Presentation is Everything

68.

The sign out front said "Chinese Acupuncture", it was in the middle of a strip mall next to a place that did pay day loans and a discount cell phone shop. Gilbert had only gotten worse in the drive, Clarissa had to practically carry him inside. The lobby of the Acupuncture place wasn't exactly winning Clarissa over to its healing powers. There were a couple old office chairs, some flyers for a chinese new year party that looked to be over a decade old, and the receptionist doing her nails while smoking, she barely looked up when Clarissa arrived. She was wearing some kind of asian robe that Clarissa forgot the name of, it looked as raggedy as the rest of the office

"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist had a voice that sounded like a movie version of a Russian accent.

"Demurra cut the shit I'm in trouble." Gilbert's voice was more raspy than Clarissa had heard earlier, it sounded like each breath was a struggle.

"Well you certainly are short on manners, bring him back." Demurra opened the door and helped Clarissa get Gilbert on to what looked like a dentist chair, there were straps for securing him and Demurra quickly did so, Clarissa worried for a moment something bad was going to happen.

"You can leave or stay, up to you, shit's about to get," Demurra took a long drag on her cigarette and blew out a lot of smoke that lingered over Gilbert's body "Real." Demurra took her robe off and Clarissa blushed, the other woman was completely naked. Weird glowing runes etched into her flesh.

"I should probably go." Clarissa wanted to be anywhere else at the moment.

"No honey stay, your awkward sexual energy will help this more than anything else, I promise I won't bite, unless you ask me too."

"Stay Clarissa, you need to be here, this is part of the job same as anything else." Clarissa nodded though she looked away, Demurra moved on top of Gilbert, Clarissa began to wonder if this was to heal him or just one final time with a woman.

"Nothing sexual, and yes I can read your thoughts, though its not hard, you wear them on your sleeve." Clarissa felt herself go flush again.

"She's a succubus, or was Clarissa, some demons reform, or claim they do." Demurra worked her hands over Gilbert's chest and he coughed out something black.

"Careful Gilbert, exorcism like this isn't exactly easy, hate for your judgemental old ass making me screw up my work here."

"Just remember I was married, you can't use your sex magic on me Demurra."

"I feel even worse for your poor dead wife." Demurra ran a hand under Gilbert's throat and Clarissa saw fire leap from her finger tips. "Gilbert where you've been, its not a nice place."

"None of them are."

"Yeah but this shit is evil beyond evil, were I you, I'd leave this to someone else."

"Were you me you wouldn't have to shave your horns down and pretend to do chinese acupuncture."

"Demon exorcism isn't covered by Cigna." Demurra ripped Gilbert's shirt open and pressed her hands against his bare chest like they were shock paddles. Gilbert groaned out in pain, Clarissa went to stand up, but Gilbert held his hand out to tell her to stay back. Demurra hit Gilbert again in the chest and he screamed this time, uncomfortably loud, Clarissa wondered if other people could hear it. Demurra hit Gilbert once more in the chest and then Gilbert lurched back and vomitted out a green fluid that slowly started to accumulate and form into the shape of a person.

"Demon." It's voice seemed to come from inside Clarissa's head more so than from her ears.

"Former Demon." Demurra had gotten off of Gilbert's lap and stood defiantly against the green goo creature.

"Not your place."

"Paying clients, rent's due." Demurra reached her hand out to the goo and bopped it on where it nose would be. From the impact a fire emerged and torched the rest of it. All that remained of the green creature was a lingering sense of dread. Gilbert coughed and laid back on the chair exhausted. Demurra put her robe back on.

"Gilbert will be fine few hours tops. He'll be hungry though, might want to get some food later." Clarissa felt awkward even talking to Demurra who had taken up another cigarette.

"So are you really a succubus?" Demurra's eyes lit up a little.

"Women always appreciate true beauty, men, they see a hole they want it, they fuck it, but a woman? She covets you in a way that makes you feel appreciated, back when I did that sort of thing I always preferred women, when I'd make them empty I'd make them feel happy as they went. But no I'm not a succubus anymore."

"How do you stop being a demon?"

"You saw the runes, they lock it away, or attempt to, obviously I can still do a limited amount of my previous work, its how I do the exorcisms, but my powers are mostly for good." Demurra smiled, Clarissa could see her teeth were almost fang like "Mostly." Clarissa felt unsettled something she figured Demurra did on purpose.

"I'll just wait for Gilbert to wake up."

"Suit yourself, if you want to have some fun, I'm available." The not demon laughed, and then went back to filing her nails.

****

"So what's the charge?" Gilbert felt terrible, and better at the same time. He had a head ache, a fever, and his groin ached in a way that was all too familiar from his time in the military.

"Blood of a virgin."

"The real charge."

"As you age you are not fun Gilbert, two grand, rent's due." Gilbert whistled.

"Two grand? Am I paying your rent for the rest of the year?"

"You want a price, I give you a price, I could charge more, what was inside you was bad, almost worst thing I ever saw."

"Almost?" Demurra smiled.

"A girl needs her secrets Gilbert, but yeah that was the real dark dark stuff, stuff not supposed to be out and about, you're lucky I am what I am."

"I don't feel two thousand dollars lucky, you take american express?"

"No, visa or mastercard, amex has expensive charge back bullshit, and they call me a fucking demon." Gilbert gave her his credit card.

"Can I see your license?"

"Are you joking?"

"Yes yes, god you people have no fun in your hearts." Gilbert signed the receipt and went to leave Clarissa following after.

"Clarissa my offer still stands if you ever want to experience a good time." She left and could hear Demurra laughing after her.

"You know some weird people Gilbert."

"Oh Demurra's not so bad, you should have met her before the runes."

"Did you?"

"No, if you can believe it she did that to herself, never got the full story on how or why, I'd seen a previous demon who did that, had to track him down and put an end to him, he'd gone back to being a demon and up here that's no good."

"So many questions."

"Can you ask them another time, I'd rather get home and get to bed I feel like I have six different ailments working to decide which one hates me more."