𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘿𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙇'𝙎 𝘿𝙀𝘼𝙇 - 𝙔𝘼𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍𝙀 𝘼𝙇𝘼𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍 𝙓 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙀𝙍

10.

━━━

My stomach shifts uncomfortably, nausea twisting my organs undeniably. 

With my phone pressed to my ear and my body tucked tightly into itself against my bed, I listen to the voicemails left by Valentino.

There are so many missed calls, so many missed voicemails sprawled and laced with torturous mixtures of pure rage and love-bombing manipulation. It's a cruel mix that leaves me feeling backed into a corner. This is a complicated situation. Because I know Valentino isn't good for me.

The bruises that repetitively appear across my skin tell me enough, though, my soul which is hostage under his sealed deal can only let me run so far.

What's odd is that Valentino hasn't completely caught onto Alastor's exclusive promotions towards me and my career, nor my undeniably successful performance. But when it does - and it will, I need to be able to utilize that situation into an opening. An escape. 

'C'mon babydoll, it's so lonely here without-'

'You are nothing without me, you better fucking be here by-'

'Oh, babydoll, you know I don't mean it when I get upset, it's just-'

The voicemails blur my thoughts and crowd my dread. I wish I never met that man. And to have his violent emotional switches whipped against me pains me the most. It's disgusting to hear. Yet the more I listen to it, the more it lets reality hit me. There will always be a part of me that lies connected to Valentino, a vulnerable, manipulated, abused part of me.

Rain drips and gently trickles down the frosty window of my bedroom, the high sight of Hell fills its view. Crackling thunder deeply rumbles across the angry sky and low floor, shuttering the hotel and prickling my skin. My blankets heavily coat and layer my cold figure, the square light source that beams across my face sits within my grasp, and my phone's voicemails continuously repeating. 

With a gentle sigh leaving me, a familiar, yet oh, so haunting sight fills my view. The recognizable sight of a smokey Alastor begins to form from the ground up, before completely materializing into his natural state. 

"A...Alastor...? What are you doing? use the door," I mumble with a touch of agitation laced through my stressed voice, already left in a distasteful mood by the current state of my overrun voicemails, texts, and missed calls. 

His regular grin hides his teeth behind his curved lips, an eery, yet familiarly charming aura washing against my cold, dark room. Staff held within his grasp, my head lifted from my piled pillows and watch his maroon gaze eye the state of my dim room. 

"My, my, there's no need to treat me like a stranger," He begins, intrusively pacing the floor of my room, gazing across my belongings before finally turning to face me once more. "I just wanted to check up on you... you've been utterly isolated ever since that grand performance of yours, your little friends seem quite worried about you downstairs. Would you mind providing some reasoning?" He continues, yet as worrying as the initial topic may be, he speaks of it with almost humour. 

"I would mind, actually... Sorry Alastor... you're just not someone who I exactly trust the greatest. Especially with my emotions," I sigh, mentally drained, hurt, with the bothersome riled-up emotions Valentino left me still spinning through my thoughts horribly. Yet as I shift my body to turn the side away from Alastor's figure, His red-dressed figure seems to instantaneously click and appear next to me. My heart slams against my chest and a startled exclaim attempts to leave my lips, my body jolting back with defence and my eyes widen undeniably.