Author note - welcome back readers! Sorry for dropping off for a few days, I experienced some burnout and had to take some time to recharge so I can finish this story to my level of satisfaction. In recompense, this chapter is a wee bit longer. Now, thanks to the amazing 30-37 favorites and followers, we finally hit the big 3-0, I'm so honored! Now to list all you wonderful people in no particular order: victoriashivers724, rajajali272, pilitaangomas, kimurakosama, grapejuice101, falloutski, diasturganbekov54, bryne40k, avatarange, akira45, Twiphase, The Shadowscythe, TheRedPheasant, The Literary Lord, Starlog246, SplatoonFriend, Spiked29, Shadow queen 579, Luan Furtado, LocomotiveClown, ImpossibleGirl96, IAmAbyss, GeekyGirl183, Fus Ro Duh, Doc Fossil, Darkillion, CaosD, Bud200, Bri2.23, Asmadey, AlchemyWriter, Byziks1, Disturbed1991, Gerden360, Halopro, KunoichiBeastKnightress, MrFoxHoundSir, Park1117, Xerzes01, kyrogue23, 10, and summering! Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 44: A Day of Demonic Dealings
Taylor awoke to a brightness that shone through their eyelids. Groaning, they turned over in bed.
'Did I forget to turn off the lights again?' They thought sleepily as they reached over toward their nightstand. Their ears perked when they heard murmuring of many voices in the vicinity, dispelling their grogginess as they snapped their eyes open. Their heart seized in their chest and they scrambled to the headboard of the bed when they saw Valentino impatiently drummed his claws along his arm and muttering while Velvette typed boredly on her phone.
Taylor's head swiveled around, and to their horror, all the Overlords were gathered in their room, standing around like they were waiting for something. Carmilla and Zestial stood stiffly near their armchair, Rosie and Caesar were next to them chatting, and Zeezi, towering over everyone, stared off to the side. Finally, they saw Alastor and Vox facing one another as they spoke while standing at the door.
In response to their scurrying, ten sets of eyes shifted their attention onto them in unison, making Taylor's skin crawl. Valentino smiled wickedly at them before he snapped his head toward the TV demon.
"Vox! Hurry the fuck up and shake on it, the star of the show is awake!" He urged testily.
Taylor's attention darted to the doorway before they shielded their eyes from a sudden windstorm that blew through the room. When they managed to peek their eyes open, the room was bathed in a green light as they saw Vox and Alastor, hands clasped and sharing equally wide grins. Within a few seconds, the tempest dissipated as Alastor retracted his hand and adjusted his monocle.
"Pleasure doing business with you, old pal. Quite the pleasure!" He said with a tilt of this head and a snarky smile.
'No. Fucking. Way.' They realized as the picture came together.
"You sold me out so you could make some deals?" Their outrage boiled over as they shook with anger. "You shitty motherfucker!" They spat venomously as they threw their arm back to launch an attack at the Radio Demon.
But nothing happened. They panicked as they kept trying to summon something, anything, but they couldn't even warm their hands.
'What's happening?' They wondered hysterically as they stared at their shaking hands.
"Tsk, tsk, you're far too trusting for your own good." Alastor chided, making Taylor's look up fearfully. He chuckled darkly before speaking frankly. "While I'm sworn to not harm hotel guests, there is quite the bounty on your head, with all manner of demons chomping at the bit to get their hands on you. It's just good business." His eyes turned to radio dials as his grin grew sinister. "You should have listened to my proposal the first time I offered." He said malevolently before he waved at them. "Best of luck, chum!" He bade mockingly before he summoned his cane and watched on with delight.
With that, Valentino, Rosie, and Caesar made their ways menacingly toward them as Velvette pointed her phone at them with a fiendish smile. Clambering to their feet to stand on their bed, they looked over fearfully at Carmilla and Zestial in the corner.
"Carmilla, please, I-" they started.
"Mentirosa. And after I welcomed you into my home." Carmilla cut in coldly as her eyes glowed angrily. Zestial stared back unsympathetically as he put a hand on Carmilla's shoulder protectively.
Taylor's felt their heart clench before arms seized them, crushing the air out of them as they tried to wrestle free. They heard Valentino chuckle.
"When I'm done with you, it'll make what I do to Angel Cakes look tame by comparison." Valentino purred in their ear, making their blood turn to ice.
"Not before I pay you back for what you did a hundred-fold, Dealbreaker." Caesar's posh voice threatened as the room grew too hot.
"Don't worry, dear! When all is said and done, my cannibals and I will be sure to leave nothing behind. Waste not, want not, I always say!" Rosie chirped animatedly.
"NO! GET AWAY! CHARLIE, SOMEONE, HELP!" They screamed as their terror won out. As they kicked and twisted to escape, their vision swam with shark-like teeth and glowing eyes.
They jerked awake before greedily filling their lungs with air as everything came back into focus. Realizing they were in bed, they quickly sat up and scanned the room apprehensively. Seeing that they were alone, they heaved a ragged sigh in relief as they curled up and tried to slow their pounding heart.
'Just a dream, just a dream.' They repeated in their head as they took deep breaths and waited for the trembling to stop. After several minutes, they relaxed their body and ran their hands through their hair in exasperation. 'If the Overlords don't kill me, the fucking stress will.' They brooded tiredly.
They then noticed a red envelope with a wax seal on their nightstand. Picking it up suspiciously, the envelope was blank but the seal had a microphone embossed on it, giving a clue who it was from. Breaking the seal, they read the note.
'Come to my quarters at 11 pm tonight. Do remember, punctuality is the soul of business.'
Taylor flipped the note around to check if there was anything else, but seeing nothing more they angrily set the message aflame. They wanted to believe Alastor would be above ratting them out to the other Overlords, what with his grandiose sense of pride and it being against his version of a code and all, but doubt still clouded their mind.
'No point in worrying about it, I'll just have to wait until tonight.' They reminded themselves as they tossed the ashes in the trash. Until then, they had business to take care of. By some miracle they remembered Antonio's number and called him last night from the hotel phone to coordinate the return of their stuff since they didn't have it on them for the job. Luckily, Angel was willing to unlock their door with his credit card after they gave the excuse that they forgot their things at the "business meeting" they went to last night. With a huff, they got ready for the day ahead.
After breakfast and morning trust falls where Alastor was noticeably missing, Taylor made their way through Pentagram City. Their nightmare put them into a hyper-vigilant state, resulting in them zoning in on every little sound and anyone who came around the corner. They continued down the sidewalk as something suddenly felt off. Stopping, they looked around for the source of their unease, but they couldn't pinpoint the location of the eyes they felt were trained on them. While they were busy searching, they barely registered a car pull up beside them until a tinny voice called out to them.
"Well, if it isn't the newest member of the Sinner elite!"
Taylor flinched as they recognized the slightly auto-tuned talk show host voice from their clients and the TV commercials all over town. Turning warily, they saw the blue TV-faced demon standing just outside a limousine with the VoxTek logo on the side. He sported a charming smile as his red eyes regarded them genially, but they knew better than to trust the friendly face.
Not wanting to show their flustered state, they took a quick breath and composed themselves before replying coolly.
"Can I help you?"
"So sorry for popping in out of the blue, but you my friend, are a hard demon to pin down!" Vox chirped animatedly before he pulled them forward into a firm handshake. "Vox's the name, head of VoxTek Enterprises and all its subsidiaries! No doubt you've seen our work around town!"
"Yeah, nice to meet you." They replied tensely as they bristled at the sudden contact and righted themselves.
Vox wrapped an arm around their shoulder and started leading them toward the limo.
"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, I'd like a moment of your time to discuss a generous opportunity that's right up your alley!"
'Ab-so-lute-ly not.' They thought in an instant as they dug in their heels.
"Sorry, but I'm expected elsewhere. Perhaps another ti-." They replied firmly as they brought an arm up remove Vox's, only for their words to catch on their tongue and their hand to halt in their movement. A stinging jolt in their shoulder radiated throughout their body as their muscles went rigid and their conscious functions were impeded. Unable to process a thought, they vaguely felt their body move forward robotically.
"I won't be but a minute." Vox chuckled to himself.
When they were jolted from their stupor, Taylor saw a stream of blue electricity jump from their side, land in a seat next to them, and materialize into the TV demon, smiling smugly. Feeling movement around them, they realized they were inside the limousine now. They shook their head as their hackles rose.
"Not exactly a good way to endear yourself before a pitch, Vox." They warned hotly.
"I do apologize for my forwardness, but I've been meaning to speak with you ever since you paid us a visit with the Princess. Very impressive work back there, your efforts kept the fire damage to a minimum!" He replied with a grin.
"So, what? You brought be here just to let me know I kept the studio from burning down? Don't know if you're aware, but fire extinguishers do exist, you know."
Vox laughed vibrantly as they heard a laugh track play in the background.
"Hot damn, a sense of humor! You're the total package, kid!" He replied full of cheer. "But we're both busy people, so let's get down to brass tacks. I'll give it to you straight: I want to offer you a place with me and my associates as part of the Vees!"
Taylor sat up and narrowed their eyes suspiciously.
"Why? I don't have anything to do with media or show business."
"VoxTek Enterprises has a hand in many different industries, I'm sure we can find a place for you! Since you have body-guarding experience and are cozy with Carmilla, I was thinking of making you the head of our newest venture: VoxTek Angelic Security! You'd be a symbol of safety to the people! How does that sound?" He proposed as his face screen turned into a golden VoxTek logo with wings and a halo.
Slightly alarmed that Vox knew of their closeness to Carmilla, they determined they needed to let him down tactfully.
"That really is a generous offer. Really, I'm flattered. But I'm going to have to— "
"Hold on there, friend." Vox cut in before his face reverted to normal. "I would take what you can get at this point. Being a brand-new Overlord with no territory or holdings anywhere puts you in a very precarious position right now. You need someone in your corner that can foster your potential and shield you from those who would cut you down before you make something of yourself. But if you come along with me, you'll be living on easy street!"
"Again, thanks for your consideration, but I already have protection from Charlie and Alast—" they insisted before the sounds of electricity crackling interrupted them. Vox's whole body buzzed with electricity as his right eye began to swirl hypnotically and his grin grew into a snarl.
'Shit, just the name is enough to touch a nerve?' They thought warily, remembering Vox's hissy fit that caused a blackout a few months back just because Alastor kept up with his yammering. Vox quickly recomposed himself and laughed mockingly.
"Oh please, that smiling freak is all talk; last time we went up against one another, he had to go lick his wounds for seven years somewhere before he dared show his face again." He crowed proudly before he glanced at them with narrowed eyes. "How did you manage to get on the radio fucker's good side anyway?"
"Hell if I know." They replied with an honest shrug before a thought struck them and they gave Vox a sly smile.
"You know, I know of a way you could get one over on a certain radio-inclined demon." They offered.
Vox quirked his eyebrow skeptically before Taylor continued.
"All you and the other Vees need to do is vote no for my induction into your group. Truth is, I don't want to be an Overlord and was nominated without consultation. I already got Carmilla and Zestial to agree to a no vote, and if I ask, maybe she can convince Zeezi to do the same. Now picture this: the final vote comes in, and no one besides Alastor and Rosie voted yes. At a 6-2 vote, Alastor will look like a fool since he was the nominating party and his scheme would be a resounding flop. He will try to hide it, but can you imagine his face as he stews in his failure?" They said enticingly. "A win is a win, no matter how small, and I would take what I could get at this point, right Vox?" They added, throwing his words back at him.
Vox considered the idea for a moment before his grin grew wide.
"You're insane for not wanting the title, but if I get to screw over that fucker, I'm happy to oblige!" He produced a business card from nowhere and extended it out to Taylor. "If you change your mind about joining the big-leagues, give me a call and we can work something out. Heck, maybe in a few years, I'll nominate you and then we can make the Vees into the TVees! Haha, I like the sound of that!" He laughed freely at his own joke.
Taylor's chuckle hid their hesitation as they took the card, as they wanted to avoid coming into direct contact with the electrokinetic Overlord again.
"Sure thing, I'll keep that in mind." They said with a smile.
As if the driver could tell the conversation was over, they felt the limo come to a stop and the door opened. They quickly stepped out and were shocked to see them outside the nondescript building they did their work out of.
"I'll see you at the Overlord meeting, buh-bye now!" Vox called out from inside the limo before the door closed and the car pulled away.
After watching the limo turn around the corner, they quickly made their way inside to inform Antonio that they needed to move their base of operations immediately.
After going over the previous night's debacle and their meeting with Vox with Antonio, they returned to the hotel all wound up. Their sense of security was shattered, making them feel like a caged animal trapped in close quarters with hungry beasts ready to devour them alive. To distract themselves from their dread, they made themselves useful around the hotel to whittle away the hours. After helping Sir Pentious with some welding work on the war machine, being Niffty's personal stepladder to assist her in reaching the higher spots of rooms she needed to clean, aiding Husk in restocking the bar while he napped, and giving input on a new activity Charlie wanted to do for the redemption program, they had a bracing drink to settle their nerves and made their way up to Alastor's room.
Feeling a bit emboldened by their drink, they strode up to the Radio Demon's door and it swung open without them knocking first.
"Come in!" They heard him call from within. Taking a final moment to steel themselves, they walked into the lion's den.
They weren't sure what to expect with Alastor's room, but a literal swamp in the back with a small table and chair was definitely not on their list of predictions. After taking a moment to wonder what kind of magic kept the water and plants contained in the room, they heard a throat clear and turned their gaze to the rest of the room. The other half looked cozy, with dark wood and burgundy making the space look warm. They noted a desk and bookcase lined with several books and skulls adorning the shelves, and a fully articulated skeleton of what looked like an alligator. Closest to them were two sumptuous red armchairs next to a fireplace and a set of large antlers mounted on the wall. In one of the chairs sat Alastor, sporting a lopsided grin. The door suddenly slammed shut, startling them as the fireplace ignited, bathing the room in an eerie green light. They took a breath to calm themselves.
"You're early, chum!" He greeted cordially.
They walked over and took a seat in the opposite chair.
"I distinctly remember a certain demon telling me once that 'early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.' You wrote that I be punctual, so here I am." They replied nonchalantly.
"So I did." Was all he said as he stared back, as if waiting for something.
"So… you had a proposal in mind?" They prompted after an awkward moment of silence.
"Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, I believe you owe me an apology." He replied before he cocked his head and smirked.
"You mean for the radio jammer? I'm sorry for having to hurt you back there, but can you blame me? You're not exactly known for going after folks with kid gloves."
"Yes, that infernal contraption of yours was quite the surprise, but I meant that you need apologize for wasting my precious time." His eyes narrowed as he spoke distastefully. "I spent many a night lying in wait out in that cesspool of a city, just narrowly arriving too late, when you were right under my nose the whole time!" He seethed. By the time he finished, the air was thick with static, his antlers were comparable to the ones mounted above them and his sclerae had turned black after a blink. Taylor held his gaze, but couldn't help the hairs rising on the back of their neck in response as they instinctually gripped the chair and braced for an attack.
After a moment, he seemed to bury his indignation as his posture relaxed and his features reverted to normal.
"I have strived to treat you kindly as of late, even extended a helping hand, though you spurned that as well. That can easily change." He threatened as he leaned back in his chair. "So before we proceed, I require a proper apology for your affronts."
Despite not feeling the need to apologize, they knew they needed to play their cards right to get out of this with their secret and their life intact.
'Fine, if that's all it takes.' They thought as they put on a neutral face.
"All right. I'm sorry for wasting your time, I know how important it is." They said before their own resentment bubbled over. "But seriously, can't you see why I had to keep quiet about it? If it wasn't for Charlie, I'd probably be on one of your morning broadcasts right about now!"
Alastor's brows furrowed at the comment.
"What makes you think I would want kill you?"
"Hmm, I don't know, maybe the fact you're a dealmaker, sicced your little doll familiars on me, were ready to paint the walls with my blood, break my legs, need I go on?" They shot back.
"Indeed, you needed a reminder who you were dealing with. But even if you weren't under our dear Charlotte's protection, I had no intentions of snuffing you out, chum."
Taylor sat back, bewildered. "Why?"
His expression brightened, his staff materializing in his hand.
"You're quite the unicorn, a one-of-a-kind rarity! With enough time, you'd be capable of upheaving the very rules that govern this realm! Imagine the chaos and destruction that would ensue!" He said excitedly before he swung the microphone fast enough near their face, making them flinch back. "No, I intent to keep you around, dear chum. There's much entertainment to be had, and I'm not one to cut the fun short." He chuckled, his eyes and wide grin glowing eerily in the room.
Taylor gulped thickly as they moved the staff away from their face.
"Okay, so you're not going to off me. Then what is it you had in mind?"
"Well, before you so rudely interrupted our conversation and tried to abscond into the night, I was about to propose that we make a mutually beneficial deal." His eyes flashed darkly for a moment before he sat back and steepled his fingers.
"I'm not going to sign away my soul to you, Alastor." They stipulated firmly.
"Given the nature of your ability, I wasn't going to suggest it." He said dismissively. "To put it simply, in exchange for my silence regarding the double life you lead, should I require your unique services, it would now be your obligation to comply. I'll even throw in my assistance should you lack the ability to perform the task at the time." He explained with a satisfied smile on his face.
"You know people who want out of their contracts?" They asked with suspicion.
"But of course! I know many a loathsome soul who suddenly grow the semblance of a conscious, but are in too deep and have no way out short of flinging themselves to the Exorcists! Imagine their faces as you give them a taste of freedom, only for yours truly to swoop in and crush their hopes of salvation!" He replied sadistically.
Outraged at the idea, Taylor spoke back angrily.
"No way, I won't do it. Even if they are scumbags, I won't be party to something so cruel." Taylor said venomously.
There was a shift in the air as Alastor's grin grew predatory. Hot panic started to flow through their veins as his eyes shifted into shifting dials, his antlers became a crown of points, and his claws extended to razor-sharp scythes.
"Seems to me you don't have a choice." His voice was low and distorted. "The alternative is I tell everyone about your duplicity, wherein our dearest Vaggie will surely expel you from the hotel, no matter how much Charlotte protests. Out on the streets, I will hunt you down anew and finish what I started until you're begging for a death that never comes! Your screams will be at the top of the list for weeks!" He promised as his darker side came to the forefront.
Taylor's mind reeled as they white-knuckled the chair and stared back at the ruthless demon before them.
'No, this can't be the only way. I won't be tied down by another dealmaker! But I can't risk being kicked out of the hotel, my patron would kill me, useful or not!' They thought anxiously as dread twisted in their gut. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and they scrambled to figure out a solution.
Suddenly, they saw it before they heard the soft clinking. They stared, mouth agape, as a glowing purple collar and chain appeared around Alastor's neck. The world seemed to fall away as they mindlessly tracked the chain with their eyes as it traveled up into the ceiling and away into nothing.
'He's like me.' They contemplated numbly as they felt a warmth and rush of air in front of them, snapping them back to reality. Shifting their eyes over, Alastor was in front of them now, back in his normal form, but his smile and eyes glowed emerald instead of the red and yellow they were used to. There was the whine of a bugle in the background has irritated their ears and they winced. He leaned over with his hand extended toward them, a small fire in his palm and wind gusting around them. They could feel raw power in the air as it washed over them, making them break out in goosebumps.
"Do we have a deal?" He asked triumphantly.
They looked up and stared at the semi-opaque purple collar encircling his neck. Reaching out with their arm, they brought their hand close to Alastor's, making his grin stretch inhumanly wide. Taylor lingered for a moment before they braced themselves.
"No."
Alastor's hand clenched into a fist, dissipating the energy flowing around the room as his smile faltered. The green hue around his features gave way to his normal red and yellow.
"Pardon me?"
Taylor's quickly brought their arm forward, grasped the chains nearest Alastor's collar and pulled back, forcing it to manifest fully into view. They stared squarely into the Radio Demon's eyes as they gripped his soul chain.
"Because you need me." They said deliberately. "You're under contract."
They saw a flicker of panic cross over Alastor's eyes before they shifted to dials and the scene around them became distorted. In a flash of rage, the deer demon shoved them back with unearthly force, throwing them and the armchair they sat in into the wall, causing it to splinter into pieces. The sudden impact knocked the air out of them, causing them to let go of the chain and leave them coughing on the floor among the debris as they tried to fill their lungs.
The room darkened, and they looked up and a livid Alastor loomed over them, black tar dripping from his mouth as the dials spun quickly.
"I should flay you alive, gut you like a fish, rip you limb from limb, and make you watch as I devour your heart, orders be damned!" He bellowed; all semblance of his gentleman's façade gone.
With a final breath, they stood up with shaky legs and glared daggers at the Radio Demon.
"Do it then. But know that if you lay another hand on me, I won't help you. You even dare to touch the ones I care for; I'll not hold back like before. Even if I lose, I'll still refuse to help you." Taylor snarled before continuing. "I've yet to refuse anyone wanting their contracts annulled, but if you go there, you'll be the first." They said with conviction.
Taking a step toward the monstrous Alastor, they spoke firmly.
"Now's here's the question you need to ask yourself, Alastor: how badly do you want out of your deal?"