Another day, another parade of dicks. An endless buffet of demon cock from every ring, with as much blow as he could ever want. Such was the life of superstar porn actor and Hell's most desirable twink, Angel Dust.
He fucking hated it.
"Cut!"
Angel was brought roughly out of his thoughts by Valentino's annoyed screech. He stalked over to where Angel lay, tied face-down to a chaise lounge. Angel's co-stars scattered as the moth demon approached.
"Angel, baby, can we have a little more…" Valentino gripped his star's face with one clawed hand, " feeling?" His red eyes narrowed with dangerous intent.
Angel couldn't respond through the ball gag he was wearing, so he only nodded. Valentino smiled his cruelest smile.
"Good." He straightened up and snapped. "Get the guy with the biggest dick in here!" There was a sudden scrambling as the toadies rushed to get it done.
Angel winced. Of course. Without a warmup, no less. Fuckin' Val. Whatever, he was Angel Dust. He would perform. He had to.
His new co-star showed up just as Angel's upper shoulders started cramping. How long had he been hog-tied like this? He didn't even know what time it was. The windowless, timeless hell of the studio pressed in on him. The lights were so hot.
Pull it togetha', he told himself.
When action was called, Angel fell into himself. He moaned and panted, squirmed and drooled almost on instinct. His mind drifted away and went somewhere Val couldn't find him.
That morning
Angel stretched as he entered the hotel's lobby. Niffty scampered by, chasing an unfortunate bug that had made its way inside.
"Morning!" Charlie sang from over by the front door.
"Mornin'." Angel waved while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Vaggie and I are headed out for canvassing!" Charlie said the word like it was the most exciting thing imaginable. "Wanna come?"
Angel couldn't help but crack a smile. "Sorry, hun, Val needs me all day today."
Charlie's face fell. She pursed her lips as if she wanted to say something more, but Vaggie had arrived then.
"Alright. Have a good day."
Angel waved as the two left. Charlie threw him another concerned glance over her shoulder as she went.
The look on her face made Angel need a drink. He sauntered over to the bar and tapped his long fingers on the wood. Husk emerged from wherever that door led to, a bottle in hand.
"It's gonna be a long one, barkeep. Gimme somethin' to start the day." Angel said with a dazzling smile.
Husk turned, barely suppressing a smirk as he rolled his eyes. "I don't need to know about the dicks you're going to be suckin' today."
"Ha!" Angel cried in surprise. "You made a dirty joke!"
Husk reached under the bar. "So I did." He pulled out a white mug instead of a tumbler.
Angel propped himself up by one elbow on the bar and leaned in. "It wasn't very good." He teased.
Husk rolled his eyes again. "Give a fella some points for trying." He turned his back on Angel and began pouring things into the mug that Angel couldn't see.
After a moment, Husk turned and placed the mug down in front of Angel.
"There ya go." He avoided eye contact as Angel stared down at the steaming mug. It wasn't alcohol, but coffee, with perfectly fluffy steamed milk gently dusted with cocoa powder on top.
"Is this…?" Angel began, but Husk cut him off.
"Charlie thought it would be a good idea for me to learn to make coffee. You know, for guests who wanna avoid the bottle."
Angel lifted the mug in two hands. The aroma was heavenly. "But this is-"
"Mocha. That's what you said you liked." Husk had turned away again to wipe down his work surface. Angel glanced over and saw several coffee stained mugs, spoons, and a splatter of milk foam he hadn't noticed before.
"Have you been practicin'?" He asked.
Husk snorted. "I made Charlie one earlier."
Angel looked down at the perfectly crafted drink in his hands. He smiled. "I see."
"Don't just sit there lookin' pretty, try the fuckin' thing already." Husk grumbled.
Angel took a sip. It was good. He gave an evil grin.
"I've had betta."
Husk rolled his eyes. "Whatever, loser."
"ANGEL."
Angel's eyes snapped open. He was back in the studio. Valentino sounded like he was on his last nerve. Shit.
Angel shook off the last of his memory as Valentino seized him. He pulled the gag roughly from Angel's mouth.
"Where are you right now?" Val spat.
Angel froze. "Your studio, Val."
"No shit!" Valentino towered over him, his red eyes glowing with fury. His voice lowered to a dangerous level. "I shouldn't have to call your name more than once."
"Sorry, Val, I just-"
Val backhanded him. "You will be. You can forget about going back to that shithole hotel tonight. You're filming till you bleed."
Angel dropped his gaze. He knew better than to argue.
"Yes, Valentino."
. . .
Husk stood at his bar, idly playing with a cocktail stirring spoon. He glanced up at the clock. Two in the morning.
A fire burned quietly in the hearth. Carlie and Vaggie had gone to bed hours ago. Niffty was God-knows-where, and he hadn't seen the antlered fuck-head all day.
He spun the spoon around in an empty glass. A cold mug of decaf coffee sat untouched on the bartop. He growled at it and began cleaning up.
. . .
The sound of a door opening woke Husk from his dozing. He sat up in the plush armchair with a snort and looked towards the front doors. Just as he expected. Angel Dust was back.
"Took you long enough." Husk said with a stretch. "I fell asleep waitin' on your sorry ass."
He got up and headed to the bar, intending to fix Angel something really strong. "I'm up now so you might as well tell me all about it."
Angel didn't reply.
Husk turned. "I'm all ears-" He stopped dead.
Angel had collapsed face-first onto one of the sofas by the fire. He lay there, sprawled, head lolling off the side.
"Angel?" Husk waited for an answer. There was none. He left the bar and headed over. Then he saw the blood.
Bloody footprints traced Angel's path to the lounge. Husk's pupils narrowed to slits in shock. "What the fuck?"
He dashed to Angel's side and took his white face in his claws. Angel's mismatched eyes were closed. His mouth sagged open slightly. The back of his striped tux was soaked in blood.
Husk went cold.
He yelled for Niffty to get Charlie. He didn't know where the little bug was, but he hoped she could hear.
Husk began removing Angel's gloves and coat so he could get a better look at the injuries. Angel stirred as Husk worked.
"Kitten?" Angel slurred.
"God dammit, Legs, what happened?"
"Nothin'. I'm fine."
"Like hell you are."
Husk peeled the soaked fabric off of Angel slowly. The spider demon winced as it came away.
His back was laced with deep claw marks. Husk swallowed the bile that had risen in his throat. It had never been this bad before. Even after Charlie had visited the studio. It was getting worse.
"Val just got a little carried away." Angel mumbled into the cushion. "He said he was sorry."
Rage boiled up inside Husk. His claws shook. He pulled a clean towel from his belt and began dabbing at the gashes. He didn't know what else to do.
"Husk? Niffty said someone needed help. Oh, my God, oh, my God!" Charlie had finally arrived.
Feeling helpless, Husk stepped back and let Charlie and Vaggie tend to Angel. He watched as they cleaned his wounds and gave him something for the pain. Charlie babbled away nervously in an attempt to comfort Angel. Vaggie worked with furious purpose. Husk just stood to the side, unable to think.
An unwelcome presence manifested at Husk's side.
"Oh dear." Alastor cooed, "He really is making an awful mess on those cushions, isn't he?"
Husk clenched his fists.
"It is too bad that Charlie can't free him from that fool Valentino." Alastor continued, smiling away at the misfortune of others.
Husk grit his teeth.
"Such a shame," Alastor grinned.
"Wipe that fuckin' smile off your face." Husk snapped.
"Oh ho!" Alastor laughed, "I seem to have touched a nerve." He sounded giddy to have done so.
Husk watched as Charlie instructed Niffty to begin stitching closed Angel's wounds. His body felt like stone, cold and heavy.
"If only there was some way to end his suffering." Alastor continued in mock concern.
"There is. Redemption." Husk said it before he could stop himself. Did he even believe it?
"Alastor examined his clawed hands lazily. "And until then?"
Husk's eyes narrowed.
. . .
Husk made his way down the filthy street awash with flashing neon and refuse. He wore his collar up and his hat low. It wouldn't do to be recognized. He reached his destination and slipped a card between the locked double doors. With a satisfying 'click' they gave way and Husk stole inside.
The lobby was empty. The harsh blue glow of security cameras shone in every corner. Husk looked up at them with disdain before dropping a small handful of powder at his feet. It exploded in a cloud of black smoke that quickly filled the room. An alarm began to wail. Husk ignored it and strode through the smoke. He approached the elevator. The light on the panel flashed red. Husk cocked his head.
With a crackle of light and a loud snap, Husk vanished and reappeared inside the elevator. He jammed the button and stuffed his hands in his pockets. All these fancy security measures had nothin' on classic misdirection and prestige. He pulled his deck of cards from his pocket and began fanning them in and out as the elevator climbed.
The number above the door flashed and the elevator stopped. The doors opened and Husk stepped out into a cloud of pink fog.
He was instantly grabbed by the arms by rough claws. Two burly henchmen had been waiting for him.
"Well, that was easy." A voice said. A tall, red-eyed demon stepped into view. He wore a gaudy cloak and even gaudier hat. Valentino.
"I guess even idiots can get lucky sometimes." He snapped his long fingers and the henchmen tightened their grip and forced Husk to his knees.
Valentino stalked forward and leaned down to peer into Husk's face. "Where do I know you from?" He wondered aloud.
"I'm a friend of Angel Dust." Husk said calmly.
Valentino's eyes widened. "From the hotel?" He barked a laugh. "What the fuck do you want? Actually no, I don't care." he straightened up and lifted his cigarette holder to his mouth. "Get rid of him." He ordered.
"I've come to make a threat." Husk said.
Valentino grimaced over his shoulder. "You're a funny little man, but I still don't care." He waved Husk away.
"If Angel ever comes back to the hotel again like he did tonight, I will blow your fuckin' head off."
Valentino blinked. He held his hand up for his henchmen to halt. He leaned down and looked Husk in the eyes. His smile had gone.
"I'm sorry, who the fuck do you think you are exactly?" His voice was deadly and low.
"A friend of Angel's."
Valentino bore his teeth. Husk noted the one golden fang, in the same place Angel had his. The sight made him sick.
"You think you can come in here and threaten me?" Valentino hissed. He grabbed Husk's face with his claws and brought it close to his. "Do you know who I am? I will rip you apart, do you hear me? I will fucking end your entire miserable existence. I will-"
Husk never heard what else Valentino would do to him, because at that moment he spat the loaded die he had hidden in his mouth directly down Valentino's ugly throat.
The moth demon's eyes popped and he let go of Husk's face. He stumbled backwards and clawed at his neck. Husk quickly dispatched the two henchmen with a few cards hidden in his gloves. Their heads fell to the floor before their bodies.
Husk brushed off his fur and walked up to Valentino. The demon's eyes were watering with pink fluid as he desperately tried to cough up the die. Husk grabbed him by the throat.
"You may own Angel's soul, but you sure as shit don't own mine." He hissed. "If he ever comes home like that again, I will finish the job I started here."
Valentino's eyes bulged with panic and hatred.
Husk threw Valentino from him and turned to leave. He felt Valentino's attack coming before it landed. With a final flick of his fingers, Husk detonated the die. Valentino's headless corpse fell to the ground with a satisfying thump.
Valentino would be back. He would want revenge. Husk had just painted a target between his eyes.
He didn't care. He could take the Vees. He felt like he could take anyone.
For him, anyway.
. . .
Angel woke from a thick and dreamless sleep to find himself bandaged and lying face down in his bed. His back ached, but it was welcome compared to the agony of last night. Fat Nuggets lay curled at his side. Angel reached out to scratch the pig's head when something else caught his eye. He turned his head and lifted himself up a little.
Husk was fast asleep in an armchair at Angel's bedside. His head rested on his curled fist, his other hand dangling off of the arm rest. His eyebrows were knit together grumpily. As Angel watched, his nose twitched and his lip curled momentarily before his face fell back into the stillness of sleep.
Angel felt unexpectedly warm. Tentatively he reached out and hooked his pinky finger around Husk's. Husk twitched and opened one eye.
"Hey." He grunted.
"Hey."
"You okay?"
"Betta' now."
"Good." Husk closed his eyes and, just when Angel thought he had fallen back asleep, gripped Angel's hand properly. Angel curled his fingers around Husk's and smiled into his pillow.