Gold Dust Woman
Chapter One: Prologue
Above all else, witches crave power.
Even at the tender age of nineteen, Elizabeth was no exception to the rule. If Crowley hadn't been such a consummate businessman, he might even have felt sorry for her. A low-level, no-talent witch shivering in the dark at a crossroads, ready to sell her soul for enough power to control, nay, hurt, the other members of her coven. It was all rather tragic really, but after centuries on the job it was just another textbook revenge case.
Crowley stepped back to watch as Ida, a demon new to the crossroads game, went to seal the deal. You can have your power in exchange for your soul, which the hell-hounds will come for in ten years time yada yada yada…
The whole exchange was completely uninteresting to the King of the Crossroads. He stood with his hands in his pockets and watched his demon trainee and the jittery witch stare at each other. All blonde-hair and blue eyes, this young woman looked more Glinda then she did Wicked, except of course for the yawning chasm of greed that grew like a fire within her. It didn't matter how much power she got through this deal, she'd never be satisfied. Crowley had seen it a thousand times. The witch had great ambition, uncommon really for one so young, but there was something else too…
It almost held her back.
Almost.
Crowley teleported forwards before Ida could close the transaction, cocking his head to the side and pointing at her stomach.
"Change of plans, darling. If you want these powers, and I happen to know that you really, really do, you're going to have to give something a little extra. Your daughter."
The witch paled.
"But I don't have a daughter…"
Crowley smirked, "I'd say in about eight months you will. But then you know that, don't you? Somebody's been a naughty little witch." He paused for dramatic effect and pulled a contract and pen from his pocket. "On her twenty-first birthday your daughter is mine, and there's the small matter of your soul of course. Ten years darling. I'll leave Ida here to fine-tune the details of the deal. Have a nice…well, what's left of your life."
And just as quickly as he was there, Crowley, King of the Crossroads, was gone.