Never Say Die
INTRODUCTION
I spend a lot of time trying to fit in, to blend into the crowd and stay fairly unnoticed. I look like any other person, but I have a Charisma that comes in handy when I work. It draws people to me or keeps them away depending on what the situation requires. Even though I can't turn it on and off I can adjust how charismatic I am around people, but most of the time I maintain a neutral setting that allows me to be around others without affecting their natural response to those around them.
I guess I'd be considered beautiful by human standards, but I promise you I'm not egotistical about it, it's just something that comes along with what I am. I haven't decided if it's a good or bad thing though, it helps a lot of the time with men, I don't even have to adjust my Charisma to get their attention. With women though...let's just say it's not exactly easy to make friends when you're prettier than every other girl you know.
My appearance is completely different when things get difficult at work. I still look mostly human, but my eyes turn crimson, my teeth become razor sharp and my hair gets kind of wild on its own like it has built in volume. (Too bad that's the only time it happens, every girl can use a little natural volume right?) I've been told that I look pretty impressive when I need to change for work, but I avoid it when I can. When I'm left with no other choice, everything that attracts people to me is enhanced, and honestly there's just no escaping me.
I have a very unique job, so unique that I'm the only one who has ever done it aside from my boss, and it's one that he wouldn't trust anyone else to do. I collect souls that have been traded for advancement in human life, but I'm happy to say that I don't collect all souls. Some people are truly good to their word; they pay their debt and are free to move on to a better place when their time is up. But there are always a few idiots who think they can break a contract with the man downstairs.
This is where I come in.
The souls I do collect are mostly those of the shadiest people you could ever meet; humans consumed by greed, power, sex and of course, money. These are usually the only ones with the guts to make a deal with the devil, but once in a while we get those who are struck at a young age by a sudden bout of influenza or an unexplained medical mystery that only leads to death.
Here and there you'll find parents who will give anything for their children or spouses willing to give their life for the one they love. Those are the ones that pull at your heart strings and make my job so much harder when they can't fulfill their contract.
The ones who cut these deals out of love or desperation usually make their payment and go on to live happy and debt free lives. But even then, you'll find one who tries to outsmart my boss and get away with it.
That's when I get the call to take care of business.
My name is Saydie Mason, I'm frozen in time as a 19 year old girl... and I am a demon.
Chapter 1:
The Hippie Who Hushed Me
When you've been around for a few centuries and have a few tricks up your sleeve you learn a few things about people in general. It doesn't take much to figure out what kind of person they are with just a little observation.
This is how I figure out who I can make friends with and who I should avoid.
I like to live among humans and despite my demon nature, I am human first. It's something I've never been able to turn my back on, even if I had ever wanted to, but I haven't. I'm very careful about who I allow to get to know me. I try to avoid situations where I have to be friendly with a lot of people at one time. It's just too hard to separate the good from the bad in a crowd.
