I do plan on making art for the chapters soon. 

Trigger warning: Animal death. Skip the * if you  want to skip the death of a wolf.

***Faith's POV***

It has been a few days since I explained some pretty tough times in my life to Alastor and since then he has been treating me slightly different. It's not a bad kind of different though. It's kind of like he has a new level of respect for me.

Over the past few days, we have gone to town a few times. Once when we went to a bookstore in town. I needed some new books. The shelves were looking kind of bare since most of what was there I relocated to the attic.

I managed to find a good few. Alastor even found some that interested him. As we left the bookstore we ran into Ted and Amy. I guess since she almost got kidnapped Amy now sticks even closer to Ted. Which is highly understandable. Especially since whoever that was, was never caught.

They had given both me and Alastor some deer jerky. I guess some time before Anna died, she and Ted had gotten into making jerky out of various types of meat. I didn't know that. So, they made some jerky out of the deer meat I brought them and decided to share with me and Alastor. Amy may have also let it slip that it was partly a small thank you gift for saving her.

That was really nice of them. Ted then invited us to the karaoke bar he ran with Anna. He had said some of Anna's other friends would be there. I agreed to go. It sounded like fun to me. Alastor decided to go as well. I'm not sure if it was just to protect me or if he actually wanted to go. It kind of seemed like he wanted to go, but I am not sure. Alastor is a strange man. A goofy, handsome, and terrifying when he wants to be.

After that, I spent a couple days working on the garden. Alastor spent that time on the porch swing reading. This time I didn't have a run in with any snakes. Thank goodness.

Strangely after working in the garden Alastor asked me about when I am going hunting next.

"Huh. Um...I'm not sure. Why?" I ask curiously.

"I would like to go with you the next time you go."

"Why?" I ask even more confused.

"I just want to, darling. Besides you might need protection."

"Ok." I say knowing that there isn't really a point to arguing or protesting.

He would just come along anyway. Then he would pretend to be nearby already.

And that would bring us to now. I am driving down the same road I took last time. Only this time Alastor met Maria. I don't know why, but I could sense an odd tension between the two. They didn't argue or fight, but jeez it was tense. I did leave them alone for a minute when I went to find the deer antler ring I saved for Maria. It had taken me a minute because I forgot where I hid it. I did find it though and she seemed very grateful for it.

Soon we parked at the spot I parked last time and I went to get my rifle out of the back. After grabbing it and putting it over my shoulder we headed into the woods.

It didn't take long before I found a nice buck. I had taken it down with a single head shot. Alastor just watched, who also switched back to demon form when we got here. Most likely observing me. What seemed to impress him most was me carrying it back to the truck. I mean sometimes I don't look as strong as I am.

I'm not physically that strong. No. Anna was always the athletic and physically strong one. I do have some muscle on me though.

As we went to get another deer, I suddenly hear growling from one of the bushes. Before I can do anything though, Alastor's voice catches my attention.

"Dear-" He starts but is interrupted.

One moment after I gave Alastor my attention there is another growl then swift pain in my lower leg. Turns out the moment I got distracted a lone wolf decides to tear into my leg.

"Ahhh." I shout as I fall back on my butt.

The sudden attack had taken me off guard. For that moment the wolf's teeth dig deeper and tear into my leg. Before it tore my leg up any more, I gave the mad wolf a swift kick to the head. It wasn't enough to do much damage to it, but it was enough to force it to let go.

*Before it could come at me again a few black tentacles shot out of the ground and stabbed the wolf in multiple fatal places. The wolf's body caught fire. The flames were a green color, which I had never seen before. In mere moments the wolf had burned to ashes.*

I look at Alastor. He looks slightly angry before the look melts into one of worry. He kneels next to me.

I am still holding my leg in pain.

"Dear let me see so I can heal you. You're ok." He says in a comforting tone.

I remove my hand and lift my pant leg to show him the wound. It's bad. Torn up and bleeding a lot.

"This may feel weird, but you'll be fine." He says before placing a hand over the wound.

There is a weird tingling sensation as it stops bleeding and healing. After a few moments my leg looks good as new. Alastor stands and helps me up.

"Thanks." I say as he helps me stand.

"You're welcome dear. Now shall we head home?"

"Yea, let's go." I say not really in the mood to continue.

Plus, I did get one deer already anyway. We walked back to the truck. Maybe we will have better luck next time.

One thought did nag at me on the way home. A lone wolf in its right mind wouldn't attack a person out of nowhere. Especially if there was a demon with me.

***Alastor's POV***

It's been a few days since Faith has told some dark stories about her past. I got to say she's a very strong woman. That is something I can respect. Besides I also knows how it feels to be hurt by a parent that's suppose to love and care for you.

Over the past few days we have gone into town a couple times. One of those times we had stopped by a bookstore. I will admit I was slightly annoyed to know she put quite a few of my books in the attic. But at the same time I can't really blame her. Literature has changed from my life time. While in the bookstore I did manage to find some books that caught my eye.

After leaving the bookstore we ran into Ted and Amy. They had given us jerky from the deer meat Faith gave them. How nice of them. Another thing I noticed was Amy sticking pretty close to her father. Understandable since the last time we saw them she almost got kidnapped. She was lucky Faith was nearby that day.

Before we left Ted had invited us out to a karaoke bar he own. I have no Idea what that is, but Faith seemed excited to go. Because she really wants to go and out of curiosity I decide to go to. Faith actually seemed a tad bit surprised that I decided to go. How cute.

Over the past few days Faith has also been working in the garden. I have been reading on the porch while she works to keep an eye on her. About a day or two ago she told me about her run in with a snake in the garden. While it's not uncommon to run into a snake or two the one she described to me didn't sound like one I have heard or seen before. Good thing I have my shadow looking out for her. In order to keep her safe I watch over her from the porch swing. Luckily she hasn't run into any more snakes.

One of the days she was done working in the garden I asked about when she was going hunting next. She seemed genuinely curious and asked why. I had told her I would like to go with her next time. She then looked confused and asked why again. I just told her I wanted to and that she might need the protection. She seemed to accept that answer even if she was still confused.

That brings us to now. We are on the way to the place Faith hunted last time. I shift into human form as a house comes into view. As pull up Faith gets out to talk to I'm guessing the owner of the land. I walk to the house with her and moments later a woman walks out of the house. From the moment she came to greet us I could sense it. This woman is no human.

As she looks at me I can tell she senses the same thing about me. The air between us is filled with tension. As Faith runs to get something out of the truck, I decide to quietly confront this 'Maria'.

"Well now if I may ask what brings a hellhound like you to the human world?"

"That's not really any of your business, now is it?" She asks me clearly not liking my presence.

"No, not as long as it doesn't disrupt my deal with Faith it isn't. " I say as she seems surprised by words.

"Deal? What kind of deal did you make with Faith?" Maria asks rather concerned.

"Unfortunately that isn't any of your business, now is it?" I say repeating the statement she gave to me.

She looked like she wanted to say more, but Faith had come back a few moments later. She gave Maria a ring she had made out of deer antler. I didn't know she could do that. I knew she sold some crafted items before, but I kind of assumed my shadow had a hidden talent for making that kind of thing. I was wrong. Apparently, she made them.

After a few more moments we are back in the truck heading to the hunting spot she likes. Once the house was out of view, I shifted back into demon form. It isn't long before Faith parks the truck and hops out to get her rifle out of the back.

I simply watch as she hunts and takes down a nice-looking buck in one head shot. Nice. What impresses me more is the fact that she carries it back to the truck by herself. Faith is apparently stronger than she looks.

We go out to get another deer when from one of the bushes I hear a faint growling. I don't like the sound of that. I look and Faith is a few feet away from me.

"Dear-" I try to warn her, but then a lone wolf comes out of the bushes and bites down hard on her lower leg.

"Ahhh." She screams and falls on her butt.

My ears pin back as I hear her cry out in pain. Seeing her hurt and hearing her cry in pain actually makes me feel bad. It also fills me with anger at whatever is hurting her.

*As the wolf is tearing into her leg Faith fights back. I wouldn't expect anything less. She gives the wolf a firm kick to the head. Which causes it to release her leg. Not giving it a chance to attack her again I use my shadow tentacles to stab the wolf in multiple fatal places. I set it's body on fire. I take my attention off of it once it becomes ashes.*

Faith has her hand over her injured leg. It's bleeding pretty good. If I couldn't see it, I could certainly smell the blood. I rushed over and try to comfort her while trying to heal her leg. Moments later she let me and her leg in as good as new.

She thanks me as I help her up. I suggest we go home for the day. She agrees and we head back to the truck. At least she got something so this trip wasn't a total waste.