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"I wish I met you before it felt like a sin."
-The Last Dinner Party
The smell of smoke was nothing new. Charlie constantly smelled Husk’s cigarette’s, Angel’s dope (and occasional crack, but they were working on that!), not to mention Cherri’s penchant for explosives, but Charlie had never smelled smoke coming from Alastor’s room. Whenever Charlie walked past the Radio Demon’s room it always smelled like a blend of cherry lacquer and smoked venison; she tried not to harp too much on the latter scent and would comfort herself in the reminder that he saved his more…uncouth dining tastes for when he was out visiting Rosie. At least, she was pretty sure he did.
But tonight, freshly home from battle, Charlie could smell the unmistakable scent of cigarettes coming from behind Alastor’s door. Everyone had settled in for the night, most of them down in the lobby hanging out around the TV or the bar, Vaggi had gone to bed early, and Charlie was…alone. She paced around her room for a while, debating calling her mom for what felt like the umpteenth time and then gave up and went to the first floor balcony. She considered joining in with everyone else but there was something inside her that made her feel ice cold and…unneeded. So she had wound up wandering the halls to see if any stray guests needed a towel or glass of water and in doing so had wound up outside Alastor’s door.
She hadn’t had a chance to speak with him since Vox’s event, everything happened in such a rush. She tried to go to him after they defeated Vox’s angelic weapon but her dad had needed help, as had Emily, and so many other sinners that by the time she made her way over to him he was well on his way back to the hotel.
Charlie decided now was as good a time as any to check on her friend. She was still feeling a bit prickly about him using the favor she owed him to admit publicly that Vox was the most powerful sinner in Hell, even if now she realized it had all been a part of his plan to help her and the hotel in the end. She was, as always, grateful for him but it had stung. There she was worried about him constantly, seeing him tied to a chair, feeling helpless in any way to aid him, and him pulling the strings of their deal made her feel like an idiot, a puppet, a joke.
You swore not to lay your hands on Charlie.
Had he really been doing all of this for her? To help her? Surely not. Alastor always had an ulterior motive, it was part of who he was. She knew this. But still…there must have been easier ways to get what he wanted and he could have done so without worrying about her safety.
But he did.
That had to mean something, right?
Vaggi would insist that it didn’t and not to think too much about Alastor’s mysterious scheming nature, but all Charlie ever seemed to do was think too much; especially when it came to Alastor.
Ever since the day he first knocked on her door and declared his desire to help her.
“Well, dear,” Rosie told her once over tea, “you’re the first person he’s ever willingly teamed up with. He quite admires you. There are plenty of folks in Hell who would kill to have a fella like that on their side.”
Vox wanted Alastor’s approval so badly that he went temporarily insane and almost killed everyone in Pentagram City. It was common knowledge at this point in Hell that Vox once asked Alastor to team up with him and Alastor refused. Whereas Charlie had never even spoken to Alastor before the day of her first failed interview with Katie Killjoy. Why would he seek her out of all people?
She wasn’t powerful like him. She wasn’t as savvy with intricate plans and persuasion. What did she have that made him have any faith in her at all?
An old-timey tune began to crackle from a radio within Alastor’s room, a voice from the 30’s crooning away a love song:
Did you ever see a dream walking?
Well, I did
Did you ever hear a dream talkin?
Well, I did
Did you ever have a dream thrill you with
Will you be mine?
Oh, it’s so grand and it’s too, too
divine.
Unable to help herself anymore, Charlie knocked on Alastor’s door.
The volume of the radio turned down and Alastor called out “Come in.”
Charlie slowly opened the door and was shocked by what was waiting for her on the other side. She had only ever seen Alastor all done up in his coat, hair perfectly quaffed, always dressed to the nines. But tonight he was hunched over his dresser, shirt open with the sleeves rolled up, scarred chest bared, hair mussed, suspenders loose on his shoulders, a cigarette in one hand, a half-drunk glass of brown liquor resting on top of the dresser. The demon looked up at his reflection in the mirror and met her eyes in the glass.
“Hello, dear.”
“Alastor.” Charlie stepped further into the room and closed the door. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you earlier.” She began to cross the room until she was only a few feet behind him. “I was so worried. Ever since I saw Vox take you I wanted to come find you, help you, but Vaggi kept insisting that you could take care of yourself and—”
“Your angelic lover was right, Charlie dear. I had everything under control.”
“I know, but…” Charlie dropped her gaze to the floor and fiddled with her hands, feeling foolish.
“But what?”
Charlie raised her head to meet Alastor’s gaze in the mirror again. He was staring at her intently in a way he so seldom did. It sent a strange, electric jolt through her stomach. She straightened up and did her best to push the sensation away.
“I was scared. I was scared you were hurt and that there was nothing I could do. You could’ve told me you had a plan before running off and offering yourself up to Vox.”
“It was best you remained in the dark.”
Charlie sighed. “I know but…you’re my friend. I didn’t want to see you get hurt.”
Alastor turned around slowly, his eyes were more intense without the distance of his reflection. “I’m touched, dear. But all is well. No harm done.”
Charlie felt a tension between them, like a string being pulled taut. She folded her hands together to stop their fidgeting.
“Did you really make the deal to tell Vox he couldn’t touch me?”
“Of course I did.”
“Why? I mean…I know why but couldn’t there have been an easier way to get what you want? You could have just asked me to say that about Vox... if I knew it was going to fix your staff—that’s why you did it right? Something to do with whatever happened to it when you fought Adam?”
Alastor stiffened, unease flickering across his face. Charlie was surprised, she couldn’t remember ever seeing Alastor appear as anything other than confident.
“You figured that much out, did you?”
Charlie studied him for a moment and then everything clicked into place. It all seemed so obvious now. She couldn’t help but crack a small smile. “Rosie gave you that staff, didn’t she? You’re supposed to be the most powerful, not Vox.”
Alastor’s brow twitched, his ears pulled back the tiniest bit. “Perhaps, Miss Morningstar. Perhaps.”
“Then why not just tell me that? Ask me to say that about Vox as part of the plan? Why waste the favor I owed you?”
Alastor’s uneasy stance loosened and his typical debonair demeanor returned. He chuckled, the sound soaked in static.
“My dear, we both know you never would’ve agreed to that. And besides, if I hadn’t made my deal there would have been nothing to stop Vox and the other Vees from coming after you and your quaint little hotel and I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Why not?” Charlie took a step closer to him. They were so near now that she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. “You told me the day we met that the hotel wasn’t going to work. So what would you care if Vox came and destroyed it?”
Alastor clenched his jaw.
He remained silent.
“Alastor, do you…care about me?”
Alastor slowly lifted his cigarette to his mouth and took a long drag before turning back to face his dresser and stubbing it out in his ashtray. He picked up his glass and took a swig. Charlie watched silently and intently as Alastor performed this little ritual. Finally he set the glass back down and resumed looking at her through the reflection.
“Yes, my dear. I’m afraid I do.”
Charlie gasped softly. Alastor turned back around to face her once more, offering her a small smirk.
“Don’t tell me you’re that surprised, Charlie dear. Surely you knew I would never let that pompous TV hurt you.”
“So you did believe in redemption all along?”
“Of course not.” Alastor laughed again, leaning back against the dresser, waving her off. “I didn’t have any faith in it at all until the snake showed up on screen.
“Then why—”
“My, my, Charlie,” he cut in. “I never expected you of all people to be so obtuse. Here you are able to figure out the secret of my staff and yet the answer to this question evades you? How disappointing.”
“Stop being a jerk, Alastor.”
Alastor kept laughing at her. “I’m just being honest, my dear. You want to know why I’ve stuck around this ridiculous establishment all these months? Want to know why I risked my life for you? Hmm? I’ll give you a hint; Vox didn’t think you would come to his event, he didn’t believe you would stop him. I made it quite clear to him that doubting you and your determination was foolish. And look at him now! Nothing more than a screen! And look at you.” Alastor eyed her up and down. Charlie shivered. “Better than ever, aren’t you, my dear? Such a good girl, always there to save the day, to protect the damned. Even little old me. It was adorable watching you fawn and fear over my wellbeing. And now after everything we’ve been through you stand there asking why I made a deal with that fool?” Alastor shrugged, still smirking snidely at Charlie. “Because, my dear,” he leaned in towards her, “I have always had faith in you.”
Charlie remained perfectly still.
Then a smile broke out across her face, too big and wide to contain.
“Really, Alastor?”
The Radio Demon sighed and nodded, looking pained by the admission. “Really.”
Charlie bopped back and forth on her heels, preening under this newfound praise that she hadn’t realized she’d been silently longing for ever since Alastor showed up on her doorstep and called her his charming demonbelle.
“Was there anything else, dear?”
Charlie stopped bouncing for a moment and realized the electric zapping in her gut was back. With the way Alastor was looking at her, his scarred chest exposed, his eyes fervent, it was suddenly hard to think straight.
“You didn’t want Vox to touch me,” she said without thinking.
Alastor raised a brow, interest peaked. “I did not.”
“But…you touch me. All the time.”
Alastor’s ears twitched again and he straightened back up. “Do you wish for me to stop?”
Charlie hesitated again. “No. I…like it.”
Before Alastor could say anything in response Charlie closed out the space between them and flung her arms around him. Alastor stilled a moment in surprise but then laughed softly and wrapped his arms around her.
“I care about you too,” she whispered, her head resting against his chest.
Alastor patted her head. “Yes, dear, you care about everyone.”
Charlie pulled back a bit to look up at him. “I know. I try to…but…” she looked at his chest, the ugly scar messily stitched up and healing poorly from stitches being previously torn. It looked like it hurt. Without thinking she pressed her palm flat against his chest and let some of her angelic magic radiate out from his fingertips.
Alastor inhaled sharply. “What are you—”
Within seconds Alastor’s chest was healed. She pulled her hand back and looked up at him again.
“I don’t like Vox touching you either.”
***
The following day Alastor woke early, feeling restless after the…interesting night before. He went downstairs to enjoy his morning tea in the main parlor and try to forget about the moments he exchanged with the Princess. When he reached the first floor Husk was already at the bar, nursing a hangover, Alastor suspected it had to do with Angel Dust’s absence but he wasn’t sure he felt like inquiring. Husk would just curse him out anyway and besides, Alastor already knew why the porn star was gone; Valentino. Alastor huffed under his breath. He didn’t hold too many fond feelings for the spider but he held nothing but loathing for the Vees. It is always a pity when one ends up in a soul bargain to someone like that. If Angel had been smart enough to make a deal with Alastor instead the Radio Demon would’ve been a much kinder master. As much as Husk liked to moan and groan about his short leash he knew the pussycat wouldn’t ever abandon him, even if he were given the choice. The same went for Niffty, lovely, strange little Niffty
Alastor ignored Husk. He seated himself on the sofa and let his shadow turn on the radio. A tune from his living days flickered through the air. The same one he was playing when Charlie knocked on his door last night.
Charlie.
He couldn’t get the Princess out of his mind. Not that he ever really could. He thought of her often. She was so entertaining to watch; the way she refused to give up even when it made her look ridiculous. She would never allow her spirit to be broken or her hope to be lost. It was charming. It was maddening.
He thought about how her body felt against his when she threw herself into his arms. She had hugged him before, Charlie was a very touchy person. But last night felt different. It wasn’t just the hug it was everything leading up to it and everything that followed. The look in her eyes, the sound of her breath, the smell of her skin, and the feel of her fingers as they ghosted across his body, healing his scars.
Alastor set down his teacup and let his fingers skim across his chest, his clothes hiding the memory of her touch. It should have repulsed him. It was one thing when she pushed an aggressive hug on him without warning, she did that to everyone, but the tender touch of her healing hand was far too intimate. He should have shoved her away, reminded her who she was dealing with. But instead he had stood there like an absolute idiot and let her touch him.
Alastor hated when Vox touched him, he tolerated when Rosie did, but there was something about Charlie’s touch that left him speechless and…wanting. It was sickening. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been able to endure anyone’s intimate touch without his stomach churning and his rage bubbling. And yet the Princess had broken through his walls like one of Cherri’s bombs; all from a gentle graze of flesh.
Alastor was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of Vaggi walking through the lobby. He watched the fallen angel head off to the laundry room, a basket of dirty clothes in her arms. It was such a simple, mundane task but it served as a much needed reminder to the Radio Demon that Charlie already belonged to someone.
Not that he wanted her.
Alastor finished his tea as the morning sounds of guests waking up and mulling about began to fill the air. Soon Niffty was down and tidying up (while also teaching her roaches some new dance moves), Baxter was scuttling off to his lab, some new guests who checked in last night made their way downstairs for breakfast, and Cherri waltzed over to the bar, Fat Nuggets tucked under her arm, a melancholy look on her face.
The sound of Charlie singing happily to herself began to travel down the elevator.
He couldn’t be here right now.
He turned into shadows and evaporated, leaving behind nothing but radio static.
***
Alastor returned to his radio studio and spent the day planning shows and crafting new schemes for his next target. Now that he was unchained from Rosie he no longer needed to worry about her dictating his every move and he could finally focus on the much bigger fish he had to fry.
He made sure not to return to the hotel lobby until it was well after dark and the Princess was sure to be up in the penthouse canoodling with the grumpy fallen angel.
When he entered the lobby there were more new guests, Cherri, Baxter, and Niffty were at the bar sipping Harder Daddys, and Husk was pretending to be preoccupied with wiping down the counter.
Vaggi and Charlie were nowhere to be seen.
Alastor went over to join the regular guests at the bar.
“Evening, Al,” Husk said. “Where you been all day?”
“Yeah, Smiles,” Cherri said. “Thought you’d be dying to get back after Vox had ya tied up all week.”
Alastor narrowed his eyes at Miss Bomb before composing himself and brushing off her comment with a chuckle.
“Oh, trust me, dear, nothing could keep me away from Charlie’s charming, little project.” He glanced around the lobby. “Where is the Princess this evening, anyway?”
“In her room,” Husk said.
“Ah. With her angelic paramour, I presume?”
“Why d’ya want to know so bad?” Cherri smirked over the rim of her glass.
“She went to dinner with Pretty Miss Carmine,” Niffty piped up.
“Don’t say it like that,” Husk grumbled. “Vaggi said it was a meeting. About…protection or something.” The cat shrugged.
Alastor felt a nervous twitch in his neck. He loathed it. It had been years since any being had even made him feel ill at ease; even Rosie had been more of an annoyance than a genuine source of stress. But knowing that the Princess was alone in her room, her lover off and about with another woman, it made Alastor unable to get the images of last night out of his mind. The memory of the touch of Charlie’s hands plagued him.
“Maybe you should check on her,” Baxter suggested. “Miss Morningstar has seemed a bit melancholic since the ordeal with the Vees. Perhaps she could use a friend, and since Angel Dust isn’t here, maybe you can suffice.”
Cherri and Husk laughed.
Alastor gripped his staff harder. “Perhaps I will check in on Charlie. Can’t let our fearless leader stay down in the dumps.”
“Uh huh.” Cherri threw back the rest of her drink. “Sureeee.”
Alastor controlled the urge to demand that the explosive demon woman explain herself. He saw the way Husk, Baxter, and even odd little Niffty were all looking at him with bemused smirks on their faces. Was he really so horribly predictable? So terribly easy to read? But if Vox could see there was some sort of admiration that Alastor held for Charlie, the Radio Demon supposed it was only natural that the hotel guests would have picked up on it by now as well.
“Well,” Alastor said, gripping his staff so hard his knuckles cracked. “I will bid you fine fellows goodnight.”
Alastor doffed his non-existent cap and headed to the elevator, doing his best to tune out the whispers and snickers behind him.
Alastor rode the elevator all the way up to the penthouse and hesitated a moment outside Charlie’s door. He considered knocking but then decided against it and used his shadows to materialize inside her room. The Princess was sitting on the edge of her bed, clad only in a satin black negligee and matching robe, so much of her creamy, pale skin exposed under the moonlight drifting in through her balcony doors. The sight of her like this did something to Alastor that he was unwilling to name.
“My, my, Charlie.” Alastor waltzed over to the bed. “Don’t you look glum.”
Charlie looked up, appearing a little startled by his sudden intrusion but she tried to play it off. “Alastor, hi. You could knock, you know.”
Alastor leaned against one of her bedposts, twirling his staff in hand. “I could. But will I? No.”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”
“To see you, of course. The little birdies downstairs told me Vagatha—”
“Vaggi.”
“—left you here all alone.”
“She didn’t…that is…she had a meeting.” Charlie wrapped her arms around herself. “That’s all.”
“Sounds like trouble in paradise, my dear.”
“Stop that,” Charlie snapped. “Don’t make it sound worse than it is just to mess with me. I know Vaggi and I have had our…difficulties, and disagreements, and—but the point is, she loves me and I love her and that’s got to be enough.”
“Mmhm.” Alastor set his staff down and propped an elbow on it, leaning down over Charlie. “And is it?”
“It’s…I mean…” Charlie sniffled and looked back down.
Alastor realized she was crying. His spine stiffened in unease. He had seen her cry once before but that was a time where he was indeed trying to mess with her, holding her desperation over her head for the thrill of making a deal with the Princess of Hell. He didn’t want to ever let on to Charlie that she could be the most powerful sinner in Hell if she stopped obsessing about her angelic heritage and kowtowing to the divine judgement upstairs. Alastor had seen Miss Morningstar in her demonic form during the battle with Adam and it had been truly a wondrous sight to behold. If the young demonbelle were to learn to harness those darker powers with her angelic abilities—ones she had without the restraints that chained her irksome father—she could truly rule Hell.
But if he told her that would she still need him? Did he even want to be needed by her? Wouldn’t his life be simpler without Charlie Morningstar and this foolish hotel? Even if redemption was now, apparently, possible, what was the point? Most sinners would never change and most seraphim and angelic exorcists would never settle for the folly that was the notion of peace.
And yet…the sight of her crying unspooled a thread inside his cold, dead heart that had been wound so very tightly for so many years. Charlie reminded him so much sometimes of a woman he knew once, long ago, back when he was still up above having his fun. Except, Charlie was more. So much more than any man, woman, or demon he had ever come across before. She had everything Vox wanted, everything Heaven feared, and she didn’t even seem to realize it.
Alastor sat down beside Charlie on the bed and offered her a handkerchief to dry her eyes. Charlie sniffled again and took it from him. “Thank you, Alastor.”
“You are quite welcome, my dear.”
“I know you like to present yourself as if you don’t care about anyone or anything but…”
“Do I?” Alastor smirked.
Charlie granted him with a small smile back, his favorite thing. He feared he would spend the rest of his eternity yearning to see that smile every day.
“Yes,” Charlie said. “But last night…did you mean what you said?”
“I always mean what I say, Charlie.”
“I’m still kind of mad you used me.”
“Charlie, my dear, you use people all the time. You can hardly hold contempt for me when I do it.”
“I do not use people!”
“Oh, but you do.” Alastor chuckled. “It’s quite alright. It’s something I admire about you. Despite that cheery disposition you are a ruthless little thing. You use me to garner power and protection for your hotel, as well as supply you with a free staff. You used Angel Dust to push your redemption agenda, you even used the mere memory of that silly snake man to bolster yourself up. And don’t even get me started on how you use your father.”
“Why are you being so cruel?” Charlie whispered.
“My dear, I’m not being cruel. I’m being honest. You can pretend you’re above us sinners all you want, but just like your little girlfriend will never be able to shed her angelic skin, you cannot jettison your demonic nature.”
“I don’t think I’m above sinners.”
“Of course you do. It makes sense. You’re daddy’s little girl. A sweet, half-angel Princess here to save Hell from damnation. But if you would just lean into your darker natures, think of all you could accomplish!”
“But…it’s not that I think I’m above sinners, I'm just…different. I haven’t—”
“What? Sinned? Ha! Don’t be silly, sweet Charlie. You’ve lied, stolen, attacked, killed.”
“That was in the line of battle! That’s different!”
“Does Heaven see it that way? Your little actor friend killed someone when he was alive, didn’t he? Or so Vox says. Vox and I did our fair share of killing whilst we drew breath, far more than Mr. Angel Dust I dare say. And yet divine ordainment saw fit to send us all down here together. And even if Angel never killed, he still partook in sinful behavior. Drinking, drugs, debauchery. Husker gambled away in life the way he does in death, goodness, Charlie, there are sinners walking around down here whose only crimes are silly, simple things like suicide, addiction, or unholy unions. I heard that one, nasty little exorcist angel referred to your union with Miss Vagatha as such. So, tell me, my dear, if you’ve lied, killed, drank, and debauched yourself, how does that make you anything other than a sinner?”
Charlie was silent. Dumbfounded. Alstor smirked proudly.
Another tear slid down Charlie’s cheek. Alastor reached up without thinking and swiped his finger across her cheek, dabbing the wetness away. The two locked eyes for a moment. Alastor felt a whirlwind inside his stomach. He brought his finger to his lips and licked Charlie’s tears away. The demonbelle’s eyes widened at the sight, a small, sweet breathy sound escaping her lips.
“Make no mistake, Charlie. I am always on your side. But it might be time for you to be on Hell’s side. You might be happier if you were.”
“What do you mean?” she asked softly. “I thought I was.”
“You care about your people, it’s true, but you also care so deeply about pleasing Heaven that it doesn’t seem to have occurred to you that you could make Hell a happy place to be instead of yearning for a salvation that you, yourself, will never be allowed to have.”
With that Alastor stood up and vanished into shadows.
***
Charlie paced in the hall outside Alastor’s door for several minutes before working up the nerve to turn the knob and enter without knocking (something she hated doing but he was always coming into her room without knocking so it was fine, right? Right!).
Alastor was sitting in his armchair by the fireplace, shirt unbuttoned like it was last night, hair mussed, cigarette burning in one hand, a glass of brown liquor in the other. He looked over to the door at the sound of Charlie’s entrance. His eyes scanned over her body, taking her in. She had considered getting dressed before coming down here but Alastor had already been in her room and seen her in this state of undress so she figured there was no point. Especially not with what she had planned. Or at least, what she was hoping she had planned.
Alastor smiled. “Hello, dear. Miss me already?”
Charlie closed the door behind her and leaned back against it.
“I guess so,” she admitted. “I don’t…want to be alone right now.”
Alastor stood up and set his drink down on the fireplace mantle, dropping his half-smoked cigarette inside, the amber liquid snuffing out the cherry-glowing tip.
“Surely the others are still downstairs. Cherri and Husk at least. Those two tend to stay up rather late these days.”
Charlie held Alastor’s stare as the Radio Demon slowly stalked over to her. He may be the one with a deer-like visage but it was Charlie who felt like the prey.
“I don’t want the others.”
Alastor came to stand in front of her. “Is that so?”
Charlie nodded.
“Is there something you do want, Charlie?”
Alastor took one final step in close so that he towered above her. Charlie bit her lip, trying to will herself to admit to him why she had come down here. They both knew it wasn’t just for platonic company but she was suddenly too ashamed to admit it. He had been right about everything regarding her identity as a sinner, she knew it. He was also right about Vaggi’s prolonged absences with Carmilla. He was right about how she wouldn’t have let him go through with his plan to stop Vox and free himself of his various chains if he had told her ahead of time. He was right that she, like so many others in Hell, used people. And dear lord, how she wanted to use him now. Or…perhaps be used by him.
“Hmmm?” Alastor smirked wickedly. “Say it, my dear.”
“Alastor,” Charlie whispered. “All those times you’ve touched me…did you…like it?”
Charlie practically flinched as she waited for the laughter and brush off that she was sure would come from the showboating demon, but to her surprise (and immense relief) no such sound came.
“Yes,” Alastor said. “I did.”
“Is that part of why you didn’t want Vox to touch me? Or was it solely about the plan?”
“Charlie, my charming demonbelle, I do not want anyone touching you but me. Ever. Which is really quite frustrating since you seem dead set on being with that irritable fallen angel.”
Alastor’s words had Charlie on edge. She had never actually anticipated him responding so candidly and now that he was she found it a bit hard to process.
“Rosie said you were…” Charlie started “an ace in the hole.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
“Right. Because you died in the 30s.”
“Speak plainly, my dear.”
“It just means…I guess Rosie assumed you weren’t interested in…touching people.” Charlie cringed internally, feeling like such an idiot. She was a grown lady and here she was alluding to sex like an anxious teenager.
“I see,” Alastor said. “Well, she was somewhat correct. Usually I do not find anything appealing in the matter. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I felt the desire to touch anyone.”
“So…what changed?”
“You, of course.”
“What makes me so special?”
Alastor leaned down close, taking Charlie’s chin in between his thumb and forefinger. “Everything.”
Charlie inhaled sharply. The Radio Demon smiled.
“Would you…touch me? Now, that is.”
Alastor chuckled softly but he did not deny her pitiful request. He slowly moved his hand from her chin to trail down across her neck, along the column of her throat, the slight graze of his fingers brushing against her skin sent shivers down her spine. He moved his hand along, skimming across the fabric of her robe, trailing his touch down her arm until he reached her hand. He lifted her hand up to his lips and kissed her palm tenderly. Then, to her shock, he parted his lips and let his shadowy tongue snake out and licked a long, slow, swipe from the heel of her palm down to the tip of her middle finger.
Charlie gasped, her body shivering with a sweet, electric sensation she hadn’t felt in so long. Alastor kept his eyes on her, their other-worldly glow emanating across the small swath of space between them, seeming to sear into her soul.
Charlie laughed nervously. “You’re not going to eat me, are you, Alastor?”
“Oh no, my dear. I like you far too much for that.”
Charlie felt a sensuous smile start to spread across her lips and decided it was time to be bold. “Well…then…” she held his stare head on. “Prove it.”
Alastor was perfectly still for a moment and then in the blink of an eye he moved with incredible speed, taking both of her hands in his and pinning them above her. He pressed his body against hers, pushing her back into the door. Alastor ducked his head down until his lips were pressed directly against the shell of her ear and whispered: “With pleasure.”
Alastor pressed a gentle kiss below Charlie’s ear, letting his teeth lightly graze against her skin as he did. Charlie gasped and her back bowed off the door, pressing her body closer to his. The Radio Demon hummed happily at this response and began to trail kisses down her neck, stopping when he reached her collarbone. He began to lav at her chest, dragging his tongue along the curve of her bone and down to the top of her negligee.
“Alastor,” Charlie whined. “Touch me.”
Alastor traced a finger down the inside of one of her wrists, the digit dancing across her pulsepoint. “I am, my dear.” He kissed his way back up her neck and began the torment along her jaw.
Charlie sighed into his touch. “More. Please.”
“Now that’s a pretty sound. The Princess of Hell begging.”
Alastor shifted so that both her wrists were clasped in one of his hands. He brought his free hand down to cup her face in his palm, his nails gently scraping against her skin as he tilted her head back. Charlie opened her eyes and stared into his vibrant red ones.
He smiled. “Say it again, my dear.”
“Please, Alastor.”
“Good girl.”
Alastor moved in and let his mouth meet hers. Charlie moaned softly as he deepened the kiss, letting his shadowy tongue plunder her mouth, his sharp teeth nipping at her bottom lip, all the while he skimmed his other hand down her body until he reached her breast. He pushed aside her robe and nightie until his palm met her chilled skin. He pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, causing Charlie to let out a breathy mewl of pleasure. Alastor growled softly, a low, wanton sound deep in his throat, and continued his ministrations. He kept plucking and pleasuring her nipples, one and then the other, while his other hand kept her pinned to the door and his mouth had dominion over her lips.
“More, Alastor,” Charlie moaned, pressing her body as close to his as she could.
“Of course, dear.”
Alastor pulled away, releasing his hold on her wrists. Charlie was about to ask what he was doing but then he was undoing the sash of her robe and pushing the garment off her body. The night air hit her exposed arms, goosebumps rising along her flesh, her breasts already sensitive and wanting, her nipples spilling out of the top of her negligee
“Alastor,” Charlie breathed.
She took in the sight of his bare chest, his taut muscles, the veins in his arms protruding with his clenched hands, and the intoxicating glimmer of his gaze.
Alastor moved in closer and reached up to cradle her head in his hand, digging his fingers roughly into the hair at the nape of her neck. Charlie gasped from the intense sensation and the Radio Demon smiled.
“Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,” he murmured.
Then he dropped both of his hands to her hips and spun her around so she was facing the door. He pressed up behind her and Charlie gasped again when she felt his erection press into her backside. Alastor reached one hand down her back, dragging along her hip, and finally dipping between her parted thighs where she was already soaked from his attentions.
“No panties. My, my, Charlie, what a naughty girl you are.”
Alastor stroked a finger along her labia and Charlie whimpered.
“Don’t be an asshole,” she rasped, resting her forehead against the door, trying to keep her knees from buckling as Alastor continued his ministrations.
The Radio Demon grabbed her hair again, even rougher this time, and brought her neck back so he could look down at her. “Now, now, my dear. That’s no way to talk.”
“I just—”
Alastor laughed. “Hush, my little demonbelle.”
He dipped down and kissed her at the same time he slid two fingers inside her and Charlie’s world came undone. There was a static sort of shock from his touch that made her legs wobble and her blood sing and her stomach lurch with hungry anticipation. Alastor worked his tongue between her teeth as he moved his fingers between her thighs, pumping in and out of her with a precision that unmoored her.
Alastor eventually broke away from Charlie’s lips and continued kissing down her throat again until he reached the juncture where her neck met her shoulder and then he dug his teeth in deep, drawing blood.
Charlie whined, keening back against him. “You said—” she rasped, unable to form a coherent sentence with how overwhelmed she was by the dual sensations of his fingers fucking her and his teeth knawing at her.
“I just want a taste, my dear.” Alastor licked up the beads of blood that were beginning to trickle down her shoulder.
It was depraved and wrong and so damn erotic. Charlie bit her lip to muffle her own moan, not wanting to alert anyone else on the floor to her late night activities.
Alastor kept working her with his fingers, adding a third one to stretch her wider, his teeth biting into her again, swallowing her blood with a vampiric vengeance.
Charlie’s legs were shaky, her orgasm rushing up on her. “You’re. Insane.”
“You knew that the day we met, my dear.”
Alastor pushed his fingers inside Charlie with one final thrust and she came with a muffled cry. Charlie turned around to watch as Alastor lifted his fingers to his lips and sucked away Charlie’s fluids, his lips lined with her blood. Her mouth fell open in shock and horror at how sinful and erotic she found the sight.
“Delicious.” Alastor licked his lips. “As I always expected.”
Charlie moved closer to him, her wide eyes looking up into his.
“Still hungry, my little demon pet?” Alastor purred.
Charlie felt a betraying smile spread across her face. Alastor returned it with a wicked one of his own and then scooped her up into his arms and carried her across the room to his bed. Charlie scooted back on the bed as Alastor watched, taking his suspenders off and unbuttoning his shirt.
“Take off your nightgown,” he commanded.
Charlie did as he said, lifting the fabric up and over her head, tossing it aside on the floor. Alastor shed his shirt and moved in on her, climbing on top of her. Charlie spread her legs to make a home for him between her thighs and held her breath as the Radio Demon looked down at her.
“Alastor,” she breathed.
Alastor pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Yes, my dear?”
“Can I…touch you?”
He stilled for a moment, keeping his hand resting against her cheek.
“Is that…” Charlie fought not to feel foolish. “Okay?” She tentatively lifted a hand between them, fingers hovering over his chest where just last night she had touched him without a second thought.
Alastor removed his hand from her face and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, guiding her hand to his chest until her palm was splayed out across his newly healed skin.
“Yes,” he whispered, his voice sounding more earnest than Charlie had ever heard it before.
Charlie smiled and traced the shape of a pentagram against his skin, letting her fingernails dig in slightly. Alastor smirked at her meek attempt at brutality.
“You are so ridiculously good, my dear.”
Charlie scoffed. “I thought you said I was a sinner.”
Alastor shifted over her until Charlie was pressed back into his mattress with the weight of his body pressing down on her.
“Oh, my dear, you are. But you’re my favorite one.”
Charlie smiled.
Alastor kissed her again.
Charlie wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down closer to her, letting her hips fall apart so he could press right up against her core, his cock straining to be freed from the confines of his trousers.
Charlie trailed a hand down his stomach until she reached the hem of his pants, the demon tensed a bit at her touch and Charlie hesitated.
“Is this okay?” she whispered.
“Yes, dear. It’s just…been a while.”
Charlie bit her lip as Alastor gently grazed her nose with his.
“Can I?” she asked softly.
“Yes.”
Charlie undid his trousers, his erection springing free. It was long and thick in her hand, made up of the same devious shadows that surrounded him, it looked unlike any cock she had ever seen but in that moment she wanted nothing more than to feel it buried inside her to the hilt.
Alastor, as if sensing her desires, did not make Charlie wait any longer before moving forward against her hand, letting her guide him up to her waiting center and then slid in slowly, the slickness of her previous orgasm making it an easy feat. Charlie’s eyes fluttered closed as she moaned from the delicious pressure of him. It had been so long since she had had sex with a man, and even when she had slept with men in the past it had never been anything of note, no spine-tingling shivers, no toe-curling orgasms, no passion. With Alastor that was not the case. Charlie could not get enough of him. His hands, his mouth, his teeth, his cock—all of him.
Alastor kissed her ear, nipping at her lobe. Charlie giggled softly and tilted her hips up to meet him as he began to thrust into her.
“You feel divine, my dear.”
Alastor popped his hips forcefully against hers, his cock curving inside her to hit her sweetest spot and she crooned like a songbird.
“I have dreamed of this,” Alastor admitted, sounding almost embarrassed.
Charlie opened her eyes to see he was already gazing down at her.
“You are a maddening woman,” he continued. “I found you entertaining from the moment I first saw you but I never intended to actually care about you.”
“Wow, Alastor, you sure know how to sweet talk a girl.”
Alastor smiled before ducking down to kiss her again. Charlie reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair, holding on tight.
“You are a ridiculously optimistic, foolishly kind woman,” Alastor murmured against her lips. “Things would be so much simpler if you meant nothing to me.”
“Yeah well,” Charlie nipped at his bottom lip, surprising him. He laughed in amusement. “Things would probably be easier for me too if I didn’t care about you. Unfortunately for both of us it seems we…like one another.”
“Mmm,” Alastor hummed against her throat. “It would appear that way.”
Alastor began to move his hips faster and Charlie met him thrust for thrust, moaning louder with each deep sensation. Just when she was starting to get concerned that she was making too much noise she felt something wrap around her mouth. Her eyes flew open to see that Alastor was using his shadows as a makeshift gag.
“Shhh, my dear. Don’t want you waking up the whole hotel now, do we?”
The demon chucked to himself before continuing to pound into her until they were both coming. Alastor moved down to bite her neck again as he rode out his orgasm and Charlie groaned into her shadowy gag. Alastor laid on top of her completely still for a moment and then moved with his disturbing agility again, pulling himself out of her and moving down her body. Charlie tried to ask him what he was doing but the shadow wrapped around her mouth made her words come out muffled.
Alastor chuckled, bemused. “Be still, my dear.”
He pressed his hands down on her hips, pushing her thighs apart, and then shot out more shadows to wrap around her wrists and pin them to the bed. Charlie gasped into her gag, her cunt already dripping with more desire for the Radio Demon’s attention.
“Such a good girl for me.”
Alastor laid down on his stomach and pulled her thighs as far apart as they could before dipping his head and licking down her core. Charlie moaned into her gag, her entire body seizing up against Alastor from the sensation. The Radio Demon laughed again and then moved away from her center as quickly as he arrived. Charlie whined, the sound pitifully muffled. Alastor hummed happily and then bit down into her thigh, drawing more blood that he lapped at like a kitten. The pain was sweet and sick and Charlie couldn’t get enough of it. He kept at it, sucking and biting all along her inner thighs, leaving marks that would bloom into bruises in the morning. A beautiful reminder of him.
When he finally returned his tongue to her core Charlie was so hot and bothered she was practically ready to weep. Alastor started by licking along her labia, toying with the sensitive area around her clit but never fully attacking the bundle of nerves that silently begged to be ravished. Charlie began to writhe against her restraints, desperate for him to get her off again.
Once again sensing her desires Alastor smiled up at her, grinning like the devil himself. “Now, now, Charlie. I’m almost done. Be still, pet.”
And then he ducked his head back down and truly feasted on her. Charlie screamed in euphoric pleasure into her gag as Alastor’s inhumanely long shadow tongue plunged deep into her cunt at the same time he sucked on her swollen clit. Then to send her truly over the edge, as a final coda of passion, Alastor bit down on her clit, letting his sharp teeth latch around her most sensitive part. Charlie bucked against him as her orgasm decimated her. She clenched her thighs around his head on instinct but he didn’t try to pry them apart, just curved his hands around to the outside and let his nails dig into her flesh until he had left even more marks.
Alastor finally pulled back from her, pulling his shadows back in too. He sat up on his knees and looked down at the Princess of Hell. Charlie felt like she must look like such a mess to him then. Naked, panting, thighs sticky with come and blood, shoulders and breasts covered in his bites.
The Radio Demon climbed up her body again to press another kiss to her lips, gentle this time. Tender. Surprising. Charlie wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing happily against his mouth.
***
“Well…should I…” Charlie stared anxiously at Alastor as he slid off her to rest beside her, propping himself up on his elbow. “I guess I should go back to my room now. So…um…thank you for…yeah…um…bye.”
Charlie started to scurry out of the bed. Alastor watched her flounder for a bit as she frantically searched for her nightgown. It amused him so very much to watch her be so flustered so quickly. Finally he took mercy on her.
“Charlie, my dear.”
His shadows shot out again, wrapping their tendrils around Charlie, and pulling her back down into the bed with him. The Princess let out a soft yelp of surprise as she fell back into the bed, her body colliding with his. She looked up at him with those perfect doe-eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was a mess, her lips were swollen, and her neck, shoulders, and thighs were thoroughly marked by his teeth.
She looked miraculous.
He had forgotten how good it could feel to want to touch someone and be touched by them in return.
Alastor slid one hand around the back of her head, gently tangling his fingers into her hair, and brought her in close so he could plant a soft kiss against her forehead.
“Stay, my dear.”
Charlie smiled up at him. “You’re sure?”
“Most definitely.”
Charlie squealed softly in delight before cozying up to Alastor, making herself at home in his arms.
The Radio Demon watched as the Princess of Hell fell asleep in his arms with a smile on her face. He had no idea if he had made a terrible mistake, if he had just created a horrible new habit in fucking Charlie Morningstar, because now that he’d had her he had no intention of giving her up.
Charlie sighed softly in her sleep, that sweet smile spreading across her face.
Alastor sighed, smiling himself as he smoothed some of her hair back from her brow.
If this was a bad habit, so be it.
The best habits die smiling.