Early morning light cascaded through the stained glass of the Hazbin Hotel's entry. Little fragments of color washed over the floor of the lobby, and twinkled as the first rays of daylight began to illuminate the city.
A subtle tapping could be heard at the doors. One could almost mistake it for a natural sound instead of a very polite knock. When no one answered, the tapping became more forceful and fervent until eventually it was an emphatic banging.
It was loud enough to raise Charlie from her bed, and still dressed in her pajamas and shuffling her feet, she stumbled down the stairs.
She yawned as she opened the door, but her yawn became a horrified silent scream. She stood paralyzed for a moment, not knowing what to do. She could slam the door and lock it, but something told her that would be fruitless. So she did what she always did in uncomfortable situations.
She smiled nervously and said, "uh, hi, can I help you?"
Upstairs Isobel lay dozing in bed, Alastor's head on her chest with his arms encircling her waist. As she rested somewhere between sleep and awake, she lazily ran her fingers through his hair scratching his head and ears. He made light, rumbling noises and she couldn't quite make out if he was gently snoring or actually purring.
Suddenly, an urgent rapping came at the bedroom door. Alastor groaned in displeasure and tightened his hold on her. Isobel tried to ignore the interruption as best she could.
"Uh, Isobel?" Charlie's voice floated through the door. She sounded uneasy.
"Not now, Charlie." Isobel called, still refusing to move or open her eyes.
"I know it's early, but there are some, um, people down stairs to see you." There was a short pause, and then with even more desperation, Charlie added. "They're angels."
Both Isobel and Alastor instantly sat up, now fully awake.
"Uh, ok, give me a second." Why were they here? It hadn't even been a day yet? Isobel pushed Alastor aside as she rolled/fell from the bed. She looked around herself for her clothes. However, she found that they had all been torn and ripped. She held up her shirt, now in tatters and glared at Alastor. He just shrugged, looking very bemused.
"What the fuck," she mouthed at him. He made a face as if to say, 'calm down', and waved a hand. His red robe with the black embroidered A appeared next to her. She grabbed it and threw it over herself tying it around her waist as she crossed the room tired and pissed.
Opening the door she exclaimed, "Son of a fuck," and slammed it behind her. She angrily started down the hall, Charlie following ringing her hands with anxiety.
"What do they want?" Charlie asked as Isobel stormed down the stairs.
"They want to ruin my fucking morning."
The rest of the hotel residents had gathered in a group on the staircase landing, huddled together in their pjs and dressing gowns, nervously eyeing the angels in the lobby. Isobel raced past the group ignoring their questioning were five angels all together, Enki and four of her lackeys. Enki sat in one of their nicest chairs, hands in lap, looking rather disgusted. As her eyes fell upon Isobel, a wide fake grin spread across her round face.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Isobel demanded.
"I told you we would be here in a day or two to fetch you."
"It hasn't even been a day."
"Has it not?" Enki stopped and thought for a moment, but decided that time wasn't important. "No matter. We should go anyway. Oh my, you're not even dressed."
Isobel suddenly became aware of just how exposed she was. She pulled the robe closer, covering as much of her bare chest and legs as possible.
Enki rose from the chair and spoke like a mother lecturing her silly child. "I explained how this was to be, no use in playing dumb now."
"No, what you did was give me an offer that I politely declined. You can't just show up here scaring everyone to death."
"Scaring them?" Enki giggled her harp-like laughed. "Why would demons be scared of us?"
"Maybe because the only time angels ever come here is to kill everyone."
"Oh, you may have a point. Hmm," Enki frowned for a brief second, but decided that this too was unimportant. "All the more reason to be on our way quickly." She beckoned Isobel to follow as she moved toward the exit, but she refused. Isobel stood her ground, arms folded.
"Come now," Enki said exasperated. "You are acting like a petulant child."
Isobel forced herself to stay calm, though blind rage was looking more and more appealing.
"As I said before, I am not going with you."
"Look around yourself," Enki gestured to the whole of the hotel. "Are you honestly going to choose to stay here, with them?" She said the word 'them' as if she were picturing cockroaches again.
Isobel looked up at the landing, at those she had grown to consider her friends. Angel and Charlie huddled together behind Husk. Vaggie stood slightly in front, angel spear in hand and angry glare in her eyes, while Nifty peered down from between the balusters. Just then Alastor strolled down the stairs, complete in his suit and tie, his face unbothered not giving away any concern he may have with angels in his home. Isobel turned back with a renewed determination etched across her face.
"I am not going with you, and I don't think you can make me."
Enki did not care for her impudence, but simply smiled and laughed, "oh honey, you have no idea what I can do."
She placed a menacing hand on Isobel's shoulder but almost immediately pulled back. It was like she had touched a hot pan and burned her fingers. She held her clenched fist to her chest, suddenly confused. "Something's different," she said, looking Isobel up and down. "What have you done?"
Isobel cocked an eyebrow, seeming quite pleased with herself.
"Looks like I'm not as unmarked as you thought."
"What have you done?" Enki repeated more forcefully. This situation was getting out of hand, and she could not accept that. Isobel just stared back defiantly. Enki had to regain control of this obstinate little bug. "Very well, you'll just have to confess your sins to me, here and now. Simple."
She sat down again and performed a few hand gestures. Isobel felt herself, quite against her will, being dragged close to Enki. Then an invisible force kicked a leg out from under her causing her to fall to one knee. Enki raised her hands to the sky and closed her eyes.
"Now, my child," she said in an overly reverent tone. "Confess your sins and I shall absolve you."
Isobel stood up. "No thanks, I'm good."
Enki was shocked. "You're good? You're not good. Your soul is in turmoil, on the brink. Your conscience is screaming out for salvation."
"No, not really."
Enki shot up, grabbing Isobel by the arms and shaking her with every word. "You must confess."
"Or what? You can't drag me to purgatory and leave me to rot?" Isobel laughed in her face, truly enjoying that she had outsmarted an agent of Heaven.
"I'll take you anyway." She started pulling Isobel toward the door. The little woman's strength was immense and try as she might, Isobel could not break the iron grip on her arms.
The two bickered back and forth. Enki becoming more and more flustered and desperate. She was not used to things not going just as she planned them. How could she have ever predicted that this feckless human would ever defy her? It went against all reasoning.
Isobel's temper started to grow as well. Not only was this overbearing bitch trying to tell her what to do, but she also had the audacity to put hands on her. Those on the landing, and the other angels, looked on, not sure if they should intervene.
Their voices continued to rise, one folding over the other, until Isobel yelled, "FINE!"
Her anger was such that it felt like hot flames on the side of her face. She wrenched out of Enki's grasp, bruises already forming on her arms.
"You want to know my sin?" She shouted as she pointed up at the stairs. "I fucked Alastor."
There was an audible gasp from angels and demons alike. Enki looked as though she might be sick as her wide, stunned eyes wavered from Isobel to Alastor and back again.
"That's right," Isobel doubled down. "I fucked him aaaaaalllll night." A bit of an over exaggeration, but who's counting. "And I'm not sorry about it."
There was an obvious struggle for Enki to get past her emotions and speak. "You allowed a demon to defile you?"
Isobel leaned in. "That's right. And it. Was. Awesome."
"I don't believe you," Enki said matter of factly. She thought she was calling Isobel's bluff.
"Really? You want proof?" She pulled at the robe, on which those on the landing just noticed the big swirling A over Isobel's right breast. "Cause I've got scratches down my back and a bite mark on my thigh that might convince you."
"Please, spare me the horrid details," Enki turned away, shielding her eyes.
"You want me to tell you how long his tongue is?"
"Stop!" Enki could not believe her ears or her eyes. What was supposed to be a simple task had turned into a catastrophe.
"You are now marked." She stepped away, as if touching Isobel or even being too close, would somehow taint her with the same wretchedness. "You are soiled, polluted, impure."
"Don't be dramatic," Isobel rolled her eyes. "It's not like I was a virgin before this."
Enki made a noise of pure frustration, but then took a couple of deep breaths calming herself. She smoothed out her robes, clasped her hands together, and stood as tall as possible, which wasn't very.
"You are right. I cannot possibly take you now with this stain upon you, but as I told you before, I cannot allow you to stay here. For your own good, of course. It would be best if you thought of this as only a reprieve." She extended an arm and drew a circle in the air. A portal to Heaven opened and Isobel couldn't help but wonder how many living souls were used to create it. "If I were you, I would think long and hard about my actions, and their ramifications, before it's too late."
The other angels crossed through the portal and just before she stepped through, Enki spread her arms wide and addressed what seemed like the whole of Hell.
"Repent, dear sinners!"
She stepped through and the portal instantly disappeared. Isobel was left seething. She turned slowly to face everyone. This was not the way she had wanted them to find out about her and Alastor's indiscretion. In fact, she would have rather kept the information private all together. They all looked down at her from the landing, eyes wide and blinking.
"Well," she said irritably. "Anyone have anything to say?"
There was silence.
"Yeah," Angel said. "How long is his tongue?"
"Aw, fuck, Angel." Isobel covered her face. She marched up the stairs past the group, past Alastor, and out of view. They all were left staring at Alastor now, who simply gave them a very smug smile before turning and casually following.
Husk, nudged Angel in the ribs.
"What? We were all thinking it."
When he got back to her room, Alastor found Isobel angrily dressing, she had her hair braided and was zipping up a pair of not-shredded pants.
"Quite the display," he said, approaching her.
"Yeah," she said, looking through her drawers for a shirt. "I'm sorry for putting our business out there for everyone, but…"
She felt a tug behind her and spun around. Alastor was very close to her, unraveling her braid. Despite the activities of the night before, the idea of him being so close at any given moment would take some getting used to.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I prefer your hair loose." he said. "Please, continue."
"Uh, right," she seemed to have lost the thread of what she had been saying as she watched his hands deftly untangle her locks. He raked his fingers the length of her hair one last time before moving away to sit on the edge of the bed. Like the snap of a rubber band her thoughts came back to her.
"I'm sorry for telling everyone what happened between us, but it was the only way to get that insufferable woman off my back."
"I suppose it was bound to get out sooner or later." To Isobel's surprise he did not seem the least disturbed. Perhaps he had wanted them all to know. He did enjoy shocking people. "And now that she is off your back, what will you do?"
"I'm not sure. Work on plan B. Enki had said there were ways to open portals to the living world with magic, and according to my books the demon royalty have certain powers that seem to match the description."
"Still obsessed with finding a way back. I thought you would have given up on such a worthless endeavor by now."
"I know you disapprove."
"Let's say demon royalty do hold this power. How will you use that knowledge."
Isobel shrugged, these questions were starting to annoy her. Why was he picking at her, how was she supposed to have all the answers suddenly?
"I don't know," she eventually said, throwing her hands up. "I guess I'll find a way to meet a demon prince and convince him to help me."
"And how will you do that?"
"Maybe I'll seduce him," she wiggled her eyebrows at him. Alastor gave her a weary look, his ears falling to one side. He was being no fun so she turned around to pack her bag.
"And what of me? How shall I assist you?"
There it was, Isobel finally understood. The ego must be stroked. This was Isobel's cue to turn around and fall at Alastor's feet proclaiming him to be the best lover she ever had (whether true or not) and tell him how strong and powerful he was.
Well, fuck that, Isobel thought to herself. She turned to him, a sly, sensual smile on her face.
"Poor, Alastor," she said slowly approaching him. He did not know what kind of game she was playing, but he didn't like it. (He kind of liked it.)
"My darling," she continued, still getting closer. "My one and only." She stood between his legs and cupped his chin with the palm of her hand so he was looking up at her. "I'm sorry, but you simply do not possess the power I am looking for."
She released him and turned to walk away, but like the strike of a snake, he had her by the wrist. He pulled her back over his knee and down on the bed.
He leaned over her cheek to cheek and ominously whispered in her ear, "perhaps you do not fully understand the power you truly want."
He pulled back to look at her face, which was completely calm. She was not scared, not even surprised. His fingers on her wrist did not detect a quicken heart rate, nor could he smell her adrenaline. It was disappointing.
She just met his eyes with that same smile as before.
"It's not a question of want," she said. "It's a question of need. I may want you." She pushed her body into his and lifted her head until her lips hovered just over his, but then her smile fell as she pulled away. "However, that doesn't solve my problem."
She rolled off his lap and onto her feet.
"That was fun, but I've got to go to the library," she said crossing to the door. As she opened it, she stopped and looked back at him. "Have a wonderful day, Alastor."
"You as well, Isobel."