Welcome back to Hello Charlotte everyone I hope that you enjoy it. Please remember to COMMENT and VOTE it means a lot to me, plus I like chatting with you guys. Also remember to listen to the video it fits the chapter. ~XOXOBUTTERBALL~

The song is: The last of the real ones-by Fall Out Boy

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-Ivo-

I coughed as I massaged my throat, Charlotte continued to struggle to the best of her abilities in Atlas's grip.

For a moment she stilled and Atlas relaxed his hold, only for her to elbow him in the stomach.

"Delilah be careful!" I called out.

I noticed the purple and black scales still spreading across Charlotte's skin as she charged towards me. A mound of tree roots sprang up entangling Charlotte and restraining her at the waist, wrist, and ankles.

Delilah frowned as she approached Charlotte. "Listen to me Charlotte I just want to check something," Delilah said gently as she slowly walked toward her.

Charlotte growled her teeth clenched together and a small wisp of smoke rose from between her teeth.

But Charlotte allowed Delilah to come closer her hate-filled gaze locked on me.

I took a deep breath. "Charlotte I'm sorry but, it had to be done," I told her gently.

Charlotte growled. "Fuck you! I trusted you with everything I had, you go and do this to me!"

Atlas looked at me as he massaged his stomach. "Okay, what did you do to make her this angry?"

I let out a soft sigh. "Kessel marked her with a barrier, it wasn't there before so I thought he was tracking us. After I broke through it I sifted through her memories and found Kessel in them. She never told me anything about this!" I explained.

Charlotte blew a small poof of fire at me before speaking. "I didn't know until you went sifting through my memories! You unbelievable dick!" She shouted.

Delilah scowled at Charlotte. "Charlotte, sweetheart you're saying that you didn't know. But it's more like you didn't remember because Kessel didn't want you too," she told her gently.

Delilah cradled Charlotte's face in her hands as Charlotte gave her a clearly confused look. "That barrier that Ivo mentioned was more than likely something Kessel placed in your memories to make certain ones inaccessible. However, I don't feel anything else belonging to him on you." Delilah said as she stared Charlotte in the eyes.

Delilah stepped back until she stood next to me. "I'm going to release you. But don't hurt Ivo, he means you no harm not to mention that damage will just reflect back on you." Delilah warned her.

I watched as Charlotte's scales slowly receded until they completely disappeared. When the tree branches were released Charlotte fell to the ground landing on her feet.

She gave me a glare before raising her head and releasing a small column of fire up into the air.

Delilah let out a squeal of fear and hid behind me as Charlotte let out a sigh and turned to Atlas.

"I'm sorry I punched you in the stomach," she said softly.

Atlas chuckled. "It's okay I just wasn't expecting you to be that fast. But I guess you're small for a reason."

Charlotte shrugged before walking past me and opening her backpack. "I'm going to go take a bath in the pond," she announced.

She looked at me. "Don't you dare follow me," she hissed.

"Can I come!" Delilah exclaimed practically jumping at the opportunity.

"For personal reasons absolutely not," Charlotte told her grinning as she headed back towards the lake.

Delilah pouted as she sat down next to me. "Ivo let me heal your neck she left quite a mark, which means it's more than likely on her too," she offered.

I frowned as I stared at the ground. "For me, it's healing already but, you can heal it for Charlotte," I whispered.

Delilah let out a small chuckle as she reached out and placed two fingers against my throat. Seconds later a familiar warm sensation spread through the affected area as a light, green glow emitted from Delilah's fingers.

"Delilah, I'm going to go hunt some rabbits. I'll be back soon," Atlas announced.

"Sure thing sweetie," Delilah said as she glanced up at him and grinned.

Delilah let out a sigh. "Okay Ivo tell me what you saw in her memories," she said her voice taking on a serious tone.

I bit my lip. "I can tell you some of the things but not everything. I swear these contract rules can be a damn pain sometimes," I grumbled.

Delilah chuckled as she played with the grass at her feet. "The rules not only keep us in check but they create trust between us and our contracts," she reminded me.

I rolled my eyes. "I already know that you're forgetting how much my father drilled that into my head."

Then I shook my head as I began to speak, "In Charlotte's memories, I saw...Kessel back in her village. Charlotte was in real danger when she happened to run into him. He used his power and made a person explode. Afterwards, he spoke to one of her family members then took her under his wing for a bit. And he also had a strange book with my symbol in it. I remember him saying that maybe I could help Charlotte more than him," I explained carefully.

Delilah frowned. "So he had your summoning symbols that were erased. You don't think that he purposely gave them to Charlotte do you?" She asked gently.

"I doubt it, but honestly I don't know and I highly doubt Charlotte will let me ask her right now," I whispered as I stared at my hand.

I froze when Charlotte walked through the bushes dressed in different clothes and carrying her old ones in her hand.

"Charlotte is the water warm?" Delilah asked as she stood up.

Charlotte stopped walking and looked at Delilah a scowl on her face. "Yeah, I used my fire to heat it up. Where's Atlas?"

"He's hunting rabbits," I answered as I looked at her.

Charlotte sighed before walking over to her backpack and putting her dirty clothes away.

Delilah gave me a look of pity before she headed off.

I walked over to Charlotte watching her work as she put her stuff away. She stood up and turned to me her hand on her hip as she let out a huff.

"What do you want?" she growled.

"I just want to talk, I wanted to ask you a question about Kessel," I told her gently.

She rolled her eyes and cursed. "I'm not his fucking spy if that's what you're trying to imply," she hissed as she clenched her fist.

"I'm not, I'm not. I just want to know if he gave you my symbols or if you actually stole them," I told her.

Charlotte glared at me. "I stole them. I remember stealing them and Kessel getting pissed, then my mom found out and locked me in the attic where I summoned you." She sighed.

I nodded as I stared at her, she began going through her backpack again eventually pulling out a small flask. She uncapped it and took a deep drink.

"Charlotte, please don't do this," I pleaded with her.

Charlotte shuddered then frowned at me. "If you're going to act like a dick, then I might as well get drunk first before you try to fuck me over," She growled baring her teeth at me.

I bit my lip as I massaged one of my temples.

Today is going to be hell for me.

Atlas returned before Delilah carrying a bundle of rabbits with him and grinning. Delilah was still wet as she summoned her clothing or rather what little clothing she usually wore.

"Thank you for heating up the water Charlotte," Delilah said as she patted Charlotte's head.

Charlotte shrugged, "It's common courtesy," she mumbled as she took one of the rabbits that Atlas had.

At the moment the forest was quiet and still as though the whole environment was still sleeping.

I froze however when a large shadow passed overhead. "Woah look at that!" Atlas exclaimed sounding slightly shocked.

As I looked up I caught a glimpse of glinting green scales as a huge gust of wind swept over all of us. Trees swayed, bushes rustled and the air whistled.

"It's a migrating dragon," Atlas whispered.

"It's going to a volcano after all winter is coming soon," Charlotte told him.

She turned her attention back to her food and released a small puff of fire instantly cooking it. Then Charlotte opened her mouth wide revealing her two rows of sharp teeth as she stuffed half of the rabbit into her mouth.

A loud crunch entered my ears as Charlotte bit down and began to chew.

Atlas chuckled. "You eat food however you want don't you Charlotte?"

Charlotte shrugged as she began picking fur out of her teeth. "If it works it works,"

"From here we'll follow the main path to get to the village on the border of Nevada," Delilah said.

"You mean the one in tornado alley right? The city of were-creatures?" Atlas asked.

Delilah merely nodded. And soon after breakfast, everyone was ready to go.

~~~

As we walked I noticed that Charlotte practically refused to walk beside me. Hell, she didn't even talk to me and honestly it hurt me in a strange way.

Have I really lost her trust this much?

As we walked through the forest we soon encountered cars, tons of them rusting away in the clutches of overgrown grass.

Delilah pouted as she crossed her arms. "This is absolutely wasteful, no wonder the trees in this area are in pain," she grumbled.

Charlotte climbed on top of one of the cars. "They must have been here when our worlds collided. The overflowing and overwhelming magic destroyed them. I am surprised that they haven't been moved now that the magic is more stable here," she said as she leaped to the top of another car.

Atlas chuckled. "I'm willing to bet that's what happened too."

He knocked on the top of one of the cars only to stumble back when a crow flew out at him.

I snorted. "Afraid of your own kind?" I asked smiling.

Atlas rolled his eyes. "I'm part falcon not whatever that bird is!"

"It's a crow," I said correcting him.

Slightly ahead of us Charlotte continued to hop around on the cars.

"Be careful Charlotte," I called out however she refused to acknowledge me. I calmly watched as she took another drink from her flask.

There's no reason even trying, she stopped listening to me a long time ago.

I frowned as I released my demonic energy, it slithered across the ground like a snake before it reached up and snatched the flask from Charlotte.

As I retracted my energy and caught the flask Charlotte glared at me, practically turning red in the face as I crushed the item in my hand.

"We need you awake and alert, not drunk and stumbling around blindly," I told her calmly.

Atlas sighed then gave Charlotte a look of pity. "Do you want my flask Charlotte?" He asked.

The question was innocent enough but before I knew it I was yelling at him.

"Don't go enabling a fucking alcoholic you dumb bastard!"

It took me a moment to realize what I had said but the moment I did my hand covered my mouth and my eyes went wide.

Everyone went quiet however Charlotte let out a roar and dived toward me.

Before she could get to me though I vanished instantly going to the world I had created for certain moments like this.

It was a world that existed between my own world and Charlotte's, a sort of borderline place of my own creation that I had decorated to my taste.

For a moment I stood there in the fields of silver grass before I let out a sigh and sat down.

I really fucked up this time.

I nibbled on my claw as I thought of the consequence Charlotte might make me face.

She doesn't know how to break the contract, but she does know how to make sure I can't possess her again.

It was long before Delilah appeared in my world, she walked over to me and silently slapped me across the face.

"Fucking hell Ivo what in the world is wrong with you! I know I taught you to teach your contracts better than that!" She snapped.

I closed my eyes before I opened them again and looked at her. "Charlotte didn't tell me about Kessel that's the main problem," I whispered.

Delilah let out a frustrated sounding sigh. "And you're doing exactly what Kessel wants you, idiot! You're doubting your vessel and losing her trust all in one go!"

I didn't say anything because I knew Delilah was right. I was letting memories of the past drive Charlotte and I apart.

"I'm going to try and calm Charlotte down before she sets the forest on fire. I want you to stay here until we get to town. Hopefully, she'll have calmed down after some time." Delilah told me.

I just nodded however once she was gone I laid back in the grass. My face in my hands and let out a trembling sigh.

I'll be lucky if Charlotte even wants to talk to me.

After some time I ended up falling asleep only to wake up groggy to Charlotte's voice calling me.

Almost immediately I went to where she was teleporting myself into the lobby of a small hotel. The room looked old and homely, surprisingly it didn't stink of animal, in fact, the strongest smell was dust.

The woman behind the front desk jumped almost violently when I suddenly appeared.

Hesitantly I spoke to Charlotte. "What is it?"

She tossed me a key with a piece of plastic attached. "Atlas and I are going to share a room. And you and Delilah are sharing a room," she announced.

At first, I was going to ask her if she was honestly comfortable with sharing a room with a man she barely knows. But instead, I chose to keep my mouth shut as I looked at the key.

Charlotte gave me a small smirk before her and Atlas left.

Delilah chuckled as she glided over to me. "It's been so long since we had a room to ourselves. I think the first time it happened was when you were little."

"That's true, let's get to our room. I was sleeping and would very much like to get back to that," I mumbled.

The moment we arrived in the room I flopped down on the bed and let out a sigh. Delilah immediately took off the flimsy, see-through gown she called clothing. I glanced at her as she stretched letting out a sigh of satisfaction.

"You're okay with me being naked right? Atlas always makes me wear clothes but if he's not here then it's okay," She told me grinning.

I rolled my eyes. "Back when I first met you, I was a baby and you weren't wearing clothes back then, neither were any of the other nature type contract nymphs. Hell, even my mother only started wearing clothes because I was born. But at least I'm glad that I know that if crimes become legal you're going to start streaking again," I said in a bored tone as I turned on the tv.

Delilah pouted and crossed her arms concealing her nipples. "Clothing is so restrictive and...it feels so weird. When I can't feel the dirt and grass against my skin I start to feel depressed," she whimpered.

I shrugged before speaking, "Okay, first of all those gowns and dress you've been wearing are so sheer and see through that lingerie is less revealing than it. You might as well be wearing air. Secondly, how are you still afraid of fire?"

A light blush covered Delilah's face nearly turning it bright red as she looked down at the ground. "I can't help it. I create things of nature and in one swoop a good fire can destroy everything I've loved and helped build. It's an incredibly destructive force and that not only scares me, but it also saddens me," she whispered then looked at me.

"What are you afraid of Ivo?" She asked gently.

"I've told you before, so why are you asking again," I grumbled slightly irritated.

Delilah sat down on the edge of my bed her back to me and her legs crossed. "I'm asking because it's happening. What you fear is happening in full force and you don't know how to stop it. Your vessel is losing trust in you and beginning to hate you. You're afraid of that because you think it'll be Kessel all over again," she said gently as she played with strands of my hair.

I turned away from her frowning deeply as I stared at the wall. "Don't compare Charlotte and Kessel! They're nothing alike and I don't need your armchair psychology session," I hissed.

"Are you going to apologize to Charlotte before it continues to snowball?" She asked softly.

However, I ignored her closing my eyes and forcing myself to go to sleep.

~~~

Blood, there was so much blood.

It filled my nose, the scent was so thick I could taste it on my tongue. I began trembling as I looked down at my hands. They were covered in red, the blood dripped off my hand covering up my contract markings. In front of me lay my mother's body, around me was nothing but fire as the palace garden burned.

"The humans, t-those hunters," I whispered.

However, as I looked behind me my face met Kessel's he was sneering at me but as I froze he spoke. "I told you that I would achieve my dream Ivo, that I would kill a god," he said softly.

Suddenly a burning stinging pain swept through my body. I glanced down and saw Kessel twisting a knife in my back a look of pure ecstasy on his face. As I collapsed beside my mother's body, Kessel came and knelt in front of me holding my hand in his.

His contract markings were covered in the blood that was smeared all over his body. "Don't worry Ivo it'll be painless your life force is already fading. If you want to blame anyone then blame the King after all, if it wasn't for him Therions wouldn't be revered as gods to other creatures," he said gently.

I glared at him as blood coated my tongue and my vision dimmed.

"I...swear to you...that I...will end your life!" I growled my voice coming out in a gurgling rasp.

Kessel smiled as he leaned down and kissed me his lips brushing gently against mine. "Your mother is waiting for you on the other side."

~~~

I sprung up panting and a cold sweat covering my body. I ran a hand over my face as I glanced over a Delilah who lay asleep in her bed.

I sat on the edge of the bed for a few moments as I tried to catch my breath, almost as if to spite me a phantom pain throbbed in my lower back. I scowled as my hand instantly went to the scar.

I need to apologize to Charlotte now.

I stood up and left the room Delilah and I shared going to the room that Atlas and Charlotte shared.

I took a deep breath before I knocked on the door. It took a few moments for Atlas to answer. I noticed that he looked slightly tired his wings were fully extended however they slumped behind him.

"I need to talk to Charlotte," I told him.

Atlas frowned. "She's not here about an hour after we got to the room she left," he told me as he scratched the left side of his neck.

"Thank you," I told him. I had a pretty good idea of where Charlotte had gone.

As I turned to leave though Atlas called out to me. "Ivo wait!"

I turned to him frowning. "What is it?"

He looked away from me his face slightly pale. "This morning while I was hunting rabbits I...I accidentally saw Charlotte naked. But there were these...scars on her and I saw this really strange symbol on her back, between her wings. It didn't look like a tattoo it looked like a..." he trailed off not meeting my eyes.

I crossed my arms as I narrowed my eyes at him. "It looked like what?" I asked slowly.

"Um...it looked like someone branded her or something. It-" However before he could say anything else or insinuate something stupid I interrupted him.

"Her wings were clipped by some very bad, very disgusting people. They just started healing this past year. Now if you excuse me I have to go," I told him in an icy tone as I walked away.

Of all the fucking people to see Charlotte's scars, of course, it would be the person who asked the most questions.

I made my way outside and into the street, quickly I looked around before speaking with the nearest were-creature which was a woman.

"Do you know where the nearest bar is?" I asked quickly.

At first, the woman seemed incredibly shocked, her eyes went wide and she stared at me for a few moments before giving me directions.

I practically ran off in search of the bar, it wasn't long before I found it. However, before I could go in I heard some strange commotion from the nearby alleyway.

"...Please, Charlotte! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" A female voice cried I heard an enormous roar before the alleyway lit up briefly with a blast of fire.

I rushed down the alley only to find Charlotte and two other people. One was a large anthropomorphic dog man who was slumped up against the concrete wall. His left eye clawed out, his nose bit off, both of his ears were missing and his stomach was clawed open revealing glistening innards, a large pool of blood was beneath him.

Another was a Chimera woman in a skimpy, clingy dress she was alive but covered in claw wounds. Charlotte loomed over the woman her purple and black dragon scales covering her body which swayed from side to side.

A spot well above the woman's head was scorched from Charlotte's fire that I'd seen previously.

I rushed forward wrapping my arms around Charlotte restraining her, she thrashed in my arms blowing fire up into the air repeatedly.

"What did you fucking do!" I snapped at the woman.

She was crying and shaking as she answered me. "I-I know Charlotte from our village! We used to work together! I saw her leave the bar suggested we work together again b-but when I brought her back here and she saw my boyfriend she went fucking berserk!" She said frantically and quickly as she curled into a ball crying and whimpering. I noticed a thin line of urine trickling from beneath her.

"Leave Now!" I snapped and almost instantly the woman did what I said running out of the alley so fast it was like she teleported.

I stroked Charlotte's hair as I spoke. "Charlotte, it's okay the village is gone. You're here with me, Ivo," I told her softly. It took a while for Charlotte to stop growling and struggling the entire time I just sat there in the alley with her in my arms.

As she slowly came out of her episode though her scales receded until they were no longer there. Eventually, Charlotte was just sitting here panting and shivering in my arms.

Her episode finally stopped.

I let out a sigh of relief, however, I released Charlotte when she started struggling weakly in my arms. She stumbled away from me and leaned over as she began vomiting, nothing but bile and liquor coming up.

I got up and stood behind her gathering her hair in my hand as I rubbed her back with the other hand. It was then that I noticed that she was wearing the amethyst bracelet I gave her.

Not that it did much good.

"Fucking hell!" Charlotte growled as she finished.

She wiped her mouth as she turned to me. "You stopped me from killing her. You should've let me toast that bitch," she snapped her words slurring slightly. She looked tired more than anything.

However I grabbed her hand stroking her palm as I spoke, "Charlotte I'm sorry for everything I've done lately. I...I was blaming you for something Kessel did. And even though I know I shouldn't have I couldn't help it," I told her gently.

Charlotte frowned at me. "And what exactly did Kessel do to deserve your vengeful anger? He was nice to me before you came, he was protecting me when no one else would even think to!" She snapped.

I closed my eyes and turned around as I remove my suit jacket and shirt. I heard Charlotte gasp behind me when she saw my back when she saw the large scar that spread across my lower back.

"Back when we were children demon hunters and crusaders invaded our world. Many of my kind were killed before we managed to drive them away. Kessel...he was nearly killed as well. As he was dying in my arms though I... I did the only thing I could do I broke one of our biggest laws to save him," I whispered a sad smile on my face.

"I became his contract creature. Both of us were marked in these bright red runes that labeled us as traitors. My father, of course, was not happy, he said it was shameful that I would choose a friend over the ancient laws that bind us. And even though I didn't want to admit it, deep down I knew he was right. When I saved Kessel's life he woke up from the ritual strange. He told me that his dream was to kill the gods, to fix everything. I should've dealt with him there and then," I told her letting out a soft chuckle.

"But I didn't, I just couldn't bring myself to accept the truth. Me, being young and stupid I thought he meant the ones the humans revered. One day I was in the garden with my mother when suddenly everything went up in flames, Kessel killed my mother next he came and tried to kill me. He almost succeeded but my father managed to drive him away sealing him off from our world. That bastard literally stabbed me in the back and told me it was my family's fault because to other contract demons and supernatural creatures we were their gods," I explained to her gently.

Charlotte was silent for a few moments as she stared at me with wide eyes then, she wrapped her arms around me in a silent hug. "I...I didn't know. Kessel was so nice to me I just thought..." she whispered even though she didn't say it I knew what she meant.

I smiled slightly as I returned her hug, stroking her hair as I did. "It's okay I understand. Trust me Charlotte I do," I whispered as I held her close. I was just glad to have her trust back again. And this time I wouldn't let what happened with Kessel, happen to Charlotte.