Contest of Quills Redux, or Christof Strikes Back

CW: Strong sexual content

Annabeth pulled the letter out of the stack of junk mail that filled Daniel’s mailbox. The letter bore the mark of Vicount Publishing, and was thin. What could it be?

It was addressed to Daniel, but she supposed as his fiance she could open it. She did so, and immediately her stomach dropped. “To whom it may concern. The Board has determined that your services are no longer required. Since you drew a salary, and not royalties from the books you ghostwrote for Christof, you will be no longer receiving funds from this publishing house. Thank you for your efforts.”

Shit. Daniel told her that when Christof weaseled his way onto the Board it was a bad thing. He always resented that Daniel ghostwrote all of his work. The bastard even tried to feel her up at their engagement party. At least that it what she told Daniel. Safe, predictable Daniel. Honestly she got a little drunk and remembers being very touchy feely before he did anything. Even being a prick he was a gorgeous prick.

Today was not a good day to tell Daniel that he was fired. Knee deep in writing the latest book in the series, the Absolom Cycle, he explicitly told her that he needed to get through this knot he wrote himself into. On the other hand, doing work on something that he wasn’t going to be paid for would probably piss him off even more. She would need to soften the blow...with a blow. Her specialty.

She walked into the study, swaying her hips after putting the letter in her jean’s pocket. “Daniel, got a moment?”

He didn’t even look up. “No, I don’t. What did I tell you earlier?”

“You are going to want to take a break,” she slid in behind him, rubbing her hand down his chest and grabbing the very average sized body part in his shorts, “It will help you clear your head. Both of them.”

He looked up, looking slightly annoyed. Annabeth for a moment thought that she had pressed her luck, and then it stirred. Game on.

She thought about their relationship while proceeding. She never minded this, and he never minded receiving. As his agent/fiance, Annabeth supported her man personally and professionally, and she felt very fulfilled. He wasn’t a bad looking guy, and until today, made a good living.

For months, Annabeth encouraged him to start writing for himself. Daniel would always say maybe tomorrow. And now tomorrow has come.

***

She leaned back, and rested on her knees and feet on the dirty grey carpet cushioning her from the floor. No time like the present. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, “Daniel, I’ve got something to tell you.”

He opened his eyes, a serene calmness washed out the normal intensity, “What? Does this have to be now?

She wondered if she should let him have this moment. Daniel wouldn’t like what she had to say. Annabeth was about to open her mouth, when someone rang the door bell. Daniel picked up his phone lying on the desk, and looked at the Ring. “Fuck, its Christof.”

He pushed back his chair, and pulled up his shorts, standing as he did so. He reached down to help Annabeth up, and turned to go answer the door. Christof begun to pound on it with his fist.

Annabeth followed him, wondering what could this be about.

Daniel opened the door, and the heavily tanned and golden locked Christof leaned against the door frame, his smile gleaming in the his face that always had that shit eating grin on it. “Aren’t you gonna invite me in?”

Daniel wordlessly moved aside, and Christof strode in like mini sized Colossus. “How is my book coming? I hope you are nearly done.”

Why does he just let Christof in?

Daniel’s voice ground out through gravel. “Almost. Why are you here? You never came to check up on the progress before.”

Annabeth blushed. She watched Christof absently flip through the mail laying on the foyer table where she left it.

“This is an important book. I wanted to make sure its a good one. Lot riding on it,” Christof didn’t look up from the mail. He continued to perusethrough it, and then apparently satisfied, turned and tossed his hair. “Let’s look at it, I’m very curious to see where my characters are going.”

“Fine.” Daniel’s calm was gone.

“Christof, can I get you a drink or anything?” Was he looking for the letter? Why? Christof would have the confidence to just tell Daniel to his face that he was fired.

He looked at her for the first time since arriving. “Oh, yeah, Abigail. I’ll take a limarito, and a cucumber water. Bottled, of course, not tap. If you have a charcuterie board, I’ll take that too.”

She couldn’t decide if he did that on purpose or really didn’t remember her name. “Mojito’s have lime juice in them already. I’m not familiar with a limarito.”

Christof would have looked less surprised had Annabeth spit up what she had just swallowed into his face. “Look it up. I’m sure you guys have the internet or something.”

Daniel and him went into his office, and she went to the kitchen. In the five years since the first Contest of Quills when Daniel getting this job, Christof had not once came to their home. She wasn’t even sure he knew where it was. She patted the letter she shoved into her pocket. He wouldn’t be getting this back.

Annabeth looked up his drink, and found nothing. She just dumped the lime halves into the glass and called it good. She sliced up cucumbers, but filled the glass from the faucet. There was some cheese and crackers in the pantry, so she put those on a plate, and put all of the items onto a tray. Hopefully he was satisfied.

I need to find out what he is doing here. Christof was a lecherous pig, so she adjusted the girls to maximize her appeal, and reapplied her lipstick, which to her horror was a bit smeared. How could she have forgotten to clean it up after?

Annabeth brought the tray into the office. Christof leered at her, and Daniel didn’t acknowledge, which hurt a little. “I hope you don’t work at Donovan’s anymore Amy. That service is quite slow.”

Damn it, she did tell him that she used to work at the most exclusive dining experience in Chicago. She kicked herself inside. “I’m sorry, but this is what I have available. Can I get you anything else?”

Christof’s eyes caught her cleavage. He made no effort to disguise his thoughts, even pulling at his crotch like it was suddenly uncomfortable. “No, just stay right there.”

“Oh, could you grab me an Arnold Palmer hun. I should have asked when you were in the kitchen already,” Daniel turned to look at her, clearly only thinking of the drink in that very moment.

“She already did all this work for me. Go and grab it yourself. I will continue to look over the story. Its the only gentlemanly thing to do,” Christof almost sounded like he believed that.

Before she could object, Daniel got up, kissed her on the cheek and copped a much needed feel before abandoning her to Christof. He had already taken the seat and was clicking the mouse.

“What are you doing Christof? Daniel doesn’t need you to edit.”

He clicked and spun around in the chair and stood up. “Nothing you need to concern your pretty little head about. You know, I seem to remember that you tried to get me into a hotel room on several occasions.”

Once. She really needed to stop drinking around this guy. “I think you remember wrong. It was the other way around.”

Christof pursued, roadblocks be damned. “How about now? You freshened yourself up for me. I came here to discuss the book, and you flaunt yourself like a streetwalker. I’ll let you know where I’m staying, but only because I feel bad. Stuck here with that boring bump on a stump. You could do better.”

Daniel was boring, sometimes. She hated that Christof for all his faults, he was charming. And ridiculously good looking. And rich. And she had a crush on him since his first novel came out, that no matter what, she couldn’t squash it.

That little voice which screamed like a 1950’s teenage girl rock and roll fan whenever Christof appeared in the roomdecided to plant some unwanted seeds at moment. Oh my gosh Christof! Daniel lost his job, who knows when he’ll get another. He obviously wants me, I could have him. He drives such a beautiful car! He lives in Los Angeles! I could go to movie premiers! I could have a swimming pool! Oh my gosh Christof!

Annabeth suddenly hated herself. She should know better. Daniel needed her. She wanted him. Stodgy boring Daniel, who was an amazing writer and supported her in every way possible. She shoved those seeds down, and threw her shoulders back. “I know you aren’t here for me, or to see the book. You better tell me what you are doing here.”

Christof processed that for a moment. “I’m here to challenge your Daniel to another Contest of Quills. A rematch. Its about to be five years. The Board thinks that it would help with the publicity of the latest installment.”

“A rematch? You serious?” Daniel spoke from the door, his voice clearly incredulous. “I whupped your ass last time. Do you think you can beat me now?”

“I’ve had five years to practice, to watch you suckle at my teat. Even Hammerstien will be there.”

There was no way Daniel could lose. Annabeth thrust her hand into Christof’s chest. “You’re on!”

Christof smiled.

***

Carsen Hall looked much the same as it did five years ago. This time though it was packed with rubberneckers, fans and groupies. And those were just the journalists. Christof preened before them on the stage, posing with the quills they would use for the contest. The rules were the same as before.

“Daniel, you know I love you, don’t you?”

Daniel looked puzzled. “We don’t have time for a men’s room visit.”

Annabeth smiled. They began officially dating in that men’s room. “No, I want you to do your best. No matter what happens. I love you.”

“Okay.”

He walked off to the stage, the event about to begin. She hadn’t told him about the letter. She was going to tell him today, after the contest. It helped that he let her handle the finances, left him more time to write. But he needed to know. After he won, they could start the next chapter free of Christof.

Malcolm, the head of Vicount Publishing, took the mic. “Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the Battle of the Quills!”

The name didn’t have the panache of the first one.

“And now, our contestants! He needs no introduction, on my left is Christof!”

The crowd roared, and Christof grabbed the mic from Malcolm. “Everyone, you all probably know that there are vile rumors going around that my opponent, Daniel Bremer, is the real author of my Absolom Cycle, which are optioned to be the next Lord of the Crowns-style movies. Well, this contest should put that bull to rest.” He pointed with all his fingers towards Daniel, whose scowl matched what Annabeth knew he was feeling.

Annabeth barely heard him above the crowd. “We’ll see about that, Bitchoff.”

She smiled, and sat down. The contestants sat at their respective tables, and Hammerstien emerged from backstage clouded in cigar smoke. “I’ll have no fuckery this time, or you assholes will get my cane up your ass.” Gasps circled the crowd, then died down.

What a cute old geezer. What did he mean by that? Last time they announced Christof won, but he read Daniel’s story. Whatever it meant, Annabeth didn’t like it.

The bell rang, and Daniel and Christof began to write. Unlike last time, Christof appeared to concentrate on his work. They both finished right before the bell rang, and Malcolm gathered up both their submissions.

Daniel found Annabeth in the back of the hall. “I think I really destroyed him. I think it is some of my best work.”

She hugged him, squeezing Daniel tightly. “I wanted to ask, did Christof ever tell you what he thought of the book?”

“He said it needed work, not that he would know. I sent it off that weekend. Weird, since Malcolm told me they already got a copy.”

So that's what he did. “While we wait...I’ve got something to tell you,”

“Annabeth, I’m sorry I’m not in the mood. I’m too excited to perform. After we win, we’ll revisit our spot.”

“That would be great, but that’s not what I was going to say,” she looked up into his eyes. He met hers, and then looked away. She spotted him a second later.

“My two favorite people!” Christof’s smile was wider, and he for some reason was wearing very tight pants. She couldn’t stop herself from noticing his bulge. “I wanted to congratulate you Daniel. A fine attempt. But in what world could you hope to best me?”

Daniel didn’t release Annabeth from the hug. “In this world. In this world. Look, here comes Hammerstien.”

The old man filed out onstage, clouded by pipe smoke. “I am gonna announce the winner. And to everyone’s surprise, its Christof.”

Christof squeaked with joy, and skipped up to the stage. He grabbed the mic out of Hammerstien’s hands. “Of course its me!” He snatched the papers out of Hammerstien’s grasp, and held them up. “I’m going to bless you all with reading this outloud. But before I do that, I have some announcements.”

Annabeth felt Daniel’s body shift in worry. She turned her head away from the stage and listened to his increasing heart beat. She dreaded the next things to come out of Christof’s mouth.

“Now you all know I bought a stake in my new publishing company when my first masterpiece hit the shelves. I want to run the most successful publishing house ever, and with the support of my fans, we will!” he paused for the cheers, “And since this proves that those lies are just that lies, I think its only fair to be rid of the source of these lies. I want to announce that Daniel Bremer is no longer a Vicount author. He never really was one, as we have been waiting for a book from him for five years and he has been unable to produce one. Say goodbye Daniel, you should get our letter in the mail any day now.”

Annabeth looked up at Daniel. His face was contorted into a frozen rage filled face. He looked down at her. “Letter, what letter?”

“That's what I’ve been trying to say. We got the letter.”

Daniel wordlessly snarled. “When? When did we get that fucking letter?”

Annabeth gulped, and stood back from Daniel. “The same day Christof showed up at our house.”

She had never been afraid of Daniel before. The face he was making right at the moment terrified her.

“You mean to tell me you knew he fired me, and you let me finish that fucking asshole’s book before you thought to tell me?”

“I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t.”

“Couldn’t or wouldn’t? You made me work for free for Christof? You made me his slave. Of course you did. You’ve always loved him. I ignored it for long enough. You fucking slut. You betrayed me.”

Hot tears poured out of her eyes. Through the beginning of the sobbing, she forced out words. “I never did. You never wanted to hear it when I tried to tell you. You shut me out, trying to get the book done before the contest. I was going to tell you now, so we could start our new life without him.”

“Bullshit. I can’t believe you. What a treacherous snake you are. Fine, you get what you want. Go to the winner. He deserves you.” Daniel stormed away, a black cloud enshrouding his head.

She wanted to follow him, but her feet wouldn’t move.

Someone brushing past her broke her out of her despondency, and she managed to find a bench, and collapse on it. Annabeth held her head in her hands, tears pouring out of her eyes. She felt the bench move slightly.

“I know it was a great story, but it isn’t supposed to be sad. The hero wins in the end,” Christof’s voice pierced her ears.

“I have nothing to say to you asshole.”

“Of course you do. You are crying over me, you don’t think you worthy to be seen with a champion like me. You aren’t, but I’m willing to spread a little of me around, in private of course.”

Oh my gosh, Christof! She looked up, he was grinning ear to ear. “Why did you send the letter before everything?”

Christof looked bewildered for a second. “I was just so excited to get rid of Daniel that I couldn’t wait. The Board does what I want now, but they needed convincing that I could take over the cycle. You grabbed the letter didn’t you?”

She nodded, cheeks soaked in tears.

“And you never told him. Damn, that is cruel. Daniel is a second rate author, but even he didn’t deserve to be blindsided by you. I wondered why he finished the book, since I figured the letter got to him. Thanks for covering for me. So, you coming over tonight?”

Annabeth glowered at him. “What’s my name?”

Christof tilted his head for a moment, like he was struggling to think, “Annabeth.”

Fuck.