"It's fine. Come'ere." The boy on her bed wasn't Ptolemy or Gargoyle, but an older boy with wings. What did it
matter? He still had the same soft dark voice. He still looked around the room with that smooth, perfect, careful
nature. It was Bartimaeus, no alteration of essence could ever change that.
"No way!"
"Just one night! You're such a chicken!"
"No!"
Her bedspread squeaked. The closet door was pulled open. She blinked up at an angry Bartimaeus before he
grabbed her hand, pulling her from the closet. They sat on her bed together.
"Why can't you sleep on the floor?"
"Because it's cold. Brrr!" A little acid crept in Bartimaeus' previously sweet tempered tone.
"You're a fire demon!"
The boy made a face and crossed his arms.
"Fine! I'll take the floor, then."
"But I need to be close, in case a djinni gets you."
Kitty frowned. Shyly, she glanced sidelong at the demon. Should she tell him? He had a penchant for taking things
badly.
"I'm afraid..."
"That I'll eat you. News flash, your grimy guts take weeks to floss out of my essense."
Bartimaeus blinked entirely black eyes. "And, I'm as likely to eat you as Ptolemy."
"Oh...I'm still scared though." Kitty rolled her eyes, scrunching her butt to the corner of her bed, far away from the
demon. "I can't help my nature."
"That's a pretty specific fear to be in your nature. Come back here."
A hand she was helpless to resist grabbed her shoulder and tugged her against his side. He draped an arm over
her casually. The demon felt really warm. It was like being friends with a cheerful little fire. "Not so bad, see?"
Bartimaeus smiled at her friendly-ly. Or maybe he thought so. The smile was too damn fierce to not be Other Place.
It grossed her out seeing him trying to connect with her like a human would. Did he think she was stupid? Scratch
that.
"Uh..." She choked, and angled her body away from him. On the other hand...it was kind of cute.
"You're really pissing me off, Kitty."
Kitty turned her head.
"Uh, Kitty?"
Kitty's face felt hot. Did his voice always purr seductively? What the hell, he had the most perfect skin tone. He
smelled like rosemary. It smelled nice, but what had his previous master been doing to him?
"Hmm." The purr in his voice was absent. It sounded straight forward.
Surprised, she glanced curiously -yet was still shy, still guarded- at the demon. The friendly smile was entirely gone.
"I think that's only part of your problem. You're afraid of something else."
"What?" She murmured interested.
"Gee, let me think." Bartimaeus smiled, but it wasn't pleasant at all.
His arm around her shoulder tightened, pulling her close to his face. Her face burned until she felt dizzy. She slapped
her hands to her face.
"Do you have any concept of personal space, demon?"
The demon raised his arm from her shoulder, and pushed her backwards with the other.
"Oh, that does it."
Kitty hit the bed with a soft plumph. She frowned. She had a bad feeling. From the vicinity of her eyes, her bedroom
walls were horizon-level, and the bed ground level, and Bartimaeus was a giant stony gargoyle blotting out the
horizon with fifteen-feet wingtip to wingtip, hovering midair. Kitty gasped. And Bartimaeus swooped. Kitty was
flooded with tangling feathers. She had the breath knocked out of her as the demon straddled her stomach. He was
back to older guy form. And that was too close for Kitty.
"Demon! Let me go!"
"It's. Djinni." He snapped acidly.
"LEMME GO, DAMN IT!"
"Wow, your skin is all red!" He blinked demonic eyes. "Do you have a condition? Because humans faces don't
normally do that-"
"I WAS SUNBURNED!-"
"-Unless they're around someone who gets them excited. Is that...Me?" He pointed to himself with convincing
innocence.
"SHUT YOUR FACE THIS INSTANT!"
The demon raised an eyebrow at her.
She took a deep calming breath. "What can I do for you, demon?"
"First off, it's djinni."
Kitty struggled to not roll her eyes.
"Go on." He snapped.
She said nothing.
"I can do this allll night human."
"Djinni." She muttered.
"Now my name."
Kitty bit her lip. "Why?"
"Do I just call you human? No. And I have a name too."
Kitty shrugged. "You just did call me human."
"Human." He growled.
She flinched, "Bartimaeus?"
"Yeah?" He answered automatically.
"Get off of me."
Shit, the cute factor on this demon murderer was going to kill her. She could just imagine him working in a restaurant uniform asking customers 'May I help you?'. Shut up imagination!
