Welcome back to Hello Charlotte everyone. I hope that you enjoy this chapter, I worked hard on it. Please remember to VOTE and COMMENT, it means a lot to me plus I love chatting with you guys. Also, please remember to click on the video it goes with the chapter. ~XOXO BUTTERBALL~

The song is This is Gospel (Piano version) by Panic at the Disco.

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-Ivo-

I laid in my realm as I carefully read through the book I had take from Charlotte. However with every page I just became angrier and angrier.

"Get up Ivo."

I stood up and glared at my Father, he stood there with his arms crossed wearing his king's outfit. When my mother told my father that I'd grow up to look exactly like him she was right. The only difference was there were no scales on his body, his hair was a lot shorter only chin length, he had a light beard. And due to age, his hair was peppered with grey.

He's in his formal clothing looks like I dragged him away from a meeting.

Vincent let out a sigh. "So you finally call me. After you disappear for seven years, you only talked to me once during your time away! Do you know how worried I was? I thought that you were dead, I thought I had failed Elise again you little fucking bastard!"

I flinched at the mention of mom's name but held my ground.

"Why didn't you fucking tell me?" I growled out.

My father rolled his eyes. "Ivo, son what in the hell are you talking about?"

I threw the book on the ground between us. "You never told me about this book! You never even fucking told me what was in it!" I snapped.

My father however just stared at the book before he slowly reached down and picked it up. "You...Ivo where in the world did you get this?" He asked slowly.

I let out a sad laugh. "My contract, Charlotte had it. Kessel gave it to her," I whispered.

Vincent's eyes widened. "You're still contracted to that girl?" He asked sounding both horrified and shocked.

I wiped a hand over my eyes as they began to sting. "You always told me it was my fault mom died. And you were right! Are you fucking happy now? I brought Kessel back and me being his contract demon made his soul start to rot!"

My father flinched. "Even if I had warned you, it would not have stopped you from doing it. That boy was practically your brother!"

I glared at him. "You didn't tell me. You didn't say anything even when you found out about Charlotte! I'm fucking killing her!"

My father bit his lip. "Does she know how to read this book?"

I looked at him as though he was crazy. "Of course she can! She knew before I did!" I snapped.

He let out a sighed. "Ivo...I didn't tell you because I didn't know what would happen. You were a child a smart child but still a child. I didn't want you to worry about this stuff, but I tried when our village was attacked I tried my best to find you and Kessel because I knew what you would do if he died. That's why the Taboo exists so that our kind won't do that to our fellow contract demons" he told me gently.

I wiped my hand over my eyes as I shook my head. "I drove Kessel crazy, it says right in that book that a rotting soul causes emotional, mental and power instability. But Kessel's smart, he-he knows what's happening to him. Charlotte does too but she's less likely to care," I whispered.

It was a moment before he spoke. "Ivo the only way to slow the process is to break the contract. You've been with her way to long to stop the process completely," he said as he wrapped me in his arms.

I hugged him back as I shook my head. "I can't. I don't want to abandon her. I can't betray her like that," I whispered.

My father pulled back to look me in the eye. "You love her, don't you Ivo?" He asked gently.

I nodded which caused him to chuckle slightly. "Yeah, I know the feeling." He said with a sad smile on his face.

I couldn't help but smile a bit. "Mom would've loved her, it would've taken a bit for mom to get used to her because Charlotte is part cat but she would've loved Charlotte. Even Delilah loves her, in a kinda non-platonic way though I believe."

"I know it's hard Ivo, but if you love her you have to let her go. I know that you don't want her to end up like Kessel. I can see it in your eyes that you fear that the most. If you want I'll be there for you while you break your contract." He told me softly.

I don't want to, in fact, the mere thought of it makes my chest hurt and my stomach churn. But I don't want to be the cause of Charlotte's death when I can prevent it. I already lost Kessel and my mother, I can't lose her because I was being stupid.

"Alright, please come with me father I can't do this on my own," I pleaded with him.

"You don't have to worry son, I'll be right next to you," he reassured me.

Then we used our demonic energy to leave my created realm.

~~~

We appeared in front of Delilah, Atlas, and Charlotte who were sitting inside the empty dragon den we'd set up camp in. All of them were drinking and talking around a small fire with the small baby dragon sitting next to Charlotte.

At the moment Charlotte was feeding it bloody chunks of meat that had been our breakfast earlier that day. However when we appeared everyone froze.

Charlotte spoke first after looking back and forth between me and my father. "Ivo, you didn't tell me your mother was a printer. Holy shit," she said.

Delilah gasped. "King Vincent! W-what are you doing here?"

My father waved at Delilah before walking up to Charlotte. "So you're my son's contract. You reek of many animals and look odd, but that is to be expected of a Chimera."

Charlotte's tail began to wave as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Good to know that being an asshole is hereditary. And I don't wanna hear that from King of the Owls himself," she snapped.

My father's eyes widened as everyone went quiet, however after a moment or two Delilah began to laugh softly.

"Charlotte it's rude to talk to royalty like that," she forced out as she laughed.

Charlotte turned to her. "Delilah, an asshole is an asshole no matter the status they have. And an owl is an owl no matter what it looks like. This fucking asshole is both," she said sounding completely confident as she took another drink from her cup of liquor.

She tossed another piece of meat toward the baby dragon. Delilah began laughing louder as she fell on her stomach her whole body shaking.

Delilah looked at my father a grin on her face. "Does she remind you of anyone Vincent?"

My father smiled slightly as he turned to me. "You're right Elise would've loved her. In fact, I can see why you do," he told me.

I nodded as I bit my lip.

"Ivo are you alright? You don't look too good," Delilah asked gently as she sat up.

I let out a sigh and stepped forward. "I need to tell you all something important," I told them.

Suddenly everyone was quiet as they stared at me. It took me a moment but I was finally able to speak. "It was my fault that Kessel went crazy when I brought him back," I told them making sure to speak loud and clearly.

"No, it wasn't Ivo you know that," Delilah said almost instantly.

"Yeah Ivo, it's not your fault," Charlotte reassured me.

"Yes, it fucking is!" I snapped which made everyone flinch. "The book that I took from Charlotte was a book passed down to Therions in the royal family. It states how Therions shouldn't form contracts, and how people forming contracts with Therions should only do it if under extreme desperation or under life and death situation," I whispered.

Delilah frowned as she sat up. "That doesn't sound, right? In fact, it conflicts what I taught you in school. Are you sure that's what it says Ivo?" She asked looking confused.

Charlotte was silent however though as she just stared at me.

I nodded. "I'm sure. It has to do with the way we eat, you know how we basically drain a person of their energy and power through their souls which kills them. When we form a contract we begin to feed on our contractor's soul which causes it to rot. And when someone's soul is rotting it causes emotional, mental and power instability. Once it's gone that person dies. I brought Kessel back I ruined him," I told them then I let out loud laugh. "I always said that Kessel came back wrong, I was right years before I even knew what I'd done to him!"

Delilah and Atlas's eye were wide and they both went pale. Charlotte, however, didn't say anything but a sad look was on her face as she sipped more of her alcohol.

Delilah stood up and marched over to my father. "I can tell by the look on your face that you knew Vincent, so why didn't you fucking tell him or me or Elise someone besides you that would've been able to stop Ivo!"

My father sighed. "I didn't know he would ever bring Kessel back, in fact, that's why the taboo exists so that we won't cannibalize our friends, or families with that type of curse! I realized now that I should've said something if it's anyone's fault it's mine for keeping quiet. For thinking that just because he was a child he wouldn't understand."

He approached Charlotte again his eyes running over her contract marking that glowed faintly blue then his eyes met hers. "I'm so, sorry that I let this happen Charlotte. Especially when you and my son mean so much to each other."

Charlotte shrugged as she poured more liquor into her cup. "Ivo said that a contract with a Therion should only be done in either life or death situations or in cases of extreme desperation. I hate to say it but for both mine and Kessel's cases, it was a life or death situations. Kessel was at death's door when Ivo saved him and my mother had locked me in the attic when I had summoned Ivo. When we forged a contract he opened the attic door to find her coming up the stairs with a knife, so technically the appropriate 'conditions' were met. Ivo I don't hate you, in fact, if I'm completely honest...I really love you." She told us with a grin on her.

"You shouldn't be thankful Charlotte! Hell, you should absolutely despise me! These  seven years I've been killing you, for all I know it might be accelerated because I used a lot more power than necessary!" I snapped.

Charlotte frowned but still seemed unphased. "I feel fine and I say that it's okay. Besides the extra power, you used may be acting as a wall." She said calmly.

"Charlotte...I love you. I can't be the death of you, I don't want to kill you. We need to break off our contract," I said softly and slowly.

Instantly Charlotte's expression changed as she crushed the cup in her hand, her breathing picked up. "What do you mean Ivo? I-I said I'm fine, I said that it didn't matter to me. You're not serious are you?" She asked frantically. As she hyperventilated her black and purple scales began to cover all of her skin, the baby dragon next to her whimpered and nudged her leg.

"I have to Charlotte, I'll still be here I just have to break our-" I was cut off as Charlotte darted over to me wrapping her arms around me as tight as she could.

After a minute or two, her wavering voice reached my ears. "Please, Ivo...please don't abandon me. Not you too," she whispered as tears gathered in her eyes.

I held her close stroking her hair as I spoke. "Charlotte, don't cry. Please don't cry..." I pleaded with her.

However, she didn't say anything. I felt her small hands gripping my sweater as though it was her last tie to earth. Her crying made my chest physically hurt.

I looked at my father tears gathering in my own eyes. "I can't. I'm not strong enough, I can't abandon her like this. I won't," I whispered.

My father simply nodded. "I understand. When you told me you were still with her after all these years I knew you wouldn't be able to do it," he told me.

He narrowed his eyes as he quietly stared at Charlotte then his eyes widened. "She was right about the wall. I can see it, it's faint and deteriorating but it's there. If we combine our power and make a new it should make one that'll stay around for years," He told me softly.

"Will that really work?" I asked softly.

"It should, especially if the wall you made by accident is still holding up," he said with a small smile.

Charlotte looked up at me sniffling. "D-does that m-mean we can stay together Ivo?" She asked me as her voice wavering.

I gave her a small smile as I petted her between her horns. "Even if it didn't I couldn't bring myself to leave you," I reassured her.

Delilah let out a sigh. "That's a relief I've gotten so used to you being here that I couldn't imagine our little group without you."

Atlas chuckled. "I know I'd miss talking to you especially when we're both on watch. Plus I don't have any clue how to calm down Charlotte like you do."

"I'm warning you before we do this Charlotte that it will hurt. But once it's done it'll stay for years," Father told her.

"I don't care as long as Ivo can stay bound to me." She answered.

She hesitantly detached herself from me.

"You're going to have to take off your shirt and lie down," Father said.

Charlotte nodded and took off her shirt, I noticed my father staring at her scars before he shook his head. Charlotte rolled up her shirt using it as a pillow as she laid down on her back. Delilah drew the ritual circle we needed from the book using her flowers and branches.

Atlas looked away while Delilah looked on interest clear on her face, as she stared at Charlotte who lay in the middle of the circle. My father knelt on one side of Charlotte as I knelt on the other.

"Ivo you're going to have to gather as much demonic energy as you can in your therion hand then you're going to hand the demonic energy to me. I'll combine it with my demonic energy and insert it around her soul with my therion hand," he explained.

"Father with all due respect I'd like to insert it," I told him.

His eyes went wide before he smiled. "I understand."

As my father began gathering demonic energy in his therion hand I began to do the same. The den seemed to drop a few degrees, after a few moments or two my father handed me his compressed ball of black demonic energy. Both of us were sweating from the effort. I leaned over Charlotte the demonic energy grasped in my hand.

"Are you ready?" I asked her.

Charlotte nodded a slight smile on her face. I began to insert my hand into her chest allowing it to past through her like a ghost. Instantly Charlotte gasped her face draining of color, she gritted her teeth. Almost instantly her lips became a light blue color as her back arched. Her scales rolled over her skin as she let out a sound that was something between a groan and a moan. For minute or two she went completely and horrifyingly still, which made my own panic wash over me with a cold wave, I almost stopped the ritual however before I could Charlotte took in a deep breath, shuddered slightly and coughed.

I bit my lip as I held back a sigh of relief.

Almost there Charlotte, I'm sorry.

She reached up towards me her hands grasping at my neck until she was able to grasp me and pull me down, her cold lips meeting mine. Her thoughts entered my head and I had to force myself not to freeze in shock.

'I love you Ivo. I can't put into words how happy I am that you won't abandon me. I don't think I'd make it if you did. So whatever it takes I want to stay with you.'

I could see her soul, it was surrounded by a small, thin black ring. The amount of relief I felt when I didn't see any strange spots on her soul actually made me dizzy with relief. Carefully I made a circle around the old ring with my fingers. The demonic energy seemed to slide off and form a larger, thicker blacker circle around it. Suddenly Charlotte's contract markings emitted a bright blinding white light.

Quickly I snatched my hand out of her chest as I drew back which made Charlotte gasp and shudder. For a few moments we both were completely still.

"Does it feel okay?" I asked Charlotte.

She nodded and grinned. "Yeah, it did hurt but now my chest just feels cold."

I couldn't help but grin back.

Charlotte sat up and put her shirt back on. My father got to his feet. "I must be going. I still have paperwork to do," he said.

However, Charlotte grabbed his hand. "Please stay King Vincent, I'd love to not only hear more about young Ivo and his mom. But I'd also love to drink you under the table."

My father turned to her his eyes narrowed, a playful light in them. "Is that a challenge child? If so, of course, I can stay, if only for the night."

"Yeah, Vincent come party with us!" Delilah reclaimed.

And so my father decided to stay the night, and we all had a good time if only for a brief moment.