The Double-Blind Effect
Chapter 13
Serendipity
"When you meet the one who changes your heart beats, dance with them to that rhythm for as long as the song lasts." — Krik Diedrich.
(Day 15: One day before the party)
Morning
"Charlie… please wake up… I promise I'll put in a ten percent effort in the rehabilitation program… so just wake up." An unknown voice beseeched.
….
…
..
"Yes, love, I know." Lucifer pushed back into the black leather seating inside a limbo, and a smartphone pressed against his ear. The limousine was currently driving through Pentagram City towards the hotel's location. He practically begged Lilith into letting him be the one to see Charlie instead of her.
"I want to remind you of last time fiasco. You two haven't spoken in months. So, I'm asking you to please mind your pride, Charlie's your daughter, and she needs her father." Lilith tenderly spoke through the other end of the line.
"I know, Li'Li, I will." Ever since he received a phone call from the Hell Princess, the urged to see his daughter festered at him, but his pride disputed the emotion. Yesterday, when he received a call from her girlfriend about Charlie's condition, he tossed pride aside. The fallen angel desperately wanted to see her then, but boring business meetings prohibited that from happening. 'Just because your King doesn't always mean you can do what you want.' Fortunately, he canceled all appointments for today and until further notice. He missed his daughter and that little sparkle she brought into his life.
The limousine drove up the curve of the hotel's main entrance, then parked. "I'm here. I'll call you as soon as I can. I love you."
"I love you more."
His eyes twinkled with affection; a mischievous smile curved his mouth. "No, I love you more." He raved.
"I love you the most." She purred, basking in the warmth of her dear husband's attention. "Don't forget to call me for updates. Goodbye, my love." She hung up.
'Aww.' A small part of him moped, desiring to play their usual 'I love you,' phone game of who loves who more—a game which there is no winner and takes hours to play.
The chauffeur left the driver's seat and moved to the end of the limbo, opening the door for the fallen angel as the king shoved his phone into his pockets and got out. He abruptly stopped walking, for something unusual captured his attention as he stared up at the building's sign; a baffled look struck his face. 'Hazbin Hotel? Now that's hilarious. I could have sworn Charlie called it the Happy Hotel.' The fallen angel opened the entrance door without knocking, instantly greeted by Alastor sitting in the lobby. "Well, if it isn't, Alastor. It's been far too long, hasn't it, old chum?" He graciously twirled his apple cane within his claw before hitting the cane's end to the floor. 'So, my suspicions were correct. The static I hear was coming from him.'
Alastor peeked up from a book, flashing an infamous smile at Lucifer. He detected the presence of Lucifer within a mile radius, knowing from the frowning dame's phone call, one of his plaything parents was guaranteed to show up. Closing the book to set it aside, he stood up and sauntered over to the king.
"It's always a pleasure to see you, Lucifer." They respectably shook each other's hands with no malice or showboating one's power.
"I must say, you have my humble gratitude for saving my beloved, Charlie."
"No thanks are in order. It was my pleasure to help when called upon." How odd. Those words seem far too genuine. Why?
"Haha—I see." Lucifer let out a dry laugh, detouring around the Radio Demon, he gazed up the staircase, but before journeying further, he stopped. A ferocious smirk played on his mouth; a devious thought struck his core. "Alastor… how did you do it?"
"You'll have to elaborate better, Lucifer. Do what exactly?"
The yellow sclera in Lucifer's eyes illuminated, and gaze darkened as he turns his head over the shoulder. "Her girlfriend informed me about what happened to Charlie. How did you eradicate the scum? Unfortunately, I didn't catch your broadcast."
A cold laugh escaped Alastor's throat, crossing his arms behind the back, and with half-lidded eyes, he stared back. "I slowly disemboweled them alive and hanged them over a power line; I'm sure the buzzers are happily feasting on their roasted corpses. I allowed one sinner to witness it before I personally took pleasure to devour him."
"I see, excellent! However, had it been me, I would have gone about it differently. Do you want to know what I would have done?" He moseyed closer to the overlord; his grin was turning unsettlingly. "Killing is easy, but making one suffer now that's art. If they have any family, I would have gone after their bloodline and prevent any of these vermin sinners from revenge killing. Skin them alive, or make them watch you take the life of someone precious to them. I want that look of despair in their eyes. They will be set as an example of what happens to those who defy me."
Silent.
"Ah—I do it myself, but I'm always so busy, and it's so hard to find good help nowadays because of too many spineless demons afraid of a little blood and gore." He downheartedly sighed, aware that the deer demon loves to hunt.
"You know, it's such a lovely day out. I think I'll take a walk."
"Enjoy your little outing. I look forward to your return." The fallen angel went upstairs as Alastor left the premises. Pressing on the elevator door's button, it dings then opened, he stepped inside, and the silver motorized doors closed behind him. The elevator ding again, arriving at Charlie's floor, and the doors slowly opened as he walks out.
The princess's room door suddenly opened, emerging out was a doctor in a white lab coat. His old eyes glimpsed at Lucifer and sauntered over to the Hell King. "Excellent timing, your highness."
"How is she?" Lucifer's father mode quickly activated.
"She's sleeping. Your majesty, there isn't anything more I can do for her. She's completely healed after two days. It's fascinating really, I've never seen anything of the sort in a demon, and I watched the wounds heal right before my very eyes." The family doctor drew out from inside his coat Charlie's file, opening it up to unveil X-rays images. "Look at this X-ray from two days ago." He pointed at the picture. "You see, right there is a hairline fracture in her rip; however, I noticed her wounds vanished within a day. Out of curiosity, I took another X-ray image, and you see there, it's like it never occurred."
"What are you trying to tell me, doc?"
Closing the file, the feline sinner adjusted his circular frame glasses and looked at the king. "No demon has the capability of healing themselves or potentially others. Only an angel has that sort of gift. I suppose you can think of it as 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree,' your lordship."
'She exhibited no angelic powers before… what awakened it? Raphael is the only angel that I know who can heal.' Lucifer stood silent, then cleared his throat. "When will she wake up?"
"Hmm, it's hard to say really, it could be now, in a few hours, or perhaps another day. She's recuperating the energy she lost."
"I see. Good work." The Hell King ambled past the doctor, opening the door to his daughter's room.
(One hour later)
After a while, Charlie stirred in the warmth of her bed, fluttering open her doe eyes, and sat up from the bed to brush back tresses of her pale blonde hair behind the ear. 'That's strange. I don't remember going to bed.' The initial shock from what befell on the rooftop shot into her mind. 'Alastor saved me, I'm sure of it….' She recalled the agony, yet the pain vanished, and the experience felt more dreamlike than real. Pushing against her shirt's collar, she didn't see any sign of abrasion, nothing but unblemished skin. Something funny was attached to her wrist, glimpsing down she saw an IV connected to her, and despite the recent turns of events, she felt fantastic. Scanning the bedroom's environment, she noticed the Hell King sitting in a pink chair with closed eyes, much to her surprise. "Daddy?"
Lucifer's eyes snapped open to the sound of his daughter's soft voice. Shutting the random book he obtained from her room to pass the time, he promptly stood up, promenading over to the princess, and sat down at the edge of the bedside. "Charlie." His claws scooped a plentiful amount of her adorably rosy cheeks and soothingly massaged them.
She sunnily smiled in response to her father's affectionate touch, which almost made her forget they weren't on speaking terms.
"Oooh, Chaaarliie, why didn't you answer me when you called?" The fallen angel spoke in a sing-song voice while teasingly pulling her cheeks.
"Owwwiiiie—Dad, that hurts!" She wrenched back from his grasp, puffing her cheeks out unamused, and rubbed one of them with her hand.
"Haha—I'm sorry, honey, I got carried away there."
The Hell Princess frowned at him suspiciously as he let out a lighthearted chuckle. "Dad, what are you doing here?" She asked, pointing out the elephant in the room.
"Can't a father see his daughter without getting the third degree? I was worried about you, sweetie."
Charlie averted his tender gaze and innocently replied. "It's just that the last time we spoke, it didn't go so smoothly, and after that night, I thought for sure you hated me."
"Hate you?" Lucifer bewilderedly retorted. Lifting Charlie's chin, he turned her face towards him. "Nothing from what you do or what you say could ever make me hate you, Charlie."
The princess smiled warmly at her father; a sudden wave of relief washed away her fears of the fallen angel's potential resentment, and she resisted the urge to cry like a child for the sake of having her father hold her. At that moment, she didn't mind his opinion on her hotel just so long as he didn't hate her.
"Are you still planning on throwing this party of yours tomorrow night? You can always postpone if you're not one-hundred percent better."
"What? Dad, I'm fine. Really, I'm fit as a fiddle! Wait—are you and mom planning on coming too?" She only invited her mother at the time, convincing herself the Hell King wouldn't attend.
"And miss the opportunity to listen to you sing?! Not a chance!"
The door suddenly cracked open, Vaggie emerged with two mugs of coffee in her hands. "Your excellency, I ermm—brought you some coffee." She fretfully spoke to Lucifer, gazing at him, then saw Charlie awake and nearly dropped the coffee in devastation. "Charlie!"
"I'll leave you two alone. I have to call your mother, anyhow." Lucifer leaned in to kiss the heiress's forehead. "Bye, sunshine." He rose from the bedside, waltzing out the room, and collected his coffee right before leaving. "Thank you." Pulling out his smartphone, he dialed Lilith's number. 'That girl suits, Charlie.'
"M'kay, bye Dad."
"Oh my satan, Charlie!" Tears were filling her puffy, reddened eyes. Placing the coffee down on a dresser, she hastily stumbled towards the princess's bedside. The moth sniffled and wiped at her runny nose before dropping to her knees, and she pressed her forehead against the cool mattress sheets, clenching the pink comforter. "I'm so sorry, hun. I should have apologized sooner, and we could have prevented this whole catastrophe!"
Charlie's delicate fingers twitched slightly, reaching over to the Hispanic demon she almost wanted to console her, but halfway through, she withdrew and rested her hands in her lap, disheartened. "Hey, you're gonna get snot all over my fresh linen, Vags." She lightheartedly jests as her way to reassure the moth.
"Shuddup…" Vaggie laughed and cried at the same time.
The princess could not conceal an overwhelming emotion that plagued her heart and mind, a feeling that she willfully chose to ignore for the longest time. She fell out of love, or was she never in love to begin? She cared for the moth, but no longer in the romantic aspect. 'Are you lying to protect me, or really yourself?' A voice that sounded too much like hers danced in the back of her mind.
Is it fair to pretend like the flames of passion don't exist or accept reality? More crucially, should she tell the truth? Is it better to hurt Vags by the fact or keep her happy with lies? "Vaggie… we need to talk." The heiress downheartedly sighed, wondering when someone would explain to her the book of love for dummies and if it came with a user-friendly guide.
Vags lifted her head from the mattress's side, using her sleeve to wipe away excessive snot and tears. She sat on the edge of the bed, attempting to reach for her girlfriend's hand, but Charlie retracted them. "What is it?"
"I think we should break up." She murmured, chewing on her lip.
"What? Wh—where is this coming from?! Is this be-because of what happened to Angel or about Alastor?" Her heart going suddenly still then plunged downward.
"Yes, no… yes. Vags, you've changed. It's about you not trusting in me anymore."
"Look, I'm sorry about those things." She fruitlessly attempted to apologize for her discretions.
"No, you're not, and it's okay. I know, you think you were trying to protect me, but all you did was chastise and disrespect all my decision-making, and you haven't su-supported me for a while." Tears were filling Charlie's eyes, her throat constricted. "And it hurts when all I have ever done was try to s-soothe your worries, and you keep coming back to be-berate me, yet y-you haven't attempted to reassure me or even apologize about your actions."
'This sucks, and it hurts, but it's for the best.' The heiress vision began to blur from the stored tears, blinking several times the waterworks flew down her cheeks to the jawline, and her lips trembled, tasting the saltness of her tears. "It hurts too much, and things between us haven't been the same."
"I can change…." Vaggie failed to suppress a sod, but she tried to look brave.
"That'll only be a temporary band-aid, and don't." Charlie discovered what she needed was to focus on what is her top priority is. The welfare of her patients, instead of relationships and fleeting romances. Despite her new feelings towards Alastor, it's for the best that she doesn't get involved with him. "I'm sorry… but I think this is for the best."
"…Okay." The moth lowered her gaze to the floor.
"I completely understand if you don't want to help me run—"
With a pained face, she gazed at Charlie and interjected. "No, please let me help. I still believe in your cause!" The sincerity coming from the heiress burned tears in Vaggie's eyes. "Besides, maybe I could attend a session on anger management. I heard the therapist at this hotel goes above and beyond helping a patient in need." Vags struggled to muster out a half-smile.
Consequentially, Charlie let out a mixture of laughter and a choked sob. "… Alright, if that's what you want."
It became too difficult for the moth sinner to look at her ex-girlfriend with a struggling standard expression, and she quickly sprang up from the bedside, focusing herself on staring at the bedroom's door. "I—I should get going. There are some things I need to tend to." Vaggie bee-lined it to the door, turning the doorknob.
Right before Vags left, the princess's lips parted, and nearly faint words spilled out. "Umm—ho-how is Angel doing?"
"He's fine… he's just sleeping." And just like that, Vaggie left.
Charlie fell back against her mattress; an urgent need for levity overwhelmed her. Despite the hot tears rolling down her rosy cheeks and a sense of sadness loomed over her like a gloomy cloud, her heartfelt relieved knowing she made the right decision.
All she needs is time, time to be okay with being okay.
'I wonder what's my off-chance is into persuading Dad to buy me some ice cream and a pineapple pizza.' And so, she begins her first steps of recovering from a breakup by treating herself to some much-needed self-indulging! 'Come to think about it. I wonder where Alastor is? I need to thank him, but I don't want him to see me like this, maybe at another time. I bet I look like crap.'
(Day 16: The big night!)
The night was young and full of promise, and the lingering glimmers of scarlet shined through the stained glass arched windows. Charlie slipped on two dainty black gloves that went up to her wrists, and she gazed at a rectangular standing mirror. She chose a spunky dress perfect for a night like this; it's not over-the-top and perfect for dancing in. The top portion of the dress was a red sleeveless vest with thin vertical white stripes. The dress was black from the waist down, stopping short to her knees, and had cute design patterns of apples in a set array of colors.
The slightest sensation of apprehension fluttered in her stomach, or was it from eating an entire pineapple pizza yesterday? 'Haha—I can't believe Dad is still moping over it. In my defense, I didn't eat for two days! I was starving!' On a separate note, the fallen angel spoke to her about the reasoning why she healed so fast. 'Apparently, I did inherit my father's angelic powers. I guess powers aren't like puberty. It can show up out of the blue. Too bad, I have no clue on how to use it.'
While residuals of sadness still resided within the heiress, the relief to tell the truth and the exhilaration of the party she's hosting for potential benefactors comforted her. Generally, through a breakup, she'd eat her weight in ice cream while listening to sad songs for days on end; however, this time, there wasn't an urge. She wanted—no, needed to get out to see her dreams flourish! The desired to help her people rejuvenated her, giving her the kick in the butt she needed to get out of bed. Furthermore, she had a commitment to uphold the deal to be Alastor's date.
Slapping her rosy cheeks, she made many funny faces in the mirror for that extra boost of cheerfulness, and suddenly she heard knocking on the door. "Coming!" Quick as a hare, she skipped to the door and opened it.
The overlord's intense dark gaze lingered on his plaything for more than a minute. "Heavens, my dear! May I be so bold to say you look radiant and all dolled-up!" His hypnotic velvet voice purred; the static left his voice. He wore a vermilion tuxedo similar to the one he wore when they first dance together.
Those words made her heart summersault. "Thank you."
"Are you to show these high hats that your hotel is worth their berries?" Alastor energetically declared.
"Hell yeah!"
"Then let's get a wiggle on and allow me to escort the hostess to her party properly!" Stretching out his arm, Charlie loops and rest her hands on it. Everything down to the last detail was going according to his ingenious plan, except for the one flaw he didn't anticipate and ignored through his negligence. He didn't foresee her to be so spontaneous and a wild card.
Is it possible that he treaded too far down the rabbit hole? The idea of abandoning the game has crossed his mind; pondering the possibility of the game turning in his favor continued to exhilarate him. He detested losing or conceding, and he was so close to victory, he could taste it. Once succussing, the alien emotion that disturbed him since the start of the game will vanish, and everything can return to normal.
They took the elevator down to the first story. "Al, I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you came to my rescue, seriously… thank you." The Hell Princess sincerely stated, recalling Alastor saying that he'd helped her under the conditions of another deal, and for him to go back on his word delightfully surprised her. 'To be honest, I didn't know why I called for him or knew if he'd even answer… I just had to try.'
"Think nothing of it! It was my wish to help you, my dear." Alastor waggled his deadly claw reassuringly.
A warm, sweet smile plucked the side of her lips.
The metal elevator doors opened wide, and her doe eyes lit up like starlight at sight to behold! A display of colorful balloons engulfed the ceiling and extended down into the lobby and throughout various rooms. In the entry, the hired help cleared everything out this morning and swapped it with long white rectangular tables with pink table runners and scrumptious finger foods from savory to sweet.
There were small circular tables throughout the enormous lobby, and sophisticated demons socialized and conversed. The party stretched throughout the ground floor into countless rooms. The overlord's shadows generated jazzy music with numerous instruments on a stage in one room, and sinners danced. The gathering went as far as outside at the poolside, various hanging clear lights illuminated outside, and an array of hues flashed within the pool. A younger generation of sinners mingled around there and swam, they had way too much cash than to know what to do with, or they represented, their folks that couldn't attend.
Husk's bar appeared to be drawing in a crowd, much to his irritation.
Alastor guided Charlie down the grand stairway, and upon the last step, he removed his arm from hers. "Please, excuse me, my demon belle. I have to discuss certain matters with our potential patrons but don't you fret. I'll have everyone gather here in a jiffy for your speech!"
"Cool beans!" The heiress retorted, signaling him two thumbs up as he left. In a blink of a second, she caught sight of Angel sitting at the bar, flirting with Husk as usual. Walking over to the circular bar, she took a sit then lean inward towards the spider and smiled warmly. "Angel, I'm glad to see you're doing well!"
"Oh yeah, toots, I'm more than better." He glimpsed quickly to the Hell Princess, and then his gaze lurked over to the bartender. "I know how to take a pounding in case yur interested, handsome." The spider sinner smiled boastfully at Husk.
The feline rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. He fixed numerous drinks and set them onto the marble countertop. Some sinners collected their glasses and left the bar, but two pink drinks with sliced strawberries inside were left untouched. "That one is yurs, princess. A non-acholic sparkling strawberry lemonade." He pointed to the left drink.
"R-really?"
"Yah, you and that flashy owl guy are the only two that like colorful fruity drinks." His long claws pointed over to Stolas, chatting to Lucifer and Lilith.
Charlie pivoted her head over the shoulder to see whom Husk referred. 'Oh, Stolas is here. I'm glad Mom made it.' Knowing her parents didn't support her cause was okay; it's the fact that they are here, which showed they love her. 'Al, never stopped supporting me, even if his intentions aren't that good.' Grasping the tall cold glass, she greedily downed more than half the drink and licked the remnants of the beverage off the corner of her lips. "Oh wow, Husk, this drink tastes amazing!"
"Yah? Good… I guess." He nonchalantly responded.
Alastor moseyed on over, placing his glove claw upon the princess's shoulder from behind. "Everything is in order, sweetheart. Are you ready?"
The heiress turned the swivel bar stool around and smiled at him. "Totally!" Hopping off the seat, they assembled over to the grand stairway and ventured halfway up.
"… or was that the princess's drink?" The feline sinner questionably eyed the second drink.
Angel stared flabbergasted at Husk, yanking the heiress's glass quickly; he guzzled down the rest of her drink. The overly sweetened drink dulled the taste of multiple shots of liquor. He had a hunch that Charlie's unfamiliarized palate couldn't tell the difference between fruity alcoholic drinks to non-alcoholic sweet drinks since she swore off alcohol. "Fuck, yah gave her the entire bar!" He murmured, leaning in towards the indifferent feline.
"…whatever."
"How the fuck yah got all this booze to begin with?" The spider inquired.
"Mr. Big shot thought our clients deserved premium alcoholic beverages."
Silent.
"… wanna take bets on what the princess does?" Husk question.
"Ya think, I'm that much of a piece of shit that I'd start betting on my friend's wellbeing? Fuck yeah, I'm in!" The spider scooped out a couple of crinkles bills from his pocket then slammed them on the marble countertop. 'Whatever she does, it's gonna be fucking hilarious!'
With the snap of the Radio Demon's fingers, his shadows went into a frenzy, assembling every sinner to the lobby. Green mist swirled around his glove as it volleyed up to the ceiling lights, dimming down the lights from the entire entry, except one bright light shined down upon him. He lightly tapped on his microphone staff, which materialized within his palm. "Testing, testing one, two."
The inanimate blinked its eye open and glanced up at its master. "I read you loud and clear!" It chirpily announced. The crowd simmered down into total hush, bestowing their unbridled attention and reverence to the overlord. His shadows patrolled the bar, snack stations and thwarted any sinners' plan attempting to skedaddle. 'No one is going anywhere, or I'll take them for a ride.'
"Good evening, ladies and gentleman, it's my pos-i-lute-ly great pleasure to introduce to you our charming hostess and founder of this fine establishment, the Hazbin Hotel! She has an important message to all of us sinners, which we should all pipe down, and open our wallets because once you hear her message, you'll be throwing your rubes to the cause! You saw her on the picture-show. She's your princess and heir to the throne. Ladies and gents, please join me in welcoming Magne!" Alastor gestured an arm outward to the princess beside him, simultaneously another bright ceiling light illuminated down upon her. The room reverberated with the sounds of polite clapping.
"Hello everyone! Thank you, Alastor, for that welcoming introduction!" Charlie quickly glimpsed over at him; a sunny smile met an infamous one. Subsequently, she gazed back to the curious audience. "I want to thank everyone tonight for coming here in celebration of tomorrow's grand opening! Next, I want to give a special thanks to all my staff members and patient for helping me see this hotel come to prosper!"
Several lights illumined above the patient and staff members as the sponsors offered another round of applause.
Husk scoffed, taking a long swig of some imported beer.
Angel winked, eyeing up and down several potential booty calls.
Niffty eagerly collected litter throughout the room as the moving light had trouble following her swift movements.
A ray of light shined down on Vaggie. Meeting the heiress's gaze cautiously, she offered a half-smile and one thump up before awkwardly averted her gaze.
"There is an important matter I want to discuss, and I urge everyone to listen wholeheartedly. Every day on the same day, we experience a massive loss in population, and I, for one, cannot sit idly by! I'm proposing positive changes in hell that will benefit all of us and eliminate Execution Day." The Hell Princess scanned the room, locating her parents in the midst of it all. They attentively listened.
"I know most of you have already heard me say this on national television, but let me reiterate. I'm proposing an alternative route through the means of redemption, and I believe sinners are capable of being redeemed. It's easy to see the negative, and if heaven treats sinners as they are, they make them worst, but if they treat sinners as they ought to be, like I believe. I can help sinners become what they are capable of becoming. I think heaven judges souls too quickly; they say, 'find good people and let go of the bad ones.', but I say, 'find the good in people and let go of the bad.' No one is perfect."
Charlie's doe eyes studied the silent lobby; glimpsing over at Angel, he gave her four thumbs up, making her smile warmly.
"This is what my hotel aims to achieve we rehabilitate sinners by curing their sins through compassion and love! Look, each one of us here had lost someone we've cherished through Execution Day. I know it must break your hearts, just like it does for me when I see my people suffer meaninglessly. Our ability to love hasn't been hindered because we live here in hell. That ability shows kindness, which is a virtue. If we all open our minds up and broaden our capacity to care for others besides ourselves, just imagine how good we'd feel about ourselves! Love is the answer to everything, and it's the reason to do anything."
Questionable silence.
The Hell Princess puffed her rosy cheeks apprehensively. "Maybe I'm not getting through to you on what love is. I think a song is in order!"
At that moment, Alastor and Charlie telepathically connected; each knew what the other's thinking. With the snap of their fingers, they summoned their minions. Razzle and Dazzle materialized in midair through a fiery vortex, and ominous specters peeled themselves off the top of the stairway with instruments on hand. The shadowy minions generated a simple drumbeat, the shaking of tambourines, and a cheerful piano synchronized to the rhythm.
The Hell Princess nonverbally nodded to her bodyguards for them to act as her backup singers, and then she'd sing jovially from the heart.
I keep coming up with love, but it's so slashed and torn.
Why, why, why!
(Love, love, love, love)
Can't we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can't we give love one more chance?
Why can't we give love that one more chance?
Charlie's voice elevated so acutely; it shattered the glasses within several sinner's hands.
Alastor fascinatedly watched the princess skipped down the grand stairs. He kept his word about giving the patrons a show, and it took little persuasion or exertion through convincing Rosie's friends to become patrons. They had far too much money to know what to do with it. Some fruitlessly donated money to climb the monarchy ladder, believing they could get close to hell's royal family. Others were far too bored, constantly looking for the next party. The rest were a little more than eager when they realized Alastor was cooking up a diabolical scheme.
Just like cupid firing love arrows at unsuspecting people, the heiress pushed random demons together, and they perplexedly stared at one another. Sinners cleared back for the enthusiastic dancer. She identified her parents through the crowd; running over to them, she gave them a bear bug.
Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love
(Give love, give love, give love, give love, give love?)
'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Letting go of her folks, she strode into the midst of the room and twirled around eloquently like a ballerina. One foot fastened on the floor, her arms spread out and carried grace.
Alastor moseyed on over to seize her petite hand, reeling her in. One claw grazed down the small of her back to settle there and dip her down as she wrapped her arms around his collar. The tip of their noses virtually touched.
A docile smile greeted an arrogant one.
All eyes in the room were on the lovely duo, he drew her up, and they dance to the energetic beat shoulder to shoulder. They whirled around and glided their shoes against the tile. The Radio Demon swerved around to face Charlie; promenading backward, she followed along as he held out his lethal claw to her.
Without reluctance holding her back, she fervently placed her palm within his, and he twirled her towards him, but this time, her back faced him. Both of his hands grasped her tiny wrists. Their feet synchronized, moseying zealously back and forth and kicking up one leg from time to time.
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Giving love one more chance
The overlord released one of her hands, spinning her outwards. His feet whimsically pranced on the floor with twists and turns as he led the dance. Rocking her hips to the rhythm, she lightly twisted and spun around. They took each other by the hands, spinning round and round. The dance grew livelier, despite the song nearing the end. Her doe eyes met smoldering ruby eyes, and her pulse fluttered.
A flicker of emotion traversed through his eyes; it was unknown to him.
They connected on the dance floor; a never-never land envelop them, and everything else in the room was irrelevant.
For the last stretch, he promptly twirled her within reach as the other claw outstretches behind her, where she securely fell into his arm as the beat of the music ended several seconds ago. Charlie stared, transfixed on the overlord's face. The lights in the room reverted to their prior glory and broke their fantasy world. Reeling her up, Alastor didn't break contact; an enigmatic smile danced on his mouth.
"Oh shit, did I miss the cue to clap?" Frankie, Angel's video store buddy, mumbled in the far corners of the room, arriving a few minutes ago in the hotel. "Uhh—woohoo go, Charlie!" He uncomfortably shouted in the quiet room and clapped. All eyes stared at him, confounded. 'Da fuck, aren't yah'll suppose to cheer at the end of a performance?'
Charlie lightheartedly laughed.
It wasn't until Lucifer and Lilith unhesitantly clapped, which encouraged others to join, and soon the room filled with the echoes of clapping.
(A few hours later)
The party broke around 3 A.M, but the shadowy band continued to produce a soothing jazz melody. Alastor and Charlie sat together at a small round table eating savory leftovers.
Husk yawned, polishing tall glasses at the bar as Angel leaned against the cold marble countertop and sucked on a popsicle.
"Hahaha—I can't believe it; the hotel secured a monthly revenue from ten sponsors! This is amazing!" The Hell Princess massaged her rosy cheeks elatedly; a permit smile rested upon her face. She was pretty parched from all the singing and conversing with patrons over the last few hours. Reaching over for another special strawberry lemonade, she avidly guzzled the drink in one go.
"Sweetheart, you gave all of us a one-of-a-kind, fantastique speech, and performance! After that, they were practically forking their dough out." He answered high-spirited, taking a swig of whiskey.
"Seriously, Al. I couldn't have done it without your encouragement. Thank you… for everything." Her soft, warm palm rested on his gloved claw and tenderly squeezed it; her eyes fixed on his.
The overlord gaze lingered down to the heiress's hand that touched his. It was strange, he didn't feel sick to his stomach as he should have, and his hand remains paralyzed. "You're far too kind, Charlie. All I've done was make a few trips and calls. You're the one that won over the patrons and steered one wayward soul back to the hotel." A little white lie is surely excusable, and he had the hunch she knew these clients didn't believe in her cause. They had their reasons.
Charlie recognized her hand rested on his for far too long, pulling it back, and looked fretfully elsewhere as warmth spilled into her rosy cheeks. The room felt slightly warmer than usual, and her thoughts clouded, deprived of sleep, probably. Her fingers brushed away locks of pale blonde hair, and she laughed awkwardly. "Haha—I should get to bed; tomorrow's grand opening! I need whatever sleep I can get!"
"Very well, then as your date, I insist to walk you back to your room." Alastor rose from the chair, and with two steps, he was at the princess's side. Holding out a claw, she placed her hand upon his as he swept her off the chair. She looped hands around his forearm as he escorted her up the grand stairway.
'My legs feel like wet noodles! I guess I'm more tired than I thought.' The heiress was thankful that she had a secure grasp on the Radio Demon, for she feared stumbling midway upstairs. As he pressed the stainless-steel button, the elevator door opened, stepping inside the metal doors shut behind them.
Angel suggestively wiggled his brows at Husk.
"It ain't gonna happen." The feline muttered.
"Double or nothing?"
"Yur on." Husk triumphantly snorted.
The ding of the elevator drew Charlie's attention as the metal doors opened, which signified they've arrived at her floor. They continued towards her room and briefly stopped in front of it as she freed his arm.
She simply gazed into his solemn eyes and drew a deep breath. "Welp, this is my stop. Thanks for walking me back to my room, Al. I had a blast tonight!" Without thinking of the consequences, she leaned up and kissed him on the lips. It wasn't even a real kiss, more like a light brush. No longer than a split of a second, she recognized her blunder and lunged away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. I—I just got out of a relationship… and I sh-should go…." Her voice sounded nervous, and without another word, she turned to the door.
Alastor felt it again, a foreign emotion he didn't comprehend. It's been so long since he felt such a potent excitement that it caught him off guard and blinded his true intent. His body moved of its own accord, without asking permission to his common sense, and before he knew it, he captured her wrist when she touches the doorknob. Yanking her back, he bent down and kissed her hard enough to rob her of breath.
You spurn my natural emotions.
You make me feel like dirt, and I'm hurt
And if I start a commotion
I run the risk of losing you, and that's worse
The Hell Princess moaned in pleasure, kissing him back passionately; her mind went numb, teasing her with hints of long-awaited desire. Her back arched, pressing her chest against him as her dainty hands moved past his collar and settled around the back of his neck.
Strong arms clapped around her waist, closing the gap between them. Green mist manifested around the doorknob, turning the knob slowly as it cracked the door wide open. To get things rolling, the overlord had the heiress pace in reverse toward the room without breaking their fervent sweet kisses.
They danced around the entrance of the room as the green magic closed the door behind them. Alastor shoved her against a wall, pinning her against it; he slowly intensified the kiss. His hot tongue darted out, running it against her lips as she eagerly opened her mouth to deepen their hungry kiss.
The tip of her tongue brushed against his razor-sharp teeth, and it nicked her. He lapped the drops of sweet blood before gently sucking on her tongue. 'It's so sweet.' Sweet little whimpers escape from the back of her throat. His deadly claws sliced through her dress, continuing downward as she helped out by wiggling the dress off.
The lack of air signaled Charlie to wrench her mouth away to prevent her lungs from shutting down; she heavily gasped. She unfastened his bowtie along with his coat and dress shirt. With his help, he quickly removed the top layers of his clothes, then flung them haphazardly across the room. His next kiss was consuming, hungry yet slow, teasing her and driving her body into a new sensation of tingling pleasure. Her hands roamed up and down his calloused, scarred torsos, memorizing each scar. Peeling herself off the wall, they spun around and around towards the bed.
Somewhere along the way, her bra ended up hanging on the crystal chandelier, while his monocle hid under a side table and his gloves laid upon her lamp. Charlie pressed her entire weight against Alastor, and together they fell on the bed. She straddled him at the hip and noted a growing exertion was poking her inner thigh. Mere inches away from his face, the princess caught sight of desire in his red eyes. Her sporadic breathing echoed throughout the room, and she left a trail of butterfly kisses down his neck as her fingers moved down to his tourers.
Alastor's claws ran up the side of her thighs, giving her rump a generous squeeze. The unhooking of his belt triggered his deer ear to twitch. His thumb pressed directly on her sex, and the princess sucked in air. A faint tremble, a slight shiver, had seemed to run throughout her body and ceased all action. He took this opportunity to capture her tiny wrists and flipped their current position, pinning her against the mattress.
"My, dear, dear, ṡ̷̢̛̺w̴̢̢̠̾͌͘e̴̞͂ë̴̼̬͉́̑͘t̸̼̯͔͗̕̕ ̴̗͖̖̄c̴̤̲̜͋͐̚h̵͓̘̿͂̾a̶̡̝͕̐r̸͎̀̈l̴͍̤̾̕i̴̟͙̐̀e̵̢̦̱̅̔͒." The static in the back of his voice produced distorted, predatory, lust-filled sounds. "I hate to be a killjoy, but I much prefer the role of dominance." His grin was arrogant, and the glow of his ruby orbs had her body react with submission and desire so strong that it made her head spin.
Her lips parted, but no sound escaped as she arches her neck to the side, inviting him to have a taste. The Radio Demon didn't hesitant, already kissing her neck; his selfish tongue claimed all inches of her neck. Picking a spot near her collar, he lightly bit into her pale skin. Warmblood flowed out as he sucks against the punctured skin until a dark bruise was left. He relished her addictive blood.
Charlie moaned for the overlord; she found the pain to be immensely arousing. "Oooh—Al!" Her hands didn't remain idle; she roamed them over his muscular back and up the backside of his head, curiously she poked his antler—soft velvety, brushy hair, and warm to the touch.
His claws gliding up her abdomen to massaged her well-developed breasts and tugged on the hardened nub as his mouth seized her whole nipple, and teasingly he sucked on it. Her scream of pleasure stroked his ego, which increased when the heiress pressed his mouth harder against her chest. "Sensitive, are we?" Alastor teased, his mouth left her nipple.
A dark red hue dusted over her already rosy cheeks. "I—I want m-more!" She cried out.
The arrogance in his voice battled his carnal, insatiable lust, and his eyes were dark with emotion as he stared down at her. "Darling, that is a deal we both can agree upon." He continued the assault on her breasts, capturing her other nipple into his mouth. A deadly claw slithered down her smooth stomach, seeking her pussy; his fingers found the hem of her panties and sliced through the thin material, exposing her sleek folds. Two long appendages plunged deep into her and thrust in and out at a fast pace, her legs spreading wider for him.
"NnNaHh—A-AlaStOr!" She gasped in excitement. The sensation was electrifying, and the knots in her abdomen burned, aching for release.
In and out.
Again, and again.
Heart hammering, Charlie moved up to steal his lips in a deep, soft kiss and thrilled her when he responded with a more commanding, aggressive one. They continued to kiss for several long minutes, their tongues at war with each other. She craved to touch him; her small hand gripped him through his trousers.
The feeling of a hard pressure against his erection snapped Alastor's eyes open and ceased all movement. Removing his mouth from hers, the overlord watched her popping open his fly as her hand slide underneath his trousers, and gently her fingers grasped his thick cock, removing it from its confinement.
It amazed her at how soft he felt to the touch and unbelievably hard at the same time. She squeezed him experimentally; he let out a deep throaty groan, then with a rush of confidence, she eagerly rubbed his cock from base to the head a few times. Her thumb went over the tip, where a bead of pre-cum spilled out, and she felt his member pulsing within her fingers. A naughty thought came to mind if he groaned like that from just her touching him. What sound would he make if she tasted him…
The sensation of her tiny hand teasing him with gentle strokes was too much, and he thought he might lose his mind again. The overlord forced her hand away with his free one, imprisoning it above her head. His pride urged him to make her release before himself. "You're quite the bearcat, mon amour." His fingers gave a few final thrusts before departing, then he grabbed her by the back of the thighs, pulling her legs up to his much-awaited mouth. Dragging his tongue slowly across her wet folds, he forced her legs to stay apart as they wildly buckled against his mouth.
"OoOHh—AHN—!" The Hell Princess tried really hard to stop helpless cries from escaping her lips by biting down on her lower lip and clawing the sheets. She half suspected her echoes of ecstasy would awaken everyone in the hotel.
Alastor lapped at her free-flowing juices; pure intoxication filled his mouth from her bittersweet taste. His nose brushed against her sensitive nub, and he went deeper and deeper as far as he could go.
With every passing second, her entire body quivered under his power, an unbearable pressure building up inside her like a tea kettle ready to boil over.
It was too much.
A lump formed in her aching throat; her vision blurred with desire. "Please, I ca-can't take it anymore, Al!"
"Tell me what you want, my sweet." From between her legs, his face lifted to her, licking up any remnants of juices from his mouth.
Charlie smiled tenderly and said with the utmost sincerity. "I want you."
Ever fallen in love with someone.
Ever fallen in love, in love with someone
Ever fallen in love, in love with someone
You shouldn't have fallen in love with
The unadulterated words that escaped her mouth caught him by surprise, like a deer caught in headlights, and he set her legs down. It seemed like Alastor wanted to say something but hesitated his grin dither, and a flash of emotion swept across his eyes. He looked troubled by something, as though he could not place the words needed to express himself, or merely he didn't understand his feelings. The moment passed, and he soon recovered. "Very well, for everyone who asks receives, thus says the Lord." Alastor mocked the words of the Holy Gospel.
He towered over her, taking a moment to admire the beautiful, light-haired heiress that laid beneath him, and a funny thought crossed his mind; it was like heaven flirted with hell to create her.
The overlord leaned down; his lips found hers in an ardent wet kiss. A string of saliva detached from them as his tongue left her mouth. He quickly removed his trousers and kicked them to the floor, fully freeing his cock from its confines. He lifted her legs higher, wrapping them around his waist, and without a word, he took his length in hand to guide the thick, bulbous tip to her entrance, running it across her wet folds. They shuddered at the intense sensation, and her juices coated the tip of his member.
The hairs on the back of the princess's neck stood as he enters her. Charlie tried to contain her moans, she didn't want the hotel occupants banging on the room, telling them to pipe down, but they escaped. "Oooh… fuUcK!" He was bigger than she anticipated, and there were still a few inches to go.
The Radio Demon grunted, immensely enjoying the tight feel of her around his erection. He withdrew out of her, leaving only the blunt tip inside, then slammed into her and the effects triggered her breasts to bounce.
The pace fast. In and out, again and again, their hips met noisily. The princess mellowed sweetly into his deer ear, her face buried in his salty neck as her claws dug into his back, ranking down, a thin line of blood developed within seconds.
Alastor scrunched his eyes; a masculine groan vibrated in the back of his throat. The antlers at the top of his head cracked and popped, flaring wildly before it reverted to its previous state. He battled with the side of him that wanted to mercilessly fuck her, however tempting as it sounds. Out of the sexual encounters he had, why did this princess make him want to lose control?
"Nnahh—UhH! Harder, Al!" Tresses of her hair stuck to her face; the sweat coated her forehead from their mating. Her round hips unmindfully moved on their own accord with his.
He dived harder into her, plunging several more inches into her and fully shielded. The strength of the slam made the headboard bang loudly against the wall.
Harder and harder.
In the corner of her doe eyes, tiny droplets of happy tears formed, blurring her vision. Everything around her spun from the passion of their lovemaking, and her inner walls began contracting around the overlord's thick shaft. Things were getting out of control, the headboard had a long-splintered line going down the middle, and the chandelier from above head vibrated.
"AhH—uHnaA! I'm—!" Charlie's voice died in her aching throat. It was too much, too hot, too much sweat, and a heavenly light illuminated above. She suspected that the last part was a hallucination fabricated by her wild imagination.
The overlord shifted their position, bringing her legs to each shoulder, and lifted her rump off the mattress as his deadly claws rest at opposite ends of her lovely face. "Cum for me, m̸̡̥͙̹̍y̷͔͂̽̒ ̵̢̞̮͙̒̈̋͌s̵̠̦̝͔̋̚ẇ̸̺̰̗̮̚ẹ̷̥̦̘̋ē̵͈̕t̴͙̭̪̉ ̸̼̬͗͝o̴͉̓̽͛͝ͅn̵̝̟̔e̶̝̤̔̊." The spine-tingling, carnivorous voice cooed; heavy static from the back of his voice bounced off the walls.
Once he felt her inner core tightened around him like a vase, begging him to milk her, every thrust became harder and faster and hitting just the right spot. The wet sounds of skin slapping echoed within the room. He was so close, and it took every last fiber of his being to resist release; he wanted her release to come first.
The princess wanted—no, needed to touch Alastor to know he was there and not a hallucination. Her trembling hand desperately sought after his; her warm palm touched his dark hand, and their fingers interlaced.
A few more thrusts drove her to the edge, and her climax hit hard enough that she saw cute little cherubs opening the pearly gates of heaven for her. "I'm-I'm… cumming!" Her beautiful singing voice cried out in bliss that angels from the promised land would snarl in jealously at her vocals.
The Radio Demon released a deep groan, burying his face into her hot neck as his orgasm followed after, his spilled seed into her. Exhausted, he slid out his softened member from within her and rested her legs on the bed. After a few quiet minutes passed, they regulated their breathing.
Withdrawing his face from the crook of her neck, he stared down with illuminating eyes at the sleeping beauty. His deadly claws brushed the tresses of her messy hair out of her face. Strangely, Alastor could no longer hold his eyelids open; the need to sleep overwhelmed him, and he fell back next to her. Soon succumbing to slumber, the second he closed his tired eyes.
(Day 17)
The next morning
The night advanced into the morning, and the crimson rays pierced into the stained glass windows, shinning fantastic colors through the entire room. A demonic raven peaked at the window, stirring Charlie from her deep slumber. She rolled over to the side, her head rested upon a soft and warm object, and there was a subtle rise and fall to this particular thing.
Her doe eyes slowly fluttered open; the upper half of her body rose. The sheets that covered her body slipped down to her lap. Grazing her fingers across her forehead, she winced she had a nasty headache; a slight groan escaped her lips. Her eyes finally adjusted to the cheerful morning light in the room.
There was a strange shift in the bed that wasn't coming from her, she glances over to see it was just Alastor sleeping, and it took a few seconds for the realization to kick in. Flabbergasted, her eyes nearly snapped out of her eye sockets, and the princess's mind bellowed so loudly; her eardrums were ringing. 'Th-this is a dream… I-I know, if I close my eyes and turn around, he won't be there.'
Charlie squeezed her eyes shut, shifting her head and praying that he wouldn't be there when they opened. A few silent pleads later, she blinked her doe eyes open, looking over to see Alastor was present.
'He still there!' She sat very still, and it was apparent on her face, which was flushed and troubled, that a struggle was going on in her mind.
'I-I can barely recall what happened last night! I was just drinking and chatting with Al, and then the next thing I did was… ki-kiss him goodnight. Oh, satan!' It became increasingly evident that she was drunk last night with this headache and those supposed non-alcoholic drinks she had.
So much for her keeping the promise to focus on her patients rather than relationships. 'Should I leave? Wait, no, this is my room!' A million questions rushed through the heiress's mind, but only one kept repeating.
What does this mean for them?
Fear, anxiety, pain, and a hundred other feelings begged Charlie to burry herself underneath the safety of her covers and stay in the warm cocoon of sleep, forever. Despite the days they've spent together, she was still at square one, and she had no idea how he felt about her. Was she just a one-night stand to him, or would her heart fool her into thinking that maybe there's a chance for something more? 'I can't stop how he makes my heart dance when he stares at me.'
Nothing but heartache could come out of this.
Right?
I can't see much of a future
Unless we find out what's to blame, what a shame
And we won't be together much longer
Unless we realize that we are the same
The first peaceful and unaccustomed night of slumber since Alastor's arrival in hell was short-lived, for the bed movements disrupted his sleep. His eyes slowly open; his expression sobered, and his crimson eyes darted over to the half-naked, troubled princess. He contemplated the events from last night; in spite of all the hiccups, everything had gone according to his masterful plan, except for one fatality flaw, she charmed him.
In a game he created in his head, which guaranteed victory, she innocently played his challenge and stirred his competitive ego, the one that didn't like to lose and hated being out of control. Blinded by arrogance, the Radio Demon failed to see what was happening. The minute he began playing the game, all sorts of unacquainted emotions festered in him; he suspected this to be a new form of madness.
Anytime he saw someone frown, he detested it, yet when she frowns, the need to comfort her and turn that frown upside down was the only thing on his mind. There was nothing like her smile, subtle and delightful. In a confused state of mind, he's unable to recall why he was so enamored with her rosy cheeks or why he saw the universe in her doe eyes.
A creature that's bored with hell was always looking for the next source of amusement. The moment he waltzed into the hotel, he was curious about Charlie and immediately enthralled by her spontaneity. He never felt bored since, and the hotel had yet to open.
In the end, the overlord won the game, but he couldn't determine if he wanted the reward or settle on a consolation prize. The intensity of the emotion didn't fade as he hoped it would, and now the idea of crushing her dreams or using her left his gut-wrenching in pain. Confused and a little annoyed by a growing desire to settle on the unexpected consolation prize. Alastor knew what he liked, the unexpected. It was in his nature, and this was something that wasn't going to change.
Now, what's the consolation prize?
…romance? A relationship?
'Pfft, romance. I can't fathom that nonsense.' The whole idea gave him a headache, yet under the façade of indifference, his heartbeats in excitement.
"Al?" Charlie abruptly spoke up, severing Alastor's trail of thought. The room was chilly, and she shivered, noticing his attention for a moment lingering to her breasts. Her cheeks warmed with more than just embarrassment, and she covered her nudity with the blanket.
"I-I would really like to know what's going on between us because I'm not sure. I don't know where I stand with you, and I don't know what I mean to you." The Hell Princess asked a hint of fear in her voice. "All I know is every time I think of you. I want to be with you. Can you please just tell me so I don't have to keep running everything through my mind?" Hope and fear raced through the princess, and she waited anxiously at which will prevail.
The overlord felt an unusual urge to look at her, to feel her soft skin on his body, and to make sure she was safe.
…a relationship.
He considered once more the folly of his undertaking; a raw thrill went through him at the idea of creating a genuine relationship. That means he's about to go on one hell of an exciting adventure to understand what love is, and it may take him an entirety too. Who rather he spend it with than with her?
It was difficult to express himself though he wanted to but failed in doing so because mere words couldn't explain what was going on inside his head. Then, suddenly, the Radio Demon sat up, recalling what the heiress once ordered him to do, and his eyes twinkled with humor. "We will be together for as long as you desire, my dear." Alastor instantly answered with glee.
For a few seconds, they silently gazed into one another eyes, and what seemed impossible suddenly became possible, inevitable, and meant to be. Alastor pulled Charlie into his arms, kissing her affectionately and with a hint of promise that they will be together.
The worry faded with those words, and she had the wild urge to giggle at his intruding response, but she resisted it. Charlie threw her arms around his neck, returning his kiss eagerly.
Abruptly, Alastor ended the kiss for something boggled his mind. "Dear, have you finished the book I lent to you? Pray tell, what are your thoughts?"
"That all the best people are mad." She smiled lightheartedly; a giggle escaped her lips.
The overlord laughed at the irony behind those words. He caught a glimpse at the time, only a few hours till the hotel was open for business. A mischievous twinkle in his eyes matched the grin on his face, and his hands captured her wrists, pinning her down onto the mattress.
"Eeep!"
Alastor loomed over the lovely princess, and his deadly claw teasingly pinched a generous amount of her rosy cheek. "The hotel doesn't open for a few more hours, and if memory serves me correctly." He brought his face to her ear, nuzzling it, and whispered. "There's a star shape rosy mark somewhere on your body. Now, are you going to tell me where, or shall I just explore every inch of your body myself, my dear sweet Charlie?" The static vanished from his voice.
Feeling the warmth of color plaguing her rosy cheeks, Charlie sucked a sharp breath, she shivered in delight at option two, and her imagination painted a wild image of what that could look like.
He knew immediately by her blush; she chose option two. Her reactions never disappointed the Radio Demon; he loved watching her squirm. It was one of the most thrilling experiences he has seen. The past few weeks has turned into something entirely unforeseen, something almost perfect that he found in hell, like a fragment of heaven fell into his arms, and he wasn't about to share.
The end?