Part 5
Lying in his bed, Angel stared at the screen of his phone looking at the last message he had sent Alex. Valentino knew about him now. That was bad. Or was it? Hell couldn't touch the living at least as far as Angel knew. Not in that way anyway.
He texted Alex, 'I'm in bed.'
A few moments later the phone buzzed and Angel saw the reply, 'So am I.'
Angel smiled, 'I wish you were here.'
'I do too. I'd rub your shoulders.' Angel let out a small melancholy sigh and as if on command the phone rang. Angel smiled and answered it. "Hey..."
"Hey...you ok? You sound upset."
"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Just..." he took a deep breath, "Val knows about you now." He could hear Alex turn over in bed. "Yea. Charmer than one. Did calling him fat get under his skin?"
"Well...I don't know. Maybe. I was getting off his lap when he answered and I didn't stay around for the conversation. He's going to be...different tomorrow."
"Did I make things worse?" He heard muffled cursing on the other end. "I'm... I'm sorry Angie. I should have kept my mouth shut. I should have just hung up."
"No. No, that's not it. You...you stood up to him. You did something that I don't think anyone else would do. You stood up for me." He smiled and sat up in bed, pulling his knees to his chest. "It's really easy when he's in hell and I'm not, Angel. It's different when you're right there. Sitting on his lap. Did he touch you?"
"He always touches me, babe. He's a very...hands on guy."
"I mean did he…touch you touch you?"
"Oh...oh no. Not...this time." He cleared his throat and lay back down. "Are you going to be ok, Alex?"
"I'll be fine. I'll just have to be more careful with what I say from now on. But forget about me. Are you going to be OK? Is this going to...fuck things up at work?"
"No. Not at all. He seemed to like you."
"He likes that I stood up to him?"
"He does. But you know what? Fuck it. He likes you."
"Somehow that is way more terrifying."
Angel chuckled, "hey, why don't you sing to me? I really need to get some sleep."
"OK. Just...I'm sorry if it's rough tonight. I'm...fuck...he likes me?"
"Just sing."
"Right. Right. I'm sorry." He cleared his throat.
"You will find me at Summer Song
The sun is high, the meadows green,
And the wheat fields ripe and golden,
I wait alone by Summer Song River.
My love, I know that we agreed,
My love, I'll wait for you right here,
At Summer Song by the river."
Sparky looked up from his phone when he heard the door open and Valentino walk in. He stood quickly, putting his phone away. "Hey, Val..." He started but the moth walked right passed him and sat down in a chair. "Guess what we're doing tonight?" He smiled and grabbed Sparky by the throat, pulling him onto his lap.
"My love, I'll wait for you right here,
At Summer Song by the river."
Sparky screamed and he felt his shoulders break, the sharp bones grinding against one another. He squirmed in the moth's grasp and bucked and twisted. He stopped making noises, unable to breathe when he felt his spine snap.
"At Summer Song by the river.
By Summer Song by the river.
At Summer Song by the river."
Valentino smiled down at boy, running a hand along his strong shoulders. "Wake up..." he curled a claw under his chin, "Bolt." The creatures' large hand drew out from under it, pressing down on the ground as it tried to lean up.
Angel smiled and wiped his face with his palm. "Thanks baby.," he said softly, "I needed that."
"I'm glad. I hope you sleep well."
"I did. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He hung up the phone and laid back, closing his eyes.
Bolt's body moved, shifting and changing, growing larger, more powerful, his hands gripping the floor and curling his claws into the wood. He leaned up and stretched, the cracking and popping of bones and joints stretching and aligning. Valentino sat in his director's chair.
"For this scene, Bolt will be holding Whirlwind against the wall. Bolt...show me aggression." He smiled watching Bolt walk across the stage and pushed the wolf, bound in leather against the brick. The wolf shook, trembling in fear. "And...Action."