"So, as you can see our hotel is designed to help sinners such as yourself rehabilitate themselves into hopefully getting into Heaven. I know it sounds impossible, but I truly believe that you can do it." Charlie looked at the group of catlike sinners and how they were eying the pamphlet she'd given them. They hadn't outright refused, at first only telling her to go away. To her this was a good sign and as they were also new to hell, she believed they'd be more willing to sign up.
"And we can live here for free right?"
"Yes, so long as you follow the rules."
"Huh, sounds pretty good to me." her excitement grew hearing his genuine interest, and she turned to give Lute a thumbs up. Lute had seen Charlie try her speech countless times in the three years she'd been here. Long enough for her once short hair to grow down to her back. After all she was no longer required to keep it short, that and Charlie liked it. Even her attire had changed, from the black combat boots to the torn dark jeans and black leather jacket. The only colorful thing on her was the pink shirt with the words "Hell's #1 girlfriend" on it. Charlie had given it to her as a gift and she swore she'd never wear anything else, unless of course Charlie gave it to her.
One hand hidden in her leather jacket her girlfriend and bodyguard of nearly two years gave a simple nod as she unfortunately for Charlie knew what was about to happen.
I love that she keeps trying but it always ends the same. As if on cue the sinners reached the back of the pamphlet and what they'd have to give up.
"No drugs or drinking!?" they all reread this before staring at Charlie.
"Well drugs and alcohol do lead to sinning. Now we of course don't ask you go cold turkey in a day, buuuuttt we do insist you dial it back to the absolute minimum." one of them looked over the list of narcotics and asked. "But you're okay with weed, right?"
"We're not entirely against it so long as you don't go overboard."
They excused themselves and talked it out and Charlie saw how two of them seemed to think it was a good idea. "Seems pretty good to me." said one while a moment later another said "Not like we have other options." Two out of three is still pretty good. Even if they only try it out, I'll still call it a win.
"Fuck this shit!" the third sad grabbing the pamphlets and crumpling them. "Don't think I don't see what you're doing. You lure new sinners in with promises of redemption and getting into Heaven, but you just want our souls! You're the fucking princess of hell after all. Why would you want sinners to leave!? Well, I'm not about to fall with your pathetic goody two shoes act." Charlie stiffened as the orange tabby went on a rant. To her disappointment his buddies seemed to change their mind hearing his words.
"But I'm not-
"Shut it princess! We don't need your fake ass deal." in his anger he got up close and grabbed her suit attempting to push her down. Nobody saw Lute pull her hand free of her jacket her hand now glinting with metal.
His clawed hand had barely made contact when Charlie saw the blur of black and white before Lute slammed her knuckles into his face. Then again, and again and again.
The first blow broke his nose, the second dislocated his jaw and by the fifth...well he'd honestly most likely been out cold by the second.
Pulling her fist back she eyed the other two. One of them seemed to realize who she was. "Dude that's the princess wrath!"
"Who?"
"The bone breaker, the royal enforcer, the one-armed brawler!" her aptitude for violence had earned Lute many names and garnered quite the reputation. Some thought she was an overlord working for Charlie. Honestly, she didn't care what they thought. All that concerned her was that when Charlie talked, they'd better well listen.
All in Charlie's name of course.
As she dropped him to the ground, she remembered Charlie and so put away her knuckles and cleaned any blood that had gotten on her. "Now gentlemen your associate had the wrong idea about Charlie and the hotel. I apologize if I frightened you, but disrespect will not be tolerated. So will you give the hotel a chance? I can promise that your life's will be better at the hotel." she did her best to sound polite, but she knew it was in vain as they quickly picked up their friend before bolting screaming apologizes.
"Lute..." she knew that tone. That was Charlies you went too far again tone.
"He disrespected you." she quickly uttered urning to see Charlie's crossed arms.
"He did."
"And this time I didn't say anything. I let you give your speech with my knuckles hidden and let it play out. I even apologized this time."
"Lute." she said a bit more sternly. Though her anger quickly faltered knowing Lute was only doing her job.
"Charlie it's my job as your bodyguard to make sure nobody touches you and that they treat you with the respect you deserve."
"Only your job?" she teased.
Lute smiled before fixing Charlie's jacket. "My job yes, but as your girlfriend I don't wany anyone else to touch you. That honor is mine and mine alone."
She hated how she could never stay made at Lute and quickly gave her a kiss. "Well, you're trying and that's what counts."
"Good, now let's get back home."
Thankfully they were only a few blocks away but there was something or place that stood between them and home. Something that no matter how they passed it always made Lute's heart stop and her body lock up.
The effect was instant as Lute's hand shot out to grab Charlie's hand. Charlie knew what to do and stood in front of her. "Lute, look at me." gently she moved a hand to her face blocking the shining light of the embassy and forcing her to look only at her. "Just focus at me and take it a step at a time."
Her breath hitching Lute obeyed and focused only on Charlie.
Walk...breath...focus...walk...breath...focus...walk...breath...focus. That was everything that went through her mind as she was led past the embassy. It wasn't until she was a block away did she quietly grab Charlie's hand and took the lead her cheeks burning from being embarrassingly led like a puppy.
At least she knew Charlie wouldn't say anything. Ever since the first time her response had been simple. "Wel all have weakness. Nothing to be ashamed about."
Still didn't make it any less embarrassing.
She only calmed down once they were inside the hotel and greeted by Razzle and Dazzle.
"Alright you two status report."
They saluted and gave a few long bleats. "Good, Dazzle move the high-class booze from Husker's shelf's he's cut off for the week. And Razzle keep track of Angel's stash runs. He's been good but it doesn't hurt to keep on eye on him. Dismissed." as they flew off Charlei shook her head. "Must you treat them like your soldiers?" it had been cute at first but know she was starting to worry.
"Charlie you're the princess of Hell. You should have legions of soldiers and servants. Even the lowest Ars Goetia have servants from the moment they hatch. Instead, you have me and two dragon goats. Besides you and I know I'd never let them see actual combat, them far to fluffy."
"Is that why you reward them with head pats and belly rubs?"
"Well their bellies aren't going to rub themselves."
It might be buried under layers of anger and violence, but Lute did have a softer side. Sure, she only showed it to Charlie but still.
"Well now it appears as though out little hotel will be lacking new residents yet again." Alastor, how Lute hated Alastor. How he could just suddenly appear and his smug attitude.
"One word Alastor and we find out how quickly that mic of yours can impale what remains of your heart."
"Oh my, well I'll be sure to close my eyes first. Have to at least try to make it a fair fight." she took a swing, but he just vanished into his shadow. "I fucking hate him."
"I know."
"Remind me why I can't kill him?"
"Lute for the last time I-" her phone started ringing and she pulled it out seeing it was her dad. "Gotta take this."
Lute quickly made her way to the bar not wanting to be involved. Charlie had been more then clear that there were family issues.
That and she still felt guilty not telling her about her mom being in Heaven. One more secret I'll take to my grave.
Upon seeing her Husker poured her usual glass of wine. It was the only alcohol they'd agger to allow and she allowed herself only a single glass every few days.
"So, I take it no new guests?"
"No."
He grunted and began cleaning his mugs. That was one thing she liked about him. He didn't bother with questions or small talk.
There was a blur and Niftey popped up before grabbing an empty bottle. "Perfect, just the right size to hold them while I drown them."
"I take it our infestations is rapidly dwindling?"
"Oh, I captured them this morning. Now it's time for execution."
These two she liked. Thankfully she hadn't seen Angel, so things were looking up.
"Lute!" turning she saw Charlie very excitedly waving her over, so she quickly downed her wine.
"Alright babe what's got you so excited?"
"Dad just sad Heaven wants a meeting, and he asked me to go there instead. Can you believe it?! Now I have a chance to tell Heaven directly about our hotel. Maybe even get the green light. Anyway, the meeting starts in a few minutes, so I need to get ready."
Hearing this Lute's eye began twitching knowing who she'd be meeting with. "Adam."
He was hell's ambassador, not that it was a real job, but she knew him. She'd told Charlie about him, minus some details naturally. I can't let her go. I- I have to stop her.
But she couldn't. Stopping her meant telling her and her past was best left dead and forgotten. "Lute, I know you're worried, but you told me he never comes in person, right?"
Lute nodded.
"Which means at worst he can only insult me. Listen I promise if he starts something I'll just leave. The meetings only for an hour so I can handle it. I might never get this chance again, so I have to try."
Lute still wasn't convinced but all she could do was hug Charlie before she walked out the door. Watched her practically sing her way down the street in excitement before she heard Angel's voice. "You gonna stand there all-day Lutey?"
"Angel, do you have to work tomorrow?"
"Nope."
"Good." the blow came hard and fast into his stomach making him keel over as she made her way to the gym. Any time she wasn't with Charlie she was here training.
Quickly switching to her workout clothes, she caught the sight of her body in the mirror. The scar going across her left side from Vaggie's spear, the two on her back from the loss of her wings. She hated those, hated herself for being weak that day. "No, Lute you weren't weak. Rember Charlie, you met her that day and she's the best thing that ever happened to you."
Just by saying her name she remembered the one good thing about her body. Lute was toned from centuries of training but since she'd come down here her body had come to truly show it. Muscled arms, six pack abs, she loved it. But more importantly Charlie loved it. Angel had once caught Charlie staring and said she had a muscle fetish and for once Lute had to agree. Not that she cared. She loved having Charlie watch her work out. How her tail would pop out and swish like a very content cat.
"And yet despite your strength you still lock up seeing the embassy or talking about Heaven. Every fucking time!" her anger rising she unleashed her rage on the punching bag. Every blow causing to sway while her mind couldn't stop from imagining Charlie being insulted by Adam. Demeaned by Adam, toyed with and brought to tears by Adam. Every thought made her punch harder. When her hand started bleeding, she switched to kicking. When her foot went numb, she just glared at it. Within fifteen minutes it was busted and leaking onto the floor and she wasn't any better off.
So, she did the one thing she could think of to calm her down and ran up to the penthouse and hit the call button.
"Razzle, Dazzle, I need a cleanup in the gym. And code ice cream."
There was a brief silence as they knew what it meant. "Baaaaa?"
"Just vanilla for now but be ready." Walking out to the terrace she eyed the glowing white structure where Charlie currently was.
"She'll be fine. It's already been fifteen minutes. Little more than half an hour more. I'll be fine, there's the pact after all so all Adam can do is be a jerk. Right?" she asked herself. "Yeah...yeah, she'll be fine... maybe I tell Razzle to bring more ice cream."
Walking back from the embassy Charlie still couldn't believe what just happened. Lute had told her that Adam was a dick but even she thought she was exaggerating. But nooooo he was an even bigger dick then I thought. I'd barely got there before he began bragging about how great he was and how fucked Hell was. I had to play along long enough to get to talk about the hotel but he just started laughing!
He actually thought I was joking about redemption!
"Damn princess I'll give you this you do have a sense of humor. I mean redeeming sinners! HA HA HA! Fuck it's even funnier the second time!"
Sadley when he found she was being serious he just laughed harder before doing a literal song and dance about how sinners were stuck here and deserved to die by his hands.
Only made worse when he smugly told her they'd be another extermination in six months just for fun. When she tried to protest, he'd magically ripped her pictures to shreds before painfully grabbing her arm and throwing her out on her ass. Not metaphorically but literally, out of the room, out of the building and down every single step. "How am I going to tell everyone at the hotel? Not to mention Lute's gonna notice the mark where he grabbed me, and she'll freak out."
Pushing the doors open she felt her worries grow as Lute wasn't anywhere to be seen. Usually when she got back and had to be separated from Lute, she'd at least be in the lobby waiting like a dog that missed her.
"Must be in the gym." but all she found was a destroyed punching bag which wasn't to out of the norm. Then she caught a whiff of something sugary and followed the scent to the penthouse. Knowing that smell well she knew what she'd find.
Just outside the door she saw numerous containers of ice cream and a worried Dazzle trying to clean up. "What flavor is she on?"
He worriedly showed the newest container. "Rainbow sherbert? That's not good."
For most people ice cream was a delicious treat, for Lute it was something she only stress ate. Every flavor meant something. Vanilla meant something was on her mind, rocky road meant something was one her mind and pissing her off, so she needed the crunch to take her mind off it. Rainbow sherbert meant that not only was she in a bad mental state but she was to focused on her and needed numerous flavors to keep her from going insane. "I'll take it from here."
Pushing open the door she saw Lute on the terrace pacing back and forth while muttering and scooping the sherbert into her mouth not bothering to taste it.
"She'll be back, she'll be fine, she has to be fine, needs to be fine!"
Taking a breath Charlie knew what needed to be done but also knew she had to be careful. This wasn't normal Lute, so the usual way of calming her down wouldn't work.
Slowey, she walked to the terrace and brought out her tail before cracking it like a whip. "At the ready!"
The effect was instant as Lute dropped the container and saluted. "Sir yes sir!" their eyes met and Lute ran at her full force picking her up and dumping her on the bed. For a few moments she simply eyed her making sure Charlie was really here. Then she caught her perfume and felt herself relax, not entirely though as she then went about inspecting her body. She had to see her, see if she was in any pain.
Naturally when she saw the bruise on her wrist she whined and felt guilty. "He did this."
"Lute."
"I failed you." Charlie's tail shot out wrapping around Lute's arm holding her. "No, you didn't. He did, you warned me about him. Yes, I would have liked you there with me, but could you have been there?"
Her breathing hitched as she stared at Charlie desperately trying to say yes. Eventually the truth came out. "-no."
"Well, are you here with me now?"
"YES!"
"Good, now here's what's going to happen. You smell of sweat and sugar so you're going to take a shower." gently she pulled her in for a kiss. "And when you're done, you are going to come back here, and I am going to spend the whole night spoiling you. Does that sound good?"
"Yes please." she kissed her again before Lute started running toward the shower. Started being the keyword as she saw Charlie's expression. "Something happened, didn't it?"
"I'll tell you in the morning. I'd rather not talk about it now."