A/N: I know I shouldn't be starting another WIP now, but I'll try and make this one short. I just couldn't help myself...

– CHAPTER 1 –

Bewitched

"Mr. Valmont, please try to relax. Close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths. Don't think about anything; just concentrate on your breathing... Good, good. Now, tell me what happened from the start – now, now, there is no need to cry. Come on, reliving this trauma will probably make you feel better once you're done. Oh, and don't forget to include the minimal details. Anything could be important."

"Trust me, doctor, you do not want to hear the details."

"Why ever not – oh. Ooh, I see! Don't worry about me, Mr. Valmont. This could actually be fun."

"You are beginning to scare me, doctor."

"Fine, then, just skip the juicy details. Killjoy..."

"Thank you. In any case, it happened a few days ago, just the day I called you..."

- - -

Valmont woke up feeling rather strange that morning. He shut his eyes tight against the sunshine and groaned. His back hurt, his head hurt, and he felt exhausted. Yet, somehow, he didn't really feel bad. A little disturbed, perhaps. No wonder he felt so tired and achy. He hadn't slept well at all. He had just had the strangest of dreams. He shuddered slightly as he tried to recall it. Even now, it seemed all too surreal. He decided he didn't want to remember it; he wanted to forget it.

He half-opened his eyes to glare groggily at the window through which the morning sunlight was invading his room. He wished there was a way to close the curtains without having to get up from the bed. With just a wave of his hand, like magic... No, not with magic, he reprimanded himself. Rather, with a remote control. A nice, technological, human invention.

His eyes closed, he shifted on the bed, hoping to turn around from the light, and felt his leg bump into something cold and scaly. He froze, sky-blue eyes widening slightly. He gulped loudly and was in the process of gathering the courage to turn his head and see what lay next to him, when a blue, scaly hand came to rest upon his chest – which, he now realised, was bared.

"You did very well last night, my pet," hissed a taunting, demonic voice in his ear.

Somehow, he managed to choke back a screech while he jerked up and away from the demon on his bed, consequently falling off of it.

"Wh-what... what...?" he stuttered shakily. Bai Tsa grinned at him, swinging her tail slightly. He shivered as he stared into her glowing red eyes in confusion and even a little fearfully. "What are you doing here?" He then happened to notice he was completely naked. "Where are my clothes?"

"Don't you remember?" she asked, watching him quickly retrieve his trousers from the floor and put them on, his eyes trained on her.

Suddenly, all memories of the previous night came flooding back to his mind. So it hadn't been a dream at all. He had actually slept with none other than Bai Tsa the water demon herself. His expression contorted into one of fury and revulsion.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I thought you had enjoyed it," she said slyly.

"Y-you monstrous, despicable witch! I didn't know what I was doing! You cast a spell on me!" he accused.

"Well, I did tell you I would cast a spell on you if you didn't cooperate, remember?"

"So you did cast a spell!"

"I didn't say that."

"How dare you!" he said as if she had not spoken. "You had no right!"

She abruptly got up from the bed, her eyes turning cold. "I said I didn't cast any spell, and even if I had –"

"You spiked my drink, then!"

"Not that, either. It would take away all the fun." She smirked. "Don't you see? It is all a game, which I won effortlessly. Don't feel bad, though; there's still round two," she said in mock sympathy. Then, more maliciously, she said, "And if I have anything to do about it, there will still be many, many rounds, until either I get sick of you or you can no longer go on."

"Go to hell!" he shouted while putting on a robe, then stormed out of the room.

How could she still think of him as toy after everything they had gone through? Yet, he wasn't angry at her as much as he was at himself. He mentally cursed and scolded himself for having given in to the demon's desires and to his own, for having lost control, for having let himself be used... but mostly for having actually enjoyed it and for wanting to repeat the experience. He knew he shouldn't be feeling like this; she was a heartless demon, after all. Yet, last night, she had been so passionate, and so beautiful, all traces of cruelty and bloodlust gone. It was as though she had become a completely different person.

All right, perhaps not completely, but different enough. She had been fierce, none too gentle, and certainly far from sweet or shy, but the coldness of her eyes had been replaced by a certain warmness, which at times had looked like something akin to fondness. Besides, she hadn't even hurt him. (As if on cue, his back began to sting.) Well, she hadn't hurt him much.

"Still alive, huh?" asked a bored, almost disappointed voice when he stepped into the sitting room. Julia was sitting lazily on the sofa, watching the telly.

"What made you think I wouldn't be?" he questioned, trying not to sound too angry.

She shrugged, not even bothering to glance at him. "I heard screams and thuds. I thought she was trying to kill you." She turned to look at him and frowned slightly. "Well, you're a real mess, so I'm guessing she almost succeeded."

Before he could reply, a feminine voice came from the bedroom, "Juliaaaan!" in a slightly singsong tone. Valmont closed his eyes, wishing a hole would open up in the floor and swallow him – or the demon.

"Yeah?" said Julia just as the water demon, now in her human form, came in.

"I'm not talking to you," said Bai Tsa, giving the girl a contemptuous look. "I'm talking to your father."

"You call him Julian now?" Julia gawked and turned to Valmont. "I thought you never told anyone your first name, dad. You didn't even let Mum call you Julian."

He flinched at the sound of his name. "She forced it out of me!" he said in indignation, pointing at Bai Tsa, whom he then gave a filthy look. "And I would thank her if she stopped calling me that."

"Me, too," said Julia. "Being named after you is bad enough without having to be constantly reminded of it by a demon. Anyway, is there a reason for you to be calling him Julian instead of just 'mortal' now? I mean, I know it irritates him, but isn't it a bit too... intimate?"

"Well," began the demon, sounding way too pleased with herself. Valmont discreetly cleared his throat. Ignoring him, she said, "Let's just say that your dear father will from now on be serving me in more, different ways."

Julia frowned at her, looking puzzled.

"Bai Tsa, I don't think you should –" Valmont tried to say, shooting her a nervous glance.

"With flesh and soul," she continued.

"Bai Tsa!"

"He has completely given himself up to me."

"Stop!" he shouted, terrified for his daughter's psychological health as well as for what was left of his dignity.

Julia's eyes were now wide open, yet her expression remained otherwise blank.

"Don't talk about those things with her," said Valmont. "She's just a child." Nevertheless, the damage was done. It had been one of his worst fears about parenthood. He knew she would soon start to ask questions, and he'd rather answer them himself than let a demon do it. Taking a deep breath, he sat down next to Julia on the sofa and, with a soft tone, said, "Julia, I think it's about time we had The Talk. You see, when a man and a woman love, er..." he trailed off, not sure if love was the right word. "Well, when they're very close –"

"Dad!" Julia interrupted him, looking just as pale. "I already know about the birds and the bees!"

"What?! How do you know about that?"

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

Valmont nearly fainted at the horrifying thoughts that such an unfortunate phrasing from Julia's part summoned.

"I'm almost eleven!" she argued. "I've had sex education classes!"

"You're lying! No primary school would have such classes!" he said angrily, although he was inwardly panicking. Had things changed? What if American schools were just different? Did they really have sex education classes for ten-year-olds nowadays? If so, he could only imagine the kind of things they had been telling the children, the ideas they had been giving them...

He was brought back to reality by his daughter's voice, "Dad? Are you all right?"

He started and looked at her dumbly. "Huh?"

"You sort of zoned out for a moment there."

"And looked like you were about to have a panic attack," said Bai Tsa, with an amused smirk and an arched eyebrow.

Valmont straightened up and schooled his expression, tugging slightly at his collar as though to adjust his tie (a habitual gesture) and trying to look composed and dignified, though the effect was somewhat diminished by his ruffled hair and his dishevelled robe. He cleared his throat.

"Nonsense. I was just thinking. About business," he added, giving the smug demon a pointed look.

Julia rolled her eyes and sighed theatrically, exasperated. "Is that all you ever think about? Honestly, I think you should take a few days off. We're in Rome; why don't we go and see the Coliseum?"

"The Coliseum?" repeated Bai Tsa softly, her eyes widening slightly.

"I don't have time for that!" snapped Valmont. "I'm not here on holidays."

"Well, you are now," said Bai Tsa, suddenly so close to Valmont that he could feel her breath on his right ear and hear a slight sibilance lying behind every word. "Because I say so." She snaked her arms up Valmont's back and her fingers over his shoulders, making him flinch. "You are so tense. I think you need to relax a little, and what better way to do it than go on a trip with your –" she sniggered sibilantly "– family."

Julia made an odd face, seeming caught between bursting into laughter or getting violently sick. Bai Tsa ignored her completely and drooped her eyelids, now draped all over Valmont and practically hanging off him like a cloak. He tried to keep a stoic expression, but that got rather difficult when she began to trail little feather-light kisses on the nape and the curve of his neck.

"Er..." he managed, gasping slightly when her delicate lips moved up to his earlobe. He flushed and couldn't help but notice that Julia had finally settled on looking violently sick. Just as his body started to react to the demon's ministrations, he decided he should put a stop to this before he did something he would deeply regret. He snatched the demon's wrists and tried to get away from her. "Look, I have no intention of repeating the same mistake I made last night!" he said, just barely breathless. "I've got important things to take care of!"

"What could be more important than this?" asked Bai Tsa, sneering.

"The Dark Hand, for a start!" he snapped. "And furthermore, I refuse to be your servant any longer! I don't want to have anything do to with you! Why won't you just go away and leave us the hell alone?" His voice had risen with each word and, by the last sentence, was bordering on hysterical.

He barely had time to draw another breath before long, slender fingers wrapped around his neck and his back collided against the wall.

Bai Tsa hissed, her blue eyes glowing demonic red for a moment. "Let's get one thing clear here. You lost your free will the moment I claimed you as my own. You are mine. I decide what you do, and disobeying me is not an option. Your life – your fate – lies in my hands now. So I would be very careful with my words and my tone of voice if I were you. And when I say we are going on a trip, you cannot even think about not going. From now on, you must do as you are told without question. Understand?"

Valmont returned her gaze steadily and defiantly. Throughout her speech, he had noticed that not once had she gripped his neck tight enough to actually do him any harm. He wasn't even having trouble breathing.

"Or what? You are going to kill me?" he asked sarcastically and smirked. "I don't think so."

"You would be surprised what humans can live through," she said nastily, tightening her fingers around his neck. He choked, but it still wasn't enough to cut off his air supply, as long as he remained relaxed.

"You wouldn't hurt me. Not that badly, at least," he said confidently. "You need me healthy."

She hissed angrily again, but then smirked maliciously. "You're right. A crippled servant is of no use to me, and it would be a shame to lose you. However..." She directed her gaze towards Julia, who was watching them warily. "I have no qualms about harming that girl. I could inflict your punishment on her instead. How about that?"

Valmont glanced at his daughter sideways. The gir scowled, but said nothing. He turned to face the water demon. "You wouldn't..." he said, but he didn't sound so certain this time. If he thought about it, there was no reason for Bai Tsa to spare Julia.

The demon wanted him alive and healthy, but that didn't mean he had to be happy as well.

"Oh, no?" said Bai Tsa. "Would you like me to prove it?" She didn't give him the chance to reply, though, and promptly released him and advanced menacingly towards Julia, who gasped and quickly got on her feet to back away.

"No! Stop!" shouted Valmont, a bit hoarsely.

Ignoring him, Bai Tsa grabbed the girl, who screamed and struggled to hit the demon, to no avail. "Let me go, you overgrown tuna!" she demanded.

Panicked, Valmont rushed to the demon and grabbed her arm. Despite being in human form, Bai Tsa retained most of her demonic strength, as well as her ability to turn into water, so fighting her physically was useless. "Damn you, Bai Tsa! Stop it! I'll do everything you want! Just let her go!"

With a satisfied smirk, Bai Tsa threw Julia none too gently onto the sofa, where the girl landed nearly upside down, with a pained yelp. She quickly recomposed herself, however, seeming a bit shaken and ruffled, but otherwise all right.

Her hands on her hips, Bai Tsa shot Valmont a triumphant look. "We're leaving to Greece tomorrow."

"Fine," he spat, his fists clenched. He then looked at Julia again, only to find she was sneering and glaring at him as if he were some disgusting cockroach.

"Wuss," she muttered and left the room. Bai Tsa watched her go, while Valmont looked away.

"Ungrateful little thing, isn't she?" commented the water demon.

"She's right," he whispered. "I couldn't protect her. I never could."

"Nonsense. You did the sensible thing, and that's why she's still alive and well."

"It's not only about what just happened," said Valmont, sitting wearily on the sofa. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," she said.

Valmont, who wasn't about to pour his heart out to a demon, merely sighed and said, "You have no idea how difficult it is to be a single parent."

"Hmm, funny you should say that, because, as a matter of fact, I do have an idea."

He frowned. "You do?"

She nodded and sat down next to him. "Yes, yes. As I once told you, I have had many children, and three of them might still be alive. That's one of the reasons why I want to go to Greece, you see. That's where they used to live."

"More demons...?" he whispered faintly, despair flooding his very being. He then became very distracted by a slender, flawless hand caressing and rubbing certain parts of his anatomy, bright, beautiful eyes crying desire and holding him prisoner, and thin, moist lips coming closer to his...

And then, all his worries about the Dark Hand, demons, and his daughter were gone.

- - -

"– and when I realised what I'd done, it was too late. At least I got to convince her to postpone the trip, so I could talk to you. I can't believe this... I feel like I've betrayed not only myself, but also Julia, Sara, my henchmen, the entire human race..."

"But you had no choice, did you? Didn't she bewitch you? I distinctly remember you mentioned something about a spell..."

"I-I don't think any spell was cast, to tell the truth."

"But you still had no choice. She threatened your daughter."

"That's just the thing, doctor... You see, even when the demon was satisfied and Julia was relatively safe, I..."

"Yes?"

"I... Well, I... wanted to do it again. And we did. And I started it."

"I see. Are you sure no spell was involved?"

"I'm quite sure."

"So, you slept with a demon. And you enjoyed it?"

"Enjoy it? Heh... I would say it was divine, heavenly, the best thing that ever happened to me, if not for the fact this is a demon we're talking about."

"Interesting. Hmm. You know, I think this trip might not be so bad, after all. It might turn out to be good for you, actually."

"Why?"

"Well, for one thing, I hear Greece is a great place, especially this time of the year. You'll be able to forget about your job for a while and relax. Also, you'll get to spend time with your daughter and this demon. It's a great opportunity for some bonding."

"Ngh."

"Now, back to this demon of yours... I have a question about her."

"... Yes?"

"How does she feel about polygamy?"

To be continued...