Chapter 20

Angel assisted Trevor in getting a proper suit ready. Trevor appeared to be pretty confident on the outside, but inside, he was freaking out big-time.

"First time going on a date?" Angel asked.

"Yep," Trevor replied.

"Nervous?"

"As can be expected."

Angel almost didn't buy it, since Trevor was playing it so cool, but he remembered that Trevor liked to play tricks on people's minds. He was a master at fooling people.

"Just take it slow," Angel advised, "and don't do anything I would do."

"Right. Be like Alastor."

"No, definitely not. There's a gray area between me and Alastor, and that's where you need to be."

"Got it."

Trevor looked at the suit that Angel helped him pick. He was, to be honest, quite smartly dressed.

Charlie helped Vaggie find just the right outfit for her date. Vaggie, unlike Trevor, was clearly panicking.

"I'm so goddamn nervous," she said, "I think I'm gonna throw up."

"Save that for after the date," Charlie advised. "Or, if it's unavoidable, make doubly sure not to get any on your dress."

"Yeah, that's not putting any pressure on me," Vaggie said sarcastically.

"You'll be fine! We've gone out on dates before!"

"Yeah, but you're so goofy and carefree. Trevor is clever and just plain weird."

"If he's so weird, then why are you going out with him?"

"Well... the point of a date is to find out if we are compatible, right?"

"Exactly! The point of a date is to be yourself! If neither of you like the other for themself, then there's no harm done!"

Vaggie smiled at Charlie. The she-devil always knew how to cheer her up.

Finally, Vaggie looked at herself in the mirror. If she was slightly more self-absorbed, she would have said that she was dressed to kill.

"And now, for the finishing touch!" Charlie held her hand out, and Vaggie's eye widened when she saw what Charlie was holding.

"No fucking way."

Trevor stood patiently in the lobby. He was dressed in a black tuxedo with a white shirt and a black tie. He made sure that his boots were extra clean, but he didn't bother polishing them, as that would be too pushy.

He heard the familiar sound of high-heels on wooden stairs. He turned and saw what was probably the most beautiful sight in all Nine Circles of Hell.

Vaggie wore a black dress that went down to her knees, and wore knee-high, high-heel boots. She had a thin shawl over her shoulders, and her missing left eye was covered by an eyepatch.

Trevor placed his finger under his nose to make sure he wasn't bleeding. Damn, he thought. Light bleed? She deserves more than this!

"Your nose OK?" Vaggie asked.

"I'll manage," Trevor replied. "It's nothing that shouldn't happen in this circumstance."

Vaggie looked at his nose. "It's bleeding."

"Exactly."

Vaggie blushed at his indirect praise. She knew that she was very good-looking in this outfit, but attractive enough to cause a nosebleed?

"Where are we heading to?" she asked.

"It's a surprise," Trevor said.

"You tease. How will I know if I can afford it?"

"You don't have to. You live the life I lead, and you get more money than you know you need. In short, I'll pay for it."

Vaggie blushed again. Was she really worth all this attention?

The limousine stopped outside a very special restaurant. It wasn't very fancy, but the food was famous for being exceptionally delicious.

"The Burrow's Manger?!" Vaggie said excitedly. "I've been wanting to eat here since I arrived in Hell!"

"I know." Trevor turned to the driver of the limo. "Find somewhere to park, and make sure Darling doesn't try anything."

Angel shot him a smile as he drove away. Trevor turned back to Vaggie and the restaurant.

"Charlie knew that you wanted to eat here," he said. "She felt guilty for not taking you here when she had the chance."

"Well, I'm happy to eat here with you." Vaggie wrapped her arm around Trevor's and walked inside. The waiter took them to a table for two, which was positioned near the dance floor.

"You expecting me to dance with you?" Vaggie asked.

"Not if you don't want to," Trevor replied. "I didn't make any reservations."

"Oh, how romantic," she joked. She really didn't care. He was treating her to a night out, and she couldn't be upset with anything.

"Here's your menus," the waiter said, handing them two paper menus wrapped in plastic. "Oh, and someone did reserve this table for you."

"Really?" Trevor asked. "Who?"

"Someone by the name of Alistair."

Trevor and Vaggie shared a look of surprise. Why the hell would Alastor give them a reservation?

"Shall I start you off with some drinks?" the waiter asked.

"Do you serve cherry wine here?" Trevor asked, being answered by a nod from the waiter. "Then I'll have that. Vaggie?"

"I'll have the same."

The waiter left, and the couple looked in their menus. Trevor muttered gibberish as he read through the choices, earning a smile from Vaggie.

"Ah, thank the Devil they have it!" he finally said. "Salmon in Alfredo sauce! Haven't had that in years!"

"You enjoy fish?" Vaggie asked.

"Salmon and carp, mostly. Any fish that hasn't been filled with nasty crap is perfectly fine with me."

Vaggie nodded, then thought for a moment. She never had fish before. What was it like?

After being served the wine, they both ordered the salmon. Trevor gave her a curious look.

"You have fish before?" Trevor asked.

"No, not really," she replied shyly.

"It's fine. In most cases, it's an acquired taste. I was lucky enough to enjoy it the first time around."

"What does it taste like?"

"The flavor is usually very weak, so most people bread it or drown it in sauce. The texture is quite unique, and it has a tendency to fall apart."

"So why do most people hate it?"

"I think it has something to do with the water they were caught in. Saltwater fish, in my experience, have more... potent taste than freshwater fish. That's the beauty of salmon. They can go from saltwater to fresh with no problem."

The waiter served them their dishes. Trevor and Vaggie both took a bite, and they both realized the same thing:

This salmon was caught in saltwater.

"Oh, Christ on a stick!" Trevor exclaimed. "This is not good salmon!"

"I agree!" Vaggie said. "Damn, that's awful!"

"I think I'll go with the steak instead. What about you?"

"Sure thing."

The waiter removed their plates full of salmon, and returned with medium-rare steaks. Trevor grinned when he saw the steak.

"Ah, just the right amount of char," he said, cutting into the juicy steak. "Just the way I like it."

Vaggie smiled. She was raised in El Salvador, where they had a tendency to burn everything. This steak was burnt just right.

They ate happily, the steaks muffling their voices. Few people could pass up such deliciousness.

"Aw, that hits the spot," Trevor sighed. "Would you like dessert, my sweet?"

Vaggie almost froze. My sweet?

"Y-Yeah, I'll take some. What do they have?"

"Let's see here." Trevor looked in the menu again. "'Chocolate cake. Black cookies. Baja Blast cakes.'"

"Baja Blast?" Vaggie asked.

"It's a special type of soft drink. I'm not overly fond of it, but I don't hate it, either."

"Let's try that."

The waiter took their order and replaced the steak platters with two medium-sized green-blue cakes.

"Looks mighty tasty!" Vaggie said before taking a bite. The flavor melted into her tongue.

"Oh, yeah," Trevor mumbled. "I have a whole new respect for Baja Blast now."

"Oh, that's good!" Vaggie couldn't help but eat the rest of her cake. She was a little disappointed when she finished.

"Heh, they're meant to be savored, not inhaled," Trevor joked lightly, before taking a piece of cake on his fork and holding it out for her.

Vaggie blushed as she opened her mouth. She could taste the cake, as well as Trevor's saliva, on the fork. It was... oddly erotic.

"Can I have my fork back now?" Trevor asked.

Vaggie realized that she still had his fork in her mouth and pulled back. Trevor smiled, but said nothing.

"That... wasn't weird, was it?" Vaggie asked.

"Everyone's a little weird," Trevor replied. "Something like that is relatively normal."

Vaggie smiled back, but still blushed. He really knew how to make someone feel at ease.