Part 11

Charlie put a finger to her mouth, silencing Vaggi

before Nifty heard her. Charlie sighed. "Hey, Nifty...how...much of that did you hear?"

Nifty giggled. "The important bits, hehe. Heaven weapons, killing demons, and Angel has a BOYFRIEND. Can I say hi to the boy? Puhleaseplease pleeaasee?"

Charlie put her palms out, gesturing towards Nifty to have her settle down, "Just hold on. The boys a little overwhelmed. He had a really bad nightmare earlier and...he could use some time."

Nifty clasped her hands together and her body shook in excitement, "Of course. I won't be too crazy. Maybe...maybe just a bit, a teensy bit, a really small bit." She indicated with her fingers getting smaller and smaller.

Charlie chuckled a little and nodded, "that should be ok, just, keep it calm."

"And quiet," added Vaggi, "he was pretty scared just a little bit ago. Don't think I helped but some measures need to be taken"

"OK!" Nifty dashed off down the hallway, practically gurgling with excitement as she ran. Vaggie ran her palm across her face, "I can't believe this. Demons with Holy weapons, Nifty eager to bite, Valentino wanting to kill Alex, and...Where the hell is Alastor? This seems like something he would be scratching at an opportunity for. What if he finds out about the weapons?" Vaggie had a moment of panic, "Oh fuck, what if your dad finds out?"

A scream came from down the hall, Alex's voice, and Charlie ran after it, "Nifty!"

Alex scrambled backward, trying to avoid the grasp of the small demon, its massive eye wide as it looked at him as she squirmed in the arms of Angel, "Boy! A new boy!" she

started to vibrate and bounce, struggling against his arms, "Got to see!"

Angel tried his best to keep her in his grasp as he could see Alex crawling backward away from the hyperactive demoness, "she's practically harmless, Alex. Just a little excited is all." Nifty began to drool, her excitement practically bursting out of her. Alex would have hated to see a lot if this was a little excitement. Angel pushed her down. "Nifty!"

Nifty managed to squirm out from under Angel and she scrambled to Alex who had his back to the wall. She stopped, staring at him with a large round eye. He was caught. She was breathing heavy and her eye was sparkling. Alex wasn't sure what to do. He was sure if he moved it would be bad. Then she leaped at him.

Alex threw his hands out as if to catch the little demon but the first thing that struck her was the wrappings as they uncurled from his wrists and snaked through the air in a flash, coiling around the small creature.

Nifty yelped at the shock of the filaments touching her but immediately realized there wasn't any pain as she was pressed against the body and looked down, "that tickles," she smiled at her own observation, struggling as they coiled a little tighter, "Ooo, pain!" she strained a bit, her breath slightly caught, "ow, oowowow, ok, OW. Ow"

"What do I do? What do I do?!" Alex looked at Angel, "I don't know what it's doing!"

Vaggie and Charlie came around the corner into the bedroom and Vaggie immediately took control, "Alex, I need you to listen to me. Slowly. Slowly...lower your arms, keep your fingers outstretched. Don't clench your fists. Slowly..." she made a lowering gesture with her fingers.

Extending his fingers out as the strands extended, Alex followed along slowly and lowered Nifty, releasing her a few inches above his lap, the wrappings spitting her off and going back to his wrists, recoiling there like snakes, "why is she shaking?"

Nifty crawled onto his lap and grabbed the Lizard's shoulders, smiling at him, "I like it when I'm constricted. Hehe" she breathed, licking at the end of his nose as she hung in his lap before rolling backward onto the floor, giggling.

Angel stood beside him and Nifty looked him over. Alex put his hands over his private parts as Nifty prodded at him. The spider was a bit flustered and pulling his blanket off his bed, Alex wrapping it around his waist. Oddly, a lot of people had seen him naked today and two of them had threatened to kill him. Or eat him. He wasn't sure what Nifty had planned to do.

When things had settled, Alex looked at the wrappings around his arms and then to Nifty but it was Vaggie who spoke up, "you're lucky those didn't cause any harm to you, Nifty. Those things are going to be one hell of an issue."

Taking his wrists in his hands, Angel looked over the silver fabric along Alex's scaled forearms, "can you help him out at all, toots? I mean, you know more about this stuff than the rest of us do. Or at least got more experience, yea?"

"No. No No No. I am not babysitting." She crossed her arms as she looked the two demons over in front of her, Charlie trying to get a good look at Alex, "Those...weapons. Those are not toys. They are a threat to practically everyone in this hotel including you," she pointed at Angel.

"Which makes you the perfect person to teach him, don't it?" The spider crossed his arms, leaning against his vanity, "Alex has got three days before he has to meet with Valentino. I won't be able to help him in studio and I want him to be able to defend himself. Can you PLEASE just do this? I kinda really like this guy."

Vaggie groaned. Alex perked up at Angel's statement, "look, I came here to do what I could to protect Angel. He's in this situation because of something I did and I can't have him be abused because of that."

"Who said he would he abused?"

The group turned to the smiling face of Alastor as he stood in the doorway. His eyes burned a deep and dark hole into Alex's chest and the lizard felt the icy grip of fear slide up his spine and tingle into his brain when he looked at him. He could tell the creature was in a league of his own as he entered the room, the others getting out of his way, "welcome to hell, dear boy."

There was a light grip on Alex's bicep. Looking over his shoulder, Angel's hand sat softly on his arm and the Spider flashed a smile to the Radio Demon, a very very mild threat "back off, fancy pants."

The demon tossed his staff into his other hand and his demeanor seemed to shift; the first being a threat, and the second being rather...charming. Alastor let out a small laugh and looked to the spider, "oh please, dear boy, no need to get so defensive. Why, the little thing only just got here and has yet to cause even a moment of discourse. There is no need for me to jump in and do anything just yet."

There was that shift again and a moment of ringing static passed between Alastor and Alex as his gaze fell back on him, "stand up, my boy. Let me get a look at you. Rarely is there an opportunity to look someone willing to die for the dead in the eye." His grip around the neck of the mic tightened.

There were a lot of eyes on him, and the only ones giving him encouragement were the light gentle tapping of Angels fingertips as he attempted to coax the little reptile to his feet, "it's ok, Alex. Trust me. If Al really wanted to cause us any issues, I think he would have done so already. Just...go with it."

Standing up, Alex stared down at his feet and hands and straightened his back, staring directly into the pale face of the Overlord, that perpetual grin seeming to grow wider. Looking at those teeth Alex already knew what they felt like. The demon offered his hand, "Alastor. I trust dear Angel has already mentioned me to you." He gripped Alex's hand with both of his. Alex had already gotten to a point in Hell that was really...weirded out, and shook hands with the very enthusiastic overlord, "...I have...heard OF you. And I have a feeling the comments that were made by Angel were greatly...understated."

There was laughter from a few of the group and Alastor remained unfettered, shaking his claw, "oh ho! Well, I promise, those things that were said...weren't that far off." Alex went to pull his hand away but Alastor didn't let go. Not only did he not let go, but Alex couldn't move his hand at all. And although Alastor spoke looking at Alex, he was speaking with Angel, "I took care of your problem, Angel, so you are aware. With that in mind, my part of our little agreement has been fulfilled. And since your boy is now here with you, "he extended his empty claws to Angel, "I would like my payment if that is alright."

Vaggie and Charlie were stunned to hear that Angel had made a deal with Alastor as the spider reached into his chest tuft and removed the little black cellphone from it. He hesitated for a moment before setting it down in the claws of the radio demon.

Alastor released Alex and took his phone, checking it for any damage. Once he was satisfied, he slipped it into the breast pocket of his jacket. "Wonderful. And that concludes business. As for you, Alex, I look forward to seeing your progress." He turned Alex's wrist over to look at the wrappings, his smile somehow getting bigger. He began to chuckle and let go of his hand. "With great enthusiasm." He brought his hand up to Alex's face, using his thumb and middle finger to push a smile onto his scaled lips. "Smile, dear boy. It's almost like you're not having any fun."

Alastor turned away from him and began to hum as he walked from the room. "Do enjoy your stay, my friend. However long it may be. And if you ever need some help," he glanced back to him, his eyes burning bright, "my door is always open."