"Oh so Dia is here, thank you for establishing that, Kitten."

Fatima's cheek turned slightly red, "Kitten? What?" She abruptly shook her head, "what are you doing in my home?" She asked curiosity hinting at her tone.

"Well Kitten, I am here for Dia, and you're her pet, are you not?" He gave her a taunting smirk.

"I'm not a pet," she took the bait.

Too easy, he sighed. The bathroom door opened behind him as Dia stepped out. She gave him an evil glare, while his remained neutral, but his eyes softened slightly at the sight of her. Brushing a few wet strands of hair from her face, "What do you want Grey?"

"We had a bet, you lost."

"Indeed we did," she tone was even, but Fatima clearly picked up that whatever it was Dia didn't want to.

"Why don't you leave," She shot at Grey, "Before I call the cops for breaking and entering my home."

Grey waltzed right up to her and towered over her, "Of course, but I will be taking Dia with me, she's to stay with me now, and sorry; no pets allowed."

"I'm not a pet!"

"Fatima enough, he's just trying to unnerve you." She pondered for a moment.

"Why should Dia go with you, it is obvious she doesn't want to!"

Grey mused, "you picked a fiery little spirit this time Dia, but does she always ask such pesky questions?"

"She insists on knowing things she would be better off without knowing for sure."

"Hey! Answer my question!" Fatima huffed her face betraying how flustered she was getting with them talking over her.

"How adorable!" He teased, and her face sharpened to a glare, "that's cute Kitten, keep trying, one day you'll have a scary look."

Dia grew slightly impatient with Grey's game, "Alright enough. Why not humor the girl and answer the question."

"Well if you insist," his tone dropped a few notches darker. "You'll be much safer at my house Dia. You can't outrun him forever, but there you won't have to. I have staff that will take care of you and everything. It doesn't have to be long, only until Dark gives up his search for you in this city and moves on to the next one. How you insist on staying with a clueless girl is baffling."

"I'm not clueless!" Fatima replied once again, "Oh but that does remind me, I think Dark came into the shop today."

"Really now, how did you get away alive being a demon and all?"

"He seemed really distracted maybe." Fatima shrugged, she faced Grey again to ask him to leave again, but he had an analytical gaze that made her take a step back.

"Kitten here is a demon, I would have never thought she was," he shot at Dia.

"Her demonic energy is sealed away nice and tightly by Dark." She replied bored and stepped towards the kitchen. Grey acknowledged her and went to follow. He grabbed Fatima by her wrist and twirled her back onto the couch. She immediately jumped to her feet in pursuit.

Grey sidestepped, so she rushed right past him before grabbing her by the waist, "This one needs to learn when to stay out of things that don't concern her." He thrust her back before reaching Dia. "Plus you lost the bet; you have to come with me now."

Dia simply looked in silence. Fatima cut in once again, "What bet?"

"It does not concern you, Kitten, stay out of it." Grey's voice was riddled with contempt for the girl. She noticed and pressed further.

"What was the wager then?"

"She has to stay with me from now on," He half lied, he only said for another day, but wanted to break the girl's spirit.

"Why can't she just say no."

"Because she has honour."

"She can't even bend the rules a little?"

"No."

Fatima gritted her teeth, "Fine, what if I make a counter-wager, so she doesn't have to?"

"Why would I make a bet with you Kitten?"

She hesitated not sure how to answer the question. By all rights he didn't have to, she had high hopes that he would have, but it made more sense why he wouldn't. Dia glanced back, "maybe not with her, but with me certainly."

"Dia, why would you make a wager in place of your pet here?"

"I am quite fond of Fatima, she is quite interesting, and I want to see what happens next."

Grey frowned but nodded curtly. Dia glanced around, "I'll make a meal that you can't resist to eat, if you do, I'll go with you and won't see Fatima anymore."

"What no!" Fatima recoiled at hearing what Dia had said.

"But if you even take one bite, I'm staying with her," Grey smirked, this place didn't look to have any food in it, at least only have the poor man's supper if anything at all.

"Fine, it shouldn't be too hard."

"Oh good! It was a great idea to stock up on food earlier this week then wasn't it Fatima."

"If you say so," her tone was flat and faltering while she dragged up a chair to the island counter in the kitchen area. She took a moment and with a venomous amount of spite offered it to Grey. He dully looked at her, "do you want to sit down or not! No point in standing!" She told him defensively before offering help to Dia.

"No thanks, and with that hand still, you better not be anywhere near this kitchen." Fatima huffed in reply. "Oh and no attempting to make jewelry either it's just sad to watch."

"I have commissioned pieces to finish!" She got defensive once again.

"Kitten, some advice, maybe you should control your emotions, else everyone will know what your thinking." Grey jeered and watched the little blonde fume as she had no retort.

"Do I have to tell you two to behave?"

*

"So it was a good idea to follow darling Grey here," Joan purred with a Cheshire cat smile. She breathed the air in, taking in the scent and recognizing Fatima's. Her eyes flashed in response; the wasted potential will no longer be trapped in a useless body. It was there for the taking, but she hesitated at the sight of Dia. She didn't know who the girl was, but she sensed the danger from her, and currently it wasn't worth the risk. She would have to wait for the other two to leave Fatima alone long enough that they won't know what happened.

"Such an easy target you are Fatima," She jumped off the roof of the adjacent building into the submerging darkness below, her luminescent eyes glowing like little orbs. Pain suddenly spiked through her side, and she recoiled backward onto the open street.

"So... You're the demon I had been hired to kill." Sarah walked out of the alleyway, her rifle smoking at the nozzle as she had shot Joan at point blank range. "Let's skip the chatter and get on with me killing you shall we?"