I haven't been able to get any story art done, but here some college art I had to do🥳

Aria's POV

He kept his claws in my neck the entire time he forced me to walk with him. My breaths came shakily, tears falling from my lashes.

A few short hiccups would leave me every now and then, but other than that I was silent.

"You know, this truly was supposed to be more fun than this," Xander said matter of factly, "I was having lots of fun, my dear! Playing games with you, I mean, I was going to give you quite the death," he chuckled.

My eyes stayed glued to the floor, my hands wringing in front of me and fidgeting nervously.

His lair was huge.

I don't know where he's taking me, but we've been walking forever.

"Oh come on, don't you talk?" He asked, and then tsk'd, "you could at least make this interesting. Beg, maybe?"

My eyes widened then, and I got a flashback of my first time meeting Alastor.

When he asked me why I don't beg.

"Why the fuck would I beg you for anything." I hissed at him vehemently, "you sick freak."

He laughed at that, and shoved me to the concrete. I whimpered softly at the pain of getting scraped, and turned over to look at him, my ears lowering.

He stared down at me, that same smile, same shit eating confidence.

"I'm going to do horrible things to you, my dear," he purred at me, leaning forward, "horribly beautiful things~"

Then, with absolutely no warning he grabbed me by the hair. I cried out, immediately trying to pry him from my scalp. Of course he's stronger than me, so my pitiful hits did nothing to him.

If anything, he likes it.

Dragging me across the floor, I kept getting flashback after flashback.

Except this time I don't have a vase to break.

I don't have Alastor.

Xander yanked me roughly to my feet by my hair. Then immediately slammed me against a wall. He was breathing roughly, a psychotic smile on his face.

His hand was around my throat in an instant, and my legs felt weak. I grabbed his wrist and sobbed quietly.

He chuckled, then pulled me forward and slammed me back again, making my head crack against the wall.

I gasped, white spots clouding my vision as a white hot pain burst through my head. I could taste blood when I coughed.

"Our friend Alastor sent a little spy to visit me..." he growled, getting close to my face, "she lured him away from you for me," he chuckled darkly.

There was a bite behind his words. Anger. Looking into his eyes, I could see the pain he was hiding. I've grown so used to Alastor hiding his emotions from me, I can basically read eyes like a book.

In this case, the one eye that was available for me to read was wide and psychotic...and hurt.

He's hurting.

"Who hurt you, huh...?" I whispered to him, my hands still clutching his wrist.

His smile faltered and he narrowed his gaze slightly. Confusion passed through his eyes momentarily before he tightened his grip on my throat.

"Shut up." He seethed, but I felt like I was throwing him off. Maybe if I can get under his skin, I can distract him long enough for someone to find me.

Maybe...

"You've been hurt..." I choked slightly, my eyes widening when he slowly started lifting me off the ground. My toes fought to stay touching the concrete, but eventually I was just kicking.

"I can see right through you—!" I gasped out, my windpipe slowly closing as he tightened his fist. Growls rolled through his chest.

"So what if I have. Haven't we all?!" He cackled, "haven't we all been just a little bit abused?! This world is ugly and dark and I embrace the darkness! There's nothing you or any other miserable cretin could say to me to sway my thoughts—I may be broken but so are you!" He yelled, a wide smile splitting his features.

I was gasping for air, staring into his eyes. He was holding me level with him, so my feet were about a foot off the ground.

"You are a problem...a pest, an insect, and a fucking whore!" He screamed at me, his words becoming steadily louder.

He tilted his head, and then threw me across the room. I hit the opposite wall, and gasped. I began to cough heavily, blood coating my lips and my tongue.

Tears welled in my eyes from the pain, my arm feeling like it was broken.

He was on me in an instant, "you corrupted one of the most influential men in all of hell!" He growled as he once again yanked me up by my hair.

I was still regaining my breath, my lips quivering as I desperately tried to ward him off of me.

He started to laugh.

"Look at you! So fucking pitiful, so damn helpless...just a little female, nothing more nothing less. Nothing special!" His fist came down onto my cheekbone, sending me back down to the concrete floor.

Blood sprayed from my mouth, my limbs trembling.

It seems like forever since I've been in this this situation. Cowering, trembling...weak.

I am not weak.

Taking a deep breath, I sucked in a hiss as I pushed my body off the ground. Slowly I stood back up, steadying myself and looking at the man in front of me.

He looked surprised, and I smiled at him, knowing my smile was coated with blood.

"Fuck you."

He scoffed, taking a few slow steps towards me. I backed into the wall, and he got unnecessarily close to me.

He leaned down slightly, one of his hands coming up and very gently brushing my hair from my face.

Then abruptly he took my jaw between his fingers roughly and forced me to look at him. His claws pressed against my cheeks, and I felt blood begin to trickle down my face.

"Foul words for a lady," he tsk'd, then smiled wider.

I quickly put my hands against his chest, trying to shove him back.

"Get off of me!" I growled, but he didn't budge. He brought his thumb to my lips and brushed it across my trembling bottom lip.

"Shhhhhh..." he hushed me, then hummed slightly, "I have a surprise for you..." he whispered.

My breath caught, and then he let go of me. I tried to move, but I was stuck. It was like when we first met and he paralyzed me.

He stepped back away from me, a big smile on his face before he snapped his fingers. My eyes widened completely when Angel Dust appeared by his side, bound at the wrists.

Angel was badly beaten, and his wide eyes were terrified until they found me.

"Tootsie!" He called to me and I gasped shakily.

My eyes immediately went to Xander, terror and anger burning through me.

"We made a fucking deal!" I screamed at him, fighting against his spell, hot tears brimming in my eyes and making my vision blurry.

He tsk'd and laughed, shaking his head.

"My dear, my dear..." he chuckled, "I believe I said anyone inside the hotel, did I not?" He cooed.

Then he pouted and fluffed Angel's hair, making the poor spider wince.

"I found this lad outside a club in pentagram square!" He chirped, and I shook my head, realization setting in.

He tricked me.

Then even more horror swept through me when he threw Angel to the ground. He placed his hands behind his back and circled him, humming in thought.

"Why do you even want him!" I cried out, "just kill me, you don't need to hurt them!" I sobbed, and he threw his head back and laughed like I'd said something funny.

"I don't need to do any of this, darling!" He cackled, "I like doing it! I like seeing the pain in your eyes, I like seeing the pain in his eyes," he said before he kicked Angel.

I screamed and my body burned as I thrashed against the invisible restraints.

"And it's going to be especially fun killing this whore and making you watch!" He said sickly, a wild look in his eye. Suddenly a large shadow appeared, it looked just like Xander.

The shadow grabbed Angel, and I watched in horror as Xander stared down at Angel on his knees.

"Angel!" I cried out, and he chuckled weakly, shaking his head. He looked over at me, and I could just stare helplessly into his eyes.

"It isn't cha' fault, doll face..." he said softly, "I love you, baby," he said with a gentle smile, "you actually made me wanna be better...so thank you for the brightness you brought t' my life...you brought to all our lives...Alastor wasn't nearly the man he is today before he met you," Angel spoke softly.

Xander scoffed, "that's the problem," he grumbled, and then waved his hand. A staff similar to Alastor's appeared in his fist, except, instead of a microphone his had a skull.

The skull had a crystal eye identical to his, and he lifted the staff. The end sharpened and he positioned it as if he were going to stab Angel.

I struggled, kicking and yanking against my restraints. One of my arms came free and I slowly started coming loose.

Xander was too focused on Angel to even notice me, and I frantically scrambled to get free, breathing heavily.

"Say Goodnight, whore." Xander seethed at Angel, and I finally freed myself, sprinting to them.

"No!" I cried out, sliding in front of Angel. I put my hand out and shut my eyes tightly, waiting to feel the staff stab through my chest.

Instead a shattering sound rang out through the lair, and my eyes opened. I gasped when Xander was staring wide eyed at his now shattered staff.

Then his gaze shifted to me.

My hand that I'd lifted was adorned with my ring that Alastor gave me. It was glowing brightly, and I looked at my hand slowly. My fingers trembled slightly and I stood up.

I squared my chest at him and held my arms out.

"Hurt me." I said through grit teeth, "not him."

Xander was a bit taken aback, but quickly composed himself and threw the shattered staff to the side. He growled lowly, and I felt my body get restrained by what I'm assuming is the shadow.

It lifted me up and exposed my stomach and chest, leaving me vulnerable. My chest rose and fell heavily as my heart pounded against my ribs.

Soon Xander was directly in front of me, and he looked beyond angry.

My eyes closed, and I said a small prayer.

Then I whispered my last words.

"I love you, Alastor..."

Alastor's POV

The road was just as vast as I remember it being. It seemed to stretch on forever, the desert never ending.

My mind was set on one thing and that was going to Xander's lair...

And killing that motherfucker.

I was driving as fast as this car could go, the scenery passing by in a blur. I'd been on the road now for probably 3 hours.

Aria is probably awake by now...I wish I could've kissed her one last time. Felt her hands in my hair or her lips against mine...heard her soft laugh.

As if I deserve any of that.

Suddenly my shadow frantically grabbed me, shaking me and trying to get my attention.

I nearly crashed the car, and I snarled, looking over at him.

"What!" I growled, and he quickly opened a portal and showed me Aria sprinting through the woods. My eyes widened and my breath caught.

"What is she doing!" I nearly screamed, worry shooting through my chest. Just then she broke the barrier, and I felt like my world came to a halt.

The portal glitched and became fuzzy, the signal going awry. Then Xander was behind her as she seemed to be yelling something.

He snatched her.

And they were gone.

"No, Aria!" I cried out, and my grip tightened on the steering wheel as my teeth clenched.

The peddle was to the floor, the engine of the car growling as I flew down this abandoned road. The speedometer steadily rose.

120

160

200

It still wasn't fast enough. I won't make it there fast enough to save her, so I took one hand off the steering wheel and snapped my fingers.

Myself and the entire car both teleported to pentagram city, and I didn't slow down at all as I sped towards the hotel.

While teleportation is helpful, and convenient...doing it for long distances takes power. Power that I have, but I can't risk being below 100 percent going into this fight.

Not now that he has my Aria...

When the hotel came into view, I screeched to a halt, the scent of burning rubber becoming potent in the air. The car nearly fell apart right there as I stumbled out of it, slamming the door open so hard it flew off the side of the vehicle.

Some poor soul just happened to be standing near me, and I needed to replenish my strength and power after transporting myself and this car across half the pentagram.

Growling, I grabbed the demon and snapped their neck so they didn't feel any pain before I ate them.

There's a time I would've loved to hear them scream while I tore their flesh away, but all I could think of was Aria.

And how she would want me to be merciful.

I tore into the small corpse as I stormed up to the hotel, and slammed the door open, spitting out a bone and not caring that I'm now drenched in blood.

Vaggie was the first one to see me, and she completely paled at my appearance.

Ignoring her, I called out for Charlie.

"Charlotte!" I called, "Charlie!"

Suddenly she ran into the room and then immediately gasped when she saw me.

"Oh my gosh! Alastor are you hurt?" She scrambled to me and checked me for injuries, but I swatted her off and grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her still.

"Charlie where are those keycards!" I practically begged her, "he has her!"

Charlie's eyes widened and she fumbled around her coat, trying and failing to find them until one last pocket.

She yanked them out and handed them to me.

"One to get there, and one to get back..." she said, "make it count."

I'd never heard her sound so serious, and I thanked her before going to one of the hotel walls and slapping the card against it.

It slid to the floor, doing nothing.

I picked it up and tried again...and it did the same thing.

"No..." I choked, slapping the card against the wall multiple times, "open! Fucking open!" I worriedly yelled, and then turned to Charlie.

She looked horrified, but then I felt something touch my arm.

I snapped my eyes to whatever it was and was surprised to see Vaggie staring back at me.

"Maybe he locked you out..." she suggested, and reached forward, taking the card from my hand gently.

I watched her closely, and then when she placed the card against the wall and it fizzled before the edges opened into a door, my smile perked up.

I grabbed her face happily and kissed her forehead quickly, squeezing her cheeks slightly.

"Thank you, insect!" I said to her, and she swatted me off of her.

"Gross." She growled, wiping her forehead and making me chuckle amusedly.

Without another word, I walked through the doorway.