Crumpet and Varian

Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

“You went where?!?” Bravatten and his lawyer roared in unison at his wife.

“First neither of you have the right to speak to me in that tone, and I won't stand for it!” Mrs. Bravatten said. “I felt I might have an in with this demon peddler. He was insanely in love with me once, I suspect he still harbors feelings. It is much better that we settle this quickly and amicably. It proved impossible, but I needed to find that out for myself. And I maintain it was worth it. At the very least I established that he has no carnal designs on her. Him! On him, on Jan.”

“Oh and you trust this predator's word, do you LuAnne?” Bravatten said with a smirk.

“He wouldn't dare lie to me.” His wife responded vehemently.

“Why not?” Bravatten sneered.

“Because he knows that I would see through any deception, and I'd never forgive him for it.” Mrs. Bravatten said.

“Ah, is that how it is with your boyfriend? His faith in you is only surpassed by his fear that you might reject him?” Her husband asked.

“That's right dear. He confessed his admiration and fear right before he satisfied me in the manner of a true man. Then we laughed together about how we are using your son's mental illness to humiliate you. Now take your vermin lawyer and your black sorcerer minion and kindly fuck off.” She smiled sarcastically and waved us away.

I actually caught myself saying, “I'm no one's minion.” and felt like a fool. To make it worse none of them mocked me for it. My approval rating had been sinking steadily since I'd found Jan, surprisingly enough. But with this group, the idea that no one would mock me maliciously, meant it was all over.

I left a moment of space between myself and the others leaving. So for a split second as I passed, Mrs. Bravatten and I were alone in the room. “Sorcerer,” She said. “My dear innocent husband doesn't know you expect to be paid for helping us.”

That stopped me. “Ma'am?” I asked.

“He is so used to being given anything. He makes millions of dollars and still pays for almost nothing; everything is donated. You didn't ask for payment, so he's assuming you are doing it as a service to God. I understand you couldn't ask in the beginning because no one trusts you. But that doesn’t change anything.”

“He pays his lawyer.” I said, knowing myself that meant nothing.

“That contract predates his habit of getting everything free. And has nothing to do with this.” She said, calmly and unemotionally informing me.

“He pays for plenty of services. I don't think he'd assume that.” I said sounding like I was rationalizing, even to myself.

“Oh I asked him. Not outright, but I was thinking of paying you off to get away from my family, so I asked what he was paying you. He said he wasn't. He said he expected to, but you never brought it up, and it's already been a month. So, he now was confident you were doing it in thanks for the blessings of God.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked her, sure she had an angle.

“Cause it's funny, and there's nothing you can do about it now.” She smiled, “If you bring up money at this point he'll act like you're the one raping his son.”

“I thought you said your boyfriend did not have 'carnal designs' on your son.” I said, trying to bait her as I called out to Haphomet, the only 'spirit' I could count on to be willing to provide services and let me pay for them afterwards. I was thinking of the air stealing spell I had worked on Bravatten's chauffeur the day I'd met him. I figured that would put enough fear into her, at least one person in this house would treat me with respect. I could feel the spirit in the room, his presence getting stronger and stronger, but still nothing happened.

She smiled and calmly leaned back in her chair. “Firstly don't call him my boyfriend. Secondly, don't give me a reason to make your life hell. I don't depend on magic so my revenge always works. Last, a lesson, the evil you are enslaved to doesn't work against someone with a true and personal relationship with God.”

“I'm not a Satanist.” I said.

“I'm not saying you’re a Satanist. I'm saying you're a servant of Satan.” She smiled.

“So I'm not smart enough to be a Satanist?”

“Either that, or not smart enough to know you're a Satanist.” She said.

“How could I be...” I started then just said, “Forget it,” and left the room. Her unexplained protection bothered me less than her snideness, and the fact I would have to pay Haphomet for trying, even though he failed.