The Devil's Assistant (Watty Awards Finalist 2011)

Devil's Assistant [15]

“Umm can you show me where the bathroom is, I really want a shower and I want to get out of these clothes.” I glanced down at my rumpled clothes and up to Lucius who was running a hand through his dark hair as he stretched and yawned, as if he was the one who had just woken up not me.

Tapping my foot I waited until he faced me again and when he did so, there was that smirk on his face that I knew was going to lead to me wanting to thump him in the face. “Well Savannah,” he paused as he purred out my name making it seem like it was filled with innuendo as he started around the bed. “I was just about to go and take a shower but you are more than welcome to join me.” He winked at me whilst I just folded my arms over my chest probably looking like I had been sucking lemons. I glared at him some more until he relented and held his hands up. “Sorry. I will send someone in with clothes in a moment, the bathroom is behind that door.” He pointed over my shoulder and as I turned and looked I saw that the door was slightly ajar and through the gap I caught a glimpse of white tiling.

“Thanks,” I mumbled before making my retreat.

Stepping into the bathroom was like stepping into another world. Whereas the bedroom was still very much medieval castle, albeit a luxury castle, the bathroom was the epitome of modern bathing and I couldn’t be more grateful as I stared at the glistening shower that was calling my name. Quickly stripping off, I found myself before a large mirror and that’s when I noticed the true extent to my injuries. I knew it had been painful the day before but now the entire left side of my body was covered in scarring from the burns.

Tears welled in my eyes as I ran my fingertips over the scars. It was painful to bear because even I was slightly repulsed by my new appearance and I had always prided myself on not being vain but right now all that I can think about is I will never be loved by a man again, at least not with the kind of reverence where they worship every inch of my body. No, now I was damaged goods.

 I started to turn away, a look of disgust on my face, a mixture at disgust at my marred body but at the same time for caring. I had Danny and he was proof that someone had loved my body before that should be enough. That was enough. It would have to be. Shaking my head side to side whilst whacking myself lightly on the temple as if to remove such thoughts from my head, I stepped forwards and reached forwards to turn the shower on only to hear a gasp behind me.

I turned my head just in time to see Lucius and the blonde goddess in the doorway. Hastily I wrapped my arms to cover my body and the marred skin but they were staring transfixed at my back. “Incredible.” They both whispered with wide eyed awe as I shifted from foot to foot, hoping beyond hope that I could escape their scrutiny.

Craning my head awkwardly, I tried to see what they were seeing but it was out of my line of vision. I noticed Lucius step forward out of the corner of my eye with his hand outstretched towards me. Squeaking I stepped away, hastily grapping a towel from the rack as I passed but it did nothing to stop his approach as no sooner had I wrapped the towel around my body that it was torn away by Lucius. His little girlfriend took slow footstep towards us, her heels clinking and she stared transfixed on my back. Eventually though she tore her gaze from my flesh and looked up to Lucius.

“So it’s all true then. She really is the one, the one who has come to save us all.” Her voice that was usually sultry and seductive sounded uncertain and she looked up at Lucius as if she was a child wanting reassurance.

“We can only hope young one, but this configuration of markings, I have never seen it so, and it’s a perfect blending of the three. Angelic, Demonic and human.” As he said each race, he stroked a finger across the bare flesh of my back, sending shivers down my spine as he traced the patterns that I still couldn’t see.