Leo closed his eyes and let himself fall out of the tulip meadow, through static, into a warm haze of espresso and jazz piano.
Leo picked petal fragments out of his teeth and tried to salvage his dignity. He was three weeks into his apprenticeship—the first incubus apprentice in two centuries, which sounded impressive until you realized it was because no one else had been desperate enough to apply. But Leo had his reasons. Rent, for one. The existential dread of being a twenty-two-year-old barista with no direction, for another. When the Infernal Registry had posted the position (“Entry-level dream-weaving, benefits include immortality and dental”), he’d clicked apply before common sense could catch up. introducing an apprentice incubus (m)
It was better.
But the tulips.
The story introduces us to a classic trope with a twist: the "Apprentice." Unlike the usual portrayal of incubi as suave, experienced seducers, the protagonist here is a demon in training. The narrative usually centers on a young incubus who must complete a specific rite of passage—typically seducing a human target—to earn his horns or ascend to full demonhood. Leo closed his eyes and let himself fall