"Large, extra dry cappuccino with seven sugars for Katie!"
Clover set the cup on the counter with a hollow thud before moving onto her next task, twisting her rag around the dripping steam wand.
"Uh, no."
Her head turned towards the demon standing at the end of her bar, watching flipped blonde hair swing around her chin as the woman shook her head. The cup, now open, was pushed back towards Clover with a short hiss.
"This feels like it's empty, there's no milk!"
Dumping her freshly pulled shots into the drink she was currently preparing and finishing it off with a sticky swirl of caramel, Clover braced herself for the bullshit she was surely about to experience.
"That's what you ordered mam', it's an extra dry cappuccino."
"This place is so fucking cheap. Make it again."
"Do you want me to just make a regular cappuccino or-"
"I want what I ordered."
Clover couldn't help the sarcastic smile that pulled at her lips. She was in a good mood, and she wasn't about to let whatever stick this woman had up her ass ruin it. Picking up the slowly shrinking cup of coffee from the countertop, Clover replaced the lid, making sure it sealed properly before returning it to its place on the handoff plane with a slightly louder thump than before.
"There you go."
This time when a hand reached across the counter to strike, Clover was ready for it.
"Listen here you little smart-ass slut, I'll ruin you if you do-"
"Kick rocks-s-s Katie." Cyrus leaned up against the bar beside her, rolling his sleeves up and taking over the line of drinks that scattered the bar. "Try and touch my barista again, and you'll be answering to more than just me."
"Is that a threat?" The woman hissed, Clover having to back away to avoid being spat on as she bared her teeth.
"It's a promise. Now get out, you're in my way."
Cyrus shoved the offending cup further in her direction and out of the way before setting down the completed caramel beverage along with its pair, loudly calling out the name for the order. A sharp click of heels followed by a shrill exclamation into a freshly opened flip phone declared the woman's retreat, Clover waiting until she'd disappeared around the corner towards the more modern sections of the city to turn to Cyrus.
"Anyway-"
"See you in an hour, kid." He hissed, nudging her out of his way with a friendly bump of his hip into her side as he continued to work. "Pick me up s-s-somethin' if you go out?"
"You got it, dude."
Satisfied at the chuckle her dual thumbs up received, Clover left him to his work. Tossing her apron across the counter beside the ovens they kept for toasting pastries before turning towards the glass case that housed them, she raised on her toes to peer into the display but wrinkled her nose when nothing piqued her interest. Sighing to herself, she headed into the backroom to grab her jacket before weaving her way through the lingering remains of their lunch rush.
Her headphones were in her ears before the door closed behind her, muffling the ringing of the bell's chime as her music began to play at a low volume. Since Alastor's little test with her computer days ago, she'd allowed herself limited time with her devices. Access to her contacts and downloaded music seemed safe enough, Clover having thoroughly sifted through her Voxify favorites in search of the perfect playlists for everyday use under the watchful eyes of Alastor and Husker during an evening drink. As sweet as their concern for her was, she had begun to feel a bit claustrophobic under their constant babysitting, even as it dwindled while the threat seemed to pass, so she welcomed the short escapes her workday provided.
The owner of the small corner store muttered a gruff hello as she entered, Clover winding her way through the stacks of boxes that littered the floor to join the line that formed alongside the menu board. It didn't take long for her to choose from the meager vegetarian options, her neck stretching upward until her nose peeked over the high window into the kitchen to order a hummus wrap for herself, and a pastrami sandwich for Cyrus. The hole in the wall had been recommended to her by the lizard himself, and had become a common spot for the two baristas to lunch from during the work day. Two bags of chips made their way onto the counter before she dug her wallet from the inner pockets of her jacket, handing the cashier a bill and dropping the change into the tip jar on her way out.
Tucking the paper bag under her arm, Clover took the long way back to the cafe to clear her head. The events of the past few weeks were a whirlwind she'd never really had the time to make sense of, and she'd take any second she could unravel the chaos. From her date with the Radio Demon to learning that she'd unfortunately caught the attention of not just one but three of Hell's Overlords due to her little camera parlor trick, it was a lot to get through in the minute amount of time she had to herself.
Needless to say, she was distracted.
Too distracted to notice the red limo that had slowed to a crawl behind her until it was too late.
An arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her from the sidewalk, and a hand clasp over her mouth before she had the chance to scream. Her purchases dropped to the ground as she began to struggle, searching through her shock for any remnants of the self-defense videos she'd religiously watched in the midst of her true crime era. Clover twisted herself in her captors arms until they loosened enough for her to fall the few inches she needed for her feet to make contact with the sidewalk. Her teeth sunk into the long leathery fingers that dug into her cheeks seconds before she pushed off from the ground with all the strength she had, willing herself to lean back into her attacker as her weight was thrown into them. Ignoring the twisting of her stomach as she was dropped, Clover scrambled to right herself before she could be caught again and took off running in whatever direction would get her away from this mess.
And face first into an unfortunately familiar, fur lined coat.
"I'll admit-" Valentino said, his fingers twisting into the front of her shirt and lifting her up to meet him as he crowded into her personal space. "You've got some spunk, kid."
The puff of smoke that was blown into her face filled her lungs with the sickly scent she recognized from her last run-in with him, and Clover immediately moved to hold her breath. Alastor had been right in his description, Valentino smelled like the sweetness of decaying bouquets, and she wasn't too keen on allowing his pheromones to rot her from within once again. She winced as he grinned, staring up at the yellowed teeth that parted to allow his tongue dart across his lips.
"Now, get in the car."
"No-!"
Clover instantly felt her mistake, breathing in a full puff of the thick cloud that surrounded Valentino as she scrambled to tear herself from his grip. The swinging of her legs slowed as a heaviness settled deep into her bones, and she was forced to take another hit of whatever saccharine smog Valentino was emitting when she caught his ribcage with the toes of her boots. The demon wheezed, grabbing her face with another gloved hand and digging his fingers into his cheeks.
"You better behave, bunny."
"Fuck you."
Her stomach churned as he laughed, Valentino's smile turning salacious around the cigarette he placed between his lips. Clover didn't dare look down as he straightened, still caught in his claws as he returned to his towering height. He blew another puff into her face, Clover's eyes beginning to burn from the cloud of smoke that seemed to stick to her skin. The red lenses of his sunglasses barely concealed the twisted glee that narrowed his eyes as he appraised her, holding her out in front of him as her lungs began to scream for fresh air.
"Maybe later, we're already runnin' late."
The car's engine roared to life as she was tossed into the open backdoor, Clover rolling across the red carpeted floor and into the opposite side with a thud that rattled her skull. Tears threatened to spill when the handle wouldn't budge, the sound of the door closing behind her and the car beginning its movement to their second location pushing her to action as she scrambled to get as far away from Valentino as she possibly could. She was able to pull herself up onto one of the seats before he got to her, the bare skin of her thighs dragging against the leather as he pulled her back with a sharp tug of her ankle. Clover would have broken his wrist if she had the strength, kicking away his touch from her skin and pondering how she seemed to always be wearing the worst thing whenever she had the misfortune of meeting with the moth. Luckily, he became too preoccupied with the two women who moved to sit at his sides to make another move, and she took the time he was distracted to straighten her skirt.
"What do you want with me?" Clover finally asked, sick of hearing nothing but the hum of the motor over the shifting of bodies beside her.
Listening to Valentino talk was better than the overdone, breathy moans and wet sounds she didn't dare look to find the source of.
"My pal wants to talk to ya' and you've not been answerin' his calls. That's not very nice, is it suga'?"
"He needs to learn to take "no" for an answer." Clover answered, focusing on the singed fabric of the cigarette burn that scarred the ceiling. "So do you, from what I've heard."
Was she always this stupid? One could argue that all signs pointed to yes; Getting oneself romantically involved with a serial killer and going on a rescue mission into a notoriously hostile hub for human-trafficking would probably raise a few questions to her common sense. That wasn't what this was. Her honesty came easily to those she called friends, but even easier when inhibitions were lowered. Talking to someone like Valentino at a time like this was possibly the worst idea she'd ever had, but that was the trouble; ideas required conscious decisions, and there were none of those happening behind her hazy eyes. Another puff of smoke thickened the air with the saccharine scent that was undoubtedly the product of pheromones, and she finally found the words to describe how she felt.
This was the absolute worst high she'd ever had.
Valentino's laugh felt too loud now, her senses heightened despite the utter lack of control she felt over her own body.
"Ya' know, a lil' birdie told me that you're into movies. I know a little something about that. You wanna be famous sweetheart? We could use a girl like you, the studio's gettin' a little stale. Besides-," Valentino leaned forward, sliding to the edge of his seat. Clover's body threatened to burst, helplessly fighting the weight that had settled into her tendons as her every nerve screamed for her to run. "Antony would probably be thrilled to work with ya'."
If she'd had the energy, she would have punched him for bringing Angel into this.
The hand that fell across her knee felt like molten lead, sinking into her flesh and searing the skin. Heat spread across her limbs, and she expected to see a patchwork of hives spring across it from the way it stung. There was nothing but the pale expanse of her legs beneath the dark gloves, but the image turned her stomach into a confusing mess of misguided memories of another demon's dark claws and the nauseating truth.
"Don't touch me."
Her voice was louder than she expected it to be. Clover swallowed the cotton from her mouth before she dared to look him in the eye.
"Or what? I know how you're feeling right now, that little touch probably felt like heaven, huh? Bet'cha that red asshole you've got as a suga' daddy can't do that for ya'."
"I don't know how to break this to you, but your product sucks. I don't feel a thing."
A lie, or at least, a 'd always been a decent liar, one of her many traits that led to just as many mistakes, but sometimes it came in handy. Alastor seemed to always be able to catch when she was bending the truth but, luckily for her, the demon in front of her was far less cunning than her dearest friend.
"You will, doll, just wait."
He might have been right, there was more of whatever drug he was pumping into the air then there was oxygen. She could feel it collecting in her lungs, thick against her tongue as she breathed. Breathing was nothing but a curse now, her normal slow second nature reduced down to hopeless panting that she couldn't stop no matter how hard she tried, forcing her to suck more of that thick perfume into her bloodstream. Valentino reached for her again, picking up the cigarette he'd placed in the door's tray and taking a long drag as his fingers brushed her jaw. The limo came to a stop before he could get a firm grip on her, the hollow click of someone tugging on the handle turning their attention to the car door beside her.
With a heavy sigh, Valentino leaned over and unlocked the door.
"What?"
"We're he- Oh, uh, sorry Mr. Valentino, but we've arrived."
The change in the air was instant, Clover blinking through the stinging tears she was suddenly aware of as the smog cleared. It seemed pointless to decide whether she was crying or if it was simply a product of the smoke. She would have cleaned her glasses of the condensation that collected on them if she could, but her fingers wouldn't release themselves from their grip on the seat below her. When did it get so hot? Her thighs stuck to the seat beneath her, ripping at her skin as she was hauled out of her seat by the front of her shirt and tossed out the open door. The driver, the same demon that had assaulted her earlier, grabbed her before she could crumple to the cold concrete, pushing her to lean against the car instead before holding the door open for Valentino. She gasped for breath, relishing in the way the normally stale air of Pentagram City began to clear her head before it was ruined once again as a set of fur cuffed arms wound their way around her waist and shoulder.
Clover sighed at the realization that she had no choice but to burn her clothes after this, if there was an after.
No, that wasn't the way to think. There would be an after, there had to be. Killing her wouldn't be lucrative to anyone; she couldn't very well be used for the Overlord's gain if she was double-dead. She tabled the thought of her morality in the after-life before it spiraled out of control, even though she welcomed the distraction from the hands that were currently dropping below the line of social acceptability. Clover regained just enough energy to grab Valentino's wrist and haul his hand back up from where it had taken up residence on the swell of her hip, digging her nails into the velvet of his coat. Valentino laughed above her, the hand that had been digging its fingers into her shoulder sliding up to grip the nape of her neck as he pushed her forward.
"Now, be nice bunny. We ain't done nothin' to hurt you yet." Valentino leaned down into her ear, his grip tightening on the back of her neck as she flinched away.
"Except kidnap me and drug me-"
"Ain't drugs kid, this is all natural." He said, and Clover had to fight her instinct to debate the semantics of how a product being natural was a moot point when labeling a product as a drug before finishing the sentence he'd interrupted.
"-but I guess our definitions may differ."
Another wheezing laugh, barely audible over the screeching of the garage door that sent her ears swiveling wildly. Her time to analyze her surroundings was almost up, she needed to take advantage of it. Clover fought against the hands that bound her as she quickly looked around what her limited perspective could offer.
For all intents and purposes, it was a warehouse of massive proportions, somewhere between the images of film lots she'd seen in movies and the backside of a shipping supercenter. What she could glimpse of outside was nondescript, just the expansive wasteland of Hell beyond the wall of an adjacent building with a fading mural along the side. The elongated shadows that stretched towards the swiftly closing door in the midday sun twisted her chest for just a moment before she was rapidly looking for something else to shed light on her location.
The limo had pulled in at an angle across the concrete, its headlights illuminating a large sign that simply said "Stage 1" painted above what looked like the broken remains of a dolly rig. Beside it was a door with a flickering red light hung above it; Their obvious destination judging by their current pathing. Everything else was quickly consumed by darkness she wished would reach out to her as the rolling door fell shut behind them, leaving nothing but that blinking light leading them towards the simple door set into the wall. They paused in front of it, Valentino staring up at the small light, the pulsing glow reflecting off his glasses. Clover could feel the effects of being so close to him settling under her skin once again, her knees knocking together as her legs began to crumple under her, and she was suddenly struck with a realization.
Despite his utter lack of social media etiquette, she'd take a conversation with Vox over being near Valentino any day.
The light turned off with a soft click and the door cracked open, a line of cold blue cutting through the darkness. Valentino pushed her forward as the door swung inward, his voice filling the silence as it echoed off high ceilings and sent Clover's eyes rolling so hard her head began to ache.
"Showtime."