One week later.

  Leicester is a city and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England and the county town of Lancashire. The city lies on the River Soar, close to the National Forest's eastern end. It is northeast of Birmingham and Coventry, south of Nottingham, and west of Peterborough.

  It was Marco’s birthday.

  About two weeks ago, she went through a horrible ordeal with the Third Revelation. She took great pleasure in killing the extermination squad and brutalizing Ralphie, formally known as Father Raphael.

  Even the media talked about it since they have found multiple bodies with their hearts ripped out of their chest. It was a byproduct of Marco's bloodlust.

  Of course, now, as a Ronin or Masterless Daemon Knight, she didn’t have to write up a report to her superiors on what happened.

  Marco wasn't truthful about Lydia and her baby during their time together. She managed to save both of them with the help of her fellow nephalems, who raided another demon meat market that Lydia was in.

  It took Lydia some time to recover, but the scars will remain. At least they didn't harm the baby. It was pointless to tell anyone the full truth about Lydia’s miraculous survival and saving the villagers from death and torture.

  Ralphie, Father Raphael, whatever...

  He was already a dead man before Marco entered the bedroom.

  The question of how ‘he’ would go out on his final day on earth would be the ending chapter.

  Speaking of bedrooms, she had to go into hers while taking a trip to the bathroom. There lies a specialized pregnancy test she received from another wiccan. She made a mistake using the ones that were formulated for human females.

  But not like the ones you find in your local drugstore; you must urinate in a cup and pour a specialized oil made from specially cultivated apple and pomegranate seeds to detect female nephalem hormones for pregnancy.

  In her case if she is pregnant, the urine will change into two colors. She took the test about an hour ago, so it should be done since it takes five minutes to get a result. But she spent most of the time pacing back and forth outside the bathroom.

  Marco took a deep breath and went inside to see the cup of urine on her counter. She gingerly walked to the counter, and with trembling fingers, she picked up the most positive news she had all year.

  Her urine was halved in two colors; white on top and black on the bottom.

  “I’m going to have a baby...” She breathed out.

  Tears started to well up in her eyes as they flowed down her cheeks. With such delight and joy running through her body and mind, she didn't know what to do first. There were so many things to do with so little time.

  Then, she takes her attention to who was sleeping in her guestroom. She immediately got to the bathroom and into the hallway. It took a while, but she was happy with the results.

  Standing at the door, she knocked on it a few times. No answer. She then opens the door to somebody sleeping in the bed. This was a good sign. Marco gave the guest a shot of natural herbs and spices she had cultivated and made into a special oil.

  She then went to the nightstand and lit red and black candles. Immediately, the candles filled the room with an illustrious scent.

  It didn't take much for the guest to wake from slumber. The guest sits up and stretches. The guest had blueish-purple eyes and long brown hair down to his back. Even though he was a young man in his early twenties, he had an effeminate look. It was none other than Ralphie.

  He yawned softly, opening his eyes for the first time in weeks; he saw Marco sitting at the edge of his bed next to him. He immediately blushed at the beautiful woman.

  “Um, where am I?” The boy asked.

  Then it was showtime for Marco, "Thank goodness you were awake! I was so worried about you!" She sincerely said while giving him a big hug.

  Bashfully, this flusters the effeminate boy as he tries to pull himself off, but couldn’t. Feeling her warm and soft body was disarming.

  “I’m sorry, but... I thought I was...” The young man stammered.

  Looking into his eyes was like a blank slate. Marco wanted to laugh so badly, but she had to finish the ritual if she ever wanted this to reverse the damage of his conditioning. Also, she can't screw up since this is a one-time shot. Everything has to count and be correct.

  Marco blinked in confusion as she looked sad, “you don’t remember?”

  The boy looked at the gorgeous woman as if he had no idea.

  "Alphonse, it's me. Marco. Marco Bennett from the pub years ago?" she said, reaching over to his face and brushing his hair. Holding onto the back of his head gently, a faint symbol started to glow orange as she spoke. "We were at a pub near Lancashire. I saw you in the corner drinking tonic water and I had too many pints. We chatted, and we hit it off just fine."

  In a drugged, addled state from the candles, the boy started to remember Marco, “It was on a school day... and you were drinking. It was weird.”

  She giggled, “You've always had a crush on me while growing up. You told me this when we were drinking. You are even amazed at how I've grown when we were kids. And so did I with you," Marco continued with a lustful smile.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  He immediately blushed remembering sex they had recently, “I have... always found you breathtaking... I was afraid to even...” Alphonse said with hazy eyes.

  She chooses her words carefully as the boy starts to remember his repressed memories of Marco using her words, medicine, and magic. "I enjoyed making love to you that night," Marco said, stroking his lips with her thumb. "We exchanged numbers and information the morning after and left separately. I wanted to call you to see how you are doing, but I heard about our village being raided by those cowards who would call themselves holy. They took me and my family away and locked me in that dreadful place. But we managed to get out. I couldn’t save anyone else."

  It took him a while to remember his childhood, so she used another ace: her sexuality. Marco took one of his hands and placed it on her chest. As he looked into her eyes, the feeling of a heartbeat helped him forge the memories he had to lock away. This was planned as she used her heartbeat as a metronome to further the process.

  "I remember... I remember you and me... I remember that night in we had in the castle was... amazing. I was scared, but I enjoyed it!" The boy admitted.

  Marco nodded, "Alphonse, I remember saying your name repeatedly while I was on top of you. Like you were saying mine." She giggled.

  It took him a few seconds for the boy to say his first name and something that would seal his fate forever, “Alphonse... I am Alphonse.”

  “Alphonse Peregrine, I love you,” Marco stated, using his real full name.

  Then the effeminate boy smiled warmly at Marco, “I love you too, Marco Bennett.”

  With those words, Marco has completely rehabilitated him. From this day forward, he will be known as Alphonse Peregrine again. And most importantly, Father Raphael is officially dead to the world.

  To celebrate this happy reunion, she thought of the only way that could cement this blessed occasion: with some candy. She had a small bag of treats she had bought from the candy store in town.

  Marco lays the bag on her lap and starts ruffling through the goodies, "Let's see. I have chocolate bunnies, Calissons, Spanish Peanuts, Krema, Carambar...”

  “You bought all of that?!” Alphonse wondered.

  “It is almost my birthday,” Marco gloated.

  “Oh, I didn’t know it was your birthday today...” Alphonse sounded disappointed.

  "Alfie, you are my birthday present. I finally found you all of these years. You are everything I've ever wanted in a man," Marco said with complete sincerity.

  Marco takes a piece of ultrasoft banana taffy and feeds him with her mouth. I was initially embarrassed, knowing this would lead to a sensual kiss. He looked forward with his quivering lips as he ate the candy. This leads to the conclusion of sharing a gentle, passionate kiss with Marco.

  To Alphonse, this was his kind of heaven. It was like he woke up from a horrible nightmare and now this. He didn't know what flavors he'd enjoyed the most: the candy, her warm mouth, or her tongue.

  Whoever though Marco who grow up to be this sensual woman of his dreams that he’d always fantasized about is feeding him candy in bed. He didn't want to end this beautiful dream, but he had to come face-to-face with reality.

  “I... I am still learning much about who the person I was back then... I must have done a lot of terrible things...” Alphonse said with a frown.

  Marco nodded with a sincere smile, "your own coven said it would take some time and shouldn’t rush to discover your abilities. You suffered immensely and they turned you into a monster for years. I’m so glad I found you again. But we can do it together. All it takes is time."

  Alphonse felt a bit better as he smiled, knowing he had somebody to take care of them for the time being. “How is Lydia?” He asked.

  “She and baby is fine, Alphonse. Trust me, that girl is hard to kill than cockroaches.” She informed.

  He nodded as he smiled, “I’m glad everyone is okay.”

  Marco couldn’t help to kiss him, "also, I spoke the Albus in town to pick up your test results and medication while you were recovering here. I even picked up mine," Marco said as she ate a piece of candy. She immediately blushed as Marco couldn't hide her excitement anymore, "Alfie, when you and I made love to you that night, you really let yourself go. With a little help from me, of course," Marco took her hand and rubbed her stomach, "I took a specialized pregnancy test, and it came back positive."

  "What?!" Alphonse shrieked in his high-pitched feminine voice. There was some fear in his heart and a lot of happiness and excitement. Maybe it’s because he wasn’t expecting to be a father soon, especially with a smoking hot woman like Marco.

  Even Marco had to wipe some tears of happiness away, "yes, the tests came back positive. You and I are going to be parents." Marco took one of his hands and kissed it gently. "I love you so much, Alphonse..."

  Alphonse took his hand and started to caress her soft face, "I... I know we did a few times, but I didn’t know it would that quickly. I just can't believe this is real. At first, I was scared, but... I wanted someone like you for so long, and now it's real."

  "Please, I am a hot mess. I love you, and you are a wonderful guy; I ended up ravished you beyond the point I broke your brainwashing," Marco challenged his sanity.

  He nodded while wrapping his arms around her, “You are everything I want in a woman, and you always will be. That person WAS me and I have made peace with that and repented.” He stated. “Of course, and I am glad you used some of your delicious honey to snap me out of it, instead of poison." Alphonse reassured with a bashful smile.

  The smiling and blushing Marco started to laugh uncontrollably; I can't believe this is working better than I hoped. I am glad I ran into him again. He was always a lady killer.

  She looked at Alphonse's beautiful and soulful eyes, not Ralphie or Father Raphael. Both of them were dead.

  Alphonse had some thoughts about the situation himself, I thought I was being punished, for not being honest with myself and being a coward. But you came into my life and reminded me what I was, Marco. Apart of me wanted to save you in that meat market, but I didn’t know how. I was so lost and confused. Just like what happened to my parents.

  I still pray and believe in my lord and savior, that is not going to change. But now I have a different purpose. I opened my eyes to the truth, and it was something I had to address. Sooner rather than later, I will end the Unyielding Hand!

  Marco had something else in mind with a mischievous smile: "And about my present? I know how you can make it up to me!"

  Alphonse swallowed hard as he felt great fear within himself; for some reason, and didn’t know why, “You mean... That? I mean, aren’t you pregnant?”

  “Time for me to give you some of my sugar, my beautiful Alfie,” Marco declared while she pushed him gently down on the bed and joined him.

  She decided to give Alphonse passionate lovemaking instead of raw, beastly sex.

  That was out of her system, fortunately for him...

  In a way, Alphonse Peregrine is still Father Raphael in the eyes of many. When they left the mansion, Alphonse had to be rehabilitated physically, mentally and emotionally with the help of her new coven.

  Even though his core memories were one in the same, Alphonse maintained his personality, intelligence, and even his hereditary abilities.

  How he was manipulated wasn’t a true mystery and the techniques that was used were familiar.

  It was good that she copied all his learned magic abilities from Maria who was unlearned as he would have to start from square one. She even added them to her long list of spells and abilities she'd stolen from him.

  They were dangerous and unnecessary for someone like Alphonse to have anyway. Again, more ignorance from the Third Revelation.

  Marco even stacked Bain's strength along with his fallen soldiers, making her even more physically powerful, strengthening her supernatural conditioning.

  Now, all she has to do is wait for the Holy Mother to truly make her next move.

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