The Devil's Bargain Ch. 14

I wasn't in Hell, being tortured by demons with pitchforks. My immortal soul (if such a thing existed) wasn't at risk. I still had five uses of the magical phrases remaining. All I'd had to do so far was chauffeur people around - and now Tansa was asking me to potentially have sex with more women.

- "I don't understand." I admitted. "I can't see what you get out of this."

- "What have you got out of it, so far?"

That was easy enough. Angel had restored some of my confidence. I'd had lots and lots of fantastic sex. But companionship, too; I didn't feel so lonely any more, even if I was presently alone. I felt better about myself.

- "I got exactly what I asked for - and much more. I asked for sex, and you delivered. Now it's time for me to pay up ... and you're asking me to have more sex. That's hardly a punishment."

- "You were expecting to be punished? Your bargain was for a year of service, Dan."

- "A year that might include me having sex with more women. I just don't see how you benefit from that, Tansa."

- "Ah." she said. "You still think that a contract has to be a win-lose proposition. You get something, then I get something, and we both try to make sure that our something is significantly better."

- "Well ..." I didn't think that it would be wise to say 'Duh!' to Tansa.

- "Remember your original Angel, Dan? I gave her something that she wanted very, very much. And in return she helped me give you something that you wanted very, very much. Did it seem to you that she suffered horribly, making love to you?"

- "No." Far from it, in fact.

- "You still haven't worked out who I am, have you?"

- "What? You're ..." She was right. I didn't know. I didn't believe in the Devil, and yet I'd basically accepted that she was ... well, just play with the letters in her name.

- "I told you that I wasn't Santa. And I'm not Satan, either. I'm Tansa."

That didn't help. She'd given me a gift, because I'd been a good boy. But she'd demanded a price for it. And yet the price was ... helping her to give more gifts? Was I one of Tansa's elves, now?

- "I'm ... really confused."

- "Dan, I'm your Fairy Godmother." she said.

- "Really?"

- "No. But that's the closest I can get. I'm Tansa. This is what I do: I help people to find their heart's desire."

- "But ... why the contract? The bargain?"

- "If I had simply delivered any women you wanted, with no limits, no conditions ... would you have appreciated it? How long would it have been before you just took it for granted? You'd have become an asshole in very short order. But by making you pay a price for what you wanted, I made you value it more. A limited number of choices made you care more about each individual choice."

She was right. Free stuff and the all-you-can-eat buffet are rarely as good as something we had to earn - or a gift, given out of love.              

"And as for your punishment - I'm not omnipotent. I need help to make dreams come true. I needed Angel to help you, and now I need you to help someone else."

- "Pay it forward?"

- "Something like that."

I needed some more time to fully digest this - but it made more sense now. Except ...

- "Why did Angel warn me to be careful? To re-read the contract many times?"

- "So that you would bargain hard, to get exactly what you wanted. If it was too easy, you wouldn't take it seriously. And in so doing, you showed me who you were, Dan. Most of what you insisted on benefited the women you chose as much or more than it did you. The 'broken hearts clause'?"

We talked a little more, but it was way too much for me to take in all at once. Only one more thing that Tansa said stuck with me: "I need you to be an Angel for someone else."

I gave Tansa Mom's old room, and got up early enough to offer her breakfast. Then Igor arrived to pick her up.

***

Those conversations with Tansa opened my eyes, lightened my mood, and confused the heck out of me. I'd spent years thinking that I had had made a bargain with the Devil (who I didn't believe in), only to find out that she was my Fairy Godmother (which I also didn't believe in).

But I wasn't working for the Devil, and I could try to repay my good fortune by passing it on to someone else. I felt considerably better about myself. Still confused, but happier.

I decided to put Mom's house on the market. That meant a pretty thorough purge of all her junk. I started by inviting Josh, Brenda, and Pete over, and offering them almost anything they wanted. Josh snapped up the queen-sized bed in the guest room. Pete was happy to take most of Freya's things.

- "I think that we might get a dog." he said, with a look to Brenda, who nodded.

- "It's a lot of work." I warned.

- "We know."

I called Alanna. Our relationship hadn't worked out, but she was still a nice person, and deserved the commission. She helped me organize everything, and work out how to stage the house.

- "It's going to be a lot of work." she warned.

***

Jesper had finished his year of working for Tansa. They had an honest-to-goodness retirement party for him. Terry and Nick, Tansa, Igor and I treated him to drinks, and wished him well. Tansa thanked him for all he had done - though only the two of them knew what that was.

- "You take over next Saturday." Tansa told me. "Wear a jacket. No tie. Don't carry a wallet or any I.D., either. Just a billfold and a little cash. You'll be picked up at 3:15. Terry and Nick can fill you in on what to expect."

- "Welcome aboard, Dan." said Nick. But it was Terry who explained how things would work.

- "We take up a location where she can see us - but don't make eye contact. She'll feel more comfortable if she can study us without us looking at her."

- "She? Is it always a woman?" I asked.

- "Are you gay, or bi?" said Terry.

- "No."

- "I didn't think so. Tansa wouldn't ask you to do something you were uncomfortable with. Just remember: if she calls on you, your name is Angel."

- "Tansa lets us know beforehand what to expect. It might turn into sex - but you most often start by listening." said Nick. "One woman just wanted to take pictures of me."

- "And I ended up fixing a washing machine." said Terry. "You never know."

A new driver picked us up. I introduced myself, and discovered that his name was Matt. He seemed to be considerably older than me. He collected Terry and Nick as well, and drove us to Burlington, where he dropped us off in front of a bar.

Tansa was waiting inside, with Igor.

- "Tonight's lady is Tara." said Tansa. "She's 25, and riddled with insecurities. She worries about her looks, her personality, her intelligence. She has real trouble making decisions. You'll have to be especially patient. And she may require more than one night. We'll be in the Sunshine Cafe, six doors down."

With that, Tansa left, with Igor in tow.

- "Igor will call us when Tansa signals him." said Terry. "Then we go in and take up positions where she can see us."

- "What did she mean when she said it might take more than one night?"

- "Just that. We might have to take her out on several dates, until she gets enough confidence to accept Tansa's bargain."

It felt odd to sit there, waiting. I could imagine Angel - my original Angel - waiting somewhere near the Queen's Arms. What had Tansa told her about me?

I started wondering about Tara? What did she look like? Was she truly that insecure? How could I help her?

We waited a long time; evidently she did have trouble reaching a decision. Then Terry's phone vibrated.

- "We're on." he said. We walked down the street together. Terry instructed me to wait a good two minutes before following Nick inside. Nick would give Terry the same head start. Now I felt like some kind of secret agent.

The cafe was quite small. I ran into an immediate problem. Every table was taken. Terry and Nick were sitting across from each other at a tiny table for two. There wasn't a free chair in the place.

There was a long counter, with a plexiglass case for a sadly depleted collection of small baked goods. Further down, there were perhaps a dozen tubs of ice cream. If I stood at the end of the counter, and turned sideways, I could see Tansa and the woman she was sitting with out of the corner of my eye. I knew that I wasn't supposed to look, but ...

Tara had straight brown hair, and extremely pale skin, which made the dark patches under her eyes really stand out. She was pretty, in a way, and obviously timid and vulnerable.

- "What can I get you?" said the barista.

- "Umm ..." I glanced at the selection of ice cream again. "Pistachio, please."

- "Cone, or cup?"

- "Cup. Please."

I stood at the end of the counter, slowly eating my ice cream. Incredibly slowly. What on earth had made me order pistachio? Can you take twenty minutes to eat a scoop of ice cream? I did.

Tara chose Nick.

Terry gave me a look, and his eyes flickered to the exit. I went outside, and waited for him.

- "Nice save, there." he said. "I had no idea that there wouldn't be enough chairs."

With that, we walked back to Matt's car. He drove us home.

***

We did this six more times. Well, three bars, another cafe, a restaurant, and a garden centre. Toronto (twice), Welland, Brampton, Kingston, and Gatineau, Quebec. Matt drove, and I waited around. Terry and Nick were nice enough guys, but we weren't allowed to tell each other our own stories - especially in front of Matt. As for the women they went with, neither Terry nor Nick ever said a word. As Tansa had told me, years ago, each bargain was completely confidential.

Each time, Tansa gave a thumbnail sketch of the woman she was meeting. And every time, that person picked someone other than me. Terry was chosen four times.

- "I can't explain it." he said. "There's no rhyme or reason to it."

- "Lucky seven." suggested Nick.

It would be my eighth run - that's what everybody (Tansa included) called them - runs. It was probably because of all the travel involved. This time we were in Niagara Falls.

- "Her name is Andie." said Tansa. "Her first husband was physically and emotionally abusive. Her second neglected her. Her confidence is understandably shot; she also believes that she has to go to ... extremes ... to keep 'her man' happy, or even interested."

Igor signalled us, and we made our way to a rather run-down old tavern. It had probably last been redecorated when Diefenbaker was Prime Minister. I ordered a pint of Guinness, and sat in the corner, with a clear line of sight to the table where Tansa was conferring with our subject.

I looked - I always looked. Andie was in her forties, and somewhat homely. Plain, if you prefer. She had dark hair which was desperately in need of a style - any style. No, not all of our subjects were attractive women. In fact, at least two had been quite unattractive - I had counted myself fortunate to have escaped being chosen on those occasions.

That was the wrong attitude, of course. Not for the first time, I wondered if my original Angel had simply been an excellent actress, pretending to enjoy her time with me.

Then Tansa caught my eye, and nodded. I'd been picked.

I walked over to their table.

- "Andie," said Tansa, "this is Angel."

- "Angel?" Andie had a way of tilting her head forward, and looking up from under her eyebrows. There was a bit of ... was it wonder, in her eyes?

If she was anything at all like I'd been seven years ago, then she deserved the very best experience I could provide - even if all she wanted was for me to water her plants.

- "Pleased to meet you, Andie." I said. I took her hand, and never broke eye contact. "May I join you?"

- "Angel," said Tansa, "Andie has a question for you."

- "Really?" said Andie.

- "Really. Go ahead - ask him."

Andie blushed. "Tansa says ... that if I ask you, you'll ... go home with me. And stay the night."

- "Until noon tomorrow." said Tansa.

- "I'd be happy to." I said, looking only at Andie. "What would you like for breakfast?"

- "Oh shit." said Andie. "I think I just wet myself. Is he for real?"

- "Very real." said Tansa. "And all yours, tonight."

- "Holy shit. Starting now?"

- "As of this moment." said Tansa.

Andie took my hand. "Let's roll." She stood up, and led me out of the tavern. I noticed that Terry and Nick had already left. Andie faltered, though, when she reached the street.

- "Andie?"

She turned to look at me. I knew that expression. It was probably very similar to the one I'd shown my original Angel: a mixture of desire, and of fear of ridicule.

- "Are you for real?" she asked.

I kissed her. She smelt of booze and cigarettes, but I kissed her as if she was my prom date. I held her in my arms - closely, but not possessively.

- "I'm yours, tonight, Andie. We'll do whatever you want - and no more than that."

- "Oh, Lord ..."

Andie didn't live far away. Her house was a tiny old duplex. It wasn't in the greatest shape, but that wasn't my top concern, tonight. Andie immediately offered me a beer, which I accepted. She asked for a moment, to 'change into something more comfortable'.

I had a sip of beer, enough to wash down the little blue pill that Tansa had supplied me with. Then Andie came back. She'd changed into a large, oversized t-shirt, without a bra - that was immediately evident. She also wore a pair of pink workout shorts. If she had underwear on beneath them, then I was the Prince of Narnia.

We were sitting on her couch, which was actually a futon with a dozen throw pillows of indeterminate age. I shifted a little closer to Andie, and put my arm around her. She melted into me.

I kissed her. Andie immediately began sucking on the tip of my tongue as if it was a miniature cock. I had to slow her down a little.

- "We have time, Andie." I said. "When was the last time you had a make-out session? Let's pretend that you're my prom date - and that I'm trying to get into your pants."

- "Ohh ..." That got her interest.

- "But you haven't decided if you're going to let me. Make me earn it."

- "Ohhh ..."

She liked kissing, but Andie was a little impatient. She had one leg across mine, and kept pressing her boob against my arms. I think she was actually trying to cram it into my hand. I obliged her by cupping her breast through her shirt. It was a nice boob. She moaned her approval.

But I still wasn't going fast enough for her. Andie got up on her knees, and pulled her shirt over her head. Okay, she had great boobs - and a remarkably trim body. The prom date was going into overdrive.

I kissed her neck, and then her shoulder, while I fondled her tits. I was about to slide my hands down to her little pink shorts, but she beat me to it. She lay back to take them off, revealing her freshly-shaven pussy.

Her shorts were trapped around one ankle. I slid to the floor on my knees, and helped remove them. Andie had her knees pulled back, giving me a perfect view of her pudenda. She was watching me look at her; I didn't recognize the expression on her face - was it apprehension?

I leaned forward and softly kissed the back of her thigh. I kissed halfway around her leg, towards her exposed centre, before suddenly veering off to kiss her behind the knee on her opposite leg. She made a slight noise of disappointment.

Andie reached down with one hand. I thought she might caress my cheek, or stroke my hair. Instead, she took a firm grip of my hair, and started trying to direct my head. She obviously wanted my face on her pussy - yesterday at the latest.

I let her have her way. My plans for a half-hour or more of cunnilingus went out the window. But it was her night, right? I tried to give Andie what she wanted. As I lapped at her cunt, she lay her head back on one of the pillows and closed her eyes. She didn't let go of my hair, though. If anything, her grip tightened. She was humping her pussy into my face, and keeping time with a series of little grunts.

- "Unh - Unh - Unh ... Aaahhh, fuuck ...."

She relaxed as she came.

"Wow." she said. "You really know your way around a pussy. But, hey - why don't you get your gear off?"

Your wish is my command, I thought. I was about to ask if she wanted to do it, but then realized that that might not be a good idea. But a little strip-tease couldn't hurt. I began to slowly remove my clothing, while Andie lay back and watched.

When I got to my underwear, she sat up. And the moment I lowered my shorts, she reached for my member. She didn't just reach, though - Andie leaned forward, and took the head of my cock between her lips. She slobbered over the tip, and then began to bob her head, taking half the length of my shaft into her mouth.

A moment later, though - with my dick thoroughly anointed with her saliva - she lay back again.

- "How do you want me?" she asked.

- "No, Andie. How do you want me?"

She actually grinned at that. "Me on top?"

I lay down on my back beside her, my cock sticking straight up. When I was much younger, it would stand higher, pointing at my chain, or even slapping against my belly. But 90 degrees was nothing to complain about. I helped Andie to climb aboard.

She fucked me. She rode me like a jockey, and this was a race. Andie closed her eyes, and desperately sought her own satisfaction. I helped her to reach it.

That was the pattern for our night together. I learned that she wasn't interested in making love, or in slow foreplay. Get 'er on, get 'er in, and hang on. I did notice that she was much more interested in female dominant positions, or in face to face variations. That was fine with me.

She came four times before she begged for a break.

- "What would you like for breakfast?" I asked her.

- "You were serious?"

- "Of course. Bacon and eggs?"

- "Yeah. I've got those. And toast. Margarine - not butter. Okay?"

- "As you wish." I said.

Andie missed the Princess bride reference. Then again, she was already falling asleep.

I woke her up by going down on her. Why not? If it's a male fantasy to wake up to a blowjob, there must be a female version - and Andie struck me as a prime candidate. She came quietly, and then apologized.

- "Ah, I'd fuck you - but I'm still a bit sore from last night."

- "Take a shower." I suggested. "Breakfast in twenty minutes?"

- "Damn ..."

Bacon and eggs might have been the highlights of her time with me. Andie hadn't been pampered very often in her life - at least, not recently.

- "Be careful with Tansa." I told her. "If you are going to make a deal, make sure that you get exactly what you want. Don't be afraid to bargain hard."

- "Thanks, Angel." she said. "You were great last night - and this morning."

Okay, I was disappointed. My Angel had rocked my world, and probably changed my life in the process. Andie just wanted to fuck and suck, and be on top for a change. Getting served breakfast was like the icing on the cake for her. She was obviously happy, but she didn't seem to be over the moon.

Two days later, on our way home, Tansa told me that Andie had signed her contract.

- "What did she ask for?"

- "Complete confidentiality, Dan." she reminded me. "But she did say that fucking you was a game-changer. And she wanted to know where she could find you."

Oh. Wrong again.

***

Our next run was to Guelph. Terry and Nick didn't say a word about Andie, and didn't ask me how it had gone. But I hadn't asked them about the occasions where they were picked, either. Confidentiality. Discretion.

- "Her name is Kayla." said Tansa. "She's 21, and suffers from low self-esteem because of ... well, a couple of physical features. She also made a bad decision in the past, and it still weighs on her. Do NOT be aggressive - be gentle, and patient."