Chapter 01: Spring Broken Part 1
AN: A story that takes place during Danny's college years without any prior interaction with Hell.
"They look at time like they are watching a parade: one thing after another, passing by in sequence right in front of them. I see the parade from above - all the twists and turns it might, or might not, take."
This is one of those alternate paths.
#
Danny Fenton flew over the coastline, the cool breeze ruffling his hair. It was spring break, and after a grueling semester in college, he needed this escape. If the flyer was right, this was where the concert was about to take place. As he approached, Danny saw people gathering near a stage. Danny touched down in a nearby alley and turned back to human form. Walking toward the stage, Danny noticed a tall, dark-skinned man standing by the stage and surveying the crowd. Danny could make out the Staff badge around his neck. Danny waved at the man.
He raised an eyebrow but didn't seem opposed.
"Hey there," Danny said with a friendly smile. "Name's Danny. Just wanted to confirm the concert times and stuff."
The man studied him for a moment. "Name's Vortex, but my friends call me Tex." He extended a hand.
Danny shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you, Tex. So, what's the plan for today?"
Tex glanced out at the crowd. "The general party's going on, but the concert doesn't kick off until six. Plenty of time to grab a drink and enjoy the vibe."
"Sounds good. Thanks for the heads-up."
Tex gave him a nod. "No problem. Enjoy yourself."
Danny rejoined the dozens of college students on the beach, already feeling the stress of the past semester melt away. This was exactly what he needed.
#
About an hour later, Danny was busting it down with everyone else. Ever since becoming a half-ghost, he didn't need to worry about getting sunburnt. Considering the usual weather, he couldn't often have the warm sun on his skin and the soft sand beneath his feet.
The track changed, and Rap music thumped through the air. Danny had a fruity cocktail drink in hand that someone had passed from a shared cooler earlier. Danny preferred the sweet stuff over the hard ethanol taste. The hero was feeling pleasantly buzzed as he moved to the beat. The crowd around him was just as lively.
As Danny danced, the gunshots over the radio sounded realistic. When no one around him seemed to react, he shook it off. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a goth girl with striking white hair weaving through the crowd. He didn't think much of it, but she was with a different person every time he saw her, guiding them somewhere out of sight. Danny attributed it to the usual college kids hooking up. It wasn't his place to judge anyone for being a little more adventurous during spring break. He took another sip of his drink as he continued to dance.
#
When 6 PM struck, the stage lights flared to life. Smoke began to plume across the stage. The setting sun blended with the stage lights for an orange and pink glow. The music from the speakers got louder. Danny turned his attention to the stage. Through the thick smoke, a shadowy figure appeared. Her silhouette in the smoke made it seem like she had horns, wings, and fangs. The crowd roared.
"Alright, spring breakers! Y'all ready to get fucked up and make some BITCHIN' BAD CHOICES?!"
The smoke cleared, revealing the woman behind the voice. She was stunning, with light brown skin and ombre blonde hair that cascaded down her back. She wore a pink, ruffled mini dress with white trim and a star emblazoned on it.
"Verosika!"
Danny glanced over to see a fanboy ripping his shirt off to reveal her name scrawled across his chest. The crowd's cheers grew louder.
Verosika smirked. "This is your final boarding call. All aboard~" The words "Fuck you, Blitzo" flashed across the screens behind her.
Danny raised a brow. "Who the hell is Blitzo?"
" Pack your bags. Sun's out. Take a vacay, babe. Take it straight to Bone Town. "
Danny couldn't help but think her voice sounded lovely. But there was something else, too—a strangely familiar sensation. It took him a moment to place it, but his eyes narrowed slightly when he did. The feeling reminded him of Ember, who literally captivated audiences with her music. Verosika's voice had that same enchanting quality, though Danny was more resistant to it now, having dealt with Ember's siren-like powers before.
Around him, the crowd was definitely under Verosika's spell. People were swaying, moving closer together. It was like their inhibitions melted away. Couples and strangers were making out, grinding on each other more than usual at a college party.
Danny caught a glimpse of a shorter, dark-skinned girl sucking on a popsicle in an overly suggestive manner, clearly catching the attention of a guy nearby. The girl tackled the guy before Danny could register it, and the two started making out, which left little to the imagination.
Couples of all kinds were getting together. Was it the music? Probably. But as far as Danny could tell, no one was getting hurt. People were just vibing, letting loose, and enjoying themselves.
Danny hummed. He still kept both heads under control, but it was rather tempting to join in. Still, the voice in the back of his head told him to hold himself back just in case things got fucked up. Granted, he wouldn't turn someone down if the night ended without issue and a girl approached him.
" V-time, free time, baby, relax. Self-care, no hair, Brazilian wax. Hornt up succu-bus to the beach. Catch some rays while catching some D. "
#
Danny noticed Vortex standing at the side as the crowd grew more frenzied. More people losing themselves to the music and each other. Danny figured it was probably time to move to a different spot and let everyone have fun. The front was getting too heated for his liking anyway.
Danny caught Tex's eye and waved at him, just like before. With a smile, he walked over to the hulking bodyguard.
Seeing that Danny wasn't rushing the stage or causing trouble, Vortex allowed him to come closer. "Oh, hey, man. You enjoying the show?"
Danny grinned. "Gotta say, your boss does good music."
"Pop is cool, but I like my fair share of rock."
"Yeah, I get it. I'm a fan of alt-rock myself."
Their conversation was interrupted by a fanboy suddenly bolting toward the stage.
"One sec, my guy." Vortex charged forward. He crossed the distance and delivered a brutal punch that sent the fanboy crashing headfirst into the ground. The impact was enough to make Danny wince, but he couldn't help but whistle at the sheer power of the hit. Vortex then grabbed the dazed man by the collar and dragged him away, effortlessly hauling him toward the back of the crowd. Vortex waved for him to follow.
"Some people..."
Verosika continued to whip the crowd into a frenzy.
"Now, who wants a piece of this?!" Verosika tossed a bottle into the ocean with a splash. Unbeknownst to the crowd, the Beelzejuice mixed with the saltwater, and an octopus swam through the golden spillage. Within seconds, the octopus that made contact with the liquid began to convulse. In a grotesque and rapid transformation, it started forming into a monstrous, twisted amalgamation of scales, tentacles, fins, and fangs.
#
Danny and Tex relaxed and watched Verosika's performance. The crowd was still wild, but the two were content to just chill on the outskirts. Danny sipped his drink.
As he scanned the area, Danny noticed the goth girl with white hair from earlier. This time, she wasn't just passing through the crowd. She was making her way directly toward them—specifically toward Vortex. She seemed a bit nervous.
"Sup?" Danny gave her a nod when she got close.
The girl quickly glanced his way, acknowledging him with a slight nod as well. She continued moving till she got close to Tex. Tex didn't seem to notice until she got his attention with a surprisingly soft punch to his arm.
"Heyyyy… you…!" She was clearly anxious.
Vortex turned to face her. "Oh, hey. You're the girl workin' for my boss's freaky ex."
Danny took another sip of his drink. "Your bosses used to date?"
"I don't judge her taste." Vortex shrugged.
"Yeah, he's kind of an asshole." The girl chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry if that's weird."
Vortex put up a hand. "It's cool. Her beef ain't mine. I'm not paid enough to care."
"Yeah! Yeah. I'm Loona!" Loona's voice was a bit higher-pitched than before.
Danny couldn't help but stifle a laugh at how flustered she seemed. He handed her a beer can from a nearby cooler and raised his drink in a small toast. "I'm Danny."
Loona quickly took the social lifeline.
Vortex raised his own and decided to play along. "Okay." He mimicked her tone with a playful smile. "I'm Vortex!"
"That's hot… I mean, like, literally, y'know, 'cause vortexes… y'know, they give off heat. Probably. Right?" Loona bit her lip.
"Uh, yeah." Vortex found her awkwardness endearing. "I guess."
Danny hummed. Loona was obviously crushing hard on Tex. Her attempts at flirting were… well, they were something. They were somehow worse than Tucker's. Deciding to help her out, Danny gave her an encouraging smile. "No worries, Loona. Take a breather. It's all cool here."
Vortex agreed. "Listen to Danny-boy, girl. We're all vibing here. In any case, my friends call me Tex."
"Oh, yeah? I wish I had friends," Loona blurted out, then immediately chuckled nervously as she realized what she'd said.
Danny couldn't help but facepalm internally for her. She was trying.
Loona quickly tried to backtrack. "I mean… No, I mean, I don't… I… I don't have friends."
Danny's lips thinned. Helping her seemed harder than he'd thought. She was clearly out of her element.
Tex softened his tone. "It's cool. We're just hanging out. No pressure."
Danny nodded. "Yeah, just relax. We're all just here to have a good time."
Loona took a deep breath. "Yeah… Yeah, you're right. Uh… Thanks."
Tex smiled. "Having fun?"
Loona's earlier tension finally melting. "Right… fun."
Danny leaned back, relieved that the awkwardness was starting to fade. He glanced at Loona. "You like the music?"
She shrugged. "Nah. I'm more into Alt rock."
Vortex chuckled. "So is Danny."
He raised a hand. "Guilty."
Loona smiled more confidently this time and latched onto the conversation hook. "That's cool. So, like, what bands are you guys into?"
Danny smirked. "Ever heard of Dumpty Humpty?"
#
As Danny, Vortex, and Loona continued their conversation, they were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of a large red figure.
It had horns and yellow eyes. "Am I… interrupting something?"
Danny's eyes widened in shock. His ghost sense wasn't going off, so that was probably good. His imagination went off. 'Was that a demon?!' He fought to keep his mouth shut, glancing over at Vortex, who seemed completely unbothered by the creature's presence.
Vortex shrugged. "Nah, man. Just having a conversation."
The demon, who Danny quickly gathered was Loona's adopted father, poked Vortex in the chest. "Conversation' leads to HPV!"
Danny blinked at the twisted logic. He was sure he was missing several steps in that analogy.
Loona laughed awkwardly at Danny and Vortex. She then grabbed the demon by the arm, dragging him away. "Come on, Blitzo, let's go."
As they walked off, Danny couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
Blitzo glared. "I saw you talking to those guys! What were you thinking?"
Loona groaned. "Chill out, Dad! We were just talking."
Danny watched them go, then turned to Vortex, still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. "Uh… You see what I'm seeing, too, right?"
Vortex waved it off. "Just don't say anything about it; he probably won't hurt you."
"Right…" 'Great. Just great. A demon at a beach party. This is totally normal.'
Danny could hear the argument between Blitzo and Loona escalating. It was clear that Blitzo was not happy.
Vortex sighed, finally deciding to intervene. "Hey, dude. Why don't you chill out?"
Blitzo whirled around to face Vortex. "Why don't you stay out of it?! Okay, this is our business!"
Blitzo held up a drawing with his tail, a crude diagram that showed an illustration of him killing a human, which apparently equaled money, and that money was somehow connected to a horse. "Literally!"
Danny stared at the picture. He didn't like where this was going. "Uh… Tex, should I be worried?"
Vortex shrugged. "Honestly? Probably."
Danny glanced between Vortex and the still-arguing demon, trying to decide whether to trust Vortex or start preparing for the worst.
Loona groaned. "Fuck, Blitzo! Why can't you stay out of my face for, like, five minutes?!"
Blitzo crossed his arms. "Because I adopted you! And that should mean something!"
Loona grunted. "Oh, what does it matter?! You're not my real dad! I was almost eighteen!"
"It still counts!" Blitzo insisted.
"Well, it shouldn't!" Loona snapped. "I didn't need you then, asshole! I don't, now!"
Danny cringed at the heated exchange. 'Yeesh. Family drama.'
Loona hesitated, seeing the flash of pain in Blitzo's eyes. She tried to soften her tone. "Uh… Blitzo… I'm—"
Blitzo cut her off as he turned away. "Enjoy your break, Loonie. I'm gonna go kill something!"
Danny's eyes widened in alarm. 'Wait. He's gonna what?!'
As Blitzo stomped off, Loona let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Ugh..."
Vortex stepped closer and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Damn, girl. That was savage." He gave her a sympathetic look. "You okay?"
Loona blushed slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine. He'll get over it. He always does."
Vortex chuckled softly. "I'm glad you could stick up for yourself, at least. Mmm! Takes guts."
Loona offered him a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks."
Danny hesitated before speaking up. "Uh, Loona. I don't want to break the mood, but your… Dad meant that last thing metaphorically, right?"
Loona chuckled nervously, realizing she'd almost forgotten Danny was still there. She quickly tried to brush off his concern. "Sorry. My dad… likes to wear weird costumes to these events. I told him not to, but he never listens."
Danny eyed her skeptically, clearly not buying the explanation but unwilling to press the issue. "Uh huh…" He took a long gulp of his drink.
Loona shifted awkwardly, grateful. She glanced at Vortex, who gave her a reassuring nod.
#
By the time the first set ended, most of the drinks the crowd brought had already been burnt through. Vortex handed Danny a wad of cash to grab more drinks from the bar on the street. As he walked towards the road, people were still partying. By the time he reached the bar, Danny noticed a group of people lounging nearby. Their eyes were on him as he drew closer. It took him a moment to realize that the concert singer was there. In hindsight, Verosika's everything was hard to miss.
Verosika's gaze lingered on him, a slow smile curving her lips. Her succubus instincts immediately picked up on an innocence she wanted to bite into.
Danny, initially oblivious to the attention, ordered several bottles and cans and leaned against the counter while he waited.
It wasn't long before he heard footsteps beside him. He turned his head to see Verosika leaning on the counter with him.
"Hey there, cutie," she purred. "Having fun? Enjoying the show so far?"
Danny was slightly taken aback. "Uh, yeah. You were doing great out there. I can't wait to hear more.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find plenty of fun here." She moved a little closer, her fingers lightly brushing his arm.
Danny tried to keep his cool despite the way his heart raced. "Um, I'm Danny, by the way."
"Verosika. Happy to hear, Sweetie." She rested her chin on her interlocked fingers. "So, did you come to this shindig alone or..."
Danny felt his face heat up. "I actually came stag. I'm not from around here. Thought I'd check out the scene."
Verosika leaned in slightly, her breath warm against his ear. "Looking for a little adventure?"
"I... wouldn't be opposed... When I saw your ad for Spring Break, I thought, 'Why not?'"
Verosika chuckled. "Well, Spring Break is as good a time as any to cut loose and… try new things."
"That's one way of putting it... I kinda came here to decompress and have some fun."
Verosika's smile widened. "I think we're going to get along just fine, Danny. Who knows, maybe by the end of the night, I'll show you a different kind of fun."
Danny laughed away his anxiousness. High school did not prepare him for this. "Sounds tempting..."
"Oh, you have no idea." Verosika played a finger to his chin. "So, have you met any interesting people today besides me, that is?"
Danny's eyes blinked into clarity. "Actually, you might know one of them. Vortex is your bodyguard, right?"
Verosika was also surprised. "You met Tex?"
"Yeah, in fact, he asked me to come up here and get our group some more drinks."
"Yeah, he's a pretty chill guy. Does his job well." The pop star hummed with a smile. "Well, I don't want to keep him waiting.
Sure enough, the bartender came back with a case of drinks for Danny's order.
Danny wasn't sure how to respond, but the bartender handed him his drink before he could say anything. He took it with a grateful nod, using the moment to collect himself.
"Thanks," he said to the bartender, then turned back to her. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Verosika. Maybe I'll see you around later?"
"I'd like that." Verosika teased, her fingers trailing down his arm. "When we do, maybe we'll find something a bit more… exciting to do."
"I'd... be hard-pressed to say no."
"Before you go, meet the rest of my crew." Verosika motioned to another group sitting nearby.
Danny saw them with amused expressions. "Your crew?"
"Mm-hmm," Verosika confirmed, her eyes gleaming. "We're a tight-knit group, always looking for some fun… and maybe a little mischief. There's Josh, Coco, Apple, Kat, Milky, Kiki, and Ace.
"Hey!" He waved.
Danny received a greeting back with a few gazes as well. Milky, in particular, remembered him staring at her in the crowd and gave a seductive wink.
"It was nice meeting you up close in person, Verosika."
"Well, if you stick around after the concert, maybe we'll meet up again.
With that, he gave her a polite nod and walked away, feeling her eyes on him the entire time.
She gave a small wave of goodbye. "Don't be a stranger, honey." Honestly, ever since she saw Blitzo again, she'd been hiding her shitty mood. With Spring Break, she had a chance to vent a little of her frustrations. A good lay would also help keep those negative thoughts away. So, she followed her gut and eventually found this young man. Throughout their entire conversation, Verosika could tell that her earlier songs barely influenced him. She didn't expect that. If it were any other human, they would would be willing to drop their pants after a few words. This one showed interest and resistance. "Ooh, Mama likes a challenge."
Chapter 02: Spring Broken Part 2
The party had settled down a bit. With the concert on intermission, guests mingled. Whatever tension had lingered between Danny, Vortex, and Loona had eased. While Danny had many questions about the alleged demon, he decided to hold off until later. Danny even spotted the band off near the bar, sipping martinis.
Then came the rumble. Low, distant, and deep enough to vibrate through bone. Danny stiffened. He turned toward the ocean just in time to see something enormous rise from the water. A grotesque, tentacled creature heaved itself into view, seaweed clinging to its limbs.
The Kraken.
The beach was still, and then the screaming began. People abandoned their drinks and bolted, stumbling through the sand, knocking over coolers and folding chairs in the scramble to escape. Near a row of port-a-potties, a white flash lit up the corner of Danny's vision.
A deafening roar split the air. The Kraken's tentacles whipped toward a man reclined in a beach chair. Before the limb could strike, a streak of white and black snatched the man.
Danny Phantom hovered just above the chaos. His eyes glowed with a cold, focused light as he set the man down near a dune and pivoted to face the monster. The guy didn't stick around to say thanks. He took off at a dead sprint, slipping on his own flip-flops. Around them, the beach continued to spiral into madness.
Danny scanned the crowd and caught sight of Vortex and Loona disappearing into the distance. Verosika and her band hadn't moved yet, but their expressions were wary. Some of them had noticed him, too.
The Kraken roared again. One of its limbs swung low and snagged a small figure teetering near the water.
"Ooooh! Kraken," the imp slurred. Moxxie hung upside down from the tentacle like a caught fish, laughing with drunken delight.
Danny hesitated. That was new.
"Weeeeee…" Moxxie giggled, eyes half-lidded, completely out of sync with the danger around him.
Farther down the beach, a blade caught the fading light.
Millie was already in motion, charging at a human spring breaker chugging a neon drink, blissfully unaware of the destruction behind him. Her knife was aimed for his spine, no hesitation, no warning.
She never made it.
A hand in a white glove appeared between her and the target, gripping her wrist just before the blade connected. Danny floated between them, holding her back without effort. His brow furrowed, his tone sharp.
"What are you doing?"
Millie thrashed in his grip, eyes blazing. "That guy's got what I need! My husband's about to be Kraken chow!"
Danny looked over. The man she'd been about to stab was now blinking dumbly at the sand, still holding his vodka like it owed him money. With a tired exhale, Danny yanked the bottle away and ripped the guy's shirt off in a single, efficient motion. That finally got a reaction. The man shrieked and bolted, shirtless and flailing toward the bar.
Danny turned back to Millie and handed her the shirt and vodka. "You were making a Molotov?"
Millie took the items, face flushed. "Yeah. It's faster this way."
He raised an eyebrow. "You know it might not work, right?"
"Oh, it'll work," she said, already stuffing part of the shirt into the neck of the bottle.
Flame licked at the cloth as she lit it. With one smooth motion, Millie hurled the Molotov at the Kraken. The bottle hit squarely, shattering against its glistening hide. Fire bloomed across its flank in seconds, licking up the wet flesh like it had been waiting for fuel.
The Kraken reared back, limbs jerking, a guttural scream shaking the shallows. Waves surged inland, the ocean itself reacting to the creature's agony.
Then a tentacle slammed into the shoreline, scattering debris and water in all directions.
Danny didn't hesitate. He phased out just as another tentacle smashed down, the impact throwing up a wall of foam and sand. In that same breath, he grabbed Millie mid-leap and yanked her out of the shockwave's path. She twisted in his grip, using the momentum to land light on a nearby boulder.
The moment her boots touched stone, her knife flashed. She lunged, slicing deep into the nearest tentacle. Flesh split, green-black fluid sprayed, and the Kraken bellowed in response.
Another limb came for them. Danny ducked and veered sideways in midair, the wind shrieking past as the massive appendage carved a trench in the sand.
Millie grinned fiercely. "Come on, you overcooked noodle!"
She darted forward, slashing the membrane between two ridges of a flailing tentacle. The Kraken howled again, lashing out with brutal speed. A huge coil curled toward her position.
Danny moved first. He hurled a glowing ectoblast that struck the tentacle just off center, diverting its arc wide. Millie didn't waste the chance. She sprinted up the coiled limb, boots slapping against slick flesh, each step carrying her higher toward the monster's core.
Danny shot forward at an angle. Twin ecto-bursts hammered into a second tentacle swinging across his flight path, knocking it wide. He weaved through the barrage of limbs and phased cleanly through the space behind the Kraken's massive eyes.
Two more tentacles surged up from below, trying to snare him. He flipped backward, gliding just out of reach. Below him, Millie launched herself from the Kraken's back. Her blade carved a jagged gash along a thick arm as she passed.
Danny caught her mid-air and spun, redirecting her with a burst of momentum. "Go for the eye!"
She soared upward, flipped once, then dropped like a comet, knife-first. The blade punched through the top lid of the Kraken's main eye, drawing a screech loud enough to rattle windows up the block. The eye spasmed and shut, leaking thick ichor.
The Kraken thrashed, wild with pain. Tentacles whipped the air in every direction. Chunks of debris and seawater flew like shrapnel.
Danny raised his hands and conjured a glowing barrier. Broken driftwood and jagged glass splintered against it, slowing just enough for him to reposition.
Millie landed hard, crouched low, then rolled as a limb swung overhead. She ducked behind a stone outcrop, wiping brine and ichor from her sleeve, still grinning.
Danny flew low now, skimming inches above the surf. He cupped his hands, gathering a blinding orb of ghost energy, the charge humming between his fingers.
"Millie! I need an opening!"
Without missing a beat, she whistled, sharp and loud, then grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it into the Kraken's beak. The stone clanged off cartilage and teeth, and the creature recoiled.
Danny fired. The blast hit dead center in the throat. The Kraken gurgled, smoke curling out of its mouth as the beam exploded inward.
Millie had already taken off again, scrambling up a fresh tentacle. Danny intercepted her halfway, caught her with one arm, then spun like a discus thrower. He let go, launching her like a spear.
She landed squarely on the Kraken's head, knees bent, knife braced. With one clean stab, she drove the blade between two plates of scale near the skull's crown.
The monster went berserk.
Limbs slapped at the water, slamming into the sea with enough force to send columns of spray into the sky. Danny darted forward, grabbing Millie before she could be flung into the surf. He pulled them both into the air, steadying her with one hand while shielding them with the other.
The Kraken's screech weakened. Tentacles fell still, then drooped, trailing back into the water like dead vines.
Danny let out a low whistle. "Brutal. But hey, it worked."
Blitzo grinned, watching proudly. "Damn right it did. Get wrecked, seafood."
Behind them, the Kraken gave one last, rattling exhale. Then it sank, black blood bubbling up through the waves like ink bleeding from a wound.
Millie was returned to shore soaked in seawater and gore. Her eyes scanned the beach, searching for her husband.
"Is Mox okay?" she asked, already halfway to him.
Blitzo waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, he's fine." He dropped Moxxie onto the sand without ceremony.
Millie scooped him up, hugging him tight. Moxxie beamed at her with unfocused eyes. "This is funny. I'm sooooo... drinky," he said, words slow and soft.
Millie just laughed and held him closer. Despite the blood and sand and smell of burning Kraken, her world had narrowed to just the two of them.
Blitzo watched for a moment before groaning. "Okay, this is officially too wholesome," he muttered, turning away like the sight physically pained him.
At this point basically all of the people had already fled. Their screams faded into the distance. Smoke curled off the remains of the fight. Bits of driftwood and beach chairs lay overturned in the sand.
With the fighting done, Verosika and her crew crept out from their hiding spots, sticking close together as they approached. Some were still clutching cocktails, and others looked more annoyed than afraid.
At the front, Verosika moved with her usual confidence. Her eyes landed on Blitzo first. "Blitz-o," she said with bite to her voice. Just saying his name tasted like something unpleasant.
Blitzo's voice cut in. "Oh, perfect. That must be the whores."
Then her gaze shifted. Her smirk paused for half a breath as her eyes swept over the black-and-white figure hovering just off the sand. The new guy. Lean frame, sharp shoulders, clean lines in that suit of his. And under all of it, something that made her tail twitch. Not just the looks. The aura. Untouched. Innocent. She didn't need to sniff to know it was real. 'Well now. That was interesting.'
Her lips curled upward. Beside her, Milky and Kiki exchanged a glance, then stared openly at Danny, practically licking their lips.
Danny, still floating a few feet off the ground, gave a friendly wave. He didn't seem to notice the hungry stares. Or if he did, he wasn't registering the meaning.
He glanced around. Loona and Tex were still off somewhere, probably missing whatever this was about to turn into.
Danny frowned and dropped to the sand, stepping forward with both hands raised. "Okay, let's take a breath. Anyone want to explain what the hell I just walked into? You two know each other?"
Verosika gave a dramatic sigh, like she'd just been asked to relive a trauma. "Unfortunately."
Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but if these guys are demons," he said, motioning to Blitzo and Millie, then gestured toward Verosika and her crew, "I'm guessing you all are too. I'd guess a special kind, judging by that hypnotic voice of yours."
One of the backup singers raised a brow. "You could tell?"
Danny shrugged. "Not my first time meeting sirens."
Verosika's smirk deepened. "Succubi, actually."
Danny's eyes flicked over her, then to the others. The allure was obvious now that he was looking for it. Everything about them shimmered in that slightly-too-perfect way. He nodded. "Yeah. That tracks."
She crossed her arms, smug. "Anyway, we were doing just fine. Collecting that sweet sexual energy for our boss… Until the murder squad showed up." She jerked her chin toward Blitzo.
Danny blinked, trying to process the bizarre situation. "Right..." He turned to Blitzo and his crew, eyebrows raised. "And why are you guys here?"
Blitzo puffed out his chest. "We came to win the bet and get back our parking space."
Danny frowned, not following. "What bet?"
A sly grin spread across Verosika's face as an idea formed. "They bet that they could kill more people than we could seduce."
Danny's eyes widened in shock. "I'm sorry! What?!"
Blitzo glared at him. "No thanks to you, we only got 13."
Danny's expression hardened as he glared back at Blitzo. "You were killing people for a parking space?!"
Blitzo didn't flinch. "It's a really good spot."
Danny looked like he might punch something.
Millie stepped in before that happened and yanked Blitzo back. "Oh, please," she snapped. "Don't act like that whore's a saint."
She tossed a flask, and Verosika snatched it.
Or she would have, if Danny hadn't caught it mid-flight.
He brought it to his nose and gave it a cautious sniff. It smelled really good.
Millie crossed her arms and fixed Verosika with a glare. "Would be a shame if anyone found out you guys were behind a giant monster in the human world."
Danny raised a brow at the drink. How did this cause a monster?
Moxxie, still swaying and pink in the face, let out a bark of laughter. "Oh, Satan, you're gonna be so... FUUUUUCKED!" He immediately collapsed into another round of drunken giggles and nearly fell over.
Danny turned his attention back to Verosika. He wasn't smiling. "Was this an accident or on purpose?"
She faltered slightly under his gaze, the realization settling in. Things could've gone way worse. Verosika quickly shook her head. "I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. We all just wanted to have a good time like usual."
Danny continued staring her down till he sighed. "You're lucky I stopped that thing before it killed someone."
Verosika flipped her hair with a huff, trying to regain her posture. She turned back to IMP. "Yeah, well… you three nasty-ass gremlins will be in shit for not being in disguises!"
Moxxie, still sprawled in the sand, groaned and pushed himself up. "A human called me a possum. I am not a possum!" He tried to gesture for emphasis and immediately faceplanted again.
Danny couldn't help the short laugh that escaped him. Honestly, the resemblance was starting to feel earned. He looked back down at the flask in his hand. One little taste shouldn't hurt.
Before anyone else could speak, Danny dipped a finger into the flask and brought it to his mouth.
Millie and Verosika shouted in unison, "Wait! Don't!"
But it was already down his throat.