Summer

The next morning Marcus woke up after an almost twelve hour dream less sleep feeling more alive and energetic than he had in years, a feeling that was quickly dashed when he made his way downstairs and found his parents sitting waiting for him at the dining room table. Normally breakfast was in this kitchen, this table was reserved for family holidays and finding out your mom has cancer.

Daemon he thought angrily.

"I didn't do anything."

"Mark," said his mom, "we need to talk yo you."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No," said his mother, "we, or rather your father did."

Marcus took a seat warily.

"When your mother was sick," said his dad, "I got desperate, really desperate." He let that hang in the air for a moment before he continued, "I made a deal...with the devil."

"Bullshit," said Daemon, "it was one of our sales guys."

"Or a demon," corrected his father, "I'm not really sure, but the curse, I expected to get it."

"But he didn't," cut his mother, "and we're beginning to realize you have."

"I'm so sorry," said his father breaking down, "I just couldn't bear to lose your mother."

"Mark whatever is happening, we can fight it together," said his mother.

"We can't," said Mark after a long while, "if I don't serve their purposes it will kill me...and then you."

The honesty felt oddly refreshing even if the subject matter was insane.

"What about the church?" asked his mother.

"We haven't been in...ever," said Mark.

"Yeah definitely no sexual deviants in a church," said Daemon.

"Well what is the curse?" asked his father.

The extremely sexual nature of the curse made Marcus not exactly eager to share.

"I'm an incubus," he finally said, "some kind of demon."

"More like a pet," said Daemon.

"Can we talk to the demon?" asked his mother, "maybe renegotiate?"

"No and no," said Daemon.

Mark shook his head.

"Are you..." started his mother, "are you going to die?"

"Not if I do what they want."

"Are you going to hell?"

Marcus waited.

"I mean I can't say for sure," said Daemon, "but this doesn't automatically damn you."

Mark breathed a sigh of relief even if he never actually considered an afterlife.

"Your dad on the other hand."

"You said he didn't sell his soul," thought Marcus.

"He didn't," said Daemon, "but making a deal with a demon does anyway, it's a neat little loophole they worked out in accounting."

After a momentary hang up on the concept of hell having a finance office he realized his parents were staring.

"I'm not damned," said Marcus, then he paused, "I didn't make the deal."

His dad sat in shock for a moment, "it was worth it."

His mother simply offered a weak smile and left the room.

"Well that could have gone worse," said Daemon as Mark left the house without a real destination in mind.

"So tell me," said Marcus after he'd walked for a while, "is there a quota?"

"What like of babies?" asked Daemon, "not really, it doesn't just have to be getting people pregnant, helping people discover their sexuality also works, like you did with Jess."

"What do you mean?"

"Like she was totally uptight, you liberated her."

"You mean corrupted."

"Fucking hell, every decade theres a term for women who like sex and every time its to shame them."

"That's surprisingly feminist of you," said Marcus.

"Call it whatever," said Daemon, "but that first act really just scratched the surface of how I think you can pay us back and also unlock your true power."

Mark stayed out most of the day and got back well after dark, he just needed to not be near his parents and Daemon left him alone. When he walked back into the court he saw his dad's car missing, he walked into the living room to find his mother in the dark.

"You've been gone all day," she said.

"I needed to clear my head," said Marcus.

"Did you," started his mom, "did you do anything for the demon?"

"No, just walked."

"You need to be careful Marcus," said his mom, "especially with Anastasia."

"I won't tell her anything."

"I don't think that will be enough."

Marcus nodded and turned to leave.

"Am I worth it?" asked his mom, "am I worth all this?"

"Dad thought so," said Marcus, "if I was in his spot..."

He slept fitfully, he thought about Stasi, he thought about his mom, he heard his dad come home some time around sunrise. When he did finally manage to fall asleep he was awakened by yelling downstairs, it was definitely his mom but she wasn't fighting with his dad. After pulling on relatively clean clothes he made his way downstairs to find Stasi and his mom in each other's faces.

"I had to find out from my aunt the EMT that my-Mark" Stasi froze when she saw him.

She flew into his arms and squeezed him so tight he thought she'd break him in half.

"You're ok," she sobbed, "you're really ok."

"I'm fine Stasi," said Marcus.

When she finally released him she looked him over, "I've been gone barely a month, did you grow?"

"Growth spurt," said Marcus, "been hitting the gym."

"When I heard," she said, "you died."

"I did?"

His mother sank where she stood.

"For like five seconds," said Daemon.

"You didn't tell him?" snapped Anastasia, "Mark, come with me, I just, come on."

She practically dragged him out of the house, he dodged his mom's eyes as he went. They drove out to the overlook and Anastasia sank into her seat.

"I yelled at your mom."

"Emotions have been running high for all of us," said Marcus.

"I should have been there."

"You were away with your family Stasi," said Marcus, "and I'm fine."

"I just," she said, "I'm going to college and I know things will change between us, but you died."

"I got better, and it turns out I'll be joining you at college."

"Shut up," said Anastasia, "anything else I need to know."

"I sold my first book," said Marcus.

Anastasia hit him in the arm rather hard, "anything else!?"

"Do not tell her about Jess," said Daemon.

I'm not an idiot thought Marcus.

"How did you get home?"

"Grandpa paid for it," said Anastasia, "you know he's always liked you."

"Feeling is mutual," said Marcus.

Anastasia sighed leaning back in her seat.

"You ok Stasi?"

She offered a weak smile, "are you sure you're ok."

"Promise," said Marcus.

She hugged him more gently this time but the hug went on for a while then she kissed him softly on the cheek.

"You're not allowed to leave me."

"I don't plan to."

When she finally took him home his mother was waiting, "what did you tell her?"

"Nothing mom," said Marcus, it pained him to keep anything from her but he also didn't want Stasi involved, "promise. She's sorry she yelled at you."

"I don't blame her," said his mom.

When he laid down to sleep he couldn't, his mind dwelled on Stasi, on the kiss.

"She's in love with you man," said Daemon, "I don't think she knows it, but she is."

"We're-"

"I'm in your head bro don't pretend you haven't had a crush on her forever."

Marcus laid silently.

"I don't want to hurt her."

"Then you need to keep her at arm's distance."