bargain is struck?"

"..."

"We have deal?"

"...yes."