to hell and back.

"I said, get your furry, skinny little ass over here, right now, or I'll take a frying pan, burn it, cover it in Lucifer's semen, spit on it, then slap it across your stupid fucking face. Am I speaking clearly, or do you only understand bullshit, since that's the only language that ever seems to spew from your foul little mouth?"

Vaggie ends the call, then mumbles something in Spanish under her breath. It sounds like polla de culo molesto or something.

Charlie's eyes are wide, directed right at Vaggie. I look at her and giggle. "You know, you really didn't have to do that," I say.

"Well, do you have a better plan?" Vaggie snaps.

"That's not what I meant. You don't have to yell at everyone for everything."

"Yes I do, otherwise nobody would listen to me. Fear factor."

"I'm sure Husk would listen to Charlie."

Vaggie shrugs in response.

After some talking, the three of us came up with a plan to get me back to the hotel while avoiding Alastor. The plan was proposed by Charlie. It begins by calling Husk, then getting him to drive over to where we are (which is still a fact that I do not know) pick me up, then proceed to transfer me to the hotel.

To do all of that, Vaggie said that she needs to knock me out. Just so that it seems like a real kidnapping. She'll cover me in a blanket, then cloak herself and put me into the back of Husk's car.

I was very, very hesitant to agree to this plan, but after some careful thought, I realized that it was probably the best idea. I want to avoid Alastor at all costs, even if it means inhaling chemicals and pretending to be kidnapped by Husk. So I agreed to the plan.

Vaggie's phone lit up in her hand. She glanced at it, then quickly said, "He's here." She looked at me, her gaze hard and set. "Are you ready?"

I nod. This time, I've mentally prepared myself to inhale chemicals and be mock-kidnapped.

Vaggie takes a black cloth and the chemical spray and gives the cloth a few spritzes. She has already changed into some dark clothes and is ready to knock me out and carry me to Husk's car. "Follow me," she says before walking out of the pool room and into whatever room lies behind the door.

She leaves the door cracked open behind her. Looking at the slit of black space between the door and the wall makes me internally cringe. My stomach bubbles with anxiety as I walk toward the door. As I'm about to push the door in and follow Vaggie, Charlie speaks up.

"Dani," she says quietly. I turn around to see her standing at the foot of the bright white bed. After finishing her glass of hot chocolate, Charlie had taken both of our mugs and put them aside on the floor near the lip of the pool tile. After that, she had begun to pace, then sat back down and had a light-hearted conversation about Christmas and the office party that she was planning to have for the hotel staff. After that conversation, she came up with the notion that we should continue the kidnapping cover. "I'll come to see you. When you're at work."

Her voice is nice. Smooth. Kind. Pleasant to the ears. Her hair is bright. Her skin is milky. Her eyes are hopeful.

I shrug, then give her a small and hopefully reassuring smile. "Alright, but if anyone asks, it's strictly business, right?"

She grins and nods. It makes me feel warm inside, despite the fact that I'm about to be shoved in the back seat of a bartender's car.

I wave goodbye one last time.

I walk out of the door and find myself in a dark, concrete floored room that reminds me of an unfinished basement. Vaggie is sitting on a counter top with her legs hanging over the edge. There is a small black fridge and a rusty stove on either side of the counter, and a small round lamp hanging from the ceiling that casts warm yellow light over the otherwise gloomy room.