Alexander Tabasco's Fancy or How the English Lecher Received his Just Desserts

A Comedy of DemonsIn the decadent setting of 1920s Paris, the grand magus Alexander Tabasco, a hedonistic occultist, becomes infatuated with the actress Mary. Despite his repeated failures to woo her through conventional and supernatural means, the beastly magician finally succeeds in gaining her affections via a combination of fine desserts and readily available narcotics. Their partnership quickly devolves into a chaotic mess of a marriage filled with infidelity and alcoholism, with a final act so terrifying it leaves the magus running for his life. This short story collection also features other tales of occult fiction such as the satirical Lovecraftian Meat Head and The Eldritch Gingersnaps Gang, as well as the Jake saga, in which a high school wizard makes a pact with a particularly gruesome demon. Herein lies a composition of wicked humor, satirical twists, and infernal romance for those who delight in laughing at the macabre. Surgat was an odd horned thing who could open any lock, but when Alexander sent the demon to throw open the barriers guarding her affections, the spirit only returned that evening with a shrug and a statement, "The doors of her heart are encased in the steel of a thousand cherubim." He simply dismissed the demon, thinking, I will have to try harder.