"Lovebirds! What can I get you?"

It didn't matter what city Bloom was in or what planet she was on, every club she'd ever been in was the same. They were dark, full of flashing lights and loud music she'd never cared for, and they smelled. Like layers of cologne and spilled alcohol and sweat. Ayin was no exception. She could have been in California for all she knew (and the only reason she knew she wasn't was the lack of a state flag anywhere).

It was also crowded - startlingly so for a weeknight. She had been worried about eavesdroppers or someone across the room noticing them having a serious discussion, but there were far too many people wrapped up in their own lives to pay them any mind. Baltor had directed them to the bar when they got inside, and it had taken several seconds of bobbing and weaving to even see where it was.

And standing behind said bar, mixing drinks and laughing along with the patrons, was Baltor's contact.

Even up close, Bloom would have never in a million years guessed this man was involved with universe-destroying forces. Some seedy drug trades, probably (because he did have that look about him), but not robbing the universe of light. He seemed far too normal for that.

But that, she supposed, was the point.

Baltor took the available chair at the end of the bar, Bloom standing next to him. He spent enough time scanning the menu she could tell he was actually planning to drink. And sure enough, a few moments after they'd been asked: "A Rumlow, with your best scotch."

"And for you, sweetheart?"

Bloom forced herself to stay relaxed as Baltor slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. "Anything you want, my dear."

She glanced at the menu, picking the first vodka-based drink she saw. "A Tanzanite Sunrise."

"Coming right up. You two in for the week?"

"Yes," Baltor took his time looking at the people around them, making sure they were caught up in their own conversations. "And we had to visit. Your establishment came to me highly recommended."

The bartender didn't even slow his movements, throwing various liquids into two shakers with the flourish of someone who'd been doing it for a very long time. "Nice to know our customer loyalty stretches across the galaxy. Who sent you my way, if I may ask?"

"A gentleman I crossed paths with on Eraklyon. By the name of Eres."

"Eres!" he sounded thrilled to hear the name, even though Bloom knew no such person existed and the whole conversation was code. "Always a right bastard, that man, but a great tipper. How is he, anyway?"

"Fine, fine. Said he was planning to stop over next month on a business trip. Should I tell him to look you up?"

"No, don't you worry. He'll make his way here, he always does - Ginger! Be a dear and help that couple down there, eh?" he motioned the other bartender to two women at the opposite end, leaving Bloom and Baltor alone with him. The minute she was out of earshot, the Customer Service Smile faded. He poured the drinks, and Bloom saw him very subtly looking around as well, making sure no one was paying them any mind.

"So," the bartender slid the glasses over and gave Baltor a pointed look. "Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with under that well done glamour?"

Bloom took her cue and undid the spell so the bartender could get a look at Baltor's true face, timing it to drop as he took the first sip of his drink. She expected a nonchalant reaction, based on how he'd behaved so far.

She didn't get it. The other man's face dropped as if he'd seen a ghost. "Holy fucking shit."

Baltor looked pleased at the reaction. "I remember you. They had you smuggling shipping information out of the capital a few months ago, didn't they?"

"...Among other things."

"Well," Baltor lifted the drink back to his lips. "Wonderful to see you again. Nice to know you have a career to fall back on in case this doesn't pan out."

The man laughed humorlessly and reached around to grab a dirty glass. He was desperately trying to appear unfazed, but given his initial reaction that ship had sailed. Bloom almost felt bad for him - the only thing worse than underestimating Baltor was doing it in front of him. She knew that all too well. She could see his eyes darting everywhere - the glass, the crowds, the bartop - his mind obviously racing. Finally he cleared his throat. "There were rumors, you know. That you'd gotten free. Curious I haven't heard any overground chatter about it."

Baltor laughed easily, and if Bloom wasn't so nervous she would have been impressed at how easily he was lying. "What do you want, a press conference? I'm surprised any leak got out. But then again, it's obvious their security isn't what it once was."

"Suppose so." The man paused for a second, then finally seemed to remember Baltor hadn't come in alone. He turned his gaze to Bloom, and after a moment reached across the bar with an outstretched hand. "Don't believe we've had the pleasure, though. Call me Leonnates."

Bloom stared blankly at his hand, then at him without offering her own. Or an answer of any kind.

"Oh forgive my partner here. She's not very talkative."

Leonnates's eyes narrowed as he drew his hand back. She understood, then, that this was an attempt to regain the upper hand in the conversation. Even though Baltor had caught him off guard, Leonnates had no plans to blindly accept him. That surprised her, almost as much as it worried her. "Who is she?"

Baltor scoffed. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," the other man replied without hesitation. Bloom felt the arm around her waist tense. "When you show up after being in custody for a month with another person in a disguise spell, it matters. This is a place of business. I don't do funny shit."

"Your broad speaking terms are amusing, as if this is a morally just city or establishment," Baltor said after a moment. "I'm not wearing a wire, as the saying goes. You're not in any danger. I covered my tracks, and no one knows I'm here."

"So why be so protective over a broad?"

Baltor tilted his head. "She's not a broad. She helped me escape. And if anyone besides you sees who she is, people will talk. We don't want people to talk, do we Leonnates?"

Bloom took the hint and lessened the glamour around herself so Leonnates could see her. She wasn't sure what he would say or do, but she wasn't prepared for the fear in his eyes as he stepped backwards. "Fucking shit!"

"It's fine," Baltor said, and though his voice was level he seemed equally surprised. "Calm down, you imbecile, we're all fine."

"You bring one of the fucking Winx in here and tell me it's fine?"

It took a fair amount of self-control to not react. Bloom had heard her group name uttered with malice from plenty of people before, but this was the first time it was done by someone she didn't know (and to her face).

"Because she's not a Winx at present." He reached around and pushed Bloom's hair back to expose her neck. The fake mark flashed red, and Bloom decided it was a good idea to keep it pulsating with color for several extra seconds. "She's mine. So calm down and get back to cleaning glasses and making small talk, before you do draw a crowd."

Baltor tapped her shoulder as if casting a spell, and Bloom took back Leonnates's ability to see either of them beyond the disguise spell. She kept the mark visible, however, since it seemed like a stupid power trip move Baltor would pull. Leonnates blinked rapidly at it, apparently trying to make sure his eyes were functioning normally before, finally, picking up another dirty glass to clean. "How?"

"They wanted information. I was less than forthcoming. So the Council - idiots they are - thought someone from my own planet could convince me to give it up. Someone who defeated me before."

"Did you?"

He laughed lowly. "What do you think?"

Leonnates didn't say anything for a bit, cleaning glasses and looking them both over slowly. Bloom had no idea what the man was thinking. "She's totally under?" he finally asked, gesturing to Bloom as if she was nothing more than an interesting pet. "No free will, no magic?"

"If she had free will, do you think she would've helped me escape? Do you understand now, why the Council hasn't put my face on a realm-wide bulletin? They have to run damage control - figure out how to spin the story to protect their precious Winx Club leader and not look incompetent for leaving her alone with me."

The other man clicked his tongue, obviously considering Baltor's story. "Proof would be nice."

"...What kind of proof?"

Bloom recognized the smile that came over Leonnates's face immediately. It was a predatory thing she'd seen on men she didn't know in the streets. It was the way they would look at her on Earth when they saw her Enchantix, or the way men in Magix would look at her if she wore shorts in the summer (though the men on Earth did it too). He leaned over the bar, into her personal space as if he was entitled to it. "If you really are a brainless little doll," and at those words he took Bloom's chin in his hand. "Kiss me."

Baltor's fingers dug into her hip. He hadn't expected that.

She, however, remained calm. Bloom thought of Stella, of all people, trying to convince her Princess Varanda was actually a very nice girl even though she'd sent a long and threatening letter to Bloom for impersonating her at Alfea, back during her first, nonsensical year in the dimension.

Varanda comes off really strong to people, the Solarian princess had said. It's just the way she was raised. Men on Vallisto get a kick out of trying to put women "in their place," or more so than most places. Makes you grow up not taking anything from anyone.

Bloom counted to three in her head before leaning back enough that Leonnates had to release her. "I don't do anything unless my Master tells me to." She turned to look at Baltor then with the slightest bit of confusion, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Would you like me to kiss him, Master?"

"Certainly not." Baltor kept his gaze focused on Leonnates and reached for the drink Bloom had ordered. He passed it off to her with a nod of approval. "I'm not fond of sharing."

She took the drink in one hand and kept the other around Baltor's shoulders. For the first time ever, she was relieved to be near him. She took a sip and tried not to react - it had been poured heavy, and Bloom now knew why. She made a mental note to send Varanda apology flowers at some point.

Leonnates showed no remorse as he finally backed off, merely shrugging at Baltor. "Can't blame a bloke for trying, can you? If I had five credits for every man who told me what he planned to do with one of the Winx..."

"...I suppose not." The music covered the tension in Baltor's voice. Mostly.

"Certainly explains why you didn't get here right away. Care to share secrets?" He looked at Bloom again with that same primal glean. "She looks like she'd be a screamer, but being under a spell -"

"As much I would delight in sharing what my sex life has included over the last two days," Baltor cut him off, sounding like he'd rather smite Leonnates where he stood. "I thought we might get on to business."

"And what business is that?"

Bloom glanced at Baltor over the lip of her glass, catching the end of the surprise on his face. "I was told to come here when I got out. That you would give me instructions on what to do next."

Leonnates continued to stare at him with the slightest smirk. "My job isn't to give you specific instructions. It's to pass you along to the person that will."

"Yes, I was aware you're at the bottom of the ladder." Baltor said pointedly, and the other man's smirk momentarily froze. "So go climb it and tell me where to go next."

Slowly and deliberately, he put his final glass down. Leonnates looked from Baltor to Bloom, then back to Baltor. His smile made her uncomfortable. "I'll make some calls. You'll get the information needed when I receive it."

"I -"

"Can I get you two anything else?" he cut Baltor off, raising his voice and slipping back into the role of a friendly bartender. The nearest patron glanced towards them, and Bloom felt her heart speed up. No information, no inclination they were even believed.

Baltor looked furious, but upon realizing it would be a bad idea to commit murder in such a public place, shook his head. "We're fine. How much do I owe you?"

"Please, for friends of Eres? I'll bill him! You two take care now - don't make a mess of the place!" Leonnates winked, and without another word set off down the bar. "Gentlemen! Sorry for the wait, what are we drinking tonight?"

It became apparent that Leonnates was done speaking with them. Baltor knocked the rest of his drink back in one gulp and stood. His face was stony. "Come on."

The moment they were turned around and out of earshot, Bloom took a shuddering breath. "It's over."

Baltor didn't break the charade. He put an arm around her waist, dragging her against him and burying his nose in her hair. "No," he said, just audible over the noise of the club. "I don't think it is yet."

"There's no way he thinks I'm some mind-controlled doll."

"Mmm, but the key is I wouldn't turn you into a mind-controlled doll."

She laughed weakly. "Thanks."

His nose lifted from her hairline. "Let's find somewhere a bit more secluded."

It could be done. A majority of the crowd was now on the dancefloor - a DJ had taken the stage at some point. "The raised couches to the right," Bloom said after a moment of scanning. "They're empty, but behind a VIP rope."

"He won't mind."

It was quieter in the section, elevated so Bloom could see straight to the bar if she turned her head. "I didn't mean to blow anything," she said, sinking into worn, black vinyl. "I did exactly what you said."

"You did fine. That master bit was actually a fine touch." Baltor sat down next to her, close but facing away from the bar. "You just caught him off guard. This is -"

"What you were worried about, I know." Bloom took another sip of her drink, hoping it would calm her nerves. "But jeez, it makes sense you'd need help to break out of the Council's headquarters."

"They don't take well to outsiders. Especially known do-gooders."

"Who are they?"

Baltor gave her a look. "Do you think I'd be sitting here grasping at straws if I'd been given the names of who I work for?"

It was a fair point. "Should we leave, then? If he's doubting your story he might be calling people to come kill us."

"No, leaving will only make us look suspicious. We have nothing to hide, after all," Baltor reached over and took her drink, taking a large gulp himself.

She propped her head up on her fist and tried not to glare at him. "Well what do you suggest we do?"

"Make him comfortable passing us through the proper channels."

Her jaw locked. "I am not shoving my tongue down that guy's throat."

"Perish the thought," Baltor leaned in, closing the already small distance between them. "I meant what I said - I don't share."

He held her drink up to her, and Bloom was about to take it back when she saw him shake his head almost imperceptibly. She was about to throw out a snarky comment when she caught sight of Leonnates, across the room at the bar, staring at them intently.

"We," Baltor said lowly and almost conspiratorially, "are going to sit here and give that pathetic little urchin the show he so desperately wants."

Bloom's first instinct was to deny him outright. But then she thought of the Council sending her here, of Stella being so worried about the stars going out, and all the work she and the girls had put into setting the universe right for the upteenth time. If she gave up now, all of it would be for nothing.

Very slowly Bloom leaned in, wrapping her lips against the top of the glass and allowing Baltor to tilt the liquid into her mouth. There was a strong taste of vodka, but also a pleasant citrus mixed in. She took several slow, long gulps, never taking her eyes off his face. It was only at the very end, when he finally pulled the glass away, that she let her gaze slide over and meet Leonnates's.

Across the room, he suddenly became interested in mixing another drink.

"What a pervert," she muttered under her breath.

Baltor actually looked sympathetic as he turned and set the glass down on the table. "That may be, but being a pervert is something you can easily use against your enemy."

Bloom looked pointedly at the bruise on Baltor's cheek that had been turning various shades of purple and green as the day went on. "Noted."

The look he gave her was something between a smile and a smirk - amused, but a little genuine. "You realize it's going to take more than that, right?"

She'd had a feeling, but (naively) hoped it was only in her head. "I'm at your beck and call, Master."

Even with the biting tone, that dark look slipped back into Baltor's eyes. The only difference was now, in the dim lights and humidity of the confined space, she almost found it alluring. He leaned away from her, reclining on the booth. Then he turned, drumming his fingers against his leg with an intention she'd be a fool to not understand. "Don't be shy. Come."

She was going to kill him.

Outwardly, though, Bloom did as she was told. She slid over, tossing one leg over both of his and settling herself in his lap. She leaned back as slowly as she was able to until they were flush, her back to his chest. "Pleased?" she asked, and though she wanted it to sound biting Bloom could hear the falter in her own voice.

Baltor's response rumbled in her ear. "Very."

Like before, a shiver wracked through her, but unlike last time it shot through her body and lingered. "You're as bad as he is," Bloom murmured, because even though she wasn't looking in the general direction of the bar anymore she could feel eyes on her.

"Untrue. We have distinct differences."

"Like what?"

A hand tilted her head back, and in the next moment she was looking up at Baltor's face, closer than she'd ever been to it before. "You would love what I can make you feel."

Breathe, Arcadia Above, she had to breathe.

"I think that would be our dear Leonnates's weakness." Baltor's fingers were tracing patterns along her arms and legs, leaving goosebumps wherever they went. "He may lust after you, but someone so weak and subordinate would be much better off in a corner watching."

"Baltor - "

"I know what I'm doing," he said, and out of nowhere that sincerity was back, mixed in with desire. "I'll walk you through it. I'll tell you before I do anything. I won't actually touch you."

Interesting, how for a fraction of a second Bloom felt disappointed. She shook it off as quickly as it had come on. It made sense, in a way - compared to Leonnates's yellowed grin and his clammy fingers on her face, Baltor was a god incarnate. "Good."

"What a promising start."

Her skin burned everywhere Baltor touched her, and distantly Bloom felt the alcohol beginning to settle in her bones, that fuzzy sort of haze washing over her. This had to work. It had to.

"It's the alcohol," she finally said, the words spilling out before she could think about them. "If anyone asks you about this later, I said yes because of the alcohol."

"Vallisian alcohol, infused with magic," he agreed, the showmanship slowly coming over his face. "Is he watching?"

She flicked her gaze over and back as quickly as she could. "Yes."

"Tilt your head back."

Once she did Baltor leaned in, his nose grazing along her neck. From the angle it would look like he was kissing her, but even the slight touch of his skin made her lashes flutter. Distantly, she felt his hand tangle in her hair and pull.

Bloom's breath hitched. She reached back and intertwined her fingers in Baltor's other hand, squeezing hard.

There was an amused chuckle, hot breath dancing along her neck. "Good. Just like that."

Her eyes slid closed at the praise, head spinning. Baltor's parted lips skimmed her neck, never staying in one place for long enough to be classified as a kiss, but certainly long enough to start driving Bloom out of her mind.

His voice reached her ears again. "Gentlemanly enough for you?"

She was lucky it would be hard to tell she was blushing from the angle. "I-I, well -"

"Never mind. Lest I get a black eye to match the other, hmm?"

"Sorry. About the eye, I mean," Bloom found herself saying, because she knew if she didn't she'd say something far stupider instead.

"It will fade, with time. But this," and at the word Baltor shifted her closer, and Bloom gasped. "This I think I'll remember."

Something about it cleared her head momentarily, even though everything inside her was burning. "You're incredible," she murmured. "We're in a life or death situation - one that you stressed the importance of - and you make it a power play?"

"Mmm, but it's a power play I'm currently winning, isn't it?" One of his fingers began tracing lazy circles around her navel - far enough away to be polite but close enough that it wasn't a coincidence. "And one you seem to be enjoying. Do you know that if I had my magic I could make you feel like I was touching you without lifting a finger? No need for any theatrics."

She wanted to push him away. She wanted to know more.

Baltor seemed to take her silence as an invitation, his voice purring in her ear again. "What is it you want, Bloom? Tell me and I'll give it to you."

It was an enticing offer, it was meant to be. Bloom knew because for a single, unhinged moment she wanted it, consequences be damned. She wanted Baltor. The idea of his magic, his voice, being absolutely consumed by him was captivating.

Yet it would guarantee her downfall.

This was a game - everything that was happening around her. Bloom clung to that perspective, because to ignore it was to lose. She had never lost to Baltor on such a grand scale, and had no plans to start now. Not when the stakes were so high, and she'd come so far without breaking.

She wasn't a fool, either. Baltor was not as invincible as he tried to make her believe. He had weaknesses. The same weakness.

And two could play his game.

Bloom pulled both their hands from her hair, turning to meet his gaze when she was free. He seemed surprised, then curious as he took note of the look in her eyes. "Wizards," Bloom practically growled. "You all think magic is necessary for everything."

There was a sense of satisfaction, seeing Baltor taken aback by her for once. "Sorry?"

"People think of me as less for growing up on Earth." It was her turn to reach out, toying with a strand of his hair that had come free of the bun. "But do you know what it taught me? Some things should be done the old fashioned way."

"Bloom -"

Before he could chastise her or warn her this was a mistake, Bloom leaned up and nipped at his earlobe, privately hoping it would give him a reaction akin to hers the night before.

It did. Baltor's voice caught in his throat, a heaving breath reaching her ears. The sentence he was attempting to say turned into a groan.

"You have an affinity for classics, don't you Baltor?" Bloom feigned innocence. "Old books, old magic…"

She sat back at that, turning her upper body so Baltor's eyes were drawn down, to the necklace she was still wearing, glowing faintly with his powers. "What was it you said last night? I'm difficult to resist? What's that like now, with your power and mine in one body?"

His hand seemed to come out of nowhere, gripping her chin and dragging her close. Baltor's nose brushed against hers, their breath mingling and making the air damp. The desire in his eye was unmistakable, as was the struggle to remain in control. "You are playing a dangerous game."

"But I thought you wanted me to play," Bloom lied. She didn't know what parts of the last few minutes were an act anymore.

"What I want right now would make a cleric damn me without hesitation."

Bloom allowed the slightest smirk to ghost over her lips. "Damn you? Why?"

And she let her tongue slide out to trace the tip of his thumb, still on her chin and holding her face close to his.

Baltor hissed as though she'd burned him, the grip momentarily tightening. He did not, however, pull away. She drew tiny, lazy circles before finally withdrawing, making a pronounced pop with her lips. "For that?"

In the next moment Bloom felt two fingers press against her lips. Baltor held her gaze, and she found herself unable to look away. "Again."

She took them in her mouth without argument, her tongue sliding around and between them with a knowledge Bloom could tell surprised him. His eyes practically glittered with lust, and when his thumb started to stroke her cheek she stifled a moan.

He withdrew his hand then, wrapping it around her torso while the other fisted in her hair. "When we get back I am dragging you to my room, tying you to the bed, and -"

"Excuse me?"

Both of their heads snapped up. Someone was standing over them, a man with blue-tinged skin and a shaved head. Even on a different planet in a different section of the dimension, club bouncers looked the same, too.

"My apologies, but there seems to have been a mixup. This section is rented for the evening."

She shouldn't have been surprised at Baltor's ability to slip back into character, and yet Bloom was taken aback when she heard him, perfectly normal: "Oh? Well, what a shame. And we were just starting to enjoy ourselves."

Bloom felt herself blush, and she had to enhance her glamour on the fly so no one could see.

The bouncer didn't look particularly annoyed at them, though. Instead he offered a sympathetic smile. "It appears we double-booked it. That defaults to a first come, first served, and I'm sorry to say they booked it first."

Bloom was confused until he reached into his coat and pulled out a small envelope. "With our apologies," he held it in Baltor's direction. "There are some drink vouchers in there, and a certificate for the VIP section you can redeem any time starting tomorrow."

A knowing look came over Baltor's face, and he stood up to take it. "Thank you, that's very appreciated."

"Compliments of our owner," the bouncer nodded over to Leonnates. The other man raised a drink in their direction.

Baltor raised the envelope in turn, then carefully slid it into the pocket of his jeans. "We won't keep your other guests any longer. Come along, love."

On autopilot Bloom stood, looping her arm through Baltor's. She told herself it was for the act, but in reality her knees felt weak.

As they walked past the bar, Bloom heard a wolf whistle. She didn't bother turning her head to see who made it.

Outside, the temperature had dropped significantly as the sun slipped below the horizon. There was a cool ocean breeze that picked her hair up, and it made Bloom think of home, of the Frutti Music Bar on summer nights with the girls and the Specialists. The tenderness of the memory helped ground her back in reality as she and Baltor made their way through town, back to the rental house, stopping only at a street vendor for something to eat.

It wasn't real. None of it was real.

Bloom didn't stop until they reached the front door of the house, digging around in her purse for the fob to open it. But even that seemed to be too much of an effort at the moment, so instead she leaned against the door and undid the disguise spell around them. Her eyes fell to Baltor, and it gave her a strange sense of peace to see him equally off-balance. There was a glassy look in his eyes as he stared up at the night sky. She followed his gaze - there were two moons and a larger, stark white planet hanging in the blackness. Even so far away, it was obvious Dyamond was uninhabited.

He finally turned under the weight of her gaze, and Bloom saw him hesitate. She didn't know if Baltor was aiming for a usual quip, or something more sincere. Bloom wasn't ready to handle either.

"What's in the envelope?" She cut him off just as his mouth started to open.

Baltor blinked at her, confused for a moment before realizing what she meant. Bloom had asked earlier when they were eating - the only thing she'd said to him after leaving Ayin, but he had brushed her off, looking pointedly at the crowds around them. Bloom didn't think drunk college students too busy with normal problems were going to read notes over his shoulder, but hadn't been up for arguing.

Now though, he grabbed the envelope, tearing it open while Bloom located the fob and pushed the front door open.

Inside was a single folded piece of paper. Bloom watched him study it for several seconds before passing it to her. She examined the neat penmanship as he strode past - Bloom knew he was probably going for the liquor cabinet again. "It's...a set of coordinates. And a string of numbers - like a phone number?"

"It's a date. A Julian calendar date. It's a system commonly used on Zenith."

And probably NASA, Bloom thought, but knew better than to say aloud. "Then what - or I guess when, is it?"

He came back, glass in hand, and leaned in to look at the page again. It took a few seconds for Bloom to realize she wasn't on edge having him so close. "Thursday." Baltor said after a moment. "Seven in the evening."

"Back there?"

"I'm not sure. We'll have to cross-reference it. The location is on Vallisto, though."

Bloom sighed. "That's the day after tomorrow."

"I'll tell them to be faster next time."

It was almost a relief to hear the sarcasm in his voice. She turned to look at Baltor, ignoring how for the briefest moment the world shifted left. Drinking on an empty stomach had been a bad idea, even if she had eaten on the way back.

"Look, I," Bloom began, trying to figure out how best to word her thoughts. "That Leonnates was a creep. And things could've gone worse than they did - he could have made it worse, and you could have agreed to make it worse. For me. So, that is -"

Baltor took mercy on her. "You're welcome."

"Yeah. Thank you."

"We shouldn't run into him again. Someone like that isn't of much use, aside from an information smuggler. Or a scapegoat."

"Good," Bloom said, and her eyes lingered on the glass in Baltor's hand. Goosebumps trailed over her arms. "We don't tell anyone about what happened tonight."

He scoffed at that. "Who do you expect me to tell?"

"I meant it. Not even when we're debriefing the Council and they demand every little detail. It stays between us."

"Hmm," Baltor took a sip of his drink, his gaze refusing to leave her. "Noted."

"Good," she said again, and felt her shoulders sag. She suddenly felt exhausted. "I think we can call it a night then."

"Should you find yourself unable to sleep, my previous offer stands."

It took Bloom several seconds to figure out what he meant, and the moment she did heat rose in her cheeks. "No, thank you."

"We could skip tying you up and just go right to -"

"Goodnight, Baltor."

Under the rim of the glass, Bloom caught sight of that predatory smile. "I suppose I'll just have to make do with the memories."

She bristled, and Baltor laughed openly at her, heading for the bedrooms. "And just so we're clear," he called over his shoulder, "I'm perfectly comfortable with you going back over those memories, should you find yourself with the desire to."

The door to his room shut before she thought of a response.

JD 2457157.25000

NOTE: This is the FFN version of Chapter 4. It is different from the version available of Archive of Our Own, which gets a little spicier but doesn't quite go there (yet). If you'd like you can head over there - same username, same fic title. Alternatively, links are available on my winxwannabe tumblr, where me and all your sparxshipping pals hang out.

Also a general notice: if you leave a review here asking for updates on a different fic, it's an immediate ban - no questions asked, no undoing it. This is the only time I'm addressing it.