Inc Inc -CH1- (Patreon)

Sam tilted his head to the left, then slowly to the right.

The view didn’t change of course. No matter which way he looked at it, the image remained the same.

A burning oval floating directly in front of his coffee table.

Nor did it offer up anymore information to him.

But Sam knew what it was.

Sighing, he lifted a hand up and scratched at his cheek. He already knew he was going to respond to the summons. There was no reason for him to wait as he was.

Yet he felt like he shouldn’t get involved. There was no actual reason he felt that way, he just did.

Standing up, Sam unfolded his wings and walked over to the summoning portal.

It’d been something close to a hundred years since the last time someone had summoned him to a mortal realm.

Let alone the prime realm.

The unmistakable scent of the realm he’d been invited to was drifting through the open portal.

Fuck it. I’ve spent long enough watching it like it was TV.

Folding his wings partially so he could make the transition smoothly, Sam walked through the portal and onto the prime mortal realm.

“Oh god! Oh my god! Oh shit! Oh fucking shit!” squeaked a woman’s voice.

Looking around, Sam wasn’t exactly surprised by the reaction. When he’d been popular he’d heard the same exclamations.

Everyone wanted it work, but then were terribly surprised when it did.

It looked as if he’d been summoned into a living room. One full of second hand, maybe even third hand, shabby furniture. Now that he was looking everything had a distinctly used quality to it.

But it was all quite clean, and looked to be at least maintained

Hm. Starting from the bottom again I suppose.

But at least I get to start again. Certainly better off than Reixhitz.

I wonder which relic she found.

Sam turned to look to the woman he’d heard shouting earlier at his presence.

She was chanting something over and over, her hand pressed to a book in front of her.

Ignoring her again, Sam looked to the book.

He had no memory of ever having leaving such a thing behind for others to summon him with.

Which meant it was something someone had written about him, and had included his summoning as part of the text.

Huh. Should find out who it was and see if they need a hand.

If this works out at least.

“You know,” Sam said, looking to the woman. “I’m not going to hurt you. It’d be rather pointless considering the effort you spent to bring me here.”

She looked to be in her mid twenties if Sam had to guess. Shoulder length hair, slightly over-weight, and wearing what looked like business-casual clothes.

Lifting her head up at his words, Sam got a better look at her face. Neither beautiful nor ugly, some would say she was cute at best. Her eyes were a boring brown color and her face held absolute fear and dread.

It looked like if she lost a little weight, and dressed with a bit more style, she’d be closer to being attractive.

“Really,” Sam said. “No point in hurting you just to go back to my plane.”

“I-I-I did it?” asked the woman.

“If your intent was to summon an Incubus, then yes, you did it,” Sam said.

“You don’t… you don’t look like the picture,” said the woman.

“Considering I don’t think I’ve ever had my picture taken, that’d be quite the feat,” Sam said with a chuckle. He wasn’t in a rush. These things had a rhythm and cadence all their own.

Usually it started with disbelief, followed immediately by confirmation, and then the haggling started.

Picking up the book, the woman walked up to the edge of the chalk circle on the ground, and held it open toward him.

Looking at the sketched portrait, Sam knew immediately who’d written the book.

Alisa. But how long dead are you?

“She always did have a bit of whimsy about the whole thing,” Sam murmured looking at the book.

She’d gotten the broad-strokes down well enough. Dark blue eyes, light brown hair, wings, and very human.

Except she’d made him extremely handsome.

“I mean, I’m good looking,” Sam said, “But she really over did it. But that was Alisa.”

“Alisa?” asked the girl.

“That was her name. She was a bit of an artist in her free time,” Sam said. “Did you find this book at a garage sale or something? Pawn shop? Locked trunk maybe?”

“It’s my grandmother’s,” said the woman, pulling the book up to her chest. “She apparently had it since she was a little girl. I think it was her own grandmother’s. She left it to me in her will.”

“Oh? Interesting,” Sam said. He’d see if he couldn’t dig Alisa up from whatever eternity she was sent to just to see her. She’d been funny when he’d worked with her.

And great in bed.

“-said I should only open it if it was a matter of life and death,” said the woman.

“Uh huh, well, here I am. Let’s start with the easier parts,” Sam said. Looking down at the symbol-work on the ground. It was a well constructed spell that would keep all lesser demons in place and restricted in their movements. 

Deciding to play the part for the time being, Sam didn’t just walk out of the circle. Instead he summoned a chair and sat down in it.

“My name is Sameerixis, but I go by Sam. Easier with the modern tongue. I’m an Incubus, and I’m usually summoned for material things or assistance.

“That or sex. Judging from the state of your living quarters, I’m not here to make you squeal,” Sam said, looking around the room again.

“What?! No, no, no, no. I need-I need help,” said the woman.

“Uh-huh. What kind of help? And what’s your name?” Sam asked, feeling slightly odd about the whole thing.

She didn’t seem too perturbed about him or what he was. She’d rushed through the initial stages much quicker. Usually there was some resistance or disbelief.

I wonder what Alisa wrote.

“Abigail,” said the woman.

Sam clicked his tongue at that. “Abby then. Now, Abby, what exactly do you need from me?”

“I need-” Abigail paused. Licking her lips she looked like she was firming up her thoughts on what she wanted to do. “I need money. Can you give me money?”

Laughing softly, Sam slunk lower in his chair.

“That’s all? Alright. How much did you need?” Sam asked.

“Ahhhh. I-I need about a hundred thousand dollars,” Abigail said looking far too excited now.

“Mm. There’s a few ways to go about this then,” Sam said, thinking over what he had readily available on hand.

We’ve been very frugal in our spending. At the current rate we can last another six-hundred years before we starve to death.

Though it sounds rather boring to live out the rest of existence on rationed meals and by ourselves.

We could easily transmute some of that power to gold and simply give it to her but… I don’t think she’d take the price that would go for.

I could just go the slow route and stay here and siphon power from the realm as I work on her deal.

“First. I could easily give you gold in the quantity matching to your need,” Sam said. “But the price for that is… hefty. I would require thirty years of your life span.

“Twenty for the gold, five for my own inconvenience, and five for profit.”

“Thirty… thirty years?” Abigail asked.

“Indeed. Thirty years. So if you would have died at eighty-four from old age, you’d die at fifty-four instead. Whatever your final destination is, would be shifted by thirty years,” Sam said.

He didn’t mention the fact if he destined end was ten-years from now, she’d die as soon as she made the deal. Truth be told, he knew she wouldn’t take it so he didn’t bother putting any effort into the offer.

“What else is there?” Abigail asked. “You said there was a few ways we could do this.”

“Indeed. The easier way is I remain with you on retainer as it were, and we work at fixing your life,” Sam said. “The flat rate is two to one. If I stay two days, I take four days of your life. On average I tend to achieve my goals within two to six months. You can of course send me back at any time, and that’d be the end.”

“Okay. Uhm. So… two to one. Okay. Okay. Uhm,” Abigail said. Her eyes drifted down to the ground. She was clearly thinking it over.

“I mean, if you prefer we could discuss your soul and parts of it, but most people find that entire conversation distasteful. To be honest, so do I,” Sam said with a chuckle. “I mean, think about it. The moment someone asks you to barter your soul away, doesn’t that just make it obvious that you shouldn’t? Such a strange thing that your entertainment industry seems to love to overlook.”

“No, you’re right. Not my… not my soul. And that’s your final price? I can’t talk you down or barter something else? ” Abigail asked, looking to Sam.

Shrugging his shoulders, Sam tried to look casual.

“You don’t smell like a virgin, so I can’t take that in trade to offset costs. You have no wealth that would tempt me. And you do not hold any others in your thrall,” Sam said. Opening his mouth, he paused for effect, then closed it and shook his head.

“No, what? You were going to say something,” Abigail said.

Sam looked away then shrugged his shoulders.

“Well. Seeing as you’re probably a relative to Alisa,” Sam said looking up to Abigail. “If you can get others to summon me, and to make deals with me, I’ll offset your cost by twenty-percent of whatever they spend.

“So if you keep me around for a year you’d lose two years of your life. Let’s say you give my information to another and they summon me, and they lose two years of their life in their own deal. I’ll give you back twenty percent of their cost to your own life force, as a sort of commission in a way.”

Abigail was nodding her head slowly at that. Sam could practically see the gears in her head spinning away as she thought out the deal.

“What if I ended up earning more for you than what I spent?” Abigail asked.

Blinking at that, Sam thought on the question. “You mean, if you were to offset your entire cost, what happens if you keep giving my information to others?”

“Yes. Would you give me something for that?” Abigail asked.

“An… interesting question. Sure. I could do that. For now, I’d say I could easily add to your life-span. Though when the time comes, we could negotiate for something else. Do you really think you can make that many connections?”

Abigail chewed at her lip, but nodded her head.

“Fine. Is it a deal then?” Sam asked. “I remain in your world, feeding off you directly, and work toward whatever goal you give me until such a time as you dismiss me. The rate at which I’ll take from you is two days to one day.”

“Yes, it’s a deal,” Abigail said, turning away from him. Moving to a coffee table next to her she set the book down, and picked up a box cutter. “Uhm, the book said these deals are sealed with blood?”

“They can be,” Sam said. Getting out of his chair, he walked over to the edge of the circle. He hadn’t slept with a human since his last summoning and had been hoping he’d get a chance at Abigail. She wasn’t exactly a ten, but he wasn’t going to be choosy either. “I personally prefer sealing them through sex, but blood works just as easily.”

“Ahhhh, no. Blood-blood will do,” Abigail said. Walking to the circle, she slid the box cutter out of it’s sheath and then slid it through the bottom of her palm for quarter of an inch.

Blood welled up from the cut immediately.

Holding the box-cutter out to Sam, Abigail looked to him, waiting.

Smirking, Sam made a similar cut in his own hand, and then pressed his hand up to the edge of the warding, waiting for her to finish the deal.

Abigail took in a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. Then she pressed her hand to Sam’s.

The moment his blood was in contact with hers, he could feel his presence strengthened. He’d been passively feeding off the plane while summoned. It’d been rather nice to feed on something rather than years old life-essence.

But nothing beat the taste of a flesh and blood human.

Abigail winced, her brow furrowing.

“The feeling goes away in a minute,” Sam said. “It’s just your body reacting to me feeding from you.”

Letting his hand drop to the side, he grabbed Abigail’s.

Bending over his head over her palm, he lifted it to his mouth, and then ran his tongue over the cut.

Her blood tasted sweet.

“Ahhh, what are you doing?” Abigail asked. “Stop it!”

He knew her taste though. She did indeed taste of Alisa.

“Merely healing your hand,” Sam said, releasing her wrist. Stepping out of the circle, Sam looked to the portal that led to back to his plane.

Spending a little bit of essence, he made the portal, the spell, and the circle all become invisible. Then he put up a small barrier to the plane itself.

No reason not to stock up on prime essence while I’m working. I’ll not make that mistake again.

Never.

Looking to his dealer, Sam found that she was staring at her hand. Apparently stunned that it was healed.

“Anything else you need me to lick?” Sam asked. With any luck he’d talk Abigail into bed by tonight. 

“Ahhh, no. No, thank you,” said the Human. “So… what… now?”

Sam chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. Moving over to her couch, he sat down in it and sighed. It was nice to be anywhere other than his plane.

His prison.

“That’s entirely up to you. What do you want me to do?”

“What I asked for I guess. I need money,” Abigail said, eying him warily.

“Ok… let’s start there. What do you need the money for?”

“Debt.”

“And what kind of debt? Should I be worried of a loan shark coming to collect?” Sam asked.

Actually, that’d be easy. Get the money from a loan shark, then kill the loan shark.

I wonder if she’d let me.

Then again, I can’t really tell her how to do this either.

I have to abide by the pact and let her tell me what she wants and how to do it.

Just mentioning the loan shark had given him an uneasy feeling. The rules were in place and were already weighing his actions.

“College debt. I got a masters degree in finance and now I owe more than I’ll ever be able to pay in some strange sick irony,” Abigail said. “On top of that… on top of that no one is hiring people without experience. They want people who’ve already worked the job. My degree doesn’t mean anything.”

Sam only nodded his head at that. He’d kept current on the prime realm, more out of boredom than anything else, but he didn’t really know all the ins and outs either.

“Alright. And how would you like to solve it?” Sam asked.

“Uhm. You said you’d fix my life, can we start with a job that’s relative to my degree?” Abigail asked

“Does that matter?” Sam asked.

“Does what matter? Getting a job my degree works in? I mean, yeah. I want to be able to use what I paid for,” Abigail said.

“Uh huh. Do you have a job right now?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. I work as a cell center agent. It’s uh… it’s a call-center for company. The warranty department,” Abigail said.

“Oh? Good. At least you have a job. You can’t eat pride after-all. And money is money. Let’s start there and work at that. Sounds like customer service, and customer service is anywhere and everywhere,” Sam said.

“But, my degree-”

“Is worthless at this time,” Sam said. “You’re welcome to pursue it on the side while we get you moving in the right direction.”

Abigail sighed, pressed her hands to her face, and shook her whole body in a “no” type of motion.

“You tell me, what’s your current life-style right now?” Sam asked.

“What?”

“Tell me. How are you living? What’s your bank account look like? Are your parents helping you? If you kept going on the path you were right now, what would happen?” Sam asked. “You brought me here, and you apparently read Alisa’s book so you knew what would be asked. You felt that was an easier solution.”

“I… budget every single dollar out from every paycheck. Everything is already spent. I know exactly what I’m going to spend on food and gas each and every week. My credit-card debt is starting to go up though,” Abigail said through her hands. “It’d only take a flat tire or something to wreck me.

“Beyond that, my debt is so high it’s more than likely I’ll never be able to pay it off. Ever. I’ll just end up making minimum payments until I default or go bankrupt. So I’ll never own a house or anything like that… I can barely afford the rent on this apartment right now. If the rates go up next year I might have to move.”

“Mm. In other words, your long term plan is no longer viable, and you need a short term plan immediately to get you out of this, or you’re going to fail long before you have a chance to go bankrupt later,” Sam said. “That about right?”

“Yeah,” Abigail said, still not pulling her hands down. “Yeah, that’s about right.”

“Great, than we know how to solve this,” Sam said, hoping she’d fill in a few blanks. He couldn’t tell her what to do after all.

“Get me promoted at work?” Abigail said, finally lowering her hands. She looked resigned, but determined.

“Definitely. A promotion is a great way to make more money,” Sam said. “Now, our next step is to get me hired on at your company so I can start working. This shouldn’t be too bad at all.

“What’re you making right now and how much would you need to be making?”

“Uhm… about thirty-six thousand a year right now. I think I’d need to make double that to be able to hit my payments and start digging my way out,” Abigail said.

“Wonderful. So we have our starting point, our goal, and a break even point. Lovely. It’s great to have so many easy answers,” Sam said.

He was feeling better about this contract already. It was sounding rather easy.

All he’d have to do was get hired, use some magic, a little glamor work, and he’d well on his way to solving this.

Now… the bigger question. How do I get her to keep me around longer after I solve her problem, so I can keep drawing from her?

A problem for another time.

“I need to go to bed,” Abigail said, scrubbing at her eyes with her hands. “I have to wake up early tomorrow for work and it’s already past midnight.”

Ah, she summoned me at midnight to help fuel the spell?

Wise.

“Great, I could do bed time. Let’s have sex and then sleep,” Sam said, getting to his feet.

“You’re sleeping on the couch,” Abigail said, shaking her head.

“Hmph,” Sam said, sitting back down on the couch and dismissing his wings. They wouldn’t be useful anytime soon.

Eying the young woman standing there, Sam made a decision. He was willing to chase her for the time being.

But it also meant he’d have to feed elsewhere.

He wouldn’t survive on life essence alone, and his toys couldn’t come with him from his home plane. Constructs without life or mind that simply held essence.

We’ll hunt tomorrow night. For now… let’s go to sleep and just… enjoy being on this plane.