"Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name…"
Father Masters lived a righteous life; he never strayed and he never sinned. He was the purest priest he knew; upholding all the laws of the Lord despite his many trials in life. And oh was he tried.
He sat in confession day after day and listened to the utter sin that many came to confess; dirty and wicked. These people were irredeemable in his eyes for having committed such total atrocities, but he "forgave" them like the Lord bade him to, making him all the more righteous for it.
He held his morals as close to his chest as he did his bible and his rosary. He was infallible, a beacon of purity, and a model example of how to live in the ways of the Lord. He'd fought the most sinful of demons and brought even the lowest of the low into the light. He was diligent in his faith and rigid in his beliefs. He would not be swayed by anything to fall down a path of sin.
But you know what they say about priests. Appearances could be deceiving.
"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven…"
Father Masters was siting for confession like he had done so many times since he became a priest. It was just as filthy and mundane as usual, filled with strained, embarrassed whispers of things so horrendous they might be considered proof of hell on earth or long and drawn out tales of a minor sin. He doled out Penance and gave Absolution. Repeating and repeating, "I and God have forgiven you. Go in peace and sin no more." It was just the same, like any day.
Until one voice, filled with tears and innocence, called out to him.
"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned," it sounded like a boy, early in his teens, and his voice cracked and wavered as he spoke.
Vlad waited for him to continue and prompted him when he didn't, "Yes, my child? Go on."
"It's been- It's been years since my last confession F-Father," the voice wavered further, devolving into gasps and stutters.
"Th-these are m-my sins," the voice broke and tapered off before the boy took a deep breath.
Vlad leaned forward in his chair, gripping his rosary in anticipation.
"I… I ki-," the boy choked on his words and fell silent.
"What are your sins, my child?" Vlad was eager to know, this was the most interesting Confession he'd had in months.
The voice was small and quiet and strained, "I killed a man."
Vlad inhaled sharply, the words slicing through the cramped confessional like a knife. Was the boy joking? But he couldn't be, the emotion in his voice was very real and very raw. Vlad didn't have to see the boy to know this was a very serious matter.
"May I ask why?" the cross around his neck felt heavy and hot, he primly folded his hands in his lap and waited. He wanted to know more. Wanted to know what could have driven such an innocent to do such a heinous act. What could have corrupted him to such a level?
"I-," there was another broken sob, "I d-don't know."
Vlad was taken aback, "Surely there must be a reason?"
"I don't," a deep breath and a shuddering sigh, the voice reached a new pitch and wailed, "I don't remember anything!"
Ah, the heart of the matter. Vlad clutched his rosary in one hand and it almost seemed to burn, he clutched it harder. "Tell me what you know, my child," his voice was grave and low, "so that you may find atonement."
"I woke up with his blood on my hands."
"Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses…"
Vlad sat back in his chair, silent as he contemplated the change in the tone of voice. That had not been the voice of the boy. It was too steady, too low, and too firm. He had caught the undertone of a demonic warble, the sibilant hiss that warped the words.
Someone had given themselves away.
Words dripped and hissed as he tightened his hold on his burning cross, "Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes…"
A keening sound emitted from the veiled chair beside him and Vlad could hear a thunk as the boy's body likely jerked away from the verses.
Vlad continued, louder this time, hissing, "Et stella maris, succurre cadenti, surgere qui curat, populo…"
There was a growl, guttural and vicious and another thud and another and a scream. Vlad held his rosary and stared blankly at the dark wood in front of him, the picture of calm.
"Tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem, Virgo pri-," he was cut off by another scream and then silence.
Vlad stopped his chant and dropped his cross. He stood and calmly opened the door, those still waiting out in the church looked at him curiously.
It was only halfway into the scheduled time for confession after all and it was very unusual for Father Masters to deviate from anything.
The church-goers where further startled when the Father slammed open the other door and entered without saying a word. Whispers started up in the church. What was going on? This had never happened before. Who was in there?
The last question was answered as Father Masters came back out with the limp body of a young teenage boy in his arms, a grim look on his face.
The whispers grew louder. Poor thing must have fainted, it's the only explanation. He looks a bit sickly, doesn't he? Maybe he has a condition. That must be why Father Masters stopped, the boy fainted mid-confession and now the Father is helping him out. What a kind man that Father Masters.
"Confession is over for today," Vlad intoned softly to the crowd, "I apologize but I have matters that must be attended to immediately."
Understanding nods and sympathetic looks filled the room and the whispers died out before growing louder again as people took their leave. Father Masters was so kind and confession could wait until next week, there was really no hurry, and that poor boy probably needs help. The Father was so nice and understanding.
Father Masters, what a saint.
Vlad waited until everyone had filtered out and the stained glass doors clicked shut for the last time before turning heel and stalking off to the back of the church.
It was time to perform an exorcism.
Now usual procedure for an exorcism would include contacting a Bishop and getting sanction for one from the Vatican. A simple priest such as Father Masters was not technically allowed to do a formal exorcism, but he didn't have the time or care to go through the pointless steps.
He would do this on his own and get rid of the miscreant quickly.
Because he was Father Masters, the "infallible priest" and he had appearances to keep.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
"As we forgive those who trespass against us…"
"What is your name, child?"
Vlad asked the boy, currently tied to a chair in an empty room in the back of the church. He was small and thin with pale skin and unkempt black hair. He blinked blearily up at Vlad.
"It's- Danny, but Father… What's- What's going on? Why am I… tied up?" he tugged that the restraints.
"You're being possessed, my boy," Vlad's heels clicked on the wooden floorboards beneath him as he approached, rosary in hand and bible in the other. "Precautions must be taken, you understand."
"What?" Danny struggled against the rope holding him to the chair as panic and confusion laced his words, "Possessed? Are you crazy?!"
Vlad remained unamused and impassive, simply raising a sardonic brow and replying, "Not quite."
"Listen here, Father Fruitloop, I'm not-," he was cut off as Vlad placed the rosary in his hand against the boy's forehead. Both of them hissed at the burning sensation it caused.
"Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes…" he began to chant, drawing out the demon again.
The boy's eyes, previously a bright blue, turned a toxic green as he snarled and tried to snap at Vlad despite the restraints. Green flames flared up around him and his hair faded to a shocking white with two small horns protruding from his forehead. Fangs appeared and claws scratched at the wooden chair beneath him.
His true form had emerged.
"Et stella maris, succurre cadenti, surgere qui curat, populo…" Vlad continued without moving, biting out words in a harsh rasp and pressing the cross of his rosary more firmly into Danny's forehead.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT, OLD MAN?" a guttural and rumbling voice roared out at Vlad.
Vlad tisked as he flung the rosary out of his hand, curling his fingers around the cross-shaped burn on his palm. "What I want," he growled back, "is for you to tell me just what you think you are doing in my church."
The demon reared back, confused be the sudden change in the priest, "I WAS HERE TO MAKE A CONFESSION, FATHER. WHY ELSE WOULD I BE HERE?"
Vlad sneered down at the demon, "You must be new."
Suddenly Father Masters was engulfed in flames.
"And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil…"
A fully fledged demon stood in the place Masters previously stood, blue skinned and red-eyed. Large fangs reflected the light of the room when he continued to snarl down at the younger demon. Large horns adorned with golden trinkets graced his head and his previously grey hair was pitch black and ran down his back in waves. A sharp tipped tail twitched agitatedly behind his back.
"What is your name, young one?" Vlad hissed out as he bent down to fully glare at the now trembling demon before him. Names held power for demons and if the whelp knew what was good for him he'd give it.
"PHANTOM," he said immediately, trying to move away from the older and far more powerful demon. How was this even possible? How could a demon be a priest at the same time? If he'd known he wouldn't have stepped foot in this place. It was a death sentence to mess with a stronger demon's turf.
"Hm, most demons are well aware that my church is strictly off limits," he casually ran a sharp claw down Phantom's face, leaving a deep scratch. "So tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now."
"I DIDN'T KNOW," Phantom flinched away from the burning touch, "I WON'T DO IT AGAIN."
"That's right, you won't," the older demon snarled before pausing in consideration, "you were strong enough to hold human form on holy ground, however. So I'll make you a deal."
And with a flash of flame Father Masters was once again standing in the small room, prim and proper as he ever was.
"What's the deal?" Danny said as he reverted back to human form to match the other.
Vlad grinned, a hint of fangs still in his smile and his eyes flashing red.
"You'll work for me now, son," he threw the bible onto Danny's lap, "And I train you in corrupting the innocent."
Danny looked down at the bible before glancing back up at the "priest" and nodding, "Deal."
"Excellent."
"Amen."