A little over three weeks had passed since the last attack. There hadn't been any major incidents in regards to Verosika's safety. Verosika had even gone a night off without asking Moxxie or Millie to stay with her. Instead, she'd gone out with some of the crew.
Even better, Verosika had learned that while Moxxie, Millie and Milky still went reverse mugging, they had put a pause on anything more than that. Verosika was pleased to hear this as it meant that the imps' association with Milky wouldn't be an obstacle to her larger plans.
Verosika was at a signing event. Vortex was standing next to her while she sat at a table and signed objects for her fans. Millie was behind her, keeping an eye on things and doing her best not to be seen while Moxxie was inside an apartment building looking over her through a sniper scope and ready to take necessary action.
Things had been progressing without incident for almost an hour when a loud gunshot rang out. Verosika had been shot in the torso and fell back to the ground. Vortex concealed her with his body to prevent the sniper from getting another shot.
Millie looked around and saw a broken window in one of the apartment buildings across from Verosika, indicating that's where the sniper was.
"Moxxie," Millie began talking into her earpiece, "ah see where the sniper is. He's in the apartment building next to you, like two windows down and eight windows to the right. Dive down to street level and ah'll springboard ya up."
"On it," Moxxie replied. He lowered a rope that he had tied earlier down to the street and slid down it while Millie began running over to meet up with him. While this happened another shot was fired. Vortex took in the back, his chain mail shirt protecting him.
Moxxie and Millie joined up underneath the window the sniper was firing from. Moxxie reached into his jacket pocket and took out a flash bang grenade then he handed it to Millie and then pointed up, indicating that he wanted her to throw it in front of the sniper's window.
Shit, the hound must be wearing armor, the sniper thought as the bullet he fired into Vortex's back did not draw blood. Fortunately, I came prepared for that.
The sniper loaded in an armor piercing round into his rifle and fired. Much to his confusion, this failed to draw blood as well.
What the fuck is he wearing, the sniper thought.
"Striker," the sniper heard in his earpiece from a member of his backup team. "Something weird is goin' on. An imp just used a rope to slide down from an apartment window near you."
"Not our problem, Cliff," Striker replied. "I'm gonna shoot the hound a few more times to…"
"Something's comin' towards ya," Cliff interrupted in panic.
Instinctively, Striker lowered his rifle and took out a revolver since the rifle would be cumbersome at close range.
Millie threw the flash grenade upwards. When it reached the window that Millie knew the sniper was firing from. Moxxie shot his pistol at it, causing it to go off. A brilliant flash of white light erupted from the grenade as the small explosion caused from the flash bang made the window shatter.
"Grrr," Striker cried out in pain as he looked at the flash. Between his impaired vision and his position being compromised, he decided it was time to pull back and try again later.
Moxxie placed one of his hooves into Millie's hands and she launched him. Moxxie went through the window that his flash grenade had shattered. He looked at the main door for the apartment and saw someone turn left as they exited.
Moxxie ran out the door and saw the sniper fleeing. He took out his pistol and shot the fleeing assailant in the torso. Striker grit his teeth and took out a small revolver to counterattack. Moxxie ducked back into the apartment as Striker fired.
Moxxie waited inside the apartment while wondering when would be a good time to poke his head out. While waiting, he heard another shot. This confused him so Moxxie looked into the hallway and found that the assailant was not there.
Moxxie cautiously walked down the hallway and came to an open door that led to a stairwell. He saw that there was a very long rope in the stairwell that went to the top and was attached to a sand bag that was now on the ground floor.
"Crumbs," Moxxie said as he rubbed his forehead in frustration at what the assailant must've set up in advance. The second shot he heard was him severing the rope so that he would shoot up to the top of the stairwell, similar to how Millie spring boarded him up earlier. Moxxie briefly considered giving chase but with the kind of headstart the assailant now had, catching up to him would be futile.
"Sniper got away," Moxxie spoke into his earpiece, informing everyone else what had happened.
—
While Moxxie was going after the sniper, Vortex was using his body to shield Verosika and taking out some first aid supplies he kept in his vest pockets to try to patch her up to the best of his abilities.
"Vortex," Milky said to him through his earpiece, "there's two imps here who have suspiciously not scattered with the rest of the crowd. Don't look, but they're about 40 feet away and to your left. They could be with the sniper or they could be hoping to kidnap Verosika and use her as a living sex doll. I'm gonna spook them to see how they react."
Milky grabbed a water bottle from a cooler they had packed earlier and threw it. It hit one of the imps in the back with a resounding thud, making him fall to the ground.
"Who the fuck threw that?" The other imp angrily demanded as he pulled out a gun and looked for whoever threw the bottle. Milky ducked behind a corner so he was unable to find her.
Vortex saw the imp pull out a gun and concluded that these two were trying to kill Verosika. He pulled out a gun from inside his vest that Moxxie had suggested he start carrying and shot the two imps killing them.
Moxxie was absolutely right, Vortex began thinking, about how the chain mail shirt I got from Bee is a huge help but it doesn't make up for the inability to counter attack from range.
"The sniper got away," Moxxie said through his ear piece.
"Everything's fine here," Vortex began explaining as he resumed patching up Verosika. "There were two assholes with guns here who I think were the sniper's back up team but I killed them. I've gotten Verosika's wound to stop bleeding but I don't know if that's gonna be enough."
"That should stabilize her," Moxxie said, "long enough for her to receive more thorough treatment. Great job."
"And great job," Vortex started to compliment back, "on getting the sniper off my ass."
—
It wasn't long before an ambulance came and rushed Verosika to a hospital in Sloth. Vortex, Millie and Moxxie were in a hospital room standing near her. Moxxie was outside the hospital with the other crew members (Milky, Coco, Apple and Josh), who had accompanied Verosika for the signing event. Moxxie relayed to them the details about Verosika's condition and what exactly happened during the attack.
"Verosika is going to be fine," Moxxie said. "Thanks largely to Vortex patching her up."
"With the first aid skills you taught him," Josh pointed out.
"Yes," Moxxie admitted with a restrained, smug grin, caught between wanting to sing his own praises and understanding how inappropriate that would be. "Verosika wants to be discharged to recover in her own home and the doctors say she'll be ready to move in a few hours."
"Any chance," Apple began, "that the sniper died from the gut shot you gave him?"
"Sadly, that is very unlikely," Moxxie answered and took out what looked like some kind of cap from one of his jacket pockets. "I found this in the stairwell the sniper retreated to. I'm pretty sure it's a cap from a roadside flare that he used to cauterize the bullet wound he got."
"Ouch," Josh piped in.
"Ouch indeed," Moxxie agreed as he pocketed the cap. "As far as emergency first aid goes, it's excruciating but effective. And I never heard him scream from him searing the wound shut. He must've grit teeth through it, similar to how he took the gun shot in stride to counter attack right away."
Moxxie had a worried look on his face as he recounted the sniper's toughness. He thought about mentioning how the sniper had shot Vortex with an armor piercing round and the only reason Vortex was still alive was because it was a conventional AP round against highly unconventional armor. But then he'd have to bring up how Vortex has armor made by Satan himself and that wasn't his story to tell.
"I am really hoping we don't deal with him again," Moxxie said in regards to the sniper.
—
Several hours later, Striker had gone to a motel room he was staying at. He had the TV on to check the news to see what they had to say about his attempt on Verosika's life. He was very unhappy to hear that she was still alive and expected to pull through.
Fuck, Striker thought. So she's eventually going to get better while I took a gut shot and could've been permanently blinded in one eye if I'd been looking through my rifle scope when that flash bang went off. I'm sure I could pull off the eyepatch look but it wouldn't be worth the impaired depth perception. And with Cliff and Earl dead, I'm gonna have to start looking for other guys to help me the next time I need extra eyes or another set of hands for a job. Not my finest hour.
Striker then began wondering if he should make another attempt on Verosika or just cut his losses. Cliff and Earl had been promised 10% of the contract each if the hit had been successful. Striker would have to find replacements for Cliff and Earl as well as bring in more guys since two wasn't enough. These guys would have to be offered more to compensate for the risk of death. If he got four guys and offered them 15% each along with the promise that if they died but the hit was successful their shares would go to any beneficiaries they listed, that would only leave 40% for him. Striker decided that it wouldn't be worth it.
Striker then considered going after Verosika's security detail directly in the hopes that their replacements would be less capable. Based on what just happened, going after them directly would also be risky and given how seriously Verosika took her security, there'd still be the problem of needing several guys and there not being what he considered sufficient money for him.
Whoever you guys are, Striker began thinking in regards to Verosika's security detail, consider yourselves lucky because you have just earned the honor of me writing you off as not my problem.
—
Verosika had been taken back to her penthouse apartment and gently placed into her bed.
"How are you feeling?" Moxxie asked.
"Fine, all things considered," Verosika answered. "The pain meds I got from the hospital have really helped keep me numb."
"Good," Moxxie replied. "The doctor said you should be better in no more than five days. Vortex, Millie and I will take shifts staying with you to help you with anything you might need."
"You do that without me even ordering you to?" Verosika asked.
"We're your bodyguards," Vortex began explaining. "Our job is to help you and it's implied that this counts."
"Thank you," Verosika said in heartfelt gratitude. "Vortex, could you give me a minute alone with Millie and Moxxie?"
"Sure," Vortex agreed as he left the bedroom. Verosika took a deep breath as she readied herself for what she was about to say.
"You two coming into my life," Verosika began, "has been the best thing to happen to me in a very long time. You've protected me from external threats and from myself by helping me with my …..personal stuff. I'm not sure how to phrase what I want to say but I care about both of you so much and I… I…"
Verosika began crying as she was overwhelmed by both how she felt about them and her inability to articulate it. Moxxie and Millie said nothing as they climbed onto the bed, went to different sides of her and each held her hand.
"We feel the same way, Verosika," Moxxie said.
"Really?" Verosika asked, her crying giving way to hopefulness.
"Maybe not exactly the same way but we do care about you a lot," Millie answered. "After that night the three of us spent together followin' Vortex getting shot and our surprise dinner with Beelze, Moxxie and Ah began talkin' and we decided that we would like ya to join our relationship. We didn't have any way to bring it up because you're a super hot and famous popstar and we're just two imps who are good at killin' people."
"You're so much more than that," Verosika disagreed.
"Thanks," Millie said. "There is the issue of how even though you're not our boss, we do kind of work for you."
"What do you mean I'm not your boss?" Verosika asked, her immense relief in finding out that Moxxie and Millie returned her feelings replaced by curiosity.
"According to our contracts," Moxxie began to explain, "we work directly for the label. That way, if you were to order us to do something that would put you at risk, we have the right to refuse that order. Considering that you also work for the label, we're more like your coworkers than your employees."
"Good to know," Verosika replied with a wide grin, very pleased that the matter of them working for her was not as serious as she originally believed. "I'd hug you both right now but I am still pretty tender from the gunshot."
"Of course," Moxxie said in understanding. He brought himself up to Verosika's face and kissed her on the lips. Verosika upped the ante by slipping in her tongue and the two of them made out for about a minute before separating.
"Any chance I can get some sugar?" Millie asked playfully.
"Absolutely," Verosika answered as she started making out with Millie. While Verosika enjoyed this, it wasn't as great as when she made out with Moxxie. Verosika knew that this was because on some level, she saw the country imp as Moxxie's plus one. This would not be a good foundation for them becoming a throuple but Verosika saw it as an issue she would have to work on rather than a roadblock to them being together.
Verosika and Millie separated from their make out session. Verosika then motioned for the two imps to move in front of her and they complied.
"There's one specific thing I need the two of you to help me with," Verosika began. "Since this assassination shit started, I've cut back on my drinking because I thought it was necessary to not have my senses dulled. But after a while, I started having hand spasms, headaches, nausea and feelings of intense anxiety."
"Withdrawal symptoms," Moxxie concluded.
"Yes," Verosika confirmed. "So far, I've been managing the situation by only drinking just enough to keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay. I have arranged for a more permanent solution."
"Rehab?" Moxxie asked.
"Fuck no," Verosika answered. "Aside from how I don't want to trust my well-being to a bunch of rando security guards, I've been through rehab once but compared to then, I actually want to get my drinking under control so anything I'd gain from another stint would be redundant. So I made a deal with a Goetia Marquis."
"Marquis?" Millie asked.
"I had asked that too," Verosika started explaining. "Apparently it's a noble rank, only one step below a prince. The deal we made is simple: I perform at his son's birthday party for a reasonable rate and in exchange, he uses Goetia magic on me so that sexual activity will supercharge my body's healing rate. I then have sex and the healing gets me to the other side of withdrawal ahead of schedule."
"Definitely sounds more fun than the 'handcuffed to a radiator' method of withdrawal treatments," Millie said. "That's what my cousin Dale did when he got addicted to H8. From what Ah've heard, when the withdrawal got really bad you'd think he came down with Helbies."
"Not sure I needed to hear that last part," Verosika awkwardly retorted. There was a pause as she was tempted to think how to best phrase what she wanted to say next.
"You want us to help you with the sex part, don't you?" Moxxie asked.
"Yes," Verosika admitted. "Please keep in mind that this is not how I wanted this to happen. What was supposed to happen is that in several weeks, I would ask if you two wanted to try being together with me and if the answer was yes, then shortly before I go on tour in two months I would have the Marquis cast the sexual healing spell on me and then ask you for your help with that in a much more romantic way. But I want to use the spell to solve the gunshot and withdrawal at the same time."
"It's fine, Verosika," Moxxie assured her. "You make plans, life gets in the way and then you have to adjust. Millie and I will gladly help you with the sexual healing."
"Very gladly," Millie agreed with a lecherous grin.
"Will you be up for that," Moxxie's continued, "with your bullet wound?"
"We'll have to keep it restrained," Verosika countered. "If we start with mouth and finger stuff to get the healing to kick in, I should be fine after that. I have to call the Marquis and tell him that I want him to cast the spell on me ahead of schedule. Once that happens, things are going to get very fine," Verosika finished with a wide grin.
"Sounds fantastic," Moxxie agreed. "All this talk of upcoming fun has got me very hard. Any chance you could commemorate the evolution of our relationship with a handy?"
"Of course," Verosika's answered playfully, then faced Millie. "Do you want in on this too?"
"Yes please," Millie enthusiastically replied.
Scene edited out to avoid running afoul of FF dot net's policy on sexual material. If interested, check out the AO3 version.
When the two imps came down from their sexual highs, they went over to Verosika and each kissed her on the cheek at the same time.
Verosika smiled from ear to ear, indescribably happy at how Moxxie and Millie returned her feelings.
—
Author's notes: do not expect Striker to appear again. I just felt like having a little fun with one of Verosika's would be assassins being a canon character. He might seem cowardly with his decision to leave Verosika alone but keep in mind that in canon, he does have a habit of backing off when he loses the upper hand.