Subj: The Working Man-Part 1 of ?-Sequel to Christmas
at Eden House
Date: 12/15/99 9:48:19 PM Central Standard Time
From: Delilah Robbins
The Working Man-Part 1 of ?-Sequel to Christmas at Eden House
Diabolos sat distracted, tapping his great leather desk, watching the fissures of fire escape from his red gloved fingertips. Then, pounding a heavy fist on his calendar, he watched as the sparks flew. January 2nd and he still hadn't heard a word from his ex-number one guy!
That bastard should have come crawling back days ago! He thought. Crushed, he shouted at the flames. "Imagine selling your master out for some bird!" Stunned, he paced the brimstone trying to find a reasonable explanation for his protégé's abandonment. "Why would a powerful, independent warlock flee an ideal situation?" He asked the smoke, "And for what? To have to work, to inherit mortality and all the crap that goes along with it?"
Not since St. Michael kicked his can out of Heaven, had he felt so dejected!
He'd tried to spy on Nicholas several times but unsuccessfully. The former warlock seemed to be protected by an impenetrable fortress of good. Truth told the big D missed the former warlock…well, about as much as the Devil could. Without Nicholas, there was no one with whom he could kick up a catastrophic rumpus. Oh, he could have done it by himself but it just wasn't the same. Of course he could have always counted on the services of number two but tax evasion had been taking up almost all of her time.
His eyes beaded up just thinking about how Nicholas might have been getting along. I'll give it another week. He'll come around then, he thought smugly. Only this time, I'll make him flame like a volcano! This time, no amount of principled influence can save him! He punched a red gloved hand into a waiting palm and cocked his head decidedly. "In the meantime, I need some answers!"
He summoned his favorite blonde bimbo and turncoat.
"Angelique! Get thy ass down stairs pronto!"
Just as she was about to plunge her fangs into a vampire's delight, (a frozen intravenous blood bag she'd stolen from the bank) she heard her master's earsplitting voice. Annoyed, she shrugged him off continuing to suck, savoring her favorite flavor, type O negative!
"Now!" He bellowed, causing the frozen pop to slip from her greedy hands.
Moments later, Angelique stood face to horns with her scowling master.
"What took you so long?"
"I was…"
He waved a dismissing hand at her. "…Never mind, I don't really care."
"Was there something you wanted, my master."
Diabolos smiled inwardly. He really enjoyed the reverence she always showed him.
"Information!" He blasted. "What's my friend Nicholas doing these days?"
"Well he and Maggie are living in New York City, so it's hard for me to report everything."
"NYC! What about Blair house?"
"Well I really don't know…"
He sprinted toward her pointing an accusatory red finger. "Don't hold out on me angel-face! If I know you, you're spying on them with that mirror you conveniently swiped. You little voyeur, you!" He smacked her on the but.
Her face flamed, as did her caboose at his fiery touch.
"Is he working?"
"Yes, if you can call it that. He's an actor on a gothic soap opera called, General Dementia."
The devil rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Is he now? What's he playing?"
"A warlock by the name of Jules Burn."
Diabolos grimaced. "Quite a stretch for him, isn't it?" He asked himself, sarcastically. He shook his head lost in thought, pacing furiously, the embers he generated resembled fireworks. At least he knew where Nicholas was and he could make his move. He turned to Angelique, a bit put out. "Well, I suppose you'll want some kind of a reward."
Her face lit up. "If it isn't too inconvenient master." She looked at him with her most dazzling bedroom smile.
He looked at her for what seemed to be eons.
"You look pensive my master. What do you have in mind?"
He lifted a horny brow. "I was just trying to figure out what I was in the mood for, hot pokers or whips and chains."
Angelique took in a swift excited breath. He was going to let her beat him! "Oh, master I didn't know that you liked pain inflicted on you!"
He looked at her puzzled and a bit embarrassed. "Oh!…Did you think?…" Then his face darkened seductively as he grinned from ear to ear. "No my dear, I'll be the one meting it out!"
Angelique gulped. "I'd really prefer a good spanking!" She whimpered.
"No my mind's made up." He shook his head decidedly. "Yes, Hot pokers I think."
He pinched her chin with a red gloved thumb, taking in her horrified expression. "Now, you think about that while I go make my rounds." He crooned.
So he's an actor now, he thought, as he galloped past the former witch. I think it's about time I paid The Big Apple a little visit.
Passing one of the fiery chambers, a freshly flogged Mussolini had some choice words for Diabolos. "Che cosa lo fate battere per? Voi Bastardi!"
"Why in Hell not?" the Devil replied. Then…Just for fun, Diabolos threw some salt on his wounds.
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After his searing afternoon with Angelique, Diabolos made up his mind. If I'm really going to get to Nicky, I'll have to get a job too. He contemplated his choices while leafing through the help wanted pages.
"Ah here's one! Wanted: Tall dark, handsome man."
He shook his head in the affirmative. "That's me!" He continued reading. "…
needed to play vampire for gothic soap opera, Days of our Afterlives." He grimaced,
dismissing the idea.
"Naw, I'll leave the acting to Nicky, besides it's the wrong soap."
The next article had his name written all over it. "Bingo!" He exclaimed as he continued to read.
"Wanted: writer for the ever-popular gothic soap, General Dementia." That's my ticket to Nicky! He thought to himself. "I'm a great writer!" He exclaimed emphatically. He immediately fixed the interview results in his favor.
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To be continued...