Of Ghosts and Demons

Chapter 7: A shared secret

The melody of phone call was a continuous companion during Danny's entire day. He talked with many messengers, each of whom appeared at a certain prearranged moment. This safety measure was to avoid attracting too much attention from the exorcists, who were sure to notice if about fifty demons popped up in one place to convene a meeting. Phantom hated this job, hiding like a rat in a world that was supposed to be his home if only he hadn't dived into this pile of burning garbage. He managed to convince relatively few, and it was a pity, only ten ghosts agreed to accept him for at least a time being. But nobody wished to challenge him, and it was damn annoying. They were stuck in an ever present limbo, without accepting the legal leadership and without trying to change it.

He was a pioneer, and pioneers often were faced with such troubles of being misunderstood. At moments like this Danny wished he had just let his predecessor take over everything. Of all the 'mediators' one in particular still kept him interested. Something about that plant ghost was intriguing. Not just because she was pretty enough for the things to get heated if she lets him. He may have had a thing or two for girls who had the courage to slap a powerful being such as himself in the face, no masochism involved. But no amount of curiosity could redeem what she said during the meeting later that day.

"I am staying."

Phantom did not expect this, so he asked her if he had heard her correctly. Her green eyes bore into his, confirming that his ears were functioning as intended. He asked her if she was being for real and her cold look only hardened. Sam really viewed him as an idiot, it seemed. At this Phantom decided that everything around and she especially could go screw themselves. From their brief interactions he could make out one thing: she didn't know a thing about how this whole world worked beyond basic laws of not killing everyone in sight and not sticking out like a sore thumb in huge crowds. She was going to be killed by the first exorcist in sight. Oh, well, it's not like she would not reform in Gehenna soon after being taught a lesson.

"Very well. You take the expenses upon yourself."

"But I don't have any money."

"Your idea, your losses. And why would you even need those? Don't you dine hippie-style and absorb the sun or whatever?"

"It may surprise you, but I never slept out in the open. It's cold in here."

"You are correct, I am surprised," Danny didn't try to hide his mocking tone, still sore about their last meeting, "So, you are a greenhouse flower, ain't you?" He sighed, "Let us start this over. You came here out of the blue, doused me, and now demand that I pay you? That's not how it works. Unless you are a street hooker and we had a nice night. Demons don't need that much sustenance."

Sam crossed her hands, seeming to be in thought. After a couple of minutes, during which the impatient Ghost King was pacing around, she sighed and spoke again.

"Fine. I just...don't want to get killed," the girl mumbled. "It's still unpleasant, even if I'll reform in Gehenna. That is besides the inconveniences of a lost time and them being awfully nosy. You don't want that, do you, Majesty?"

Danny gave her a smirk, "Should have said so from the beginning," he said, "I think we can figure out something."

She didn't like what his face might have entailed. Suddenly he wrapped a hand around her shoulder, to which she was too stunned to react.

"You see, as long as you do a couple of things for me, I am fine with getting you a room and taking a couple of safety measures."

"Get off me, you pervert," she growled.

"Pervert? No, I am not. The things I will ask are trivial. No girl in my life was pulled into this against her will, trust me, I have standards. Unwilling partners are not fun, anyway. I mean, if you rape someone you have an output of an inanimate object, kicking you, screaming and suffering might I add, which is bad for your reputation and consciousness. You are just as well off buying a toy. So it's fine if you disagree. What I want you to do, dear, is to screw Mephisto's personal garden," Danny grinned, "Small favour, don't ya think? You ruin a couple of bonsais and we are even."