I apologize for the long hiatus. The last month has been tumultuous for me. Not only did I lose my job and had to find a new one, but I had to replace my glasses, retainer, car battery, basically everything going wrong at once, and considering how emotional this story is, revisiting it wasn't helping. So, finally managed to write a chapter and frankly, still not quite satisfied with how it turned out.

Title Song: "Playing With the Big Boys" from "The Prince of Egypt"

A tense hush fell over the ballroom as three of Hell's most notorious Overlords strutted in. Those who'd once been under their control, Angel Dust included, froze in place. Everyone else trembled in apprehension. Velvet alternated between snapping selfies and scrolling on her phone, Vox flashed passersby an intimidating grin, while Valentino blew a heart-shaped smoke ring in the direction of the Radio Demon and the Songbat.

Vaggie pushed through the crowd, her partner behind her. "What the hell are you three doing here?!" She pointed to Valentino's cigarette. "And this is a smoke-free zone!"

Valentino laughed and was about to blow the smoke towards her when Alastor plucked the cigarette from his fingers.

"Thank you, Vagatha." Alastor crushed the cigarette in his fist, causing it to smolder. "I can take it from here."

Reaching back, the Radio Demon shielded his wife with his arm and pushed her behind him, glaring at the Three Vs. "What are you three gatecrashers doing here?"

Static buzzed and Vodou symbols hovered around him. "You are not welcome here."

"Is that so?" Valentino reached into his coat. "Then why did we each receive an invitation?"

Alastor blinked, and the atmosphere returned to normal. "A what?"

Each of the Three Vs whipped out an invitation.

"Read 'em and weep, Deer Boy," Vox said.

Vaggie held out a hand. "Let me see that!"

Shrugging, Valentino gave her his invitation.

Alastor grabbed Vox's and scrutinized it. "Who did you kill to get these?"

"No one," Valentino said. "Though it did cost me a soul."

The pimp spotted Angel Dust at the bar and sent him a wink. The spider had to grip the counter to keep himself from collapsing.

"Hey, you okay?" Husk asked.

"Y-Yeah." Angel shook his head. "Don't worry 'bout me."

"These can't be real." Vaggie brought Valentino's invite close to her face, then held it up to the light. "They must've forged them somehow."

"Aha!" Alastor stabbed Vox's invite with his finger. "You see? This doesn't have the correct time written! The party starts at seven, not nine! Ergo, these are fake!"

"Yeah, we thought that was weird too." Velvet pulled up a screenshot of a flyer for the party. "Cuz all the flyers round town say it starts at seven, so we figured it was a typo."

"We weren't sure," Vox said, "so we showed up in between, so that we'd either be conveniently early, or fashionably late."

Tina facepalmed. Why had she thought that trick would work?

"Well, you're not on the VIP list." Vaggie thrust the invite back to Valentino. "And we didn't send these, so we're gonna have to ask you to leave."

"What made you fools think this would work?" Alastor waved the second invite. "Coming in here with forged invitations! Did you think we'd fall for such an obvious ploy?"

"Actually, Al, it's not a ploy." Tina stepped out from behind him. "I sent those invites."

Vaggie and Alastor turned to the Songbat, simultaneously saying, "What?"

"You didn't think to run this by us first?" Vaggie demanded. "Or at least give us a heads-up?"

"Uh, she sort of did." Charlie twiddled her fingers. "With me."

Vaggie faced her partner with an open mouth. "You knew the Three Vs were gonna be here?"

Charlie grinned sheepishly. "Well, they deserve a second chance too, don't they?"

"Of course." Vox gestured to the crowd. "We have as much right to be here as every other demon. Isn't that right, folks?"

He received no answer. Vox then cleared his throat, and his screen flashed red.

"Isn't that right, folks?"

Not wanting to infuriate the television any further, demons hastened to nod and murmur in agreement.

Alastor gripped his wife's shoulders. "You said you weren't going to invite them."

"Well," Tina whispered, "it was either this or suck Val's dick. Frankly, I think I got the better end of the deal."

Alastor's voice boomed as he shook her. "YOU MADE A DEAL WITH VALENTINO?!"

"Dear me." Valentino put a hand to his lips in feigned surprise. "Did your wife not discuss this with you, Al?"

Velvet tsked as she took a picture of the couple. "Trouble in paradise."

Tina shoved her husband's hands off her. "How'd ya think I got those souls from him, huh? Least I wasn't desperate enough to offer my body."

"Hold on one goddamn fucking minute!" Angel pushed himself off the barstool and stomped towards the Three Vs. "That's what it took to get my soul back? One lousy invite?!"

Vox examined his fingernails. "Technically it was three lousy invites."

"I can't believe this!" Angel shoved Charlie and Vaggie aside and glared at Valentino. "That's all my soul was worth to ya, Val?!"

"Angel, no!" Tina rushed to stop him, but Alastor held her back.

"I worked as your own personal fuck toy for decades," Angel shouted as he got up in the pimp's face, "to the point where I'd go weeks without walking, and you sell me off just to go to some dumb party?!"

Valentino showed his teeth as he loomed over his ex-star. "Aw, did ya miss me, Angel Cakes?"

Tina winced. One of the conditions of the deal was that Valentino could not talk to any of his former employees. Unless they spoke to him first.

Angel crumbled under the pimp's stare. His knees buckled, his joints ached, his head throbbed as unpleasant memories came rushing back.

Just as the spider's legs gave way, a pair of strong, hairy arms encircled him, lifted him up, and dragged him backward.

Husk snarled at Valentino. "Stay the fuck away from him, you shitty insect."

"What?" Valentino held up his upper palms. "Can't a guy catch up with an old friend?"

"Friend?" Husk snorted. "I've seen what you've done to this kid. He ain't your fucking punching bag no more. So leave him the fuck alone."

If not for the presence of his abusive ex-boss, Angel would've kissed the kitty right then and there.

"Everyone, calm down." Charlie stepped between the Three Vs and her friends. "This is meant to be a safe space. Neutral territory, if you will. There'll be no fighting here."

"Charlie, you can't be serious!" Vaggie pointed at the Three Vs. "There's no way we're letting them stay here!"

Velvet gasped. "Are you saying the hotel for redemption isn't open to everyone?" She pressed record on her camera app. "You're not even gonna give us poor, unfortunate souls a chance to prove that we can play nice?"

Seeing the phone, Vaggie hesitated. "I, uh, we—"

"It just…totally contradicts your message, doesn't it? I wonder what my trillions of followers will have to say about that."

Vaggie was at a loss. If this incident got out on social media, the managers at the Hazbin Hotel would be labeled as hypocrites. That was even worse than being laughing stocks.

"Well, you know what I have to say about this?" Alastor stepped forth. "I say get the hell out of my—"

"Wait."

"But Vagatha, I thought you'd agree with me on—"

Vaggie held up a hand, then glanced around at her colleagues. "Management meeting. VIP room. Now."

The three other managers came to a silent agreement. Taking this discussion someplace else was better than making a scene.

"Everything's fine, everyone!" Charlie addressed the crowd. "Just go back to doing what you were doing! Mimzy, carry on with the singing!"

"Oh no," Tina said. "Angel's supposed to go on now."

"No way he's going up there now." Husk jerked his head towards Valentino. "He ain't dancing for that fuckface again."

Angel beamed. "Damn, Husky, I'm likin' this side of ya."

"He'll just have to come with us for now," Vaggie said. "And Husk, shouldn't you be manning the bar?"

"Left one of the girls there," Husk said. "She knows how to mix drinks."

Alastor snapped his fingers and his shadow materialized behind him. "Chesterfield, keep an eye on our…guests."

"Boys," Velvet said to her companions with a pout, "I don't think they trust us."

Vaggie pointed at the trio. "This isn't over!"

With a final glare, Vaggie ushered the other managers, along with Angel Dust and Husk, into the VIP room. It was empty, save for a pair of demons making out on a loveseat.

Angel Dust gasped in horror. "Cherri?!"

Cherri Bomb pulled away from her make-out partner, which was none other than her adversary, Sir Pentious.

"Okay," Tina said. "When I told y'all to play nice, this wasn't what I had in mind."

"The fuck, girl?!" Angel stretched two arms towards the snake. "Two months ago, this asshole was tryin' to blow ya up, and now you're lip-locking him?!"

"What?" Cherri twirled a hair on her finger. "He's got a good tongue."

"And you!" Angel scowled at Sir Pentious. "I knew you were secretly a pervert—"

"I am not a pervert! I'm jus-s-st…" The snake sheepishly looked away from Cherri. "Really lonely, alright?"

"Ugh, whatever!" Vaggie tore at her hair. "I don't care why you two are doing what you're doing! Just take it somewhere else, okay? We need the room."

"Maybe." Cherri stood and placed her hands on her hips. "If you give us our own room. This is a hotel, ain't it?"

"Seriously, Cherri?!" Angel waved his arms about. "With the fucking egg sucker?!"

"Don't go slut-shaming me, Angie." Cherri smirked as she approached her friend. "You'd be all over him too if you knew he had two dicks."

Angel paused, thought about that for a moment, then shook his head. "That's not the problem here!"

"Please!" The room flashed into an endless void of static as the Radio Demon shouted, "I am in an extremely bad mood right now, so will everyone who isn't an employee or resident here kindly get out before I take my bad mood out on you?!"

With that, Sir Pentious grabbed Cherri's hand and bolted. The static dissipated, allowing them to find the door.

"Don't think we ain't talkin' 'bout this later, Cherri!" Angel called.

"Okay." Vaggie took a deep breath. "Now that we're someplace quiet—"

Alastor exploded before she could, his eyes turning black and his antlers growing. "Tina, why didn't you tell me you invited the Three Vs?!"

Tina, changing along with him, stuck a claw in his chest. "Why didn't you tell me you invited Lucifer?!"

"That's different! Lucifer didn't abduct you, torture you, and attempt to rape you!"

"I had to free Angel's soul somehow!"

"Yeah, can we get back to that?" Angel scratched his head. "Tryin' to wrap my head around what's going on here. Did Val really let me go just so he and his friends could go to a party?"

"Well I sure as Hell wasn't gonna fuck him," Tina said.

"Not only did you invite those hoodlums," Alastor said, "but you went and made a deal with them behind my back?!"

"Oh, like you never make any shady deals behind my back!" She gestured around the room. "Ya think I don't know the real reason ya suggested a private VIP lounge?"

"Oh, ho, ho!" Alastor wagged a talon. "Don't you try turning this around on me, missy!"

"Wait, what's this about the VIP lounge?" Charlie asked.

"This doesn't concern you, Charlotte!"

"Actually, it does." Vaggie stepped between the bickering couple. "Tina, did you not think for one second that this deal you made with Valentino might affect all of us here?"

"I did." Tina crossed her arms. "That's why I made as many loopholes as I could. Like forbiddin' him from talkin' to or touchin' any of his former employees. Unless someone talks to him first." She darted her eyes at the spider. "Ya had to go up and shout at him, didn't ya, Angel?"

"Excuse me," Angel said, placing four hands on his hips, "but a warning that my ex-boss was gonna show up tonight would've been nice!"

"They weren't supposed to come until nine, and I told Charlie."

"Yeah, you told Charlie!" Vaggie turned to her partner. "Who didn't bother telling me!"

"I wanted to!" Charlie hung her head. "But I knew you'd say it was a bad idea."

"That's because it is a bad idea!"

"But I didn't know about the whole dealmaking thing and that Angel's soul was involved. Though now that I do, isn't this the best-case scenario?"

"The best-case scenario," Alastor said, "is that those miscreants would not be here at all!"

"Okay, okay!" Tina dug her claws into her scalp. "I screwed up on this one, okay?! I know I should've told y'all earlier, but I didn't wanna cause a panic!"

"Oh, yeah." Angel jerked a thumb towards the door. "You did a fucking great job on that end."

"Well I'm sorry I was just tryin' to free your soul! Sorry I didn't wanna surrender my body to a dickwad! Sorry I wasn't willin' to spill my husband's secrets to three assholes out for his blood!"

"What?" Alastor blinked his eyes to normal.

Tina closed her eyes and sighed, relaxing into her regular state. "Yeah. When I told Valentino I wasn't keen on invitin' him here, he said the alternative was that I tell him something they can use against ya." She faced him, revealing her purple irises. "He said…if I told him your weaknesses, he could…free me from you forever."

The Radio Demon's antlers shrank. "And…you refused?"

"Of course I did, ya idiot. You were drivin' me crazy, but I didn't want ya erased."

With this newfound knowledge, Alastor's anger melted away. To think she'd had the chance to help his enemies defeat him once and for all, and she'd refused.

"Tina, I—"

The door burst open. "Miss Twinkle, what have you done?!"

It was one of the Dicto twins, though no one could tell as they'd donned the same blue dresses and ratted hairstyles for their act.

"How could you invite the sleazebag who abused me and Dinah?!" The mantis, or Dana, by process of elimination, had her eyes wide in distress. "He's been leering at us these past five minutes!"

"Where is Dinah?" Tina asked in concern.

"Oh, yes." Dana placed her hands on her hips. "As if his arrival wasn't bad enough!"

The door was burst open again. This time, by Hildegard, her arm around the other twin, who was crying.

"I told you they be upset," said the hellhound. "Look at Dinah."

Dinah buried her face in her hands. "Seeing him…I can't…it all returned at once."

"There, there." Hildegard hugged her close. "I protect you from him."

Angel's jaw dropped. "No fucking way!"

"Yes!" Dana grunted as she gestured to the pair. "Not only did I have to face my former abuser, but I discover Hildegard has stolen my sister from me!"

Even Tina was surprised. The hellhound had understandably advised against inviting the Three Vs, but never would the Songbat have imagined it had been out of worry for a specific person.

"How long's this been going on?" Tina asked.

"Several months." Dinah sniffed. "I told Hildegard to keep it secret, because I knew Dana would overreact."

"Overreact?!" Dana stomped over to her twin. "We promised we would stay together, no matter what! We're sisters!"

"Exactly, Dana!" Dinah stepped away from Hildegard, but still clutched her hand. "We're sisters! We should've never let ourselves become that close! It's unnatural!"

Dinah returned to her lover's hold. "Hildegard was very patient and understanding when I told her I couldn't end my relationship with you so easily. But she's waited long enough for me to get my shit together. I love you, sis, but…I cannot let you rule my life."

Dana was on the brink of tears. "I cannot believe you would simply…abandon me like this!"

"I'm not abandoning you. You simply aren't the only one I care about now."

"But Dinah—"

"Enough!" Husk stepped between the sisters. "We don't have time for this fucking sibling drama! Have we forgotten the three goddamn lunatics right outside the door who could be fucking the place up as we speak?"

Vaggie pinched the bridge of her nose. "Unfortunately, he's right." She looked at Charlie, then Tina. "Look. It's too late to uninvite them. If we kick them out, Velvet or someone else will likely paint us as a bunch of hypocrites on social media. After the interview, and Alastor's drunk vid, our reputation is already hanging by a thread. The sponsors we just got might even demand their donations back."

Alastor snarled. "You can't expect us to allow these fucking pieces of shit to run rampant on our property!"

Angel raised an eyebrow. "What happened to your bleep, Smiles?"

"I'm too peeved to bother, alright?!"

"Wait," Tina said. "When Valentino and I made the deal, we set some rules. They can't pick any fights, they can't touch or speak to any of the staff, unless spoken to, and, of course, no drugs or smokin' or exceedin' the alcohol limit."

"Aha!" Alastor pointed at her. "That cigarette I confiscated from Valentino should be enough grounds to expel them from the premises, shouldn't it?"

"Well, technically," Charlie said, "he didn't light it in the hotel. Maybe he was gonna put it out before you took it from him?"

Vaggie facepalmed. "Ugh, whatever. We'll just have to keep an eye on them until they leave. Or give us a reason to kick them out. I'll watch Velvet."

"I don't like the idea," Alastor said with a groan, "but I shall monitor Vox."

"And I'll get Valentino," Tina said.

"Absolutely not!" The Radio Demon made an X with his arms. "I forbid you from going anywhere near that adulterous insect! Did you forget what happened last time you found yourself alone with him?"

If only he knew.

"I won't be alone. We'll be in a crowded space. And besides," Tina said, squaring her shoulders, "I've handled Val before."

In truth, the Songbat didn't want anyone else getting close enough to the pimp for him to spill exactly how she had handled him.

"I'll look out for her, Al." Charlie turned to Angel and the twins. "If you three are uncomfortable being here, you can go to your rooms."

Dinah sniffed. "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Come." Hildegard extended her paw towards the other twin. "I take you."

With a huff, Dana stomped out. "I can go myself, thank you very much!"

Dinah flinched as her sister slammed the door. "I knew this would upset her."

"Eh, she'll get over it." Husk waved a paw. "Your relationship with her was fucking creepy anyway."

As Hildegard led her lover out of the lounge, Husk laid a paw on Angel's shoulder. "Need someone to walk ya?"

Angel's snow-white cheeks turned pink. For him to get so flustered over a touch was unusual. There wasn't a part of his body that hadn't been touched by someone else. A touch on the shoulder was not only nothing new, but innocent.

And yet, the sudden contact of the cat's fluffy paw had caught the spider off-guard. So much that he found himself unable to respond.

"Angel?" Charlie said. "Would you like Husk to walk you to your room?"

"What?" Angel squeaked. "H-Husk? In my r-room?"

The image sent a pleasurable, yet nervous, tingle down below.

"Don't get any ideas." Husk shook the spider's shoulder. "I just wanna make sure none of those creeps follow ya."

Angel's knees buckled. Did Husk actually care if Valentino tried something?

"C-Can ya go back to being a heartless grump, Kitty Cat?" Angel reluctantly removed Husk's paw. "I don't know what to do when you're actin' all noble. Anyway, I'm supposed to go onstage now, ain't I?"

"You don't have to if ya don't wanna," Tina said. "We can ask Mimzy and the band to play another song in your absence."

"No, I'll do it. Just…" Angel took a deep breath. "Gimme five—no, ten minutes, alright?"

"You can't be serious," Husk said. "With that creep watching your every move?"

"Eh." Angel shrugged. "I'm used to it."

Although the spider had plastered on a smile, the twitch in his eye indicated he was trying so hard not to have an emotional breakdown.

"Okay," Tina said. "Ten minutes. But if you're still not up for it, we'll cancel the whole thing."

"It's settled then." Vaggie straightened up. "Everyone has their assignments. Let's just try and get through tonight without any more surprises." She glanced at her partner. "But afterwards, we're gonna have a serious talk."

They exited the lounge in pairs: Charlie with Vaggie, Husk with Angel, and, of course, Alastor with Tina. Charlie pecked her girlfriend's cheek before letting go of her hand to slip backstage and inform the band of the last-minute schedule. Vaggie, too put out to respond to the kiss, went to look for Velvet. Angel, upon seeing Valentino, bolted for the restroom. Husk followed, and respectfully waited at the door.

The pimp was over at the bar, chatting up the demoness Husk had left to bartend, who looked very uncomfortable. Velvet was in front of the stage, snapping pics of the performance, the flash blinding Mimzy to the point she stumbled in her lyrics. Vox was at the buffet table, though how he managed to eat and drink anything, Tina had no idea.

The Songbat tapped her husband's arm. "Looks like we're gonna have to split up."

She took a step towards the bar when Alastor snatched her wrist. She glanced back to see the worry in his eyes.

"I'll be fine," she repeated. "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can." His gaze narrowed at Valentino. "But that popinjay—"

"Won't dare touch me." She smirked. "Not if he wants to lose his hearin' again."

"Even so," Alastor said, bending to her level, "should you need me, you'll call, won't you?"

Tina nodded. "You just worry 'bout Vox in the meantime, okay?"

She pecked his lips, then slid out of his grasp. Alastor's eyes didn't leave her retreating form, not even as he made his way towards the only being he despised more than that blasted pimp.

"You been down here long?" Valentino asked the bartender with a sultry smirk. "I would've thought a lovely specimen like you would've caught my eye already. You ever considered a career in showbiz?"

"Um." The demoness bit her lip. "S-Sir, your drink?"

"Oh, yes. Sex on the beach, please." He winked. "Do you like sex on the beach?"

"What I say 'bout harrasin' my employees?"

Valentino turned to Tina. "What? I was merely making small talk with your little barkeep."

The Songbat leaned on the counter. "Hazel, make the pervert his drink, but don't say another damn word to him. And while you're at it, get me some fizzy apple cider."

Hazel nodded as she went to work, avoiding the pimp's eye contact.

"So nice of you to join me, Sugar." Valentino crept a hand towards Tina. "I knew you could be civil."

She backed away. "Don't get any ideas. I'm just makin' sure ya don't do anything sleazy."

"Oh, little twinkling bat," the pimp said, batting his eyes, "why do you always assume I'm up to something sleazy?"

"Maybe cuz ya always are. Thanks, Hazel." Tina picked up her fizzy cider and gulped it. "Ya ain't exactly been a gentleman in the past."

"Haven't I? Thanks, doll."

Valentino winked at Hazel as she handed him his drink. She skittered to the other side of the bar.

"You've hurt my feelings. Numerous times." He pouted as he stirred the pink umbrella in the orange liquid. "And when my feelings are hurt, others tend to get hurt."

Tina's leg itched in the spot he'd scratched her fifteen years ago, but she kept a stern face.

"But I've taken it easy on you." He sipped his drink. "Only because I like you."

She twisted her legs away from him. "You have a real funny way of showin' it."

"Oh but I do, Tina. After all, what's not to like about you? You've got a decent voice, a fiery disposition, and a mangled yet shapely body." His eyes raked over her figure. "You would've looked good on one of my poles."

She covered her chest with her arm, as if that would kill his imagination.

Valentino sighed. "Too bad all that potential is wasted on a wimpy eunuch who isn't man enough to satisfy his wife in bed."

Tina tensed, but quickly responded with, "I don't know what you're talking 'bout."

"Please." He rolled his eyes. "Did you really think it wouldn't be obvious that you and Deer Boy are in a marriage blanc?"

Her hand tightened around her glass. "And what proof do ya have of that?"

"None really." He shrugged. "But given how that Radio Demon is, and your, ahem, activities with my boys, it ain't exactly hard to believe. He ain't offered so much as a lustful glance at anyone, and one day, out of the blue, he announces his engagement to a dame he barely knows? Oh yes, I have my sources. Was it his idea or yours? Either way, pretty smart of ya to shack up with a rick stud for his moolah. And you're save the trouble of havin' to screw him for it."

Tina pretended to focus on her drink.

"Couldn't even do it on your wedding night, am I right?" Valentino snickered. "What, did he just dump you on the bed in your wedding dress and then leave?"

She flinched, for that was exactly what had happened.

"Really don't blame you for leaving him. What I don't get is why you felt inclined to go back to him." He leaned towards her. "Which was it? A bribe? Blackmail? Did he promise to finally consummate? He have some dirt on ya? Or are ya just too broke to stick it on your own?"

The glass shattered in Tina's hand. "Just cuz you've never been in love—"

"Love?" He waved a hand. "Ain't no such thing. What people call love is really lust that people imagine as wholesome and pure. But why do you think so many marriages fail? Once the honeymoon high wears off, and the poor suckers learn that marriage doesn't mean everyday sex, they do what you do and grab the first ass offered to them."

He leaned closer to her, his voice lowering. "How's this time gonna be any different? All those boners left hard and pumping. All those hot flashes burning at your pussy. That itch no one will scratch cuz you're so adamant on staying loyal to an impotent husband."

She finally faced him. "He's not impotent. He's asexual. That's not his fault, and that doesn't mean he doesn't love me."

"Asexual?" The pimp threw back his head and laughed. "Of all the woke bullshit that's been spreadin' around up there, that's the bull-shittiest. Man was bred to fuck. Any man who can't get it up can't call himself a man at all."

Tina opened her mouth to protest, but he wouldn't let her.

"As I said, it'll be just like before. You'll get tired of waiting. Though this time, why don't you skip the whores and run straight to me? After all," he whispered, "I've already seen ya without your clothes. Can your husband even claim that much?"

While Tina was confronting Valentino, Alastor was subtly getting some punch while eyeing Vox. It didn't take long for the television to notice.

"Can't take your eyes off me," Vox said as he approached the Radio Demon, "can ya, Bambi? I'd say take a picture to make it last longer, but you don't carry a phone."

"Don't flatter yourself." Alastor sipped his punch. "I'm a married man."

"Right. Like anyone cares about pointless marriage vows down here."

"Hey!" cried one of the imps who'd come in with Prince Stolas.

"Ignore 'em, Moxxie," said his date, pulling him away. "Those ain't people we wanna mess with."

Vox went on. "Looks like a congratulations are in order for you, Al. After the bitch gave ya the cold shoulder for, what, ten years? You finally managed to rope her back in. What's your secret? Seriously, could use some tips on keeping my employees in line."

As much as Alastor despised the way the blasted television was talking about his wife, he restrained himself. "Why are you really here, Vox?"

He shrugged. "I like a good party."

"This party, however," Alastor said, gesturing to the modestly dressed performers onstage, "isn't to your usual taste."

"Maybe not," Vox said, leering across the room, "but it's got some pretty sights."

Alastor followed the television's gaze, which was directed on Tina, who was glaring at Valentino.

The Radio Demon gripped his glass. "If this is another attempt to abduct my wife, you should've made your move while we were still separated."

"Why should I?" Vox waved a hand. "She isn't much of a threat on her own."

Alastor chuckled. "The cracks she left in your screen would say otherwise."

That struck a nerve, judging by the television's digitized frown.

"Tell me, Vox." Alastor set down his empty glass. "Is it her you're afraid of, or me, for what I'll do to you if you so much as touch her?" His eyes glowed in warning. "Because I hope you realize, even though Tina and I have had our differences, she is still legally my wife. So if you had made an attempt to harm her this past decade, you wouldn't have gotten away with it. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Why else would Tina not have gotten into any trouble in her time away from him?

Vox tsked. "Real shame that a tasty dish like Tina couldn't snag herself a real man. How she got tied down to a pussy like you is beyond me."

"Jealous, are we, Vox?" Alastor scoffed. "Is this because she insulted your pride when you first met? Can't accept the fact that a woman can prefer me to you?"

"She'll get sick of you eventually. Just like before. You'll never be enough for her. After all," the television said with a smirk, "what kind of husband isn't man enough to sleep with his own wife?"

Alastor stiffened. How had he known?

To hide his nervousness, the Radio Demon laughed. "Been listening to baseless gossip, I take it? What could you possibly know about our private life, hmm?"

"I know your so-called marriage was never consummated." Vox examined his fingernails. "Most places wouldn't even consider that a real marriage. I knew you were a prude, but come on. You couldn't even tap that?" He gestured to Tina just as she was telling Valentino off. "Why bother marrying her if you're just gonna leave her high and dry? Even gays are able to get it up to save face. But you couldn't even bone her once? No wonder she had to hire someone to do your job for you."

Alastor gritted his teeth and scowled. He supposed, being involved with Valentino, it was no surprise Vox had been aware of Tina's trysts with prostitutes. Still, the television's accusations were hitting too close to home.

"There is no evidence to back this theory of yours."

"Yeah?" Vox said. "Suppose some men would be turned off by a woman with butchered titties."

There was a record scratch. "What did you say?"

"Those scars on her tits?" The grin on the screen became smug. "Surrounding the Xs on her nipples?"

Static increased. "How do you know about those?"

Had Vox seen them when he'd last abducted Tina? The thought of the blasted television stripping his beloved down made Alastor's blood boil.

"So you have seen your wife naked?" Vox snickered. "Maybe you're not a complete prude, after all."

Before the Radio Demon could pounce on his greatest enemy, a slap echoed throughout the ballroom. The enemy Overlords turned to see Valentino rubbing his cheek, Tina standing before him with her hand in the air.

Velvet had her phone up, recording the whole incident. "And here I thought this place didn't allow violence."

"Oh, you know he had it coming!" Tina looked Valentino in the eye. "Nobody insults my husband like that and gets away with it!"

She stuck a finger in his chest. "You can't measure a man by how many times he's fucked someone. And though my Al may not be perfect, he's still more of a man than you'll ever be!"

Tina stomped away from the pimp and met her husband at the buffet table. Then she grabbed his bowtie and pulled him down for a kiss. The action was surprising, but not unwelcome.

As she broke the kiss, she made eye contact with Vox and whispered just loud enough for him to hear, "We'll continue this after the party, hon. Your room, okay?"

"O-Okay."

Alastor wobbled from the joy swelling through his heart as he watched his beloved saunter away with her chin up. By Satan, he loved that woman.

Once the Radio Demon had gotten his bearings, he smoothed out the wrinkles in his tuxedo and sent Vox a sly look. "Still doubt my manhood, good sir?"

The television's only response was an annoyed huff.

Meanwhile, Velvet was conspiring with a disgruntled Valentino. "Hey, I think the Princess's little bitch is getting wise to us." She pointed to Vaggie watching them from several feet away. "Just say the word." She waved her phone. "And I'll hit send."

"Not yet." Valentino glanced at the restroom, where Husk stood guard. "I still haven't gotten what I came here for."

I wasn't going to cut it off here, but the next bit has a lot going on too.

To be clear, I'm pretty neutral on the PentiousxCherri ship (frankly, ANY of the ships involving Pentious and or Cherri), I just wanted them to walk in on a couple making out and thought having those two would have the most comedic potential.