This curse was real… I wasn't going crazy. My mother had made a pact with a demon, some slimy bastard called Ash. I didn't have too much time to find him and kill him. Like Trista said, in order to eliminate a contract, you have to kill the demon holding it. Now things were complicated. I not only had Persallus on my hit list, I also had Ash, and he had to come first.
Ruby suggested we take a break from my exposition and visit the dormitory hall where they were all staying. To be fair, I didn't get a moment to appreciate the Paranormal Club's hang out, not when Ruby's ass had welcomed me in. The innards of the large space looked like a regal library/sitting room, with soft sconce lights and dark wood hugging every wall. The size complemented the luxurious feel of it all, being about triple the standard for a club hang out. The club even had a fireplace in the next room over, with a bathroom and a kitchenette. It was all very cozy and elegant, a complete contrast to the rest of CU's west branch.
The dormitory hall wasn't too far from base. My harem lived in the next building over in a contemporary suite, all four of them. The space wasn't very big, so I could see why Ruby mentioned them preferring the club over their apartment where there was less furniture. However, what it lacked in size it made up for in atmosphere. I could see the girl's personalities shine through—you got Trista's engineering desk on the right, Lumi's scratching tree in the corner, and Ruby's obvious obsession with the color red everywhere else: the rug, the wall paintings, even the accented ornaments on every flat surface. As for Wren, I didn't spot anything but a black door to my left.
"We don't go there," Trista said as Lumi and Ruby walked in. "That's Wren's bedroom. No one is allowed in her bedroom."
"Don't worry. I'm not exactly itching to."
"Welcome to our humble abode! Which is technically your abode," Ruby said with open arms. "Mi casa es su casa!"
I smiled. "It's very homey."
"We actually only have three bedrooms," Lumi said. "Wren insisted she had her own, Ruby has the other, and Trissi and I have the third."
"Oh, wait, are you expecting me to stay here?"
"That's not a problem now, is it, master?" Ruby cooed. "I have room for you in my bed. Or if you prefer, we could take the floor. There's more space for taka—"
"That's enough," Trista said, cutting her off. "I don't want the images of your disturbing sexual escapades drilled in my head for the rest of the day."
Ruby giggled.
"I mean, I guess it makes more sense to live with my harem, but my apartment is closer to my mom's hospital. Not only that, I don't think this apartment has enough space for my stuff. I'm a real hoard rat."
"We could get a bigger place!" Lumi chimed. "As soon as we find a job, get our credit up, snatch a mortgage, buy a—"
"You're thinking too far ahead of yourself, Lumi," Trista said. "Besides, the idea of a 9-5 is like nails on a chalkboard for me."
"Oh no, don't tell me you have remnants of sloth, too Trista!" Ruby teased. She sauntered over to me and wrapped her arms around my waist lovingly. "Don't worry, master. I'll work for you. Or on you…"
"The only thing you would do is rob a bank," Trista played.
I chuckled. "That's not necessary. I don't mind coming on campus every day to visit. I'm practically here most days anyway."
"So, going to the club isn't a problem for you?" Trista asked me seriously. "Because we are planning on hunting tonight."
"So soon?" Lumi asked.
"That's not a problem," I said, determined. "The faster we put the nail on the coffin for Ash and Persallus, the better."
Trista smiled. "Good. The faster we prep you, the better. This light trial will test how ready you are for the field. You have your reasons for hunting, we have ours. Right now, they don't align, but I'm sure they will in the future. We want to restore order in the Underworld, and you want to protect Carmen."
"Well, part of our reasons align," Lumi said to me with a warm smile. "Because I want your mother to be okay too, Isaac. Your wants are my wants."
++++
After the short tour of my harem's dorm apartment, Lumi suggested I take the rest of the day off. There was a lot to digest, and even though I was getting the gist of it, my familiar wanted me to have a break. Lumi packed herself a duffle bag and told the girls that she'd be staying with me for a bit. Personally, I didn't mind. It'd been lonely in the apartment since mom had been admitted to St. Thomas. A little company would do me a lot of good, especially having one this adorable and cute.
Once we were back in my place, I quickly learned that cooking wasn't one of Lumi's strong suits. It was six pm and she wanted to make me dinner, but after she sogged up the spaghetti noodles and burnt the meatballs, we opted for Chinese take-out instead.
"I'm sorry, master. I was never really good behind the oven," she pouted as she settled the bag of Chinese food in the middle of the breakfast nook table. "Ruby usually cooks our meals."
I snickered. "Don't feel bad. I'm not a wizard on the stove, either. But my mom…" I sighed delightfully. "That woman deserves her own cooking channel."
Lumi giggled, her smiling eyes on me as she set the table. "It's that good, huh?"
"Good is an understatement. She gives a whole new meaning to Latin food. Warning, though, her meals can get real spicy."
"I love spicy food!" She beamed.
I laughed. "Then she'll have to make you a few of her famous dishes. Her Balinese spicy fish is one of my favorites."
"You sold me at fish!"
We ate, Lumi telling me more about my harem. She admitted that Wren would bathe in blood from demons possessing humans, too, and that to them, they were one in the same. I told her I couldn't accept that. They were still human, victims to be more precise. There had to be a way around it, a way to rescue people like Sasha.
"I don't know. I just knew something bad was going to happen to her. It was only a matter of time. Everyone I get close to ends up dying. And being possessed by a demon is no better. I want to be the one who sends Persallus to her death bed, but I don't want to take Sasha out in the process."
"Well, there's one way…" Lumi said. "She doesn't have to die. She can be saved."
"How?"
"Through an exorcism. We could cast the demon out with the help of a priest! Or a priestess."
"A priestess?"
She beamed. "It would be great if we could get one in your harem. But I'll be honest, the girls aren't real big on exorcisms. It's dangerous…"
"What do you mean?"
"Seeing as demons can't exorcize demons, we would need to trust someone of divine order. And, let's face it, they hate our guts."
"But I don't see what the issue is here. They can't cast you girls out. You're not possessing humans, right?"
"That may be true, but disciples of the holy order have connections to angels, and angels are fully equipped for taking us demons out permanently. Some fallen angels stay true to their mission and repent by hunting demons to gain forgiveness so they may enter heaven again. It's not really the demons on our asses we should be worried about, Sugar bun; those angels are far worse!"
"So, being associated with the church is a big no, no. Unless, you can trust someone?"
"Which is very rare. I doubt they'd want to risk it."
"But there's still a way, right?" I pivoted my head away from her and mused. "Just as long as there's a way…"
"You really like this girl, huh? You don't have to lie. She means a lot to you?"
I snorted. "I'd worked out these stupid scenarios in my head that I thought would never happen. First a date, then us actually being a couple. Believe it or not, we have a lot in common. And Sasha's just so sweet and caring. But because of that curse, I didn't bother putting those fantasies in motion."
"You deserve happiness, master. Besides, it wasn't you who triggered the curse."
"I know, it was Mom, but I carry her burdens."
"Why?"
I looked at her confused. "Were you ever close with your family, Lumi?"
"I never had one outside of your harem. I was constructed and summoned to be a familiar."
"Wait, so you were created?"
"Mhm!"
"And that doesn't bother you?" I said, and then swallowed my words. "Shit, that came out insensitive. What I mean is—"
"You think I'm missing out? By not having a traditional mother and father?" She smiled. "You're forgetting that I'm a demon, Sugar bun! Honestly, I don't feel that way. Your harem was my family. And I lost them in the war downstairs. I don't like feeling sad, so I don't think about it. Besides, I gained so much topside. Those girls are my new family, one I hand-picked myself for you. We are well balanced, if I do say so myself."
"Mind if I ask how you got here? You know, topside? Things were really bad in the Underworld, right? How did you manage to escape?"
"Determination! That, and nine lives." I stared at her dazzled. "Well, it's six now. During the great war, I was captured and sent to a dungeon as a prisoner. Seeing as I was part of the House of Samael, they interrogated me for intel on your forces. Of course, I didn't say a word. I was loyal through thick and thin! I'd never betray my master's trust, even if it killed me! And it did. When they realized I wasn't going to dish out any juicy details, they killed me. I was tossed in the backyard on a tower of rotting bodies ready for the pyre. And when it was time to swap guards, that's when I bucked it!"
"You escaped by faking your own death?"
"Yup! I wasn't really dead. By the time I was on the stack, I was already back with six more lives to spare! From there, I opened a rift in the Lithidicum and jumped into the portal, heading straight for the mortal realm. I went to work right away, searching for you, and building back your domain."
"Crap Lumi. It sounds like you've been through hell. No pun intended."
"It was hard, yes, but I was motivated to find you."
"I feel terrible. I'm not the guy you're looking for."
"You have Samael's essence, Isaac. You are Samael. I like you, both new and old. Not because you're my master, but because you're caring, funny, confident, and just as determined and headstrong as I am."
Was I falling for Lumi? What did I care if I could size up to who she thought I was? I wasn't Samael. I might have had his power, his royal status, and his essence, but I was still Isaac—a college kid with a crappy part time job who streamed every now and then for extra money. My life wasn't exciting. I was a nobody in the grander scheme of things. Until I died. Then I became important. Then my name stood for something.
Even if I wasn't rooting for demons, I was rooting for Lumi. She lost a lot getting here, so the least I could do was try my very fucking best in shutting this out-of-control operation down.
With the way she was looking at me now, I had no other choice but to put my best foot forward here…
"I sure am dreamy, aren't I?"
I choked. "Heh, sorry for staring," I stuttered embarrassed. "Just thinking about what excuse I'm going to tell my boss for the no-show today."
"Sure…" she said, flashing me a cheeky look. "You know, you never asked me how you ended up in your bed this morning…"
"Did you drag me by your cat teeth from Sasha's place?" I said with a sarcastic smirk.
"I ripped a local portal open, and nursed you back to health…"
"Nursed me? I could have sworn I was dead."
"You were, but when you came to, Persallus' damage still lingered on you. You were having traumatic episodes in your head, your mind drifting through the Underworld. You saw a glimpse of hell from your brief moment there, and it scarred you. But when I snuggled close to you, you started to stabilize."
"Huh… I don't even remember being in hell. So you're saying without you, I could have been hell's backwash? A walking infernal mess?"
"You know, normally I don't request any compensation, seeing as it's my job to protect you, but I'm in a selfish mood tonight."
I chuckled. "Oh, yeah? What would you like in return? Unlimited scratches? Maybe catnip?" I teased with her.
"You're such a smartass when you get real comfortable with someone." She giggled. "Are you getting comfortable with me, Isaac?"
"Heh, yeah, you can say that."
"Then you wouldn't be opposed to pampering your moonbeam, now, would you?"
I laughed. "So you do want to be petted?"
"I'd like a shower."
"A shower? But I thought cats don't like water?"
"This cat will never pass up bath time with her master! Come on. A hot shower will make you feel better. You said it's been a long day, right?"
"Actually a hot shower sounds good right about now."