TWs for physical abuse, allusions to rape/sexual assault and sexual themes, keep yourselves safe <3

"I'm being serious, Charlie, we cannot trust her." Oxie's voice was quiet. "I don't think she's what she claims to be. We ran into Valentino at that club, and-"

"Oxie, I'm so sorry." Charlie cut her off. "We can't focus on that right now. The extermination is in a month, and Heaven is unrelenting, and- and Vaggie's been lying to me and... and I can't deal with this right now." Her voice was small and exhausted.

Oxie paused. "...nobody's listening to me."

"After we have a plan. I promise, I'll hear you out, but for now we can't be making baseless claims about the people we're fighting alongside."

Oxie sighed and walked off. Verina passed her, and glared at her. Angel saw her, talking with Husk at the bar, and waved.

"Hey, Ver. Sleep well?"

"Not really." She replied.

Angel nodded knowingly. "I get it. Nightmares?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

He gave her a pitying look. "Husk and I are having sex on the beach. You wanna join us?"

Verina's mouth twitched, and she giggled. "No thanks, sounds private."

Angel smiled, and even Husk's eyes softened slightly. "Alright, alright, jokes aside. Do you want some or not?"

"Yeah, please." She took a seat with them and began sipping the cocktail. "Mm. Nice."

The last few months weighed heavily in her mind as she laughed and joked with Angel and Husk. For once she felt listened to. Valued. Not even with the Vees did she feel that.

That all-too familiar guilt that seemed to have settled itself in her mind twisted again. It had been agreed Alastor would be dead by the time the extermination was here, and her time was running out. But somehow, it wasn't the whole 'killing Alastor' thing she was feeling so negatively about.

These people were decent. Broken and angry, who had made mistakes, that's not to be denied, but they didn't have negative intentions. Her chest ached deeply as she thought of betraying them.

"What's up? You've gone quiet." Husk asked.

"Just thinking." she replied.

Angel nodded. "I know it's not been easy for you here. I know some of us... don't like you much, but... I want you to know you have my trust."

She smiled at that. Of all the things she had been: used, revered, feared - she had never been trusted. The feeling soured as she thought of the hurt she would inflict on them.

"I wouldn't trust her." Oxie said, leaning against the bar. "Are you all fucking blind or something?!"

"What's your problem with me?" Verina asked.

"My problem is that you're up to something!"

She rolled her eyes. "And what proof do you have of that? Valentino being a dumbass?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Alright. So, maybe that's not evidence. But you act strangely. You never take phone calls in front of anyone. You don't have a straight story for why you left the Vees."

"Actually, she does." Angel interrupted. "She got in a fight with Valentino about him treating his workers disrespectfully."

"She got in a fight with Val?" Oxie looked at her. "If she got in a fight with Valentino, why did he forget all about that when he saw you? He's stupid, yes, but he holds grudges against Angel for weeks for not lifting his leg up high enough. He wouldn't forget that."

Angel looked at her for an explanation. "...she has a point."

"Something isn't adding up here, Verina. You were hesitant to bomb the Vees. Mimzy randomly disappeared after she helped you. You're weirdly obsessed with my girlfriend. You're conniving against us, aren't you?"

"No! You're just making stuff up."

"You don't even have the energy to argue why any of this isn't true." Oxie rolled her eyes. "You're secretive and shifty and I'm sick of it." She looked to Angel as if for support.

"...I mean... she has a point, Verina but... none of that proves you're working against us. And anyway, haven't we all accepted at this point Alastor is up to something shifty? Why aren't you targeting him?"

Oxie stared at him. "Right. Well, you don't have to believe me. You will soon, though."

Verina rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to the bathroom."

Anger boiled inside her as she walked into the bathroom. She stood for a moment.

How had Oxie figured it out so easily? How sloppy had she been?

Her breathing shallowed. All eyes would be on her from now. Oxie was a real spanner in the works: even if nobody else believed her, they'd certainly be watching her more closely.

Except for right now.

Oxie was still ranting at the bar, and Alastor was getting ready for the day in his room, Charlie was crying in her room. Everyone was distracted.

She took a breath. Was this it? Was she about to pull this to a close, betray the only people she felt comfortable with?

She had no other choice. It was now or never.

Nausea crept its way in her stomach; a pressure in her head. The blade she kept on her at all times felt hot in her hand.

As she went to Alastor's bedroom, she apologised in her head. She wasn't sure to what she was apologising to - but somehow the word was comforting. Pulling her skirt up and top down, she knocked on his door.

"Come in!" Came Alastor's voice. She took a breath, let herself in, and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, you." she purred, looking at him with doe eyes.

His smile didn't fade. "Yes?"

"Nice bedroom." she commented, taking a step towards him.

"...what can I do to help you?"

She cocked her head and smiled. Her eyes suddenly stung with tears, but she blinked quickly. "Oh, I've been having all kinds of problems... I need a nice strong man to help me."

He sighed. "Make it quick."

She took another step closer. It felt truly humiliating, and her voice shook. "I want you, Alastor. I want to feel you- feel you...inside me, and uh..." her cheeks blushed. She usually was much smoother at this.

Alastor pushed her an arms length away. "Ah. Uh, no."

"Oh, but please, I just..." it crashed down then. A tear fell down her face. "Oh, fuck it!"

She took her blade out and jumped towards him.

Before she could even get close, some blast of power pushed her away, making her fall to the floor.

"Now, dear, no need for that." Alastor said pleasantly. "You think I didn't know Vox sent you here because he's too pussy to come fight me himself? I've been anticipating this. Bravo on your acting. I expect you've tricked many a person, eh?"

She attempted to get up, but whatever force he was using was keeping her down.

"Oh, no. Let's talk, dear Valerie, then I'll let you go. You're going to leave this hotel. Call your little friends to pick you up. Tell Vox to fight his own battles and leave little girls out of it."

"I'm not- I'm not a little girl!"

"You are but a child, Valerie. A flower, ripped down in her prime. Your tale is a sad one. A girl lead not by her brain, or even her heart, but her hunger. A hunger for power; a hunger for love. It's all you ever wanted, isn't it? Well, I'm afraid some people simply lose." She was suddenly released. Her hands were shaking, and Alastor pulled her up. "I will wait outside the hotel with you."

He left his room, dragging her along. She kept her head down as she passed the bar.

"What happened?" Oxie asked, looking over at them.

"Ah, nothing to worry about. She's going back to her own kind, don't worry."

Oxie blinked. "Goddamn, I didn't think she was stupid enough to prove me right that quickly."

More tears stung in her eyes.

"Wait, wait, wait. Alastor, stop." Angel said. Alastor stopped. "Verina? What happened? What are you- where are you going?"

She sniffled. "I'm going back to the Vees."

He was quiet as that sunk in. "...so... so you were working with them?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

He shook his head. "...so you've been lying to us for the last... how long? Oh, my God, I'm an idiot. You never defended Val's workers." He looked away, seemingly in genuine shock, laughing softly in disbelief. "What else was a lie? What you told me in the kitchen? Was that a lie?"

"No! That wasn't- that wasn't a lie!"

"What's going on?" Charlie asked, coming to the bottom of the stares.

"Verina's a liar and has been working with the Vees since she arrived."

Charlie's face twisted into shock. "What?"

"It's not her fault." Alastor said calmly. "She's a pathetic little underdog Vox sent to kill me. Come on, ring him on that little talky box."

She didn't move for a moment. Everyone was silent, just staring straight at her as tears fell down her face.

"Go on. Tell him you failed." he repeated. She pulled her phone out shakily, and rang Vox.

"Verina, darling! How are you? Coming at me with an update?"

She sniffled. "I need someone to pick me up." She said quietly.

"...what?"

"I'm sorry. I failed." She whispered.

There was silence, then the line went dead.

Alastor chuckled. "Here's your bag. I took the liberty of packing it for you throughout that whole exchange. Get out."

She took her bag, said nothing, and went outside. She was aware of everyone's eyes watching her through the glass of the windows.

She had never been in this position before. Stood outside, vulnerable, crying. This was not the Verina the public knew.

Soon enough, a car sped up. It wasn't Vox's; it was Val's red limo. He stepped out, grabbed her by the forearm, and delivered a heavy blow across her face, before pulling her into the car.

From inside the hotel, the group watched as she was shoved in the car. Angel flinched slightly at the slap.

"...Jesus, that must've hurt." he muttered.

"Not our problem, my fellow." Alastor replied. "Well, that was quite the morning. I will be in my chambers should any of you need me."

Alastor swayed off, when Cynthia and Sir Pentious exited his room, talking and laughing. Her hair was messed up slightly, but everyone was too shocked to make jokes.

"Jesus, what happened?" Cynthia asked. "You all look like you've seen ghosts."

"...Verina ain't staying here no more." Angel said, taking a long drink."

"What? Why?" Pentious asked. One of his Egg Bois raised his hand.

"I heard that butterfly lady talking to the TV man on the phone 4 months ago and she said she was gonna kill Alastor and I forgot until right now."

"Hey, little one?" Cynthia smiled at him. "When you hear about one of the hotel residents trying to betray everyone, you need to remember it really hard and come tell a grownup. Okay?"

"Ohh... okay. Sometimes I remember. Unless I forget."

"...ugh, this is the last thing we need. Less numbers." Charlie muttered. "Vaggie's out at Carmine's and... and..."

"And we're going on a lovely day trip to Cannibal town!" Alastor announced; returning to the group. "I have a plan if you'd be so kind as to follow me..."

"Cannibal town? Is this-"

"I have ties there, my dear. Now, for now you must put behind you your spat with Vaggie."

Charlie sighed. "I guess everyone's betraying each other, then. I'm sorry everyone. I... I feel like I've brought this upon all of you. I should have kept a closer eye on Verina, and-and..."

"It's not your fault." Oxie sighed. "Listen. We can't dwell on any of this. Let's focus on the extermination, because at the end of the day, we're all probably gonna die anyway and we may as well use what time we have preparing. Personal problems can be solved if we happen to survive."

Charlie sighed and nodded, clearing her head. "Right. Alastor, take me to Cannibal Town. Let's... beat some exterminator ass."