"Husk, this is Disko," Mimzy said, introducing Husk to a cannibal in a flop hat, button down shirt, and suspenders. His arms and shoulders could rival the hellhound that had kept him out of V Tower, but his body odor was far less repugnant.
"Pleasure to meetcha," Disko said, taking Husk's hand and shaking it. His iron grip wasn't made to intimidate; the guy was just strong and a bit careless. "Any friend o' Mimzy is a friend o' mine."
They were out in the lobby of the theater. Mimzy had taken almost an hour to doll up her face before she would even consider leaving the dressing room, and no matter how many times Husk assured her she looked fine she kept finding something to touch up or adjust.
"Disko here's been comin' to my shows for aaaaages. He's a real leg man." Mimzy said, rolling her shoulders sensually. Disko chuckled and shook his head, but didn't confirm or deny anything. Husk could see there was more to it but he didn't think it was Mimzy's legs.
"Riiiight," Husk said, "So he can get me in to see Carmine?" Both Mimzy and Disko laughed, patting each other on the back as they hunched forward.
"Nooooo," Mimzy cooed, "You really don't listen do ya? Disko's a friend, and he's got a friend that can getcha in."
"I know Clara," Disko said, jabbing himself in his broad chest with his thumb, "She can get ya in."
"Clara?" Husk asked, "Clara Carmine? You know her daughter?"
"Sure do!" the strong man said with a wide smile.
"Yeah, they're gonna make such a cute couple, too!" Mimzy said, pinching the big cannibal's cheek as he blushed. "So long as he keeps takin' my advice."
It clicked for Husk; this guy had the hots for Carmilla's daughter, and he was getting dating tips from Mimzy. He felt sorry for the poor guy; he was going to the worst person for advice to go after the wrong kind of gal.
"I just gotta let her know whatya want so she don't bother her ma about anything stupid," Disko said.
"Are you fucking serious about this?" Husk asked Mimzy with his arms crossed.
"Serious as I am about my shows."
Husk groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Fine. You can tell Clara that I need to see the Vees. It's for Radio Demon business."
"Oh really?" Disko asked, excitement etched across his face, "You work for Alastor? That's the cat's pajamas! He ain't no waste of anyone's time. I'll get Clara on the horn A-S-A-P." He hurried away, digging a hand in his pocket before coming back.
"Uh, Miss Mimzy? You got a quarter I could borrow?"
"Sure thing, doll," Mimzy said, pulling a coin out of her cleavage and flicking it to him. He caught it, tipped his hat, and ran off again.
"A quarter? Doesn't he have a cellphone?" Husk asked.
"Eh, they never really caught on 'round here." Mimzy shrugged.
Husk didn't know what arrangements were made, deals were struck, or what he'd owe Mimzy for this help, but he did find himself greeted at the door to Carmilla Carmine's stronghold by Clara and escorted to her office.
"Thank you, Clara," Carmilla said, giving her daughter a nod. The younger demon nodded back and left. Carmilla waited for the door to close before turning her crimson eyes to Husk.
"You may have a seat," she gestured to the chair opposite her desk. "Note that I do not care about you or the Vees, nor do I have the patience for any song and dance about your ongoing woes underneath the thumb of the Radio Demon."
The overlord folded her hands in front of her face as she leaned forward, concealing everything but her eyes. Husk felt the intensity of her stare; thinly veiled hostility behind a mask of patience that could give way at any moment
I could use a drink right about now, he thought.
"I accepted this request from my daughter on behalf of the favor she owed a friend, and I am extending my usual time limit to five minutes as a favor to you, for your role in ending the angelic threat. So, tell me; why should I waste time getting you a meeting with the Vees and, more importantly, why I should care?"
Husk didn't need five minutes to explain his reasoning, he needed five years. But there was no room in hell for truth and honesty, so he didn't bother and instead fed the overlord what he figured she'd want to hear.
"Alastor wants me to keep an eye on Angel for the good of the hotel," he started, once again using some truth to support his claims, "And I don't fancy schlepping down to that damn tower every day to watch him get laid and read those shitty scripts only to listen to him whine about it at the bar all night."
"Four minutes."
"I'm gonna try and end Angel's contract with Valentino," Husk continued, leaning forward with the desperate energy he was trying to avoid. He was getting flashbacks to dealing with Alastor and he did not like how it felt to be staring into another pair of red eyes ready to offer anything. The only thing keeping him from walking away was knowing he couldn't offer everything this time.
He needed to know where the limits of his chains lay.
"Puh," Carmine rolled her eyes and sat back, laying her hands on her desk, "And what can a soulless husk like you have to offer?"
Husk's ears flattened at the pun, not sure of Carmilla had some sick sense of humor or if it had been unintentional. Her implacable expression didn't give any indication either way.
"I ain't entirely sure," he said, carefully choosing his words. This was the part of the dealing he'd practiced on his way over here. "I need to get in the room and get him talking. Once I read him, I'll know how to play him."
"Read him?" Carmine asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow, "You want me to expend some of my clout on the off chance you can read him?"
"Reading people's the easy part, it's getting them to make the right wager that's tricky." Husk knew he was about to venture into dangerous territory, but he felt it was worth the risk. "I know you'd do anything to keep your girls safe," he pointed over his shoulder at the door with his thumb. Carmilla's face twisted into a snarl. Husk continued quickly, "Which is why you helped Vaggie and the rest of us with your weapons despite what having that shit as evidence on our corpses might do to you."
Her eyes narrowed. The cat demon didn't feel any safer in his position, but the cold intent emanating from the overlord moments earlier had eased up. They were both silent for a moment. Then two. Husk felt his throat burn, not sure what to make of her posture as she seemed to be trying to push the desk into him.
"Your time is up," she said, closing her eyes. "I'll arrange a meeting."
Husk's ears shot up and he could have sworn he was about to smile when she shot him a withering look.
"If you promise to waste more of their time than you have mine."
That was a promise Husk knew he could keep. Dealing with Alastor and his bullshit for so long, he knew how to milk a conversation, and he wasn't half as scared of the Vees as he was of his boss or Carmilla. If she offed him, Alastor would laugh. If the Vees so much as touched him, he knew his boss would take it as a personal insult.
And he suspected the Vees knew that, too. Just as he suspected Carmilla was on board with getting one of their contracts severed to try and stem the growing tide of their influence.
A half hour later, Husk was waiting in the lobby V Tower; the damned purple clipboard wielding hellhound had let him by without a comment or so much as a glint of recognition in his eye. That irritated Husk more than some derisive remark would have.
Damn hellhounds, he thought.
Minutes passed. Then tens of minutes. After an hour some styled up demon with a headset looking at a tablet ambled over holding a tray of sweets.
"Pardon the wait," she said, offering him the tray, "The Vees are very busy and syncing up their free time is very difficult. Please accept these cookies while we attempt to work you into their schedule. The Vees apologize for the inconvenience." Her voice was flat and monotone, her cadence was slightly stilted, and Husk knew she was reading from the tablet rather than actually saying the words.
"Yeah, whatever. I've got all day." Husk took the tray and sniffed one of the cookies. They smelled like everything else the Vees touched. Plain sugar cookies shaped into hearts with various fonts of "V" stamped on them. He would have much preferred a whiskey but shrugged and took a bite.
Dry and bland, just like the sparkling clean and empty lobby he was sitting in.
Husk regretted eating that first cookie after he found himself reaching for another a few minutes later. He didn't crave them so much as he knew he was eating out of boredom. If he ever ventured for sobriety he knew sugar would be the next vice for him to stumble into. It didn't help that he ended up waiting almost another hour before someone came to collect him, leaving behind an empty tray of crumbs.