A drawing I did of Vaggie's redesign.

***Shade's POV***

I am laying on the floor face first, paralyzed and angry. How dare he thinks he can do this to me. To Hope. Hope won't remember this though. She doesn't remember anything when I am in control. Which is how I like it. It's how I have protected her from all the horrible fucked up shit her abusive aunt and cousins have tried putting her through.

That's my job. Protecting Hope. Right now, though it looks like I suck at my job, but no one knows all the shit I have already protected her from.

I won't let him even try to touch her. He will not lay his filth hands on her. Not as long as I am here.

I search through Hope's memories and find a spell she briefly looked at. It was a spell that makes the one that casts it immune to poisons and reverses the effects of poison for those already poisoned. It only lasts for two minutes when at full effect. It also may take 30 seconds to a minute to take effect.

You know what two minutes is more than enough to teach this ass a lesson.

I mutter the spell under my breath. To him though it might look like I muttered something else. Slowly I feel the paralyzing effects of the poison fade. Just before I can feel like I can move again he speaks.

"What's wrong Hope? Angry you're still the same as ever. Sad. Pathetic. Weak." He says in a condescending tone.

After he says that I move to try and get up. His eyes widen in shock.

"No, I'm not. I am going to kick your ass and show you how strong I am." I say finally getting to my feet.

Not long after I stand, I feel the spell take full effect. I have two minutes to kick his ass. Plenty of time.

He is still shocked and before he could snap out of it, I use Hope's powers and form a few daggers out of crystal. After I throw them at him does he snap out of it and try to defend himself.

None of the daggers stab him but he is cut up pretty good. He looks at me in pain and anger. He's really pissed off now. I summon a crystal dagger, ready to fight him off.

Forgetting about his speed he closes the distance between us in no time. Just as he is about to slice up my face again, I duck and dodge. I use the dagger to slice up his chest a bit before plunging the dagger deep into his tail.

He let's out a cry of pain. Before I could pull the dagger out to do more damage, he uses his tail to hit me. The hit sends me flying back a bit.

Ignoring the pain racking my body, I stand back up. Unfortunately, I hadn't been keeping very good track of the time. A couple of seconds after I stand, I feel the numbing sensation of his poison coming back.

Fuck.

Two minutes went by quick. I am about to fall again. But this time though I feel someone catch me. I look up and see it's Alastor holding me up.

From the short look I got of his face I could have sworn I saw intense anger behind that smile of his. Was I actually right when I said he likes her? When I said that I was joking, but from that quick glance I would say I was correct.

"Pardon me, but this is not how others are going to be treating our employees. I strongly suggest you leave and not come back until you can show the proper respect for our staff." Alastor says in a polite tone with deep anger hidden beneath it.

Karl lets out a deep growl as if he wanted to say something or fight back. He was not that dumb though. He backs off and left. Before he completely left, he turns and glares at me. As if he was saying this isn't over.

After he left Alastor picked me up and began carrying me somewhere. I asked him where he was taking me. He told me he was taking me to my room. I wanted to make a joke about that, but I know this isn't the time for that.

As soon as we get there the door is locked so he has to teleport us inside. Teleportation was definitely a new and interesting experience. That kind of feeling will take some getting used to.

Alastor walks over and lays me down on the bed. Before I could ask what, he is doing he has a shadow take a handkerchief into the bathroom. Shortly after it goes in there, I hear the faucet of the sink turn on then off.

The shadow comes back with a wet handkerchief and hands it to Alastor. He then wipes the dried blood off my face and neck. He holds his hand over my face where the slice Karl gave me was and I felt a tingling sensation in my face.

I can only guess that he healed it. He lays his hand on the wound on my neck and once again I feel the tingling. Only this time it spreads through my whole body. Once the tingling sensation fades regain the feeling in my body again.

Slowly I begin to move and eventually I get to a sitting position. I look toward Alastor and sigh.

"Alright what do you want?" I ask knowing he is going to want something for this.

"What do you mean dear?" He asks back at least a little surprised.

"This is Hell. I seriously doubt anyone would heal another for free. The only one I know who would is Hope. So, what do you want?" I ask again.

"Just some information darling. That is if you're comfortable giving it." He says after a few moments of thought.

"That would depend on what info you want." I say knowing there are some pretty deep and dark stuff in Hope's past that she doesn't know about.

"I want to know about you're past with her aunt and cousins." He says in a serious tone.