Curse of a Mystic

"This sucks!"

Victoria shivered, wrapping her arms around her waist. She was standing beside a desolate road, in the middle of nowhere, in the dark. And it was freezing. Her breath came in puffs as the cold air nipped at her exposed skin.

Not twenty minutes ago she'd been standing in the warm night of Seattle, watching as fireballs rained down from the sky.

After the first explosion she'd been snatched up like a sack of potatoes and handed over to a beautiful witch with white hair. Despite the chaos, the witch had been grinning from ear to ear, pushing Victoria to stand on top of a set of symbols drawn into the dirt.

"Hold on to your panties, sweetie," the witch had said with a laugh.

She blinked and the next thing she knew she was standing beside a road straight out of a horror movie. A forest loomed around her, dark and threatening. There was a thick mist in the air, as if the rain couldn't decide if it wanted to fall, and thunder rolled in the distance.

It took her several minutes of intense confusion and mild shock to realize what had happened. She'd been freaking teleported!

Glancing up and down the road she bit her lip. Was she supposed to just stand here? Maybe she'd been forgotten? Her heart raced; maybe they changed their mind and were letting her go?

A set of lights appeared through the mist. Victoria stood frozen in place as a black limo pulled up beside her.

The passenger door opened and a smooth voice ordered, "Get in."

Swallowing nervously she slid inside, settling on the plush leather seats. A man was seated across from her, the same blonde stranger from the auction. The one who'd snatched her off the platform. And he was covered in blood.

He smiled at her, his voice low as he spoke, "I apologize for the delay. The witch missed our meeting point. I'm sure you must have been confused and frightened."

Victoria blinked, not expecting him to apologize. The man had blood dripping down his face for Christ sakes! "How did I get here? Did she...uh really teleport me?"

His smile widened. "I'd forgotten you're new to this world. Witches have the ability to teleport one to a specified location." He frowned. "Or at least close. It's not an exact science."

"Oh..." She didn't know what to say. Her logical mind screamed this wasn't possible even though she'd just witnessed it firsthand. She decided not to debate the logistics. Her tired mind was already overwhelmed. "Where are we?"

"Northern Romania."

"Seriously?" she blurted.

He laughed, the sound low and smooth. "Ironic I know. But it suits our needs." Taking out a handkerchief he wiped at his face, managing to clean off most of the blood. "I do apologize for my current state. As you saw things got a bit dodgy back there."

She stared at him for a moment. She had to admit he was wickedly handsome. He looked to be in his mid-thirties with dark brown eyes, an aristocratic nose and a slight cleft in his chin. His dirty blonde hair was on the longer side and swept back from his face.

"Are you human?" she asked carefully.

He raised his brows. "I am."

Her heart sped. Another human! He's like me. Finding anyone in this world with some common ground was like finding a life raft in the middle of the ocean. "And you weren't afraid to be around all those....things?"

His dark eyes glittered. "I believe they were more afraid of me."

Okay, maybe he's not like me. "But those creatures were vicious. I saw them fighting."

"I've been around their kind for a very long time," he informed her with a secretive smile. "I know how to handle them."

"What happened at the end? Were those really fireballs?" she asked stupidly.

He grinned. "Yes, the Ascended are not practically fond of such auctions. I was surprised they didn't show up sooner."

"The Ascended?"

"Our world is split into two factions. The Ascended fight for order and peace. They were formed by several alliances between prominent families. The second faction is the Legion. Their leader is a Forsaken called Gabriel. He is pure evil. The two have been at war with each other for centuries."

Victoria let that sink in before asking, "So those beings at the auction were Legion?"

"Most of them were, yes. Some are neutral parties. Others, Ascended looking for a good show. The lines in this world are rather grey. Many change sides on a whim."

She shook her head, her mind racing. It was too much all at once. Sighing she stared out the window, watching the forest as it sped by. She had so many questions. Where was she going? What was going to happen to her? Would her father be alright without her?

Sadness welled inside her at that last thought. Did he understand why she'd done this? Would he try to find her? Her eyes watered. Sniffing she straightened her back. This had been her choice. At least now she knew he would be safe.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"I'll be fine," she murmured.

She could feel him watching her, assessing. "Good, you strike me as a strong woman. My name is Nicholas Storm by the way."

"Victoria O'Hare. It's nice to meet you," she remarked politely.

He chuckled. "Come now. We both know this is hardly the most pleasant of circumstances." He sobered. "And I'm afraid it may not be improving for you as the night progresses."

Victoria blinked, her stomach clenching nervously. "What do you mean?"

"My master is, well..." he trailed off, staring out the window for a moment.

"Was he that massive...creature I saw at the back of the crowd?"

Nicholas smiled. "Yes, although he was not always this way."

"I don't understand."

"The master was a very powerful demon, a king in fact. He was also selfish and arrogant, concerned only with his conquests and expanding his throne. In order to win a war against another demon lord he broke the heart of a mystic, a particularly ruthless one. In her rage she placed a curse on him."

Victoria frowned. Mystics...

As if reading her mind Nicholas said, "They are rare beings, stronger than witches, with almost god like power."

Fantastic, she thought sarcastically. "What kind of curse?"

"I cannot say." Nicholas smirked. "One of the more annoying effects of the curse is you can't tell anyone what it is or how to break it, even if you are not the one being afflicted."

"How long has he been like this?"

"Seven centuries."

"Seven hundred years!" Victoria gasped, shocked to the core. The very fact that someone could even live that long in the first place was mind-boggling.

Nicholas laughed loudly. "The look on your face. Immortality is not all that bad, sweetheart." He winked, tossing her a wicked grin.

"Wait...are you...immortal too?"

"Yes, I am also cursed, only mine is of immortality." He waved his hand dismissively. "It's a long story, and not one I wish to bore you with."

"Immortality doesn't sound so bad."

He sighed. "I suppose that's all a matter of perspective."

She felt herself blush; clearly that was a sore subject. "Is he dangerous, this demon?"

His face turned serious. "Yes."

Victoria quieted. Would he hurt her? What if he killed her? She clenched her hands. She wanted to run away screaming, but all she could do was shift nervously in her seat.

"He is a good man, Victoria, despite his faults," Nicholas tried to reassure her. "However, instincts run high in him and he is prone to fits of rage. His inner demon is difficult for him to control."

He sounds like a monster. "Inner demon?"

"Yes. Demons have what they consider to be a demon within. Think of it as another presence, guiding them. The masters' inner demon is strong and instinctual." The look on her face must have been one of horror as Nicholas reached over and patted her knee gently. "It's alright. I truly don't believe he wishes you harm. He will try to care for you, as best he can."

Why would a monster like him possibly want her? "Why did he buy me?"

"The master has been without companionship for centuries. His demon demands satisfaction," Nicholas paused, "and I believe the man in him is lonely."

That struck a chord and her heart pinged. She knew all too well what it felt like to be alone. "So he is going to...he plans to," Victoria stammered, "I mean...he wants me..."

"He is going to take you," Nicholas confirmed grimly. "He doesn't want to force you, but he may not be able to stop himself. I'm sorry. I know you are an innocent."

Victoria sat silently for several moments, letting his words sink in. She was innocent yes, but not inexperienced. She'd had the occasional make out sessions in college, as awkward and clumsy as they may have been.

She knew it was strange for someone her age to be a virgin. But between working double shifts and caring for her father there'd been no time for romance. And if she were honest, she'd never really been all that interested.

Perhaps she'd been too scared to really try, the thought of dating certainly left her shaking with nerves. It wasn't that she was unattractive, she thought herself pretty enough. But she was clumsy, and odd. She couldn't flirt to save her life.

A few men had shown interest over the years. But none of them had made her breath catch, or her stomach clench, or her heart race. There was always something...lacking. That didn't mean she hadn't fantasized about what it would be like. Most of her life she'd yearned for companionship, for a connection. As if a part of her was missing, a void that couldn't be filled. And she'd always been curious about sex. Thankfully, smutty videos were aplenty on the internet.

"Will he give me time? I mean, what if I don't..." She blushed furiously. How to ask a complete stranger what to do if the massive demon - who was about to screw your brains out - didn't turn you on? "What if I don't...respond?"

He smiled gently and gave her knee another pat. "I wouldn't worry, Victoria. I'm sure he will strive to make this enjoyable for you. The master was very popular with females in his day."

Except he's a massive cursed demon and I'm a virgin. And if his body size was any indication she could only imagine how big his manhood was. She tried to visualize and shook her head with embarrassment.

It didn't surprise her that she might lose her virginity tonight to this demon. She'd known full well that whoever won her would desire her body. She had accepted her fate in this. What bothered her was the unexpected. Would it hurt? Would he be gentle or brutal?

"You said he's lonely?" she finally asked.

"Yes, very lonely," he responded quietly.

She sucked in a deep breath, she could relate. Cursed or not he was still a man. Okay, a demon male. A massive, powerful, demon male...

But he did save her from a fate with Vincent Shaw. No matter what this demon might be now, he could never be as vile as that bastard werewolf. There was no doubt in her mind that Shaw would have treated her badly, maybe even killed her.

And thanks to this demon, her father was now safe from harm.

If companionship was what he craved she could at least give him that. "I understand. I'll do my best."

Nicholas brightened. "Excellent. I am happy to hear you say that, Victoria. I knew you were a good choice. I believe you are just what the master needs. You may even-" he broke off with a pained expression. "Well, let's just say I have faith in you."

AN: Things are about to get very interesting. *wink wink* What will happen when our demon and Victoria finally meet!?