#if someone held my hand the way vox holds val's i would think about it for DAYS

[snailienz]

me: no one: not a soul: me, inconsolable: does the tv man know he deserves better?

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

Hello. And I NEED your take on this. Okay, so you know that Angel, Alastor, and Vaggie are the consistent core people she's paired with in official arts/merch. And how 2/3rds of the Vees have warped, toxic sexual interests in them. Vox having a one-sided crush on Alastor and Val being sexually abusive to Angel. Here's my prediction: Velvette will develop a similar toxic "affection" for Vaggie. Thoughts?

Charlie's gonna kill her.

(poor Vaggie, isn't Lute being obsessed with her enough????)

(fans of the V's im sorry i killed them off at some point during this, i do NOT want them dead in canon, pls read with care or scroll past thank u)

Set up: why Velvette would notice Vaggie at all-

Hey look, two woman who want to fight heaven and are the manager / backbone of their respective social group. More abrasive than charming, blunt and straight forward- if Velvette's a little in love with herself then maybe she sees a bit of herself in the angel that heaven scarred and thinks hmmmmm, potential alliance time~ Maybe she picks up on Vaggie's self hatred and takes it personally, bitch how dare you not fucking love yourself, girls like us are fucking BADASS just ditch the stupid moral high ground self flagellation crap and embrace the urge to flip all the shit, fuck up the old world order and MAKE a new one!

And or if we're going off the vibes that Velvette's rivalry with Carmilla is more personal / hate crush in territory, then add the whole thing of Carmilla bonding with Vaggie bc of how similar they are in some ways (sharing TWO motivation songs about fighting for the people they love) then hell, maybe Velvette is jelly of Vaggie first, seeing the interest Carmilla has in her, the RESPECT Carmilla shows her. Maybe she was pissed seeing someone so like HERSELF falling in step with CARMINE's old crowd. So Velvette marks Vaggie as a target and Carmine weak spot, an example to be made or a play piece to snatch....

aaaaaand then that spirals into Velvette also noticing how similar the two are, except VAGGIE has an even shorter temper, less experience with manipulations, is a much worse liar- which makes her like, an easier and more instantly gratifying version of Carmilla. While ALSO still being a Carmine weak spot. Two for one!

Or maybe it's just another emotionally constipated violent attachment to Vaggie.

Maybe Velvette and Lute could start a Fuck Vaggie hate group. And neither of them knows for sure which way they mean it.

Side idea about the V's theme naming, and Vaggie's trend of having HER name said wrong: imagine Velvette trying to hide her interest by calling Vaggie a nickname like… Aggie or… Argent or Agatha. Deliberately avoiding her actual name- maybe later enjoying how that gets Vaggie riled up, gets her attention on Velvette a little in SOME way.

V's and their A's, yeah? Kinda funny

Anyway, to address the Charlie in the room-

Charlie barely held back on hell fire cooking Valentino- who had the safeguard of owning shares in Angel Dust's soul and that whole messy history to save him from her (for now). Lute got Demon Charlie Deathglare treatment while disarmed and crying, just bc Charlie was holding her gf and presumably THINKING about what Lute did / tried to do to Vaggie.

But Velvette's not safely up in heaven and doesn't so far have any claim on a soul Charlie specifically cares about. An overlord like HER tries anything with Charlie's girlfriend? Makes Vaggie scowl with flirty looks, maybe tries an unnecessary touch during a meeting with the overlords... WANTS to see Vaggie lose it just like Lute did- (doesn't actually like Vaggie as she is, wants something from her, that part of herself Vaggie is trying hard to move past)-

Mm. Death. I think death would be hard to avoid. Just as like a kneejerk protective reaction thing.

Charlie did not hold her girlfriend's freshly stabbed through hand after the hotel battle just to sit quietly and not set fire to stuff when someone else tries messing with Vaggie again. She did not yell at all of heaven's ruling angels just to bite her tongue and play nice for some uppity sinners down in hell. She's their princess. They'll all edge back a step when she tells Velvette to kindly Back. Off.

honestly an AU where Charlie kills / tries to kill someone in a blind protective rage (think her right after Pentious' death) would be pretty juicy...

I feel like this AU wants to become a dark comedy tho

heck, we could go full symmetry and have each of the As eventually kill off one of the Vs, but not their own.

Porn star Angel Dust knocking off Vox and winning his TV empire. The irony. He knows enough about good scripts to've had his soul crushed by Charlie's adorably horrible attempts at it. And Angel Dust would make a great TV host personality. Now he can make all of hell see his smug-ass face as well as his amazing holes. Gods can you imagine him with a TALK SHOW???? Doing interviews? Diva Angel Dust's self esteem TV masterclasses- how to love the loser you are and lose the lovers who don't respect ya. HOW does he kill Vox- idk... maybe Vox was about to tear through Husk to weaken Alastor and Angel Dust threw a drink over his TV head, smashed him with a bottle from the bar, then stomped on him with the heavenly steel stilettos he commissioned from Carmilla. Why not.

Alastor finds out the Vs tried / are trying to use Niffty against the hotel and him, doesn't wanna give Vox the satisfaction of being the one to kill him, doesn't see Val as enough of a threat to bother with, takes out Velvette instead. Probably using Niffty to do it, for it's own kind of irony. Niffty is now a social media manage! She posts dead rat pics and cochroach hunt livestreams from a go pro on her head, and it creeps out hell at first but people slowly get honestly drawn into it, start naming the dead rats, making them fan pages... posting hearts emojis in the pest control live stream chats- suddenly this dead former brainwashed housewife has thousands of online fans who love her weird creepy af interests and are eagerly LISTENING to HER while she posts about knifes and poison and tips on taxidermy stitching. Eventually she get a stuffed Vox as the centerpiece of her Bad Boy shrine now and Alastor is a little hurt and envious of this.

Vaggie kills Val. Yes I am just saying that bc I want her soaking up his dead demon butterfly energy and getting her moth motif for real. She'd wear that fluffy ruff WAY better than him, in my gay opinion. If I have to make another excuse tho, let's say Val gets real pissed and panicky about the hotel being rebuilt and the increasing number of public disses that Angel Dust's been throwing at him- so he's making those studio moments LITERAL hell, the hotel crew picks up on it, CHARLIE picks up on it.... confrontation, Vaggie's there this time, stops Demon Charlie from skewering Val in a blind fiery rage to keep her gf from being a FULL OUT murderer... comes back later, alone. Asks Val one last time to ease up / free Angel Dust. Answer is no, and, she kills him. Tells him she's killed tons of people more innocent than him. Tells him, he's too dangerous to keep around- for Angel Dust yeah but mainly for Charlie, he's putting her gf at risk of doing something terrible- so Vaggie will do it for her. Stab.

We can squeeze some angst out of that. More passive secrets / not actively told lies to Charlie, not volunteering the fact she killed him... eventually HAVING to admit to it so she can undo the soul pact she inherited from him with Angel Dust (maybe has to work on slowly rebuilding that friendship after promising him she wouldn't let Chalrie kill Val, only to technically keep the word but break the meaning when SHE kills Val instead), and all the other enslaved souls- that little fact of who protects and employs all Val's people now, with him gone? Who keeps his turf?

Maybe Cherri Bomb steps up (is the only one Angel Dust can stomach and trust with his old life and the slow changing of it), trades the souls with Vaggie for a promise not to hurt them, becomes the new overlord to the sinners too suspicious of the hotel to accept a broken contract (an overlord who has your soul has a personal interest in vaguely caring if you stay alive) but gives them free rein to fuck off and work for Carmine, or in Rosie Emporium, or Angel Dust's new media company, or check in at the hotel- whatever really- while she guards the new turf with the rebuilt and repainted airship the last Egg Boi fixed up for her. She ends up with a full crew anyway, all volunteers. Cherri Bomb's buccaneers! Up in heaven Sir Pentious is shedding all the tears of admiration and pride, wailing over not being on her crew himssssself

Maybe Charlie's angry and upset, not with Vaggie but with HERSELF for honestly WANTING Val dead- for knowing Vaggie wasn't wrong about that, had already had to physically stop her from killing him- and why was Val different to her when she could let Adam live? What's WRONG with her- Charlie and the sad, honest heart to heart with Vaggie (physically changed by all this) about how Adam was an impersonal general asshole, part of distant, bigger, uncaring threat, while Val was actively every day hurting one of Charlie's friends. Of course she'd feel different about them. Of course he'd press on her protective nerves in ways Adam didn't.

Vaggie and the sinking, sickening, private feeling she keeps from Charlie- only spills out maybe to Carmilla- that she's scared she's too much like the other angels. How she hears what she said to Val ringing in her head, and she thinks of Sera, culling sinners to save heaven, hiding it from Emily to save her sister the pain (and herself the shame) and is that who Vaggie is? Deep down? Too ready to murder for the sake of those she loves, when she feels it's the RIGHT thing to do? How could she spare Lute, be so ready to keep fighting her, and not Valentino...?

Maybe Carmilla points out to her the same things she said to Charlie, with a twist. How Lute was a danger to Vaggie mainly and she is used to that- but Val was a danger to Charlie in a way Vaggie couldn't easily protect Charlie from, so she got scared and... love isn't a kind or fair thing. It's an edge for them to fight for AND with, shaped by their choices. Next time, Vaggie can choose differently.

(Vox, Val, and Velvette don't get that choice anymore and it's a nauseating thing Charlie and Vaggie won't be able to forget- not because they were any more worth giving a second chance too than any other sinner, but because they just as worth that second chance as anyone else.)

(and now it's gone. They're gone. The fight for redemption is a long backsliding slog for all sides and they'll have to do better, next time)

(they'll have to live with what they've done either way)

Maybe Vaggie wonders what it might have said about Velvette, that she (in this AU) took an interest in people like her and Carmilla. If she was so into shaking things up and challenging the way things are, maybe, if she'd come to the hotel...

maybe there's a world out there somewhere where seeing a bit of herself in Vaggie got Velvette thinking. A bigger picture shake up than just who is top overlord of a shitty hell.

maybe she's never a good person to anyone not useful or important to her, and shit to them anyway half the time, but if ONE of the people in that group IS trying to be good, then, there's a limit to what she'll do too. There'll be at least one moment she drags the Vs kicking and screaming away from delicious revenge and towards something that'll help them all rise up more, in the long term

a broken clock is right twice each day. people who mean badly can do good and helpful things. a one-sided toxic yuri situation can help save a lot of people, maybe

....or just kill a fuck ton of angels. honestly, if said angels are murderous exorcists, vaggie would probably appreciate a gesture like that

she still wouldn't date a friend of Valentino's tho

[petitprincess1]

Good Evening Ch14 (Game is Set)

AO3 Link Summary: The three figure out what to do with the body, while Al gives a bit of insight to Angelo. Words: 1,117 Warning:Gore and blood ~~~ Cherri’s foot bounced as Pentious and Baxter were bouncing back-and-forth ideas of what to do with the body and how to properly hide the smell. Despite the two coming up with plans, they were just about as on edge as Cherri was, but they were trying to be a bit level-headed. Angelo just felt odd about being a bit calmer than the rest of them as he ate the grilled venison that Alastor brought. Although, if anything made him feel apprehensive, it was Al staring at him as he ate. It was as if he was watching the tiniest movements that he made, making him wonder if he had the same watchful gaze that he gave to his victims.

Luckily, Alastor’s attention was placed elsewhere as Cherri suddenly stood and questioned, clearly pissed off, “What the hell are you doing just sitting on your ass? You’re the one that caused this shit in the first place! You...You fucking psychopath!”

Alastor just chuckled as he leaned over, causing the spunky girl to flinch, and then booped her nose. He grinned, “No need for such insults, my dear. You don’t see me saying such abhorrent things about y-”

Before he could finish, Cherri smacked his hand away from her face and grabbed Al’s collar. She yanked him out of his seat and yelled, “Don’t you dare fucking touch me! You think this is some kind of joke? You just shot someone, there’s blood in our house, a weapon, others probably heard the gunshot, and we have a fucking dead body in our house! We all are all FUCKED if we do nothing about this!”

The creole didn’t say anything as his smile shrunk a bit on his face. However, Cherri didn’t want to back down from the man, no matter how dangerous he was. She was about to shout at him again, but stopped after hearing him mutter. “She would’ve killed Anthony,” he practically whispered. The spunky girl was about to say that wasn’t the point. Though she ended up getting halted by Alastor grabbing onto her wrist, squeezing it tightly in his grip and causing her to wince at the sharp pain. He mumbled, “...Let go of me...”

Sir Pentious quickly came behind Cherri and said nervously, “Uh, Cherri, perhaps you should come over here. We’re going to need help with the body.” She winced more at the last squeeze Al gave to her wrist- she swore she heard her wrist give a few pops -and then the man finally let go of her. Cherri held her wrist close to her chest as Pen escorted her away from the two. The Brit whispered, “Are you stupid? Don’t bother with that bloody nutter!”

Cherri asked, looking at the skin on her wrist turn red, “Has he always been like this?”

Pentious glanced at Al, who was staring down at the table at nothing in particular and had his hands folded properly, and mumbled, “No...I don’t think so.”

Angelo had just sat through all of what happened, feeling like his mind was telling him to do multiple things at once. He wanted to punch and yell at the man for hurting his friends, framing him, and just putting him in this mess. However, he knew that that would just make things worse. He also wanted to make some jokes or even thank Al, but both of those felt inappropriate. Plus, his body was still in a shit-ton of pain. There was just so much going on at once. 

“Well, that was dramatic,” the mob-child got pulled back into reality by hearing Al speak. He turned his head to see the light-brown man smiling happily at him. It made him feel kinda at ease to see Alastor smile...in a very weird way. He was just happy for some form of constant in his life…even if it was from a deranged man.

Alastor looked at Angelo with a raised eyebrow and questioned, “Are you okay, Anthony? Is the steak cooked to medium rare as I hoped?”

Angelo replied, rubbing his arms and wincing at the dull pain, “It’s, uh...fine, I guess. A little gamy, but nothin’ too bad. Uh, Al, ya didn’t have ta shoot the broad. Ya know that, right? She put the gun-”

“Don’t listen to those people.”

“Wh...What?”

“Don’t listen to dolts like Cherri and Pentious. They make it seem like you’re dispensable, replaceable, and someone that can be left unchecked when clearly you were attacked by your own gang! You can’t trust any of them, Anthony. Those idiots would give you up in a heartbeat if it meant saving themselves, but I never would. Never. ...Do you believe me?” Alastor questioned, sounding quite timid, which oddly clashed with his whole speech. 

Angelo tapped his fingers on the table, unsure of what to say. He definitely did believe that Alastor would kill anyone that even looked at him wrong, but he also knew that….Cherri would absolutely have his back. He glanced back up at Al, seeing the man’s smile twitch in nervousness, and was about to speak. Unfortunately, he got cut off by Cherri asking, “Alastor, I’m sorry for interrupting your way too casual convo, but how do we get rid of this body.”

The mob-child looked over at Al, who had an ecstatic, ear-to-ear grin on his face as he practically purred, “I have an idea in mind~” ~~~ The next morning in the warehouse, Vox was counting out some money that he collected from Val’s porn studio, sighing at the man’s absence. Velvet was on his lap and was doing her nails, humming a small song. A knock was heard at the door and Vel was quick to take out a knife, but Vox just lowered her hand slowly. He went towards the door and saw one of his men, holding a box. The grunt shrugged as he spoke, “It was addressed to you. Don’t know what’s in it.”

Vox stared at the box and he snapped his fingers, making Vel throw a knife to him that he easily caught. He sliced open the box, opened it up, and the sight was enough to make the goon drop the piece of cardboard, dry heaving. Velvet looked from behind Vox and gagged, “Ewww, nastyyyy!”

She still took a picture of it to make a post though. Inside the box held Traci’s head that had all the teeth pulled out, eyes gouged, and a taped letter on her forehead, reading, “Nice to meet you again…”

Vox just stared at the bloodied container and chuckled amusedly at the note, recognizing the handwriting. He muttered as he took out a cigarette, “Message received. ...Game on, Alastor.”

[androgynoussublimeangel]

The Price of Freedom (Chpt.1)

AO3

Summary: 

Alastor isn't sure what's gotten into their resident drug-addicted pornstar but something is different about the determined set of his shoulders and a vengeful glint in his eyes. And just where does he keep slipping off to each day returning with more money than any prostitute could make in a single day.

Alastor is beginning to realize Angel Dust might not be the demon Alastor assumed him to be. And has he always had a trio of strange imps following him around?

But Alastor isn't one to miss out on what could prove to be some very promising entertainment.

*

Angel wanted his freedom. The freedom that Valentino had stolen before Angel even knew what freedom was. He’d spent his whole lifetime being trapped under someone else's control, first his father’s, then his drug dealers, then his clients. Now that he was dead he’d only traded one pair of shackles for another.

As long as Valentino had power, Angel knew he’d never have more than a gilded cage. And Angel was fucking tired of cages. But the overlord wasn’t going to just give up his throne willingly.

But Angel wasn't going to give up without a fight.

With a final horse scream, Angel toppled to the floor, pained tremors wracking his limp body. Flinching as Vox roughly tore his cords from the base of his skull. The TV demon carelessly kicking the prostitutes' prone form as he stepped over him. Angel could only moan softly in pain, his long limbs curling inwards cradling his still trembling body. Barely aware of the sound of the door opening behind him.

“Sorry for the wait Angel Cakes,” Valentino’s smoky voice prickled unpleasantly over Angel’s still pain addled consciousness. Angel blinked blurrily up at the looming figure of his pimp. “Just took Vox a lot longer to find what we were looking for in that empty fucking brain of yours. Don’t know how you find anything in there babe.” The other demons voice dripping with cruel amusement. Digging the toe of his shoe into Angel’s sore ribs. His sharp smile twisting as the pornstar whimpered, trying to wiggle away uselessly.

“Must be all that shit you’re always snorting, might wanna lay off the angel dust, sweetheart.”

Valentino laughed sadistically, sidestepping his employee’s crumpled body, striding towards his desk with Vox following close behind. The overlord settling into his overly luxurious chair, carved from ebony wood with gold inlays and lined with crimson velvet, auspicious enough to be called a throne.

Angel had always thought it looked less like a symbol of the overlord's power and more like he was overcompensating. Not that he ever dared share that with Valentino.

The pimp steepled his fingers together, propping his feet atop his enormous desk. The TV demon standing to Valentino left, screen flickering as a cruel grin warped his face. The lights leaking through the enormous penthouse windows haloing the overlords in neon colors.

“But Vox is the best at what he does,” Valentino smirked at his fellow overlord, the smirk growing wider as the other demon cackled in response. Angel tried to lift his head, weakly glaring at his boss, eyes still unfocused and vision blurring at the edges. Still fuzzy from Vox’s invasion of his mind.

“Come on Angie, baby, don’t be that way. You forced my hand sweetheart, I couldn’t trust you to remember to tell me everything.” The pimp scolded, voice thick with false sweetness. “Just like I’m sure it slipped your mind to mention your whole little “going-clean” schtick.” His smile dropping suddenly, eyes steely. “I don’t appreciate learning about my employee's apparent plans to quit from those fucking pigs running the news.”

Angel shuddering under the force of the overlord's anger, the air practically pulsating from the power exuding from the pimp. Forcing his aching body upright, legs still too weak to hold his weight. His lower set of arms wrapped protectively around his throbbing torso. Valentino’s enraged expression becoming pleased at the sight of Angel’s pained grimace. His face twisting into a pseudo-sweet smile.

“But you’re ain’t gonna quit are you, Angel?” The pimp crooned. Legs falling from his desk as he leaned forward in his chair. Propping his elbows on the desktop and hooking his chin on his intertwined fingers. Glowing red eyes watching the prostitute expectantly, dark promises flickering behind the tinted lenses of heart-shaped glasses. Angel swallowed back the disgust curling in his throat.

“No daddy.” He replied obediently. Eyes downcast and posture demure, the perfect picture of compliance.

“Good, good, we wouldn’t want to have to punish you again now would we.” Angel shook his head vehemently, ignoring the splitting headache pounding behind his eyes. Valentino hummed in satisfaction as he leaned back into the plush velvet lining his chair.

“Now,” The overlord purred, the tapping of his nails against the armrest of his chair deafening in the quiet room. “You wanna explain to me what all this ‘redemption’ bullshit is about?”

Angel didn’t reply. Refusing to look at the overlord.

Valentino sighed, rising smoothly to his feet, sauntering over to Angel’s kneeling form. Angel gazed up at the other man, fighting to not flinch away from the hand that began petting his hair. “How ‘bout I make this easier,”

The clawed hand that had been carding through his hair suddenly gripping a fistful of white locks. Angel winced as his head was yanked back, Valentino’s sharp teeth suddenly inches from his face. “What makes you think you’re even worthy of redemption?” The pimp growled, ignoring Angel uselessly clawing at the hand tangled in his hair.

“A stupid, worthless, whore like yourself, whose only redeeming quality is your cock-hungry holes.”

Angel averted his eyes, unable to hold Valentino’s hateful gaze as verbal poison spilled from the pimps lips. A sudden sharp grip on his chin wrenched his face forward, Valentino’s claws digging harshly into the soft flesh of Angel’s cheeks. The overlord forcibly lifting Angel’s body upwards with his tight grip. The pornstar whimpering but knowing better than to retaliate.

“You look me in the fucking eye when I’m talking to you!” Valentino snarled, eyes flashing before his expression relaxed, melting back into a saccharine sweet smile.

“You just can’t do anything right can you dollface?” A drop of blood sliding down Angel's cheek where Valentino’s claw pricked his cheek. “So fucking useless huh, that dumb royal bitch didn’t know what she was doing picking your pathetic ass to be a part of her stupid pet project.”

The bitter taste of copper filling Angel’s mouth as he bit harshly into his lip to stop himself from spitting in the overlord's face. Surprised by the force of his own anger as Valentino mocked Charlie’s dream. Girl was as naive as they came but she genuinely wanted to see the best in everyone, she truly believed demons could be redeemed. She believed Angel could be redeemed.

The overlord noticed the defiant spark in the pornstar's eyes, his grin growing sharper until he was baring his teeth more than he was smiling.

“Oh this is rich,” The pimp laughed through his teeth, still gripping Angel Dust’s hair. Valentino smirked over his shoulder at Vox, shaking Angel roughly by his hair. “This little bitch actually believes in this redemption shit.” Vox’s snickering joined Valentino’s own cruel chuckling.

“Let me make one thing clear, Angel.” Valentino’s voice dropped to a hiss, his face inches from Angel’s. Close enough that Angel could taste the other man’s alcohol tainted breath. “Even if redemption wasn’t a load of horseshit, you’d never have a chance in hell. You wanna know why angel cakes?”

The overlord drew back to his full height, sneering down his nose at Angel. “Cuz your nothing. You ain’t worth nothing to nobody. Even your own family down here doesn’t want you. The only reason you’re not dead in a fucking ditch is because of me.”

Angel winced as the nails pricking his cheeks dug deeper into the soft flesh. “Who do you belong to Angel cakes?”

“You.” Angel’s voice was barely more than a whisper.

“That’s right, and I’ve got your contract to prove it.” Valentino releasing his intense grip on both Angel’s face and hair sending the pornstar toppling to the floor again.

“Now get out, I’m sick of looking at your face.” The pimp spun on his heel, returning to his seat without a backward glance at the trembling demon struggling to stand. Angel tottered dangerously but managed to get his legs underneath himself, one arm still cradling his slowly mending ribs. Angel was half-way out the door hand hovering on the door handle when the sound of Valentino’s voice caused him to pause. “Oh, and Angel?”

Angel Dust glanced warily over his shoulder. “Next time, you answer me when I call, got it, babe?”

“Yes, boss.”

The door closed with a click.

Angel kept his head held high, marching to the elevator. The moment the doors slid closed behind him, Angel all but collapsed against them. Exhaling deeply, wincing as a sharp jab of pain from his protesting ribs, Angel groaned. Valentino had really put him through the wringer this time. Angel knew he’d be sore for weeks but the pimp always made sure he’d still be able to work. Never leaving an injury that couldn’t regenerate in a few hour's time. Didn’t want to damage the merchandise after all.

Mutilation wasn’t Val’s style anyway, the sadistic roach preferred to aim for where the skin was thinnest. He always knew which bruises to dig his fingers into. Valentino was equally as fond of emotional abuse as he was of inflicting physical pain. The pimp overlord was able to ascertain someone's most emotionally vulnerable cracks and once he did, he’d ruthlessly pry those cracks open until whatever was left was practically unrecognizable.

Angel moaned softly as the elevator jolted, his sore body complaining at the rough treatment. He silently willed it to descend faster, he was itching to get the hell out of there before he suffocated under the weight of Val's overwhelming presence.

This wasn’t his first time getting on his boss’s bad side. He’d seen the back of Valentino's hand more than once. It was rare if he was without a bruise or two, either from his clients or his pimp. It was one of the unfortunate side effects of being covered entirely in velvety fur. A lot easier to hide bruises, which Val seemed to take as a challenge.

Angel could handle pain, he even enjoyed it in the right scenarios. Even as Valentino’s punishments grew more and more brutal. Angel could handle him.

Vox was a different story.

Vox was the kind of demon Angel hated the most, though Valentino was a close second. He even preferred Alastor and his creepy smile over the TV demon. Despite Angel’s previous unawareness about the radio demon, Vaggie’s very vivid and detailed story of other demons ventures painted a clear picture.

Alastor was direct, merciless and efficient. Alastor slaughtered demons but his bloodlust was simple and honest. The radio demon even seemed to have some weird moral code about who he killed. Despite his terrifying abilities and rumored cannibalism, he wasn’t a mindless killer.

Unlike Vox and Valentino who enjoyed causing pain just for the sake of pain. Heedless of who they hurt as they made an overblown show of power through senseless and gratuitous killing.

Angel had always found Vox’s unique brand of torture was invasive, cowardly, and unrefined. The TV demon wielded the numerous cords connected to his body and at the slightest inclination could bury them deep in his victims' flesh. Vox’s powers granted him the ability to forcibly search someone's mind, which was painful in it itself. But he could also forcibly create a recurring nightmare of traumatic memories that played on a loop.

Angel had one of Vox’ victims who’d been plugged in for over a week, reliving their darkest moments again and again. They’d been barely more than an empty husk of a demon, eyes empty and blank, completely unresponsive. It had scared Angel badly enough at the time he’d behaved for an entire year.

This wasn’t even the first time Valentino had felt Angel’s disobedience merited Vox’s intervention, but it wasn’t usually as unbearable. Normally Angel was so strung out on whatever cocktail of drugs he was offered it was barely more than a, particularly bad nightmare. A bad dream that would be forgotten easily enough as soon as Angel Dust got his hands on more of his namesake.

But this time Angel had been completely stone-cold sober.

Each excruciating second had been in agonizing clarity. The feeling of Vox forcibly entering his mind had felt like his head was being split open from the inside and left his brain feeling like it’d been scraped raw with sandpaper. Painful memories lingering too close to the surface after being buried underneath the haze of drugs and sex for so long.

Angel shuddered, moments of his past life that he’d tried his best to forget flashing behind his eyelids. Shaking his head, trying to rid himself from the lingering horrors Vox dredged up from his own mind. He only succeeds in further agitating his throbbing headache.

The elevator dinged and Angel stumbled backward as the doors slid open. Catching himself on the wall with a groan, Angel whined unhappily as he clambered back to his feet. Brushing off imaginary dust from his jacket and smoothing back his hair, only for it to bounce forward again.

Beginning his trek down the hall, eyes brushing over familiar faces of other demons trapped underneath Valentino’s thumb. Some offered him sympathetic looks but otherwise didn’t approach. Angel couldn’t bring himself to be offended. After all, they all knew Valentino would only use it as an excuse to punish him again.

Angel took in the tired faces of all the demons that passed him, everyone looking a little worse for wear since he’d been here last. It had been a few days since he was released from house arrest, or would it be hotel arrest Angel wonders, after his little territorial genocide stint with Cherri. Charlie (only after Vaggie’s very loud protest) had insisted there be some kind of punishment for his actions. If it could be called that, Angel would take a few days of lazing around with his pig over Valentino’s punishment anytime.

Angel sure as hell didn’t believe in redemption or any of that “being a good person” bullshit Charlie was always trying to sell him. But looking at the haggard faces of the demons around him he felt a twinge of concern for them. They weren’t good people that was for damn sure but a lot of them weren’t exactly bad people either.

Angel huffed, cursing Charlie for infecting him with her mushy feelings and empathy. He shuddered just thinking the word. This would be so much easier drugged out of his mind and completely unaware of anything besides his own high.

Drawing closer to the rear exit of the studio Angel straightened his hunched posture, the ache in his ribs finally having subsided somewhat as the bones mended. It would ache like a bitch for a few days at least but nothing Angel wasn’t used too. He’d just have to avoid his left side when he was on the pole.

He exited the studio quickly, striding down the alleyway, eager to get as far away from the building as possible. He wanted to get back to the hotel, where he at least had a room that wasn’t monitored 24/7 and he didn’t have to worry about anyone trying to sell Fat Nuggets for drug money while he was gone.

He paused mid-step, eyes catching on a garishly colored image splashed across the alleyway wall. Angel glared up at, what was no doubt the work of one of Valentino’s, admittedly talented, goons. An enormous portrait of Valentino’s sleazy face splashed across the alley wall. It practically dwarfed him, nearly twice Angel’s height and wider than his arm span.

Standing there, glaring up at the pimps painted likeness. Skin tacky from the cold sweat drying on his skin, breathing slowly growing more ragged with each breath. Angel felt a powerful tidal wave of emotion well up inside him. All four of his hands curling tightly into fists, his claws digging painfully into his palms.

A sudden familiar, grating voice boomed over the loudspeaker causing Angel to jump in surprise. Grimacing in disgust as one of Valentino’s many degrading “reminders” that played on an hourly loop echoed through the studio, leaking into the alleyway.

“Remember to serve your customers with a smile, a happy customer is a paying customer. Now go out and make daddy his money you worthless whores.”

Valentino’s voice wrapping tightly around Angel, slowly constricting around him, squeezing the air from his lungs. Just another reminder of who he belonged to.

The thin thread of Angel’s temper finally snapped.

A loud crack reverberated through the alley. Angel’s fist burying itself in the brick wall, directly in the center of Valentino’s smarmy painted smile. Long, jagged cracks spidering across the surface obscuring the image of Valentino’s grinning face entirely.

Angel’s entire form trembled with rage, the fury burning inside him climbing higher and higher. A small flame of indignity that had spent centuries growing into a blazing inferno of hatred and savage determination.

Angel wanted his freedom. The freedom that Valentino had stolen before Angel even knew what freedom was. He’d spent his whole lifetime being trapped under someone else's control, first his father’s, then his drug dealers, then his clients. Now that he was dead he’d only traded one pair of shackles for another.

As long as Valentino had power, Angel knew he’d never have more than a gilded cage. And Angel was fucking tired of cages. But the overlord wasn’t going to just give up his throne willingly.

Angel tugged his fist free from the brick and mortar wall, unflinching despite his now bloodied and broken knuckles. They would heal quickly enough anyway. Angel wanted his freedom, but there was only one way to get it. It wasn’t going to be easy, and Angel knew he might die trying, but he’d already made up his mind. A sharp, determined grin spread across Angel Dust’s lips.

He was going to kill Valentino.

[snarkybluechristian]

Hazbin Hotel: Yandere Alastor x Vaggie Chapter 37

Meanwhile, Angel sat in his cage struggling against his straitjacket, hoping and praying he could find some flaw in its design that he could take advantage of to escape.  But no matter what he tried, Angel could not break free from his restraints.

Angel finally leaned back against the bars of the cage and let out a deep sigh.  He didn’t notice the red smoke seep under the emergency exit door and push it open from the other side.

“Fuck,” Angel muttered to himself.  “Vaggie, please hold on.  I hope you’re doing okay…”

“I’d be more worried about what I’m going to do to you once we get back to the studio, Angel Cakes,” an all-too-familiar voice interrupted.

Angel felt his heart stop as he turned his head towards the source of the voice.

To his terror, Angel saw Valentino walking towards him and swinging the keys with his driver and bodyguard following behind him.

“Val?!” Angel yelled in terror and surprise.  

“You thought I would let Alastor take you away from me?” Valentino replied with a scoff.  “You know better than to underestimate me, dear.”

Angel felt his heart drop into his feet as Valentino approached his cage.

“But I thought…” Angel said at almost a whisper.

Valentino leaned against the cage door, flicked his tongue over his teeth, and said with a wide grin, “That’s a sexy look for you, Angel Cakes.  A straitjacket really suits you, especially considering your behavior lately. When we get back to the studio, we will have lots of new films with you in that straitjacket.”

Valentino stuck one key in the keyhole and attempted to unlock the cage.  When that didn’t work, he tried the other one and got the door open.

Angel shook himself out of his fearful stupor and stammered, “I…I can’t go back with you.”

Valentino grabbed Angel’s cheeks and squeezed hard while snarling, “Do you think you have a damn choice!”

“You lost the auction and my soul!” Angel said through Valentino’s grip.

“Our contract still remains, Angie,” Valentino said, yanking off Angel’s muzzle with one hand and holding him dangling above the ground with the other.  “Only Lucifer himself could break it.  Overlord or not, Alastor cannot get in the way of that.”

Then without a word, Valentino dropped Angel on the ground with a thud.  

Valentino then stepped back, tossed the keys to his bodyguard, and motioned for his servants, “Get him into the limo and make sure he doesn’t scream that much.”

Angel coughed out loud as he tried to get himself off the floor.  He knew this moment would come.  He had been avoiding work and Val for a few weeks before this.  Vaggie was right.  Angel had changed and Valentino and his bullshit were something he didn’t want to be a part of anymore.  Angel knew he had to speak up now.  No matter what the consequences were.

So, as the two henchmen were sitting Angel up and unlocking the shackles on his feet, Angel looked at Valentino determinedly and said, “No, Val!  I’m not gonna…”

“You’re not to speak, Angie,” Valentino interrupted.

One of the henchmen shoved a thick ball of cloth into Angel’s mouth and tied the gag around his face.

Angel shook his head desperately trying to get the gag out of his mouth while the other henchman finished removing the shackles from Angel’s feet.

“Walk Angel to the car,” Valentino instructed as the henchmen got Angel to his feet.  “And be quick about…HEY!”

Angel took his chance.  As soon as the shackles were unlocked and he was on his feet, he bolted across the room and away from Valentino and his henchmen.  He ran down the hallway towards the ballroom, hoping to get Alastor's attention.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hallway, Molly and Vaggie burst out of the room with the tentacles and shut and locked the door behind them.  They leaned against the wall for a moment, panting for breath.  Their clothes were ripped, and their hair was disheveled, but besides that, they had emerged unscathed.  They had made it.

“You okay, toots?” Molly asked with an exhausted smile.  

“Yeah,” Vaggie replied with an exhausted smile of her own.  “Thanks.  I owe you one.”

“It’s nothin’,” Molly replied.  “I know what it’s like to be pushed around by men with large egos.  I’m always glad to help another girl out.  But I’d be lyin’ to say I couldn’t use your help with Angel. I know this is risky, but we have to get him out of here…”

Vaggie held up her hand and said, “You don’t need to ask.  I’ll do it.”

Molly replied with a smile briefly before they heard running from the other side of the hallway.  

Before Vaggie and Molly even had much time to think about what they had just heard, they turned around to see Angel running in a straitjacket and moaning into a gag.

Upon seeing his sister and his friend, Angel stopped in his tracks and gave out a “Mmph?!” of surprise.

The trio spent a second looking at each other in surprise before Molly noticed the smoke behind Angel’s head, grabbed Vaggie’s hand, and made them both disappear.

“Angel, get over here! It’s behind you,” Molly cried as quietly as she could while Vaggie took a moment to be surprised at her newly invisible state.

“Mmph!” Angel moaned in agreement.

Angel ran forward to reach Vaggie and his sister, but unfortunately, Valentino’s smoke grabbed Angel by his hair and dragged him back into the prop room.

The smoke pulled Angel back to Valentino who promptly slapped him across the face.

“What the fuck is the matter with you?” Valentino snarled before picking up Angel by his hair.  “What do you think Alastor would do to you or me if he saw you in the ballroom?!  You should be thanking me, you stupid slut!  I’m getting you out of this dump and back in my bed where you belong!  Besides, from what I remember, you hate your family.”

Valentino then dropped Angel on the ground again and began dragging him to the limo by the collar of his straitjacket while his henchmen followed behind.  

The henchmen opened the door while Valentino unceremoniously dragged Angel out to the cobblestoned parking lot.  One henchman bolted to the limo at the other side of the lot while the other one walked behind Angel and Valentino.

Angel, desperately angry and desperate to buy time for Molly and Vaggie, finally managed to spit out the cloth in his mouth and yelled, “I hate you more!”

Valentino scoffed and said, “When we get back to the studio, I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk for months.”

Seeing that that didn't make Valentino stop his gait, Angel quickly thought of another insult, "Yeah, right. You can't even satisfy that TV boyfriend of yours."

Valentino finally stopped in his tracks, and Angel braced himself for the beating he thought was coming as he heard the limo pull up in front of them.

But instead, Valentino dropped Angel onto the ground with a scoff and said, “I know what you’re trying to do, darling, and it won’t work.”

The bodyguard stuffed the gag back into Angel’s mouth and tightened the knot around Angel’s head.

Valentino effortlessly picked Angel up, held him in front of his face, and said, “What is the matter with you, Angie?  You should be thrilled.  You get to go back home with me where you belong, away from the nasty people who made your life so miserable.  You don’t need to worry.  Despite everything you put me through, I plan on treating you well and keeping you safely tucked away until all this drama blows over.”

The bodyguard opened the door to the limo.  Angel then felt a slight breeze behind him as if someone dashed into the car behind him and briefly glanced behind him.

Valentino sighed sadly and said, “Honestly, Angie, I don’t know what has gotten into you lately.  Has that princess been putting redeeming ideas into your head?  Is that why you have been avoiding me, my calls, and my texts?  You were never this defiant before.  It’s like you’ve forgotten how good I’ve been to you. Can’t we all just go home and forget this never happened?”

Angel breathed into his gag and allowed himself to do something he had never done during his entire stay in hell.  Angel allowed himself to glare defiantly straight into Valentino’s eyes.

That look told Valentino everything he needed to know.

Valentino sighed deeply and tossed Angel onto the floor of the limo.  Valentino climbed in and shut the door, and the limo began speeding away from the house.

Angel groaned into his gag as he helplessly felt the car moving under him.

Meanwhile, Valentino crawled over to the window between the back seat and the front seat and knocked on the window.

The window quickly rolled down and one of the henchmen handed Valentino a syringe filled with an unknown liquid.

Valentino uncovered the syringe and prepared it for injection.

Upon seeing the syringe, Angel began desperately kicking his legs to keep Valentino away.

Valentino tried to navigate between the legs, but the kicking kept him back.

“I am sick and tired of your bullshit, Angel!” Valentino growled.

“Ffffmmmph mmmmmmph!!!” Angel snarled back through his gag.

Valentino finally jumped on top of Angel, using his second pair of arms to pin Angel’s kicking legs down.

Angel tried to shake Valentino off, but the moth demon laid on top of Angel and finally managed to inject the serum into Angel’s neck.

“Mmrph!” Angel moaned into his gag as he felt his senses fading.

“There, that’s better, Valentino said, recovering the syringe and stuffing it into the pocket of his coat.  “Now, we can both relax.”

Valentino then climbed off Angel, placed the helpless spider demon’s head into his lap, and began stroking it while telling him all the wonderful plans he had waiting for him once they got home.

“Oh, Angel, you won’t have to worry about anything.  I’ll keep you locked away in your dressing room for the next 100 years.  I’ll put a TV in there and one of those handheld gaming things that Vox always talks about.  You won’t even miss going outside…”

Angel blinked his eyes, slowly losing movement of his limbs.

Molly and Vaggie sat near the door of the limo invisibly and helplessly.  They wanted to act, but they knew that they couldn’t move until they were farther away from Alastor’s house. So, they sat there and prayed for a miracle as the car drove on.

[snarkybluechristian]

Hazbin Hotel: Yandere Alastor x Vaggie Chapter 30

About 45 minutes later, Vaggie was waiting in her room wearing a light periwinkle sleeveless, sweater blouse, a violet-colored skirt that almost went down to her feet, and purple sandals with her pink ribbon tied as a headband around her head.

Vaggie was sitting there anxiously wondering what kind of shape Angel was in when she finally heard the locks on her door turning.

Vaggie turned her head to see Alastor open the door, step into the room, and hold open the door for Angel.

Angel entered slowly on his crutches.  He was wearing a white shirt that looked like Alastor’s with the black cross in the center and black pants and black shoes.  Angel’s fur was clean and his knee was rebandaged firmly to make walking easier, but Vaggie could see the dark circles under his eyes and the way his weak, thin limbs and frame struggled to move across the room.

Despite all this, Angel still flashed a weak smile and said, “Hiya, toots.  How’s it going?”

Vaggie stood up, walked over to Angel, and replied kindly, “I’m okay.  You look better than I thought you would, Angel.”

“Alastor cleaned me up,” Angel said.

“He did?” Vaggie asked.

“Yeah,” Angel replied with a sarcastic smile.  “He gave me a bath, brushed my teeth, and finally rebandaged my stinky, busted knee.  Wasn’t that nice of him?”

“Yeah,” Vaggie said taking another step closer to Angel.  “Let me help you get to the bed.”

“No need to trouble yourself, dearest,” Alastor said suddenly popping up between them.  “I’ll move this giant cripple for you.”

Alastor snapped his fingers and suddenly Angel was hovering through the air with Alastor’s magic until he was sat down on one end of Vaggie’s bed.

Vaggie quickly took her seat on the other side of the bed, and Alastor turned his attention to the familiars pushing in the carts with the delicious omelets on them.

Angel took the opportunity to reach out his third pair of arms until his right hand touched Vaggie’s and held it in his palm.

Vaggie turned and looked at Angel who gave her a wink and a warm smile before quickly retracting his hands again.

“I heard that, Angel,” Alastor said turning around while the familiars pushed the carts in.  “That is your one and only warning.  Touch my bride again and you’ll be returned to your room without your breakfast.  Is that understood?”

“Alastor…” Vaggie tried to argue.

“Whatever you say, daddy,” Angel interrupted sassily unbuttoning his shirt to let his chest fluff out as the carts with their omelets, orange juice, and side of fruit settled in front of him and Vaggie.  “I’ll…Oh, my God..”

Angel’s eyes fell on the first real meal he’d have all week and his mouth visibly watered.

Angel wasted no time.  He thanked God under his breath, picked up his utensils, and dug right in.

Vaggie was about to devour her own omelet when she looked up and noticed that Alastor was still standing there with his wide, toothy grin.

“Well?” Vaggie asked suspiciously.

“Well, what?” Alastor quipped amusedly.

“Do you plan on standing there the whole time?  Don’t you need to eat?”

“I ate while I was preparing the omelets, dear.”

“You didn’t answer my first question.”

“I’m here to observe, Vaggie,” Alastor said tilting his head in amusement.

“Observing?” Vaggie asked incredulously.  “Are we just lab animals to you?”

“I think he means ‘chaperone,’” Angel said before swallowing his bites of omelet.  “Isn’t that right, Alastor?”

“That is correct, Angel,” Alastor replied.

Angel smiled and seductively unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt to uncover his chest fluff while saying, “Now, who’s the bluenose, Alastor?”

“That would still be you, Angel,” Alastor said.

Angel cocked his head playfully and retorted, “Really?  How so?  All I did was come to save a damsel-in-distress.”

“I believe my note made it clear that was Vaggie was in more than safe hands,” Alastor retorted back.

Angel scoffed and said, “Knowing how Vaggie feels about you was more than enough cause for alarm.”

“Angel…” Vaggie pleaded.

Alastor chuckled darkly and said, “Tell me, Angel.  How did you get to my home in the first place?  I don’t exactly advertise my manor’s address.  You had to find it out somehow.  So, tell me.  How did you do it?”

Angel dramatically leaned backwards and said, “Vaggie threw a radio at my head.  After that, I just can’t remember a thing…”

Alastor sighed and said, “You still refuse to cooperate after everything you’ve gone through?  Oh, well.  So be it then.  After the auction, you’ll be the problem of whoever buys you.”

Angel rolled his eyes and said “Whatever” before going back to his eating.

Alastor allowed Angel and Vaggie to eat for several minutes in disconcerting silence.

Vaggie could feel the heavy tension in the room.  Angel was so nonchalant, but inside, she knew that he was as scared as she was.  It was all she could do to keep up a brave front as they both finished their meals.

It was at that moment that Alastor finally spoke up and asked, “Are you excited about the auction, Angel?”

Angel scoffed in disbelief and replied, “I don’t think excited is the right word for it.”

“Well, you should be.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve given so many of your old friends a chance to purchase you and a little something extra.”

“What might that be?”

“Your soul.”

Vaggie and Angel’s mouths fell open almost at the exact same time.

Vaggie looked at Angel fearfully who shuddered briefly before regaining his composure and replying, “What?!”

“It’s true,” Alastor said summoning a glowing orb in the shape of a heart that Angel knew indeed to be his soul.

“How did you…?” Vaggie asked while Angel sat there in stunned silence.

“I took it from his old master, Valentino,” Alastor interrupted.  “I know the rules surrounding overlords and those contracted to them.  Unless I hold the soul, I can’t give the contractor away, so I got the soul.”

“Valentino would never give me up without a fight,” Angel said giving Alastor a pointed look as his hands balled into fists.  “How did you get Val to hand me over?”

“That is nothing for you to worry about, Angel,” Alastor replied in a dismissive, upbeat tone.  “But Valentino is invited to the auction, so he has the chance to buy you back if that’s what you’re really worried about.”

Angel sneered and said with a confidence he was far from truly possessing, “I ain’t worried, strawberry pimp.  Thank you though.”

Vaggie anxiously looked at Angel and then at Alastor as the soul disappeared to wherever Alastor kept it.  There was nothing right about this.  Souls were a commodity in hell and those with the power to trade them almost never gave them not, especially if the contractor was someone as lucrative for their owner as Angel was.  Valentino did not give Angel up.  Vaggie knew it and Angel knew it.

“How did you get Angel’s soul, Alastor?” Vaggie asked out loud.

Both Angel and Alastor looked at her.  Angel gave her a pleading look to not press the matter further while Alastor simply looked amused.

“Oh, my dear, it is so sweet for you to worry about my well-being…” Alastor began.

“I’m not,” Vaggie interrupted.

“…but you should know by now that Valentino doesn’t stand a chance against me,” Alastor continued without acknowledging the insult.  “He didn’t put up any fight at all when I took Angel’s soul and we parted on friendly terms.  He’s even coming to the auction tomorrow for a chance to buy Angel back.”

“Okay,” Angel said with a smile as he went back to drinking his orange juice.

Vaggie was surprised at Angel’s response until he saw Angel’s hands gripping onto the comforter on her bed for dear life.

“I’m inviting some of your other associates too, Angel,” Alastor said.

Angel looked up from his drink and replied, “Is that so?  Who all are you inviting?”

Alastor’s smile somehow grew wider.

Vaggie narrowed her gaze on Alastor as she realized that he was about to pull another stop.

“Well, if you must know,” Alastor began unable to completely conceal his excitement underneath his calm, businesslike demeanor.  “I’ve invited Valentino, of course.  I’ve invited Vox and Velvet, as well as many other overlords and minor kingpins that you might recognize, including Cherri Bomb, Sir Pentious, and…Who am I forgetting?  It was on the tip of my tongue.  Oh, yes!  Your family!”

Angel’s eyes flashed in panic as he immediately spat out his orange juice on the plate in front of him and started coughing on whatever he managed to swallow.

Vaggie turned to Angel fearfully, and completely disregarding Alastor’s warnings, put a hand on Angel’s back in support, and asked, “Angel?  Angel, are you alright?  Angel?”

Alastor’s smile did not change at all while Angel’s coughing subsided.  He didn’t even seem to care that Vaggie was touching Angel as he nonchalantly walked up to him and handed him a handkerchief to wipe his face with.

Vaggie snatched the handkerchief from Alastor, wiped Angel’s face, and said, “Angel, are you…?”

Ignoring the pain on his busted knee, Angel got to his feet, slid the cart away, grabbed Alastor’s collar, and yelled straight in his face, “You invited my fucking family?!”

Alastor stood there relishing the physical pain, fear, and anger behind Angel’s eyes for just a second before he gently pushed Angel back onto the bed and said, “Yes, siree.  Your father Henroin and your older brother Arackniss, if I’m not mistaken.  I thought that since they’re your blood they’d like the chance to bid on you.  They were more than happy to accept the invitation when I contacted them.  It seems that they have been waiting for the right opportunity to reunite meet you…”

“You son-of-a-bitch…” Angel spat out angrily clenching his fists.

“Angel, stop!” Vaggie said pleadingly grabbing onto Angel’s arm to hold him back.

“What’s the matter, Angel?” Alastor asked cocking his head back innocently.  “Isn’t the possibility of reuniting with your family a good thing?”

“You’ve talked to them!” Angel snapped back.  “You know exactly why I don’t want to see them ever again, ya bastard!”

Alastor tutted and said, “Angel, there’s no reason for that sort of language, especially not in front of a lady like my beautiful bride…”

“Oh, shove it!” Vaggie yelled.  “You know what you’ve done!”

“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Alastor replied with a light chuckle.  “All I’ve done is grant an opportunity for a prodigal son to return to his family.”

Suddenly, without warning, Angel jumped from his spot on the bed on top of Alastor knocking the both of them to the floor as Angel’s hands wrapped around Alastor’s throat.

“Angel, stop it!” Vaggie pleaded as she flew over and tried pulling Angel off Alastor.

“Run, Vaggie!” Angel replied without breaking his concentration.  “If Alastor has gone this far to screw me over, what do you think he’s got planned for you?!  You have to go!”

“Not without you!” Vaggie retorted.  “Come…”

“NEItheR Of YoU ArE GoinG ANyWheRe…”

In the blink of an eye, Alastor was standing up and holding Angel by the neck as the room around them filled with static, Alastor’s antlers grew, and his eyes turned into radio dials.

Vaggie froze in fear while Angel struggled to reach his feet to the ground and loosen his neck from Alastor’s grip.  Both of their eyes bright in absolute terror as they wondered what Alastor would do next.

However, instead of violent display of power they were both expecting, Alastor cut out his static, returned to his normal demeanor, and dropped Angel on the floor where he fell over writhing in pain and struggling to catch his breath.

As if forgetting anything had just happened, Alastor sighed and said, “Angel, what’s done is done.  You having a violent outburst won’t change anything.”

“My violent outburst?” Angel asked incredulously.  “You got a screw loose if you think I’m going home with my shitty family.”

“What a ridiculous statement!  I never expected you to go home with any of your potential buyers willingly,” Alastor replied with a dark chuckle as he reached out a hand towards Angel.

Angel stubbornly pushed the hand away and tried standing himself up using the bed as support before Vaggie quietly pushed past Alastor and helped Angel get to his feet herself.

Alastor watched on disapprovingly without breaking his smile, shook his head, and said, “I can’t believe you find such an unsavory character to be your friend, my dear.”

“You’re the unsavory character, asshat!” Vaggie spat back as she helped Angel sit back on her bed.

“Babe?” Angel said weakly grabbing Vaggie’s shoulder.

“Angel?” Vaggie asked, turning around to see Angel start to lose consciousness.  “Angel, what’s happening?”

“Why don’t ya ask the stag?” Angel said angrily leering at Alastor as Vaggie helped him lay down on the bed.

“What the fuck did you do?!” Vaggie yelled at the Radio Demon standing in place with his smug smile.

“Oh, Vaggie, Angel is not in the best mood right now,” Alastor said as he slowly lifted his hand to show the freshly-emptied syringe.  “He’s so cranky and irritable and not at all pleasant to be around.  Surely, a nap would do him some good.  Don’t you think?”

“You cheating bastard…” Angel muttered just loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“Now, now, Angel,” Alastor interrupted wagging his finger disapprovingly.  “You got to bathe and eat your breakfast, but you repaid me by attacking me and upsetting my bride.  Now, you can rest while my servants fix your knee until it’s time for you to wake up to relieve yourself and eat lunch.”

“You motherfucking…” Vaggie snarled.

“Vaggie, it’s okay,” Angel interrupted, his eyes struggling to maintain consciousness.  “I’ll be fine.  But listen.  The moment I’m gone, Alastor has nothing on you.  So, please, give him enough hell for the both of us.”

With that, Angel fell asleep on the bed.

After a moment of silence, Alastor said, “Strange.  The serum usually takes less time to sedate people.  He must have more tolerance...”

“Why the fuck did you do that?!” Vaggie snapped furiously.

Alastor struck his cane on the ground, instantly summoning his familiars who pushed out the carts and carried Angel’s limp body back to his room.

Vaggie tried to follow them, but Alastor grabbed her arm, pulled her in close, wrapped one arm around her, held her chin up with his free hand, and said, “Honestly, dear, because I thought that we could use some alone time.  With everything going on, we’ve been so busy that we haven’t had much time to enjoy each other’s company.”

Vaggie glared angrily, wishing her stare was strong enough to bore eyes through Alastor’s damn skull.

Alastor smiled and said, “How’s about you and I go into the city for some last-minute preparations for tomorrow?”

“Forget it,” Vaggie said as she shook out of Alastor’s hold and attempted to walk past him to get to Angel’s room.  “I’m not helping you sell Angel.  There’s no fucking way!”

Alastor chuckled as he grabbed Vaggie, pulled her back into his arms, and said darkly, “Vaggie, dear, I’m not asking you if you want to accompany me.  I’m telling you to.”

Vaggie felt a shiver run down her spine and a gulp go down her throat as Alastor summoned her purse, took her arm in his, and merrily walked her out of the room and down the hall.