CH 5: VoxTek

~ Modern Day ~

Esme was in her recording studio this particular day, listening to some of her upcoming songs with her headphones.

Radio, Lana Del Rey 🎵

Now my life is sweet like cinnamon,

Like a fuckin' dream I'm living in,

Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio ~

(How do you like me now)

Esme smirks and plays with some of the buttons on her control panel to change the pitch and adding echoes to the background of the track. She listens, looking around her office to see her several album covers hanging on the walls, most of them with her body contoured in such poses that were extremely....inviting. Vox had a certain vision for her the moment he met her. With her charm and her energy, she would be destined to portray several flattering women from throughout history.

~ Flashback ~

"Have you ever heard of pin-up, doll?

"Hmmm....a little tacky, but creative nonetheless~" Esme hummed, "...hear me out though....burlesque?"

"Seems like we're on the same page.."

~ Flashback over ~

Pick me up and take me like a vitamin,

'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah,

Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio ~

Esme nods and takes off her headphones, pausing the audio and sending the tape up to Vox's office.

Yep, that's the one.

Her voice had brought many more customers to VoxTek, entranced by her and without thinking purchasing several of her records. Esme loved to produce music, especially with the changing styles. She found it fascinating how music and technology evolved over the years. It was fun to play dress up. Pin up on Monday, Burlesque on Tuesday, Disco Doll on Wednesday.

She stands up, stretches, and sighs. Her style had changed too over the years. She still had her voluminous curls, but now wore a cropped plush black coat over her dress, which went right up to her knees. Her dress was strapless, her chest resting perfectly above the neckline (if there was even a neckline). The dress had dark green scales going down to her knees where it ended. She picks up her coffee cup from her desk, a light green with several music notes and glittering scales across it.

Time for some coffee...

Esme walks over to the elevator and takes it up to Vox's office, stepping off. "Mornin' ~" She echoes. Vox's static shocked off his head in response to hearing her voice, turning around quickly.

"Ahhhh why good morning Essie, how are you this morning?"

"Doing wonderfully, just came up for some coffee ~ " She smiles, walking closer, "And you?" She asks, setting the coffee cup underneath his espresso machine and pressing a button.

"Perfect since hearing that last tape of yours. You sure do know how to attract the listeners, Doll." He smiles, standing up and walking next to her.

Before Esme can continue the conversation, his screen shows an incoming call from Velvette. Vox sighs and answers the call, blasting it to the other monitor.

"Hello there Velvette, how are you this hellish morning?"

"Oh, cut the shit Vox, I need you up here now!" She shouts. Esme raises an eyebrow, moving closer to the monitor to investigate.

"What ever could be the problem, my dear?" He rolls his eyes and sips at his mug, but Esme notices that Velvette seems on edge.

"Your little boy toy is wrecking my department while I'm trying trying to put together a show an-"

Esme cringes as she hears glass being shattered and Valentino screaming in the background. She rolls her eyes and pours some creamer into her mug.

"Just get your ass here now! Dammit Valentino!" Velvette screams and the call drops.

Esme and Vox both sigh at the same time, she turns to him as he stands up and fixes his tie, "Oh God, here I go. Valentino...just another fuckin' day with Val. Hey, hey, hey, fuck my life~" He sighs as they both get on the lift and go up. Vox gets off at the lobby to address the crowd, but Esme stays on going up another floor to see what all the commotion is about.

The elevator dings and she gets off.

"Kitty, come with me!" Valentino screams, pushing through people and heading towards the exit.

"What has you in such an episode?" Esme sneers.

"Your bebito that's what!" He shouts as he pushes past her into the elevator.

"For the love of all hell Val, get over yourself!" She rolls her eyes as she walks towards Velvette, "Damn Vel, he really did a number up here." Esme begins to help her clean up his mess as she reviews the designs her models brought up.

"Ugh, no. Unacceptable. You're fired. What is this?" Velvette leans down to touch the cuff of a blouse, "Wrist ruffles? Is it 1750?" She flings it back at the worker, "Burn it like the witches who wore it!"

Vox appears in a blaze of static next to her, "Oh, Velvette I can see you're busy. Tell me where's our hot headed friend now?"

"Up in his tower, waiting for a flat-faced prince to calm him down."

"And being extremely melodramatic if I may add." Esme snickers, using her magic to pick up glass from the floor, tossing it in a bin.

Vox sighs with annoyance, "And uh, what's got him so out of sorts today."

Esme continues to help the workers clean up the floor until she hears Velvette shoo Vox off, "Take care of the piss baby."

Esme laughs, "Good one~" and watches Vox leave with some assistants. She sighs and turns to Velvette, "The outfits you have picked up are divine as always, Vel, but may I suggest cooling a bit down?"

"E, do you know how long it takes to put a show together?!" Velvette shouts, turning away from her phone, "He ruined my best model and tore nearly half my fabric apart."

Esme smiles at her softly, "Well, dear, if only you knew a certain someone who could fix that~" Esme uses her magic to conjure more fabrics for the show, a series of burgundies, pinks, purples, and whatnot.

"Ah, see this is why I love you~" Velvette beams, squeezing her tightly.

Esme giggles, "Happy to help." She picks up her coffee mug back from a side table and sits down on the couch, "So, is it boy trouble again or something more?"

"He's pissed because Angel is spending too much time at that new ridiculous hotel."

Esme's eyes widened, making a mental note to pay close attention, "I'm sure Angel isn't going to be a problem."

"Well, you know him and how possessive he is. He's practically fuming."

Esme makes a note to stop by that measly hotel later to warn Angel of Valentino's rage. Someone should at least.....if he doesn't already know.

"Well, I'm sure he'll get over himself." She says sipping her coffee.

Suddenly the lights begin to flicker and a loud static can be heard all throughout the tower.

"Him too? What the fuck is going on today?" Esme rolls her eyes, standing up. Suddenly, the TV turns on, Vox's voice booming across the tower.

"Top of the hour and we're discussing a certain has-been who has been spotted cavorting around town after a seven-year absence. Did anybody miss him? Did anybody notice? More on tonight's program..."

Esme turns her back to the television, taking her phone out of her coat and checking the time, clearly uninterested.

"So, The Radio Demon is back in town....why is he hanging around?"

She spins back to face the tv as she hears him ramble on and on, "What?! Nonono" she runs to the stairs, "Get off the air!" She shouts.

This is a bad idea, just shut the fuck up and be smart FOR ONCE!

She finally reaches his broadcasting room, but it's locked. She pounds on the door, "DAMMIT VOX!"

"You can take that as gospel. Pulling my viewers? Impossible! I'm visual, he's barely audible. Stop givin' him the time of day, don't listen to a word he'd say. I hope he had a nice vacay, but he should have stayed away!"

Esme sighs with her forehead against the door, turning her back to it. He's obviously not going to listen to her and continue to pick fits with a demon that he knows would wreck him, but he's too obsessed to see any different.

She walks over to Valentino and Velvette who are standing down the hall on their phones. She sighs and throws up her arms in annoyance, standing next to them now crossing her arms. Suddenly, his door bursts open and he comes skipping and spinning out.

"Hells been better since he split. Where's he been?"

He grabs them all into a hug.

"Who gives a shit?!"

Esme groans and wiggles out of his grasp, "Don't yo-" her fins pop out of the side of her head at,

"Salutations, good to be back on the air ~"

Esme's eyes widen as she runs into her production studio to grab the radio on the table, her legs spinning like an old timey cartoon character. Her hands back contact with the small device, holding it close to her face, her ears drinking in every syllable that escapes the host. 

She hadn't heard his voice in so long. Where did he go? How could he just waltz back in the picture with the same charming voice as if nothing ever happened? 

"Yes, I know it's been a while since someone with style treated hell to a broadcast - SINNERS, REJOICE!"

Vox walks up behind her, grabbing the radio from her and shaking it angrily, "What a dated voice!"

"Instead of a clout-chasin' mediocre video podcast..."

Vox growls and turns away from her holding the radio as the two continue to argue with one another for all of hell to hear. Esme sighs and follows Velvette and Valentino to their lounge area where she sits down besides Velvette, resting her head on her shoulder.

She was tired, as was everyone, of the same back and forth dance these two had been participating in for the past how many decades. 

Her long curls frizz up with static as the lights suddenly power down. She groans, stands up, and walks to Vox's office to investigate, opening the door to see Alastor from the monitor. All while Vox is slumped over the desk rebooting. She hides behind the door so as to not be seen.

"Let's begin....I'm gonna make you wish that I'd stayed gone....tune on innn...."

He begins to grow in stature, his eyes slowly changing, and antlers protruding out. Esme's voice trembles as she tries to take little breaths. Dear God, he was just as terrifying as she remembered him. 

"When I'm done, your status quo will know it's race is run......oh this will be fun~"

Esme's eyes widen as she listens to him laugh and effortlessly disappear from the screen. She sees Vox sit up straight, his hands fly to his head, "FU-UCK!" He shouts, slamming his head on the desk.

"Why do you do this?!" She shouts.

"Meeting, now!" Vox demands, standing up and passing by her.

"Oh no, I have errands sir - I'm not staying for you to complain about mister redhead." Esme narrows her eyes.

She had her priorities.

She had to get to Angel...

🖤Words: 1897🖤

~ Artemis💗🦌