Author note - Welcome back, fantastic readers! I want to acknowledge the 55/63 favorites and followers to this story, along with the guest readers, thank you for continued patronage! Second, welcome to new faces Artemis Persephone Jackson, Wolfkid32, GALAXIA117, and Moony561, glad to have you aboard! Third, thanks to the lovely reviews, they really do mean the world to me. Fourth, there was a query about Vaggie I'll briefly address: I don't personally think she has anger issues, but rather super high standards for everyone (with impossibly sky-high ones reserved for herself) so when people don't measure up, she lashes out to put the target back on track. Lastly, there was a question whether Taylor would get romantically involved with someone, and I'm leaning towards no (but I still reserve the right to change my mind). Anyhoo, enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 62: Are You Not Entertained?
The meeting with Heaven was set for one month before the Extermination with Charlie and a plus one formally invited to present her case. Everyone else was disappointed that they wouldn't have the chance to see Heaven with their own eyes; Taylor included, the news posing a bit of a wrinkle for their machinations.
But the trial wasn't the only thing taking up their headspace and attention. Now that they were back from their "vacation," as Antonio jokingly called it, Taylor was juggling double- to triple- client bookings, demonstrating in no uncertain terms that advances on their territory and businesses were not going to be tolerated, and finalizing plans regarding the plot against the Dealbreaker Demon. Despite feeling stretched thin, Taylor soldiered on without complaint; they had people depending on them, after all.
On one particular day after work, Taylor and Angel Dust stopped at the grocery store to procure ingredients for dinner, as the fire demon volunteered to prepare something to thank everyone for taking care of them in their child form. Taking into account that they needed to make something easy that could feed a crowd, they opted for pasta Bolognese with meatballs. Angel Dust returned from perusing the fruit section to find Taylor comparing two spaghetti sauces.
"Ex-fucking-cuse me? You're using sauce from a jar?" He cried as if they were about to commit the most heinous sin possible.
"…Yes?"
"Nuh-uh, no way, absolutely not." He snatched the jars from Taylor and returned them to the shelf. "My ma would come down from Heaven to slap the ever-living crap outta me if I let this travesty happen." Grabbing the Overlord by the arm, he dragging them away. "Come on, we're doing this right and gettin' some decent shit."
Nearly an hour later, the two headed up the hill to the hotel with several bags of groceries each while Angel gave them a thorough lesson on making sauce from scratch.
"Iff'n you want it to be even half-way nice, ya gotta start with San Marzano canned tomatoes, they're the best!"
"You really know a lot about this stuff." Taylor noted.
"My Nona and Ma taught me and my siblings. One of the few things my whole family agreed on: everyone can and should cook. And they were Calabrian, so I know what the fuck I'm talkin' about." He puffed out his chest with pride.
Taylor smiled in admiration and a little bit of envy. Their parents weren't too keen on cooking, so they hadn't had those kinds of bonding experiences.
Gazing ahead, a flaxen haired figure in a top hat standing under the marquee caught their attention.
"Sir?"
Lucifer turned around, hands on his cane with a wide grin to mask the nervousness in his eyes.
"If it isn't Taylor! How are ya? And what have I told you about calling me sir?" The King of Hell greeted animatedly before tilting his head toward Angel. "And hello there…." He trailed off, eyes darting around as he struggled to recall the spider demon's name. Deciding to throw Lucifer a bone, Taylor subtly raised a finger and flames appeared overhead with Angel Dust's name spelled out for him.
"… Angel Dust! A pleasure to see you again!" Lucifer's eyes lit up and Angel Dust smiled back.
"The pleasure's all mine, Your Majesty." Angel Dust replied as he rolled his shoulders seductively. Lucifer chuckled good-naturedly.
Taylor adjusted the bags in their arms before addressing Lucifer.
"Charlie is out until dinner. Would you like to wait inside for her?"
His face fell slightly before he began rubbing the back of his neck.
"O-Oh, I see. Maybe I'll drop by another time then…" He started to turn away, a regretful look in his eyes.
"Do you want to help us make dinner?" The words tumbled out of their mouth before they could stop them.
"Say what?!" Angel shot them a look.
"We could use the extra hands and it would be a nice surprise for Charlie. You could make something too, that apple cake you mentioned once sounded really good!" They offered, not wanting Lucifer to lose his nerve just as he made the effort to venture out of his workshop to see his daughter.
The seraphim put a hand to his chin, mulling it over.
"… Alrighty then!" He turned on his heel gaily before walking on ahead into the hotel. "Let's get to it! Time waits for no one!"
Taylor and Angel Dust shrugged before following some strides behind him. After passing through the doors, the spider demon leaned onto their shoulder.
"So, you and the short king, eh?" He drawled in a hushed tone.
"What do you mean?"
He grinned. "He yer sugar daddy?"
"WHAT? NO!" Taylor shot back, horrified. Thankfully Lucifer was busy greeting Niffty so he hadn't heard their outburst.
"Yer red like a tomato!" He snickered, prompting Taylor to shove him away in annoyance. "I'm just pulling yer leg, Fuoco. But seriously, what's the deal with you and him?"
"Nothing like that, I assure you." They huffed, blowing some hair out of their face. "He reached out, threatened me with erasure, but it turned to be a secret test of character. So, every so often, he calls and I lend him a listening ear. Mostly to reminisce or show off what he's been working on."
Angel Dust raised an eyebrow at them.
"So yer like Husky, but for the King?"
"Hmm, I guess that'd be pretty accurate." Taylor conceded as they arrived in the kitchen.
Lucifer finished rolling up his sleeves, his hat and coat on the hanger beside the door. At their arrival, he smiled brightly and clapped his hands eagerly together in a way that reminded them of Charlie.
"So! What are we making?"
—
The aroma of simmering tomatoes and herbs mixed with the lively melody of the country-rock ballad filled the kitchen as they worked: Angel Dust overseeing Taylor's work while Lucifer readied the desserts. After some initial awkward small talk, Lucifer really started to open up when Angel Dust inquired about the golden violin he played during his first time to the hotel. All at once, the King told them in great detail about his visit to Georgia to challenge a prideful young man to a fiddling contest. Taylor recognized the story, prompting them to find and play the song memorializing the fateful encounter on their phone.
"Sure, he beat me fair and square." Lucifer had admitted with a roll of his eyes as the tune concluded. "But I got his soul and the fiddle back, so who really won in the end?"
By the time Charlie and the others had returned, the dining table was laid out with an Italian feast that looked absolutely scrumptious: Bucatini alla calabrese, beef meatballs in a spicy sauce, grilled stuffed sardines, and marinated artichoke hearts were heartily devoured by the hungry hotel residents.
"Everything is delicious Taylor!" Charlie said enthusiastically.
"Oh no, all the credit goes to Angel, I just helped. Suffice to say, he's made his mom and grandma proud tonight." Taylor replied, bringing Angel to their side with a grin. The spider demon gave them a dazzling smile.
"Compliments to Chef Angel!"
"You really should cook more often." Vaggie commented as she wiped her mouth with her napkin after her second helping. "You've got real talent. Seems a shame to waste it."
Angel Dust chuckled at the genuine compliment and blushed a little.
"I'll think about it." He murmured before gazing over to Taylor. "Fuoco, where's His Majesty with those desserts anyway?" He asked, trying to take the attention off him.
"I'll go find out." Taylor replied, getting up from their spot just for the room's lights to dim suddenly and a spotlight to shine onto the doors to the kitchen. A drumroll rang out, adding to the show.
Lucifer burst through the doors with dramatic flair.
"Now presenting… the tastebud-dancing Italian classic torta di mele!" He set in front of all a gorgeous-looking cake with apple slices arranged artistically. "Ha ha! A la flambé!" He snapped his fingers and the cake was set alight in blue flames before extinguishing themselves, drawing oohs, ahhs, and claps from around the table.
"Hoo hoo hoo! Hold the applause! Thank you, thank you!" He said with the quintessential flamboyance and verve of a circus ringmaster as the lights came back on. "You're too kind."
As dessert was served, Lucifer stared fondly at Charlie's exuberant face. When his eyes flitted over to Taylor, he gave him a thumbs up, making his smile practically split his face in gratitude. Not even Alastor's contemptuous snubbing of his offering to partake in an after-dinner coffee dulled his enthusiasm.
As the evening wound down, Taylor's heart was light as a feather. While the next coming days were bound to be overwhelming busy, being surrounded by their loved ones helped settle their frazzled mind considerably. The moments of normalcy made the prospect of dealing with bloodthirsty Overlords seem a little less daunting.
- x -
"So, new guy, who're ya betting on?" Zeezi asked, the dinosaur demoness holding her chin in her hand as she drummed her claws on the armrest in anticipation.
Taylor looked out into the arena, eyes roving the scenery before them. A mixture of modern glitz and traditional fighting ring aesthetics, the center of the sand-lined battle area was surrounded by concentric circles of seats gradually sloping upwards to form several levels. Interspersed were covered areas, luxury boxes and suites where the VIPs could watch the melee in spacious splendor. Taylor and Zeezi lounged in one of those suites, with an sizeable living area with a stairs going down towards the combat zone and open ceilings, providing plenty of room for the towering dinosaur Overlord to comfortably repose and enjoy the show. A sumptuous spread on the table on one side of the room and lit braziers lining the space gave the feel of a Roman emperor's viewing area.
The crowds loudly bayed for blood and violence, the shouts blending together into a raucous roar. Large video screens displayed the combat below in such high resolution that one could feel the impact of the blows and taste the fear emanating from the combatants as they were mercilessly cut down for entertainment. The only solace Taylor could muster was that these matches didn't utilize angelic weapons, so the losses wouldn't be permanent at least.
"Hmm…" Taylor considered before gesturing to one of the screens. "I'm thinking the manticore with the long sword."
On-screen, said demon made quick work of their opponents. With a growl, they sank their lion-like fangs into the neck of the enemy and pulled back, a spray of blood indicating they had ripped out an artery. Without losing a beat, they shot their scorpion tail behind them to pierce straight through another adversary's chest. The manticore demon tossed its fallen opponents aside, shaking the excess blood off itself before moving on to the next bout.
"Ha ha ha!" She laughed, getting a thrill out of the fight. "I'm seeing what yer saying! As for me, my money's on the flaming Skeletor cleaning house over yonder." Zeezi winked knowingly at them.
The dinosaur Overlord indicated toward the blackened skeleton demon engulfed in red flames tearing up the competition. The bony warrior threw its head back, jaw slack as it shook, reveling in the chaos around it. Another demon approached warily, causing the skeleton to tilt its head forward and to the side in a facsimile of a mocking grin as it took in the opponent. The demon shot forward with a spear, wherein the flaming skeleton dodged and broke said spear between its lower arm. The adversary gasped before the skeleton closed the distance and slit its throat, blood gushing as the opponent fell lifelessly into the sand.
Taylor passed a hand through their hair, the ruthlessness being a bit intense for them. Their face must have been misconstrued for apprehension, as Zeezi leaned over and punched their arm playfully.
"Don't tell me yer getting stage fright now? Relax, I've seen ya putting fools in their place, and with me by yer side, we'll be unstoppable!"
"Y-yeah, you're right. What do we have to worry about?" Taylor replied, rubbing their arm painfully as the skirmishes died down until the two favorites were all that were left.
The manticore demon rushed the flame skeleton demon in a flurry of slashes and stabs with its poisonous tail. In turn, the bony demon seamlessly dodged through the attacks, hands behind its back. Suddenly, the tide turned. A bone was broken, a scream heard over the crowd. The flaming skeleton demon grabbed the dropped sword and swiftly skewered the manticore through the neck before finishing the job and decapitating its opponent in one fell swipe. Throwing the sword into the crowd, head still attached, it landed with a thunk in front of the Overlord's viewing box like an offering.
The crowd cheered boisterously, the din reaching near deafening levels as the flaming skeleton demon approached the winner's circle to receive its reward. Taylor and Zeezi rose, the Overlord giving them a meaningful smile before the two strode to the edge of the viewing area to meet the new champion, who kneeled in deference. Zeezi raised her arms to quiet the spectators.
"Well done, mighty warrior!" Zeezi began. "I commend you on your skill, and for that you'll get what's coming to you. You've earned the privilege of a primo contract under me, where you'll be bestowed with wealth, comfort, and plenty of screaming fans. So long as you continue to apply yourself in future matches, of course."
She held out her arm, prompting a blistering chill to overtake the space as a thin layer of ice began to spread into the vicinity. An oppressive gale began to swirl around, encapsulating the nearby demons in a tiny blizzard. Zeezi's hand glowed hot pink and she gave a calm smile. "I name you the winner—" The flame skull demon reached out to grasp her hand when her grin turned wicked, razor-sharp teeth on full display.
Zeezi suddenly retracted her hand, dispelling the cold in an instant. "… or more accurately, the loser."
All at once, the flame skull demon sprung to its feet when throngs of dinosaur demon guards surrounded them, the shimmer of their angelic weapons competing with the ambient lighting of the arena. Zeezi barked out a triumphant laugh.
"What the actual hell, Dealbreaker?! How stupid can you get? You actually thought a literal nameless nobody could knock a couple heads around and just magically win a golden ticket contract, just like that? Well, surprise! We were waiting for you, and we got you good!" She laughed harshly when the skull demon shook its head vigorously, a hiss escaping its throat in protest.
"Oh? Yer trying to say you ain't the Dealbreaker Demon? Well, how 'bout this? As a sign of good faith, you go ahead and let us stomp the life outta you, and if yer telling the truth, we'll have a moment of silence in your honor before the next tournament. Sound fair? Run 'em through, boys!"
As the guards closed in, the tips of their weapons mere inches from their intended target, Taylor stared with a look of passivity, rage and indignation surging beneath the surface. They struggled to keep their eyes forward, their body relaxed as to not alert anyone.
Zeezi began to crack her knuckles in anticipation of jumping into the beat down when a muffled boom sounded from above. Tilting her head up, a black blur came crashing down at breakneck speed, slamming the dinosaur demoness face-first to the ground with enough force to crack the marble floors. The impact caused a wave to upturn the surrounding area, knocking everyone in the vicinity off their feet. Taylor coughed as a pitch-black cloud blanketed the room, leaving all in semi-darkness, with only the patches of afternoon sunlight filtering in as a light source. Using their shirt to filter the acrid air as best they could, their eyes watered as they shakily stood up to locate the source of the disturbance.
The rattling of chains and a faint glow brought their attention to the back of the room, where a passing breeze partially revealed a figure clutching two thick bundles of neon pink chains, stretched taut. The form wore a simple dark gray button up shirt with a black waistcoat. A black wrap covered almost the entirety of their face, save for a pair of solid glowing golden eyes being left visible.
Taylor's ears hurt when a series of reverberating clangs rang out, causing a thick neon pink cloud to mingle with the jet-black smoke that enveloped the space. For a few moments they watched in stunned awe as the Dealbreaker Demon picked up and shattered chains over and over like a machine, making the first alarm bells start to ring in their mind. Sensing they were being watched, it was then two sets of golden eyes met, and their stomach dropped; hollow eyes stared back at them, seemingly devoid of any emotion and recognition. It was as if all sentiments were scrubbed away, leaving a creepy husk behind with only single-minded focus. The Dealbreaker Demon continued its unnerving gaze as it raised its claw and absorbed the swirling pink smoke in mere seconds, a brief shaking of their shoulders and pink glow the only response to the influx of energy.
'Ah crap, this was an absolutely terrible idea. Why did I go along with this?' Taylor thought with dread, quickly dropping their shirt from their face and summoning flaming claws when the Dealbreaker Demon tilted their eyes down to Taylor's sides in a robotic manner, finding its next objective. They blinked, and the Dealbreaker Demon was suddenly in front of them and they barely had enough time to move their body out of the way of a rash of punches and kicks. The wind rushing past their face after a narrowly dodged swing made them sweat.
"You're cutting a bit close there..." They warned in a hushed tone before the Dealbreaker Demon manifested a bundle of yellow chains on one wrist and slid out of view, their eyes leaving gold trails as Taylor's arm was wrenched behind them with enough force that they'd fear it being torn from the socket.
'Awful, terrible, crappy idea!' The voice in their head screamed. On instinct, they threw a fire shield up, forcing the black clad demon to back off, but not without the chains breaking on their way out. Instantly it felt like their flame's strength died down some, but they couldn't linger on the sensation.
"Whoa!" They whirled around to face the Dealbreaker Demon with narrowed eyes as they cloaked themselves in yellow flames. "No touchie! No touch!"
As Taylor took a moment to try and catch their breath, the Dealbreaker Demon surveyed them with an unreadable expression, calculating their next move. The black smoke billowing around them began to swirl closer, putting the two in a dome of inky smog.
Something was wrong. Taylor's eyes began to sting and their breathing became increasingly labored. Putting their shirt back over their mouth, the Dealbreaker Demon observed, unmoving, as their flame shield and claws began to sputter out in places before going out entirely.
"What the shit?!" Taylor uttered as they tried to suck in a breath and reignite themselves.
"Fire requires three elements." The Dealbreaker Demon spoke, their voice flat and monotone. Suddenly, yellow chains appeared on their wrists and they were jerked forward, sending them crashing to the floor several feet from where they stood. Before they could right themselves, a foot was pressed on their shoulder and their arms were pulled up, the chains rattling as they were stretched to their limits. Blinking hard to clear their vision, they gasped in pain, the pressure on their arms increasing as the Dealbreaker Demon continued. "A fuel source, sufficient heat, and most importantly, oxygen." The chains shattered and their arms fell, trying hard to get enough oxygen in their system. The Dealbreaker Demon glowed yellow, but they lacked the strength to pick themselves back up, much less get the situation under control.
'Shit! It wasn't supposed to go this way!' They thought as their vision started to blur.
"Taylor! Hold on!" A familiar voice cried before the Dealbreaker Demon jumped back and a blonde head with glasses crouched over them protectively.
"Odette." Taylor rasped out gratefully before tearing their gaze back towards the Dealbreaker Demon, who was busy weaving their way through attacks from both Carmilla and Clara. If they hadn't known better, they would have thought all three were dancing.
Odette slung Taylor's arm over her shoulder, propping them on their knees before getting them to stand with some difficulty. Together, the two shuffled out of the black cloud, where Taylor leaned against the wall to recoup their strength.
"Go help your mom and sister, but don't any of you linger in there for long. I'll join as soon as I can." They promised, taking deep breaths of fresh air as they already felt the thrum of their power starting to return. The bespectacled Carmine nodded and ran back into the black fog.
Odette followed the sounds of blows and yells when metallic-sounding clatters rang out and all of a sudden, her feet slipped out from under her. Wiping the muck from her glasses with her sleeve, she noted the ground was covered in a shiny slick liquid.
'Oil? The braziers!' Odette realized as she saw some upturned metal bowls nearby.
She yelped when a hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up to spot the Dealbreaker Demon upside down with their feet pointed up in the air, balancing on one arm as they used her as a stepping stone. Blank yellow eyes stared at her briefly before pushing off and landing away from the oil slick she was trapped in. The action sent her sliding back like a hockey puck on ice and she bumped into Clara and Carmilla, who were trying and failing to find purchase.
"How ya doing?" Odette asked as she came to a stop.
"Well, you know." Clara shrugged, letting their mother pull herself into a seated position using her body.
Outside of the smoke and oil zone, the Dealbreaker Demon scanned their surroundings. Locating Taylor on one side of the room, they started to make a beeline for them when the ground vibrated. Without warning, what felt like a freight car emerged from the black cloud and plowed into them, sending them flying. They bounced once on the stairs and came to rest in the sand-filled combat zone, sputtering as grit got in their mouth.
"What goes around comes around, motherfucker!" Zeezi called above them before the Dealbreaker Demon had to roll out of the way of the dinosaur Overlord landing heavily in the ring, narrowly missing stomping on them. Scooting backwards, they avoided Zeezi's stabs with her razor-sharp claws before she slammed down her arms on either side of them, boxing them in. Opening her maw, she lunged to sink her teeth into them.
Grasping onto the knife-like teeth for dear life, the Dealbreaker Demon wrestled with the dinosaur Overlord, the two pushing against one another fiercely.
"You made the moronic mistake of taking on the brawniest of the Overlords, the one true champion of the ring!" Zeezi laughed harshly, her hot breath puffing over the Dealbreaker Demon with each exhalation.
"I shall practice my curtsy." They replied mockingly, unimpressed.
Zeezi's pupils narrowed into angry slits before she pulled back, snarling as she raised her claws to rip into them. Seeing their opening, ashy tendrils swiped upwards in an arc, throwing sand into the dinosaur demoness's eyes, forcing her to stumble backwards as she yelled and stomped in outrage.
Rising to their feet, they surveyed the bloodied battlefield for something they had spotted earlier. Perking up when they spied the body of a Wild West-garbed gunslinger demon, they ran over and searched the corpse for the desired item. Picking up a small pistol, they opened the chamber and sighed in relief that there was a single bullet left.
They heard the deep, percussive growl of an irate Zeezi and they closed the chamber before aiming the pistol in her direction.
The dinosaur Overlord howled in laughter, her tail lashing behind her in amusement.
"You honestly think you can beat me with that little peashooter?"
The Dealbreaker Demon's eyes crinkled up, the wrap hiding the smirk on their face.
"You bet Jurassican."
They fired the pistol, and a devastating blast like a clap of thunder roared through the arena at extreme speed, leaving a fiery shockwave in its wake that shook the very foundations of the arena and threw all lingering spectators into the seats above them. Zeezi screamed in horrified surprise before she smashed into the wall, leaving a dinosaur-sized dent as she sank heavily to the floor, slumped over and groaning.
When the air settled, the Dealbreaker took shaky breaths before tossing the pistol aside. The barrel was red-hot and fanned out in strips like a metallic flower, the explosive power of the shot destroying the firearm from within.
Cracking their neck, they made their way forward to finish the job when a steely voice called them out from above.
"You've shown your true colors at last!" Carmilla shouted, on her feet at the top of the stairs. From their vantage point, the Dealbreaker Demon saw Clara and Odette slide backwards, having used their momentum to push Carmilla out of the oil field. "You preach about helping the worn and weary, but you only leave death and destruction behind you." She gestured to the desolate and destroyed arena, the dislodged rebar and concrete chunks, the cracked displays shooting sparks intermittently. "Do people need this, Dealbreaker?! Do they?"
The black figure stared back at her silently, solid golden eyes indecipherable. Before they could formulate a response, a low creaking sound followed by harsh snaps from behind the two drew their attention. Turning around, Carmilla's level-headed demeanor cracked when she saw one of the massive screens above the viewing area sway precariously, the fixtures holding it in place damaged from the blast and rapidly losing its integrity. Soon the screen would fall, crushing her daughters below if she didn't act.
"I got it!" Taylor cried from the side of the room before they gave a running start and threw themselves into the oil, sliding across with their arm outstretched. Clara latched onto them with no problem, but when Taylor reached out to grasp her sister, Odette's oily hands slipped right through, leaving her behind as the other two careened into the other wall. The screen groaned and began its descent, a shower of sparks raining down and igniting the oil.
"Odette!" Clara cried out frantically, but Taylor wrapped their arms around her, jerking her back.
"There isn't time! You'll get caught in it!"
Without hesitation, Carmilla made to rescue her daughter, but she didn't make it one step before something thick and ice-cold wrapped around her legs, impeding her movement. She looked down in distress as dark tendrils had emerged from the floor, wrapping around her limbs and waist, and her heart seized in her chest when Odette screamed in terror.
Carmilla heard a small boom behind her and before she could register what it was, the Dealbreaker Demon surged past her, sliding low on the oil and shielding Odette with their body before the screen came down on the two with a thundering crash.
"Odette! NO!" Clara wailed desperately; anguish clear in her voice. Taylor released their hold and gazed fixedly at the eerily quiet space.
Carmilla's hands shook, the tendrils binding her the only reason she remained standing. She couldn't stop the tears as it took everything in her to remain strong for Clara's sake.
Carmilla felt it first, but soon Taylor and Clara looked over as well. Soft tremors, barely noticeable but unmistakable near the debris, caused ripples to form along the oil. Soon, the vibrations filtering up from the wrecked screen grew stronger, a sizzling sound similar to the hiss of thousands of serpents accompanying the vibrations increasing until the center of the destruction bulged upwards, snapping electrical cords and shifting concrete chunks.
Something dark purple and shimmering burst forth, sending concrete and debris flying as the others coughed and waved away the layer of dust that blanketed the area.
The Carmines gasped at the sight. Odette, unharmed but missing her glasses, was in the arms of the Dealbreaker Demon, the two shrouded in the violet mantle before it dissipated into smoke. Clara could be heard softly crying when an outburst snapped them out of their relieved reverie.
"Get your filthy hands off her!" Taylor bellowed furiously as they charged. Setting the blonde Carmine down quickly, the Dealbreaker Demon jumped back before Taylor managed to slash them. In a fit of blind rage, the fire demon continued the assault, pursuing the Dealbreaker Demon and following as the black-clad demon jumped on structures and walls to escape.
"Cariño, wait!" Carmilla pleaded in vain as the two demons disappeared from view and new dark tendrils emerged, binding her daughters and crushing her limbs against her body.
In the distance, just out of sight, the air buzzed with power as the sound of static and distortion took over, the maestro playing the outro of his own concerto. With a rattling hiss, the figure stepped back into the shadows, having had his share of fun.
- x -
Taylor leaned against the wall, chest heaving as they ran a hand through their hair in exasperation.
"Que porra foi isso, chefe?" The Overlord shouted angrily at the black-garbed demon at their side, their hair glowing brightly. "You nearly killed me back there! Twice! I didn't sign up for this!"
The Dealbreaker Demon put up their hands imploringly to shush him, clearly apologetic. The fire demon took a deep breath and ran a hand through their hair to calm down.
"Okay, fine, fine, I'm cool. I'm fine." He uttered, their glow diminishing as they settled. The Dealbreaker Demon laughed awkwardly.
"I know, I know, I'm sorry! I got caught up in the moment and forgot my own strength. But we really did sell it, you were perfeito, Rodrigo."
"I should hope so, boss." The fire demon crossed their arms, looking around with worry. "I quit the stuntman biz long ago, but I owed you one for what you did." They seemed to hesitate before asking. "What did you do with the gun back there? It was like you shot a tank round!"
The Dealbreaker Demon looked away, a pained look in their eyes.
"I magnified the force of ignition of the propellant, maximizing the bullet's speed. I only meant to put enough power to knock Zeezi out, but I went too far; the sonic boom it generated was more destructive than planned."
The fire demon rubbed the back of his neck, unsure what to say to comfort the other demon.
"We all make mistakes, and you made up for it by saving that Odette girl." He offered, causing the Dealbreaker Demon to shrug noncommittally. "Anyway, can we wrap this up? I'd really like to get back to my regular boring-ass afterlife now."
"Once the consultant arrives."
"Consultant? You mean he's not one of yours?"
"'Fraid not. We're…" The Dealbreaker Demon trailed off, trying to find the word. Friends was too strong of a word, and they were sure he wouldn't agree with the term either, but they were far from strangers. "… working toward a common goal."
As if summoned, the shadows on the walls stretched and twisted into horrible shapes before taking the flaming skeleton demon from the arena stepped out.
"Glad you could make it, Mr. Champion." The Dealbreaker Demon greeted amicably as the fire demon shrunk back fearfully. "I take it you found the evening's entertainment to your satisfaction?"
The skeleton demon hissed a reply, its bones rattling as it tried to vocalize.
"Lovely. Let's get started, shall we?" The Dealbreaker Demon said, igniting both hands in blue flames. Pressing one to the fire demon and the other to themselves, the black wrap and solid yellow eyes peeled away until Taylor reverted to their normal form. At their side, the Overlord was revealed to be a gray-skinned humanoid-looking demon, but for the fact his hair was literal fire. The demon ran a hand through his hair again to feel the flames, a nervous tic he'd acquired after his death.
"Beleza. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta jet." He flashed a thumbs up towards the skeleton demon as he began to inch away. "Stirring performance, Mr. Bones, I was really moved."
Taylor grabbed the fire-headed demon by the shoulder to halt him before looking at the skeleton.
"Hold on Rodrigo, two more things and then you can go. Mr. Bones, if you would?"
The skeleton demon hissed at the moniker before wordlessly snapped his fingers, swapping their outfits so Taylor was no longer in their dark attire. With a reluctant sigh, Taylor placed their hands on their hips and addressed the flaming skeleton demon. "This'll be the only time I'll allow this, got it? Rodrigo, please catalogue your injuries for me."
"What? Well, my jaw hurts a little from when I hit the floor…" Rodrigo said, startling when he heard a blow land and Taylor stumbled back with a wince, rubbing their face where they were hit. The skeleton demon retracted its arm, eagerly waiting for more. "Boss?! You okay?"
"Yeah, just fine." Taylor said with a grunt. "Keep going. And don't hold back, we can't sell it otherwise." They assured, resuming their position to best mirror Rodrigo's injuries.
Once Rodrigo had released the contracts loaned to him and departed, Taylor turned to the flaming skeleton demon, its shoulders shaking slightly, the faint hiss of laughter a clear sign it had enjoying inflicting damage on the Overlord.
"Yes, ha ha. I hope you savored every moment, because it won't happen again. I'll see you back at the hotel." Taylor waved him off and began to leave when a hand gripped their arm. The skeleton demon fizzled, the muffled sound of static hiss in the background adding to the demon's annoyance.
"Oh, did I forget something? I wonder what it was?" They asked cheerily, smiling as they played dumb. "Hmm… I don't know… maybe I'll keep you this way. I can actually get a word in edgewise and hear my own thoughts! No, I think this form will be for the best."
Discordant voices babbled over the other as radio distortions amplified around the two. The skeleton's hissing became more insistent and irascible, making Taylor chuckle.
"Okay, okay, I suppose the Radio Skeleton does sound rather ridiculous." Taylor acquiesced; hand already aflame before they tapped his shoulder. Once his features returned, Alastor snapped his fingers and his trademark red tailcoat and monocle replaced his battle outfit.
"Ha ha! Splendid! I say everyone played their part quite well, don't you?" Alastor said jovially, hiding his pique as he patted down his hair and adjusted his bow tie. Taylor heard clicking in the background, like a radio changing stations until a soft tune began to play. "We should do this more often! With me by your side, these outings will be eggs in the coffee!"
Taylor crossed their arms, casting Alastor a withering look.
"Except for the fact that you kept Carmilla from getting to her daughter. I almost didn't make it in time! Why the hell would I let you come along again if you're going to pull that shit?"
"What ever do you mean?" His smile was teasing and boyish. "You ordered that I keep the Carmines out of your way without causing bodily harm."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." They deadpanned.
"Do I? I'm not a mind reader, chum." He shook his head, the sound of disappointed awws playing in the background. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think we better breeze. Wouldn't want this clean sneak to be ruined, eh chum?" With a twirl of his microphone staff, he sank into the shadows. "Till next time! I'll be waiting…"
"Yeah, yeah." Taylor muttered, making their way back. "Pinstriped bastard."
- x -
When Taylor returned to the arena, they found the Carmines still bound by the dark tendrils and swiftly got to work freeing them with their own. They'd just barely managed to set Odette on the ground when both Carmilla and Clara practically threw themselves at the blonde demoness. Taylor stood aside, watching with fondness as Carmilla began pulling her daughters in, but not before Clara reached out and brought them close. The ballerina Overlord hugged them all tight, clinging to the trio like they were her whole world.
As Carmilla waited for her daughter's soft cries to stop, it gave her a chance to assess everyone's injuries. Just as she'd thought, it seemed like they'd all received no more than a couple cuts and some bruises. She met eyes with Taylor, her gaze flickering to their hands, silently questioning if there was anything to be concerned about. Taylor tiredly smiled back and nodded, telling her they were fine. Carmilla sighed in relief.
A true miracle.
Despite the comfort in knowing her loved ones came out of the situation relatively unscathed, a nagging thought kept popping up in her mind.
Why had the Dealbreaker Demon bothered to risk their life for an enemy? It was only one life - albeit one she cared for immensely - but to them, Odette was a stranger, another adversary trying to erase them. Perhaps they felt guilty for the destruction they wrought, but it felt like something more than that.
Her musings were interrupted when she felt the quaking steps of Zeezi approaching, and she begrudgingly released her hold. Falling into her professional mode, she met her fellow Overlord with her trademark levelheadedness. Taylor wiped their face subtly with their sleeve before joining her at her side.
"Damn, we really got our asses handed to us, didn't we?" Zeezi bemoaned, taking a seat on the steps before looking out into the ruins of her arena.
Taylor stepped toward the dinosaur Overlord and patted her on the back sympathetically.
"You look like you could use a drink or two. Come on, my treat."
Zeezi's eyes lit up. "Ha ha! That's an idea I can get behind! I knew I liked you, new guy!" She clapped them on the back exuberantly, nearly knocking Taylor over, before she stood and wandered away to summon transportation for the five of them.
"You do realize that a drink for Zeezi is the equivalent of ten for us?" Odette informed them as she passed them by, wiping the lenses of a backup pair of glasses she produced from somewhere.
"You serious?" Taylor exclaimed.
"Yep, she's infamous for being able to drink anyone under the table!" Clara gave them a wide grin. "Ooh, I would hate to be you right now!" She bounded ahead to exit the arena.
"B-but— "
"A bottle of whiskey sounds perfect right about now. Thank you, Cariño." Carmilla said serenely, placing a quick kiss on Taylor's head affectionately before following her daughters and Zeezi.
Taylor's continued to sputter in disbelief for a moment, their brain short-circuiting before they finally slumped their shoulders in resigned defeat.
'Serves me right, I guess. And just when my savings were finally making a comeback.' Taylor sighed as they braced themselves for an expensive evening.