Chapter 26
Lucifer's Palace
The occupants of the Hazbin Hotel walked into the ballroom of Lucifer's palace. The ball was actually a masquerade, and everyone wore a mask that fit their personality.
"Tell me again why I agreed to this?" Angel asked, wearing a spider mask that complemented his slim black and white dress.
"Because Alastor likes my father too much to let you stay," Charlie replied, donning a goat mask. "Dad invited everyone, and if you stayed at home, then Dad would find out and be extremely mad. He's not very... forgiving."
"Yeah, I get it, he's the Devil."
Everyone turned to see how Trevor and Vaggie turned out. As the two walked into the room, everybody was awestruck by their style.
Trevor was dressed in a fancy tuxedo with a snake mask, while Vaggie was clad in the same dress she wore on her date with Trevor, with the addition of a large-eyed mask that looked like a moth.
"Aren't you just a beautiful couple!" Charlie exclaimed.
"Thank you, ma'am." Trevor bowed politely, and Vaggie did the best curtsy she could.
"Ah, yes! You two can certainly get along well in the Masquerade!" Alastor praised, his red eyes peering through his deer mask.
"Just give me a shout if you need an assist," Victor advised as he adjusted his skull mask.
"I don't think that will be necessary, but thanks anyway, brother mine," Trevor replied.
The group then walked into the ballroom. Lovely music was playing, and many demon and imp couples were dancing in the middle of the floor.
"Care to dance?" Trevor asked.
"I'd be delighted to," Vaggie replied.
The couple then walked onto the dance floor. Trevor joined his right hand with Vaggie's left and placed his left on her thigh, while Vaggie placed her right hand on his shoulder.
"You practice?" he asked.
"Charlie and I have been to a couple balls before," she replied. "You?"
"My mother taught me back in high school before a prom. I almost threw up in the car on the way there."
"Talk about nervousness."
The dance went by rather smoothly. Trevor was an excellent lead, due to his mother's great training.
"What's your mother like?" Vaggie asked.
"Honestly? You'd never know that she raised a serial killer. She's so sweet around other people, and was so good to us. It surprised all of us when Victor started killing."
"'All of us?' You have another sibling?"
"Yeah. Her name is Mackenzie, but between you and me, she used to be Mac."
"Oh, got it."
After a while, the next song began, and the couple decided to quit the dance.
"Well, I enjoyed that," Trevor said. "Rather invigorating."
"Yeah, but it really does a number when you're wearing heels," Vaggie groaned.
They retired to the tables where Vaggie could rest, then Trevor heard a familiar tune.
"I recognize this tune," he said. "Give me a moment."
He quickly walked up to the musicians and conversed with them, before disappearing behind them.
"What is he doing this time?" Vaggie wondered.
Suddenly, the music exploded, and people came flooding in, singing a song that she was unfamiliar with.
"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!"
Charlie stood next to Vaggie as Trevor appeared in the center of the spectacle, dancing in radically energetic movements.
"What is this song?" Vaggie wondered.
"Masquerade, from The Phantom of the Opera," Charlie answered. "My Dad has a love-hate relationship with that movie, and this is one of his favorite songs from the movie."
The dance largely used fans, but Trevor instead used his draconic wings. Everyone was impressed with the number, especially with Trevor's act. His movements were a combination of fluidity and pure energy that was rarely witnessed.
When the music number ended, the crowd applauded loudly and screamed their approval. Many ladies ran up to praise Trevor, but he was uninterested and instead went straight to Vaggie.
"Loved it," she said. "I've never seen the movie, but you impressed me greatly."
"You've never seen the movie?" Trevor asked incredulously. "Well, we can't have that."
At that moment, a demon in a bird mask walked up to him.
"I thoroughly enjoyed your performance, dearest," she praised. "I would like to ask if you would be interested in taking the next dance."
Vaggie almost got up and screamed at the demoness, but Trevor's hand on her shoulder reassured her.
"Thank you for the offer," Trevor replied, "but I will take the next dance with my girlfriend."
The demoness looked down at Vaggie, her face seemingly contorting into an expression of disgust.
"Really? Her?" she asked. "You'll have a much better time with me, I promise you."
Vaggie wanted to rip this woman's head off so badly, but Trevor's calm grasp kept her seated.
"I would advise that you leave, now," Trevor calmly stated, "before I call upon the hellfire to cleanse this Circle of your presence."
It wasn't so much his words that scared her off than it was his appearance. His pupils narrowed into slits, and the hair on the back of his head lengthened into a cobra hood-like shape.
"I-I apologize," the demoness stuttered, before leaving quickly.
Vaggie was exhausted from just being angry at the woman, and rested her head on Trevor's hand. He felt this and ran his other hand gently through her hair.
"Wanna go home?" he asked.
"Please."
Adriana watched as the Dragon Demon and his moth girlfriend left the ball. She watched his performance and became instantly smitten with him, and only wanted him for herself.
This moth demoness was a problem, however, and must be dealt with before Adriana can make her move.
Maybe I.M.P. could be of service.