The screams had stopped, but the stench of fear and sulfur still hung thick in the air, coating my tongue with a bitter, acrid taste. I stood over the writhing body of Father Dominic, sweat beading on my brow, my breath ragged. The room spun slightly, fatigue setting in after the intense exorcism. His eyes rolled back as the last wisps of black smoke dissipated from his flesh, leaving angry red welts in their wake. The exorcism was complete, the battle won, but my work was far from over. The war within me raged on.
"Another day, another demon. If only they'd start a loyalty program - exorcise five, get the sixth one free." I thought to myself as I got to my feet. I wasn't sure if my reputation was growing or something else more sinister was at play, but this was my second exorcism of the week. Usually I would go months between cases. Still time to start that loyalty program.
'Is it over?' A tremulous voice came from the corner. The priest's sister - young, beautiful, terrified. I turned to face her, and immediately felt the stirring inside me. A familiar heat bloomed in my chest, spreading through my limbs like liquid fire.
"Look at her", the incubus whispered, its voice a seductive caress in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. "So vulnerable, so grateful. Surely she'd do anything to repay the man who saved her brother."
I gritted my teeth, jaw clenching painfully as I fought back against the demon's urgings. My skin crawled, as if thousands of insects were skittering just beneath the surface. "It's done," I managed to say, my voice rough, throat raw from the incantations.
The sister approached, relief and something else, something more... primal, evident in her eyes. The scent of her perfume cut through the lingering odor of brimstone, threatening to overwhelm my senses. "How can I ever thank you?"
"Yes", the incubus purred, its excitement pulsing through me like a second heartbeat. "How indeed? The envelope in her hand is nothing compared to what else she could offer. The night of delicious fun we could have together."
"Your payment," I said, extending my hand, ignoring the flash of disappointment in her eyes and the answering surge of the demon's desire. "As agreed."
"Fool", the demon hissed, its frustration manifesting as a dull ache behind my eyes. "Why deny us both? She wants it as much as we do."
Swallowing hard, I pocketed the envelope. The itch beneath my skin grew stronger, a craving that wouldn't be satisfied by mere cash. I needed to get out of here, find some other way to appease the insatiable creature within me.
"If that's all," I said, already turning towards the door. I stopped for a moment, perhaps a mistake. I could feel the darkness inside me grow. It was hungry, and if I didn't get out of there soon... "Your brother will need a couple days to rest. He may not ever fully recover, but in time he should be... close to normal."
I locked eyes with her again, she really was beautiful. "She would be delicious." Her eyes were soft, her lips full. "They would feel magnificent. i bet she taste sweet." I gritted my teeth, fighting to maintain control. "I should go," I managed, my voice rough.
My hand clenched involuntarily at my side. Every fiber of my being screamed to get out, to put distance between us before I lost control. And yet...
"Wait," she said softly, her hand brushing my arm. The touch sent electricity through me, awakening sensations I fought to suppress.
"Yes", the incubus purred. "This is what you need. What we both need."
"I can't," I said, as much to myself as to her. With a Herculean effort, I stepped back, breaking contact. "Take care of your brother. He'll need you."
The night air was cold and immediately made the sweat on my forehead crystalize. Winters in southern Ohio tend to have that effect. I tried to slow my breathing as I made my way back to my beat up Honda and counted the cash. $3,700, should be enough to keep me in business for another few months.
I slammed the car door shut, slamming my fist into the steering wheel. I needed to find someone to satisfy my craving, someone less... pure than her. I could still smell her perfume, a phantom scent that clung to my clothes and taunted my senses.
"You're only delaying the inevitable", the incubus whispered. "Why fight what we both know you need?"
"Shut up," I growled, jamming the key into the ignition. The old Honda sputtered to life, the engine's rumble a poor distraction from the demon's insistent voice.
As I pulled away from the curb, my eyes darted to the rearview mirror. For a moment, I thought I saw her silhouette in the doorway, watching me leave. My foot hesitated on the gas pedal.
"Go back", the incubus urged. "She's waiting for us."
With a muttered curse, I pressed down hard on the accelerator. The tires squealed in protest as I sped away, leaving behind the temptation and the job's grim reminder. I thought about heading to a corner downtown, the workers there were at least no stranger to... rougher challenges. "Don't be childish, she was a consenting adult. She would have loved every second of it. Besides, we need something with less milage on it."
I shook my head, doing my best to ignore the darkness growing within me. The streets of southern Ohio blurred past, neon signs and streetlights smearing into a hazy glow. Every billboard seemed to be sexual in nature, as if it were taunting me. My skin felt too tight, my body a cage barely containing the roiling energy within. I needed... something. Anything to dull this ache, to silence the incubus's demands.
"You know what you need", it purred. "What we both need."
I ignored him, or tried to anyway, trying instead to clear the fog of desire. Home. I just needed to get home, to shower off the stench of sulfur and sin. To wash away the memory of her eyes, her touch...
The drive seemed endless, each mile a test of willpower. By the time I pulled into my apartment complex's parking lot, my shirt was soaked with sweat, my hands trembling slightly as I cut the engine.
As i walked up the stairs to my third-floor apartment the complex still seemed to be alive. Mrs. Alvarez's light were still on, the faint sound of Hispanic music coming from her window. For a moment I thought the demon inside me would insist we go knock on her door. Try to get busy with a 70 year old woman. The sudden silence inside me caused me to smile, I guess some things were off limits even to him. I fumbled with my keys, nearly dropping them before managing to unlock the door.
The familiar, musty smell of my apartment hit me as I stepped inside. Books on demonology and occult practices lined the walls, interspersed with protective wards and sigils. My sanctuary and my prison.
I made my way to the bathroom, stripping off my clothes as I went. The hot water of the shower was a blessed relief, scouring away the physical remnants of the exorcism. I exhaled, I'd been doing this line of work for over a year now, but the exorcism were still taxing. It always seemed to hit me once I got home and the adrenaline wore off. Physically, I felt like I could sleep for a week, but it did nothing to quell the heat inside me, the hunger that gnawed at my core was more awake than ever.
"This isn't enough", the incubus taunted. "You know it never is. It's been days, we need to find someone fun."
