Ch.6

"If you're thinking that you're becoming an incubus, it can't be. I made a deal with a demon, which split off a small part of itself, and I became as I am now." She must sense my unease at her statement, as she steps away from me, new worry in her eyes.

"So. . . . You're possessed?" I ask. "What deal did you make?"

"The deal isn't important anymore. I'm not possessed as you would think of it. The demon only gave me a small sliver of its soul to meet its end of the deal. A possession is the entire demon taking over. I still have free will," she informs me, and I know she wants me to understand, but I'm only coming up with more questions.

"But as a succubus, doesn't that make you a demon? So by taking part of the other demon's soul, you became a demon in turn."

"My actions back then made me into what I am now. Yes, that portion of a soul helped, but didn't do it on its own." She steps back up to me, and I hold my ground, not wanting to back away. She had cried when she thought I was dead, so I know she feels emotion. There would have been no reason to fake it after she thought I'd died.

"So what do you think is happening to me now?"

"I really don't know. I'm going to ask around, and see what I can find out. In the meantime, I want you to continue living your life as normal, and I'll be back as soon as I can. Depending on how time warps randomly between the two worlds."

The elevator doors open on the parking garage, and I can see my car, still parked in its spot. Stepping out, I quickly realize that Angela hasn't followed me.

"I don't know how much time has passed in this realm while we were away, but go home." Before I have a chance to say anything, she tosses me my keys, and the elevator doors close.

Great, I think, I have no idea where exactly I am, or even what today is.

Pulling out of the garage, I notice that the sun seems to have dipped only slightly, but that doesn't tell me what day or even month it is. I pull out onto the busy street, and immediately notice how smooth the Orange Bubble rides. The steering is a lot more responsive, and some of the little issues that I realized I'd gotten used to over the years are gone as well. The car is handling better than new. The gas gage on the dash is completely gone, and I wonder how I'm supposed to know how much gas I have without the gage. Pulling into a gas station just to be on the safe side, I'm surprised to see that there isn't even a spot to put gas in.

It doesn't take me long to figure where I'm at, and I point my car north, and enjoy the speed and power of my remodeled car. To my surprise, the radio announces the date and time, letting me know that I was in the Shadow World for less than thirty minutes. Angela had said that time runs randomly between the two.

Walking into my tiny 32nd story apartment, I find a brand new cell phone charging on my kitchen counter. I'd been told my old one had been destroyed in the accident. Turning it on, I see that I have five new messages. The first one is from the company that manages this apartment complex, asking if I want to apply my last payment to the rest of the year, or want a refund. The next four were from Sheila Lance, my boss, demanding to know when I'll be back in.

I call the management company up first, and they inform me that I can only pay one year in advance, and that the rest will be refunded to me. In a daze, I hang up. Who's been paying all of my bills?

The next call isn't as pleasant.

"Your medical leave was burned up a week ago, Mr. Snow," Sheila informs me rather bluntly. "By all rights, I can fire you right now, and be well within the company's rights."

Part of me is tempted to quit right away. I have a rather hefty check coming in from the management company, and rent is covered for the next year, but Angela had told me to live life as I usually do.

"I'll be in first thing in the morning," I tell her, trying to act sheepish, but I'm still full of energy from the excellent sex with Angela in the Shadow World.

"Are you laughing at me?"

Crap!

"No, Mrs. Lance, just trying to multitask while talking. I'll be in first thing," I repeat, and hang up before she can say anything else to me.

Sleeping tonight is impossible, I realize, as I lay for a couple hours staring at the ceiling.

Well, it may be a Wednesday night, but maybe I should go out. Normally I'm pretty self-conscious, but for some reason I'm feeling confident, and walk to a bar that's a couple blocks down the road. A large sign out front declares that it's ladies' night, and I smile as I walk in.

I pull out my wallet to pay the cover charge, but the cute redhead at the counter looks at me dreamy eyed, and stamps my hand.

What's going on? Have I changed that much? Shrugging my shoulders, I walk in, and order a cocktail. The bartender, a male, makes me pay, but I don't mind.

The music is blaring and the dance floor's packed as I watch people shaking and moving to the rhythm.

"I don't remember seeing you here before?"

I turn and look down at the owner of the voice. The girl—well okay, she has to be at least twenty-one to be in here—stands only as tall as my chest. Her hair is a warm chestnut brown, and travels the short distance down the length of her back. It's too dark in here to make out her eye color, other than to note that they're dark. In her hands is a blue or purple drink—Now why couldn't my colorblindness have been fixed with the rest of my vision?—that's half-full.

"I was bored, so decided to come out and find some entertainment." The way she's looking at me, makes me feel even more confident about myself. She's not the cutest girl here, but definitely above what I consider to be my league. She finishes her drink, and I decide to play things up. I've heard people talk about not buying a girl a drink unless you really know them, but some new instinct says to go for it.

Pulling the drink from her hands, I take a quick sip, and know that she's drinking a purple hooter. I make eye contact with one of the wandering servers. She turns away from whoever was giving her their order, and rushes to me.

"A purple hooter for the pretty lady, here," I tell her, and she rushes off to fulfill my wishes. Wow, this new power could really go to my head. She returns within a couple minutes and hands the glass to me. I hand it to the short girl still standing speechless next to me, and turn back to the waitress. "How much?" I ask, and she shakes herself as if coming out of a dream.

"How much?" she repeats my words. "Oh!" It takes her a moment to gather her wits enough to tell me how much I owe, and I pay her, with a decent tip.

"My name's Becky," the brunette next to me yells at me to be heard over the music, "and you shouldn't have had to pay full price for that. It's ladies' night."

"Lyden," I reply, holding out my hand for her to shake. Her hand is tiny compared to mine, but her fingers are soft. Just because I feel like it, I bend over, and place a soft kiss on her knuckles. Her knees give way, and I have to move fast to catch her. "Are you alright?" I ask, concerned. I feel a little weak after moving so fast, and she has to blink a few times before she can answer.