Killing Hope

Chapter Fourteen

Hitman had removed his visor and went through to the bathroom to splash water over his face, his entire body hot with fury over what he had observed and frustrated guilt that had the timeline not been altered it never would have happened. For all that he was sure she had passed that challenge he still felt the ramifications of the fact that Hope had been assaulted like that. Her Human lives had all been painful, a true punishment for the crime of being born and he flinched as he realised that for her she had lived those lives twice over in order to protect him. He swallowed hard on the pain that ripped through him and grabbed a bottle of water, gulping it down as he looked across at Hope curiously. Why did she love him so much? What had he done to deserve such unselfish love which would place him first at every turn? Even when he was Bret, he still took control of their relationship, still made it very clear that he made the decisions. Was it his fault she was so subservient; so weak when she should be strong and able to make her own choices? But then he recalled what the Crone had said; that Hope craved his dominance and he tried to force the guilt away.

Returning to the bed he sat down beside her and took her hand in his before he lowered his visor back over his eyes and found himself in the familiar black, grey and purple tones of Reaper's house.

"Hope! If you want to see the pups you must come now!" Reaper was standing by the door, calling to his daughter who suddenly appeared on the staircase. She was possibly about five years old and smiled at him willingly as she hurried down and then grabbed his hand in her own. Reaper smiled down at her with a look of utter adoration.

"Can I really choose one, Daddy?" she asked, excitedly and Reaper gave her an indulgent smile.

"Of course.  But you must choose well because whichever one you decide on will be with us forever."

"Which will be best do you think?"  she asked and Reaper considered this.

"The strongest," he finally said. "If you choose a weak one you will no doubt regret it. In this world the strong survive. Always remember that Hope."

"Ok," she said, not really listening as they were approaching the stable door. There had never been any puppies in Limbo before but Cerberus had chosen this place for his pups to be birthed and Reaper could not argue with the loyal Hell hound who had guarded his gates for millennia. Hope scrambled inside and looked at the wriggling bodies, her eyes alight with excitement. One of them was blue black, with eyes that reminded her of flames and mindful of what her father had said she asked if he would pick him up and show her. Reaper reached in and picked up the pup who promptly bit him, causing Reaper to almost drop the little bundle but Hope deftly caught the puppy and grinned.

"I want this one," she said. Reaper glared.

"I ought to drown that one," he snarled and she giggled.

"Oh Daddy he just needs to be taught some manners; that's all." Rubbing his hand Reaper scowled.

"So what are you gonna call the little monster then?" he asked, as the puppy settled against Hope"s chest contentedly.

"I think Lucifer," she replied and he raised an eyebrow.

"Lucifer? Like the devil?"

"Well only the devil himself would be brave enough to bite you, Daddy," she said and Reaper roared with laughter, giving his daughter an impulsive hug.

"You could be right, Hope," he said. They headed back to the house, Hope carrying the small puppy gently. The dog seemed unperturbed to be taken away from his siblings and accepted the fate he had been given. The little girl determinedly trained him over the next few months and he was very much her dog, loyal and protective of her, though she trained him to accept her parents' presence and he didn't growl at them much, loving Persephone almost as much as he loved Hope and treating Reaper with wary respect.