Charlotte listened to Angel as he shared tidbits of what he knew about demons from Earth's stories as told through film, books, the internet, and religions. He went on picking various elements across all the different mediums, expressing how she may best take advantage of each aspect, intending to create in her the most frightening visceral image anyone could imagine. Charlotte found much of what he said familiar and natural to her, and her mind burned with questions about who she was, how she got here, and what all she could truly do. She also struggled to marry the idea of demons being evil beings and killing humans with her own deep sense of morality. If I'm a demon, why does the idea of harming anyone make me feel sick to my stomach? Perhaps humans just have no idea about demons and think only of the worst of them? She was determined to do what she had to do to save the children, even if it meant becoming the stereotype that Angel was describing. She told herself that those monsters in the house did not deserve her sympathy. She still did not fully know that if she were put in that position, if she could kill. It scared her, but that fear only reaffirmed to herself that she wasn't evil, and it helped her to compartmentalize.

"Charlotte?" Angel had noticed her looking distant.

She blinked back at him. "Sorry. I'm just so confused." Charlotte said, and she proceeded to share her thoughts with him.

"I understand. We have an opportunity to use this. Even the darkest of men know the basic concepts of good, evil, demons, and Hell. Fear is a tool we can exploit. But, Charlotte, there are children in the house. You have to be very careful not to let them see you."

"I know."

"Also," he paused, and she looked at him curiously, "Even though I despise these fuckers, I do whatever I can to take them alive. They need to face justice in the courts, not vigilante justice." He then added in a firm voice, "And no killing."

"I don't think I could, anyway. It just doesn't feel right." Charlotte let out a dry laugh. "Some demon, huh?"

Angel rested his hand on her shoulder and assured her, "I don't like to kill, either, Charlotte. I avoid it at all costs."

A flash of memory made him shiver. With a quick shake of his head, he knelt down and opened the duffel bag. Charlotte watched as he pulled a pair of night vision goggles out and secured them to his head. "I don't have your vision, but these will do just fine. My map says the house is just over this ridge."

Next, he pulled out the map and pointed to their current location and the house's. He then fished out a second piece of paper, which was a layout of the home itself. He explained the exits and various rooms of the single-story structure, advising her on his best guess of where he thought the kids were being kept. Once he'd explained the plan, he looked at her to confirm, "Following me?"

Charlotte's visage had been slowly changing into her demon form, as he explained, and when he looked her way, sharp teeth grinned back at him. "Yes," she hissed.

Angel started, then chastised himself: She's on your side; get used to this. Aloud, he asked, "Warn me next time?"

Charlotte just grinned as she warmed to her new self. "Fear is a weapon, right? I need to know that it's sharp." Then softly, she added, "Sorry."

He understood and smiled back to reassure her, "No, you're right. Don't lose your edge. You look perfect."

Charlotte hissed with glee, her serpent tongue flicked across her lips, and she asked, "Do you have an idea of which story I should use?"

"Oh, I absolutely do." There was an actual twinkle in Angel's eye. It seemed to her that he was starting to accept her as his partner, and it made her feel eager to prove herself to him.

Minutes later, the two came into view of the house. The sky had become overcast, which engulfed the moon and cast the valley the home was in into deeper darkness, which Angel took as a good sign. It would help cover their assault. Angel adjusted his night vision goggles and saw one older, burly man sitting in a rocking chair on the porch with a rifle on his lap. Before she could stop it, Charlotte let out a low, demonic growl. Angel's hand on her shoulder told her it was okay, and she growled again, openly. Her tail twisted in a feline-like fashion, anticipating the hunt. Her muscles tensed as her claws dug into the cold dirt under her palms. She found herself becoming comfortable, letting herself be the monster humans feared. And oh, how they would fear her.

Angel looked at her, felt goosebumps along his arms, and stuttered out a breath as he shuddered. Those fuckers were going to pay dearly if she made him feel this way as his ally! "Charlotte?"

She looked at him.

He nodded. "It's time."

Charlotte gave him one more demonic grin, then disappeared.