Lilith turned her attention to some of the display cases pretending to be interested in the jewelry as she slowly walked from the back.

"I thought we had a good thing going, Alastor, a fair deal."

He could feel her eyes on him.

"I'm impressed you managed to weasel your way out of it, though out of all the sinners in Hell, you would be the one to do so. Tell me…" She dropped the fake interest and turned to watch him, no doubt looking for any of his tells. "…how did you manage it? I'm sure you can understand I don't want anyone else finding that loophole."

He swallowed nervously. "While I wish I could take the credit, the idea was not all entirely my own."

"You had help? My, my Alastor, I thought you worked alone." She chuckled coldly. "Now I'm sure you have more pressing things to attend to, so let's cut the nonsense. You haven't finished my job, and now that our little deal is done, I'm going to need some sort of… reassurance from you. Another contract."

He considered it for a moment. He had no soul to barter with so a new contract wouldn't be as binding as his last. It would also ensure he could get him and Ellen out safely, something he wasn't too certain he could do otherwise.

Ellen grabbed his hand giving it a small squeeze.

"I'm afraid some circumstances have changed since our last encounter, our last deal won't be repeatable."

An eyebrow raised above the rim of her glasses. "Alastor." She cooed his name in a sultry way. It sent a chill up his spine. "Your soul is the only reassurance I will take, you will do as I ask. We both know words mean nothing. You're still a pawn in this little game, Alastor. You wanted to play at the big boy table, well here you are. The game isn't finished so what's your next move? I'd make it very carefully."

"Indeed," he replied flatly. She wasn't going to like the fact he didn't have his soul.

She let out a sigh, turning her back and brushing her hand over some of the display tables. "Now you're going to tell me how you broke our last contract and then resign under the same conditions. Simple enough, yes?" She turned over her shoulder to look at him.

He straightened his back giving Ellen's hand a small squeeze of reassurance before letting her go completely, taking a few steps forward. "I'm afraid I can not agree to those terms."

Her laugh echoed through the store. "Alastor, you know what I am capable of, this isn't a negotiation. You will do as I say. Starting with how you broke your chains." She moved to stand in front of him.

Alastor willed himself to remain rooted. There were very few things he would admit he was afraid of. Lilith was one of them. One of the few people he knew he could never fight and win. He remained silent.

She tilted her head to the side expectedly. "You know better than to waste my time."

"I can not give you what you want." He kept up the facade well, the years of practice seemed worth it for this moment.

"Where is it?"

He didn't have to speak the words, she knew what he was implying.

"Who has it? Give me a name and I will put an end to this nonsense."

A touch of cockiness brushed his smile. Time to make a move. "It's well protected I assure you. It holds quite a bit of value now that I have it back."

She returned a knowing smile. "Alastor, we both know there is no demon in Hell you would ever trust your soul with."

She was right, there was no demon in Hell he would trust with his soul. But Ellen wasn't a demon, she was mortal, and had proven she would protect it. His smirk lifted.

"You are correct. You know me well." His eyes narrowed. "Just not as well as you think you do."

She took a few paces closer to him, she held her hand in a fist, an image he was used to seeing, though she had no chain. He wasn't hers.

She took a few more paces closer letting out an amused chuckle. "You would never leave it with a demon, and you would never let it out of your sight. It's here somewhere." Her gaze went up to look around the shop, and he hoped Ellen had stayed put, out of sight. "Or maybe that shopkeeper has something of greater value than he realizes." Her gaze appears to be back on him.

He gave her a curt nod. She indeed knew him well, but he still had an ace up sleeve. He tucked his arms behind him. "You said it yourself, I wouldn't let it out of my sight. Unless of course it was safer that way."

"You're going to give it to me."

"I don't take orders. I barely take suggestions."

Her hand gripped him by the throat and she turned holding him to her face. "Oh Alastor, I thought you were better than this."

She took the bait. His eyes moved to the spot by the door to find it empty. A small wash of relief swept through him, Ellen left. He didn't have to worry about protecting her. She needed to be as far away from her as possible. Good girl.

"Who?"

"I'm not at liberty to say."

He watched her eyebrows knit together as her grip tightened around his throat. While others may have been worried about the grip around their throat, this was a threat that hardly worried him. She needed him alive and at his fullest strength.

"HEY!"

Trouble. Why did she always find trouble? He should have known she'd stay. Why did he even think she would leave?

Lilith turned the grip on his neck loosened but not gone.

"And what do we have here? The little mortal girl, yes I heard about you."

Ellen glared at her, eyes quickly darted to him once before returning to Lilith. "Let him go."

She laughed. "Sweet child, you have no business here. Be gone." She waved her wrist in dismissal.

He tried convincing her to leave, to run with his eyes, he didn't know if he was unsuccessful or if she just ignored it. She probably ignored it. Of course she'd ignore it. Why did he think otherwise?

"I said let him go."

"Oh? A feisty little thing. Are you sure you don't belong here?" She dropped him and he quickly got to his feet brushing himself off, giving Ellen a stern glare. She had no idea what she was up against. He was outclassed meaning she would never even stand a chance.

Lilith turned her full attention to Ellen, who to his surprise, stood confidently, glaring down the taller woman. It was only his own fear he could feel. He needed to regain control of the situation.

"Ah yes, my most recent project, the darling thing is lovely entertainment." He moved to step between the two, but Lilith held her arm out, keeping him from passing her. Not good.

Lilith gave Ellen a slow look up and down. She was trying to get a read of her. "Why are you here?"

"For him." She nodded her head in his direction. Her voice was calm and cold.

Lilith flipped between the other two a few times before a sly grin passed her lips. "I see. Well I suppose I can work with this." She turned and grabbed his arm, wrenching him to her side. "You can have him, if you give me your soul. I think you could be better suited for what I need."

He bit his tongue to keep from retorting. While he would admit having the chance to be out of Lilith's sights would be an advantage, having Ellen bound to her would be worse. He knew what she was like, and Lilith would never tolerate being spoken to the way Ellen spoke to him at times. Ellen stood her ground to him, she would no doubt stand her ground against Lilith as well.

He shifted in shadow to stand between the two women.

Any eyebrow raised above the sunglasses. "Alastor dear, the ladies are having a conversation." When he remained silent she sighed. "You want to force my hand, very well. I'll make my move."

Ellen stepped forward eye's narrowed. "Don't bother, you don't have anything I want."

He could have laughed. He too, at one point had been on that side of her. The stubborn and rooted fire that he always found amusing. In fact it was almost the same as one of their first encounters. When she had asked him for a radio. She had spoken to him in a way others wouldn't dare. Then it was amusing. Here it was stupid. Here it would get her killed.

This was a delicate game of wits and he alone would have to be careful with his moves to ensure his victory. Now with Ellen in the mix making moves of her own, the game had become more difficult to predict and the worst part was he didn't think Ellen even knew she was playing.

Lilith laughed bitterly. "My sweet child, let me give you some wisdom. Don't stand in my way. Let's make this simple shall we? He gives me his soul or you give me yours. I'll even give you the pleasure of making the choice."

"You can't force anyone into giving up their soul."

"Who said anything about force, my child. I am a woman of importance here, I get my way, I always do." Her head turned to Alastor.

"No."

"Alastor, your little project annoys me. Let's go for a walk. I'm not asking."

Thoughts raced through his head. He could quickly grab Ellen and the two could slip back to the Hotel. She would find him there. No, this needed to be resolved here. He could send Ellen out to walk, but if she was in the pentagram alone there was no doubt someone would try to take advantage of her. He would need to keep his strength for himself in case he needed it. It seemed she was stuck here too. His gaze moved to her.

She carried herself confidently, arms across her chest and glaring at Lilith. Not a hint of fear. He could leave her here. Come back for her. It would keep her and his soul safe while he tried to find a different way to appease Lilith's demand. Not a solid plan, but better than what he had at the moment. Although he didn't like the idea of being alone with Lilith.

"As you wish." He turned to Lilith taking her arm and started for the back.

"Good boy."

His eyes widened, his hands moving to his throat as he felt a collar tighten around it. There was a brief flash of panic. No. He couldn't be chained. He had made sure they couldn't use their bonds to… he thought back to his exact wording. 'Neither party (a/b) will use the ownership to overpower, control, manipulate or otherwise force the other party (a/b) into a situation, circumstance or position in which they would not willingly be in or a part of.'

He was pulled harshly backward onto the floor out of the grips of Lilith. This was not overpowering, controlling or manipulating by any means. He had never thought to use the chains in this way. She was using it to pull him from Lilith. From danger. She was using it to protect him.

The white chain pulled him across the floor to Ellen, who spared him a quick apologetic look before she took a step forward, putting him behind her. A protective stance. He didn't need her protection, he was the one who was supposed to be protecting her. He bit his tongue. Stupid. Lilith now knew he was bound to Ellen. The game he had been desperately trying to balance into his favour had just crumbled. Lilith would finish this easily and it would be brutal.

Lilith's smile grew devilish. "Thank you child, you've made this much easier. Mortals are very easy to kill and good old Alastor will have his soul back." Her gaze moved to him on the floor. "You are foolish to think it's well protected with a flimsy mortal."

Foolish indeed. If only she had kept herself out of it.

"A job for you Alastor, my friend,

This mortal's life must come to an end.

By your hand you shall rip her apart,

and bring me her cold and dead heart."

His eyes widened in horror, knowing there was nothing he could do. This was Lilith's power. The power of her voice, to manipulate sinners and demons alike to do her will.

"MOVE!" It was the only warning he could give her.

He watched as Ellen dove to the side to dodge one of his tendrils, though he knew this fight would be short. She was no match for him, even if she held some power or ability. She had no experience in battle, not compared to him. It seemed so unfair to match up against her, barely a challenge. In less than a minute he had her pinned to the floor, straddled above her. There was a flash of fear that passed her eyes for a second before vanishing completely. He didn't want this. He didn't want to do this.

His claws very slowly moved to her chest, piercing the skin. His body shook, every cell fighting the battle within himself. He couldn't disobey the siren call of Lilith, but he had his own contract to protect Ellen from harm. He watched in horror as blood slowly started to seep into her shirt. He couldn't fight this, but he sure tried.

He had always enjoyed the smell of her blood. He enjoyed the taste of it even more, but right now the thought made him nauseous. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to kill her. He never had. He wasn't sure when those feelings had procured, but now more than ever he hated the thought of her death. But by his own hands? He had sworn to protect her, and he was failing that promise. He was a man of his word, yet it did nothing to stop his claws from sinking deeper into her chest, millimeter by millimeter.

It should have been an easy task, he had killed countless times before, but this was different. They all would scream, cry, plead and beg to be spared, to be let go, yet she did not. No, she remained silent, eyes watching him without an ounce of fear or panic. Didn't she understand he was going to kill her? An aching filled his chest, trying and failing to find an out, to find a way this could end differently. A way to spare her.

"It's okay. Take it. It's been yours since our first dance together." Did she know this was inevitable? She was smart. She must have put the pieces together.

Their first dance together. The night of the open house, he was almost certain he had had her where he wanted her. But she surprised him, the first of many. He did something he had never done, just for her. He exposed a part of himself he kept hidden from the rest of Hell. It seemed like ages ago, almost like a lost memory. Had she really known since then that she had fallen for him? How could she have been so sure so soon? He still couldn't fathom his own feelings.

He shook his head, words unable to pass the lump that had appeared in his throat. One of his tendrils had now wrapped around his arm pulling upward to try and prevent the inevitable. He didn't want this. His mind was swarmed with all of the what ifs, the should haves and could haves. Could he have prevented this? If he left her at the hotel she wouldn't have been here. If they had left sooner. If he had secured the debut he owed her for saving his life, maybe he could have used that. But she never took any deals or favours from him. Everything she did was selfless. Stupid. If she'd only taken a small favour. He owed her nothing, yet he owed her everything.

"We both knew I wasn't going to last down here for very long. If I gotta go, I'm glad it's with you." Her smile was soft, almost endearing. Her eyes held no fear or pain. She wasn't angry. How could she not be angry? She had trusted him to keep her safe and now here he was, claws slowly sinking into her chest to rip out her heart. It made the ache in his chest worse.

"I can't…" His voice was so quiet and broken he didn't think she heard it.

Her eyes scrunched closed for a second as she let out a wheezy breath. A small rush of pain shifted through him. She couldn't hold it all back now.

"You are the Radio Demon. You can do anything. It's easy. I'm sure it'll only hurt for a little bit." Her eyes welled up with tears, no longer able to hide the pain that he was causing her.

He didn't realize he too had let a single tear slip until it slipped off his nose and onto her face. He tried to pull up all of his uncertainties, reasons that this was okay. He didn't do love. He hated that she was always getting herself into trouble, something he usually had to get her out of. And she was so stubborn it was almost maddening. She knew how to push his buttons, how to get him to tick. She knew too much about him, she was a weakness. He would be better off without her.

But in that moment none of that mattered. His chest ached with a pain he had never experienced before.

"Come on now Alastor, I think you've played with her long enough. You've wasted enough of my time, I haven't got all day." Lilith's tone was ice cold.

A few more millimeters was returned with a sharp gasp of pain. The sound made his stomach twist.

"I love you Alastor, It's okay. I understand."

"Ha! Love? No one could love you." Lilith laughed coldly. "You're heartless. It's what kept you alive all these years."

Ellen shook underneath him. Or maybe it was him shaking. His body was exhausted, constantly fighting himself, fighting to keep her alive in hopes that some marcilous miracle could stop this.

"I can't do this." Another hoarse whisper he didn't think anyone but he could hear.

He liked that she was always causing trouble. No. He loved it. He loved her stubbornness, the fact she wasn't afraid of him, and wasn't afraid to stand against him. He loved her silly optimism, her intelligence. He loved that she made him feel relaxed. The way her touch was soothing. The way she could never hold a pout in his presence no matter how hard she tried. That she was caring almost to a fault. He loved the sound of her laugh and her undying loyalty. He loved that she understood him in ways even he himself sometimes didn't. She was a weakness, a substantial weakness, but she was his weakness. One he now wanted. Rosie was right. It was all worth it. She was worth it. She was worth it because he…

"You can do this, it's okay." It was barely above a whisper. Even in the face of death she remained strong. Encouraging him, reassuring him. How could she be so calm? He could never find that sort of strength.

He shook his head, the lump in his throat now holding back his words again. He needed to say it. She needed to know. If he could say it out loud he could stop all the inner turmoil he had been fighting now for weeks. Rosie was right. She always was when it came to romance. He had been denying it, afraid of what it meant. He still wasn't too sure, but it didn't matter. It wasn't an act anymore, it hadn't been for awhile. It took him fighting for her life to finally realize it. To finally admit it. The thought of losing her shook him to his core. She needed to know that he… he…

"I think I love you." He rested his forehead to hers as two more tears slipped from his eyes. "And it terrifies me." He was trembling, body and mind exhausted from the constant fight of control. He grit his teeth so hard he was sure his gums were bleeding. He had never fought so hard for something in his whole existence, but he wouldn't have it any other way. She was worth it, oh so worth it. How had he not seen it sooner?

His claws were now pressing down on her rib cage, and her pain, though she tried, couldn't be held back. He was causing her excruciating pain and a small part of him felt glad that he too could feel it. He deserved this pain. He would take it all if he could.

Her lips pressed to his, tentative at first, but quickly became needy. No. No, she shouldn't have done that. The exhaustion finally broke him, her lips on his always caused him to relax and melt and that was the last thing he needed right now. He couldn't be relaxed and fight for control at the same time. She was making him lose. Giving in to her own demise. No. He wanted to fight, he still could have, he wasn't ready to let her go. He didn't want to let her go. Not now, he had fought so hard for her and still wanted to. She was his for eternity, it was cruel and unfair for her to be taken away from him so soon. Not when he had finally acknowledged his feelings for her. Not when he was finally ready to take on Hell with someone else, someone he wanted and trusted by his side. Why did he take so long to admit he wanted her to be a part of his afterlife? A big part.

He needed more time. There was nowhere near enough time to express what she meant to him. He hated all the sappy heartfelt words, but he wanted to spew them to her. To memorize every detail of her face. He wanted to see her smile light up her eyes like they did when she looked at him. This wasn't like him at all, but he didn't care. He would much rather be lost in feelings of love than return to a life without her in it. He was smitten, head over heels, completely blindsided and he wanted it.

There was a 'crack' that echoed through the room as he pushed through one of her ribs. Her lips left his as an anguished scream filled the room. The sound made his blood run cold. More pain flooded through him and he was certain the ache in his chest was now making it hard for him to breath. He didn't want to do this. He couldn't do this. He fought to keep the panic at bay. He couldn't kill her. He couldn't. He wanted this to be a horrible nightmare he could wake up from. He would do anything.