That worked

[cornerofmadness]

My back does feel better so that gives me hope that the radio ablation will help some. That said, I still have no desire to do much. I didn't even want to write too much today or clean or work on the research.

So let's just dive into the thefridayfive and fandom friday

1. What is your favorite childhood memory? This is shockingly hard. One of them would be Cape Hattaras at 5 years old. I sat on a hammer head shark (on the dock, he'd been captured) and I stuck a stick in a hole and pulled out a monstrously large crab that then chased me and mom down the beach brandishing that stick.


2. If you could be reincarnated as anything besides human, who would you want to be? Hmmm while being a pampered house cat/dog would be great but I'd be the one who ended up homeless so maybe a tiger or an octopus.

3. If you had to start your life all over, what are three things you would change? I would have applied to more medical schools or osteopathic medical schools (or skip med school all together), I would insure my hands and back, I would travel more

4. If you had to forget everything in your life, except one thing, what would it be? Another very difficult question. I want to remember why I fight so hard.

5. Do you have a lucky charm? I do. I have a cimaruta and a cornetto and a mano cornuto


And on to the fannish 50 stuff, story editing. Here's what I did write. Halestorm's The Reckoning was so perfect for where I would love to see Angel's character arc to go in regards to Valentino I had to write it


Title: Up Through the Ashes, I Rose Like Wildfire

Summary: When Angel suffers at Valentino’s hands within Arackniss’ territory, his overlord brother plants a seed in Angel’s mind. The brothers have a plan and hell is riding with them.

Rating: teen

Author Note - Written for spikesgirl58’s six word challenge and the six words were Nervous, Zealous, Sweep, Tread, Seize & Sick and for the lyrical titles challenge for the prompt of Breakup song using The Reckoning by Halestorm. You can find the song here. It was also written for the allbingo prompt of clove.


Chapter One
Cross my heart, broke your promise, told me lies
Why did you watch me suffer? Make me feel like I deserved to?
Everybody takes, everybody breaks somebody's heart, leavin' someone alone
But this felt more like you ripping flesh from bone
You made a mess outta me, where do I begin? You'll pay for your sins


Angel couldn’t make up over the bruises. Valentino had hit him so hard his pupil had burst, in the same eye that Arackniss had fucked up during their last fight in the living world. That whole side of his face was swollen, his arc of secondary eyes lost in the trauma. He could barely lift his shoulder after Rocky the bull had reset it because Valentino had yanked it from its socket. Another beating was heading his way the moment the limo stopped at Velvette’s shoot destination. She had mocked up a club to mirror Ozzie’s and Angel was going to be the centerfold. Until she saw his face. When she saw that all hell would break loose.

When the limo braked outside the club, Valentino kicked Angel out of the limo. He fell to his knees on the asphalt, certain his tailbone had just fractured from the kick. Knees and palms bleeding, Angel staggered upright and walked toward Velvette, swaying the whole way.

“Are you fucking drunk?” she asked.

“No,” he croaked out past his tortured throat. Valentino had strangled him to the point of death and respawning before backing off. “My head hurts.”

She stalked over, her heels clicking on the sidewalk so loud her tread sounded like gunshots to his ringing ears. Velvette peered into his eyes and turned his head side to side. “Holy fuck, Valentino. Did you fracture his skull? What the fuck did you do to his eye?”

“I’m certain he’s been cheating on me. He keeps slipping out of the studio and coming…here.” Valentino made a sweeping arm gesture. “The little cunt won’t tell me who he’s cheating on me with and in the Industrial district of all places. If Angel wants to play with the rough boys, I can show him what rough is.”

“I don’t know why you care,” Vox said, sliding out of the limo. Angel thought he sounded hurt as if maybe he wanted Valentino all to himself as if that would ever happen with the fuck boi.

“He’s mine and if anyone is going to play with his entertaining holes, it’s going to be me.” Val glared at Vox who turned away uninterested.

Velvette stabbed a finger into Valentino’s chest. “You destroyed my shoot. Damn it, Valentino. You’re a selfish prick. Angel was my centerfold. I can’t shoot with him looking like someone dug him out of a cemetery four days after he died.”

Valentino pushed her back with the end of his cigarette holder before digging out a fresh cigarette. “Find another model. They’re a dime a dozen down here.”

“I wanted Angel Dust. He was perfect for this concept.”


“Then I guess you’ll have to wait.” Valentino crossed both sets of arms, his cigarette holder dangling, the cigarette unlit. “He is going to tell me who he’s fucking…wherever the hell we are.”

“We’re in Arackniss’ territory. He’s an ally of Carmilla Carmine,” Vox replied. “Velvette, how did you ever pick this place? You don’t usually come to the Industrial district.”

She shrugged as Valentino finally lit his cigarette. “This building had the right features to make it look like Ozzie’s on the outside and Arackniss was willing to have us here doing a shoot for a substantial fee.” Her hand flashed out to seize Angel’s jacket. She dragged him close, studying him again before shoving him into Valentino. He was too concussed to fight back. He barely stayed on his feet. “Look at him, Val. What am I supposed to do with that?”

“I don’t give a fuck.” He took a drag on his cigarette and then held the glowing tip close to Angel’s secondary eyes on the swollen side of his face. “Tell me who he is, Angel or I’m burning out each and every one of your eyes.”

Vox yanked the cigarette away. “Let’s not create a huge scene in someone else’s territory.”

“You’re not afraid of some minor overlord,” Valentino sniffed dismissively.

“No, but I don’t need the drama. Overlords down here buy my security systems. I don’t want you pissing them off because some slut is sucking one more dick.”

Valentino pulled a knife from his pocket and positioned it next to Angel’s eyes. “He won’t scream for long, hardly call that a scene.”

“I’m not cheating.” Angel grabbed Valentino’s knife hand, squeezing hard enough to feel the bones grate together. The red shackles started to form around his wrists as fury marched across Val’s face. “I come here to see Arackniss.”

Valentino narrowed his eyes and Vox turned back to Angel. Even Velvette stepped closer. The Vees had him more or less surrounded. Angel’s stomach flipped and he tried to catch his breath.

“Why are you coming to see an overlord? Are you betraying us?” Vox asked, and that was why Angel hadn’t wanted to tell Val why he was coming here. He knew this would be what they thought.

“Even he’s not that dumb, is he?” Velvette asked.

“He is,” Val replied.

“I’m not! No betraying, no cheating. Arackniss is my brother. I’m just here to see my brother.”

Valentino made a face. “You have a brother? Fuck that, you’re lying. As if I’d believe that. You’re either cheating or selling us out.”

“Arackniss is a spider demon,” Vox mused, tapping the edge of his screen where a chin would have been if he had one.

“Yeah but nothing like him.” Velvette pointed her phone at Angel. “He makes being a spider relatively attractive.”

“Call him. He’ll tell you I’m his brother.” Angel shrank back from the knife at his eye.

Shrugging, Velvette opened her phone. “Call? Geez you really are ancient, aren’t you? I have his number to get permission to use this place. I can text him.”

“I want to hear his voice.” Val poked the tip of his knife into the skin between Angel’s two sets of eyes. He couldn’t hold in the involuntary hiss of pain as blood trickled down his face. “Put him on speaker phone, Velvette.”

She rolled her eyes but called anyhow.

“Yes, Velvette,” Arackniss’ voice echoed out of her phone as a sleek black car looking like a 30s era Rolls Royce Wraith rolled up on them. Angel tried not to let his joy show seeing that car.

“Settle a bet for us,” she said in way of explaining herself. “Do you have a brother, Arackniss?”

“Di' loro che tuo fratello è Polvere d'Angelo!” Angel shouted at the phone just in case his brother chose to disavow him. Given his family, Angel knew it could happen.

Val backhanded him and Angel landed on his butt. “Shut it.”

The car parked and Arackniss stepped out, slipping his phone into his jacket pocket. As per usual he wore his signature black and yellow look. Angel hated that weird ass bowtie his brother used as his emblem but right now he was happy to see it. “Yes, Angel Dust is my brother. Why and what the fuck did you do to him?”

Velvette pressed end on the call. “I didn’t do shit. Talk to Valentino.”

“Oh, I am.” Arackniss pointed up at the buildings. “You do know I have security cameras literally everywhere around here.”

“I’m aware of your level of paranoia,” Vox replied.

“So explain to me why you tried to blind my brother with a cigarette?” Arackniss snarled, stomping over to Angel and Valentino. There wasn’t a prayer he could physically intimidate Val. His brother was like a bantam chicken, not that Val would understand that. Valentino crossed his arms and cocked his hip, silently staring Arackniss down.

“He thought I was sneaking over here to meet a lover,” Angel said, trying and failing to get up. His brother had to have been on his way here before Velvette had even called, as soon as he saw the threat to his eyes. He’d have to thank him later.

Arackniss snorted and dug a cigarette out of his pocket, his shoulder holster flashing into view. “He was here talking to his brother.”

“He could have said that,” Valentino said.

“I didn’t get a chance,” Angel protested and Valentino’s venomous look insured a future beating.

“My mistake.” Valentino waved him off.

“I’m regretting doing business with you, Velvette,” Arackniss said, which was confrontational enough. Angel didn’t think his brother had the juice to take on all three Vees at once.

“This is none of my doing,” she replied. “I’m not happy about this either. If you let me continue, I’ll take background pictures and digitally put Angel in once he heals.”

“I don’t care about the shoot,” Arackniss said and Angel put a hand on his leg, calming him. “But fine. We had a deal and you can finish your work. However, I ain’t leaving my brother here. He’s coming with me.”

“He’s not yours,” Valentino said. “He does and goes where I say.”

Arackniss took an angry drag off his cigarette and then flicked it directly into Valentino’s neck fluff. He swatted at himself as the stench of burning hair filled the air. Arackniss checked Angel over. “Fuck, your eye, Tony. How bad is it?” he asked, his fingers probing Angel’s head. Fire shot through Angel’s skull nearly blacking him out. When his senses cleared, his brother was swearing a blue streak. “Bones in your head shouldn’t move. You fractured his fucking skull. He’s coming with me.”

“He’s not.” Valentino flared out his wings.

“Do I need to eliminate threats on my territory?” Arackniss pulled his pistol with one hand and a knife with another.

“Val, I’m going to remind you, he’s allied with Carmine. She does have weapons capable of ending people for good. For fuck’s sake, just let Angel go for a week. He can be Arackniss’ problem for a while. He’s useless to you until he heals anyhow,” Vox said, playing off he was unimpressed by Arackniss’ display but Angel knew him well. He was cautious.

“Fine, whatever. Send him back when he’s healed but if I see him before then, he stays in the studio,” Valentino said, stalking toward the limo.

“Fat Nuggets,” Angel breathed. “I need him. He was going to be in the shoot with me.”

“What?” Arackniss looked.

Summoning his strength, Angel bellowed, “Come here, Fat Nuggets!” His skull exploded from the volume he generated and his broken ribs felt like glass grinding into his lungs. Nuggets poked his snout out of the open limo door. Angel patted his lap and his hell pig jumped out of the car, raced past Valentino and into Angel’s arms.

“Great, you got your pig. Let’s get you in the car.” Arackniss made Angel put Fat Nuggets down so he could help Angel to his feet. Angel could barely walk there and his stomach was so sick he thought he’d vomit on his baby once Arackniss got the car underway.

Even though they were only going a few blocks to his brother’s virtual fortress, it felt like they were going across the entirety of Pentagram City. He couldn’t get out of the car once they arrived. Arackniss had some of his people come with a blanket that they used as a stretcher to get him to the elevator and up to Arackniss’ penthouse suite. Arackniss carried Fat Nuggets for Angel.

“Put him in the tub. I’ll wash him up,” he said setting Fat Nuggets down. “Jackson, get something that passes as a dog bed and some bowls for the pig. Tony, what does he eat? Do I need a leash? I don’t want him shitting in my living room.”

“He uses litter,” Angel managed to say before shrieking as they lowered him to the tub. Everything had begun to ache like burning now that the adrenaline born of anxiety over Val’s next move had faded.

“Boss, we have that Wrathian imp helping out in security,” a woman with purple and black skin and scales said. “They know about hell pigs. Half of what they do is farming back home. I’m sure he knows what to feed him.”

“Thanks, Sonnet. Get him on it. Two of you can hang out because I’ll need help moving Tony to a bedroom once I get his wounds treated. Can we find him a robe that might fit him?”

“Sure thing, boss.”

His employees left them alone and Angel struggled out of his bloody clothing. Arackniss helped him and started running the hot water into the tub. Silently, he cleansed Angel of all the dried blood and once he had him relatively dried off, he bound the wounds he could. One of his men had come back with a robe big enough to fit a bull but only had armholes for two arms. Angel didn’t even care but he grunted and cried, trying to get his arm into it.

“I think I can walk to wherever you’re putting me,” Angel said, too tired to even care his spider toes were in view.

“Fuck you are.”

Arackniss left and quickly came back with Sonnet and two others. They put him back in the blanket sling and hauled him to a bedroom. For a bunch of weapons dealing thugs, they were surprisingly gentle as they situated him on the bed and pulled up the covers.

“My room is down the hall,” Arackniss said. I’ll give you a phone to call me on, not yours. I don’t trust Vox not to be listening in.”

“What could I say that he’d care about?” Angel asked.

“I don’t know but I take no chances.” Arackniss sat on the edge of the bed, resting a hand over Angel’s. “You shouldn’t let him beat you like this.”

“He owns me. If I fight back, he’ll hurt my soul.”

Arackniss’ shoulders sagged. “I know but…it’s getting worse, Tony.”

“I didn’t even respawn this time. I’ll heal.”

Arackniss’ jaw dropped. Had he never told his brother Valentino killed him at least once a year with the beatings? No, he hadn’t.

“This can’t go on, Tony.” Arackniss rubbed the back of Angel’s hand, like he used to do when they were kids and Angel had been sick with the flu.

“What do you propose I do about it?”

Arackniss narrowed all his ruby eyes and smiled viciously. “We rub him out, permanently.”

That made for a very happy thought for Angel to pass out on.

Chapter Two
I gave you more than my heart could hope for, you misused it
Scraped up every piece that fell to the floor, when you tore through it
Layin' me to ruin, you knew what you were doin', leavin' me just skin and bone
But trusting you was no one's fault but my own
You get what you give, so take your last breath 'fore I lay you to rest

Nervous hadn’t begun to describe the anxiety tearing through Angel when he returned to Valentino and his ‘humble sex dungeon’ as he liked to call it. He’d been content to leave Angel alone – if the daily texting could be called leaving him alone – for two weeks until his body pulled itself together. It took one of those weeks before his burst pupil had healed well enough for him to see correctly and his skull to piece itself back into a whole so he could sit up without throwing up.

For those two weeks Arackniss would sweep in and out of Angel’s guest room, filled to the brim with ideas and occasionally guests. Carmilla wasn’t so bad. Angel had worked with her back when he’d first arrived in hell because weapons dealing was something he knew well and the loan sharks that filled the border zones between the industrial district and the entertainment district hadn’t needed too much in the way of enforcement. Being stuck in a reed-slender pink and white body hadn’t been great for the mob enforcer business Angel had grown up with. Enforcement was what he knew how to do best back then but he couldn’t intimidate an imp baby looking like this. He’d had to work harder than normal to carve out his little spot in hell back then because he might look like a pink bit of fluff but he still hit like a freight train.

As hard as he could hit, it didn’t compare to the other heavy hitter who showed up with Carmilla: Zestial. He’d known Zestial from his time working with Carmilla, mostly avoiding the elder Overlord. He might not be interested in politics but no one growing up in the mob like he had would be dumb enough to disrespect an overlord who was essentially the don. Zestial and Arackniss had worked him over a little mentally as far as he was concerned, drawing out the decades of humiliation he’d suffered at Valentino’s hand. He told them about how sweet Valentino had been, how much he had loved him in the beginning until Valentino showed himself to be a monster.

He died a little inside of pure shame for having been tricked so easily, for giving away his heart fully for the first time in his life and having it end this way. He raged too, from his sick bed, furious at how callously Valentino had reduced him to nothing more than a sex toy, no less than that. You’d wash off a sex toy and put it away. Valentino would leave him lying in a puddle of blood and spunk if Angel had been hurt enough or high enough to be unable to move. His rage fueled Arackniss’ as well. Why Zestial and Carmilla cared, Angel had no idea. Carmilla at least liked to protect family and he’d been part of her crew once. He wasn’t fool enough to think she cared but she liked his brother and maybe that was close enough.

It wouldn’t leave his head, that moment when he told them, ‘Valentino made me suffer. I deserve what he did to me.’ He’d said it because he truly believed it. Valentino was his punishment. He would never be whole again, never love again and that had set the trio of overlords off. Well, Arackniss and Carmilla at least. Zestial merely looked conflicted as far as Angel could tell and he had promised help.

After that, Angel hadn’t seen either overlord again. He and Arackniss made their plans, getting more zealous about them as they went. Zestial had given Arackniss a little something that would help merely saying, ‘Valentino had done nothing but disrespect him.’ Because of course he had, because Valentino only thought he himself was the most dangerous bad ass on the block. He had no idea how Angel had a friend at the studio get into Vox’s recordings of what went down around town and print out a frame of the surveillance video. Well hidden in his room was a picture of Alastor biting off Val’s antennae and he dragged that picture out to look at whenever Val had abused him badly.

At least knowing Val had pissed off Zestial had filled in the missing puzzle piece. Zestial wasn’t helping Angel and Arackniss exactly. He was doing this to get back at Val for his arrogance. Their plans were built around Zestial’s gift. Arackniss had a plain black car he’d wait in, nothing like his gorgeous sleek Wraith knock off. Angel would have to do all the heavy lifting because they couldn’t risk Arackniss being spotted. He’d be parked in the nearby casino parking lot that bordered the Vee’s territory and the Vegas-energy smaller territory of some cat-like sinner named Husker. Angel had met him a couple times when he and some of Val’s crew had been tapped as entertainment for his main casino. He’d been oddly attractive for a grumpy bastard and Valentino had not been happy to see the other overlord’s interest in Angel.

But Arackniss wouldn’t arrive until nighttime and that left Angel an entire day with Valentino, hoping he wouldn’t get too nuts. He’d made Angel dump out his satchel when he arrived at the studio, checking it over to sure he wasn’t smuggling anything in. He hadn’t thought to look at the bottom of the bag and find the false bottom where Angel had hidden a burner phone. He’d text the prearranged message to his brother just in case Val did find the phone and give it to Vox. The message would be normal shit brothers said to each other.

Valentino looked up from his bag’s contents and swept over Angel. “You’re looking good, baby. Being with your brother agrees with you.”

Angel offered up a thin smile. “When he’s not being our father’s mouthpiece, yeah. Me and Henroin don’t get along.”

“He’s humorless,” Valentino replied because of course he knew Henroin from overlord meetings.

“Don’t need to tell me, babe. He raised me. He was no better when he was alive,” Angel replied and when Valentino opened his arms expecting a hug like he hadn’t fractured Angel’s skull and hadn’t been ready to burn his eyes out.

Angel ran to him. He had his role to play tonight. If Hell’s premiere porn star couldn’t prove he wanted to be there to a man convinced he was superior in every way to Angel, that Angel was nothing but his property, then he didn’t deserve all his awards. Valentino was already hard when Angel put his arms around him and he fucked Angel right there on his office desk and again in Angel’s dressing room before finally getting in front of the camera with him. Valentino liked to perform from time to time himself. Angel had to ride a dildo so big he hadn’t been sure even he could handle it and make the bell at its base ring with every motion to show how into it he was while he sucked Valentino off.

He wanted some angel dust so bad to take the edge off his pain but he didn’t dare. His head to be clear. Valentino had blown Vox off saying he wanted to party with Angel alone, which was what he’d been hoping for. Vox, he could work around, but it was better if he didn’t have to.

Valentino led him to the penthouse like he expected him to. He poured out a couple lines of coke and disappeared into the bathroom with the instructions for Angel to start without him. Angel pulled the hidden phone out and sent his text before hiding it again. He did the smallest of the lines Val had cut. It wouldn’t impair him too much.

Valentino sashayed back out in a flowing silk lounger but scowled at the remaining cocaine. “Is there a problem, Angel?”

“Nah, just that my brother doesn’t like me to do coke. It killed me back in the day and he had all the trauma of dealing with my dead body,” he replied, regret and pain in every word, no acting required. “So while I was there, I didn’t have any. I’m just easing back in. You wouldn’t want me to overdose and be no fun at all.”

“True.” Valentino frowned as his phone buzzed. He answered, listening. “Send it up.”

“Something up?” Angel leaned back against the couch, arching his back a bit, let Valentino think he was down for round four.

“Security said there’s a delivery Fizzy with a package for me, a gift. Thought it might be interesting.”

“Oh, I’m sure it will be…or horrifying. You know how our fans are.” Angel smiled.

“I know how yours are. No class, most of them.” Valentino strolled over and stroked Angel’s cheek. “I should have security open it.”

“Eh, I’m sure it’s fine. I could do it if you’re worried,” Angel said, knowing that was a subtle challenge.

Valentino dug his fingers into Angel’s chin. “Who’s worried, amorcito?” He didn’t allow Angel to retreat from the kiss, forcing his tongue deep into Angel’s throat. He opened up to Valentino because it made it easier. He could do this.

When the Fizzy delivery robot arrived, Valentino sent his own robot, Kitty, to get the package. Angel needed to maneuver Valentino into opening it himself. He glanced at the brightly wrapped gift.

“That’s a pretty package. Who’s it from, Val?”

Valentino took it from Kitty who scooted off like she had something to fear from Val’s temper. “It says it’s from Lust, from a fan.”

“Wonder if it’s from Ozzie. He likes our work,” Angel said and Valentino shrugged. Asmodeus was Angel’s fan but he didn’t like Valentino’s forced lust.

“I suppose.” Valentino opened the box and pulled out a lovely crystal container with what looked like a lotion in it. He flipped open the gift label. “It’s a new lube that has herbal additives for both our pleasure.” Valentino chuckled. “Shall we give it a try?”

“I’m always up for something new,” Angel said, slipping off the couch to highlight himself against the French doors to the balcony. The light was perfect for it. He struck a suggestive pose. “Open it up, babe.”

Leering at him, Valentino opened the jar and just like the little fish bastard scientist Zestial had hooked him and Arackniss with said it would, as soon as air hit the chemicals it exploded into hellfire. ‘I promise you, Angel Dust, this pyrophoric substance will ignite spontaneously as soon as air touches it like white phosphorus back home,’ fishy had said like any of that had meant a thing to Angel.

Valentino screamed as the hellfire leapt up his arms. As far as Angel knew, hellfire was one of the few things capable of erasing a sinner for good. What he didn’t expect was how fast it would spread.

“Angel, help me!” Valentino shrieked, lurching toward Angel, setting the couch and table awash in green flame in the process.

“Fuck you,” Angel said, meaning it in so many ways including the one where Valentino had just cut off his path to the door and safety.

“You did this!” Valentino managed to grate out before the screaming started in earnest.

“Yeah, it was me, you fucker.” Angel whipped around and fled out the balcony doors.

His wings ablaze, Valentino made a last desperate bid for help or to take Angel with him. He grabbed Angel’s ankle. Angel cried out as the hellfire burned straight through his boot and into his skin. He kicked that heel right into Valentino’s face now a mass of peeling skin and raw muscle before jumping onto the balcony railing. He didn’t want to try going all the way to the ground from this height so he went horizontal and caught a balcony railing on the opposite building.

Valentino collapsed on the balcony, which was now also on fire. He was going to die there and Angel wanted to celebrate but it wasn’t time. He stripped off his boot, which still smoldered. The last thing he needed was immolate himself along with it. He threw his boots back toward the balcony. Vox and Velvette knew he had been with Valentino. He had a reason to fling himself off the balcony sans footwear so it wouldn’t look too suspicious.

Panting, he looked down at his foot. The burn didn’t look too much like a handprint. Thoughts of Bruno Fratini flashed into his mind for the first time in eighty years, one of his father’s enforcers. He loved using arson to kill. It had freaked Angel out the first time he had accompanied Bruno. Now it was no different. Fire was vicious, cruel in its relentlessness. A good chunk of the studio’s upper levels were going up. Sirens wailed. He needed to get out of where he was now.

The door was locked so he manifested a bat and shattered the door glass. No one was home luckily. He made it all the way to street level. Actors and security were everywhere along with Vox and his people, Velvette and hers. She saw him first.

“Angel! Where’s Valentino?” she screamed, running up to him.

Angel trembled and was surprised to find it was not all acting. Valentino’s death was coming for him emotionally and he needed to hold it together. He pointed to the penthouse, his arm shaking. “He got a gift from Lust but when he opened it, it exploded into hellfire. I don’t think…he was completely on fire. Some of it got me.” He extended his leg, which had begun to swell. “I don’t think…”

“He’s dead?” She shrieked.

“I don’t know but…” Angel broke off as something shimmered in front of him. His soul contract appeared from nowhere and crumbled into dust. “I’m free…”

“He’s dead,” Vox said, his tone flat and disbelieving. He staggered back. “Val’s dead!”

That came out as a shriek. Angel was so dazed that it had worked that he didn’t even resist when Vox shook him.

“You just left him, you bastard.” Vox slapped him across the face.

“I couldn’t do anything. He was engulfed,” Angel whispered, the scene replaying in his mind’s eye, awful and yet exactly what Valentino deserved.

“What happens now?” Velvette said.

“I don’t know,” Vox said.

“I have to…I can’t be here. I can’t see this,” Angel said. “Smell it,” he added in spite of himself because there was a stench that was hitting his nose. It was possible Valentino wasn’t the only one to die in the fire and if they weren’t in hell Angel might feel bad about that.

No one was even looking at him anymore. He slipped away right into his brother’s car. Trying to ignore the intense of his burnt leg, Angel couldn’t help think about Velvette’s question, what happens now? He had an insane idea. Did he have the balls to pull it off?

Chapter three
I'm the reaper outside your door
You took everything, made me feel less than nothing ….
I said a prayer and buried your name
And up through the ashes, I rose like wildfire

“I’m nervous,” Angel said, looking up at the meeting office’s building. He fussed with his fedora. At Arackniss’ urging, he’d dressed more conservatively, more like his brother. His black and red pinstripe suit was smart and cut to flatter him. He’d won out in the legs department because he could look dapper like this and Arackniss with his pipe cleaner limbs always looked like he was in golf trousers from their era.

“You have nothing to be nervous about. These meetings are dull for the most part. No one is going to do a thing to you here.” Arackniss patted his arm.

Angel had his doubts. Henroin would be here. Carmilla and Zestial too but he could handle them. He was in a good place with those two overlords. Velvette and Vox weren’t going to be pleased to see his face. Maybe the Radio Demon would distract Vox.

The large screen on a neighboring high rise crackled and 666 News started to play. Just what he needed, a distraction for himself. That lasted until Tom Trench and Katie Killjoy appeared with a picture of him from one of his movie posters behind them: Evil Head where he was surrounded by a dozen dicks and looking thrilled by it. Because of course they would. There were dozens of photos of him that were far more recent but why use those when they could embarrass him like this?

“Don’t rot your mind.” Arackniss tried to pull him inside but Angel remained rooted.

“It’s been six months since the death of Valentino and the rise of hell’s newest overlord of note, Angel Dust,” Tom started.

“He used all that lube to slide right to the top.” Katie laughed deprecatingly. “It’s probably the only time he ever topped Valentino.”

“Shows what you know,” Angel grumbled.

“I think it’s a nice change of pace in the porn industry,” Tom argued. “Angel Dust’s Adventures has toned down the violence of Valentino’s legacy and has given us porn with plot and a lot of pretty sets.”

“You would notice, Tom, you limp dicked fuckwit,” Katie replied. “Would he be where he is without his brother’s help?”

“It’s not as if he hadn’t helped Cherri Bomb in many a turf war before,” Tom protested.

“You’d have made it without me, Tony.”

Angel shook his head. “You and the cousins gave me back up when I needed it. I’m not going to forget that.”

“And is it really an accomplishment for a coke fiend slut to take over a host of night clubs and the porn industry? I’m surprised he didn’t turn it entirely gay porn.”

“He’s not a complete idiot,” Tom said.

“Enough of this, Tony. Come on. We don’t want to be late.” Arackniss gave him a push and Angel started walking for the office.

Yes, he had made his move just like he and Arackniss had planned during his recovery. Vox and Velvette had their own empires to maintain, not to mention they had to rebuild Vee tower pretty much from scratch by the time the hellfire had been extinguished. They had no real desire to run a porn studio. Angel had grabbed it fast and made promises to the actors, better hours, less violence, more control. They leapt at the chance to work under those conditions and a few big names who challenged him for Valentino’s legacy, well, they were the first souls he contracted. Even then, he didn’t do much to them other than keep them at his beck and call. He’d been smart enough to write a no-violence against him clause into Tiffany Titfucker’s contract.

And sure, Arackniss and their cousins had given him back up and weapons. He’d sliced out a swath of the borderlands between the Industrial District and the Entertainment one for himself. It was a modest holding, just enough to get him an invite to the big movers and shakers table but not so much to look like a threat that needed dealing with. Cousin Salvatore ran drugs for him and Angel found himself using less now that he didn’t have to remove the horror of his daily life on the set from his brain.

He even kept a hand in – well a dick at any rate – starring in some of the biggest, prettiest of their new movies. He did enjoy sex, after all, especially on his own terms. He had young talent waiting to write for him so that was fun. He’d even made an alliance with Husker to provide more entertainment for his casinos. Would he be here today? He should be. Angel hoped so. One of the entertainments he planned to provide Husker might be himself all gift wrapped and looking hot. He’d sprinkle rum in his fluff. That should get Husker’s attention.

“No eye banging anyone in the meeting,” Arackniss hissed as if he could read his brother’s mind.

“Fine. I wasn’t planning on it,” Angel replied.

Arackniss snorted, not believing him. He led the way upstairs and Angel fell quiet. He was not in the same league as some of these overlords – most of them if he was honest. He was probably only here because of Arackniss and Henroin. Was his scrap of turf bigger than Sir Pentious or Cherri, neither of whom ever got invites to these things? Was it because he wrested it from the Vees? More than likely.

Henroin sat at one end of the table. Arackniss put himself next to their father for which Angel would need to buy him several drinks. That left him sitting next to a lady in a red dress and hat that looked like stuff his grandma had worn. She smiled at him.

“Tea, dearie?” She gestured to her tea pot.

“Non,” Arackniss whispered to him.

Angel didn’t know why his brother was warning him against the tea but he trusted him. “Thanks, I’m good.”

“You look a little nervous. Don’t worry. I don’t bite.” She leaned close, flashing teeth entirely capable of rending flesh from bone. She laughed. “That’s a lie. I do but I won’t. I’m Rosie and you’re Angel Dust.”

“You know me?” He knew her. Everyone knew the name of the head of Cannibal Town. Well fuck him and this seating arrangement. What was in that tea pot that Arackniss was worried about? You know what!

She laughed. “Everyone knows you, Angel Dust. My good friend starred with you in Cannibal Carnival. Jody said you were a doll baby.” Rosie cocked her head. “A doll baby who just took Pentagram City by storm after Valentino’s death.” She leaned closer and whispered, “Between us, no loss there.”

Her breath smelled like Clove gum and he was suddenly twelve again, saving pennies to buy some. Angel nodded. “Agreed. It’s nice to meet you, Rosie. Tell Jody I said hi.”

“I shall. I think the remaining Vees are staring you down,” Rosie said quietly.

Angel lifted his chin, meeting Vox and Velvette’s glares across the table.

“This is a fierce look for you,” Velvette said, studying his outfit. “I like it.”

“The fierce isn’t the clothes, it’s because he’s feeling bullet proof after whatever it was he did to turn Val into a bonfire,” Vox said.

Angel arched an eyebrow. “Me? All I did was jump from the balcony and lose everything I owned in a fire.”

“Curious you just happened to leave Fat Nuggets with your brother the exact day the tower mysteriously erupts into hellfire,” Vox said.

“I was having a bad day and the pig was comforting,” Arackniss spoke up, drawing Vox’s ire.

“How long were you planning to steal everything Valentino had?” Vox persisted.

“I didn’t plan anything, Vox. You were there. I was hurt in that fire.” His fur hadn’t regrown over the burned area. If it never did, he was getting a tattoo over it. For now, in movies he either wore his signature thigh-high boots or cuff jewelry over it. He wasn’t admitting to rubbing out Valentino, at least not yet. It might boost his credibility as an overlord if he took credit but it would also be bad if Vox took the fight to him. He might not withstand a battle with both Vees even with Arackniss’ help. Cherri would throw in too but that might not be enough.

“Why art thou unhappy with Angel? He hath offered to use thy services, hast he not?” Zestial said, glancing their way.

“It’s not a matter of him using my equipment to film smut.” Vox balled his fists.

“No, I know what the issue is, Zestial,” Angel said, not flinching when Vox turned on the full heat of his glare. “I’ve known Vox for decades and I know he had sincere feelings for Valentino.”

Vox’s screen fuzzed out and then back on. “I don’t know what you think you know, slut.”

“Come on, Vox. We shared….” Angel let it trail off. ‘Valentino’s bed’ seemed crass to say in this setting. “Val’s attention for years. The difference now is with my new position I’m not longer entirely subordinate. You’re not used to me being a…coworker,” he decided was the least likely to set Vox off. Equals would have been a step too far.

Vox’s expression softened. “He made my life so hard sometimes.”

“But you miss him,” Angel said mustering up some sympathy and letting it show.

Vox’s head tilted down. “I do.”

“I understand,” Angel said, hating that he actually did. “And I’ve taken nothing from you or Velvette that you actually wanted. I still pay to use your equipment and Velvette pays me for use of some of the models, self included.”

“You did turn down an offer of partnership,” Velvette remined him.

He hadn’t thought it was sincere. He was pretty sure they would have brought him in as a puppet or killed him. “I’m not ready for that, Velvette. I haven’t had independence since I met Valentino. I’m enjoying it. Besides, I’m not really a Vee without, I suppose, changing my name.” He smiled.

“Vinny,” Arackniss said under his breath. “Vito.”

Angel elbowed him. “I’m good with things the way they are.”

“As wellst thou should,” Zestial said. “Thou hast done well for yourself, Angel Dust.”

The Radio Demon joined the table, sliding in on the opposite side of Rosie, attracting Vox’s attention. Angel found himself instantly forgotten and he was glad of it.

“And you thought you’d fuck this up,” Arackniss said. “Vitale.”

“Will you shut up, stronzo,” Angel hissed.

“Whatever you say, Virginio.” Arackniss covered his mouth, snickering. “Nope you’d never pull that name off.”

“I hate you so much right now.” Angel fought back a giggle of his own. He might change his name but it wouldn’t be to a V name. But for now the Angel Dust brand carried weight and he was stuck with it. Husker’s entrance distracted Angel from contemplating his brother’s murder. He tracked the gambler’s path across the room to the table. God, those wings were so gorgeous but it kicked him into a spiral. Valentino’s wings had been equally beautiful but all he could see now was them going up in greenish hell fire. Angel shifted his gaze lower, trying to banish Valentino from his brain where he still lurked like an uninvited guest. Husker’s tail swished as he walked, his feathers dusting the flooring. That was far more pleasant a thing to concentrate on.

Rosie leaned into him again with her scent of cloves. “I know what you’re thinking. I’d love to bite that heinie too.”

Angel flushed, thinking she might mean it the way he did but she also might mean it in a Sunday roast kind of way. “It’s definitely bitable,” he said, catching Arackniss’ elbow to the gut again. He ignored his tiny big brother. “I was thinking more about the possibilities in those tail feathers.”

Rosie laughed. She had a sweet laugh…for a woman who could and would easily eat him with some au jus gravy. What tasted good with tarantula?

“I told you to not eye bang anyone,” Arackniss hissed.

“I think you and I have different definitions of that term.”

“Maybe you should ask Rosie for a napkin to wipe the drool off your chin,” Arackniss grumbled.

“Will you shut up?”

Angel winked at Husker as he sat down and the other man opened his eyes wide, as if shocked by the flirtation. Arackniss reached over and yanked hair out of Angel’s lower set of wrists. He settled back with a huff as Carmilla and Zestial started the meeting once Zeezi arrived on Husker’s heels. Arackniss had been right. This was as boring as fuck. No wonder Velvette had always come back from these things irritable and why Valentino had played hooky so often.

However, he was glad for his place at this table. Angel had earned it with every degradation, every rape, every beating Valentino had put him through. Sooner or later, everyone would know he had murdered Valentino to get himself free. He was hoping for later, once he was firmly established. He trusted Zestial to keep the secret even if he owed the ancient overlord something for his silence. Arackniss and the rest of the family took secrets with all the seriousness born of their mafia roots so no fears there. So for now, Angel would concentrate on building his small empire, turning out high quality movies and maybe, just maybe, seducing a sexy overlord or two. If he broke the to-do list into little chunks, it seemed possible.

He had chosen the name Angel Dust’s Adventures because that’s what he was currently on: the most exciting adventure of his life. He couldn’t wait to see what came next.



How Dare It Still Be Hot Hazbin Hotel

Candlelight The Owl House

Stars So Bright Torchwood

[ART] Is this really necessary? Deadpool/X-Men

[ART] Thanks for the ride, Wade Deadpool/Venom

Someone You Can Bet On Hazbin Hotel

Scenes From a Possible Future Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Strange Meeting Stargate SG-1

...well, better than the alternative Hazbin Hotel

Need The Owl House

Sold and Bought Hazbin Hotel

The Hoodie Hunt The Owl House

wiggle and sigh The Untamed (TV)

A Roaming Surprise Teen Wolf