Author note: welcome back my wonderful readers! Another chapter for y'all, then I promise we will get to the next episode in the main series! Special thanks to the 15-20 favorites and follows, plus the lovely reviews, I cherish you all. Enjoy!
Chapter 33: Renewed Resolve
After getting another lecture from Vaggie about setting a better example for the other guests by Vaggie and Charlie, Taylor washed up for lunch. When get were done, they saw messages from Clara and Odette invited them over to hang out and have dinner.
Taylor had been going over to the Carmines once a week for a month now. They lied and said they were working since they knew Vaggie wouldn't approve of the visits, but Taylor believed it was worth it. They would relax and spend time chatting with Odette and Clara about mundane things mostly. Clara was the life of the party and kept trying to rope Taylor into joining her for a night of clubbing, but after their stints as a pole dancer and a bottle service attendant, they wanted a break from that kind of scene for a while. Odette was very methodical and down to earth, with her always wanting to hear about Charlie's plans to redeem Sinners or for Taylor to practice their angelic steel work to make things that she thought could be useful.
Taylor knew they were being trained to make weapons, but they admitted the skill could come in handy and it proved to be quite engrossing work. Where else would they have access to angelic steel to tinker with? At that point, they were able to melt steel scraps and shape them into small blades like daggers or throwing knives with their hands and the silver flames. It felt a lot like clay work, but the results were sharp once cooled. The trio were lounging and chatting along the bottom of the staircase of the Carmine manor while Taylor attempted to form a throwing star, much to Odette's disapproval.
"No one is going to use that, you ought to make a dagger or something practical." She said flatly as she read some reports.
"It's just for fun." Taylor replied simply as they ran their fiery fingers along the side to bevel the edges.
"Taylor, how nice to see you again." Carmilla called out calmly as she entered the room, her strides making a clinking sound with every step.
The Overlord and fire demon had grown more comfortable with each other, with the hostile sternness and nervousness gone and the beginnings of a soft familiarity forming. Taylor felt like a family friend and Carmilla was a very different mother figure than their own was, which they had come to appreciate and envy at times.
"Afternoon Madam Carmine. Nice to see you too. Are we sparring again today?" Taylor greeted politely as they looked up from their work.
In addition to spending time with Clara and Odette, Carmilla insisted Taylor spar with the three of them. The two sisters had already been training under Carmilla for years, but ever since the event that led to their meeting, Carmilla had demanded that the two brush up on their skills. Taylor had reluctantly agreed at first, but they found the sessions quite instructive, if a little brutal in the approach. Carmilla was incredibly agile and didn't hold back with her ballet combat, with Taylor never able to get a hit in, even when it was three-on-one. Despite the ruthlessness of the lessons, they were learning a lot. Carmilla pointed out and had Taylor work on their deficiencies, even if it took more blows than they liked before the lessons stuck. They now had some experience fighting multiple opponents at once too, which would come in handy in future dealmaker jobs.
"Not tonight, we have an old friend coming to dinner. Please, join us." Carmilla replied as she observed Taylor's throwing star. "No one is going to use that" she mentioned plainly.
Taylor frowned, slightly miffed at the repeat comment.
"I'm just experimenting is all." They grumbled as they extinguished their hands and waved the star around to cool it off.
"I see. Then go with Clara and Odette to wash up. He'll be here soon." Carmilla answered with a smile before she went up the stairs. Taylor nodded as they got up and turned to the sisters.
"Who does your mom mean by old friend?"
"Oh, she probably means Zestial. He comes by every now and again." Clara said in a nonchalant tone.
Taylor froze as a wave of terror hit them.
'Another Overlord?' they thought fearfully.
Some of their clients came from the spider demon's network, and while they hadn't seen the demon himself in their memories, one of the things they'd learned was that Zestial reveled in the sounds of screams. And according to two other beings they knew, theirs were particularly pleasing to the ear. They started to panic as their survival instinct blared at them to act.
'I got to get out of here.' they decided.
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline dinner this time around. I'll see you all next week!" They chimed in a overly forced apologetic tone.
Clara and Odette noticed Taylor's distress and stood to console them.
"Aww, don't worry. Zestial's very kind and won't hurt you, especially since you're unofficially part of the family." Clara said gently with a wave.
"Yeah, Taylor, he may be the oldest Overlord in Hell, but he's good to the ones he cares about." Odette added warmly.
Taylor wanted to believe them, but their sense of preservation won out.
"That's alright, I don't want to intrude on your-"
"Greetings, Clara, Odette. How fare thee this fine evening?" hailed a low haunting voice behind them as the room got darker where a shadow was cast over them.
Taylor flinched and stood ramrod straight as they felt the hairs on the back of their neck rise and their brain screamed at them to run.
'Shit, shit, shit!' they repeated in their head as they tried to steady their rapid breathing. In an almost robotic fashion, they turned around to face the stranger.
The impossibly thin being looming over them was the tallest they had met yet, with Taylor having to crane their head back to get a full view. He was draped in a floor length pitch-black cloak with a large clasp in the shape of a black spider with lime green legs and eyes on the front. His high collar had a lime green spider web design on the inside and atop his head he wore a black top hat adorned with a gray skull and a red and lime green feather on one side. The gray skinned Overlord smiled jovially at the two sisters with two sets of unnerving lime green eyes that glowed eerily in the darkness he cast.
"Hey Zestial! We're fine, thank you!" chirped Clara and Odette together. The spider demon nodded before turning his gaze down at the unfamiliar fire demon, whose hands had started to tremble.
"And who art thou, little one?" He asked as his eyes narrowed slightly and glowed brighter.
The pet name reminded them of their patron, spiking their heart rate. Taylor's brain shorted out as their fear kept them from stringing together coherent thoughts.
"I-I, I'm, I'm-" they sputtered as they stared wide-eyed into lime green eyes who began to gleam in amusement.
Clara put her hands on Taylor's shoulders as she interjected to help out their petrified friend.
"Zestial, this is Taylor! They helped me and Clara out when we got jumped on a delivery and get me back to mom for treatment!" she answered cheerfully.
A look of recognition passed over his face as he stood back to his full height. He spoke in a friendly tone.
"Ah! 'Twas thou who ensured Carmilla's daughters' safety! Tis a delight to make your acquaintance." He bowed his head slightly. Taylor stiffly nodded their head in acknowledgment.
"Zestial, my friend. Good to see you again." Carmilla's voice called out from the top of the stairs. The spider Overlord glanced up at his hostess.
"Enchanted as always, Carmilla." Zestial replied to before he nodded to the trio and seemingly glided up the stairs.
When the two Overlords had departed, Taylor's legs gave way as they stumbled back onto the stairs and held their head with a tremulous hand.
'Holy shit, that was terrifying! He makes Alastor look like a kitten in comparison.' they reflected as their panic waned.
"See? He likes you! You got nothing to worry about." Clara piped up as she stood next to the unsettled fire demon. She suddenly grabbed them by the arm and pulled them onto their feet before pushing them up the stairs. "Now come on! Let's go get ready, I'm starved!"
Taylor tried to protest, but Clara was too strong and persistent. Odette chuckled as she followed the two up the stairs.
Taylor sat around the Carmine table as a bundle of nerves kept them mute and anxious. They put up an impassive face, but they were wound up so tight inside as they covertly observed the two Overlords converse amicably about their enterprises. Taylor noticed the inside of Zestial's cloak was like lime green and had a spider web design and red spider legs along the back when he brought his clawed hands out to eat or drink.
Carmilla addressed her guest loud enough for Taylor to hear.
"Zestial, it might interest you to know that Taylor is part of the Miss Morningstar's project to cleanse Sinner's souls and have them Heaven-bound."
Taylor looked over wide-eyed as Zestial turned to them with skeptical interest.
"Truly? What brought thou to engage in the Princess's flight of fancy? Mayhaps thou believe in such a folly?"
Taylor snarled as their trepidation left them and their temper flared at him disparaging Charlie. Their mark started to burn in warning, making them clenched their jaw as they chose their words with care.
"Yes, I'm part of Charlie's program. I had personal reasons for arriving at the hotel at first, but now I'm doing it to prove it can be done." They huffed angrily. "It seems ridiculous to me that a fleeting twenty-two years on Earth should dictate the rest of my eternity with no chance to appeal the decision." They clenched their fist as they continued. "Even if it hasn't ever been done before, I'll be one of the first, if not the first one to do it." They looked away as they sighed and relaxed in their chair. "I'm going to make Charlie's dream come true so maybe Exterminations don't have to happen anymore."
The table was quiet as they considered what was said.
Zestial's calm gravelly voice cut the silence.
"I eagerly await thy missive, should'st thou succeed."
Taylor looked back bewildered.
"You do?"
Zestial nodded and clasped his hands as he spoke plainly.
"Methinks the system is not judicious as well, but we are wont to believe it cannot be changed. But if perchance thou manage it, I shall sing thy praises for a job well done."
Taylor was gob smacked; they were so used to others not giving the idea of redemption a chance that someone showing an iota of faith was unbelievable. They stared at Zestial intently, scanning for signs of mockery or insincerity, but couldn't detect anything of the sort. They nodded determinedly and replied.
"Keep your eyes out for my message then."
Zestial nodded before returning to chat with Carmilla. Odette nudged Taylor before smiling.
"See? He does like you. And for what it's worth, I'm rooting for you too." She said with conviction.
"Don't forget about me! You show those Heaven fuckers what's what, but not before I get you out on the town for some fun, alright?" Clara cut in excitedly.
Taylor was touched at the words of confidence. Subtly wiping a bit of dust from their eye, they laughed quietly.
'I'll do it. Somehow.' They thought optimistically.
Carmilla watched the trio chatting and laughing with a strained smile. Zestial noticed his friend's expression and shot her a knowing look that she waved off for later discussion.
Carmilla watched from the balcony as her daughters drove away to take Taylor back to the hotel. Zestial came up behind her and addressed his friend.
"Carmilla, what troubles thou?"
Carmilla sighed as she saw the car get farther away and disappear around the corner.
"I'm worried for Taylor. The girls care for them like they are part of the family, though we've only known them for a short period. But they are a magnet for trouble." She looked back at Zestial.
"Surely you noticed the latent power they possess? It's unusual for a new soul to arrive with so much strength. The last time that happened was with Alastor, and if we can sense it, he surely can. I fear he might try to guide them astray or do away with them to save his fragile ego and need for attention."
Zestial nodded gravely.
"They be a gentle soul. Haply, the Princess will shield ye from Alastor's machinations. Methinks they shall fare well in the field against the base that plague this realm."
Carmilla sighed.
"I hope you're right."
Back at the hotel, Charlie, Vaggie, and Angel were in the manager's office having a follow up meeting.
"Didja find anythin', Charlie? My askin' roun' came up zilch." Angel asked worriedly.
"Nothing from me either. But I just know I've seen something like that before, and it just kills me that I can't remember where!" Charlie replied thoroughly confounded as she paced around the room.
"But at least the night terror episodes have stopped." Vaggie conceded, trying to find a positive note.
Charlie stopped and turned to face the other two demons.
"I'm not so sure of that. I think someone has put up wards in their room to keep people out of their business." She continued while the other two looked shocked.
"Vaggie, remember that day we went and dragged Taylor out of bed when they were hungover? I could feel an aura about the room that felt like magic, possibly a shielding ward."
"But I've been in their room tons o' times, what kinda ward doesn't keep people out?" Angel pressed.
"It might be circumstantial or for specific people; Niffty still goes in there to clean after all. When the dealmaker is around the hotel, it must activate to keep their interactions under wraps." Charlie paled at the possibility.
They heard a knock at the door. Vaggie went to check and Sir Pentious was on the other side, looking apprehensive.
"Hello purple female. Is Charlie around? I have something I need to tell her."
"Not right now Pentious, it's not a good time." Vaggie said as she started closing the door.
"Wait! It's about Taylor, it's important!" He urged as he tried to keep the door open.
"What was that? Let him in, Vaggie." Charlie called out.
The three demons waited as Sir Pentious gathered his resolve before speaking behind closed doors.
"Well, they asked me not to tell you, but I felt as their friend you needed to know. You see, Taylor had another night terror this morning." He spoke guiltily.
"What?" The three demons said all at once.
Sir Pentious shrank back for a moment at the suddenness, but nodded gravely.
"It wasn't as bad as the last time, but they were all out of sorts on the bed. They seemed to be stifling their screams and in a lot of pain for some time. Then they had some sort of black substance on their face that washed off." The cobra demon spoke with a furrowed brow as they recalled the fire demon scrunched in quiet agony.
The three stared back at each other in horrified shock. Before the others could reply, Charlie addressed Sir Pentious gently.
"Thank you Pentious for letting us know. We will take it under advisement. If you could please keep the information to yourself, we would appreciate it. You did the right thing, you're a good friend."
Sir Pentious nodded gratefully as he waved them off and left the room. Once they were sure he was gone, Angel spoke angrily in a lowered voice.
"Motherfucker! I knew I should have pressed the Dealmaker Demon ta come to the hotel, they need out now!"
"What was that, Angel? You asked the Dealmaker Demon to come to the hotel?" Charlie asked, surprised.
"What the fuck, Angel? You can't be bringing dangerous demons here!" Vaggie cut in angrily.
"Too bad, Vags, I promised to sneak 'em in wheneva they passed by the hotel ta help. I only asked them ta help Fuoco, but they were willin' ta help with my contract too." Angel said with a shrug. "Just gotta make sure Smiles ain't aroun', he was lookin' pretty keen on gettin' his claws into 'em."
Charlie stopped Vaggie's retort with a hand on her shoulder.
"Fine. Whenever they arrive, please let us know and we will take care of Alastor while they do their thing." She said resolutely.
Angel grinned widely before he winked.
"Ya got it, toots!"
Charlie nodded as Vaggie looked concerned.
"In the meantime, I'll keep searching for the meaning of that brand. I know it'll come to me, then we can maybe do something about it." Charlie said seriously.
The three nodded as they stood around in serious contemplation.
Taylor arrived in the lobby shortly thereafter and had themselves a drink with Husk before they spent the rest of the evening relaxing with a book on pyromancy and considering what they would say when it was their turn for "Show-and-Tell Day."