You wake up with a knot in your stomach and a weight on your chest. You try to move, but your body seems to be paralyzed. You try to speak, but your mouth remains frozen shut. Oh, fuck. Is this what they call sleep paralysis?

Suddenly a shadow looms over you, inches from your face. Your heart skips a beat and tears fill your eyes, spilling down your cheeks. This has to be a dream, you think to yourself. It has to be!!

Something cold brushes against your cheek and you shudder. Your heart feels like it's going to beat right out of your chest.

"Hey, are you okay?" A soft, gentle voice hits your ears. "A–ah, you're crying... Oh, no; please don't cry. I–I'll stop it, okay? I–I'll give you back your movement, okay? Please don't be scared, don't be scared...!"

A soft clap sounds, and all at once you're able to move again. You let out a wild, ear-splitting scream. The lights switch on, and you catch sight of a figure that was definitely not in your room before you fell asleep. Their back is to you, and it seems like they're trying desperately to make themselves small as if to avoid detection.

"I–I see you!" you say, quickly sitting up and drawing your comforter around yourself as if it will serve as some sort of shield. "I can totally see you, so there's no use hiding!" You look around frantically for a weapon of some kind to use against this intruder. Unfortunately, the only things you have nearby are pillows. You quickly grab one and lob it at the stranger.

The stranger flinches, slowly turning to face you. They have their hands up, their gaze cast down. "I'm sorry," he murmurs. "I was just doing my job..."

"Oh, your job is scaring the shit out of people?" you scoff. "How did you even get in here?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story. My brother was assigned to you first, but he passed you on to me 'cause... 'cause he wanted me to prove that I could be a good and proper demon." When he raises his head to look at you, you suck in a breath. Holy shit. He's gorgeous! His small face is accentuated by a pair of full lips and kind eyes. "I'm very sorry I scared you."

He looks remorseful; the way he's wringing his hands and biting his lip are proof of this. You find your earlier fear slowly ebbing away as you study him. "Why me?" you ask. "Did I do something bad?" It seems like a reasonable enough thought: only people who've done horrible things would get visited by a demon, right?

"Hmm?" the demon cocks his head. "No; that's not how it works. All humans, the good and the bad ones, are given to demons as charges. Depending on the demon, we feed on different energies that come from our human charges. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah," you reply slowly. "I guess so. What kind of demon are you?"

"I'm an incubus. My brothers are sleep paralysis demons, though. They're the best in their class. They always place first and second during our exams. They're really great." the demon smiles fondly, pride clearly evident in his voice.

"What does an incubus feed on?" you ask.

"A–ah," he stammers, his face flushing. "Incubi are known for satiating themselves through... sexual energy."

"Hold on," you say, shaking your head. "How do you...y'know, feed?" Ugh, saying it in that way makes you feel strange, like a piece of meat; nothing more than fodder. "Are you gonna...bite me or something?"

"N–no," he says, his face flushing even further. "If I were to feed, we'd have to, um..." He trails off, biting his lip. After a moment, he shakes his head. "We won't do that, though! So you don't have to worry at all! You can trust me."

"Pfft," you scoff. "Yeah, right. But... There's one thing I'm not understanding."

"What's that?" the demon asks. "I'll try my best to explain anything you don't get."

"If you're an incubus, and you feed on sexual energy, why'd you try to scare me?"

"I... My brothers made me do it." He ducks his head, his mood seeming to shift. "They forced me to come here."

You study the man in front of you, taking in his small frame that is swallowed up by the black cloak he's wearing. He doesn't seem threatening anymore, but who knows what could happen? Aren't demons supposed to be deceitful? "Why did your brothers want you to scare me?" You know you must sound annoying trying to press this, but you didn't think things like demons actually existed! It would be hard for anyone to wrap their head around a situation like this, right?

"Well... Remember how I said my brothers were the best sleep paralysis demons? They want me to follow in their footsteps." He twiddles his thumbs. "I know they only want what's best for me, but..."

"You're different people." you finish.

"Yeah. I'm new at being an incubus, so I don't really know what I'm doing. But being an incubus has to be better than scaring people." He glances at you, then away. "I know you don't really understand; sorry about this."

"It's fine," you reply, smirking. "Who needs sleep anyway, right?"

The demon's eyes widen in realization. "I–I'm so sorry! I know I've completely messed everything up so far, but I can probably help you get back to sleep, if you want."

"That would actually be really helpful. I have a huge test tomorrow." you sigh. "I've been kinda stressed."

"I can help you!" the demon says, his expression brightening like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky. "I can help you relax! Would...you mind getting comfortable for me?"

"Okay." you huff, staring up at your ceiling. "I'm comfortable."

"Are you really?" the demon smiles, flashing his fangs as he bites back a laugh. "Can I...sit on your bed?"

"No way," you reply. "Stay off my bed."

"That's fine," he says, never losing that smile. "I can do it standing. Just relax and listen to me, okay?" He takes a breath, shuts his eyes, and begins to hum. His voice is the most beautiful you've ever heard, although he's not actually saying words at all. His voice is incredibly strong, swelling with power. The room is filled with the heady scent of lavender; and as you look at the demon in front of you, your vision turns hazy.

You shake your head, trying to sit up. Your limbs feel like they've all gone to sleep. You suck in a breath as panic sets in. "Stop!"

Abruptly, the melody ends. "What's wrong?" the demon asks, his brow furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

"What were you doing to me?" you ask, gingerly shaking your legs out. The lingering static-y feeling makes you wince. "My arms and legs fell asleep! Do you know how scary that felt?!"

"I–I'm sorry, really. I guess I got a little carried away. I didn't mean to scare you." the demon lowers his head. "I'm really sorry."

"Does that always happen when you sing?"

"Sometimes, if I get too into it. I love to sing, but sometimes it does... that." He wrinkles his nose in distaste. "My dad's the most powerful sleep paralysis demon; he's the king of our world. So it's not surprising that I picked up a few of his powers even though I'm an incubus."

"What about your mother? Do demons have mothers?" You find yourself settling down again, turning on your side to focus on him.

"Yes, silly," the demon chuckles. "My mother was a succubus. She was of royal-blood; a princess from the faraway kingdom of N—" he cuts himself off, placing his fingertips against his lips.

"What?" you ask. "What's wrong?"

"Well, our language can be really harsh to other species. I'd hurt your ears if I spoke it."

"No way," you say, sitting up. "Do it."

"No!" the demon says, his eyes wide. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I won't believe you unless you do it," you reply, crossing your arms.

"But—" he looks at you for a moment, taking in your unwavering stare. "Geez, you're stubborn. I'll say one word, but that's it." He bites his lip and says something you can't understand. His voice sounds so powerful! It reminds you of rending metal—like a car accident has happened right in front of you. It echoes through your room, shaking the walls and shattering the mirror you have mounted on your closet door. You clap your hands over your ears, crying out.

Immediately the man stops, fretting over you. His fingers are mere centimeters from your shoulders, but he doesn't touch you. "Are you okay? Oh, I'm sorry! I told you it would—"

"You really are a demon," you murmur, gazing at his face. He doesn't look demon-like at all, though. You had always imagined demons to be hideous, all claws and teeth and horror; but this person looks like someone you would see in a movie or a magazine. You find yourself slowly leaning forward, drawn to him like a magnet.

"Wh–What are you doing?" the demon's voice is barely above a whisper. You're so close now that you can smell the faint aroma of lavender coming off of him. "H–hey..." he inches back, but you find your hands gripping his cloak, holding him in place. He sucks in a breath, glancing from your fingers to your face. "No, you—"

Your grip tightens around the fabric of his cloak, your lips aching to touch his. Your eyes slip closed as your mouth moves to capture his. Your lips meet something soft, yet unyielding, and your brow furrows as you open your eyes.

Your face flushes as you realize that this demon has completely rejected you. He covered his mouth with his hand at the last second. "Ah..." he hums, his face bright red. "Sorry. But you can't kiss me. I won't feed off you unless you want me to."

"Huh?" You cock your head in confusion. "But I wanted—"

The demon shakes his head, giving you a patient smile. "No. You were tranced by my smell. It's a trait that incubi and succubi have. It makes it easier for people to relax around us, which in turn, makes it easier for us to feed. It wasn't actually you wanting to kiss me. It was just the trance."

"Have you ever fed on anyone?" You're unsure why you asked this, but now you're dying to know.

"No," he says, biting his lip. "I've been making due with vials from the palace infirmary. It's the artificial stuff, but it works for me. But...I fear I'll be found out soon."

"What would happen if it gets out that you haven't fed?" you ask.

"I'd be punished," he murmurs, pursing his lips. "My wings would be ripped out, maybe. I'm not sure. It would probably be even worse because of who my father is. I'd definitely be made an example of, that's for sure."

"So what're you going to do? How are you going to leave here without feeding?"

"Well, before I showed up here and scared you, I asked my brothers for some privacy, so I should be able to play it off." He smiles, flashing his fangs again.

"Are those real?" You find yourself leaning forward once more.

"What?" the demon asks, leaning away from you slightly.

"Your fangs," you say.

"Oh, of course they are," he says, absently pressing the pad of his thumb against one of his fangs. "We all have them."

"Wow," you breathe, your eyes alight with wonder. "Can you tell me about your home?"

"Sure, if that'll help you sleep. Just lay back."

You do as he says, settling down again.

"I can't tell you the name of my home because I don't want to hurt your ears again." he grins. "But I can tell you other things."

"Tell me everything," you murmur.

"Well, would you believe our worlds are nearly identical? We live the same way you do. We have families, friends, even pets. We go to school, have jobs. Our bodies are very similar too, but there are a few key differences."

"Like what?" Your voice is soft, on the verge of sleep. His voice is so soothing, like a warm blanket.

"We have fangs, wings, horns too. Our horns and wings are very sensitive, so it's best not to touch them."

"You have horns?" Your eyes open again. "Can I see them?"

"I'll show you sometime," he says. "Close your eyes for me."

You do as he says, shutting your eyes as he continues speaking.

As you lay there, a thought occurs, and you open your eyes once more. "Will I see you again?"

"Huh?" the demon falters, his face flushing. "I–if that's okay with you. I'll tell you a secret, but you have to keep your eyes closed and go to sleep, okay?"

"I will, I will," you murmur. "What's the secret?"

"Well, normally we wipe our charges' memories so we can feed again with no issues. I won't alter yours," he sighs. "And to apologize for scaring you, I can teach you how to summon me, so we can meet again. I think we can both help each other." He hesitates for a moment before speaking again. "I'll sing the melody and commit the words to your memory. Is it okay if I touch your face?"

You nod, and he begins to hum as he gently places a hand against your forehead. His voice fills your head, soft and sweet. A smile slowly slips across your lips as he steps back.

"Goodnight. Sweet dreams." As you fade into sleep, he vanishes, leaving behind the scent of lavender and the song in your head.

The next morning, you wake wondering if last night even happened. However, the song that you can't get out of your head is proof that it did. You find yourself humming the melody as you walk around campus.

"What're you so smiley for?" your desk mate asks as you enter your math class. "Did you somehow get the answers for the test?"

"I wish," you laugh as you slide into your seat. "I guess I slept really good."

"Enough talking," your professor says as she enters the classroom and shuts the door behind her. "Make sure you have your calculators cleared and ready to go."

Normally you'd be a bundle of nerves; tests have always made you anxious. But right now you're as cool as a cucumber. You breeze through the test, one of the first to hand it back in. Your professor looks surprised to see you finish so early. "See you next week," she says as she takes your test.

As you exit the lecture hall, your mind wanders to the demon you met last night. You wonder if it's really possible to summon him. You check to make sure no one is around to catch you before you begin to sing. "I summoned you, please come to me..."

That familiar lavender scent hits your senses a split second before the demon appears in front of you, inches away from your nose. "Ahh!" you cry, stumbling back.

"Oh, did I scare you again?" he says, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck. "I'm sorry; I'll try my best not to do that next time."

"It worked..." you breathe, looking up at him. "No way..."

"I told you it would!" he smiles. "I'm happy you wanted to see me again so soon."

"I wanted to see if it would work," you correct him, biting back a smile. "I had a good sleep, by the way."

"Did you?" the demon's smile brightens even further. "That's so good to hear! How did your test go?"

"I think I nailed it," you reply. "I don't know what you did, but you really helped me out. I haven't felt this rested in a while."

"I'm glad," he says. "You deserve nothing but the best. I'm happy I was able to help you."

"Hey, would you want to grab lunch?" you ask. "My treat. To thank you for helping me."

"A–ah," the demon's face flushes. "I've never had human food."

"Really?" you grin. "There's this great burger spot nearby. Would that be okay?"

"Well, you're the expert, right?" the demon says. "I trust your judgement."

A short time later, you and the demon are sitting at a small table in a diner with a plate of onion rings between you. "Whoa," your companion says as he takes in the mountain of fried onions in front of him. "They're so big!"

"Try one," you say, reaching for a ring. "They're kinda sweet."

He watches as you take a bite, his eyes moving to carefully examine the pile before him. He takes a ring in between his fingers and sniffs it, making you laugh. He chuckles nervously as he tentatively takes the smallest bite you've ever seen.

"Have you looked at the menu yet?" you ask. "There's a lot of different things this place offers." You slide a menu over to him, thankful that it's filled with plenty of pictures of the food.

"What should I get?" the demon asks, perusing through the menu. You help him pick out something to eat, eager to see his reaction.

Soon, your food comes, and when his burger is placed in front of him, the brightest, most dazzling smile spreads across your companion's face. The sight of his fangs makes something swell in your chest. You bite back a smile as his eyes meet yours, tucking into your food.

As you eat, you find yourself sneaking glances at the demon; amazed at how human-like he looks. He notices you looking at him and his face flushes. He tugs the hood of his cape lower over his face. "Why are you looking at me? Are my horns showing?"

"No, no!" you say, shaking your head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just... It's crazy how you look so much like a regular person. I always thought demons would look scary, but you don't."

"Oh," he smiles, popping a fry into his mouth. "Then I'm happy to have not met your expectations. I'd feel bad if you had that kind of opinion of me."

You feel your face flood with color as you busy yourself with looking through the dessert menu. "Hey! Wanna split a dessert? This looks good doesn't it?" you say, pointing at a random picture as you shove the menu towards him.

"Dessert?" The demon looks over the small menu with wide eyes. "All of this is food?"

"Yes," you say, smiling. "Are you up for one? Take your pick."

He hums, his eyes scanning the menu. "A lava cake? Is there actual lava in it?"

"You're funny," you laugh. "Let's try it and see how you like it."

A few minutes later, your lava cake is placed between the two of you. You grab a spoon and the demon watches curiously as you dig in. "Where's the lava?" he asks.

"Try some and find out," you say, handing him a spoon.

He digs his spoon deep into the dessert, resulting in a perfect bite. His eyes flit to yours, his mouth slightly open as the spoon hovers just before his lips. You give him an encouraging smile, and his eyes shine. He finally takes a bite and his face lights up with such a force that even the patrons at the table across from yours pause in the middle of their conversation, seemingly mesmerized by him.

As he beams at you, showing off his fangs, you find yourself reaching for your phone, snapping a picture of him. He cocks his head after the flash has gone off. "What'd you do that for?"

"I thought it would make a good picture," you reply, your face flushing. "I–I'm sorry; I can delete it if you want."

"Can I see it?" he asks, as he takes another bite of cake.

You hand your phone over, averting your gaze as the demon looks at the picture.

"Can we take one together sometime?" he asks.

"Definitely," you grin, taking another spoonful of cake.

You finish the dessert, the demon leaning back in his chair, sighing with contentment. "Thank you for lunch." He pauses, studying you for a moment, before a faint smile flits across his face. "You know, you're a nice person."

"Huh?" You nearly choke on a fry as his statement catches you off-guard. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me," the demon grins. "I mean, I think only really nice people would invite a literal demon to lunch. Well, you're either really nice or maybe you're missing a few screws."

You shake your head, biting back a smile as you push away from the table. "Are you ready to go? What do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Ah," the demon hums as he gets to his feet. "I