How To Make A Demon

The Best Gift

June 1922

It was the end to a warm summers day and a cooling breeze whistled past us, giving the air a refreshing chill. Alastor and I walked hand in hand, heading home after finishing another days work together.

The wedding was drawing ever closer, we had settled on July 13th, giving us little over two weeks until the big day. Most of what we spoke about these days was linked to our upcoming nuptials, mainly because he had left most of the planning to me.

He surprised me by wanting a small affair, a simple ceremony in a tiny church followed by a quiet reception. I'd always expected him to want the grandest, most attention demanding wedding, as most celebrities did, but he insisted it was no one's business other than our own.

"How would you feel about changing the vows slightly?" Alastor asked suddenly as we walked.

"To say what?" I frowned. "Will I be promising you more than love and faithfulness?"

He grinned wickedly. "Yes. Soon your soul will belong to me, ready to begin an eternity of servitude." He chuckled darkly.

I gave him a playful shove.

He took my hand again before continuing. "I don't like the phrase "til death do us part". It is so morbid to talk about death on a happy occasion, don't you think?"

"I suppose you're right." I agreed thoughtfully, chewing on my bottom lip. I had come close to death too many times before, it was the last thing I wanted to think about on my happy day. "What should we say instead?"

"Perhaps something a bit more eternal. For the rest of our days? As long as we both shall live?" He suggested.

"I like the first one," I smiled.

"Perfect. Me too," he grinned. "Oh- my cousins from the north will be arriving tomorrow. I hope you don't mind that there will be small children running around for a while." He added apologetically.

"Of course not, I can't wait to meet them." I told him happily. We weren't planning on having a large guest list, but he was keen for this cousin to be in attendance. They had grown up together before she moved away, not too long before I met Alastor, but they had stayed in touch over the years. She now had her own husband and two young children.

"It will be good practice for when we have a family of our own," he added casually.

"When we- excuse me-?" I stuttered.

"Look at this place- see how overgrown the front lawn is. What a mess." Alastor stopped walking suddenly and dropped my hand, turning to a house on my right.

Confused at the change in subject, I glanced over to see what he was referring to. A tiny cottage lay nestled within an overgrown mess of long grass and wildflowers. A small gravel path, barely visible through the wilderness, wound its way up to the front door.

"Yes, that's lovely, but back to what you were saying about family?" I prompted impatiently.

But he didn't respond to me, and started drifting towards the cottage, pushing through the jungle of grass.

"Alastor, what are you doing?" I hissed as he continued to walk up the gravel path towards this strangers home.

He turned to give me a knowing smile before reaching into his pocket and taking out something small.

And then he unlocked the front door and stepped into the cottage.

My eyes widened and I hurried up the path to join him.

"Alastor?" I hissed as I peeped inside. But he was nowhere to be seen, so I tip toed over the threshold and into the first room.

"Surprise," suddenly his lips were at my ear and his arms wrapped around my waist.