Chapter 35: The Prince of Greed
In life, as a human and as a demon, Alastor held a rule commonly held by any common-sensed criminal.
NEVER, under any circumstance, morality, or bribery, get involved with the mafia. Though not much of it occurred in Louisiana, Alastor knew of the rise in power of mafias in the Northern states during the Prohibition. In Hell, one of the Overlord Protocols was the following.
Because they came in second after Overlords in the territorial game, AND they kept sin polls in check through their businesses, the sinner-run mafias were to be unaffected by Overlords. In other words, whatever the mafia did, the Overlords stayed out of it. And whatever the Overlords did, the mafia stayed out of it. Breaches led to dinners and ugly gunfights. Therefore, Alastor usually avoided Bootleg Borough and the mafia.
Unfortunately, Indigo's situation and his direct involvement caused both him, Angel Dust, and a snoring Indigo to get an awkward silent ride with Arackniss to the more luxurious part of Bootleg Borough: the suburbs where the main mafia families resided.
It wasn't like he wasn't aware. Angel Dust had always been direct about his mobster origins. He did say that his family was in Bootleg Borough. That didn't mean Alastor expected the car to pull into the outdoor parking space of a red-tiled, green bricked Italian villa. The logo of a R-shaped spiderweb shined on all the window frames.
"Angel, how long were you going to withhold the information that you used to be with THAT family?" Alastor stepped out of the car and picked up Indigo in his arms.
"Anthony Ruggiero, aka Angel Dust." The white spider pointed at himself before then pointing at his brother. "Armani Ruggiero, aka Arackniss. And somewhere out there, my twin sister Maria Ruggiero, aka Molly. Oh, and obviously, the don. Mateo Ruggiero, aka Henroin."
"The head drug dealer in all of the Pride Ring." Alastor grumbled through his smile. "I'm sure Charlie would be thrilled."
"That's classified info I gave her when I first signed in! For all I know, you could be Satan himself!" Angel Dust hissed.
Indigo still snored her unconscious head out.
"What the heck was in that blowgun dart?" Angel waved a hand over the girl's closed eyes.
"Well, I had hoped a single dart would send Vox into an eternal coma." Alastor laughed nervously.
Alastor was startled by the sudden splash of water on Indigo's face. Arackniss crushed the plastic bottle to squeeze out any remaining drop. Still, Indigo slept.
"Uh. That worked whenever Pops did it on us," Arackniss commented.
"Yeah, well, we ain't monsters!" Angel Dust snapped.
They followed Arackniss into the villa.
"Look, Niss. Whatever shit Pops is after, it don't involve the kid."
"Said kid nuked out all the neighbors." Arackniss spoke through gritted teeth.
A green limo viciously turned into the drive-through, followed by three to four Harleys with sidecars. Arackniss motioned his fellow gangsters to have their guns ready. The bikers parked by the limo's sides and took off their helmets, revealing themselves as green-eyed dragon demons. They aligned themselves by the limo, one of them taking the time to quickly polish the limo's golden hood ornament fashioned like Mammon's head.
The closest dragon demon opened the passenger doors.
"Oh… Shit…" Alastor muttered, recognizing the purple snake Hellborn who held out his hand and helped Mammon's nephew out of the limo.
The mobsters quickly bowed before the Prince of Greed.
"Your Highness!" Arackniss gasped. "We weren't expecting you!"
"No kidding!" Addison's green coat and fennec fox tail wrapped around his neck nearly recalled Valentino's fashion tastes, except the prince kept his coat a simple dark green matching his fedora hat. His hair was agitated. "I can't even have a night for myself and I need to deal with you phobic bastards!"
Arackniss shuddered. Angel Dust stood close to Alastor.
Gustav turned, noticing the unconscious demon in their hold. "Whatever happened to her?"
"Drunk accident," Angel Dust said.
Without warning, Addison took a grab at Indigo's hair, pulling it roughly. She agitated and woke up, prompting Alastor to let her go.
"Get off!" Indigo tried punching him. A dragon demon caught her wrist.
"Troublemakers like you swim with the fishes if they harm Mammon's nephew," they warned.
The dragon didn't yell in agony when Alastor sank his hand from their throat down to their chest. His fingers soaked in blood from holding the dead demon's heart. Many demons cringed at the cannibal's trophy.
"You're going to eat that?" Gustav casually asked. "I prefer my hearts in churrasco."
Addison quickly looked at his partner in shock.
"What?" Gustav asked. "We're surrounded by demons of potentially parasitic appetites, and you're surprised that your serpentine partner has Kannibalengelüste?"
"No, I'm surprised that you'd go for the first flesh available on an Overlord's fingers. You know I can just BUY demons for you, right?"
"Meine Liebe."
Alastor nudged Indigo to stand behind him. When she did just that, Angel Dust cautiously stood by Alastor's side to shield her.
"So, what brings you to our Don's estate, your Highness?" Arackniss asked. "His deals are still operating smoothly before the extermination. Warehouses are all set up and secured. We'll be doing our inventory in just about three weeks."
"I don't care about your phobic dad's schedule, you hypocritical excuse of a New York mobster!" Addison flicked Arackniss on the nose area. The small, grey-furred spider landed on the ground.
Addison then kicked Arackniss in the stomach.
"I'd give you points for convincing that snake bitch Pentious into keeping the other Overlords busy. They usually know better, but most Overlords are still stupid sinners, you know? They just CAN'T help but worm themselves into our apple orchards."
As the Prince of Greed spoke, Alastor ensured his smile was up. His hand holding the dragon heart crushed the organ. Angel Dust looked angrily at the Prince of Greed.
"And thanks to WHO KNOWS, WHO CARES, the Greed sin polls boosted up because nearly everyone in Bootleg Borough's fucking dead! Again, I'd give you points, but do you know what happens to my uncle's territories when the local population severely declines?"
Arackniss didn't budge.
It was evidently a dangerous question to answer. A correct answer would guarantee the Prince's anger. An incorrect one would still guarantee it. Playing dumb or smart was worse.
"Well?" Addison asked.
The spider mobster just lowered his head.
Addison snapped his fingers. One of his dragons used his revolver's butt and smacked Angel Dust on the cheek.
Alastor couldn't speak at the brutality, let alone Angel Dust's easy acceptance of being beaten by the Prince's goons. The Radio Demon felt Indigo's grip tighten behind his arm.
"Gentrification, Your Highness." Arackniss avoided looking at his beaten brother.
"Yes! Gentrification!" Addison snarled. "My uncle just finds it easy to do knockoffs for profits! So when the greed population goes down, why keep an Irish pub when it can be remodeled into an updated, 2020s Temple Bar ideal for the unfaithful stag and hen parties? Or an Italian mafia store front can be replaced by a Gucci? We can always replace the Yakuza's turf witch cheap knockoffs of the current love hotels in the surface! Greed don't do creativity!" He snapped his fingers again.
Just as Angel Dust lifted himself up, he received a kick in the back.
Alastor felt Indigo's hold tightening. Her nails were stinging his skin.
"I mean, I can't even think properly on how I will clean up your brother's mess!" Addison pinched the bridge of his nose.
Alastor's smile twitched.
"Pardon my improper interruption, Great Prince of Greed." He lowered his head. "I don't…"
Another dragon demon pointed her gun right at Alastor's forehead. Alastor didn't flinch.
"The Prince of Greed ain't talking to ya, ya filthy half-breed git!"
Alastor didn't react. Angel Dust hissed venomously.
Indigo just stared from over Alastor's shoulders.
"Oh, for fuck's sake, will ya quit ya hypocritical speeches?" The dragon demon who'd been hitting Angel Dust snarked at the racist dragon demoness. "I know you're still angry at your ex umping ya for a Gluttony hybrid, but it's sick how you bring it to the workplace!"
"Ya wanna talk about sick?" Another dragon demon hissed at the former. "YOU, constantly violating the no-makeup-on-the-field policy! Oh, but you get to breach it because of your fancy, shitty gelled claws! And you had a plus-one coupon!"
It soon turned into a verbal squabble. Then, all of Addison's dragon demons started hitting each other. Arackniss' fellow mobsters started bringing out their guns when the dragons bit against one another, their bloods staining the grass.
Alastor quickly glanced back at Indigo.
She was calm… physically. Her eyes, however, exposed her horror.
Alastor looked back at the envious dragons killing one another.
"Fantastic… The Greed polls in this part of tone have reduced by 6%..." Addison groaned. "Ya know what, I can't deal with this! Gustav! Call Ozzie! I want a nice hotel in Lust while these mafia fuckers brainstorm how they'll fix today's mess!"
Angel Dust stood up.
Indigo reached out to him. "Angel…"
"I'm OK…" He told her.
Angel Dust wasn't OK when the sharp nails cut through Indigo's cheek as Gustav' hand slapped her.
Angel Dust caught Indigo. She whimpered from the four fresh cuts she'd gotten. Not thick enough to reach her bones, but thick enough to show off the dark blue, tar-like solid substance that was her flesh behind her skin.
Angel Dust extracted his third pair of arms.
"I apologize for inconveniencing all your times," Gustav apologized to the crowd. "We'll be on our way."
Arackniss stood by Angel Dust. "Mafia rules still apply to the Greed royalty," the small spider spoke firmly. "Anyone can be welcomed into the Ruggiero household, but all guns can be pulled out if our women are disrespected."
"I am fully aware I struck your sibling's ward, which is why, as an apology, we will leave. I only assist my partner so that examples are set."
Angel's fur was spiking out like a hedgehog.
"Good day." Gustav led Addison to the limo and helped him in. His hand was still soaked in Indigo's glove.
"Oh, and Caligo?"
Indigo, still shielded by Angel Dust's arms, struggled to look at Gustav. His strike still made her cheeks cringe on pain.
"Schmetterlinge like yourself are still bugs without much to offer besides their temporary innocence. If you can't learn your place permanently, then contend yourself with a frolic on New Year's Day. Die Metzger des Himmels love crushing bugs."
Indigo gasped.
Gustav stepped inside the limo.
Alastor wasn't sure who shot the bullets after the royal limo.
Hours later, down in the Lust Ring
"…I appreciate again, Uncle Ozzie." Addison relaxed on the bed as he used the love hotel room's landline to make a call. "Brunch tomorrow? Sounds good, but tone it down, alright? Hey, I think you two are cute…" Addison's eyes widened. "Oh, I don't give a fuck about tabloids. I just don't like PDA-induced vomit on my hashbrowns. Kiss Fizzarolli for me. Bye!"
Addison groaned, hanging up the phone.
His personal phone rang. He chose to leave his uncle on voicemail. He rolled on the pink mattress, eyeing Gustav sitting awkwardly by the room's desk. His purple fingers were tapping nervously as he waited for his Hellpad to scan the blood samples of the fake nails he removed.
Gustav kept hissing. He'd taken off his nails to scan the blood of that blasted butterfly. It took forever (i.e. dinner at OZZIE'S, 'tool' shopping, and a quickie while watching a Porn Studios flick featuring Angel Dust).
"Your uncle can REALLY be cheap with products!" Gustav was irritated. "It's February 2015 cheap knockoffs!"
"Maybe you'll get the results tomorrow."
"I should probably update the scanning process to my laptop…"
Addison whistled, earning Gustav's glance. The Prince of Greed stroke the very tail that kept his private parts hidden. The room's neon blue lights gave him a serene halo.
"I thought you wanted the results," Gustav said.
"I do. But I also want you to leave it be. Otherwise, you'll pull an all-nighter. And you always get cranky when you don't get enough rest."
"I was the pitcher already."
"Three time this week. Already did it four times."
Gustav rolled his eyes and got up. "ONE on top. Then it stays at second base before bedtime."
Addison jumped up, flattening the sheets for Gustav to sit down. "By the way, which fake nails did you use?"
"Why the question?" Gustav reached for his bathrobe's straps.
Addison grabbed one of Gustav's hands. His fingers brushed the purple tips. Not a single natural bone filled the spot where the nails should be. The spaces just had a few nanotech inserts and various scars. A few of them were still fresh. No matter how many times in the day the Hellborn had washed his hands, there were still the microscopic signs of holy shrapnel.
"Those blessing-infused nails are for emergency self-defense ONLY." Addison's tail grabbed a first aid kit nearby.
"Even in Greed-based districts outside the rings, demons can still attack you," Gustav said. "The Ruggiero Clan could have ditched formalities."
"I love you, Gustav, but I can take care of insignificant sinner mafiosos." As he bandaged Gustav's fingers, Addison gave him a soft kiss. "You're very sweet, but please. Don't do that. Wasting yourself to protect me."
"You'd do it for me."
"I'm of Hellish royalty." Addison tossed the first aid kit away. Grabbing the bathrobe with force, he dragged Gustav down with him. "I have my ways of disposing anyone with the snap of my fingers. They'd be liquified before they could even swim with the fishes. I killed a lot of demons that got too close to you."
Gustav smirked, pulling his bathrobe off. "Like Dates 1 through 63?"
"LooLoo Land?" Addison smirked. "Literally the day before it blew up?"
"Our anniversary?" Gustav's forked tongue gave Addison's lips a tempted lick. Addison greedily returned the gesture with a kiss.
"My supply's too dry for our commerce," he said. "Restock me, PLEASE!"
"Sie und Ihre wirtschaftlichen Anspielungen." Gustav spun Addison, forcing the giggling Prince of Greed to sit on top of him, the royal vault just above the snake's key. "Time for my deposit… How much bills can the bank take before the vault explodes?"
Key entered lock. Addison's cheeks flushed in euphoria.
"Oh, my sadistic serpentine pickpocket!"
Gustav gripped his prince's hips.
"Your lock's weakening…" He hissed.
BEEP! BEEP!
The Hellpad vibrated on the desk.
Addison murderously glared at the device.
"Seriously? The results come in now? When my hole is literally on top off…"
Gustav's push stiffened Addison.
"Lock. Weakened." Gustav smirked. "Let me know when the vault explodes."
Addison stared down at his partner. "Are you dissing your results just to finish fucking me? Who are you, and what have you done with Gustav?"
"The results can wait after breakfast, ja?" Gustaf thrusted.
Addison let himself lie down on his lover's stomach, his vault still filling.
"Besides the results we'll look at later, I remembered something concerning the fraülein."
"And you remembered what?"
"The Seventeenth Brunch and just earlier at the Ruggiero Estate… Radio Demon in both situations… Angel Dust's behavior around her and the Radio Demon… Last time I checked, a newbie sinner's worst mistake upon the first weeks are emotional attachments… And King Paimon seemed oddly pleased by the idea of his granddaughter mingling with a sinner."
Addison's vault exploded.
"Gustav, you're brilliant!" Addison kissed his partner. "If we don't off her next week, we can use the results AND her emotional weakness! That will destroy her!"
"You think she can handle pictures?"
"HELL NO! That gives me a good idea… to do tomorrow!" Addison wiped the sweat off Gustav's forehead. "Although… that kind of shit will work if we use Angel Dust, but I'm not gonna get the Radio Demon fucked like that."
"You have standards like this?"
"We could get banned out of all the love hotels in Hell if Asmodeus found out what I did to an asexual… if I did it. The Embodiment of Lust has an appreciation for them. Makes OTHER demons more lustful for what they can't get."
Gustav sat up, frowning. "So… how do we find the one fucker in Hell who'd gladly screw up the Radio Demon… without actually physically screwing the Radio Demon but still with enough damage to mentally screw the fraülein?"
Later, in Runesville
Paimon admired the handiwork of today's printing companies.
Sitting on his throne, the Ars Goetia went through the copies of the pictures taken during the Seventeenth Brunch. Using his magic, a picture frame of dromedary bones surrounded one of the copies of him standing with the girls. The picture floated, hanging itself on his wall.
Most of the remaining pictures were copies of the orchestrated picture.
The one of his granddaughter and Leviathan's smiling just after he left the shot. What had been relieved smiles were digitally edited. Paimon made a note to write a lovely check to the artist for giving the girls far more regal glares at the camera. A pinch of cruelty in the smiles.
"Which editorial company to send it to?" He mused out loud. Any in the Pride Ring was out of the question. The Three Vs could easily interfere.
Paimon chuckled, remembering Velvette and Indigo's instant hatred. Alastor and Vox's hatred at first sight was amusing. Stolas and Stella… Where to begin?
The telephone rang. Paimon set the pictures on the nearby credenza and answered his caller. "King Paimon Goetia…"
"Hello, Paimon!"
Paimon smiled, recognizing the voice of Mammon's nephew. "Prince Addison! How marvelous it is to hear your greedy greatness! I trust things are well for you and King Mammon?"
"Same old, same old!" Addison chuckled on the other end of the line. "My uncle's fascination with ripoffs, gentrification, and the mafia… Things never get old! Speaking of old, while in a fit of passion, my partner and I were recalling the fun we had last week! Wasn't the Seventeenth Brunch splendid?"
"Truly amusing, watching the Overlords make a fool of themselves before their royals." Calm on the outside, Paimon's internal ambitious glee boiled.
"Funny chap! I saw what you did! You always were a heck of a matchmaker, but that one was definitely a whole lot better than your last one! Don't take it personally, but Gustav and I personally thought that your granddaughter and that sinner were adorable together! Far more compatible than your son and ex-daughter-in-law!"
Paimon was proud. Mammon's nephew himself dated a Hellborn. Should the publishing of the picture earn public approval of the Prince of Greed…
More publicity, more popularity, more power, add in some envy, and Leviathan's granddaughter will become an Overlord.
Give it a specific time, then eventually, the Ars Goetia would rise for having one of their own being arranged to Leviathan's preferred heiress.
Paimon trusted that the Great Underdweller would ensure his cambion heir's fertility. That way, OCTAVIA would sire a precautionary heir for the Goetia family AND the House of Leviathan.
"I do find them to be lovely together. And the Ars Goetia just adore Indigo Caligo."
"I saw! Hopefully they won't be too upset next week."
Paimon blinked at the Deadly Kid's calm yet upset tone on the telephone.
"I apologize, Your Greedy Greatness. I did not quite catch your statement."
"Paimon, Paimon!" Addison gasped on the phone. "The angels are coming next week! Surely you are aware of that!"
"True. We Goetia have the most secured fortresses in all of Hell!"
"Oh, so the Goetia's darling is safe! Thank Satan! You had me worried there! New sinners never last on the first Extermination, especially those with barely enough survival chances. Good thing your kin's adoration provides her unique sanctuary into all their domains. I can't imagine the amount of humiliation and hatred your avian comrades would drop on you if their darling just HAPPENED to be waltzing around the Pride Ring, unprotected and alone. Does she at least have a weapon to protect herself? What if she dies and nobody knows what happened to her when the streets are cleared off their corpses?"
Paimon's stomach tightened.
If Indigo died on Extermination Day… Which was worse? Leviathan drowning him, or losing his ticket to the upper levels of Hell's hierarchy?
The Goetia nobles could rebel against him…
"Oh, Indigo will do JUST fine!" Paimon faked reassurance.
"Really?"
"Yes!" For once in his life, Paimon panicked. "She's got her suite covered!"
"That's good to hear! Hopefully not in your palace or your son's. That would be too obvious!"
"Oh, you are right!" Fuck! "You've seen how well Gusion likes her. She practically invited the girls to stay over for Extermination. Safer to stay in another Goetia's domain, you know? In case something terrible happened in our palaces?"
"Fantastic! You had me worried! Well, Gustav and I will look forward to doing a celebratory dinner at GUSION's palace once the angels are confirmed to be gone."
Paimon gave his best farewell before ceasing his call. He quickly dialed the next number on his mind. "Gusion!" He greeted. "Hello!"
"You told Mammon's nephew that I was housing your granddaughter and Indigo Caligo for Extermination."
Paimon rolled his eyes. He always forgot that Gusion had a knack for figuring out past events. "Indeed! And…"
"No."
"What do you mean, 'no'?" Paimon exclaimed. "The Prince of Greed will be expecting to see her alive at your place for a celebratory dinner! After the Exterminators leave!"
"So? Just bring her over AFTER they leave and then he'll believe you."
"I thought you admired the bug… I mean, the butterfly that BIT my EX-DAUGHTER-IN-LAW."
"Look, I'm already prepping my palace's fortifications. I'll only have enough for me, my son, and our servants. Oh, and I know what you're doing."
Paimon knew from the beginning. "You… what?"
"You know, the one thing Stolas and I have in common is that we truly love our children. You for yours? Nothing. But you certainly love securing the Goetia family's reputation more than your own brood."
Paimon remained still.
"Indigo's truly a darling. But seriously, Paimon? A cambion? And a bastard from Leviathan's daughters?"
"It's…"
"A practical match? Well, it certainly explains much. Naberius and Octavia were never a good match, so I'm glad THAT'S out of the way. I might be a Duke of Hell, Paimon, but I have fucking standards! The Von Ouroboros as Octavia's in-laws? Seriously, that's bad on its own! But Indigo? When we're you planning on telling her?"
"Gusion, it's for the best of the Goetia family."
"You realize that as one of the guardians of past knowledge, I can easily report your act of betrayal to Lucifer AND Bael? I can easily prove her innocence. Would she lose her life? Maybe. But at least she'd be a martyr whereas you'd be seen as a traitor."
Paimon bit his own beak. Blast that drongo! She knew how to twist her way around while still retaining her supposed 'standards'! What a laugh, considering her own sadistic tastes.
Wait a minute…
"Gusion… When was the last time you indulged in your hobby?"
"Bragging on my stuffed husband?"
"No, that was so a decade ago! I meant your… parthenophilic pursuits?"
A brief silence was met in the other line.
"Well… my comrades and I finally got bored of the last model. She made a fine meal after our orgy… Why?"
"Oh, you know…" Paimon twirled with his telephone's wire. "Indigo has… her own guardian angels in Hell. One of them might gladly waltz into the belly of the beast… just to ensure her actual safety." Paimon checked his nails. "I'm just saying… The ideal male virgin… Soaking with power. NEVER showing past his invulnerable smile. A hidden beauty… Potentially trapped in YOUR domain for 24 hours? And you don't even have to drag him to home base to torment the other lustful freaks out there… Your art would be your secret treasure."
Gusion let an eager lip lick slip. Paimon had caught her hook, line, and sinker.
"I can keep quiet and offer the girls' shelter on Extermination Day… strictly if you can bring him. Deal's off if he lost his petals before the day."
Back in the Lust Ring
Addison cuddled against Gustav's bare chest. The snake Hellborn giggled as Addison used his own Hellphone to make a call.
"Sahara!" Addison's tail wagged.
"SATAN'S ASS, ADDIE!" The Princess of Sloth's scream through the phone made the men's hairs bolt up. "It's 10pm! Call me when I'm awake at 1pm!"
"Bummer… And I thought you wanted Cali as your playmate," Addison sang.
Squealing came from the phone. "You convinced her to play with us? When? How? Should I get my dad to let me go to the next Seventeenth Brunch?"
"She knows she's supposed to go to the Seventeenth Brunch anyway, right?" Gustav whispered to Addison. The prince shushed him with a kiss.
"Hang in there, Sahara. I don't know yet if she'll survive next week. But if she does…" Addison said.
"WHEN she does!" Sahara corrected.
Addison rolled his eyes. "Yes, when she does survive her FIRST Extermination… Let's just say, our new friend will need some convincing… And I'm kinda gonna need you to convince Damian to lift his ass. The… bargaining material will need believable editing."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Wait up for our New Year's party, and I'll tell you and Damian about it."
Gustav whispered something to Addison.
Addison's smile widened.
"Now that I think about it, when was the last time you and Damian consulted the Three Vs about the polls for Sloth and Wrath?"
Sahara paused in thought. "Not in a while. Why? Did you consult them about the Greed polls?"
"No." Addison and Gustav exchanged a malicious kiss. "But I don't think Valentino will be able to resist my check larger than his ego. Gustav and I have a special request… for Extermination Day."