Sorry, it took me so long with posting the next part. This Chapter was so heartbreaking for me it took this long to even get it done. Yes, warning: angst will be in this. So prepare yourself.

"He wants WHAT?!" Munkustrap almost shouted.

"A warmer place to roost," Ashley repeated. "He said with a better resting place he wouldn't be that demanding with the food."

"That.. that… " The silver tom growled while Justin tried to hold him down.

He wasn't the only one who didn't like the news. Those few others with them were quite displeased as he was.

"I like to drop some garbage on him." Arthur let out.

"Count me in." Dusk agreed.

"Just wait a moment," Demeter said. "What about Mina? Does she know about this?"

"No. I haven't told her yet." Ashley said.

"Good," Munkustrap said as he corrected his posture. "Let's try to keep it that way."

"Would it be a good idea? She tends to find out if we lie."

"We simply avoid the question." Munkustrap said. "The last thing she needs is more pressure on herself."

"What shall we do then?" Justin asked.

"I'll talk to few toms to keep an eye out for him for now," Munkustrap said. "Making sure that he stays away from her."

"I can do that," Ashley said sounding serious.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ashley," Demeter said worryingly. That seems to be something he tries to get you to do."

"You know, she is right," Dusk spoke. "He acts differently with you around. I think he is up to something."

"Well, it won't work for him," she said. "I won't give him the satisfaction of it."

"Either way, we have to be vigilant of him," Munkustrap continued. "If Mina hears his new suggestions she agrees to it and with that, he will look for other changes till he gets his way with her."

"Do you thinking she would be that?" Justin asked.

"Maybe not now. But you have seen how tired she has been after coming back from the food trips." Munkustrap explained. "Only to bring him the food while most of us are fine."

"You think he will exhaust her and then attack us?"

"He is a predator. He won't hold down the rest of the winter. I can already sense his blood lust. And there aren't much to turn that down."

"Alright. We'll go with your idea for now." Justin said. "But what will come if she finds out."

"With any luck, we won't need to worry about that. She is busy and mostly stays in the office. Let's just make sure Goth won't have a chance to get his way."

As said, they made sure Phantalmina didn't get much of a chance to talk to Goth. Even when she brought the meat Ashley or one of her friends in their larger form offered to handle it and give the meat to him. But most likely Ashley still tried to keep him away from her despite what others said. Seemingly their suspicions were somewhere true. Goth wasn't that irritated when it was her who tried to keep him away from the child. And most likely he seemed amused.

"You sure like to come to treat me, señorita. Are you this eager to get to my company?" he said to her smiling devilishly.

"Don't even think about it," she said to him. "I'm only helping her since she is busy and tired."

"Ah. So, have you told her about 'it' yet?"

Ashley frowned at him and shoved the bird's corpse to him. "Just eat your stupid meal. I hope you choke on it."

That only made him chuckle as he took the body and watched her fly back down to the others. Been hard prey only made him more interested in her. Once the child would agree on his new propositions, he might come up with something for her...

For five weeks nothing happened. Munkustrap and the others were glad for that but still tense about it. It wasn't easy to hide things from Phantalmina when she asked if they were alright or if something was wrong. Because of the blood-bands, it felt like she could really demand the answer from them if she put more pressure on her questions. Luckily she didn't. Until that night...

Phantalmina has just returned from her shopping trip with more food. As she stepped out from the mirror she found her friends gathered in the one corner having an intense conversation. Of course, she wanted to ask them what was wrong this time, but she could only guess what it was. Ticked again because of Goth. She didn't bother to ask about it since they would answer them the same manner. They would say "It's alright, don't worry." She simply went to serve the food to the others and went to give Goth the meat he always demands. She knew he stayed in the back at this time of the night while others were on the stage.

"Um... Hello?" she tried to call me.

"Well, well,..." Phantalmina yelped when she heard that voice coming suddenly close by. Almost quite next to her.

"...looking for me, eh pequeña? " Goth glides close to her, still staying above.

Phantlmina swallowed quickly and then spoke.

"I brought your meat."

"Oh?" he asked with a confided and devilish smile on his face. "And was that all you wanted to see me about?"

"What do you..?"

"Stay away from her!"

Phantalmina turned quickly to see Ashley approaching them with a quick speed.

"What? I'm just asking to know her conclusion on our arrangement." Goth smiled as he took a little distance from her.

Phantalmina looked worried and a little confused by his words.

"What arrangement?"

"Oh? They didn't tell you?" Goth wondered.

"Tell me what?"

"Mina please, let me deal with this," Ashley said as she glared at him angrily.

"Señorita, it has been so long time already. How long are you making me wait for the answer?"

"Ashley, what is going on?" Phantalmina wasn't liking how this talk was going on.

"Mina, please just go." This was already so difficult for Ashley and Goth seemed to enjoy the moment.

"Why send her away? She has to hear all of this at some point." Goth.

"But not from you."

Phantalmina could sense something was badly wrong. The way Ashley talked to her reminded the Blood Band incident, but this time she could notice that she wasn't the only one.

Goth chuckled at Ashley's words and flew back to his corner after saying to the girl...

"You can leave the food there. I like to go after it. "

She left the meat and started to walk back to the other. But Ashley sensed that something was wrong with her.

"Mina, I..."

"Don't." She said to her as she walked to the stage.

Once back with others Phantalmina asked with a voice that didn't seem to hold any emotions.

"What is going on?"

At first, they weren't sure what she was asking, but they too started to notice the same thing as Ashley did.

"Mina, we..."

"No!" she raised her voice. "Have all of you forgotten that you are banded to me? To my service?

Her father has reminded her that the banded ones are bound by blood to serve her. But she never imagined using it this way on them. It took a while but they couldn't hold much longer avoiding that command.

"I want answers," Phantalmina spoke again. "What is going on with Goth that all of you are so ticked about?"

"Goth, he..." Arthur was first to let some words out. But it was then when Munkustrap, Brutus and Justin continued.

"He wants to get a better place to roost." Munkustrap began.

Phantalmina stopped breathing for a moment.

"Somewhere warmer." Justin continued.

"Like close to the bed." Brutus finished.

Phantalmina turned around, away from their faces. There was a weird mix of feelings rushing inside of her. Hard to tell which one was the cause. Goths new changes or her friends trying to keep her away from these things.

"Just that?" she then asked emotionlessly.

"Yes."

"Nothing else?"

"Only that."

"Good," she said as she tried to calm her breathing, hoping it could also calm her heart.

Then she turned to the way she had just come and taken a deep breath.

"GOTH!" she called him out loud knowing he was listening. It didn't take long for him to fly to them and land on the piano.

"So?" he smiled knowing what this meant.

"You wanted a warmer place to sleep?"

"Yes. That is correct."

"In exchange for what?"

"Hmm..." he thought for a while. "I'll be satisfied to eat only once a day any bird meat you bring for me."

"Anything I bring to you?" She clarified.

He sighs first as this part was hard for him too. "Yes. Even that… not fresh ones."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course. Haven't I kept my part of our agreement this far?"

Phantalmina simply breathed hard, as if she was keeping the inner thoughts down. Once her breathing calmed down she gave her answer.

"You can roost in the left side of the bed's canopy. It's warmer and less drafty."

"Why thank you, pequeña."

"But,..." she added in a serious tone. "...if you break any part of this or our previous agreement, you will face something worse than been thrown out to the humans."

Goth looked surprised by the way she spoke to him for a little moment, but he then just smiled and chuckled.

"I keep that in mind," he said and flew back up to his corner to finish his meal.

Once he left, everything was quiet. Justin, Munkustrap, Ashley, and others could sense she wasn't well.

"Mina," one of them tried to talk to her.

But she quickly turned to them and her eyes looked so glassy that she seems to start to cry at any moment.

"Don't you even dare to try this again," she spoke to them in a voice they have never heard her use. "Because next time, I won't forgive you for keeping secrets from me. I am not that stupid. Understood?"

"Y-yes." they nodded to her and she left them.

Phantalmina went straight to the office and locked the door behind her. Once all alone in there she fell to her knees and cried her lungs out. It was too much. Not Goth's new conditions, but the fact that they kept her out of it. Goth said, "so long". How long have they hidden this from her? Why? Didn't they trust her?

There were so many painful questions going around in her that it hurt.

But with that, she lifts her eyes to the desk where the score papers and notes rested. Including "those" notes. She stood up, sat down at the desk, took them out, and kept writing those songs again. And for the first time, she didn't care what kind of songs they were. She didn't care at all how strong and dangerous they were coming. All she wanted is all that rage and pain on the paper. Done and ready for a moment to let loose for a moment she knew was coming soon.