A/N: The new chapter is the chapter before this, I am posting this story chronologically! Enjoy!

A/N: This is again set further in the story, after Bastian as begun his full time contract for Hell and has abandoned Garnet in the throws of a life threatening disease (which he helps to heal, but means he has to leave her for Hell). This is the moment he returns to Garnet.

Enjoy!

"We have sanctioned lithi on your next target"

I sat with my head between my knees, gasping for breath, panic a wild animal inside me. This could not be happening.

"Total corruption"

I fisted my hands against my temple, staving off the angry tears prickling behind my eyes.

"Total consumption"

My stomach rolled and I heaved.

"Her soul is destined for Hell, you will collect it"

My last meal met the sidewalk with a sickening splat. Bile burned my throat as I heaved again.

"Bastian?"

I looked up, caught off guard, to see Sephera standing three foot from me with a horrified expression on her face. She rushed forward and gripped my arm, helping me stand to move away from the embarrassing display of weakness on the floor. The scent of it stung my nose.

"Bastian, what happened?" She carefully examined me, looking for injury. She glanced at the far side of the yard to the doors that led the way I'd come, "Weren't you just with the faction leaders?"

Their pale stern faces haunted me, that disturbing hunger in their eyes. Nausea gripped me again and my lunch joined my dinner on the floor.

Sephera let out a cry and gripped me tighter, "Bastian!"

She dragged me inside and I managed to make it to my quarters before I threw up again. Ten minutes later I finally ceased, laying down on the cold tiles, hallow and shaking. Sephera sat across from me, leaning against the bath, watching. Silently she handed me a wet cloth and my toothbrush, toothpaste and all.

When I was finish she finally spoke, "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?"

"They've given me a lithi target."

Her face dropped, "Oh. Bastian, I'm sorry, I know it's hard, but it was bound to happen sooner or l – "

"It's Garnet."

Her shocked gasp seemed to echo in the tiny bathroom, ringing in my ears like a nasty bell destroying any hope that this wasn't happening.

She bit her lip, "Maybe it's a mistake."

"It's not." That I had no doubts about, "She's a distraction, they want her gone so I'll do my job properly."

Sephera's silence made me glance up at her. Her expression was like a punch to the gut, "You agree with them."

Her eyes welled with tears and her lip trembled, "You're just…you're so unhappy, and maybe…if she…"

"Get out." I clenched my jaw so hard at any other point I'd be afraid I'd crack at tooth. Right now I wanted to break her teeth, and her nose, and her skull. I wanted to smash her face off the shiny white sink basin until her puppy dog expression was thoroughly wiped off her face.

I must have done a bad job of hiding that desire because with a fearful whimper she fled from the room, leaving me trembling from my rage.

How dare she? She didn't know anything, she didn't know me, and she didn't know Garnet. I knew Garnet, I knew her like my own heartbeat, her essence a deep, branding bite upon my soul. I couldn't hurt her.

But I already have.

I paused, the thought haunting and terrifying, because I had hurt her. I'd left her alone, and dying, in the arms of strangers, with no explanation, no goodbye, and no confession of my true feeling.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror over the sink. My cheeks were hallow, my eyes tired and bruised beneath, my lips were pale and my hair lank. I met my bright green eyes, the only true colour to me anymore.

"Fucking idiot."

The image of my hard expression splintered and multiplied, and then pain bloomed in my fist, which was lodge in the shattered mirror. With a painful sigh I pulled my bloody fist out, placed it in the sink and began pulling out shards of glass.

So much for impulse control.

The memory of the consequences of not carrying out my orders hits me as I still reeled from my stupidity with Garnet.

"Mr Daimonas, if you should fail to fulfil the task we have bestowed upon you, you will be condemned to the Pit and another member of the faction will be sent the retrieve the soul you have failed to collect. Do you understand Mr Daimonas?"

I shivered, fear crawling over me, the endless oily blackness and hole of deformed creatures that fed on each other invading my mind. I had thought Hell was bad, but it was nothing in comparison to the horrors of the Pit.

"Yes sir, I understand."

"Good, the target will appear on your list immediately. You are dismissed."

If I had known who would be sacrificed in order to save me from damnation to the Pit before I would not have agreed so readily. But there was no way out of this, there was no getting around an assassination contract in Hell. I only had two options.

Commit myself to the Pit.

Or kill Garnet.

If I didn't kill her I was set for an eternity in the true definition of Hell, but even if I didn't kill her, someone else would. At least I could spare her the pain of her soul being ripped from her and tortured on the way down to Hell. At least I could make her final moments happy. I could give what she had always wanted. I could show her the love I had always felt, and for a moment, a final moment, we could meet in the eye of the storm and be what we'd always dreamed of.

Resolved I changed into something less sweaty and bloody, and left my shabby quarters in search of a strong coffee and a generous feed.

If I was going to kill the woman I loved, the least I could do is look good for her.

I was sat at my desk filling out the statement for the Reiko case when I felt it. That subtle brush of power over my own, unmistakeable in it's essence, leaving the slightest taste of vanilla on my tongue.

When I looked up, my fingers frozen over the keyboard, there he stood. Inexplicably beautiful in a crisp black shirt and dark jeans, which hung low on his hips, he leant against the wall next to the door. He looked…delicious. He also sported a very fresh, very vital after glow.

With a little too much ease I dismissed the aching need to touch him, to align my body with his on my desk in a burning physical reunion I'd craved for months. My ability to shut down my emotions so effortlessly should worry me, but I failed to find the need to worry about it at all. It made life easier. It certainly made this situation easier.

I sat back in my leather chair and folded my hands together in a well practiced gesture. He followed every movement with those wicked green eyes.

"You look well Garnet." His smooth rich voice was like ambrosia. Sweet, delectable ambrosia.

"I am well. Can I help you?" My voice held the hard authorative tone I had practiced religiously until I no longer had to try. Cool, calm, controlled. Powerful.

Bastian raised one of those perfect eyebrows at me, "I don't know, can you help me?"

He goading you, don't fall for it.

I broke his gaze and returned to my computer, "Not unless you tell me what it is you want Mr. Daimonas. If you refuse to do that I suggest you get out of my office, before I lose my patience."

His grin was startling, so much so that I nearly returned it, "Maybe I want you to lose your patience. Maybe I'd like to placate you."

His presumption of my weakness almost made me flash him a nasty smile, "You are welcome to try."

He was by my side in seconds, the inviting scent of coffee and very good sex stroking my senses. He knelt, eyes holding mine, trying to tease me into submission. His vibrant power caressed me again, shamelessly erotic in his approach. But no matter how enticing the offer, it didn't crumble my resolve. When I didn't melt into his arms he gaze turned hard. He stood, jaw clenched, frowning at me.

"Are you finished?" I mimicked his raised eyebrow, folding my arms across my chest in a physical display I couldn't resist, teasing him.

He narrowed his eyes at my tone, eyes flitting to my chest almost like an uncontrolled impulse.

"What spell did you buy?"

Of course he'd think it was a spell. The idea should have offended me, but I could understand why he would suspect that first.

"No spell."

"Don't kid me Garnet. I can't believe you bought a spell to shut me out!"

I fought the indignant response and instead opted to be diplomatic.

"I didn't use a spell. I simply outrank you."

He froze, stunned, then gave me an incredulous look, "How stupid do you think I am?"

"Evidently quite stupid or you would already be aware that I am not spinning lies. A demon's powers will not affect a supernatural of equal or higher power than their own. That also goes for anyone who believes they are more powerful." I met his gaze full on, "The question is Mr Daimonas, do I outrank you or do I just believe I do?"

The smooth sexy persona finally dropped to reveal a very pissed of demon, "What the hell happened to you Garnet?"

I moved around my desk and stood before him, "You happened."

His eyes turned to hard emeralds and his lips pressed into a hard line, "This isn't over."

And then his disappeared.

Well, I'm sure that was the intended impact, clearly Hell had taught him some new tricks. However what he really did was turn invisible and returned to his post by the door. No doubt to observe me until he saw something that yielded some more desirable information that what I had offered. Obviously he wasn't aware I could see him as clear as day, but then, he still thought I was lying about my status. Maybe it was time to teach him a lesson.

I returned to my desk and finished typing the report. When it was done I logged off and grabbed my bag, and made for the door like I was leaving for the day. When I was a foot from him I dropped my bag and darted towards him. Too stunned to react fast enough I wrapped my hand around his throat, let my fangs drop to their full length and my eyes go a deep ruby red.

I leant close to him, my lips brushing against his ear, "I am not a good enemy to keep Mr Daimonas, I suggest you rethink your strategy."

The instant I released him he didn't stop to respond, he dematerialised and transported himself out of my office.

With an indulgent smile I followed him.

I re-materialised in my quarters, completely thrown.

What just happened?

Frustrated I ran my hand through my hair and suppressed a growl. I nearly flat lined when a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"So this is where you've been living."

I spun to find Garnet, a very calm composed Garnet, sitting in the hovel of a room I called home. She perched on a worn chair like it was a throne, holding herself with a regal posture I'd never seen before.

She looked around the room with distaste, "It's…quaint."

My jaw dropped, "How did you…?"

She stood, her hips swaying as she approached me. For the first time I noticed the icy chill her aura had as it touched my own, "You're not the only one who's learnt some new tricks Bastian."

"What have you been doing while I've been gone?"

She adjusted her jacket, "That's none of your business, and whatever ideas you had about coming back and picking up where you left off you can dismiss right now. It's time to grow up Bastian. I don't need you, and if you persist in pursuing me you are going to get a nasty shock."

Then she just left. She took a leaf out of my book and transported right out my room in the blink of an eye, leaving me speechless and confused.

A/N: Please review, any and all comments can help me with my university work! PLEASE!