Part 7

Alex sighed as he lay back in bed, reading the last few text messages from Angel. He had to remember to record a walk in the park tomorrow morning. He scrolled back, chuckling at an old joke, smiling at an old text, and then his phone rang.

Alex answered it. "Hey Angie! I was just looking at some old texts and laughing about..." he stopped when he heard someone crying. "Angie? Angel?!"

"Hello, Alex. It's Valentino."

"Valentino?" Alex sat up in bed, "what are you doing with Angel's phone? Why are you calling me?"

"Angel can't speak to you right now. He's a bit tied up. But I'm glad I caught you at a good time. Now, before I speak I feel the need to express how serious I am about what I'm about to say so I need you to listen to me very carefully, ok?"

He held the phone out and pointing it at the set, Angel's voice ringing out as Bolt struck him on the ass with a large and strong hand. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Daddy! I won't disobey again! Please" Another slap, Angel's body bouncing on the bed. "Stop! I'll be good! I'll be good!"

Alex stood up, his mouth open in horror as he listened to the slaps and the screams. Then he heard Valentino's voice come across the phone. "Do we understand each other?"

Alex covered his mouth and sat down on the bed. "What...what do you want?"

"I want to meet you. I want you to come down to the studio today so we can talk. That's all. Just talk."

"I...I can't"

Valentino sucked his teeth. "Oh, that is a shame. Bolt, again." He said.

Angel screamed, "NO! NO! NOT AGAIN!" The sound of a belt buckle and the tearing of fabric. "PLEASE! PLEASE, DADDY!" He screamed again as his ass was struck by the large hand and he was held down on the bed by Bolt's powerful hand on his back.

"Are you sure you can't come? I can send a car with some snacks in it."

"N-no. You don't understand! I can't come!"

Valentino looked to Angel, getting up out of his chair and approaching the bed. "Your boyfriend is rather shy, Angel." He nodded to Bolt. "Again."

Angel screamed, "NOOOOOO!"

"Why can't you come?" Valentino asked. "Are you afraid?"

It was Angel's voice that spoke first. "HE CAN'T COME! HE'S NOT HERE!" He screamed.

Valentino stopped, "what do you mean?"

"He's not here! He's not in Hell!"

Valentino blinked and held the phone back to his ear. A great pressure pushed down on everyone in the room, the only sounds coming from Angel as he whimpered on the bed under Bolt. "I'm sorry...what the FUCK did you just say?" He asked.

"He's...not here." Angel said, choking on his voice.

"I heard you. What do you mean he's not here?"

"He's not dead." He said. "He's still alive."

Valentino looked at the phone and then back to Angel. "Oh...you slippery...dog..." he dropped the phone from his ear. "How long...have you kept this from me?"

Angel sniffled, sobbing, "six months... it's been six months."

Valentino walked over and grabbed Angel by the hair, pulling him up. "Oh...this is just...wonderful." He looked over at Bolt who was waiting patiently. "Fuck him till he can't walk." He dropped Angel back on the bed and walked back over to his chair.

Angel tried to crawl away but was stopped by Bolt who flipped him over and pushed him down, his strong hands holding him down by the wrists. "YOU KEPT THIS FROM ME, BOY!" He screamed. "For six fucking months?!"

Angel cried into the bed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, daddy! Please!" He begged.

Valentino sat down and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, turning away from the scene as he didn't want to see what Bolt was going to do to Angel. His fury was palpable and the vein on his head looked like it was going to burst. But in that moment, Valentino's mind did what it always did and took that rage and began to blend it with his vile mind and pulled the anger into an idea and just as fast as it came it went and he was thinking clearly and fiendishly. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Alex...oh Alex what am I going to do with you..." he took a puff off his cigarette. He spoke loud enough for Angel to hear him even though his back was turned. It was a little hard to hear himself think of Angel's screaming. "Could someone please gag him? I'm trying to have a conversation on the phone."

He heard Bolt chuckle and then the sound of something tearing. Angel screamed, "NO! NO! NOT AGAIN! PLEASE!" He heard something being stuffed into Angel's mouth and then Bolt's voice. "Better, boss?" Valentineo raised his head listening to the muffled screams. "Better."

He turned his attention back to the phone. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you Alex. You're not here, so I can't kill you." He stood up from his seat. "And Angel knows I won't kill him so that puts me in a bit of a...bind." He took another puff off of his Cigarette. He turned to look back at Angel.

Angel looked up at him, his body trembling as he lay pinned under Bolt, the boy had stuffed a torn piece of his skirt in Angel's mouth, the spider struggling to push the fabric out. Val smiled down at him as he approached, kneeling beside the bed. "But I think I have a solution for all parties involved. First, I want you to understand that what I do now I don't do out of hate, or malice, but for the sake of business." He looked up to Bolt. "I said fuck him till he can't walk. And you Alex, I need you to hear this. I need you to hear Angel, MY ANGEL, suffer...for you." He said.

He stood up, "Bolt. Now."

"Angel! Angel, talk to me! Please!" Alex could hear everything going on, the sounds of the bed creaking and Angel screaming through the gag.

Valentino took another puff off of his Cigarette, looking into Angel's face as he was fucked by the large beast. "It seems to me, Alex, that the only way to remove you entirely from this equation is for me to kill you. But you have to be here for me to do that. So...listen to angel for just a moment." He pressed the phone to Angel's ear.

The spider's eyes went wide and he struggled against Bolt, fighting to get free. "No! No!" He screamed into the gag.

"Angel! Angel!"

Valentino smiled, "nothing's wrong, Alex. Can you hear him? Can you hear his rhythmic screams? Let me make myself clear to you: I want to meet you. I'm going to give you three days, and that's not a lot of time, to get your affairs in order which I believe is more than fair. If after three days you do not cross my threshold of my studio, I will never...ever..." he ran his claws along Angel's cheek, wet with tears, "...let him go. He and Bolt will become closer than Angel and I ever were. Bolt will be practically wearing him until he no longer sells. And this is hell. There's always a sale."

"How? How do I get to you?"

"Why my dear boy...you get here the same way all of us did." He grabbed a handful of Angel's hair and lifted his head up so he could look into his eyes. "The fastest way is to kill yourself." He looked back to the phone, "and Alex? Don't worry. If you need some incentive, I'm more than happy to provide." He pressed the phone to Angel's ear again, listening to the muffled screams.

"Angel..." Val ran his claws along the spider's face, "Tell me honestly, from the bottom of your heart, am I getting fat?" He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the bed. "Let's see if your boy loves you enough to die for you. Twice." He straightened and pulled down on his jacket, lighting a new cigarette. "Ah fuck..." he rubbed his eyes, "I've been in the shot this whole time. We will have to start again. You alright with that Bolt?"

The large creature stopped mid thrust, Angel limp beneath him. He looked up at Valentino and nodded his head, smiling. "Yes sir." He said.

Valentino nodded. "Good. Reset!" He snapped his fingers and walked out of the room. "I'm getting something to eat. I'll be back in fifteen. Don't fucking stop!" He shouted.

Bolt smiled down at Angel and leaned in close to his ear, "Yes sir."

Angel's body was dropped at the doorstep of the hotel. He couldn't move, panting, crying shaking.

Charlie ran out and knelt down beside him. "Angel! Angel, what happened?" She asked, reaching out to touch him. He pushed her hand away. "Don't...don't touch me!" He said.

"Angel..." she touched his cheek and he looked up at her, his makeup smeared and stained with tears. His clothes torn and missing a few pieces. She could see the bruising on his arms and his neck; his wrists were red and raw. "Oh Angel..."

"I don't want anyone to touch me." He said, trying to move but his legs felt like jelly. He couldn't walk. Charlie could see the bruising on his thighs as well and his hips.

Anger flared through her. "What happened?!" She demanded.

"Bolt..." Angel said softly. "And...and Val."

Charlie stood up, "HEY!" She screamed.

Everyone came running out of the Hotel, "what?! What's going on?!"

"Grab Angel, help me get him inside!"

Alastor looked down at Angel, his smile ever present when he saw the state he was in. "Dear...boy." He said softly. "What happened?" He knelt down to lift him up when Angel flinched and recoiled. "Please...don't...don't touch me."

"Angel, we're just going to help you get inside. After that we will leave you alone. But...let us help." Charlie said.

Angel looked around at all of them, their eyes filled with pity. He hated that. He hated their pity. But...

"Ok." He said softly.

Husk walked over and lifted him up with ease, Angel whimpering at the pain in his back and hips. "Easy, kid." Husk said.

Vaggie walked up behind Angel, looking him over. "What happened to you?" She asked. Angel looked away from her, "I-I..." he started to cry again, "I can't do it! I can't! I can't!" He said. "It's too hard!" Angel shook his head, "he wants to kill him..."

Charlie blinked, "kill who?"

"Alex..."

"Who is Alex?"

Angel looked across the faces of his friends and then down to the floor. "Ok...I think… I need to tell you all something. It's... a lot."

Angel looked around at the group. Everyone had gathered around to hear his story. Everyone had some reaction to his story. Some of them were horrified. Some of them were pissed. And some of them were confused.

He laid the whole thing out. Talking to Alex, Alex being alive, Valentino finding out, the cell phone, Sparky, Bolt, and what was going to happen to him. And finally the ultimatum.

Husker spoke first, "so...that really was the beach we listened too?"

Angel nodded, "yeah, that's really it."

"That's fucked up..."

Angel nodded, "yeah."

"So, Alex is alive and in order for this to stop...he needs to be down here with us?" Charlie asked.

Alastor stared out of the window, his smile from ear to ear as he looked out at the rest of the city. He was thinking.

"Yeah...he does. If he doesn't come to Valentino's studio he will never let me go. And he'll make me...and...Bolt will never stop...hurting me."

Alastor tapped his cane on the floor once, it bouncing off the wood and back into his hand. "If it is all the same to you, I would like to speak to Angel alone for a few minutes." He said.

Everyone looked around at one another and then to Angel who shrugged his shoulders. "Fine by me." He said.

One by one they left until it was only Angel and Alastor left in the room. He closed the door behind them and turned to Angel. "Poor boy..." he said softly, approaching Angel. "You've been through so much." He reached out and touched Angel's cheek. The spider flinched away. Alastor stopped, "I'm sorry, Angel. Consider it my caring nature, ha-ha." He stood in front of Angel, smiling down at him. "I may be able to slow things down a little between Val and you. I don't know about this Alex boy, nor do I really care, but I can make things easier for you."

Angel looked up at him, "how?" He asked.

Alastor smiled, "do you trust me?" He asked.

"Fuck no."

Alastor chucked and tapped his cane on the floor again, "And rightly so, but the way I see it, if Bolt is removed from the picture then Valentino has one less puppet to force upon you. I could...remove him from the board if you so desire."

"You mean kill him?" Angel asked.

Alastor nodded, "yes."

Angel looked down at the floor. "I don't know. I mean...he's still Sparky."

"And when he had his hands on you, did you feel a Sparky?"

Angel shook his head, "no...No I didn't." He said softly.

"Well...then it's settled. I shall rid you of the monster you spoke of and things will slow down. In exchange..."

"What do you want?" Angel asked.

Alastor's eyes seemed to glow, his smile widening. "You must do me a favor in return."

Angel raised an eyebrow, "and what's that?"

"I want the phone. To be turned over to me the moment whatever..." he indicated Angel, "this is, is done with your little Alex. When Alex and you are no longer speaking it would be worthless to you. Why not let me have your garbage? No questions asked." He held out his hand, "do we have a deal?"

Angel looked down at his hand and then back up to Alastor. "I don't know if I can give you my only connection to him."

Alastor's eyes narrowed but his smile was still wide. "If he kills himself, he will be here soon enough. If he doesn't, then you will more than likely let him go. What reason is there to have the phone then?" He asked.

Angel nodded, "you're right." He held out his hand. "Deal." He shook Alastor's hand and the deer demon's eyes lit up with joy. "I look forward to our future business, dear Angel. Now!" He straightened his tie and folded his hands behind his back, "we shall speak again when I am done with my task." He began to hum as he turned on his heels and made his way to the door.

"Hey...Al?" Angel looked up at him. Alastor paused and turned to look over at him. "Yes, dear boy?"

"Thank you..."

Alastor's smile softened, "this is business, Angel. I'm not doing this for you. Let's not get sentimental." He opened the door and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Angel leaned back against the headboard of his bed, wincing and pulling away. His body hurt all over. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It had been a long day and it wasn't even over yet. He closed his eyes, trying to rest.

"Hey Angel... it's Charlie, we just wanted to know how you were doing."

"Please go away, Charlie." Angel said.

"Angel, I just want to check on you. See if you need anything."

"I'm fine. Just go away."

"But..."

"GO AWAY, CHARLIE! I'M NOT OK!" His voice broke. "I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WAS OK!"

There was a pause on the other end of the door and Angel felt his heart racing. He didn't mean to yell at her. He didn't mean to scream. He was just so frustrated and tired.

"I'm sorry just...please leave me alone." He said.

"Ok, Angel. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok..." he whispered. "Tomorrow..."