The young woman crouched down, sword clutched in hand, eyes narrowed to fierce slits. She squeezed the handle more tightly, feeling her hand shoot spikes of pain up her arm. She loosened her grip slightly. Relax, she told herself, this will not go well if you tense up. Be fluid, like water. She took a deep breath to steady herself and barged into the room. Her target, the one she was to assassinate, had been forewarned. He brandished his sword threateningly and shouted, “How dare my own seed rise up against me!”


“Angela, can we go to the park?” Delilah asked.

Angela lowered her gaze to the child, the daydream fading fast. “Certainly,” Angela replied with a sigh, “but only if I come along. You and Michaela are too young to be left alone.”

“But Angela,” Michaela whined, “we’re not babies!”

“That doesn’t matter, young lady,” Angela replied sharply. “Goodness, what kind of fool do you take me for? I’d sooner leave… gosh, I don’t know… a diamond necklace sitting alone on a park bench than leave you two alone at a park for five minutes. There are all kinds of depraved people who sit around in places like that, looking for children like you!”

Michaela and Delilah stared at Angela, wide-eyed. “…Okay,” Delilah relented. “You can come.”


The park was a short walk away, no more than ten minutes. Delilah and Michaela ran over to the swings, and Angela plopped herself down onto the nearest bench and settled into a new daydream.


She stepped into the classroom, the epitome of feminine perfection. Little did they know that her body was host to a poison. Should a man dare to so much as kiss her, he would be dead within hours from the poison eating away at his body. His death would not be a pleasant one; he would die choking, gagging on his own tongue, as blood seeped from every orifice. This was her punishment to men for being slaves to their desire.


“Hey, mister, you’re sexy!” Delilah called out, breaking into Angela’s thoughts. “I really like guys with blonde hair.”

Angela groaned inwardly, running over to tear Delilah away from whatever man she’d become fascinated with, and she found herself face to face with Dunstan Diggory.

“S-sorry about that,” she stammered, blushing.

“Cute kid,” Dunstan remarked, ruffling Delilah’s hair. “Is she your little sister?”

“Oh goodness no,” Angela quickly gasped out. “I’m just babysitting her.”

Dunstan turned to Delilah. “Hey, pretty eyes, you go run along and play with your friend over there, hm? We have grownup stuff to discuss.”

Much to Angela’s astonishment, Delilah complied with nary a demur. Angela raised an eyebrow. Dunstan shrugged. “I’m good with kids,” he said nonchalantly.


“What did you want to discuss with me?” Angela asked.

Dunstan smiled charmingly. “I wanted to offer some suggestions that I’ve been thinking about for a while.”

“I’m all ears.”

“Angela, you’re a very pretty girl, very poised and well-mannered, something that’s not too common these days. But, I’m afraid that your clothes and hair… well, you dress rather… young. Your clothes would be better suited for a girl around their age,” he said, nodding towards Delilah and Michaela. “I think that if we updated your look a little, you’d be even more charming. Of course, I wouldn’t dare make you dress in a manner contrary to your personal tastes. But still, a few changes here and there, and the results could be breathtaking.”

Angela gnawed on the inside of her cheek, considering Dunstan’s words.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “Meet me here after you get finished babysitting, and I can run you to some stores and let you get a feel for what would be more suited to ‘grownup you.’”

“I’ll think about it.”