There Are Other Paths We Might Take...

HELLO READER,

YES. I'M TALKING TO YOU.

VINCENT HAS GONE RATHER MUTE ON ME, SO IN THE MEANTIME, LET'S YOU AND I HAVE A LITTLE CHAT, SHALL WE?

FIRST OFF, IF YOU'RE READING THIS, THEN CONGRATULATIONS. YOU'VE SADDLED UP WITH THE MOST LUCRATIVE RELATIONSHIP IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

SECOND, IF YOU'RE READING THIS AND THINK THAT YOU CAN ESCAPE ME, OUTWIT ME, OR GET ME "REMOVED"-YOU'RE DEAD WRONG.
 
I'VE BEEN TEMPTING MORTAL'S SINCE THEY COULD THINK ABOUT DOING WRONG...I HAVE DEALS WITH PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, RELIGIONS, AND CREEDS. 

THEY KNOW ME BY DIFFERENT NAMES BUT I AM EVER PRESENT...

SO, A LITTLE MORTAL SPLIT A LITTLE BIT OF FAIRY JIZZ ON  MY PROPERTY AND THINKS THIS IS GOING TO "SOLVE" VINCENT'S "DEMON PROBLEM"? 

YOU'RE SADLY MISTAKEN LITTLE FLOWER.

HE MAY CALL YOU HIS LIGHT, BUT I'VE HAD HIM IN THE DARK SINCE HE WAS CONCEIVED.

I OWN HIM.
I'LL RELEASE HIM WHEN I'M GOOD AND READY.
IN THE MEANTIME, LETS SEE WHAT HE'S UP TO SHALL WE?

"HEY BUDDY, RECEPTIONS PRETTY BAD ON MY END. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?"

"What do you want?"

I LOVE IT WHEN HE'S ANGRY...MAKES ME WANT TO WRING OUT HIS LITTLE EMO NECK.

"GOOD! YOU CAN HEAR ME."

"Sammy, unless you can help me, fuck off okay?" 

NOW I'M GOING TO WRING HIS NECK.

"TOUCHY-TOUCHY TODAY VINCENT, HAVE A HARD NIGHT?"

"Screw you."  

TOTALLY...IT'S SETTLED.

"HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING THERE VINCENT? IT'S A SHAME YOU MORTAL'S NEED OXYGEN TO EXIST..." 

HE GASPS, REACHING FOR MY FACE IN HIS REARVIEW MIRROR. HIS HANDS HAVE GONE TO HIS THROAT AND ARE SCRAPING THE BARE SKIN TRYING TO REMOVE MY 
INFLUENCE. I LOVE WATCHING HIM SUFFER.

"NOW THAT I'VE GOTTEN YOUR ATTENTION, I THINK WE BOTH KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NEXT, AND LETS FACE IT, THAT'S JUST FUCKING STUPID."

HE'S NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION BECAUSE HIS LIPS ARE GOING BLUE, HIS HEART HAS STARTED TO SLOW, BUT I KEEP UP THE PRESSURE...I HAVE A POINT TO MAKE.

"YOU SEE VINCENT, I LIKE YOU. WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP, AND I'D HATE TO SEE YOU GO AND MAKE ANOTHER ONE WITH SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ELSE...SO I'D LIKE TO RE-NEGOTIATE OUR "TERMS OF SERVICE" AS IT WERE....WHAT DO YOU SAY?"

HE LOOKS AT ME, HIS EYES BLOODSHOT.

HE'S WEAK. PITIFUL. HE KNOWS IT. SO DO I.

HE'S GOING TO TAKE THE DEAL.

I RELEASE HIM SLOWLY. 

HE TAKES A DEEP BREATH OF FRESH AIR, GASPING AND CHOKING THE WHOLE TIME, HE OPENS THE CAR DOOR TO PUKE. CAN'T RUIN THE BEAUTIFUL LEATHER INTERIOR CAN WE?

"What do you mean? Re-negotiate?" 

 HIS EXHAUSTED EYES STARE ME DOWN, FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH HATE AND LOATHING. I SOAK IT IN, RELISHING IN THE EMOTION.

"IT'S SIMPLE. I WANT MORE OF YOUR REIGNS. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A STROLL NOW AND THEN...FEEL THE SUNSHINE ON MY FACE, TAKE A SWIM, KILL SOME PEOPLE...YOU KNOW, HAVE A VACATION. LIVE A LITTLE."

"Why the hell would I agree to that crappy bargain? It's not like you can give me anything else in return."

OH YE OF LITTLE FAITH.

"THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT I CAN OFFER YOU, I HAVE MY OWN CONNECTIONS, AND THROUGH THEM, I CAN OFFER YOU SOME PRETTY SWEET NEW POWERS, ALL WITHOUT OWING ME ANYMORE THEN YOU ALREADY DO...NO STRINGS ATTACHED AS IT WERE...YOU GET YOUR OWN SHINY NEW PORSCHE, AND I GET TO DRIVE YOUR STUPID MAZDA..."


HE LOOKS CONFUSED, BUT I KNOW HE'S TEMPTED, THEY ALWAYS ARE AT THIS STAGE.

"What, I'd get magic powers? Talons? I could breathe fire?"

HE IS TIRED, HE CAN'T DEFEND AGAINST ME, HE'S THINKING OF THAT MEDDLING ANGEL'S WORDS AND HIS PROMISES TO HIS SWEETHEART...NEW ANGLE ME THINKS.

"WHATEVER YOU LIKE, TECHNICALLY, YOU WOULDN'T BE MAKING ANY FURTHER DEALS WITH ME, YOU'D JUST HAVE YOUR NEW POWERS...YOU COULD USE THEM ON YOUR TERMS, AND CALL ON ME WHEN YOU NEEDED...YOU WOULDN'T BE BREAKING YOUR PROMISE TO EITHER OF THEM."


"Stop reading my mind jackass."

"I'M NOT."

"Yes you are..."

"I'M NOT, REALLY. YOU CAN KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS AND PROMISES THIS WAY. IT'S LOGIC. EVERYBODY WINS. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SAY YES."

HE'S ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT DENYING ME.
EVEN AFTER I NEARLY CHOKED THE LIFE OUT OF HIM.
THEY REALLY DO HAVE SOME SWAY OVER HIS HEART...

NOTE TO SELF: I'LL HAVE TO TEAR THEIRS OUT SOMETIME. 

"If...If I say Yes. Does that mean when I call for your help too much, you'll be me?"

"SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THINK OF IT AS A CAR. YOU GET TIRED OF DRIVING, I TAKE THE WHEEL, YOU SLEEP IN THE BACKSEAT, AND PRESTO WHEN YOU WAKE UP, WE'LL HAVE PASSED A FEW BORING DRIVE THROUGHS."

"But...You'll give me my own set of powers, I'll be able to do stuff without your help?" 
I'VE GOT HIM NOW.

"OF COURSE. THINK ABOUT IT. YOU COULD HAVE THE POWER TO DEFEND THOSE YOU LOVED AGAINST ALL MANNER OF EVIL WITH THE GIFTS I GIVE YOU, AGAIN, FREE OF CHARGE, AND ONLY CALL FOR ME WHEN YOU NEED A LITTLE BOOST. DO WE HAVE A DEAL?"

HE THINKS IT OVER FOR A SHORT HALF AN HOUR. SAYS HE'LL THINK ON IT AND GET BACK TO ME...BUT I KNOW HE'S TEMPTED, I KNOW HE'S GOING TO ACCEPT IT.

I KNOW BECAUSE HE'S MINE.

SO DEAREST READER, I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR FREEDOM WHILE IT LASTS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU STRIKE A DEAL WITH ME, I ALWAYS COLLECT MY DUES.

-S