Rolando Infests Moxxie

 

Blitzo and Millie stood in their fighting poses as they faced Rolando in the pool room of the One Star Wonder Hotel.

 

Millie smirked. “I beat the shit out of you while you were inside Blitz’s head. Guess that’ll teach you not to mess with us.”

 

Rolando growled. “I know, hick. That really hurt.”

 

“Get ready to get hurt some more,” Blitzo grinned, rushing forward. “Your haunting days are over!”

 

Blitzo rammed his fist straight into Rolando’s face. He swung his arms blindly, missing Blitzo. Millie kneed him in the gut, not giving him time to act. Millie flipped over him and punched him hard in the back. Rolando cried out as the imps worked together to knock him to the floor.

 

“This is for that Rita lady!” Millie cried, smashing her foot against his face. His glasses shattered and black blood spilled out of his mouth and nose. Millie kept punching until the fish demon looked dazed.

 

Blitzo and Millie glanced over at Blitzo’s ghostfucker device and shared grins. Rolando was slowly standing up when Blitzo’s device was tossed right into his chest. He slammed backward against the wall, the device shattering into sparks and pieces against him. Rolando slid to the floor, knocked out.

 

Millie and Blitzo high-fived.

 

“I ghostfucked that fucker,” Blitzo cheered, waving his fist.

 

Millie smiled. “Come on, let’s go home.”

 

“Yeah, fuck hotels.”

 

They headed back to the van and used their Asmodean crystal to travel back to the Pride Ring.

 

Had Rolando been in the pool, he would’ve been fried to dust. But ever so slowly, a clawed hand twitched and a leg stirred. With low pained groans, Rolando shoved the remains of the device off him, the metal crashing to the floor. He clutched at his gut and stood on long shaking legs. He looked in dismay at his stained purple and black uniform and the glass shards of his sunglasses on the ground by his feet. Anger flared in his glowing yellow eyes.

 

‘You lowborn shits will pay for that!’

 

Rolando briefly thought of staying at the hotel and continuing his hauntings. He could still kill humans as long as Queen Leviathan didn’t suspect he killed ones oblivious to the existence of Hell.

 

That would’ve been the logical thing to do.

 

But with his physique and pride wounded by the imps, he wasn’t going to let himself wallow in his defeat.

 

Rolando froze, then his eyes widened. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a purple crystal, the same one he had used to travel from the Envy Ring to Earth.

 

A slow sinister smile crawled up his face.

 

 

 

Back at I.M.P. headquarters, Rita gave Blitzo a big bag of coins as payment.

 

“Come by and visit anytime,” Blitzo called.

 

“Thanks for defeating my ghost killer,” Rita called, smiling. “The next time you want your fortunes read, I may set up shop around here soon.”

 

“Ghosts aren’t real, you know,” Loona barked at Rita as she climbed into a taxi and sped off.

 

Loona headed back into the room where Moxxie held a piece of paper in his hand.

 

Moxxie stared with wide eyes. “I did it?” He beamed, eyes wide, clutching the paper. “I did it!” He stood up, crying happy tears. “I finally figured it out!”

 

Loona interrupted Moxxie’s joyous moment. “You uh…you forgot to carry the two there,” she said, pointing.

 

A distraught Moxxie poured some gasoline oil all over the stacks of papers, intending to light all the mistakes on fire and forget this ever happened.

 

Loona narrowed her eyes and picked up the imp. She set him down on the floor, covering him with a lavender blanket and putting a bowl of ice cream in front of him with a cherry on top.

 

‘Now I can see why Blitz shut himself in,’ he thought.

 

The TV was on, and “Ghost Fuckers” appeared in red dripping letters.

 

“Now back to Ghost Fuckers…”

 

Moxxie rolled his eyes…

 

“…THE MUSICAAAL!” appeared in large orange and brown letters decorated with theater lights on them.

 

Moxxie sat up and gasped…eyes wide with excitement.

 

Sexy songs began to play…Moxxie found himself singing along with Bethany.

 

Loona rolled her eyes and headed out of the room. She sat at her desk by her bone-shaped phone and scrolled on her cellphone.

 

“Hey Loony!” Blitzo called. “Did you burn all those stuffed owls yet?!”

 

“Yes!” Loona lied.

 

“Well hurry the fuck up,” he called. “Mils and I are heading out to post more I.M.P. ads. We’ll be back in a few!”

 

“Whatever.”

 

Blitzo and Millie headed out the door.

 

“Oh wait, I forgot something!” Millie called. She raced back in and spotted Moxxie. He glanced over and gave her a small wave. Millie blew him a kiss and hoisted up her black axe.

 

“You can never be too careful,” Millie winked as Blitzo spotted her weapon.

 

“So true in this hellhole,” Blitzo grinned back.

 

Moxxie turned back to enjoy his show.

 

“Bethany! This is it!” called a male character on TV. “Let the spirits fill you!”

 

Bethany Ghostfucker then sang. “Oh my God, I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna fuck a ghost!”

 

After around ten minutes, a soft knock was heard.

 

“Mox?”

 

“Come in!”

 

Millie smiled as she stood in the doorway. “Hey, honey. You doing alright?”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” Moxxie sighed. He patted the spot next to him and Millie sat down.

 

“You’re back early,” he mentioned. “The ads up already?”

 

“Yep,” Millie said. “I’m sure more clients will come to I.M.P. in no time.”

 

“Bethany,” said the man. “The spectrometer’s going crazy. This ghost has a huge dead dick energy!”

 

“Hot!” Bethany exclaimed.

 

“You seem upset,” said Millie, putting her arm around him. “What’s going on?”

 

“I can’t seem to get this formula right,” he said. “Blitz’s spent too much money and we’ll become bankrupt for sure.”

 

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out in time,” she said. “It’s not like you’ll be homeless soon, right?”

 

Moxxie sighed. “I don’t know. By the way, how was the mission?”

 

“Oh, Blitz and I defeated that ghost and now we’re back. Lot of hard work, for sure.”

 

They sat and watched the show for a bit.

 

“Must be really hard doing all the paperwork,” Millie mentioned.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Do you think our relationship will help this company?”

 

“Of course, Mils,” said Moxxie. “No matter what our boss does, we’ll keep doing as well as we can.” He paused. “You don’t seem as confident as usual.”

 

Millie shrugged. “Well, you know, that mission took a lot outta me.”

 

They watched some more, Millie’s hand under her chin.

 

“Why are you doing that?” Moxxie asked.

 

“Doing what?” Millie asked.

 

“The hand under the chin thing? I’ve never seen you do that.”

 

Millie chuckled. “New quirk. Isn’t it cute? You should try it.”

 

“Yeah, I do, I’m ready (“Yeah, she’s ready”) came from the TV.

 

“Millie, something feels off…” Moxxie said. He felt himself shuddering…Millie felt unusually cold leaning next to him.

 

“Yeah, I wanna fuck a… (“She wants to fuck a ghost”)

 

“Everything’s fine, Mox.”

 

Yeah, I wanna fuck a… (“She wants to fuck a…”)

 

“Wait…why aren’t you with Blitz?” Moxxie asked.

 

I wanna fuck a… (“She wants to fuck a…”)

 

“He’s outside finishing up,” Millie shrugged. “He’ll be back.”

 

Yeah, I wanna fuck a… (“Yeah, she wants to fuck a…”)

 

Moxxie then stood up, a suspicious look crossing his face. “H-Hang on, I saw you with your axe! Where is it?”

 

Oh, I wanna fuck a… (“Oh, she wants to fuck a…”)

 

Millie showed a grin much too wide and unnatural for her. Her eyes began to glow yellow.

 

“My dear, I don’t need an axe to kill you!” Her voice sounded distorted.

 

Yeah, I wanna fuck a… (“Yeah, she wants to fuck a…”)

 

Moxxie stepped back. “Wait, you’re not…”

 

“OH GOD!” Bethany orgasmed on screen at the same time possessed Millie let out a loud roar.

 

Moxxie screamed as Rolando morphed into black liquid and rushed into his head.

 

 “Oh my God, that was way too cold, I totally regret it…but hot!” Bethany finished.

 

(“Oh yeah, she fucked a ghost!”)

 

Moxxie collapsed onto the floor, his ice cream spilling to the floor.

 

 

0 0 0

 

Moxxie froze as he sat in a chair and was held in placed by rusted chains. He was in an old movie theater covered with seaweed and coral among the seats.

 

“What…what is this? Where am I?” Moxxie asked in a panic. Then he looked around. “Man, this theater needs a serious makeover.”

 

“Perhaps you’re right, little imp…” said a demonic voice in his ear. Rolando materialized next to him, claws tightly on Moxxie’s shoulders and the imp flinched back with a shudder. “Your mind is practically falling to pieces!”

 

“Get me out of here!” Moxxie cried, struggling in vain.

 

“Out of your own mind? Heheheh. I’d say you’re trapped in more ways than one.”

 

Rolando lounged back with a tub of popcorn in his hand.

 

“Alright musical runt, let’s see what your story is!”

 

The curtains parted and the projector blinked on as Moxxie’s traumatic memories appeared on the green tinted screen.

 

0 0 0

 

 

Little Moxxie sat at the dinner table with his father Crimson and his mother Rosa. Moxxie smiled as his mother took the plate and helped him cut his meat. In warning, Crimson kicked at his wife’s leg from under the table.

 

“My son needs no help from the likes of you,” he muttered. “He needs to do things on his own.”

 

“He’s a boy for fuck’s sake,” she said. “Mio dio, give him a chance.”

 

“Don’t you talk back to me,” Crimson seethed. “Unless you want to have trouble walking.”

 

Rosa, fearful, stayed silent, as did Moxxie.

 

Later outside, Moxxie fired three perfect shots at straw dummies with a rifle. He grinned, looking pleased. He smiled up at his mother, who gently rubbed and ruffled his head. A grinning green shark slid up to him, mentioning to a commotion.

 

Crimson stood with his shark henchmen by an old open shed. Rosa held out a hand, trying to stop Moxxie, but Moxxie was pulled along by the gang members toward Crimson.

 

Two sharks hoisted up a fearful shirtless imp onto a pole, his chest painted with a red target. His arms were bound and spread out.

 

Crimson grinned and put an arm around Moxxie. He pointed forward.

 

“Now you’re ready for your first live target! Show me what you’re made of!”

Moxxie took aim, but his mother snatched the gun away from him.

 

“He’s much too young!” she snapped. She shoved the gun into a fuming Crimson.

 

“I wasn’t finished with him!” Crimson scowled. “You bitch!”

 

Moxxie glanced back at his angry father as Rosa held his hand and led him away. Crimson narrowed his eyes, his teeth barred.

 

“She’s turning my son into a pathetic pansy,” he inwardly brooded. “If she keeps getting in my way…”

 

 

Little Moxxie hid under his bed as he watched his parents fight.

 

“Look what you’re doing to my son!” Crimson snapped. “Trying to hide him away from our lifestyle like a fucking coward!”

 

“Our son!” she fired back. “Do you really think poisoning his mind with violence and murder will make him a great man?! He won’t even know himself!”

 

“He has no choice!” Crimson stated. “If he can’t learn to shed blood with no mercy, he’ll get blown to bits by our rivals. And worse still, my business would decline without a successor!”

 

“So that’s all you care about! Money and your reputation over the wellbeing of Moxxie!” Rosa snapped. “Hell is hard enough out there…I won’t let you turn him into a mindless criminal!”

 

“I told you not to talk back!”

 

“And I’m telling you to listen!”

 

Rosa cried out as Crimson slapped her hard. She whimpered. Moxxie covered his mouth.

 

Crimson gripped her dress. “As my subservient wife, I’m giving you one last warning: stay out of my way and don’t interfere with Moxxie’s training again.”

 

Rosa paused, then headed out of the room as Crimson slammed the door.

 

 

Moxxie later struggled to cut his piece of meat at the table. Crimson glared at him. His mother was not in sight.

 

“What a disappointment,” his father muttered. “Can’t even cut your own meat let alone kill. We’re changing that…tonight.”

 

He blew smoke into his face.

 

Moxxie, fast asleep in his room, didn’t hear his mother’s screams later in the evening as she was overpowered by Crimson’s lackeys and tied up in her room. A sack was put over her head. He didn’t know that Crimson sailed along the black lake, with Rosa helpless in her seat on an old gray canoe.

 

And Moxxie was not aware of her final moments…when Crimson mercilessly shoved her into the dark depths of the water, her body falling as the gray block she was bound to, plummeted with her.

 

The only thing little Moxxie knew was his father coming back and shaking him awake. He said not a word but mentioned for Moxxie to follow him.

 

They rowed silently along the water before bumping to a stop. Moxxie peered at another gray block with curiosity. He then spotted a bound imp with their face covered by a sack with a black smiley face scribbled on. The imp’s cries were muffled.

 

“You know what to do,” Crimson stated to Moxxie.

 

Moxxie reached forward to remove the sack, but Crimson slapped him forward so his face rammed into the block. He flinched at the pain. He peered at the figure with tears in his eyes.

 

He didn’t want to kill the imp, but his father’s glare left him with no choice.

 

Moxxie’s eyes moved back and forth…and with a heavy heart, he shoved the block into the water. The imp fell under the water with a splash.

 

Crimson slammed a rock tied with rope onto the boat.

 

“Let this be a lesson, Moxxie,” said Crimson. He gripped Moxxie’s cheeks hard. “This is what happens when you cross me.”

 

Among the floating hats, cigarette, shoes, a black imp horn and a playing card, one of Rosa’s white high heels bobbed up to the surface.

 

“MAMA!” Moxxie sobbed. He couldn’t believe what Crimson had done.

 

But when Moxxie saw his mother’s corpse in the water and her eyes glow blank and yellow, it was too much.

 

“Help me, Moxxie!” she choked. “Run before he gets you, too!”

 

Rolando’s laughter pounded in his ears as he felt fresh grief drain his energy. More memories appeared.

 

“A moment, Moxxie,” Crimson glowered, hands folded together on the table of their home.

 

Moxxie faced his father and gulped.

 

“So…ya think you’re too good for this family now?” Crimson asked.

 

“What?”

 

“Come here,” Crimson beckoned ominously.

 

Moxxie walked over to him. “I-I don’t understand…”

 

Crimson stood up and slapped Moxxie hard in the face. He fell to the floor.

 

“You think you’re gonna just get to walk away from this family and never come back?” He stomped his boot. Moxxie rubbed his cheek.

 

Crimson pointed a threatening finger. “You’re dead wrong, Mox!”

 

Moxxie scooted away on the floor.

 

“Matter of fact,” Crimson continued, “The only thing you’re right about is that THAT obnoxious piss stain can’t get made,” Crimson fumed, mentioning Chaz. “Not unless he marries in!” He gripped Moxxie by his shirt and shook him hard.

 

“Marries?” Moxxie asked. “But who…who would he…?”

 

“Who do ya think?!” Crimson scoffed. “This family needs that money. And it’s about time your pathetic ass was useful for somethin’!”

 

“Sir…I’m already married,” Moxxie mentioned. “I-I can’t…”

 

“You think I give a shit about your stupid broad? Come on, Mox. Look at me.”

 

Crimson cupped his face again. “One way or another, you’re gonna do what I fucking say. Don’t cross me. Now get to bed, Moxxie. You have a big day tomorrow.”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Oh, and Mox,” Crimson finished. “If you ever talk back to me again, you and that pretty little thing ya brought here, are going home in boxes. Capisce?”

 

Moxxie looked down in horror to see his own body and Millie’s body lying together in a large box that appeared in front of him, two knives stuck in their blood-stained chests.

 

“You think you’re full of moxie, Moxxie, but we both know you’re just a wimp of an imp, utterly incompetent, just like your daddy said.” Rolando briefly licked his neck and Moxxie flinched in disgust.

 

Moxxie sobbed. “Please make this stop! I can’t watch anymore!”

 

Rolando smirked. “Oh, you’re gonna keep watching until I’ve had my fill. All your insecurities are utterly delicious!”

 

Rolando sank his teeth into Moxxie’s shoulder.

 

“MILLIE! HELP!” Moxxie screamed.

 

“Pathetic demon in distress,” Rolando mused. “You always need that farm hick to save your sorry ass.”

 

More memories flashed of Moxxie being put in a chokehold by Striker back at his house, and Millie getting knocked out by Striker, grinning above them.

 

 Rolando trailed a finger along Moxxie’s horns. “Guess what, foxy Moxxie? She’s not gonna save you now.”

 

More memories appeared of Chazwick Thruman the shark leaving Moxxie behind during a heist, grabbing the bag of money instead. How he had trusted his partner in crime but was left in jail instead.

 

He remembered how he had started to stand up to his father but was tased by his henchman and blacked out.

 

Moxxie then remembered how helpless he was at his father’s created wedding, his hands tied behind his back and a gag over his mouth with a red smile of fangs scribbled on it.

 

“Is everyone here?” asked the officiant.

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, don’t worry about it, let’s get this thing rollin’ eh?” Crimson asked impatiently.

 

“Do you, Chazwick Thruman take Moxxie Knolastname, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

 

“Oh yeah,” Chaz grinned.

 

“And do you, Moxxie, whatever, take Chazwick Thruman to be your lawfully wedded…uh…”

 

Moxxie struggled against his father.

 

Crimson forcefully nodded Moxxie’s head. “Look at that! He’s just so fuckin’ happy to be here!”

 

Blitzo and Millie burst through the wall.

 

“I object!” Blitzo called before falling flat on his face.

 

“If you want my husband…” Millie began with a pose. “You’re going to have to FUCKING KILL ME!”

 

Crimson grinned and snapped his fingers. To Moxxie’s horror, Millie cried out as she was shot down from all sides by Crimson’s assassins.

 

Moxxie sobbed under his gag. Crimson removed it from his mouth.

 

“By the power vested in me by Lord Mammon, Crimson and the Ring of Greed, I now pronounce you husband…and husband. You may kiss.”

 

Crimson chuckled evilly as Chaz’s slimy kiss muffled Moxxie’s cries.

 

 

 

“Like what I’ve done with the place?” Chaz asked as he posed on a heart-shaped bed. Portraits of a grinning Chaz took up space on the walls.

 

“UGH! Just get out of here!” Moxxie demanded, annoyed.

 

“Come on, Mox!” Chaz began as neon signs lit up on the walls: “CUM ZONE! BIG DICKS! HAVE SEX WITH ME! OH YEAH! FUCK HIM!”

 

“We used to have so much fun here, remember?”

 

Moxxie shoved him away. “I’m married, Chaz, and even if I weren’t I would never…”

 

“Never what? Let me take you to Cum Town again?”

 

“You are so gross! Just leave me alone!”

 

Chaz poked him and spun him around. “I know what you want most, Moxxie Poxxie…”

 

Moxxie was backed up in a corner against the wall.

 

Chaz’s voice soon became distorted, as his eyes turned blank yellow.

 

“…to be my lovely delicacy…”

 

Moxxie screamed as the Chaz illusion roamed his tongue inside his mouth.

 

Chaz’s face shifted back to Rolando’s in Moxxie’s mind theater as he mused, “Oh this is fun!”

 

Just then, Loona strolled toward the door. “Hey, Moxxie, you still enjoying your show?”

 

The memories faded, the screen showing the office again.

 

“A visitor?” Rolando asked, moving toward the front near the screen.

 

Rolando stared up at the screen in surprise and then smirked. “Oh yes…I’m really gonna enjoy this show…”

 

Water splashed over the seats and fog obscured the screen. Moxxie struggled in vain against Rolando’s influence, but already his willpower was slipping away.

 

0 0 0

 

Loona walked into the room. “Get your ass up and…WHOA SHIT!”

 

Loona ducked just in time from a curved sword slashing where she had been moments before.

 

Loona barred her teeth. “MOXXIE, WHAT THE FUCK?!”

 

Moxxie came out of the shadows, body slouched, his eyes glowing yellow and an eerie grin on his face.

 

“So you must be Loona, Blitzo’s sidekick furry.”

 

Loona backed away as she narrowly avoided another swipe of the sword.

 

“Y-you’re not Moxxie! Who’s messing with your head?!”

 

Loona swiped the possessed Moxxie to the side. He stumbled over but quickly got back on his feet.

 

“The only one messed up in the head is you, Loony!” Moxxie declared.

 

Loona grunted loudly and swung her clawed fists at him. “I know you’re a major annoyance, but this is going too far!”

 

“Well, that’s fine by me!” Rolando spoke, slicing one of Blitzo’s horse drawings in half with the sword. “Because Moxxie has been repulsed by you since the very beginning!”

 

Rolando tossed a vase in Loona’s direction, and it shattered against the wall.

 

“He thinks you’re an incompetent teenager better off brawling on the streets!” Rolando mocked. “And my goddess what a terrible temper…!”

 

“Get the fuck out of my co-worker and this office!” Loona barked. She barred her teeth, slapped his face and bit hard into Rolando’s wrist. He cried out as black blood spilled.

 

“Loona, stop, you’re hurting me!” Rolando cried using Moxxie’s voice.

 

“That ain’t gonna work on me,” Loona growled, lifting up Rolando and tossing him into the pile of boxes.

 

Loona rushed to the desk to retrieve her cellphone.

 

Possessed Moxxie stood up and growled.

 

“Blitzo should’ve left you in that orphanage,” Rolando murmured. “A lowlife mutt doesn’t deserve any family than the one that abandoned her in the first place!”

 

She paused, eyes wide.

 

That one stung, Loona had to admit to herself.

 

“Not so tough now, are you, wolf girl?” Rolando grinned.

 

Just then, Rita opened the door and came into her room. She spotted her purse on one of the boxes.

 

“There it is!” she declared. “I can’t believe I forgot it!” She grabbed it.

 

Loona’s finger hit a button on her phone.

 

“Loony?” Blitzo’s voice came through. “Hey, how are things going?”

 

Loona was suddenly yanked to the floor, and she yelped. Rolando had grabbed her shadow, and she fell.

 

Rita blinked and looked around. “What’s going on?”

 

Growling, Loona reached for her cellphone again just as Rita let out a surprised yell.

 

“I wouldn’t do that,” Rolando warned.

 

Loona sat up and saw possessed Moxxie holding a sword to a frightened Rita’s head.

 

“I would hold it to her neck, but you know…” Rolando laughed maliciously, “She doesn’t have one!”

 

“Let the client go,” Loona barked.

 

Rolando leaned uncomfortably close to Rita’s face, licking his lips. “I can’t wait to kill you again.”

 

“Loona, everything okay?” asked Blitzo.

 

Loona yelled just as Rolando called in Moxxie’s voice, “Everything is fine, sir!”

 

Loona leaped forward, but Rolando moved out of the way. He swung the blade at Rita, but Loona blocked it. She cried out as it sliced into her arm.

 

Seizing his chance, Rolando headbutted Loona hard in the gut and she stumbled backward to the floor.

 

“Loona?” Blitzo asked through the phone.

 

Rolando teleported and tossed the phone into the other room. He proceeded to toss Rita into one of the potted pants. The pot shattered and dirt spilled onto the floor.

 

Loona stood up to run toward the unconscious Rita, but Rolando blocked her way.  

 

“How does it feel to be a sexualized emo wolf, always left behind on missions?”

 

In response, Loona proceeded to flip the possessed Moxxie on his back and pound him rapidly. Possessed Moxxie cried out under the mercy of the wrathful hellhound.

 

“I wasn’t finished yet…!” Rolando sputtered.

 

“Well, you are now!” Loona scowled. “Now get the fuck out of my neurotic co-worker!”

 

With a final grunt, Loona slammed Moxxie hard against the floor. Rolando flowed out of Moxxie’s mouth and rematerialized.

 

Moxxie slowly woke up with a groan. “Loona? What happened?”

 

“That fucker,” Loona mentioned to Rolando behind her.

 

Moxxie reeled back. “The hell is that thing?!”

 

Rolando rushed forward and shoved Moxxie and Loona against the nearby wall. “Your worst nightmare,” he rasped. The lights in the office flickered, then shut off.

 

He gripped Moxxie and Loona’s throats hard with his clawed hands. They struggled against his grip, fear flowing through their veins like ice.

 

“After I’ve savored you two…” Rolando licked his lips, “I’ll make a dessert out of sweet Rita over there…”

 

Loona and Moxxie almost blacked out…

 

Rolando let out an evil cackle just as the door burst open and the lights flicked back on.

 

A piercing female screech sounded just before Rolando froze. He let out a pained gasp as black blood flowed from his chest. Moxxie and Loona scooted to the side in terror as he collapsed to the floor. Millie, eyes angry red, teeth barred, sliced and chopped up Rolando’s body in a gory fury…

 

…until Blitzo grabbed hold of her arm. “Shit, Millie, I think you got him!”

 

Millie stepped back, catching her breath. Her axe dripped with black blood. More blood stained the walls and floor.

 

Moxxie slowly stood up, tears in his eyes. “Millie, it’s you for real!”

 

Millie dropped the axe and raced over to hug Moxxie. “What the hell happened?”

 

“It’s the ghost we encountered back at the hotel,” Blitzo exclaimed in shock, looking at Rolando’s mutilated body. Then he chuckled. “And he just got ghostfucked by my finest assassin!”

 

Millie grinned as she separated from Moxxie. “I figured my axe would come in handy!”

 

“And I sensed something was up when Loona wasn’t answering,” Blitzo responded. “She’s always on her phone.”

 

Loona helped Rita up, who moaned and blinked her eyes.

 

“What happened…?”

 

“It’s alright, Miss,” said Blitzo. “You know have undeniable proof that your killer is now dead…on my floor…”

 

Rita scooted back.

 

Blitzo walked over to her, leading her toward the door. “Pleasure doing business with you. Have some extra coins for the taxi fare, come again soon, discount on your next kill!”

 

“T-Thanks, Blitzo!” Rita called, before she headed out the door.

 

Blitzo whirled toward Moxxie. “I’m so glad you’re alright, Mox. Now clean this fucker up while I finish my show.”

 

Moxxie fumed in disbelief as Blitzo headed back into his office.

 

“This is definitely not my day,” Moxxie muttered.

 

“I’ll help, Mox,” Millie mentioned, scooping the remains of the infestor demon in a bag and tossing the bag into the burning barrel.

 

Loona coughed from the added smoke rising up. “Do you mind?” she growled, holding another stuffed owl in her hand.

 

Moxxie and Millie giggled softly, both thankful to be alive and happy in each other’s arms.