Flat color and some line work
Narrator POV
Charlie huddled under her shawl, staring at the business card in her hand.
Just as Alastor said...when she had gone out in a disguise making a show of being miserable in Xander's territory, next thing she knows, this business card appears in her pocket.
Flipping it in her hand, there's one instruction.
"Put this card against any flat surface to change your fate"
So, Charlie took the card and walked into a back alley, slowly setting it on the ground.
She gasped softly when the card began to glow, and then expanded quickly into an open doorway.
Right under her.
She screamed right before she fell, and the door snapped shut, cutting off the sound.
The gravity shifted beneath the princess's feet, and she landed on her bottom, bouncing softly against the concrete. She winced, rubbing her bottom as she stood up.
She wrapped the shawl around herself tighter, looking around the dark lair.
It smelled like rotting meat.
Walking forward, her steps echoed softly through the large cavernous space.
"H-hello?" She called out, "is anyone there?"
There was silence...an empty chair sat directly in front of her at what looked to be the center of the room. The large black angel wings attached to the back made her blood run cold.
She noticed the sleeping animals next to the chair, and tilted her head.
Then Attala's eyes snapped open, glowing a menacing red in the dim room. She immediately growled at the stranger, lifting from her spot.
The fur and spikes along her back stood up, and she chuckled hauntingly, slowly approaching the unfortunate newcomer.
Charlie watched in dismay as the creature approached her. She doesn't want to kill it...but if she must—
"Attala!"
Charlie jumped slightly, whereas Attala lowered her eyelids and huffed in annoyance. She sulked back to her spot, and Charlie looked to the source of the voice.
Standing further away, in a darkened doorway, was Xander.
Dressed very casually.
Charlie tilted her head at his appearance...wearing only a dress shirt and slacks instead of his usual suit. Even his shoes were more casual.
"Sorry about her," he said with a chuckle, "she's a bit territorial...so, I heard you have a bit of a problem?" He asked, a large smile on his face.
Charlie kept the shawl wrapped tightly around herself, making sure not too much of her face was showing.
She can only disguise herself for short periods of time...so it's easier to just do this.
"Uh...yes, sir," she said softly, and heard him hum softly. Then suddenly he was directly in front of her, and he placed his index finger under her chin.
"Can I see your face?" He asked, and Charlie panicked, stepping away quickly.
"I-uh! No! I-I'm horribly disfigured..." she lied, cringing at how obvious the lie was.
But Xander surprisingly shrugged and turned on his heel, "very well...follow me. We've a deal to make, my dear," he purred, glancing over his shoulder, hands behind his back.
Charlie did as she was told. She soaked up every inch of this lair...then he led her through the dark doorway, and then through a black curtain.
Her eyes widened when revealed to her was some sort of...fortune telling room, it seemed. There was a round table, set up like they were going on a date.
But there were bones and cards placed on top of it, along with symbols sewn into the fabric.
Charlie immediately noticed the large dark shadow in the corner, looking nearly identical to Xander himself. The shadow followed her with its eyes, but stayed put.
"So!"
His loud voice made Charlie jump and she spun to face him.
"Please...take a seat...tell me, what is it you desire?" He asked, and a sly smirk spread across his face. His eye narrowed on her, and Charlie kept glancing around.
That talisman has to be somewhere in here.
"P-power..." Charlie stuttered, realizing she'd been quiet for too long. Xander hummed, resting his elbows on the table and tapping his claws together.
"Power..." he mused...then chuckled darkly.
Charlie's eyes widened when suddenly her arms were restricted and her hood was yanked down.
She stared wide eyed and frightened at Xander, who was wearing a psychotic smile.
"Last time I checked you're the princess. If you need more power then god help us all."
He chuckled at his own joke, and then stood from the table, slowly approaching Charlie. She growled and her horns sprouted as she struggled against whatever was restraining her.
Then her restraints started...touching her. She gasped and looked back at the shadow that was holding her, and his eyes narrowed as his jagged smile widened.
"Get your filthy hands off me!" She growled, and finally broke free from the shadow. Turning to Xander, she realized this was going south, and threw a punch.
Then he caught her hand...and twisted it behind her back, making her gasp in surprise. She found herself flush against his chest, his chuckle rumbling into her back.
"Oh, princess, princess, princess..." he purred, swaying back and forth with her before he spun her around roughly, holding her by the wrists.
"So pretty, but so stupid!" He said with a stretched smile.
Charlie tried to fight against him, but something was weakening her powers.
Xander chuckled and looked around the room, "do you like my enchanted fortune room?" He said, and then yanked her close to him, pressing their foreheads together as he stared into her eyes.
"I guess it works on royalty, too!" He cackled, and then took her face up in his hands, a low purr rolling through his chest.
"How exquisite...you and I are so similar, princess," he mused, "when I found out he was sending you, I was beyond excited!" He said giddily, and Charlie furrowed her eyebrows.
He knew?
But Charlie was slowly realizing something.
The way he's touching her, the way he's speaking to her...he's not hurting her. Why isn't he hurting her?
She stopped struggling against him, but he kept his hold on her wrists tight. Charlie needed to think quickly.
She can't fight him...and she needs him to let her go. He seems to be treating her gently...or...gentle enough.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she developed a plan...a plan that might get her killed if she's wrong.
Initially she wanted to respond to his claim of them being similar with disgust, but as her idea formed, she lowered her eyelids and smiled.
"You really think so?" She asked innocently.
Her eyes glanced behind him to the table where a stack of his business cards sat.
There's the ticket... she thought to herself, looking back to his eyes...er...eye? Can he see out of that gem thingy? Who cares, she doesn't have time to think about that...
Xander stared down at her, slightly confused as his wide smile lessened slightly.
"...yes, you and I...we...we've had the same struggles, I know what it's like to be laughed at and ridiculed, my princess..." he said, his tone taking a much less psychotic note.
Bingo...
Charlie is half succubus. She can undo any man with a simple glance, but chooses not to use that particular part of her personality.
Xander on the other hand was looking down at the princess, wondering if this was actually happening...could she see him how he sees her?
Bringing her hands slowly to his chest, she turned on the charm.
As if she needed it.
Xander almost got on his knees for the princess in that very moment, but knows that's hardly good on his reputation. He can't remember the last time he's felt nervous...how did she flip the script on him in his own lair?
"I never wanted to help him..." Charlie whispered sensually as she began to unbutton his dress shirt slowly. Xanders breath sped up and he glanced to the side.
However, Charlie was focused on getting his hands off of her wrists, but he was still holding her tightly.
Then her eyes caught something as she unbuttoned his shirt.
Narrowing them curiously, she kept unbuttoning, uncaring and also unaware of what she was currently doing to demon in front of her.
When she finally saw what was beneath his shirt her lips parted slightly, her eyes widening.
A necklace...holding a bright green center that seemed to be caged in a pendant.
And it was radiating dark energy.
That's it.
That's it!
Excitement flared in Charlie's chest, and she smiled big, looking up at Xander.
Alright, time to sell her act and then get the hell out. She found what she came for.
Xander was staring down at the princess with a light blush on his face and a nervous smile. Charlie purred softly and got on her toes, pulling Xander closer to her.
His breath caught, but still he kept her wrists in his hands. Charlie was inwardly annoyed at what she was going to have to do...and genuinely hoping he would let go once she does it.
He actually let her get close to him, and Charlie hovered over his lips.
"You're right...you and I are similar..." she whispered against his lips, and then pushed her disgust to the side and closed the space.
Xander released her wrists immediately and moved his hands to her hips.
To which Charlie celebrated, and broke the kiss before she grabbed him by the shirt and threw him across the room.
His shadow immediately went to him to see if he was ok, and Charlie snatched three key cards off of the table and sprinted out.
Xander snarled at his shadow, "go get her you fool!" He roared at the creature, pulling himself off the ground.
Betrayal is something Xander is used to...but that hurt far more than anything he's felt in a while.
He teleported out into his main lair, and slammed his hand against a wall to steady himself. Each breath he took was a deep growl, and his claws embedded in the concrete wall.
The princess was already gone.
A wicked smile spread across his lips as his skin cracked and his eyes turned a deep black.
"Dirty moves..." he growled out, then started laughing, "you'll regret that, Alastor!" He shouted, his hyenas beginning to laugh with him.
"You'll regret it!"