A Devilish Solution - Chapter 4 (Patreon)

Holy Satan, what a fine piece of ass.

Mack could not stop thinking about Brenna Ramirez. From the moment he stumbled through the portal, he was smitten. There was no denying it. Brenna roused something inside of him he never felt before with her long raven hair that looked straight out of one of those Herbal Essence commercials from the Nineties (Mack’s sole source of information from Earth in the past hundred years had been from the humans who fell into his dungeon). That sheen on her hair – oof. Divine. Her olive skin looked fresh and alive. She had her arms crossed most of the time, so Mack couldn’t get a gauge on her breasts, but she was so…womanly. So mature. Something classic about her that drove him wild. She dressed to the nines in a miniskirt with a black blouse and stockings with black wedges. Her eyes – so bright and clean. Long eyelashes. A sexy voice to boot too.

Mack could hardly contain his excitement after Brenna agreed. He neglected to warn her about the quick burn when they shook hands on it.

“Ow!” she screeched.

“Oops. Sorry. That’s a thing that happens when we agree on a deal.”

She rubbed her palm and traced the outline of a rune that was quickly fading - the Rune of Pacts. After a sigh, she said, “Alright, what now?”

Mack knew she was a bit meek deep down. The harsh voice and the professional demeanor couldn’t conceal the nervousness he detected in her voice. Like any wild animal, Mack could sense fear. All demons could.

He paced Mason Hall again admiring the tapestries. He hadn’t been to this university in over a century. The hall still looked the same, still breathed the same ancient musky smell. He hadn’t been to Earth in general in a very long time. He was glad to be rid of the grimdark atmosphere of Hell. Other demons couldn’t understand his fascination with the Earthly realm. There was both gloom and brightness in this place. Equal parts life and death. Even in the sad parts, there was beauty. This hall had seen its fair share of history, and he could literally smell it from the stone walls.

Brenna cleared her throat loudly. “Did you hear me?”

Mack swerved to her. Authoritarian and to the point - he liked that.

“Have you had dinner yet?” he asked.

“No. Well. Sort of. I had to eat three bowls of black beans to summon you.”

“What would you feel like eating?’

“Sushi, I think. Though I’m not quite hungry…”

Mack started for the door. “Too bad. We’re going to dinner.”

“Looking like that?”

He turned around. “Like what?”

“Well, er, I don’t know about you but it’s not customary for demons to be walking around campus like that. I know it looks like you dressed like a 1930’s reporter but your skin is still bright red and it’s pretty obvious that you’re not human.”

Mack walked over to a stained mirror above the fireplace. He grinned and pointed. “See for yourself.”

While Brenna would see him for what he truly is, the rest of the world would see a simple unassuming white man in a business suit. Brenna stared at the reflection for a while before sighing heavily. “Alright then…” She muttered something under her breath. Mack asked what she said but she shrugged it off.

“It’s been over a century since I was last here,” Mack said. “I assume you know where we can find a good place to eat?”

The stairwell was the same as it was over a century ago too. Nothing really changed except for the addition of the coat rack in the foyer. Hints of sunlight were peeking through the windows. Sunset was about to happen.

Brenna led the way outside. Mack stopped and felt the grass on his toes. He breathed in the air filled with dew after a long rainstorm. The sky mixed with various shades of clouds. The darker ones were rolling away in the distance, the storm only an afterthought now.

None of this felt real to him.

Mack tensed up but felt butterflies as he took a few more steps. He was nervous, imagining that he was meeting old friends and wondering what they would think about him. But there was, realistically, nothing to feel nervous about. Everybody he knew since he was last here was long dead. They hadn’t even the courtesy to drop in on eternal punishment in that time. They all went to Heaven. Funny that. It was a Catholic school after all. At least, when he was last here.

Across Mason Hall, straight ahead, was a long sidewalk that led to the University Center – the main hub of the campus. The last time he was here, he saw bright young women marching to their graduation down that path.

He noticed a group of boys entering a dorm hall to their right. He then asked, “The university allows men now?”

Brenna turned around. She was already some ways down the path. She made a face and said, “Yeah?”

Mack chuckled. This was going to add to the fun he had in mind.

He kept a few paces behind staring at her ass cheeks bob and down. Her wedges tapped the pavement with dull thuds. She lifted her head after a while and turned to him. “You should walk next to me, you know. People are going to think you’re stalking me or something.”

“Of course.”

Mack shuddered – he was giddy. He hadn’t felt this way in a very long time. He kept grinning to the point where Brenna said, “And stop smiling. You’re creeping me out!”

“Sorry. Like I said, it’s been over a century since I’ve been here. I’m glad to be back. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”

“YOU’RE going to have a lot of fun,” she corrected. After a moment, she asked, “So did someone summon you back then? That was what---like 1920?”

“When I was last here, the Great War had just started.”

“Wow. That’s a very long time ago.”

She had another question on her mind; he could tell by the way she opened her mouth but shut it suddenly. He was ready to deflect, because in all honesty he didn’t want to talk about it.

Finally, “Who summoned you?’

“They must be long dead by now. It doesn’t matter.”

He looked off to the distance where the nunnery should be…somewhere beyond the library.

Memories started to work their way through his head. The library had been renovated. It used to be smaller but they added this grotesque western wing with bright bricks and cheap-looking Greek columns made out of aluminum. He grimaced and even scowled looking at it as they walked past.

“What’s wrong?”

“They remodeled. I don’t like it.”

“Yeah. I bet a lot has changed in the past hundred years. Just last year they renovated the University Center. It used to be cozier but now it’s very…I don’t know how to put it.”

“Corporate.”

“Yes. That.”

“Impersonal.”

They branched off from the main path to the right, which led to town. The edge of campus was marked by a gated side entrance. As they approached the open gate, two figures appeared around the corner and headed their way.

“Ah shit,” Brenna scowled. She turned away. Mack squinted and noticed they were a couple arm-in-arm, a guy and a girl.

“Friends of yours?”

“Not really. Fuck. Let’s go another way. I really don’t want to talk to them. There’s another side entrance that cuts through an old grade school there.”

Brenna was about to head that way when Mack slipped his arm through hers.

“Let’s have some fun with them, shall we?” he said.

Brenna looked horrified. “No, you don’t understand. They’re such ass--”

“BRENNNAAAAA!!!” shouted the girl heading their way. Her voice was so loud and bright that it disoriented Mack for a brief moment. The girl who approached them was much shorter with red bushy hair and three nose-rings. The guy she pulled along didn’t look very…real. He looked like a nobody, some tall nondescript boy with a nondescript face. He looked far younger than her and had the look of somebody who had no idea what he was doing there.

“Heeeeyyyyyy, Kelly,” Brenna said. It sounded so fake that Mack expected someone to say something about it.

“Wow, who’s this?” Kelly said, giving Mack the up-down.

“This is—uh—this is—”

“Zack,” Mack said, offering his hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Kelly’s handshake was very strange; she did that thing where she didn’t actually shake the person’s hand and left it hanging at an angle, clammy and feeble. Nevertheless, Mack smiled and Kelly seemed abashed by this simple act.

“Wow! I didn’t know you were dating somebody! And so handsome too!”

“We’re—” Brenna began.

“Not official yet,” Mack added. He caught her grimace at the corner of his eye. “Trial run. You know?”

“Oh, he’s funnnnaaaay!” Kelly laughed. Mack couldn’t help but wince at the sound of her voice. She then patted his arm. “So funnay! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before. Do you take Dr. Dunn’s class?’

Mack blanked out, realizing that all the teachers he knew were dead.

Brenna added, “He’s an English major.”

Immediately Kelly went, “Oh.” Her voice dropped an octave, and her entire demeanor changed. She continued giving Mack the up-down but not in a good way. “You’re not one of those annoying writer types, are you?”

“Not that I know of?”

“Say, Kelly, sorry but we’re running late for dinner. Hope to catch up later, yeah?’

“Oh of course! Sorry. See you in class tomorrow!”

“Yeah.”

“Buh-bye!”

“Bye.”

They walked past. Brenna stared at the ground the entire time until they reached the main street. Mack finally said, “That was strange.”

“Don’t ask.”

“I was aware of many layers there but, of course, I don’t know the backstory.”

“She’s in this club with me. TriBeta. The—”

“Biological Society. Yes. I remember it.”

“She makes my life a living hell. She always pestered me about how I never date anybody.”

“Would you like to make her jealous?’

Brenna appeared taken aback by his blunt question. Her silence and vapid expression told him she was bustling with devious, sinister thoughts. She hesitated though. “I don’t know. It’s not a nice thing to gloat.”

“You’re talking to a demon, remember?”

“Is making sworn enemies jealous part of the deal?”

“I can always alter it in certain ways…”

Brenna narrowed her eyes. “Certain ways that benefit you?”

“Yes.”

“If you’re going to make me fart in front of her…”

“Oh, no, no, no. Not like that.”

“Oh. Then like what?”

Brenna then answered her own question, judging by how her face flushed. “Wait. But. I mean. Nothing too…”

“Too what? Tell me. What do you think I mean? I want to hear you say it.’

Brenna’s pulse quickened; Mack could feel it. He grinned, predator smiling at his prey. He savored wringing the truth out of people. Brenna was going to be so much to play with. She knew how to look the part but held back her wild side.

A loud car horn made the two of them jump.

They had stopped in the middle of the crosswalk at the edge of town.

“Let’s just go to dinner,” Brenna blurted, leading him to a sushi restaurant at the corner.