Work Text:
He doesn't always come at midnight
Lockwood stood before the mirror in his hotel suite admiring the body he’d taken for this little excursion topside. The young man was leaner than the last body he’d stolen, but the face was a gift from the denizens of hell. If he played his cards right, no one would be able to turn down his deals.He pulled the red silk button-up from the wardrobe, sliding it over his arms. He practiced his smiles as he buttoned to see how they worked with the defined cheekbones and dark eyes. The wolfish and seductive smiles were perfect. The wry smile was passable. The contrite smile did not suit this body.
He reached for his cufflinks. Lockwood ran his thumb over antique gold coins, a sly nod to his human life, as he attached them. The black-tie came next, expertly tied in a Windsor knot, and pulled close to his throat.
“Lockwood, are you ready yet?” a voice called from the living area, “the party’s starting soon.”
“Almost, George,” he called, pulling the black suit jacket that matched the tight trousers already encasing his legs. As it settled on his shoulders, his face took on a look of calm indifference.
He picked up his black patent leather red-bottom dress shoes and headed into the living room.
George was ready to go. He’d taken the body of an olive-skinned young man about the same age as Lockwood’s body with a mop of dark curly hair and glasses. He’d eschewed the red and black color palette Hell’s merchants normally wore in favour of a more modern tan and beige check suit with a white button-up open at the color. He wore a similar pair of dress shoes in matte tan leather.
Once Lockwood tied his shoes, they were ready for their night out, such as it was, in this tiny Northern town they’d landed in.
Burnin' red and talking sin
Lockwood and George stood at the bar in a seedy nightclub. They stood out, obviously overdressed. The bodies around them were in small tight dresses, mini skits, jeans and shirts. That didn’t stop the people from coming up to them. Several men had already approached George, buying drinks and making small talk. The humans seemed less interested in Lockwood, the dangerous energy he emanated forcing them to steer clear.
He searched the crowd as he sipped on the most expensive whiskey the bar had to offer. It was nothing on the rare antique whiskeys he kept at home, but it got the job done. A pair of women dancing in the middle of the room caught his eye. The brunette seemed to glow in the low lights of the club. Her red-headed friend glanced over as if feeling his gaze on them.
As their bodies rolled to the music, the red head whispered something in brunette’s ear. The brunette turned to look at him. As he caught her gaze, his breath stuck in his throat. Those eyes pierced into him, through him. It was like she could see the scarred and blackened soul beneath the body he rode. She held his gaze as she danced. The red head pulled her close, head resting on her shoulder. He could see her lips moving close to the brunette’s ear.
Lockwood felt strangely voyeuristic in that moment, like he was watching a private moment between lovers and was interrupting.
But he knows how to play it just right
The pair broke apart as the song ended. The brunette excusing herself and the red headed picked a new dance partner. She made straight for his position at the bar. Lockwood refused to look away, enjoying the way she stalked toward him.
Lockwood signaled the barman for another drink. She drew up next to him, breaking eye contact to discuss something with the barman as he filled Lockwood’s glass with another two fingers of whiskey.
He took a minute to truly appreciate her up close. Her hair was loosely curled around her face. Her curvy frame encased in a shimmering navy dress, with a deep plunge and open back. A blue stone dangled from her neck, nestling in the space between her breasts.
“Come here often?” she asked. It took Lockwood a minute to realize she was talking to him.
“First time,” he said, a smirk crossing his face, “My friend and I are just passing through.” He looked for George, but the man was gone. Lockwood surveyed the club quickly. He found George in an alcove on the other side of the club, a blonde curly haired man sucking a mark into his neck.
“Welcome to the middle of nowhere, then. May your stay be short and your business good,” she said, downing a shot of something.
“I’m Lockwood,” he said offering her his hand.
“Lucy Carlyle,” she replied.
“Tell me Lucy Carlyle, what is it you want most in life?” he asked. She stared up at him, watching as he sipped his whiskey.
If you gonna let him in
“You offering to be my sugar daddy?” she asked, a smirk crossing her face. Lockwood snorted.
“No. I was simply making conversation,” he said. “Could I get you another drink?”
Lucy shook her head. “Would you leave with me?” she asked. Her large green eyes boring into him.
“What about your friend?” Lockwood asked, leaning down to speak directly into her ear. Lucy leaned up to meet him.
“She’s busy with her idiot ex,” she whispered.
Lockwood dropped a £100 note on the bar top and offered Lucy his arm.
“Shall we?” he asked. Lucy grinned, linking her arm with his.
They walked together out into the brisk night air. Dark clouds shrouded the moon from view. Streetlamps only lit a small portion of the street.
Sleek along and brings you roses
Lockwood used the shadows to his advantage, conjuring a small blue rose. “For you,” he said, handing the delicate flower to her.
“Where did you pull that from?” Lucy asked admiring the bloom.
“A magician never reveals his secrets,” Lockwood said as they continued to walk. Lucy tucked the flower behind her ear.
Something in Lockwood preened at the gesture. Like he could not believe this girl would display something he’d given so willingly. Perhaps it was the body he rode, the soul deep down liked the girl, was drawn to her, or something. George explained to him once that while they were the dominate presence in the bodies they took, sometimes the original soul would poke through.
He's always got the words to say
“You never said what brought you to this little shitehole,” Lucy said as they walked.
“Work,” Lockwood said, “My friend and I were assigned a circuit of the Northern towns. See if anyone was interested in a deal.”
“What kind of deal? Like a business deal?” Lucy asked.
Just enough so you don't notice
“You could call them business deals,” Lockwood said, a smirk crossing his face.
“My organization offers people their hearts desire,” he said.
That you ain't nothing but his prey
“And what does your organization get in return?” Lucy asked, “Nothing ever comes for free.”
“Nothing much. Most people never miss what we ask for,” Lockwood said chuckling to himself.
Lucy turned her gaze to him. It burned into him. He gave into the urge to look at her. Her large eyes searched his dark gaze in the week light.
Sometimes the worst of 'em have the best disguises
“You can’t be human,” she said, “you’re too…” Lockwood hung on her words waiting for her to finish his thought.
“Too what, darling?” he asked allowing a wide wolfish smile to overtake his face. His heart stuttered when a blush appeared on her pale cheeks.
“Unearthly. Unreal. There’s no way someone like you would be interested in someone like me,” she said turning away from him.
Lockwood shifted his arm, wrapping it around her shoulder, pulling her into the side of his body.
“That is the first time I’ve been described with those words,” Lockwood said honestly, “mysterious and dangerous yes, but never unearthly. “As they passed a small alley, Lockwood took it as a sign, pulling Lucy into the darkness.
He pushed her back against the bricks, caging her in with his arms.
“Do you know how I would describe you, darling?” he asked.
Lucy stared up at him in the darkness, “How?”
“Goddess,” Lockwood said. “A goddess who would never look at a supplicant such as I.”
Lucy swooned leaning hard against the wall as a deep hot blush covered her face.
Lockwood’s smile grew as he stepped closer to her.
“Tell me goddess, what does your heart desire?” Lockwood asked.
He'll go as far as it takes to stay in hiding
“A home,” she said, turned her face away from him.
Lockwood stepped back from her, taken aback by her statement. The wording of a contract was already swirling around in his head.
“That is not what I expected you to say,” Lockwood said.
“What do people normally desire?” Lucy asked taking the opportunity to slip out around him and back towards the main road.
Lockwood chose his words carefully.
“It depends,” he said, “on the time, the place, the person. Some desire wealth and renown. Others ask love. Others still for wish for more time, health, and rain.”
“And your organization can deliver on all those desires?” Lucy asked.
Lockwood chucked, allowing his eyes to become black. Lucy stepped further away from him. A soft glow now surrounded her head. Interesting.
“We can, for a price,” he said stalking toward her.
“What’s the price?” Lucy asked.
“Nothing that you’ll miss. Your soul,” Lockwood said. Lucy shuffled backwards, increasing the space between them.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll miss that,” Lucy said stiffly. He could practically hear the fear in her voice.
“You’ll get to keep it for 20 years. Then we come to collect,” he said, voice low.
Lucy shivered.
“Now tell me what you desire. You have a home here in the middle of nowhere,” Lockwood said.
“This is not home. This is the place I had the misfortune to be born. My mother sees me only as a way to pay for her drink, my sisters are all gone and never coming back. The only thing here for me is Norrie, and she’s going to Uni in a few weeks.” Lucy said.
“What do you want in a home?” Lockwood asked.
“Somewhere I am wanted, happy and safe. Somewhere far away from here,” Lucy said.
Lockwood thought for a moment, trying to word smith the best deal he could for this woman.
“I can agree to 20 years in exchange for a loving caring home, in London.” He started. The body he rode preened. A tiny voice inside his head whispered, “ I have a house there. You can send her to me. ”
“With a loving family and friends,” Lockwood added.
“You can’t promise all that,” Lucy said. Lockwood tilted his head, listening to something only he could hear.
“I can in fact promise these items. And I’ve been authorized to up the deal to 30 years in exchange,” Lockwood said, his voice lifted at the end as if in question.
Lucy stepped closer to him. “Why me,” she asked surveying Lockwood in the lamplight of the street.
“Because you want something, and its in my power to provide it,” Lockwood said.
Lucy stared at him mulling over
“Do we have a deal?” Lockwood asked. His hand outstretched towards her. Lucy eyed the hand suspiciously. She reached out to meet him halfway. As they touched, a jolt raced through Lucy.
“Is that it?” she asked.
“No,” Lockwood said. He grasped her hand, pulling to her to him. She collided with his chest, her head craning to look at him.
“Deals are sealed with a kiss, darling,” he said. His mouth dropped to hers in a bruising kiss.
Ooh, don't you know, don't you know
'Bout the devil, he's a gentleman