He looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't feel any different so what was going on? He licked his lips as the banging started on his door. He didn't want to talk about this but the door soon opened. His parents came in with a man of the cloth. "What's going on?" Marcus asked, there was at least four other people coming into the room, they grabbed him, tossing him on his bed and kept him pinned down.
"You clearly have a demon within you. We must expel it!" the priest said.
Marcus didn't know what to say, he didn't feel anything evil within him. He looked towards his parents but they had turned their back on him and left the room. He closed his eyes. He would spend the whole day tied down, having holy water thrown at him and verses yelled at him. He had passed out later on, tired after struggling and pleading them to stop.
He felt no different afterwards of course. Just tired and sweaty. He was allowed to sit up but they wouldn't leave the room, watching him carefully. "I had no demon before, I have no demon now." Marcus said, glaring at them.
A week had gone by then, he had no trouble. He started to doubt himself. Had they been right?
However as soon as he thought everything was fine, he woke up at an inn wearing a dress. Word got back to his parents, repeat and repeat. They tried to expel the demons from him many times but nothing worked. Marcus asked if what was going on was really that bad? But the strange habits he had was very unbecoming for a baron. Which was a shame, he had a talent. He was able to talk to people, he could get what he want. He would have been a good baron.
But the public believed he had sold his soul to the devil. Really? For what? He was a baron. What could he have gotten out of this curse? Maybe his talent...his good looks?
Marcus stared as the stake was being made, he would be 'cleansed with fire'. He closed his eyes tightly. He didn't want to die but they had him locked up.
"Baron Crofton." he heard a female voice say from the little bars that was outside.
Marcus turned towards the window. Whoever this was...she was pretty. "No longer a baron." he said, "I'm unfit for such a title.." he added. "What do you want?"
The woman smiled, "You." she said. "You don't want to die do you? I can save you."
Marcus stared at her for some time. "Of course I don't want to die. How can you save me?"
"Have faith. My name is Jessica.."
"Faith is what made me a monster in the eyes of the people and my own parents." Marcus said bitterly.
The woman smiled again before straightening up and walked away.
Marcus was not sure if there was any hope with that woman.
He felt sick as they came for him, dragging him out to be burned. Where was his would be saver at? Those were the thoughts running through his head. Give him hope, take it away. The smoke from the fire filled his nose, he started to cough and he felt the warmth heading towards his feet.
Suddenly he was breathing fresh air. He opened his eyes and saw the same woman. "H-How..?" he said, his eyes wide.
The woman grinned, she had summoned him away. Replaced with someone, a homeless man and by time the fire burned everything down, no one would be the wiser. "Magic my dear. And I want to make you, like me. If I'm reading you right...you'd make a great allurist."
"A what?" Marcus said, he looked down at the burnt ends of his clothes.
"It would be just easier to show you." Jessica said, she hadn't fed yet so taking a bite from him before turning him worked pretty good. Marcus struggled but she was far too strong. Was this a demon that had came for him? He was too weak to fight when she made him drink some of her blood.
