Caveat Emptor

This story first appeared in SciFanSat ezine in Jan 2024, a free themed zine available online from Blue Boar Press.

I had that feeling again. The one like I was being watched. Which was possibly due to the bar being packed. I searched around for Heather; she’d gone to get drinks so long ago I was beginning to think she’d given up and gone to distil her own. This place was never normally this busy and you could usually hear yourself think.

Everywhere I looked, people were leaning in and chatting to each other, or throwing their heads back in laughter. No-one seemed to be paying me the slightest bit of attention, so why were the hairs on the back of my neck standing up?

‘Is this seat taken?’

I nearly fell off mine as I swivelled to face the man who had spoken.

‘Er, yes, my friend is just at the bar.’ I cast a hopeful glance that way praying she would suddenly appear.

‘Fair enough, how about I keep you company just until they get back?’ He looked friendly but I hesitated. ‘There are a few guys over there that have been prowling round anyone on their own and they clocked you a minute ago.’ His eyes travelled over my shoulder. I didn’t turn, I wasn’t that stupid, but I did use the wall mirrors and check. And there they were, two brooding men staring in our direction.

‘Ah,’ I nodded. ‘Then yes please.’

He pulled himself up onto the tall chair and smiled. His eyes were a dazzling blue; I almost had to look away. ‘I’m Michael.’

‘Lily.’

‘You don’t look like you’re really enjoying yourself Lily.’

‘Was hoping it would be quieter.’ I had been hoping to talk to Heather. All kinds of weirdness had befallen me in the last week, all the electrics in my flat were going wrong, some guy in the street starting shouting at me until I jumped in a taxi just to escape and the stupid tattoo I’d gotten a week ago was still stinging even though it looked okay.

‘Hmm, it is taking your friend a while to get to the bar.’

‘You should see the queue in the toilets.’ Michael laughed and the sound was much deeper than I expected. I scratched at my irritated arm absently.

‘Now why would you do that?’ Michael nodded at my new tattoo.

I frowned and did another check for Heather. One of the men Michael had warned me about was talking to her. ‘Oh, I should…’ I tried to move but Michael grasped my wrist, just above the tattoo.

‘She’ll be fine. Now, why did you go and mark yourself like this?’

I tried to pull free, but his grip was inhumanly strong. ‘I did it because I was fed of people telling me what to do.’ I slid from my chair, hoping the change in angle would help but all it did was nearly break my arm. ‘Let go of me.’

‘You have marked yourself. You are the enemy.’ The loud buzz of the crowd seemed to die away as the panic rose in my gut. Those were the same words the crazy man on the street had shouted at me. Where his hand touched, my skin started to burn. I yelled out as I tried to fight but everyone around me seemed oblivious.

‘Now Michael,’ another voice spoke from over my shoulder. ‘I don’t go round indiscriminately attacking your followers now do I? Unless you’re declaring war?’ I tried to twist to see who was talking but the pain intensified, it took a second to register I was listening to my own scream. The newcomer moved like lightning and held something to Michael’s throat. ‘Let her go. Now.’

Michael’s glare was fixed on me. A bright light flashed. I squeezed my eyes shut but still I was blinded. I blinked frantically and realised Michael had gone. The other two men he’d gestured to were gone too.

‘Bit loud isn’t it.’ My saviour clicked his fingers and everything went still. Everyone was frozen except us. I started to swear, but this only made him smile. ‘How’s your arm?’ It hurt like hell, I stared at the angry red marks around my wrist. The black lines of my tattoo looked like they had bled too. The man held up his hands. ‘May I?’ I was still too shellshocked, but I did yelp and recoil when he touched my arm, expecting another wave of fire.

Instead, my arm instantly cooled, even the irritation I’d had all week died to nothingness. When he removed his hands, I was stunned to find my arm looking completely healed, including the tattoo.

‘I do apologise for not getting to you sooner. I normally get to see you before the goons try and smite followers but you weren’t on my radar at all.’

I just stared at him. He raised an eyebrow. His eyes were the same intense blue and he was scarily handsome, all chiselled jawline and perfect black hair.

‘You have no idea who I am do you?’

‘Should I?’ He pointed at my tattoo. ‘What? I just wanted to rebel, I told the guy I wanted some kind of black line design and he did this.’

‘Of for the love of hell.’ He pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘I’m going to need you to take me to this tattooist. And then I’m afraid you and I are going to have to have a long, very overwhelming chat as I’m afraid this,’ he waved at my arm, ‘cannot be undone.’

‘I could laser it.’

‘A tattoo yes, not a binding sigil.’

‘What?’

‘Exactly, long and overwhelming chat.’ He held out a hand for me which I instinctively took. He bent his head and kissed the back of my hand. ‘Short version, I’m afraid you are now one of my followers and therefore bound to me. Good news, I’m actually quite laid back about the whole thing, bad news, Michael’s lot take it quite personally.’

‘And you are?’

‘My dear Lily, my name is Lucifer.’