Chapter 2
"Ouch." Scarlett muttered as she came too. Lying face down on concrete. She moved to sit on her hands and knees, pulling her hood on out of habit before moving back to sit back on her knees and brush the dirt off her hands.
"What the hell happened?" she muttered to herself as she took in her surroundings. She was in some city alleyway alone. She looked up only to blink when she was met with the color of a red sky and the shape of a pentagram spreading across the sky.
"Ok what did I inhale?" she muttered as she stood up and steadied herself on a nearby wall. She pulled the hood further over her head to conceal the top half of her face before walking towards the sound of crowds. Just as she moved to exit the alley, she froze in place. Strang animal-like creatures were walking around making her shake her head.
"This has to be a dream." She muttered while retreating back into the shadows and lightly smacking her cheeks.
"What you just get down here or something?" Scarlett spun around at the voice behind her, her hand reaching for her back to take hold of her dagger. A very tall pink creature with four arms stood in front of her. It stared down at her with differed colored eyes. She stepped back when it bent down to take a closer look at her.
"Holy shit." The creature muttered, "you're mortal! How did you get down to Hell?"
"Hell?" Scarlett finally found her voice, remaining in her defensive position. "this isn't a dream is it?"
"Fraid not," the creature shook his head and crossed his arms. "Shit a mortal in Hell, demons will be all over you the second they find out." The creature pulled out a phone and in his moment of distraction she managed to glance down at her phone only to find she didn't have service. She took another step back, preparing to run but the pink creature held his hands up as if to express he didn't mean her harm.
"Hold on there," he said quickly, "Look I know ya just met me, but trust me you don't want to go out there." He used one hand to point to the street behind her, "I know a place where you can stay, and the owner of the place can probably help you. Her name is Charlie, daughter of Lucifer; she's kinds crazy thinking us sinners can be redeemed, but hey her hearts in the right place. Anyways, her hotel is probably the safest place for you to be. I live there, let me take ya back."
"Why should I trust you?" Scarlett challenged, "you said demons would be after me. Are you a demon?" He laughed.
"We're all demons down here doll." He said, "well at least we all were until you arrived. But hey if you want to try your luck out there, be my guest." Scarlett thought for a moment. Her options were limited, and she came to the conclusion that this was all real.
"Ok," she finally said, releasing her hold on the dagger.
"Good choice," he nodded, "I'm Angel Dust by the way, what's your name?"
"Scarlett," she replied and followed him down the alleyway, still preparing for an attack.
"Cool name," Angel said as he sent several texts to Charlie and Vaggie to let them know what was going on. Scarlett went to remove her hood but his hand holding her wrists made her freeze. She briefly thought about getting away from him using her skills before he spoke.
"Probably best for you to keep that on," he said, "or else you'd really stand out." Scarlett nodded and pulled the hood further over her. Well at least she was well trained in being able to blend into and disappear in a crowd. She decided it would be best to keep the fact that she's a well-trained assassin hidden. She'll stick to her journalist alias for now until she can gauge how strong these demons were. She was skilled, but she also knew better than to take on an opponent that could be stronger than her.
"There it is." Angel said, pointing to the top of a hill where a large hotel was. A huge eye with wings was centered in the middle.
"Hazbin Hotel." She read the sign and Angel laughed.
"Ya," he said, "not my idea." As they walked up the hill, Scarlett stopped when two women came running towards them. One about the same height as Scarlett with blonde hair and wearing a red suit. The other was much shorter with long white hair, her bangs swiped to once side to cover a large red X over a missing eye.
"That's Charlie and Vaggie," Angle said, when he noticed Scarlett's wariness.
"I can't believe it." The short one said as she looked at Scarlett in shock, "how did a mortal get to Hell?"
"Let's not talk about this out here Vaggie." The blonde said and looked to Scarlett.
"Hi," she smiled warmly, "I'm Charlie and this is my girlfriend Vaggie. We'll help you out, I promise."
"Thanks," Scarlett muttered and followed them into the large hotel lobby. She looked around, her eyes landing on a cat creature with red wings drinking something from a bottle at a bar. Scarlett jumped back on instinct when a very short one-eyed red-haired girl zipped up to her.
"Wow a mortal," The creature smiled, showing off sharp teeth like the others here had.
"Think you're scaring her Nifty." Angel said, picking up the girl and dropping her off by the bar and taking a seat. Scarlett was surprised, but she wasn't scared. She was put through many horrific trainings as a child to ensure she doesn't feel fear, at least not often.
"Come on in," Charlie grabbed her arm and pulled her over to a sitting area, "sit down. I'm sure you must tire and probably scared."
"Just confused." Scarlett admitted as she removed her hood.
"We all are," Vaggie said while crossing her arms. Charlie placed a hand on Vaggie's shoulder and looked at Scarlett.
"What Vaggie means is that a mortal has never appeared in hell before," Charlie said, "you typically have to die to get her, but you're clearly still alive." Charlie sighed and took a seat by Scarlett.
"I don't know if Heaven would even know anything about this or how they would react to this. For now, I think the safest option would be for you to stay here with us until we can get this figured out." Charlie placed a hand on Scarlett's shoulder giving a warm smile, "don't worry I'll talk to my father. We'll help you."
"Not trying to scare her or anything," the cat created chimed in, "but she's a mortal. If demons discover her existence, they will stop at nothing to get her soul." Scarlett blinked in confusion.
"Husk we know that." Vaggie huffed.
"My soul?" Scarlett asked, looking to Charlie who scratched her head a little as she tried to think of how to explain it. As Charlie thought for a moment, Scarlett looked over to a corner when she had seen a shadow move. When everything appeared normal, she looked back at Charlie.
"Well, you see," Charlie said, "down here souls give demons power. They obtain the souls of other demons by making deals, creating binding contracts. A mortal soul would be a powerful soul to have because technically you're still alive. There something about the souls of the living that can be more powerful." Scarlett sat in silence for a moment, processing this information.
"Look the demons we really need to worry about are the overlords." Vaggie said and she continued when Scarlett gave her a questioning look. "Overlords are the most powerful demons in hell. Each one owns a large number of souls and controls different areas of hell."
"I thought Lucifer controls Hell." Scarlett said and Vaggie rolled her eyes while Charlie smiled.
"No my father is the most powerful," Charlie said, "but he kind of just leaves Hell alone." Scarlett ran a hand through her long red hair and let out a sigh to center her thoughts.
"Ok then," Scarlett finally said, "so no making deals and stay in this hotel until we can figure things out?"
"Wow," Vaggie said, "you're surprisingly calm about all this." Scarlett pressed her lips together. She can't tell them about who she really is.
"I guess I'm just used to being in crazy situations being in journalism and all." Scarlett said with a faked awkward laugh.
"Ok," Charlie smiled, "I'll take you to your room. You'll stay on the top floor."
"You sure that's a good idea?" Angel asked, "Alastor's room is up there too you know."
"I know," Charlie muttered then shook her head and smiled, "I know it sounds strange, but that's probably the safest place for her."
"I wouldn't count on that." Scarlett heard the cat named Husk mutter as she followed Charlie to the elevators.
"So um," Charlie said as she, Scarlett, and Vaggie got into the elevator. "You should probably know that Alastor is one of the overlords Vaggie mentioned. But, uh, he protects this hotel, and he won't hurt you if I ask him to but-"
"But you shouldn't trust him." Vaggie cut in and Charlie gave her girlfriend a glare.
"Vaggie!" Charlie hissed as Scarlett stood between.
"She needs to know Charlie," Vaggie said, "Alastor is an evil, manipulative overlord who will be after her soul like every other demon. It's better to warn her now. Don't trust Alastor and NEVER make a deal with him. No hand shaking, no deal making. No matter what he promises you!" Scarlett nodded as Vaggie pointed a finger at her during her speech. Vaggie reminded Scarlett of Jason, it oddly made her feel more relaxed around a similar personality. Vaggie let out a long breath just as the elevator reached the top floor.
"Of course!" Vaggie huffed as the door opened. Down the hall was a tall man wearing all red. He had red and black hair with it looked like red and black fur ears, small antlers and a wide toothy smile with a monocle resting over one eye. His hands rested on a red staff that looked like a microphone as he looked into an open hotel room.
"Hurry up Nifty the room should be spotless," Scarlett could her the unusual voice of the man. It sounded like an old-time radio voice, making her pause for a second. She followed behind Vaggie and Charlie as they led her down the hall, closer to the man. Out of some instinct, Scarlett rested her hands behind her back, to have a hand closer to her dagger. Every bone in her body told her this man was dangerous, she didn't need introductions to know who he was.
"Alastor?" Charlie sounded a little nervous as they approached. He turned to face them, his red eyes looking at Charlie before landing on Scarlett. Her fingers behind her back twitched, wanting to grab her dagger, but that would give her away. It was better to pretended to be a damsel for a long as possible, it made it easier to kill people when they think you're harmless.
"What excellent timing!" Alastor smile got bigger as he tossed his can from one hand to another and walked up to them, "Nifty told me all about our unusual guest. I wanted to personally see to it that her room was spotless before she arrived." The red demon walked closer to them, ignoring the spear that Vaggie had pointed at him. His red eyes focused on Scarlett as he came to a stop a foot away from her. He moved one arm behind his back, holding his staff in that hand, and moved his other arm across his chest giving a bow.
"Alastor," he introduced, "it's a pleasure to meet you. I am the host of this hotel." He straightened up and waved his free hand at the hotel in a rather dramatic way.
"Alastor takes care of the hotel," Charlie moved between Scarlett and Alastor, facing Scarlett with a nervous smile.
"Anything you need my dear just ask, I'm always happy to help our guests." Vaggie scoffed while Alastor ignored her, adjusting the monocle over his eye.
"My oh my, a mortal in Hell," Alastor continued, "how could that have happened." It wasn't really a question, but Scarlett shrugged in response.
"That seems to be the million-dollar question." Scarlett said, not flinching from his gaze.
"Hm," the sound came from his pressed lips that still formed a smile as he analyzed her.
"We were showing her to her room," Vaggie cut off their staring challenge and pulled Scarlett away. Alastor stepped aside when they moved past him and walked behind them towards the open room door.
"I made sure your room was well prepared," Alastor said as they entered the large room, "It even has a marvelous view of city." He moved around the room as if to empathize how grand it was. He was a showman, wanting to be the center of attention, using his charisma to make those around him comfortable. Scarlett instantly picked up on all these traits in their first few minutes of meeting him. Her mind reminded her of the serial killer she was looking into to writing about. Could this demon be the killer? If so, was it just a coincidence she came across him, or was her falling to hell from that radio shack connected to him in some way?
"Why don't you get settled and take a hot shower," Charle said with a warm smile, "I'll have Nify drop off some fresh clothes and she can make you more for your stay here. While you're getting settled, we'll prepare dinner and come get you when it's ready. Don't worry you'll be…" She looked at Alastor who stood by the window smiling. "you'll be safe here. Right Alastor?" Charlie asked the demon.
"Of course!" Alastor said as he walked up to them with his hands behind his back, "The poor mortal has been through a lot, I'll make my mother's famous Jambalaya. It'll warm the soul and all those who eat say it's to die for! And the ones that don't like it did die." He let out a few timed laughs at his dark joke. Scarlett's lips twitched a little as she held back a smile. It was a dark joke, but she had to admit it was a little funny.
"Ok!" Charlie clapped as she moved Alastor and Vaggie out of the room, "someone will come get you for dinner." With that said, the door closed, and Scarlett let out a long breath. She sat down on the couch and ran her fingers through her hair, her mind racing with questions.
"Ok," she muttered, taking a deep breath and centering her thoughts. For now, she decided to play the role of Scarlett the journalist until she could get more answers. She stood up and walked to the large bathroom, turning on the shower. She closed the door, after making sure she was alone. The hot water of the shower did relax her stiff muscles as she stood in it for a while. After about twenty minutes, she got out and grabbed a towel. She wrapped a towel around her and walked out into the room only to find the short demon Nifty hopping around.
"There you are," she laughed a little and held up a dress to Scarlett. "I made clothes for you."
"Thank you," Scarlett smiled and looked at the pile of clothes on the bed. She picked out a red top with long loose sleeves and a V-neck that just barely revealed her cleavage as it rested past her hips, long enough to hide her dagger. She also picked flowy black pants with a belt tie and deep pockets.
"These are perfect." Scarlett said as Nifty watched her. Scarlett watched as Nifty grabbed all the short-sleeved items and smiled up at Scarlett.
"I'll adjust these. Dinner is almost ready." With that said, Nifty was out the door. Scarlett ran her fingers through her damp hair before returning to the bathroom. She strapped the hidden blade to her arm, covering it with her sleeve. She then strapped the belt her dagger was attached to, securing it around her waist her waist and pulled the pants over it so only the hilt was sticking out, the long shirt covered the hilt when she pulled it on. She detangled her wavy hair before leaving her hotel room and walking towards the elevator. She stopped in the middle of the hall when she sensed she was being watched. She looked over her shoulder, down the dark hall. Her eyes scanned the shadows, looking for movement. The ding of the elevator got her attention and she looked over to see Angel step out.
"Oh good you're out of your room," he said, "dinner is ready." Scarlett nodded and followed him into the elevator.
"I'm going to warn you right now," Angel said as he scrolled through his phone, "no matter what you think. Just say his Jambalaya is good, or you'll be making an enemy out of the Radio Demon." Scarlett tilted her head at this name.
"Radio Demon?" she asked, and he shrugged.
"Ya that's what Hell knows him as," Angel said, "looks he's one scary demon. Best not go around insulting him."
"Noted." Scarlett muttered and Angel smiled.
"Good to see you catch on quickly." He said.
"So do you have a job here?" Scarlett asked and he laughed.
"Naw I'm just livin' here rent free." He said, "but I am a famous porn star down here." Scarlett raised an eyebrow at him.
"Well I guess you meet all sorts of people at hotels." She said with a smile, and he was shocked she didn't judge him or ask him questions.
"Ya," he muttered, "I guess."
Alastor looked over his shoulder as he served the bowls of Jambalaya around the dining table when he heard laughing. Angel was walking over with the mortal as they laughed making Alastor narrow his eyes, annoyed that the spider demon was already getting close to this mortal.
"That sounds like such a bad script." Scarlett giggled and Angel laughed.
"I know right!" Angel said, "like I know people don't watch my stuff for the script, but the writers could a lest try." The two sat down at the table. Smelling the food made Scarlett feel almost comfortable. It reminded her of the Jambalaya old man Roger made for her earlier that day. Instead of chicken in this one, there was shrimp.
"Something wrong dear?" Alastor asked as he sat in a chair across from her, next to Charlie. Scarlett looked up at him, noticing he didn't have any food like the rest of them.
"No," she smiled, "I was just thinking about how different this is from the Jambalaya I had this afternoon." Alastor tilted his head, and she looked away to start eating. She had to admit that it was good.
"So kid," Husk said after taking a drink of beer, "what were you doing that got you sent here?"
"I don't know." She shrugged before taking a sip of water.
"Well whatcha do up there in your life?" Angel asked and she hesitated when she went to take another bite of food. Of course they wanted to know about her. It was a good thing she's lived with this journalist persona for a while. It made it easier to give to tell them something without fully lying to them.
"I'm a journalist." She replied, "I write about true crime stories. I've traveled around the world to write about the greatest unsolved mysteries."
"Well, you've come to a perfect place to get those stories." Husk muttered.
"So, what were you doing before you ended up here?" Vaggie asked and Scarlett swallowed her food, making sure to not look over at the Radio Demon. If he really is the serial killer she was looking into, that could be her only connection as to why she's here. But she didn't want to show all her cards until she had more answers first.
"Nothing really," she shrugged, "just exploring, looking for a good story." Charlie stood up then with a smile, noticing Scarlett's discomfort, much to Scarlett's relief.
"Ok, no more questions," Charlie clapped her hands, "Scarlett has had a long day." Vaggie started gathering the dishes and Scarlett stood up to help.
"Oh you don't have to do that," Vaggie said and Scarlett smiled.
"It's fine," she said, "you all have done so much to help me, it's the least I can do." Vaggie hesitated before handing her the bowls and Scarlett walked into the kitchen and over to the sink. She could hear the others walk off to their own areas in the lobby as she turned on the water and started scrubbing bowls. She wasn't in there before long when felt a presence behind her, and she let out a sigh having a good idea of who it was.
"Are you here to help?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at Alastor who stood in front of the closed door with a smile on his face. She held up a clean, wet bowl. "You can dry them." Alastor's smile widened as he moved to stand next to her, a dry towel appearing in his hand in place of his staff. His claws tapped on the glass bowl when he grabbed it from her and started drying.
"I trust my mother's Jambalaya was to your liking," he said as he grabbed the second bowl from her. Seeking out a complement, he truly did love being the center of attention.
"It was." She nodded.
"And how did it compare to the one you had earlier?" he asked, and she gave a sideways glance to look at him. His eyes were focused on the bowl in his hands.
"Don't know," she shrugged, "then one I had earlier was chicken, yours had Shrimp. That's two different flavors that I don't want to compare."
"Hmm." The sound came from his pressed lips, "well I suppose I'll have to make chicken next time!" he smiled brightly, and she stepped away from the sink when the last dish was cleaned and handed to him.
"Can't wait." she said with a polite smile before leaving the kitchen. After receiving a very long tour of the hotel with Charlie and Vaggie, Scarlett returned to her room and flopped down onto the bed, surprised at how comfy it was. She eventually put on some pajamas, tucking her dagger and hidden blade under the other pillow and crawling under the covers. However, no matter how long she laid there, sleep wouldn't come. After a couple hours she let out a huff and got out of bed. She slipped on some shoes and walked over to the elevator after securing her dagger to her waist, making sure it was hidden under her clothes. Her hidden arm blade remained in her room under her pillow.
She went down to the 10th floor and stepped out onto the terrace where the pool area was. She sat cross-legged on one of the lounge chairs, straightening her back and relaxing into a meditation pose. She focused on the sound of the fountain in the pool as she cleared her mind and started to sink into a deep meditation. Her eyes snapped open when she got a feeling that she wasn't alone. She scanned the terrace and the shadows, looking for any signs of life.
"I know you're there." She said and a few seconds passed before Alastor appeared from a shadow on the ground. His smile ever present on his face, hiding his surprise that she had noticed him. Scarlett watched him for a moment, trying to decide if he was a threat to her. His arms rested behind his back, and he twirled his cane in one hand behind him while he walked up to her.
"Unable to sleep my dear?" he asked as he walked up to her, and she got off the lounge chair, knowing she would be at a disadvantage sitting there. Alastor watched her, observing how her movements were well practiced, like his own. It only increased his curiosity.
"Just have a lot on my mind." she replied, watching his every movement as well.
"Oh I can imagine." He responded conversely. He disappeared into the shadows before appearing again, sitting in a chair at a small round table near her. He snapped his fingers, and a small tea pot appeared with one cups on the table in front of the empty chair and a red coffee cup in front of him. He waved his hand to the open chair across from him as he crossed his legs.
"Sit and have some tea." He said politely, "it will help you sleep." Scarlett raised an eyebrow at him but didn't move from her spot. A high-pitched sound came from the Radio Demon and his pupils turned to radio dials and his antlers grew a little when she didn't move from her spot. On instinct, Scarlett reached for the hidden dagger strapped to her waist.
"It's rude to ignore an invitation." Alastor said, his radio voice more high pitched than normal.
"It's rude to threated people." She countered, releasing the knife and crossing her arms. The sounds he made ceased, and his eyes returned to normal as his smile broadened. He stood up and placed one hand behind his back and the other across his chest.
"Indeed my dear," he bowed a little, "I do apologize for my rudeness. Would you please join me for a drink?" From demanding to suddenly being a gentleman, he was good at manipulation. Scarlett decided it was best to play along, let him believe that he scared her. Well, he didn't fully scare her, but he did put her on edge.
"Thank you," she smiled, "I suppose some tea will be nice." Alastor straightened up and pulled the chair out for her. He pushed it in as she sat down, and he moved to sit back in his seat.
"I hope you like Lavender," Alastor said as he poured the tea, "I'm sure it will help calm your nerves after everything that happened to you." Scarlett kept quiet as she sipped the tea. She is trained to adapt to many situations. Although, her training never did include adapting to suddenly appearing in Hell. But she was still good at keeping her nerves calm. She hid a smile as he raised his coffee cup to take a sip, the side had "oh deer" written on it.
"I'm curious as to the events that led you to be here," Alastor said, and Scarlett let out a small sigh into her cup.
"Why don't you tell me your story first." She countered with a smile. Alastor's lips were pressed together in a smile, but she could see the small twitch of annoyance before he laughed.
"Well like everyone down here," he said, "I did bad things up there then I died and ended up down here. Nothing interesting at all, but someone who didn't die and somehow managed to fall here. Well, that's the story of the century!" Scarlett set her cup down as she listened to him talk. Alastor rested his elbows on the tables and rested his chin on his intertwined fingers as he smiled at her, waiting for her to speak.
"I was visiting New Orleans for work." She finally said, watching him to see how he would react, "I was exploring the bayou and next thing I know I ended up here."
"Well, I've heard of many getting lost in the bayou, but never getting so lost that they discover a portal to Hell." An old time laugh track played from the Radio Demon as he chuckled. His response confirmed her first suspicion about him. He was from New Orleans, but was he the serial killer she was looking into?
"So, you're from New Orleans." It wasn't a question; it was a statement. Alastor blinked at her for a second before resting an arm on the table and removing his monocle to clean it on his sleeve.
"Very perceptive," he replied as he replaced his monocle, "yes I am. I grew up around the bayou, quite a dangerous place for a young woman. There are many monsters out in the bayou."
"So I've heard." Scarlett replied as she observed the demon. Those two lines of his almost all but confirmed her suspicions. Along with his Radio Demon persona. Now the big question remained: was it a coincidence that she ended up around him or is there something else to it? Scarlett took another sip of her tea, deciding to keep quiet about where specifically she was exploring. She needed to interact with this demon more to be able to pick up on his settle facial ques and body language that could give him away.
"So what true crime story brought you to New Orleans?" Alastor asked after taking a sip of his tea. Scarlett took a sip of hers as well, watching him. She may be able to get more out of him by hurting his pride. If he was the radio host and the serial killer, then she knew from Roger's story that he loved bragging about himself and his deeds. He wouldn't just stand by and go unnoticed.
"I was looking to see if there were any horrifying unsolved cases out there," she said. "I mean with the bayou you'd think there would be something worth writing about." Scarlett let out a dejected sigh as she took another sip of tea.
"But unfortunately, there wasn't anything that really stood out," she sighed, "just one off murders, nothing to bother writing about."
"Oh?" Alastor tilted his head, moving to rest his chin on one hand while placing the other back down on the table and tapping his claws on the metal table. It was very settle, practicality unnoticeable, but Scarlett was able to pick up on his annoyance. He wasn't the only one that could manipulate people.
"I disagree with that my dear." he said, hiding his annoyance through his big smile, "many horrific things happen in the bayou."
"Probably all alligator related," she shrugged, and his claws continued to tap on the metal table." She could see the irritation flowing off him, he hid it well though. To an untrained eye, he would look perfectly happy right now. But it was clear to her that he craved recognition for whatever crimes he's committed, and that craving was pushing him closer to telling to her about his deeds.
"Well, I heard stories of things far worse than gators out there." He said, trying to draw her attention from her tea and to him. She played along and looked up with raised eyebrow.
"You'd be the first," she smiled, "maybe your stories can be worthy of writing." His smile widened.
"Oh I do love telling stories!" he stood up and took a couple steps closer to her with his hands behind his back, "but to give away everything I know for free? That would not be fun at all!" He shook his head in a dramatic way before tossed his cane from one hand to the other and pretended to inspect his claws, moving the other hand behind his back, holding his staff.
"I'll tell you what my dear mortal," he glanced over at her waving the claws of his free hand toward her, "I'll tell you all the stories of the bayou. Stories that will make your readers die from fear, but I would like something in return." His smile turned dark, and Scarlett crossed her legs and arms as she looked up at him. She had to admit that he was good at playing the game. She knew he wanted to brag to her about his deeds, but he managed to put his ego aside so he could collect what he wanted.
"And what would that be?" she asked, playing along and already having an idea of where this was going.
"Well," he smiled, "I do this for you, and you let me protect that mortal soul of yours while you're here. It's rather a fair trade that only benefits you. Being protected by an overlord until you get home. So many would kill for that down here. So, do we have a deal?" he held his hand out to her, a faint green light glowing from his palm. She quickly caught on how he twisted his words to say 'protect' instead of 'own.' For someone who didn't listen closely and let their experience down here be controlled by fear, it would be so easy to fall into that trap. Scarlett stood up then and moved to hover her hand over his, watching as his smile grew a little more.
"Why mister Alastor," she faked a Louisiana accident perfectly, and moved her hand away, placing it over her chest. "I am a lady. I expect a man to at least take me out dinin' and dancin' before thinking he has some sorta claim over me." She placed her hand on the bottom of his glowing green one and pushed it back to him. The green glow fading away in the process as she continued; "But don't worry darlin' you may get what you want eventually if you work just a little harder at it." Scarlett moved around him as he kept a smile plastered on his face, but his hidden grip on his staff told a different story of how he was feeling. He moved his free hand behind his back to join the other as he watched Scarlett take a few steps away before giving a small curtsy with an imaginary dress.
"Bonne nuit, Alastor." Alastor tilted his head as the French word for 'goodnight' left her lips. He watched her walk away, tapping his claws on his metal staff in irritation. She was a cunning little thing; he was not expecting that. She saw right through his farce. This would make acquiring her soul more challenging. Now this was a battle to find out who was the most cunning and could come out on top.