Author note - welcome back my wonderful readers! Thanks for sticking with this story, I was so happy to receive new reviews about the last two chapters! Shout out to my 22-26 favorites and followers, you're the best! Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 38: Rest and Recovery
After giving them a once over, Husk guessed that Taylor had caught a particularly nasty case of the flu, and had prescribed pain relief medicine, plenty of fluids, and TLC. Being the only Hellborn and therefore immune to Sinner illnesses, Charlie declared that she'd keep watch over them, but everyone barring Alastor also volunteered to sit with them as they recuperated. She only allowed them to help out once their symptoms were gone and if the others agreed to wear masks to prevent them from catching Taylor's sickness.
It took three days of bed rest before Taylor felt functional again. With each passing day, they could stay awake for longer stretches of time and their pain and discomfort became more manageable. On the second day, they mustered just enough strength to get out bed and burn the wards their patron had provided to ash. They sighed in relief as they felt the eerie air about the room lift and they hoped, perhaps naively, that by removing their side of the deal it would annul their patron's ability to take control of their body a second time.
During the time Taylor was incapacitated, Charlie fussed over them, with the demoness waking them at all hours to encourage them to drink fluids and take medication, choke down a few bites of food, cover them with blankets after they kept kicking them off, or simply to ask if they needed anything. They knew she was coming from a place of worry and tried not to let their irritation show, but all Taylor wanted to do was escape the misery they were feeling through sleeping. Charlie only eased up when Vaggie saw Taylor shoot the blonde demoness a glare of barely contained rage when they were woken up yet again just to be asked if they were feeling any better. Vaggie quickly dragged her girlfriend away before things escalated as Taylor flipped over and went back to sleep with an exhausted huff.
After the worst of their intoxication had passed and they felt well enough to move around again, Taylor was ordered to convalesce in bed by Vaggie, despite their protests that they were fine now. Only then did the revolving door of visitors come streaming in to help them whittle the hours away.
Husk would come by and check for any lingering symptoms or fever before sitting and chatting with them as they played cards or taught Taylor some simple magic tricks. He even would sneak in a cocktail or two mixed in some juice, giving Taylor a little joy as they were getting tired of their water-only regimen.
It seemed that whenever Taylor would sneak out of bed to stretch their legs, Vaggie would magically wander in and scold them for overexerting themselves after such a severe illness. The moth demoness only relented when Taylor promised it was just about the room and they weren't doing anything strenuous. To distract her from her anger, Taylor summoned a flaming dart board and some knives before challenging her to knife throwing contests, which she would agree to with a smirk. The two would prattle on in between throws as Taylor laid in bed.
Niffty now had a captive audience for her roach puppet shows, which Taylor didn't mind. At times, the gremlin demoness would put them to work by having them paste locks of hair onto the skewered bugs for her future works. During one instance, Taylor had a thought.
"Niffty, where do you get the hair to put on the bugs?" they inquired.
"Oh, I take it from hairbrushes when I clean everyone's rooms. That way, you all are part of my collection and the show!" She said energetically before devolving into a fit of manic giggles.
Taylor laughed awkwardly as they recognized the hair they were gluing could conceivably belong to a few different residents.
"Riiight. That's… swell, Niffty." They said before they handed off the dolled-up roach kabob to her.
Taylor looked forward most to Pentious's visits, as he would cart over machine parts and equipment so the two of them could tinker around and build small devices in their room. Taylor had used the time to work on a secret pet project they had come up with, and would ask the cobra demon for suggestions to optimize the mechanism or up the range when utilized. Pentious adored the interest and attention, being more than willing to give their insights and would sometimes snatch the device from them and work on it themselves to show off their mechanical skills. He never asked what the item was for, which suited Taylor perfectly.
Angel made it his mission to get Taylor up to speed with what had been happening the past several days, from his latest shoots and what Valentino thought was popular these days, his latest run in with Cherri when she took the exhausted spider demon out to let loose and cause general mayhem, and the harebrained activities Charlie had them do as part of the redemption program while they were out sick.
During one visit, he checked around for Vaggie before handing them a bag that contained several pink bombs inside.
"Sorry it's late, had to get it past Miss Buzzkill without her seein'. Cherri sent ya a get-well-soon prezzie and hoped the next time we go out, ya can come along." Angel said with a waggle of this eyebrows and a mischievous grin.
Taylor beamed at the gift, thinking of possible uses down the line before thanking Angel and making a note to send Cherri a message later.
After storing their contraband away in their drawers, they turned and saw an anxious Angel chewing on his nails as their eyes darted around hesitantly. Taylor sat back on the bed and clenched their jaw; they had an idea what was bothering the spider demon, and in truth they weren't sure they were prepared to learn the full extent about it either. They purposefully had been avoiding their phone for that reason alone. With a deep breath, they decided to face the music and sat up straighter before staring up at their fidgety friend.
"Angel, you're keeping something from me. I can tell." They said with concern as they beckoned him to sit beside them with a pat on the bed.
Angel tensed a bit before he ran his hands through his hair and plopped down next to them.
"It's just… things got a bit hairy around town while ya were out and we weren't sure ya could handle it." He said worriedly as he pulled out his phone, brought up the news, and handed it over to Taylor.
Their heart plummeted like a stone. There was story after story with headlines like "DEVASTATING FIRE TEARS THROUGH WEST SIDE!" and "THOUSANDS MISSING AFTER BLAZING INFERNO RAGES" along with images of burned-out buildings and bodies.
Horror seized them like a vise as their eyes widened and their breathing sped up. They saw pictures of the aftermath of their patron's brutality, read survivor's testimonials, watched videos of the flames ripping through the city scape, warnings to avoid the area all over social media. And the screams, so many screams of terror.
"No…" they said quietly as their hands shook and guilt flooded them as they suddenly couldn't get enough air.
'Innocent people died because of me. No! It wasn't me; it was my patron! But it was by my hands, the same ones that helped give people a new start, hurt people, killed people-'
Taylor felt a sharp sting to their face that tore them from their thoughts.
"Fuoco, snap out of it!" Angel urged harshly before he stepped back in shock at what he did. Taylor numbly touched their cheek where they were struck and noticed their hands were empty and the phone was on the floor, presumably dropped during their spiraling.
"S-sorry." They replied quickly as they picked up the phone and tried to hold it together for Angel's sake. The spider demon took back his phone as he sat down again and sighed dejectedly.
"Nah, sorry for slappin' ya. Fuck, I knew ya weren't ready." He said guiltily as he furrowed his brow.
Taylor tried to push away the dark thoughts before heaved a ragged sigh and placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"It's alright. I was going to find out eventually, right? At least you got me out of my head before it went too far. Thanks for that." They said with as much strength as they could muster.
The two were more subdued as they chatted for a while longer before Taylor pretended to need another nap and Angel left them to rest.
But they couldn't rest. They curled up in their bed and their thoughts ran wild long into the evening. When they finally gave into their exhaustion, they dreamt only of screams, fire, tinkling laughter, and crimson eyes.
The next day, Taylor sat at the table for lunch, poking at their food sullenly. Vaggie had granted them parole where they could eat meals with the group again, but had to return to bed to continue their recovery afterwards. Their eyes were ringed with dark circles and they looked pale, getting Husk's attention. The winged cat demon leaned in and spoke quietly to them.
"Kid, you okay?" He asked with concern.
If only they knew.
'No. I'm responsible for murdering thousands and it could happen again when my patron feels like getting their jollies on again.' they thought bitterly.
They planted a strained smile and replied with some energy.
"Just didn't sleep well last night, nothing serious."
Husk gave them an unconvinced glare. Taylor sighed.
"After spending so much time asleep, I guess I was bound to have an off-night sooner or later. I'll snag a nap after lunch, promise." They assured them before they got up and took their plate to the kitchen.
Once they were back in their room, Taylor checked their phone and there were several anxious messages from Antonio. They grimaced and texted back they were still sick before setting their phone on the nightstand. They were not ready to endure the inquiry about what happened that night or afterward quite yet. They flopped on the bed wearily when they heard a knock on the door. Taylor groaned into the sheets before they got up and called out.
"Not now, Charlie! I'm getting ready to take a nap!"
No response came but more insistent knocking. Taylor huffed in annoyance, walked over and undid the lock. When they cracked the door open, they didn't see the blonde demoness or Vaggie, but something red. They looked up and saw Alastor, grinning like a jackal and eyes gleaming.
"Afternoon, chum!" He said blithely as the door swung open and he made his way inside the room. Taylor jumped out of the way to not get hit and stared back in disbelief.
"Sure, come on in. Why not? What do you want, Alastor?" They asked irritably as they watched the Radio Demon gaze about the room, taking in the space. He did a turnaround to face them as the door suddenly swung shut, startling Taylor.
"Why, I couldn't help but notice your down-trodden demeanor and that you hadn't touched your meal!" He chirped as a recording of sad awws and a baby crying played in the background.
"So, I've come to lift your spirits by bringing you good tidings and cuisine!" He proclaimed as he snapped his fingers and he was suddenly balancing a serving platter with a bowl of something steaming in one hand. He indicated to the bed with his eyes expectantly.
Taylor was about to tell him to leave, but the smell of something delicious wafted over to them and their stomach gurgled loudly in response, silencing them.
"Fine. I'll hear you out." They replied curtly as they sat on the bed in embarrassment. A small part of them was curious as to what Alastor wanted to tell them.
"Splendid! We wouldn't want you relapsing after all of Charlie's hard work to get you back on your feet!" He said brightly as he placed the platter on their lap with a flourish. In the bowl was a bright red hued soup with what looked like chicken and sausage, a medley of colorful vegetables, and green onions garnished on top. Taylor thought it looked and smelled amazing, but stopped and stared back at the deer demon suspiciously.
"You didn't put something in this to poison me, did you?" They asked with an askance look.
He put a hand to his heart dramatically in mock horror.
"You wound me, chum! As if I would sully my maman's recipe with something so dishonorable! Honestly, I haven't done anything as of late to warrant such distrust!"
In truth, the Radio Demon hadn't threatened them for a while now and were on civil terms now, but Taylor still stared at him with doubt as they tried a spoonful. It was flavorful and spicy, but not overly so, and warmed them up as it made their way down their throat and into their stomach. They gave a content sigh before they could stop themselves, making them dart their eyes up at the deer demon, whose eyes gleamed brighter and grin inched up in delight. They groaned and replied in a defeated tone.
"Fiiine. It's delicious, Alastor, as always."
The red demon chuckled smugly as he made his way to their armchair and sat down. He brought out a newspaper from somewhere and began reading as Taylor watched on.
"Aren't you going to tell me your 'good tidings'?"
"When you've finished. Soup is like a hug in a bowl, and you look like you could use one right now." He said simply as he turned the page.
Taylor rolled their eyes and worked through the warming dish, listening to Alastor's jazzy music play in the background and the occasional chuckle from him as he flipped through the newspaper. When they finished, Alastor got up and with another snap of his fingers the platter, bowl, and newspaper were gone with a pop. He waltzed over to stand in front of them and spoke in a carefree tone.
"I'm sure you're aware by now of that nasty bit of conflagration that took place in the western part of the pentagram some days ago." He started. Taylor winced, remembering the devastation and widespread death.
"But what's been swept under the rug and kept from the general public is that the head of the Pride Ring's gambling empire, Overlord Caesar, was caught up in the fracas, and is one of the still missing at this point in time." He continued.
Taylor had noticed that none of the reports mentioned the Overlord, which gave them pause as to what their patron did to them after stripping them of their contracts.
"A few days ago, the Overlords reconvened for another meeting to discuss next steps, and it appears a vacancy has opened up! You'll be happy to hear I've thrown your hat in the ring, as it were, for the position! Congratulations!" He said proudly as he waved his arms and a chorus of cheers and whistles resounded in the room.
Taylor sat frozen for a moment as they processed the information. Then they shot up from the bed and shouted at him incredulously.
"YOU DID WHAT?!"
"A thank you will suffice for now, chum! But I expect great things from you, so long as you keep out of my way, of course." He replied, unaffected by Taylor's outburst.
"Who said I even want to be an Overlord? I already told you I'm not a dealmaker, Alastor!" They shot back angrily.
"Yes, yes, chum, of course you aren't." He said as he rolled his eyes and waved at them dismissively. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at them.
"I don't know why you're fussing so much; we both know this is what you've been striving towards since you arrived here. And as of now, you're running unopposed, so unless Caesar makes a miraculous return to us soon, I'm afraid you're a shoo-in for newest Overlord in Hell." He said with a shrug before the door swung open on its own and he made his way out.
"I look forward to how this turns out, it should prove quite entertaining." He added over his shoulder before he left the room and the door slammed shut behind him.
Taylor was left speechless as they sat back on the bed in shock.
'Why would he do this? The same demon who has hated my guts since day one, suddenly "decides" to help? He's up to something, but what?' They brooded worriedly.
They suddenly gave a wry laugh at the thought of them being a highly feared Overlord without a single contracted soul to their name. Ridiculous, they thought, as they got back in bed and tried to think of how to break the news to Antonio and Melanie.