Author greeting: welcome back readers! Another day, another chapter to upload. Enjoy!
Chapter 18: Catching up
Cherri led Taylor brought out a pink and black motorcycle. Taylor admired the custom detailing as Cherri tossed them a helmet. Taylor almost dropped it as they caught it with one hand, but held it out to her awkwardly.
"Do you mind? Arm is still broken." they lied.
"No worries! Anything for Angie's friend!"
Cherri secured their helmet before getting on the bike. She extended a hand to help Taylor get on behind her. Taylor put one hand on Cherri's shoulder and gripped it anxiously. Cherri laughed as they turned on the ignition as the bike blared to life.
"Never been on a motorbike, I assume?"
"N-no, but I'm sure I'll manage." Taylor stammered as Cherri kicked off and they tensed.
"Well, hold on! I'll take things nice and slow for you!"
Cherri did not take it slow, for that Taylor was certain. They gritted their teeth and gripped Cherri's shoulder harder as they sped through the streets at lightning speed. Taylor nearly jumped out of their skin when their first turn came, as they wrapped their arm around Cherri's neck in terror and leaned forward, squeezing their eyes shut. It took everything for Taylor not to use their other arm for added security. Cherri laughed boisterously and whooped as she continued weaving in and out of traffic. After a few minutes, Taylor learned to lean into the turns and peeked one eye open, then two. Eventually they were able to lean back and return to gripping Cherri's shoulder, finally brave enough to watch the scenery zip by.
They traveled out of the bombed-out cityscape and into the main city center, where Cherri zoomed by at breath-neck speed. Taylor yelped when Cherri narrowly hit a pedestrian, causing Cherri to snigger at the fire demon. Taylor yelled over the wind.
"This is slow?"
"Did I say slow? I meant like a bat out of here!" She hollered back.
Before long, they reached the gates at the bottom of the hill where the hotel sat. Taylor stumbled off the bike with wobbly legs and a racing heart, but also feeling exhilarated.
Cherri collected Taylor's helmet and secured it to the bike. Grinning widely, they playfully punched Taylor's "good" shoulder.
"You're alright Foko. You're a fair dinkum, I can tell."
"Don't know what that is, but thanks, you too. And thanks for letting me get back at that guy, it helped more than you know." Taylor said sheepishly. 'You have no idea' they thanked internally.
"When you see him next, tell Angie that we got to head out on a night on the town and get wasted! You should come along; we'll get you initiated to the party life!" Cherri said exuberantly.
"Haha sure, I'll do that. Thanks Cherri, be safe out there!"
"Pfft! Being safe is for losers, I live dangerously, bitch! See ya!" Cherri left with a thunderous roar as Taylor waved her off. Sighing in relief at being home, they lowered their cradled arm and started their climb up the hill to the hotel.
When Taylor got through the door, they barely got two steps in before they were pulled up into a crushing hug by Charlie. She looked almost to tears and worried sick.
"Oh my gosh! Are you okay? You vanished after lunch and no one could find you! Then we got a call from Angel that his friend found you on the other side of the city! What were you doing there?" She spoke a mile a minute as she put Taylor on the floor.
Taylor grunted as they were released.
"You mean he didn't tell you? Why don't you ask that cowardly snake what happened?" They said in an angry tone. Taylor walked from the doorway towards the lobby with Charlie following.
Charlie gasped as realization hit.
"You were with Sir Pentious? We just scolded him for trying to take over the city again, but he didn't mention you at all! What were you doing?"
"One of his Egg Boiz stole something of mine and I chased it onto the war machine. I got trapped inside and when the ship went down, I saved Pentious's sorry ass from splattering on the ground." They huffed, irritated. "And when I come to, he left me for double-dead in the middle of nowhere on a rooftop! If Angel hadn't vouched for me, I'm sure Cherri would have done me in and I wouldn't be back for a while!" They said, all wound up.
In the lobby, everyone except Angel was present. Husk, Nifty, and Vaggie came over to check on the fire demon, with Nifty noting that they will have to work hard to fix up their clothes, while Husk examined them for any injuries. Vaggie patted Taylor's shoulder before going over to soothe her worried girlfriend. Alastor just stood to the side, looking Taylor up and down for visible injuries; his eyebrow quirked and smile crept up knowingly when he and Taylor locked eyes. Taylor saw Sir Pentious looking annoyed and shooting mad glances at Vaggie. Their fury came to a head as they stomped over to the cobra demon.
"What the hell, Pentious! Why did you abandon me like that? I kept you from becoming roadkill and you just left me alone and unconscious?" They fumed.
"And what of it? It's not like we know each other, why should I have helped you?" Sir Pentious questioned.
Taylor started to boil over with frustration as they answered, seething.
"Because it's what friends do! If one is in trouble, they give a helping hand, idiot!"
Sir Pentious looked confused. "Friends? W-we're friends?"
"Not right now we aren't! When you're ready to apologize, come find me, but until then, stay away from me!" They stomped away grumbling as the cobra demon looked shocked. At the bottom of the stairs, Taylor took a calming breath before turning to face the others tensely. "Thank you all for your concern, I'm doing fine, all things considered. I'm going to go cool down and retire for the evening, so I'll see you all tomorrow. Good night." They didn't listen for a reply before heading up the stairs to their room.
The room watched the fiery demon leave before everyone turned their gaze to Sir Pentious. He looked lost in thought before realizing everyone was staring at him.
"What is it?" He asked, genuinely confused.
Charlie and Vaggie sighed as they walked over to the cobra demon and led him away.
"Looks like you need a lesson on being a good friend and a refresher on saying sorry." Charlie said tiredly.
By the time Taylor had gotten ready for bed, they had calmed down and sulked as the residual anger bubbled. Getting comfortable in bed, they gave a heated sigh before closing their eyes.
"You're late, little one" called a lilting voice from across the room.
Taylor jumped in fear at the unexpected visit. Any vestiges of anger and frustration were extinguished as they got up quickly and stood at attention. In their armchair sat the red-haired woman in their white power suit, reading out of a book with an annoyed expression.
"I'm sorry patron. I was not expecting you for a few days yet." They replied meekly.
The woman closed the book and looked pensive for a moment before gazing over at their thrall.
"I suppose I am. I have been quite busy as of late, and I'm afraid time has gotten away from me. Your impertinence is forgiven." They replied plainly. Taylor clenched their jaw at the response, but held their tongue. The woman stood up as the book vanished with a poof, and strode over to the middle of the room. With a clap, the bedroom melted away and the rooftop cityscape area took its place.
"Very well, show me what you've been working on since we last met."
Taylor finally sat on the ground, catching their breath as the woman paced around them with a solemn expression. They had shown the woman their weapon summoning skills, with a serious sparring session with each weapon taking place. Defensive fire walls were raised when their patron lobbed flaming projectiles at them. They showed off their improved fire shooting accuracy as their patron provided targets for them to hit. Next, a hand-to-hand sparring demonstration was done where they boxed, flipped, and escaped their flaming opponent with greater ease than previous bouts. All throughout, their patron had watched with divided attention, with the occasional correction thrown in.
When Taylor had caught their breath, their patron paused in their patrol and indicated that their thrall stand, which they complied with apprehension. With a stern expression they spoke.
"Your progress is commendable, you applied yourself well this week. I shall exchange your literature for more challenging subjects for you to master before our next meeting."
Taylor let out a breath they didn't know they were holding and nodded.
"Thank you, patron."
"Now, let's chat and then hear your updates before we part ways." They clapped again and while they were back in their bedroom once again, a round table set for a formal afternoon tea also appeared. There were finger sandwiches, scones, tiny cakes, and a fancy tea set laid out for two. Taylor gazed at the table, unsure of what to make of it.
"Well, don't stand there like a lay about, sit down!" The woman said from the table as they laid a napkin across their lap. Taylor quickly sat down, copying their patron. After Taylor had put some items on their plate and sipped their tea politely, the woman spoke.
"Things have been so tiresome as of recently. One of my betters is involved in a terrible scandal and it has fallen to me to help arbitrate the proceedings. Gathering witnesses and testimonies, reviewing legal scriptures, separation clauses, reading and preparing documents, it feels like too much sometimes! Worse yet as it's cutting into my research time; I've hardly had time to examine your blood for interesting properties." They prattled on tiredly.
'So that's what's been on their mind. Best to keep it on topic and off me.' Taylor decided.
"I'm sorry to hear things are troublesome for you. Is the superior someone well known?"
"Oh, no, little one. You'll be hard pressed to find them anywhere near your kind." They replied dismissively. Taylor nodded as they took a small bite of a tea cake. The woman lowered their teacup and focused on the fire demon. "Now tell me, what of the Princess's endeavors?"
Taylor told them about the botched hotel commercial, the addition of their third resident, Sir Pentious, and the meeting with Heaven. The woman chuckled at the commercial failure and Sir Pentious's attack on the hotel. They seemed troubled by the news of the moved-up Extermination date, as they gazed to the side.
"We will have to accelerate things as well, if everything is to work." They said quietly to themselves, but Taylor pretended to not be listening.
The woman turned back to Taylor and asked about their contract annulment efforts. They told them about their two sources of contracts and their progression to breaking multiple chains at once. Their patron seemed delighted, complimenting their diligence. They asked if things have changed as they've gotten more proficient. Taylor responded tentatively.
"When I try to break multiple chains, I need to summon silver fire to help melt them first."
"Silver fire? How unusual." They responded, intrigued. "Show me." Taylor held out their hand and summoned a flame. Concentrating, the flame shifted to all colors of the rainbow, but they couldn't get it to turn silver. They extinguished the flame and said fearfully.
"I'm sorry, it only seems to appear when I'm trying to break chains."
"Oh, well, that's not a problem." The woman said, raising a hand.
Taylor's heart rate skyrocketed as their collar and chain manifested and they backed up in terror. The woman sighed in an irritated tone.
"Oh, settle down, little one. The collar isn't tight and the chain is slack. Just show me and all will be well." They scolded. Taylor sat down shakily, gulping thickly as they tried to calm down. They gripped the chain and squeezed as they pulled it back until it was taut. They focused and their eyes widened as they saw their visage flash before their eyes. They tried to ignore the bizarreness as they shut their eyes and tried to summon the silver flames. With a whoosh, the flames came alive and the woman gasped in wonderment. Taylor had the thought to try and break their own chain, but thought better as they were unsure of what would happen if they succeeded in this space. So, they kept still as the woman gazed admiringly at the fire.
The woman went to grab Taylor's hand to examine the flames further, but yelped and retracted their hand quickly when the flames made contact. Their eyes flashed angrily and turned blazing red as Taylor extinguished the flames and retracted both hands as the chain clattered onto the table.
"I didn't mean it! I can't control the silver fire yet! I'm sorry!" They pleaded in terror.
The woman glared back for what felt like forever before they sat back stiffly and their eyes returned to normal.
"You are forgiven. I'll just have to examine it another time." With a wave of the hand, the chain and collar vanished. They looked away from Taylor in an irritated ruminative way.
Taylor took careful breaths as they watched the volatile woman warily. They sighed and turned to their thrall with a softer expression.
"Anything else?" they asked.
Taylor scanned their mind and had a thought. Hoping it wouldn't be received poorly, they replied.
"Can you give me a way to increase privacy or security? Someone broke into my room and found the funds you sent and they asked questions. Don't worry, I didn't tell them anything!"
The woman sat still, as if they were frozen. Then they replied coolly.
"I can…" Taylor relaxed a bit at the neutral reaction. "For a price."
Taylor was taken aback. This was a first for them.
"I don't have anything more to offer you. You already own my soul."
"Ah, but you do." They sat back and bridged their fingers. "I will provide you these wards in return for temporary control of your body." they held up two fingers. "For two stretches of four hours each, at the time of my choosing I want complete control of your body to do as I please. When that time is up, you will regain control of your faculties." They explained. Then they added, "I will ensure your wellbeing during the time I am in control, of course." They extended a hand toward Taylor with a smile. "Do we have a deal?"
Taylor sat back and shook their head, regretting their decision. The woman rolled their eyes as they leaned back, exasperated.
"This is an advantageous deal for both of us. As your patron, I have full rights to take control already. But doing so forcefully invites the chance of damaging the thrall's soul, and I rather not risk that, but I will if needed." They shrugged. "This way, you only have eight unaccounted hours in your day, think of it like going to sleep for the night."
Taylor considered the proposal. The idea of not having power over their own body terrified them, but more terrifying was it being done without warning or something happening to the people they've bonded with in Hell. It was deciding between the worse of two evils. They responded.
"If I agree, you can't bring harm to my friends and associates during those times." They said, trying to be deliberate in their words.
The woman considered for a moment. Then smiled.
"I agree to these terms. Deal?" They extended a hand. Taylor gulped thickly and took the woman's hand.
"Deal." The wind picked up as a yellow-orange fire enveloped the woman and a green flame wrapped around both of their hands, constricting it painfully as Taylor hissed. The fire around their hands and the woman extinguished as they retracted their hands. Taylor shook as they stared down at their hand, wondering if they made the right decision.
"Excellent. I'll leave the wards for you when you awake." The woman said cheerily as they snapped their fingers and the tea table vanished. Taylor quickly stood up before they fell to the floor. The woman began walking around the room before speaking coldly. "There is one last thing." Taylor looked at them, spooked at the shift in demeanor. "You've not been wholly forthcoming with me, little one." Taylor felt their mind race as the room seemed to turn frigid.
"W-What? That isn't true! I told you everything!" They stammered.
"Truly? I can tell that you've grown bolder as you've gained strength from annulling contracts. And if I can detect that, surely others have as well. You said it yourself; someone has been asking questions about you. You think your temper isn't going to attract attention?" The woman stopped pacing and faced Taylor. "Come here." they ordered. Taylor's heart pounded as they started to quake in fear. The woman waved her hand and the collar and chain manifested, choking Taylor to tears as they were pulled forward. "I said come closer, little one." Taylor clawed at their neck as they struggled to breathe. They felt themselves being dragged up and felt their feet dangle in the air. They stared wide eyed and petrified at their patron's murderous gaze. "Now then. We need to discuss your attitude. You will not let your newfound strength get to your head. Back talk will not be tolerated, nor losing your temper to anyone who goads you. You will bite your tongue, be meek and submissive enough to get those to lose interest in you. Am I clear?"
"Y-yes, p-patron!" Taylor gasped out, heart in their throat.
The woman smiled maliciously as one hand grew into a sharp claw.
"Excellent! But to make sure it sinks in, let's add another layer to your mark, shall we?" Taylor shook like a leaf as they started to thrash uselessly, trying to get away. The woman chuckled mirthfully as they cut their palm and dipped their claw into the inky blood. With fiendish delight, they moved behind Taylor as they spoke joyfully.
"You can start your apologizing by serenading me with more of your wonderful screams. Like you said, 'it starts with sorry', right?"
Taylor shrieked shrilly as searing pain started stabbing into their back.