Out of Darkness (Alastor x human!fem!reader)

Chapter Seven: Valentino

Zariah had returned to Hell months ago and, as promised, had been diligently trying to fulfil his end of the deal with Alastor. The dilemma gnawed at him: betray Alastor and align himself with Vox, or stay by Alastor's side? The fear of Alastor's punishment was overwhelming. The chains that bound him felt like a daily reminder of his precarious situation. Every day, the chains around his neck seemed to tighten, and the nightmares that plagued his sleep made him gasp for air, as though they were a cruel premonition of the torment he might face.

During these months, Zariah attended the Overlords' meetings with a single-minded focus, waiting for a chance to follow Carmilla into her office. Yet, each attempt failed, his resolve crumbling at the last moment. As the days passed, he could feel Alastor's control tightening around him. The pressure of his impending doom was palpable. The questions swirled in his mind: Why would Alastor choose to live such a mundane life in the human world when he was so powerful here in Hell? Who was the mysterious girl Alastor was protecting? He might never find the answers, and frankly, he hated having to think about Alastor so often. A cold shiver ran down his spine every time he did. But until he got rid of those chains, it felt like a curse.

Today was another meeting, the Overlords still discussing the last Extermination and its losses. As always, Zariah stayed back as the Overlords left the room. The chains were digging deep into his flesh as he built the courage to follow Carmilla to er residence.

He noticed Zestial following her inside and he slipped through the shadows, silently watching them talk about some gun selling business. He walked from shadow to shadow and entered her office, full of old books and tomes. He quickly ran through their titles: Cursed Tomes, Soul Harvesting, Possession and Exorcism... Hell's portals.

He quickly grabbed the book and started flipping through its pages. But then, he heard rapid footsteps approaching the office. His heart raced, realizing that if he were caught now, his fate could be as dire as what Alastor might impose.

The door swung open, and Carmilla entered, quickly followed by Zestial.

"I swear, I just can't understand Odette..." Carmilla suddenly stopped mid-sentence, causing Zestial to raise an eyebrow in confusion at her unexpected silence.

"What happened?"

Carmilla scanned the room, her eyes narrowing.

"I told the girls not to let the windows open!" she said and walked to the open window, looking out of it. "These demons smell like shit..." she said as she closed the window.

Zariah looked down as he heard the window closing, letting out a sigh of relief as Carmilla failed to notice him. He clung tightly to the cornice beneath the window, doing his best to avoid falling.

He quickly jumped and ran to his little office in the V Tower. Adrenaline was pulsing through his veins and his heart was beating so hard he could almost hear it. He did it. He was going to finally not be treated like a dirtbag anymore.

He entered the office, closed the door behind him and started looking through the book. Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched in the past weeks. Valentino leaned against the wall, observing Zariah as he hastily entered his office. A sly smirk formed on his face as he watched him close the door behind him. Something about the assistant's behaviour had caught his attention. He had noticed the shift in him, the sudden eagerness to please and be more helpful than usual. Valentino had a keen eye for noticing when someone was up to something, and Zariah was acting suspiciously.

Valentino lingered for a moment, contemplating his next move. He needed to devise a way to confront Zariah without drawing too much attention.

The Overlord looked around the hallway, making sure no one was watching him. Once satisfied, he approached the office door quietly and placed his ear against it, trying to hear what Zariah was doing inside.