by Delmire Hart
Upon reaching the landing, Max gestured Barkley to follow behind. He ignored the staircase continuing higher, instead stopping in front of a plain looking door at the back of this floor. They were called in almost immediately upon knocking, and Max swung the door open to reveal a plainly decorated office.
A large desk dominated the room, a tall, stress-lined man occupying the space behind it. Like Max, his brown hair was just starting to show signs of age with wings of grey coming in at the temples, although his hair was cropped so short it was not obvious on first glance. The hard lines of his face softened upon looking up to see Max, and he gave a respectful nod in greeting.
“Maxwell, what a surprise.” He did not stand, in fact, he only glanced up long enough to show that he was giving them a cursory amount of his attention. It didn’t seem to offend Max at all, so Barkley could only assume it was to be expected. “What brings you to this side of town?”
“My companion, actually.” He turned to wave at Barkley, not that the man looked up to see the gesture. “Barkley, meet Captain Conner Douglas, commander of the city guard.”
Conner snorted, finally looking up to fix Max with a bemused look. “Not commander, old Dural’s commander, but that title has far too much bureaucracy for me. It’s bad enough being captain, I’m forever drowning in paperwork even though I’m supposed to have enough time to walk the streets myself to keep the ranks on their toes. What a load of shit. Don’t suppose this is the friend you wrote me about last week?”
“Yes, the one looking to join the army.”
The captain took a moment to look Barkley over, none of his thoughts showing on his face. He didn’t seem surprised by his young age or generally scruffy appearance, which gave Barkley pause. He doubted Max had mentioned much about him at all. It was then that Barkley realised he still had the flower tucked behind his ear and he reached up to pull it out, nervously running the thin stick between his fingers.
“I heard you had a fancy demon. Guess you passed your mage tests like a breeze, huh?”
“Ah, yes, well, about that.” Max coughed, glancing over at Barkley before straightening his shoulders. The beginnings of a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, no doubt as he remembered the events of that morning. If only Barkley could find it so amusing. “The test was this morning, and the practical was completed with flying colours… right up until his demon flexed his power and humiliated the Headmaster after he tried to use the two of them.”
That caught Connor’s attention. He glanced back at Barkley, clearly re-assessing whatever his earlier judgement was.
“Use how?”
“Apparently, our dear Headmaster was attempting to get the demon to create an incredibly rare and complex poison he could sell off for his own gain. The demon recognised the ingredients, made the Headmaster piss his pants, and they were kicked out, sans mage license.”
Connor threw back his head and laughed. It was a great belly laugh, and tears formed in the corners of his eyes.
“Shit, I wish I had seen that. That old fucker’s had it coming for a long time.” Connor took a long, deep breath to calm himself, his attention now fully on Barkley and Max. “Still wanna join the army though, huh? Bet you’re from the border, few around here seem to think it’s their problem, even as food becomes scarcer and refugees clog the streets. I have a few contacts amongst the officers, one’s even posted on the front lines for the winter. I can send a recommendation through, but first, what kind of power are we talking here? I’ve only ever seen imps in action, and that’s been few enough.”
“The equivalent of ten thousand imps,” a deep voice answered from Barkley’s right. He jolted, surprised, and swung around to see Zaxor standing next to him. The demon looked as impeccable as always, and just as bored.
The captain whistled, eyebrows jumping. “And you must be the demon.”
Zaxor inclined his head but offered no introductions. Max’s imp decided to join them, alighting on his shoulder as though what was taking place was the most interesting thing in the world. All up, it probably made a rather odd spectacle.
“Well, if you give me some time I can have your recommendation written up. There’s a platoon with supplies leaving this afternoon you can join. They are swapping out troops before the winter hits, so there’s people heading that way every few days at the moment. It will be good for this stupid war to over and done with. I’m getting too old to deal with this shit.”
Chapter Nineteen
Barkley stared around the impressive hall; vaulted ceiling, massive crystalline chandelier, delicate paintings lining the walls, plush furniture arranged into semi-private viewing nooks complete with fluffy looking rugs. He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the room, truth be told.
Zaxor had left his teleportation anchor with the platoon of soldiers heading towards the front lines, which meant that they could travel the weeks’ journey without actually being in the same physical plane. It was nice not to have to travel, spending long hard days on the road with grim soldiers was not Barkley’s idea of a good time, but it left him feeling rather lost. Zaxor had promptly left him to his own devices after everything was arranged and he had said goodbye to Max.
The mage had stated that their goodbye might not be for as long as Barkley thought, that he was going to brave the demon realm for a second contract. Something against the academy’s rules, but Max no longer seemed to care. It was comforting to know the enthusiastic librarian was going to set about pulling the mages out of their self-imposed dark age. He just made sure not to think about what Max would give to whichever demon he contracted in return.
But now, here he was, left alone in the giant demon fortress that would soon be his forever home, with no idea what to do. With a small shrug, Barkley picked a door and began to walk. It reminded him of getting kicked out of Lucille’s classroom for the first time and how his wandering had led him to discover the gorgeous library. Perhaps he might be so lucky this time as well.
The giant fortress felt more like a castle. Room after sprawling room filled with lavish yet tasteful furnishings greeted him as he wandered. It would be a gorgeous place if the lack of other living creatures didn’t leave it feeling eerily desolate. Barkley was beginning to feel like he was dreaming when he finally stumbled across someone.
The pretty blue skin of the creature's back, tall curving horns, and a long tail told Barkley that this was most likely a demon. Barkley’s footsteps on the smooth stone floor rang out and the demon turned around to face him in surprise. The lack of clothing and mostly humanoid appearance suggested he was an incubus, although he was more dressed than the last one Barkley had seen. Still, the sheer silken cloth hanging precariously at his waist still left little to the imagination. The demon’s eyes went wide in surprise and some other emotion the young man didn’t catch, then the demon was bowing in greeting. Before he had a chance to ask what that was about, the demon vanished, leaving Barkley alone once more.
A long sigh escaped his lips unheeded as he pondered his options. A glance about the room revealed that it was smaller than the others Barkley had wandered through, with a more intimate feel. The couches sat close together with a cold fireplace along one wall. A window on the far side of the room drew his attention. None of the other rooms had sported windows or any visible source of light, yet each room was lit perfectly, now that he thought about it.
Approaching the window in hopes of getting himself a point of reference, he was met by the view of a beautiful garden. He had to be several stories up, and the massive garden was surrounded on all sides by a dark looming building that must be other wings of the same fortress. From what he could tell, that meant the building was a massive square shape, with the middle hollowed out for the pristine-looking gardens.
It was all green grass, small fruit trees, and ornate flower gardens, with a small stream winding lazily through the middle. It was beautiful, and not something he expected to find here of all places. Movement caught his eye, and he realised that
people – or demons, creatures? – strolled the gardens. Some in small groups or pairs or on their own. One or two even seemed to be sitting or sleeping under the well-kept trees. That was where he wanted to be, Barkley decided.
Moving on with more determination, Barkley strode down a long hallway, then took a set of stairs he found going down. As he walked, he began to stumble across more demons. The quiet of the area Barkley had started in gave way to the chatter and bustle of a well-used area. Each demon greeted him with surprising politeness, even the gaggle of imps he stumbled across, and pointed him on in the right direction. He had no idea so many types of demons existed.
Big, small, some almost humanoid in appearance, some completely otherworldly. A varied combination of wings, tails, and horns adorned many while others looked to be shaped after particular animals or humans. Barkley wasn’t sure what he had expected to find in a powerful demon’s fortress, but it was certainly an eye-opening experience. Eventually, though, he found the garden, after a stunning pink and purple succubus offered to lead him the last of the way. She was as scantily dressed as the incubus earlier, scraps of silk hanging precariously by golden chains to cover her, but no one seemed to bat an eye. Nor did she try to make any kind of move on him, their brief conversation polite but relaxed. Nothing about the way she walked or spoke screamed sex or predator; if anything, she seemed almost motherly as she fussed over a few other demons they passed.
It was a very different experience to the last time he had met a succubus, and Barkley had the distinct feeling Zaxor must have said something to his staff. Not that he minded, the last thing he wanted right now was to be propositioned and made to feel extremely uncomfortable. He did wonder what Zaxor had said though.
Pushing the thought away, Barkley stepped out into the beautiful gardens. The view from the window had not done it justice. Walking along a stone path, he took in the abundant green, the mixed scent of sweet flowers and fruit, and the warmth of the sun on his skin. Looking up showed the odd yellow sky of the demon plane with no signs of a sun or moon like he was used to, yet the warmth was there. It was soothing, and if he didn’t pay too much attention, Barkley could almost imagine he was wandering a noble’s garden back in the human plane.
No one tried to approach him as he meandered the gardens, although many of the demons gave him polite head bobs of acknowledgement. He even spotted the first human other than himself that he had seen today, a dark-skinned male stretched out asleep under what Barkley thought was an apple tree, although those were the biggest, reddest apples he’d ever seen. Not wanting to disturb the man, he moved on.
Near a section of the happily bubbling stream running through the garden, Barkley found someone he knew by name even though they had never met. A creature sat alone, as far as they could get from the flowers, trees, and stream. The way they hunched over, knees pulled up to their chest, screamed loneliness, and the giant wings tucked tightly against their back had seen better days. Feathers littered the ground around them, one falling free even as Barkley watched, and the sickly matt grey colour didn’t seem healthy.
János. It had to be.
Carefully, so as not to spook the Althulean, Barkley walked around him until he was in his line of sight, then sat just within earshot. Hopefully it was far away enough that he wouldn’t scare him off. János tensed as he watched Barkley, who gave him a polite nod before lying down as though he was going to take a nap. After a moment of consideration, János stayed put, turning his attention inwards again and just radiating misery. The brief look Barkley had gotten showed that János was almost a caricature of a human. He had all the limbs of a human, plus his wings, but he was far thinner, his head smaller, while his eyes sat large in his face. Barkley wondered if the thin, oddly bone-y appearance was typical of the sky people so they were light enough to fly, or if it was János’s state of mind showing through in a physical way.
Barkley considered how to talk to János, his curiosity piqued after remembering Zaxor’s remarks that Barkley might be able to get through to him. He figured just going up and starting a conversation probably wouldn’t get anywhere, not when just sitting near him had nearly sent the Althulean away. His thoughts were interrupted by a weight settling against his thigh and Barkley sat up in surprise. Sprawled out on the lush grass and using his thigh as a pillow was Zaxor.
“I’m still angry at you,” Barkley warned, glaring down at the demon.
Zaxor opened one eye to lazily look up at him before closing it again, completely at ease.
“Are you?” he drawled with his typical bored tone. “How unfortunate for you. I don’t see what the problem is when it all turned out even better than if you’d gotten your license.”
“Better?! How did it turn out better?”
This time both grey eyes opened to look up at him in consideration. They stared at each other for a long moment, Barkley trying to read between the lines but failing to see where Zaxor was going.
“You got the result you wanted but it also freed you from the expectation of how things supposedly had to be done.” Zaxor sighed as Barkley became even more confused. “When you came to me, you were all fire and determination. Everyone had told you that you couldn’t do something, so you were determined to do it anyway. You took your own path, never giving up until it was done. Yet when you were told ‘this is the way it’s done’, you followed that blindly. It’s like you had forgotten that you could move mountains with your determination alone when given a path that could work. You went from a young up-and-coming hero right back to the trusting farm boy after forging our contract. You’re determined, stubborn, smart, trusting, and naïve all at once. It’s all very… contrary. Interesting, nonetheless.”
“Is that why you suggested we be lovers?” Barkley asked quietly, still processing Zaxor’s words. “Because I’m interesting?”
Zaxor hummed as he closed his eyes once again, re-arranging his position in Barkley’s lap until he was comfortable once again.
“Few catch my interest, even less hold it beyond a few meetings. I’ve never met a human who wasn’t scared of me when I first meet them. You were desperate and scared that I’d say no, but you weren’t afraid of me personally. In fact, as I recall, you stood toe to toe with me and looked me in the eye as you demanded help. You had my interest immediately. It helped, of course, when you proved a willing partner the first time I offered and gave me those beautiful moans.”
Barkley felt his face flush remembering the first time Zaxor sucked him off in the name of ‘comforting him’, and then again after he had agreed to be the demon’s lover.
“For all that I asked, I am still somewhat surprised you agreed,” Zaxor confessed. “Although I am certainly not complaining; I haven’t enjoyed the company of a consistent lover in a long time.”
“But you made that slippery stuff before you asked as though you knew what I’d say!” Barkley replied, surprised by the words. Zaxor’s tail flicked against the soft grass beside them, conveying the amusement that didn’t show on the demon’s face.
“I plan for all outcomes.”
Zaxor jolted as Barkley picked up his tail and cradled it, stroking along the small ridges running down the top side. His earlier anger at the demon for messing up his mage exam had dimmed by sheer virtue of time, not that he’d tell Zaxor as much. It was more an underlying irritation, but he put it aside for now to enjoy their rather candid conversation. The demon generally seemed open with him and would answer any question Barkley asked, but he seemed particularly relaxed today. Barkley was also learning things that chipped away at the mysteriousness surrounding Zaxor, and he was interested in adding more to his understanding.
“What happens if we decide to end our agreement?”
A small shrug met Barkley’s words. “You still have your place here and I leave you to your own devices for the most part. The terms of our contract remain, but there is no reason I would have to intrude upon you if you don’t want me to.”
It was much like t
he courtship and love affairs from back at his village. Many of his peers had tried their hands at a relationship before settling into marriage, and when it didn’t work out, each party was polite yet distant as they moved on. Except for a certain Elizabeth who took to screaming at her ex-lover every time they met, but that was far from the norm. Although, most of those he grew up with had settled down into marriage before the war had broken out. Barkley had been one of the few remaining single as he hit his twenties, never showing an interest in starting a relationship or having children. Perhaps that had to do with his preference for his male peers because he found most of the village girls his age rather scary when it came down to it.
So here he was, accepting a demon as his lover, when all his previous experiences in love amounted to awkward flirting and a few blowjobs exchanged for favours owed. Ah, well. It’s not like he had anything to lose by accepting, and he was growing a little fond of Zaxor, as much as he exasperated Barkley.
“Are you aware that what you are doing is rather inappropriate for a public place?” Zaxor’s husky voice pulled Barkley from his thoughts. The demon’s eyes were lidded in pleasure as Barkley continued to rub his fingers across his tail, but Zaxor made no move to stop him.
“Is it? You are enjoying it though, and you haven’t told me to stop,” Barkley pointed out, continuing his ministrations.
“It’s rather like me flipping you over to spread your sweet cheeks and taking a lick.”
Barkley flushed at the insinuation. Yet for all Zaxor’s words, he wasn’t stopping Barkley. As embarrassed as he was, an idea sparked, and he brought the spade tipped end of Zaxor’s whipcord tail towards his mouth.
“Wouldn’t that be more like this?” he teased, opening his mouth as he pulled the tail closer.
Zaxor’s eyes widened for a moment before he snatched his tail back to Barkley’s loud peals of laughter. It was the first time he had seen the demon even remotely embarrassed. It was hard to tell, but it was there in the faintest flush across his cheeks.
