A day had passed since Helsa's visit to the hotel, and thankfully, whatever hex Seviathan had wrought upon the Hotel was effectively removed. All of the Hotel occupants had found a peaceful sleep that night with not a single one having been awoken by a scream throughout the building.

When morning came, it was as if the past two weeks hadn't even happened. Guests lounged about as usual, a clear presence of joy and relief running through all of them as they began to go about their day.

They'd been privy to a usual breakfast from the security guard, John's cooking not being impeded by his own turmoil this morning, and it was evident that all had seemingly returned to normal.

Charlie had found herself in the rec room, lingering upon the couch, hands folded together as she thought about the last two weeks.

Charlie was thankful for Helsa's help in ending the ordeal, and she'd definitely followed through with her word, spending hours the day before conversing with her best friend, sharing stories of everything that had happened within the past two months.

The eldritch teen had gotten quite the laugh out of the circumstances of John and Charlie's bet, to Charlie's own embarrassment.

Things seemed to be looking up once more, but despite the peaceful mood, she couldn't help the sting of dread within her as she mulled over the information that the previous day had held.

The lucid nightmares weren't some sort of freak coincidence, but an attack on the occupants of the Hotel.

By Seviathan.

Charlie hated how helpless she became when it came to her ex-boyfriend. The only ones who really knew the full details of their relationship was Vaggie and Helsa. In fact, Helsa had been the one to help her out of the relationship, providing moral support and making sure her brother didn't try anything when Charlie had broken off the relationship.

But… it seemed Seviathan wasn't keen on letting her go.

It made her feel completely and utterly useless. Even after breaking up, Seviathan was still determined to come after her, and he was resorting to actual attacks on the Hotel. This was supposed to be a sanctuary and a place for people to find peace and redemption, and Seviathan had turned it into a house of horrors with but a single visit.

He was still determined to bring her back under his thumb, make her his.

Charlie was reaching the point of desperation, and she was beginning to mull over Vaggie's original advice. However, John's breakdown and his somber tone the following day was another thing holding her back.

After learning of John's past, the last thing she wanted to do is put more on his plate. He was the security guard for the Hotel, not an attack dog to solve her personal problems, and especially not since he had his own he was constantly dealing with.

But… maybe he could actually help?

Whereas Seviathan was more powerful, John was physically superior in every way. He was stronger, faster, tougher… and if he can just shrug off abilities from demons with more power than he, than what could Seviathan really do?

The thing is… Sevithan used Eldritch Magic, rather than the typical magic most demons in Hell used, even including her father. It was exclusive to only those of an Eldritch bloodline, and the only sort of power even greater than it would be angelic magic, which both Lucifer and, on a lesser scale, Charlie had access to.

The thing was, Charlie wasn't as proficient in that side of her heritage as he father was, and admittedly, she wasn't as good at the demonic side as either of her parents… most of her magic was often used for fun little shows, sing numbers on the spot, the fun stuff. She'd never had an actual fight in her life outside of the fight with Katie Killjoy, if that was any indication.

So in a full on fight between her and Seviathan, she didn't think she had much chances of actually coming out on top on the other hand.

John on the other hand…

With a single roar, he could shake the entire city. He could summon chains from the depths, or seemingly out of nowhere, drag people to some sort of shadow realm. He could conjure actual Hellfire, and he was one of the few demons, let alone a sinner, who could put other sinners down for good. No Heaven, no Hell, just oblivion.

And then there was his obvious abilities, that being his immense strength, and in Charlie's opinion, that's what it all boiled down to.

Could John bulldoze through Seviathan's Eldritch abilities? Or was Eldritch magic something that coud hurt even him?

Make no mistake, she knew John would go after him, no questions asked, but she didn't want to either risk his life or dump her problems on him… and she simply wasn't confident that John could battle an Eldritch demon like she was against… well, anyone else, really.

But… at the same time, if anyone could do something about Seviathan, besides her parents, that person would be John Gallagher.

Why couldn't Seviathan just leave her alone? There were plenty of demons out there for him to choose from, including succubi, hellhounds, imps… even overlords or someone from the Goetia family. Why did it always have to be her?

Because she was the Princess?

It was like he knew she wouldn't say anything. The moment her parents would get involved, all bets would be off, he knew that… but it still didn't stop him from being as cruel as he was. She'd been slapped, punched, insulted, demeaned, humiliated, all by his hand, and it had all culminated in the beating that had caused her to break up with him, when he'd literally beat her unconcious.

She remembered that particular night. She remembered it in vivid detail, limping home, refusing to call the limo for fear that the sheufer would tell her parents. She remembered the pain of the bruises, the slightest action causing irritation in them. She remembered waking up, in agony, aching in so many places.

She remembered making it home, going to her bedroom, and crying herself to sleep.

Seviathan was the only person she'd ever actually been with who'd ever been that way. Vaggie wasn't like that, and while she's had crude boyfriends and girlfriends in the past, none of them were so vicious. And in Hell, that was saying something.

No person ever should have to put up with such violence, especially from someone who's to be nothing but caring towards them.

Now, not only was Seviathan resorting to actively attacking the Hotel, at least she considered the nightmares an attack, but he was bringing hurting people who weren't involved in the slightest.

It ate away at Charlie. The guilt she felt was surging through her every time she thought about it. Vanessa's first nightmare, the occupants, Vaggie, Rose, Alastor… all if it leading to John's breakdown in Rose's lap.

She honestly didn't know how to stop it. Helsa said she'd deal with him, and she'd said her parents wouldn't be too pleased either, but it seemed like none of that stopped Seviathan. Helsa had chewed him out, time and time again, and he simply returned. The emails never ceased, the insults, the threats, and now he was actually acting on those threats.

It all boiled down to Charlie feeling helpless. In spite of all her power, in spite of her status in the hierarchy, in spite of just who she was and who her parents were… there didn't feel like there was a single thing she could do.

"You good?"

The deep rumbling voice jolted her out of her thoughts, and she found her gaze landing on one of the two men she'd been thinking about, as John stood at the side of the couch with a small smile on his face.

"O-Oh, I'm fine." Charlie answered quickly, trying to put a smile on her face and hoping the sinner didn't notice.

No such luck.

The smile disappeared in favor of a look of confusion and concern, as he moved to take a seat next to her. "You sure?" He asked once more. "That didn't sound very confident."

"I…" Charlie trailed off. She didn't want to bring him into her problems, but she didn't want to insult his intelligence or try to lie to him. "Well… I'm thinking about someone."

John didn't say anything, instead eyeing her. After a few moments, he silently gestured for her to continue.

"Before I got with Vaggie, I had a boyfriend." Charlie finally bit the bullet. She couldn't lie to him, and she honestly needed someone else to talk to about these issues. Vaggie could be… creatively violent in her ideas, and as much as she loved Helsa, it was always the same promises.

Maybe talking to John would be helpful. She knew he had a fierce temper, but she didn't see him as the type of person to suddenly rush off out of nowhere. He's been there so far… she doubted he'd leave because of this.

"His name was Seviathan Von Eldritch. Do you know of the Von Eldritch family?"

John's eyes averted for a moment, his eyes wandering slightly as he tried to recall the name, his lips tightening slightly, before he gave a shake of his head. "No, can't say I do."

"They're one of Hell's nobility." Charlie explained with a sigh. "Me and Seviathan met at one of the many parties my dad threw, and… it was a mistake." The princess couldn't help the way she hugged herself, pulling her legs to her chest as she finally talked about Seviathan with someone else.

"What'd he do?" John's voice was level as he said it, no tone of judgement, simply desiring an answer as to why Charlie would think that.

"He… he was abusive." Charlie finally answered, unable to contain the tremor in his voice. "It started out nice… but then it just… got worse. He'd insult me, demean me, humiliate me… then he started getting violent."

"He hit you?" John guessed with a raised eyebrow, and Charlie could now sense the presence of anger within his voice.

Charlie simply nodded, unable to bring her gaze to meet his. "Mmhm. He'd slap me, punch me… it got to the point where I was anticipating beatings."

"Beatings?" John's eyes actually widened in disbelief that someone, anyone, would ever put their hands on Charlie. "This motherfucker actually beat you?"

"I know it sounds stupid." Charlie muttered sadly. "I mean, I'm more powerful than he is, and my parents are the King and Queen of Hell, so I could've done something, right?"

"It don't sound stupid." John reassured, his expression softening as he placed a comforting hand on Charlie's back. "He took advantage of you. Of you're kindness. It doesn't make you stupid."

"I had fooled myself into thinking he actually cared." Charlie couldn't help but to mutter, tears welling in her eyes. "Instead, he only ever saw me as a possession." Her breath hitched the moment her sentence finished, remembering her time with Seviathan more and more.

John didn't say anything, but it was clear that he wasn't a fan of Charlie's distress, and she could feel his large, calloused hand gently rubbing her back in an attempt to provide comfort.

After a few moments, Charlie tried to compose herself, and she continued her story.

"One night, I was waiting for him at his place." Charlie continued, trying to hold back tears as she recalled the night that she decided to end it. "He came home, and he was angry that I was there. That I was in his room without his permission, imposing, disregarding his wishes…" The tears were becoming harder to contain, but it was like she couldn't stop now that she'd started. "And he… he beat me. He didn't stop hitting me until I was unconscious."

"Jesus Christ…" John couldn't help but to mutter, wide-eyed as it sunk in. "This son of a bitch beat you unconscious?" It wasn't the fact it was the Princess of Hell that it had happened to… but the fact that it was sweet, gentle Charlie Magne who'd experienced this.

"When I woke up, he'd left me on the floor and had already gone to sleep." Charlie whimpered, body shaking, her voice a high-pitched whimper as she tried to contain her sobs. "I didn't want to get my parents involved… they'd slaughter the entire family, and Helsa's my friend."

"Helsa?"

"His sister." Charlie elaborated. "The only good person in the family."

"So… that when you broke up with him?" John asked her, still rubbing her back. He was simply there to listen to her, let her get it out. Charlie had done it for him the day before, he could do it for her now.

"I left his place and walked home." Charlie spoke after taking a deep breath. "It hurt… it hurt so bad… but I didn't want to call the limo. I didn't want the sheufer to tell my parents. When I got home, I got in bed, and cried till I fell asleep."

"Aw, Charlie…" John's voice was sympathetic, and she felt his hand move from her back as he gently pulled her into his side with one arm, offering as much solace as he could with his presence.

"Three days later, I broke up with him." Charlie continued her story, appreciating the comfort John provided with the hug. "If Helsa hadn't been there, I don't know what would've happened. I was too scared to even be around him."

"You ended it, that's the important part." John reassured her.

Charlie couldn't help the mirthless chuckle that escaped her. "For all the good it did." She muttered quietly.

John clearly didn't like the sound of that.

"What's that mean?"

"Ever since, he's been sending me emails and texts, insulting me, threatening me…" Charlie explained sadly. "The day we got back from the Hell Hole, I found Vaggie in my office, looking at an email from Seviathan."

"He's still harassing you?" John asked softly, raising an eyebrow and trying to quell the instinct to get up off the couch and hunt down Charlie's apparent tormentor.

"It's not just harrassment anymore." Charlie whimpered, tucking her legs in tighter as she said it. "The nightmares… Seviathan did that."

"What?" John's eyes widened as he processed that bit of information, looking down at Charlie in disbelief. "He did that?"

"He's actually attacking me now…" Charlie whispered, tears finally beginning to follow as she buried her head in her knees. "It's all my fault." Her voice was a high-pitched whimper, etched with guilt.

"Hey, don't say that." John admonished softly, looking down at her as she said it. "It ain't your fault."

"He did it because of me." Charlie sobbed with a shake of her head.

"That don't make it your fault." John denied, his voice gentle as the hand that wasn't wrapped around Charlie came down to her face, hooking a finger under her chin as he guided her to look up at him. "What he did is on his shoulders. Don't ever blame yourself."

"But it's true."

"No it's not." John shook his head, his voice a little more firm as he said it. "He took advantage of you, of your nature, of your fear. He's got you in a bubble, and you don't see a way out, but I swear to god there is one."

"How?"

"He shows his face again, I'll deal with him." John spoke, his voice full of conviction and determination. "I promise, you won't have to worry about him ever again."

Charlie honestly wasn't sure what to say. "I… I can't ask you to deal with it."

"You don't have too." John responded with a small smile as he let his hand fall away from Charlie's chin. "You're my friend, Charlie. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you in any way."

Charlie could only stare at John. She'd only opened up to him because he'd asked, and she didn't feel right lying to him. She didn't intend to ask him to deal with Seviathan, and she didn't even need to ask. John had volunteered the moment she'd opened up about him.

"I… I don't what to say." Charlie admitted, staring at the behemoth in shock.

"You don't have to say anything." John reassured, rubbing her shoulder in a reassuring manner. "I'll deal with it."

"I.. thank you…" Charlie whispered softly, finally uncurling from herself as she moved to wrap her arms around John's neck, trying not to cry into his shoulder out of a sense of relief. "Thank you."

"No problem." John assured her, smile on his face as he brought both arms into a comforting hug, and she could feel his hands on her back, rubbing in a soothing manner.

Charlie pulled herself away, but didn't relinquish her hold as she looked into John's kind eyes.

John returned the gaze with a smile, more than happy to help a friend.

It was that same gentle smile that always seemed to draw Charlie in, make her happy, make her smile… it made her feel safer than she'd ever felt before. She felt safe in John's presence alone, and he made her happy.

As seconds passed, Charlie found herself staring into his blue pools with a sense of… something else, unable to pull herself away.

John's smile slowly faded as he too examined Charlie's face, pulled in by the angelic features and unable to tear his gaze away from her.

Silence lingered between the two as they stared at each other for a moment, a lingering tug of… something, pulling at both of them.

Charlie couldn't help it, and she had no clue what drove her to it, she simply acted on instinct. But she found herself leaning closer, face inching towards John's ever so slowly.

John didn't close the distance.

But he didn't pull away either.

And then, Charlie's eyes closed.

And their lips met.

It was a moment of weakness… Charlie could feel John's hands tighten ever so slowly around her, and it seemed she wasn't the only one enjoying the kiss, as John practically melted into it.

That single action held so many meanings and emotions to both of them.

And then they pulled apart.

And as they stared at each other for a moment, their eyes slowly widened, the implications of what they'd just done crashing down upon both of them.

"I…"

"Oh god…"

Neither said anything else for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. In spite of being the one to initiate it, the first thing to cross her mind now was Vaggie.

What had she just done?

"I'm sorry." Charlie whispered, unraveling herself from John, quickly pulling away as they both stood to their feet.

It was as if both were suddenly unsure of how to react, as both Charlie and John held each other's wide-eyed gaze.

They didn't regret it… and yet, they did, at the same time.

"We just…" John's voice seemed to fail him as he looked at Charlie, guilt filling him as he thought of his girlfriend.

"I'm so sorry…" Charlie said once more, wondering if she'd probably made the biggest mistake in the two hundred years of her life.

"I… what about Vaggie and Rose?"

Charlie visibly winced at the mention of both of their partners, averting her gaze as shame filled her entire being. "I… I can't lie to Vaggie."

John's own gaze fell to the ground, the same shame of guilt filling him. "We can't lie to either of them."

Neither could bring themselves to even think about betraying the trust of their partners in such a way, let alone insult their intelligence. The fact that they'd even kissed…

It ate at both of them already.

"I gotta go." John suddenly spoke, turning away from Charlie and moving around the couch, leaving the Princess alone.

Charlie couldn't bring herself to follow him.

In both their minds… the same words that they'd both heard before rang in their heads, John who'd heard it many times in the past, and Charlie who heard it once.

"You don't control who you love."

It had been almost a month since John had visited the Hell Hole, and in the meantime, the family of imps and Hellhounds had managed to get their possessions packed, ready to move in whenever it was convenient.

Only to have received a call from John, the day before they'd moved in, advising them to hold off on moving to the Hotel for a bit.

It had admittedly disappointed them at first. That disappointment quickly turned to concern when John informed them of the wave of nightmares flooding the hotel.

All of them were understandably concerned. Arya was worried sick about both John and Rose, and Madrox wasn't far behind. Initially, Viv was a little upset when she was told they wouldn't be going to the Hotel on the day they'd expected, but she understood when Andre explained why.

That had been only a week ago. They hadn't heard any news since.

In the meantime, they'd attempted to return to somewhat of a normal routine while waiting for another phone call.

Madrox was occupied trying to fix Razor's bike… again. Andre was chewing out her eldest son for not showing the proper amount of care for his favorite two wheeled vehicle, and Viv was most likely occupying herself with her video games.

Arya, meanwhile, had found herself alone with her thoughts.

The day they'd gotten John's call was the day they were all supposed to move. They had the moving truck outside still, being rented for when it was safe to make the trip, and most of their possessions were still boxed up, only a few being unboxed for the time being, like Viv's TV and game system.

Arya couldn't distract herself though, from the lingering worry that plagued her since John's phone call. It sounded as if these nightmares he spoke of were unnatural, not normal in anyway, and she'd been worried sick for her daughter when she'd found out Rose had been the latest victim at the time of John's phone call.

Since they hadn't had another since, she was under the assumption that they were still happening.

Most of the time, she'd try to distract herself in her and Madrox's bedroom, occupying herself with her phone as she waited for another phone call, whether it was an update, or news that the nightmares had been stopped or dealt with.

This was Hell, after all. It wasn't too much of a stretch to assume this was someone's abilities going haywire within or nearby the Hotel.

Her waiting seemed to have finally paid off.

As she sat on the bed, phone in hand as she scrolled through the latest news of Hell, her phone started vibrating in her hands as the typical ring tone for a Hellphone, an ear-piercing scream, entered her ears.

MY SPIKY BOY

Her eyes widened when she saw the contact name she'd put John down as, and almost immediately, she accepted the call as she brought her phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" Arya spoke, quickly, ready to hear any sort of news.

"It's me." John's voice came through the otherside, and she could hear a distinct tone of panic in his voice, immediately putting her on edge.

"How are things going over there?" Arya asked, standing up off the bed as she began to pace, a habit she'd always had when on the phone with someone. "Did you figure out what was going on?"

"Yeah, uh, we got it taken care of." John answered quickly, pausing briefly as he answered her question, but she could still hear the tension of his voice alone. "Um, that's not why I called you."

"Is it safe for us to come out there now?" Arya asked once more, less worried and more confused at John's tone, since it seemed like the issue had been dealt with. "What's wrong, John?" She asked softly, the same concern she'd held towards her children extending towards him.

She treated him as one of her kids, even if it was difficult for him to extend that same courtesy. Arya cared for him just the same.

There was a moment of silence, through which the hellhound could hear John's breathing through the phone, contemplating his next words, before he let out a small sigh.

"I fucked up." He finally answered, and alongside the panic in his voice, she could hear a sense of regret within those words. "Arya, I fucked up so bad."

"What do you mean?" Arya's brow furrowed in confusion, regardless of if he could see it or not. "What happened?"

"Me and Charlie were talking, she's telling me about her ex-boyfriend…" John began with a sigh, and Arya remained quiet as she listened. "I told her I'd make sure he wouldn't hurt her again, and then… I don't even know what led to it, but… we kissed."

Arya froze in her tracks, eyes going wide in utter disbelief as she processed the words she'd just been told.

"You… what?" She was genuinely unsure of what to say. It wasn't as much of a surprise as it should've been, admittedly. Both Charlie and John had visible chemistry with each other, enough that her, Madrox, and Andre could see. It was a part of the reason they'd talked to her about it when they last visited Grundy's Plaza.

But… John was now with Rose once more, and it was clear that he genuinely loved her, which explained the utter dread in his voice at the moment.

"Arya, I fucked up so bad." John repeated his earlier words, and now the panic in his voice was back in force. "I wasn't thinking, Charlie leaned closer, and I just… I just melted into it." A mirthless chuckle could be heard over the phone, causing Arya to frown. "I hated Rose for two years, and now we're finally back together, and I kiss another woman."

"John, calm down." Arya instructed softly, trying to prevent John from sending himself into a guilt stricken frenzy. "What Rose did was different, you know that, but-"

"Arya, I refused so much as to talk to her!" John interrupted, frantic in tone as he said it. "And you can't seriously be trying to tell me this isn't some sort of betrayal-"

"Are you gonna tell Rose?" Arya interrupted John in response to his own interruption, cutting him off at her question as silence followed on his side of the phone for a moment.

"Of course." John answered with a guilty sigh. "I can't do that to her. She has enough problems as it is."

Now that concerned Arya.

"What do you mean?" Arya asked, worried in her voice, her grip on the phone tightening slightly.

"Arya, Rose isn't in the best place right now. Mentally, anyway." John explained, sounding absolutely crushed by the regret in his tone as he spoke. "She hates herself, thinks she doesn't deserve forgiveness… when we went up to Imp City so she could do her song, she just started bawling right there in the booth after the song."

It broke Arya's heart to hear the news about her daughter. A part of her had the lingering feeling that Rose was experiencing some sort of depression or self-hatred, considering the phone calls they'd had before her return, but… she didn't know it would run this deep.

"Arya, I can't lie to her, but this was the last thing she needed and… god dammit, I can't lose her." John's voice quivered, breath hitching as she finished his sentence, and Arya had the feeling he was on the verge of crying his eyes out. "I just got her back."

"John, I don't think Rose is going to leave you over a little kiss." Arya tried to reassure the stressed giant over the phone as best as she could, her voice soft and soothing. "She might be a little hurt, and I don't blame her. But she loves you, really loves you, and she knows you well enough to know you're beating yourself up for this."

"I don't even know how to tell her, but I can't just put it off." John sounded so helpless as he spoke, and it broke Arya's heart. It felt to him like a hopeless situation.

"Let me ask you something, John." Arya suddenly spoke up, hopefully attempting to reassure him. "Do you still love Maddie?"

At the mention of his first love, John went completely silent, caught entirely off-guard by the sudden question.

"Of course." John answered, confusion in his tone, but conviction as well. "I'd give anything but Rose to see her again."

"You love Rose just as much, don't you?" Arya questioned once more.

"Yes." The answer was filled with certainty. He believed his words, and Arya did too.

He loved Rose, with everything he had in him. Just as he did Maddie.

"If you could choose to be with either of them… who would you choose?"

"Arya, what does that have to do with-"

"Just answer the question."

With a sigh, John went silent, and she could practically hear the gears turning in his head, mulling over his answer, trying to think about the best possible decision he could make.

"I couldn't do that either of them." John finally admits with a sad sigh. "I always felt like… like it's bad to have more than one woman. That's the way everyone seems to see it up top. Adultery, betrayal, things like that… but I wouldn't be able to just choose one of them. It wouldn't be right to either of them."

That answer alone told her more about the kind of person John was than anything else ever could. If he loved two women, genuinely loved them… he wouldn't be able to bring himself to only choose one at the expense of the other.

"Now… do you love Charlie?"

Silence was her answer. Like he wasn't sure how to answer that.

"I… I don't know. I think I do." John finally admitted with a sad sigh. "I wouldn't have kissed her, otherwise, that's just the way I work. She's a good woman, a bundle of joy. She's just wants to help, and she's strong in her own way. But… she's got Vaggie."

"John, there's nothing wrong with loving a woman who's taken." Arya told him over the phone, a small smile on her face as she said it. "Whether something comes of it or not isn't the important part here. You don't control who you love."

"So I've been told." John responded softly, and if he sighed again, Arya wondered if he'd have any breath in his lungs. "I don't think anything can actually happen between us. I feel bad enough as it is, because this is a betrayal to both Rose and Vaggie. I can't have Charlie without hurting Vaggie like that."

There was John for you. He did love Charlie, but he wouldn't make a move at the expense of Charlie's current partner, no matter what, and he wouldn't leave Rose just because he loved Charlie. Not when he loved Rose too.

"I get that. And I'm not saying that Rose won't be a little hurt by what happened." Honestly, considering the past two years, Arya would be surprised if Rose didn't completely flip out on John. But she knew that Rose wouldn't leave John, especially since she knows that John cares for her, and she'd likely know he felt guilt over the entire thing. "But I'm just saying… I think she'll understand more than you think."

"If you say so." John replied with yet another sigh. "Look, I gotta get off here. I gotta find Rose."

"Okay." Arya said with a nod and a smile. "Let me know how it goes. And you better believe we'll be there some time soon!"

Her heart swelled when she finally got an amused chuckle from the giant in what's so far been a rather panicked call. "I'll see you guys when you get here, Arya." He assured her. "Talk to you later."

"Bye, John." Arya said, before ending the call with a smile. That… went well.

Now, on another note.

"Madro, Andre!" Arya called as she turned and made her way back towards the makeshift shop. "John said we're good to go!"

As the doorman/bartender to the Happy Hotel, Husk did have the unfortunate duty of sitting in the lobby more often than not throughout the week. Since no one really came to the Hotel, his company usually consisted of someone stopping by to occupy him, or if he was unlucky, Angel Dust.

Today was one of those days where he didn't have much company with the exception of his own thoughts.

Sometimes, he was glad Alastor had brought him to the Hotel to help. Other times, like now, he'd rather be out at a poker game.

"Why does this job have to be so boring?" Husk muttered to himself in frustration.

As if by fate, the sound of the door to the lobby opening caught his attention, and his eyes drifted towards the entrance to find the cause.

And then, every single part of his being froze.

It was a woman, and a tall one at that. A succubus, with long graceful hair, pale skin, dressed in a black dress with a perfect hour-glass figure.

And it was a woman that Husk, as well as all of Hell, knew to be very careful around.

"Good afternoon." Lilith Magne's eyes locked directly onto Husk's, her tone firm, leaving no room for debate as she spoke. "I'd like to speak to my daughter."

A/N: And that's the chapter. Finally, we begin to move more into the… harem, side of things, with Charlie finally making her feelings known, and John realizing his own care for the Princess exceeds what he previously thought.

And Lilith has arrived at the Hotel, for reasons we all have a very good idea of. And she's not particularly happy at the moment.

For anyone who's interested, a prequel to this story is up, titled An Unexpected Family, and it going to show John's first four years within Hell. Yes, this is a shameless plug for it.

Anyway, with that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next one.