Welcome back to Hello Charlotte everyone. I hope that you are enjoying the story. Please remember to VOTE and COMMENT it means a lot to me and I like talking to you guys. Also please click the video it goes with the chapter. The song is What it's like by Everlast. ~XOXO BUTTERBALL~

Dedicated to Xolsolz
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-Charlotte-

They just keep staring at me, like I'm a circus freak. I definitely should've asked for a long sleeved shirt.

I stopped walking as I noticed a large commotion ahead of me and at the front of it stood two female chimeras.

One had white hair and tan skin with a black and white tiger tail. Her ears were curved. I scowled when her light gray eyes met mine.

Her hands were covered in smooth white fur, one hand currently held the hilt of a well-used sword.

The other woman was older, with the horns of an ox curving out from beneath her dark brown hair. She wore an emerald green robe with golden symbols. She also had golden rings adorning her horns and two smaller ones on the tip of her lion-like tail. A small splatter of freckles covered her cheeks.

The tiger chimera kinda has some of Atlas's features. A sister maybe?

"And who are you? Wait, let me guess you're one of my son's horrific little friends," The tiger chimera woman asked as she approached me.

I frowned as I slowly blinked at her. "One of your son's...friends?" I whispered. I looked her up and down then, I spoke. "You're Atlas's mom?"

He must take after his dad. Considering how he looks. But he does have her tiger stripes.

"Would you relax Melody," The older woman asked as she approached us. "Not all of the people he associates with are strange creatures like that woman."

She looked at me with a small smile on her face. "Hello young one, I am this village's elder. You may call me Vel. Please excuse my daughter's aggressive attitude."

I nodded slowly as I forced myself to ignore the stares of disgust that surrounded me.

So much for paranormals sticking together.

"It's all right ma'am I'm used to it. Um...my name is Charlotte." I told her hesitantly.

Vel nodded then motioned me to follow her. "Would you like to have some tea?" She asked as I followed her.

Melody was not that far behind and I could feel her glare practically boring a hole through my skull.

"If you don't mind me asking a question, why do you have your son living on the outskirts of the village?" I asked softly.

Melody let out a snort as a small smirk appeared on her face. "I wanted to kill the fucker but, Elder Vel became a bit sentimental."

Vel turned to face Melody a scowl on her face. "He's my grandson and your son, honey. And we're all he has. I just don't understand why you hate him to such a degree," she sighed softly.

Melody crossed her arms. "I had only one son and now he's gone too. I don't know how you can take his side pretending like he's not a monster!" She snarled then turned to face me.

"And you, as far as I'm concerned you're worse than Atlas. Pretty much on the same level of the Aveon foundation. I see those enormous markings you have, and I know you must've killed a lot of people to get them. You better be gone very soon or I'm coming for your head," she growled baring her fangs at me.

I watched her walk away before I let out a loud sigh. "What, a bitch," I grumbled.

"As I've said before I'm sorry about my daughter's temper. Her anger is misdirected. It happens when you lose someone close to you, all you feel is pain and anger. But I'm sure that you know about that," Vel explained.

I frowned as I looked at her. "Why do you people keep assuming I killed someone or multiple someones?"

She reached out her hand, taking hold of my arm as she examined my runes. "Well, the main reason is these. I've seen Atlas's markings and compared to yours his sins are practically invisible. It takes a lot of things to get markings like yours. I bet that your creature is a true beast. Nearly uncontrollable," she told me in a gentle tone.

I pulled my arm away as I forced myself not to shiver, her touching my markings was making my skin crawl. "Well Elder Vel, how I obtained these is no one's business but my own. Even if I bring hell along with me it's no one's business but my own," I said slowly as I stared into her eyes.

She shuddered as she turned away. "If you say so. But I still advise you to be careful. A monster unlike anything I've ever seen lurks behind your eyes," she warned me.

I let out a sigh of relief when she left me alone.

"Huh, that old woman is pretty perceptive. I dislike people like her," Ivo said as he appeared next to me. His face had returned to its usual pale color and he honestly did look a bit better. Nearby a small child ran away screaming at his sudden appearance however I just smiled.

"You mean that you dislike people who you can't control," I chuckled.

Ivo let out a snort. "If that were true you would've been dead a long time ago."

I rolled my eyes. "I suppose that you do have a point."

"Ivo! Over here, darling!"

I looked up to see Atlas approaching me with Delilah floating next to him.

"Let me guess you met my family?" Atlas asked.

"Yep, you also could've told me how off her rocker your mother was. When she wasn't threatening me every few moments she decided to have a glaring contest with the back of my skull," I informed him as I spoke with a fake cheerful sounding voice.

"Your newest contract is so adorable Ivo, what kind of chimera is she?" Delilah asked him as she floated in a circle around me.

"She's part dragon, antelope and a bit of cat," Ivo explained as he glanced at me.

Delilah reached out toward my head to pet me but I took a step back. "Please don't touch me," I whispered fearing that she would touch my markings.

For a moment Delilah pouted then she turned back to Ivo. "Oh yeah, Ivo I have something important to tell you. After all this time I thought you would've known."

"I'm sorry that my mom was such a bitch. But like other creatures, she's not exactly trusting of anyone with markings like the ones we have. Did my grandma treat you okay?" He asked smiling.

It was only then that I took note of the small blood splatters on his clothing.

I wonder what he killed.

"Yeah although she was a bit judgmental, she wasn't giving me death threats. First time in a while that I hadn't heard them," I told him.

Atlas let out a sigh of what sounded like relief. "That's good. Anyway, I promised to show you around so we should go."

I followed him back towards what I assumed was the market place, however, instead of the glares and resentment I saw before, a lot of people seemed scared. Too scared to even look at me in fact.

"Do you still feel okay Charlotte?" Ivo asked me softly.

His cold hands reached out and felt my forehead with the back of his hand. "Your fever has gone down a lot. You really worry me I hope you know that. You let yourself get so cold that you couldn't even put your scales up."

I let out a small chuckle. "Yeah my body was pretty much on the edge of hibernation, I'm surprised I could even stand up. And I know that you worry about you tell me a lot. It's either that or you're asking to possess me."

Ivo shrugged. "Can't really help it, after all, it's like being inside a warm and comfortable home. It's actually very soothing."

Delilah let out a snicker. "I know what you mean. Being inside a vessel is so comforting."

"As long as I know what you're doing to or with my body I don't care," Atlas told her bluntly.

"Yeah, it does get very odd when I come to in the woods with a squirrel in my mouth," I mumbled.

"So for you, it's more like passing out and sleepwalking?" Atlas asked me.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's something like that sometimes I can see what's going on though. What's it like for you?"

He shrugged. "Well, it's more like I get really tired and decided to take a small nap."

Ivo let out a chuckle. "It's different for everyone, some creatures prefer to conquer and control their vessels."

Oh yeah, that reminds me...

"Ivo, would you please tell me what exactly a Therion is? Your definition of eating people belongs to practically every supernatural creature and some crazed humans, " I asked.

He sighed and bit his lip as he stared at me. "A Therion is the paranormal version of a cannibal," he told me slowly the hesitation clear in his voice.

I scowled as I looked at him. "A supernatural cannibal? I'm going to need more info than that."

"Well darling what it basically means is that the main food Ivo eats is his own kind and other supernatural creatures. He drains them dry of everything until they're nothing but dust. The creature's life is gone along with their soul. Remember what he did to the lovely spider demon that found you two in the snow?" Delilah explained.

I shuddered as I remembered all the times he'd grabbed people with that therion hand and they just mummified. In an instant, they'd be nothing but paper thin skin and brittle bones.

No wonder other creatures are afraid of him. He eats them like dehydrated fruit!

"Charlotte, as long as I've been by your side I can tell when you're thinking rude things about me," Ivo whispered into my ear, his cool breath spanning across my neck.

After Atlas showed me around his medium sized village I returned to his house.

"Oh yeah, you never told me why you were well, in maximum security, Aveon foundation prison," Atlas asked as he held the front door open.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, from what I remember it was because I'm apparently a mass murderer and a heretic. You know just your normal demonic contract holder stuff," I sighed as I laid down on my stomach right on the floor.

Well, I was technically looking for someone, but then the plan became a bit useless when I was contained for nearly twenty four hours a day.

However, since I didn't really know Atlas I just kept quiet and moved my tail up so that it laid next to me.

Atlas let out a long whistle. "Sounds like the stereotypical stuff. Let me guess human hunters nearly killed you trying to catch you?"

I smiled slightly. "Yep, I'm going to take a crazy guess and assume you got the same treatment?"

He shrugged. "Something like that but it came from my mother and this village. You'd be amazed by how many people are willing to beat your face in when you're tied up," he told me.

I looked down at the floor and for a few moments, I was silent. "Oh don't worry, I can understand. After all, I had a very specific reason for summoning Ivo. Just like you had reasons for summoning Delilah."