Thief's Honour

Chapter Fifteen- Unfinished Business

After a day of preparations for her (probably) extended absence, Madeleine paid her favorite bar a visit, to unwind for what would probably be the last time in a long time.

She approached a group of guys playing poker, and dropped twenty thousand dollars on the table. "Deal me in," She ordered lazily, pulling up a chair. The dealer glanced around the table,  dealing cards to her as well when he received no objections.

Madeleine took note of her competition. One of them was wearing a hood, so she couldn't see their face. None of them looked younger than fifty or richer than minimum wage at best, except for one person, who she hadn't noticed until it was too late.

Damien winked at her. "Hello, there. Long time, no see," he purred.

Madeleine bit back an angry retort, knowing she wouldn't survive the consequences of saying exactly what was on her mind. "It has been a while, hasn't it?" She replied, faux-carelessly.

"Not long enough, in your opinion?" He guessed.

"Y'know, some of us actually want to play fucking cards," one of the others snapped.

"Yeah," the dealer chimed in, "if you two have some unfinished business, take it outside. No refunds."

"Very well, then," Damien replied, with a dangerous glint in his eyes. He picked up his cash, and indicated for Madeleine to get up as well. She did so, and picked up her money as well.

"Hey! I said no refunds!" The dealer protested angrily.

Damien's eyes turned red, suddenly. "And I chose to ignore you. If you've got a problem with that, well, I'll see you in Hell." He smiled dangerously, and strode out of the bar. Madeleine followed. No one else dared argue.

"Why are you here?" Madeleine demanded, refusing to believe that he might have possibly found out about the Boss's phone call. Each call was heavily encrypted and magically protected by the best in the business, so well-protected that even immortals couldn't listen in.

Damien smirked. "In exactly two weeks from today, you are going to steal something for me. The thing that I hired you to steal. Now, you are going to come with me to a secret base where you will meet the rest of your team and prepare."

Madeleine shook her head. "I can't. Not now. I have some business to take care of."

"Ah, got a call from the ever-mysterious Enigma?" Damien replied, "Unfortunately, I don't care about anything they want you to do. You're coming with me."

"And then what?" Madeleine demanded, "I steal what you wanted, and then you leave me alone?" She shook her head. "That's not happening either, is it? If I complete the job, you're gonna keep coming after me to do more for you, aren't you? Assuming I'm still alive, of course, because it wasn't enough to set my couch on fire, force me into Hell, make me steal something from the freaking Devil himself, drink all my Scotch, threaten me, and nearly strangle me, was it? Now, I'm stuck in an impossible situation-"

"What's so impossible about it?" Damien cut her off, "You do what I want, and then we're good."

"And then your sister ruthlessly slaughters me, just as she promised."

"My- my sister? What does she have to do with anything?" Damien frowned.

Madeleine laughed. "Princess Amingethia paid me a little visit. She wanted me to refuse to work for you- and she was pissed that you drank all the Scotch, by the way- and she threatened to kill me if I did whatever you're wanting me to."

"What- no. That's not true. It can't be. Ming wouldn't- she wouldn't-" Damien shook his head in disbelief.

"How the hell do you think I got these, then?" Madeleine brushed a hand across her cheek, where the gashes still hadn't fully healed. "Shaving?"

"I thought girls didn't shave their faces?" Damien replied.

"Exactly!" Madeleine cried out, exasperated. "Your sister came to my house. She gave me these for no good reason- I discovered that she's a lot like you, in several ways- and threatened me before leaving. At least she didn't burn my couch, though."

Damien sighed. "If this is true, then I give you my word that I will protect you, if you successfully complete the mission."

"You swear on your immortal life and the lives of everyone you've ever cared about that you will protect me and prevent anyone from killing or hurting me, if I complete this job for you?" Madeleine countered.

Damien nodded. "I swear."

"Okay, fine. Where's this base of yours?" Madeleine asked, trying not to think about what the Boss would say when she didn't show up tomorrow.

Damien grabbed her wrist, and they teleported away.