"I have to be the oddest person living in the 18th century," Lidia said to herself in a grave tone.
"And I'm OK with that!" Lidia followed up in a cheery tone. Lidia worked as an Aracnologist, the only one of her time. She was never cut out for any other job, studying spiders and even finding that she subconsciously spoke with them. Much to Lidia's dismay they never replied. Today Lidia was going through her lab's archives in search of a special spider that she had found one day in Germany. Germany you may ask? How does the only Aracnologist of her time have enough funding and materials? And to get to Germany? You see Lidia's father Joseph was a very wealthy man and loved his daughter very much. On his deathbed with Lidia at his side, he signed a will, giving all of his money and possession to her. Lidia was very grateful for her father's gift and thanked him as her last words to him. As Lidia was searching through her papers a spider, Rogue she called him sprang onto her shoulder, startling the 26 year old. Rogue was male wolf spider with intricate gold patterns on his abdomen and legs. What wasn't gold was night black that looked almost velvet. Lidia had never dared to temper with this spider, she often saw him hunting along the foundation of her home above the lab. When Lidia saw Rogue sitting upon her shoulder she immediately tensed. Once she'd realized she had, she loosened her posture with speed.
"Rogue, you know where that document is? Oh If only spiders could talk."
"Oh, but we can Miss. Epicadus." A velvety voice said from behind Lidia. Now Lidia wasn't sure if she had finally lost it, or someone had decided to play a cruel prank on her. A human such as herself reacted in the most normal way possible and turned on her loafer's (Yes she wears men's clothes, but that is a another story for another day) heels and smacked the voice's owner with all of the power she could put behind her hand. When she opened her eyes from her shock, she saw a tall handsome man, with parted black hair. The man smirked at her like she was a struggling and most likely a dying insect on a spider's web.
"W-Who are you?" Lidia asked reaching for the black widow vial. The black widow vial was literally a Black Widow spider in a vial. She kept it on her person at all times in case of emergencies like these. Although this man was so handsome, he wouldn't be able to withstand a black widow bite if left untreated, or in this man's case unnoticed.
"My name is Claude Faustus. And that pretty little spider you have in your pocket is my Aunt. It would be nice if you released her. Although she prefers captivity." Claude mused to himself. Now more bewildered than frightened, Lidia arched her eyebrows and pondered,
"I must have been bit by that scorpion yesterday…"
"I assure you, I wouldn't let any of your 'specimens' injure you in any way." Claude said grinning in a frightening manner.
"You keep saying that you can talk to the spiders, but first I want to know how you got past the security system." Lidia said now backed up against the tall filing cabinet. Claude sighed and smirked more friendlier this time,
"Indeed it wasn't a problem in this form, in fact your spider door was quite impressive although your foodstock is out and I prefer live prey." Claude said, he seemed to have disappeared, but when Lidia looked on her shoulder Claude was sitting there, in the form of a spider. Lidia finally made the connection that Claude was Rouge all along and started to blush.
"All right, so how can you turn into a spider?" Lidia said still red in the face.
"It's simple. I'm a demon." Claude said reverting to his human form.
"Wait. So that time I saw you while I was showering? You saw me too?"
"Well. Yes, I was on my way to visit my…"
'''SLAP' ''
"I can't believe you. Claude, I always thought you would be the most interesting spiders that if given a voice, would talk the fairest. I was wrong of course, you're just a perverted…"
"Now it's my turn to interrupt. Why is a woman as eloquent as yourself studying spiders?"
"Have you looked around Claude? Rouge, whatever? Spiders are my passion. They simply speak beauty, even if they have no voices."
"That is true, I have another question. When I said I was demon, you seemed not frightened at all, why is that?"
"Personally, I know a demon already. Lilith was my best friend until she turned. And Claude, if you want to look scary, don't be so handsome." Lidia said playfully. For the longest time an emotionless face replaced that of Claude's usual smirking one. Finally he spoke again.
"You think me to be handsome?" Claude asked still wearing the emotionless face.
"W-Well, as a spider, your quite a handsome wolf spider." Lidia said nervously. She really wasn't used to the male population talking to her much, just a lot of enthusiasts at conventions and such.
"Interesting." Claude said thinking to himself. Silence was injected into Lidia's spider lab and finally Lidia found enough courage to speak.
"So why reveal yourself to me?" Lidia asked curiously.
"I am offering a contract." Claude said adjusting his glasses.
"A contract? Oh right, you're a demon. What does it entail?" Lidia asked.
"Well, to be honest, that's up to you, although I have a suggestion that you may find interesting."
"Do tell." Lidia said apprehensively, what was she getting into? The thought excited her.
"The Contract would include me being your butler, and you being my master. As a Demon, I wish to settle and not travel around so much for my meals. You would act as my host and I your faithful butler."
"Wait, you say meals, I would just have to catch you insects right?"
"No," Claude grinned, "I require a diet of souls to live, if you make this contract, our spirits would be bonded yes, but I would not eat your soul."
"That's good, I guess. It does get lonely around here, with only spiders to talk to."
"There is more Miss. Epicadus. Once the contract is made, this will be my permanent resting ground and 'web' as you would call it. Miss. Epicadus, you would become immortal."
"Me? Immortal? I don't know, that's a long life. I don't know if I could…"
"It's worth it. To see the world grow and change, it's a magnificent thing. You would also be impervious to disease and fear of spider poison. Lastly, you would remain youthful, just as I." Claude leaned forward and whispered this into Lidia's ear in an eerily seductive tone.
"May I have a day and night to think about this?" Lidia asked blush creeping onto her face.
"Of course Miss. Epicadus. I shall return tomorrow evening when you have made your decision." And with that Claude reverted to his beautiful spider form and disappeared. Lidia had some serious thinking to do.