The Heart's Content

Chapter 98

Charlie arrived at the circus tent just as the clock struck twelve, midnight, and there stood Valentino looking very pleased with her arrival. In one hand he held a rolled up scroll of paper and in the other hand he held a knife.

"Right on time, good. I don't like to be kept waiting." He basically towered over her as he drew closer. "So what's your decision? Have we got a deal?"

Charlie silently took one more moment to think about what she was going to do. If Alastor's love for her wasn't as sincere as hers was for him then it was all over for her. But she believed it was and if her beliefs were right then everyone Valentino had ever trapped would finally free.

"Come, come." He pressured her impatiently. "Make your choice! I'm a very busy man and I haven't got all night!"

"I'll do it." She said.

Valentino's eyes flashed with lust and greed that made Charlie want to shake and shiver but she stood firm.

"Now are you sure that you don't want a soul if you win?" He asked.

"No."

"But why not? It's your greatest dream. Your own sister risked everything to gain one, suffered endless pain and agony each day, suffered in silence. I'm offering it to you for even less of what she had to go through."

"That's a matter of opinion." Charlie said. "Personally I'd rather lose my voice and feel non-stop pain when I walk for the rest of my life, than just be near you."

"I always was an acquired taste." He said. "Can't imagine why you'd give up the chance for a soul just to help these freaks of nature but if that's your final choice, so be it."

He unrolled the scroll to her, the document was completely blank.

"Is this the contract?" Charlie asked him confused.

"It is."

"But there's nothing written."

"There will be once we go over the terms of our agreement." He chuckled "If the party of the second part reveals her true form to her love and he still accepts her then the party of the first part must release any and all associates from their contract. However if the party of the second part is rejected by her love upon revealing the truth then she must enter enslavement to the party of the first part for all eternity."

With that said, Valentino slit his hand with the knife and he didn't react at all to the injury. As if he didn't feel any pain from it. Blood spilled on to the blank parchment and the blood quickly wrote out the exact words Valentino had said and then some. However most of the blood turned as black as ink, leaving only one letter from each word in red.

"Now just sign right here on the dotted line." He said.

Charlie looked at the knife nervously.

"Where's the pen?" She asked him.

"No pen. No ink. With my contracts, you sign with blood. But don't worry, you only need enough to sign your name." He snapped his fingers and the knife was turned into a needle. "A simple pin prick will do."

Charlie slowly brought her hand toward Valentino but something about that triumphant smirk on his face made her consider one last thing and pull back.

"How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"We're sealing the deal with a magic contract and a magic blood pact. There's no way either one of us can break our word. The magic in this document will force us both to keep our end of the bargain. Trust me."

"I wouldn't trust you even if you had a hallow over your head and angel wings on your back."

"Alright if that's how you feel then you're to go. You can leave. I can't stop you. But Vaggie is still mine and since you're the only other possible attraction I can use in this town, I see no reason to stay. I'll just pack up, leave, take Vaggie and all the other freaks with me, and you'll never see any of them again I promise you that. In fact I don't think anyone will ever see then again except for paying customers."