Deal with the Devil {Amelia}

[Asher Jacobs]

Asher padded softly to the front door. He resisted the urge to escape through one of his several hidden exits. It went against his every instinct as an assassin, but he'd given Amy his address. His real address. They had decided to become allies, and tonight they were discussing the finer points of that agreement. In a ridiculous show of trust he had offered up his place as their meeting location, it was safer for them both that way with Bella and Rod pissed as a rampaging hippogriff at having failed... again.

A deep breath and he began the slow process of unlocking the front door. There was at least 4 charms on it, 3 curses, and a muggle booby-trap. When he finally had all the locks undone, he unlatched the regular muggle door chain and opened the door. "Amy, welcome to the batcave." He doubted she'd recognize the reference. He himself wouldn't if it hadn't been for the need to slowly stalk a mark in the muggle world. He'd watched a single muggle movie about batman and become addicted. He liked to think he was like batman... only deadlier. He smiled, he never seemed to be able not to when she was around, and pulled her to him for a light kiss hello. "Want something to drink? Wine? Whiskey?"

He was a bit nervous. He'd never had a single guest in his place of residence, especially a woman. He eyed his orderly apartment quickly, checking one last time to see that everything was in order. Despit it's lacking much personal touch or any momentos, his apartment had a warm feel to it. If he'd spent more than a week here at a time, it might even have gathered a nice lived in feeling. As it was, he was always off on some mission or another, and it was for that very reason that he'd never used his ample amount of money on a real house instead of this apartment and a lot of weapons.

He turned to look at Amy in the light of his living room. She looking ravishing, as always, and he had to resist the temptation to start the night with desert. Business first, pleasure later. But maybe just a little nibble more wouldn't hurt... He stepped close, bent down and kissed her. This kiss was deeper than the one they'd shared in the hall. He wrapped an arm around her back puling her upward to his chest so her could reach her lips better, among other things. When he stopped her rested his forehead against hers. Gathering his breathe he whispered "I missed you."

[Amelia Cosette]

[/url] had made it out alive, and honestly, she didn't care about much else. There were reporters trying to claim that she was darker than she seemed, but they would go missing soon enough. And once those pesky nuicenses were out of her way, nothing else in the world was going to matter. She was on top of the world, and she had Asher standing right there next to her, together the two of them would be indestructable.

Straightening her hat, Amelia knocked at the door of the address given to her, waiting for what seemed like forever for the door to finally swing open. Obviously he was a lot more cautious on matters concerning his privacy than she was. Something that would probably do well with her, Amelia found out pretty easily that someone who she trusted had given her away. Someone near to her had allowed the Lestrange's into her office, had given them all the information that they needed in order to do something very few managed to do: Surprise her.

As soon as she stepped into the home however, the door swinging shut behind her, Amelia allowed herself to be swept up into a deep kiss, pressing herself firmly against Asher's body and sweeping her hands up his side and moving between the two of them, getting a good feel of his toned chest as they seperated. Her eyes were clouded only temporarily while he spoke, taking a step back to try and clear her head. This was business. "Whiskey will do."

As though she had lived in this home herself, for decades, Amelia moved past him and into what she believed to be the kitchen, making herself comfortable by sitting up on top of the counter and dangling her legs. "I need to find out who betrayed me, Asher. The information that the Lestranges got a hold of, it was top secret, a fair few in the Les Feux had access to that information. I need to know who leaked it, and I need to kill them myself."[/ul]

[Asher Jacobs]

Asher followed Amy into the kitchen, busying himself with picking out a bottle of whiskey, glasses, and dispensing the amber liquid between them. He grimaced at her words. Amelia's operation had more leaks than a sinking boat. He wouldn't quite phrase it that way when approaching her about it, but it was true. Many of the people she trusted to either remain loyal or to fear her wrath too much to betray her weren't holding their tongues like they ought to. He set her glass next to her hand where it rest on the edge of the counter and thought over the most likely culprits. "If you want a list of the people with access in a questionable state of loyalty I'd start with Scaboir, the man's nothing if not outrageously jealous." Asher let a small smirk slip onto his features "I can't really blame him for that." The smirk fell away and he listed a couple of other second ring Les Fuex members, those who weren't in the top ranks, but vying to become part of them. They were good probabilities, but for now he was pretty sure they didn't have all the information they needed to pull of as thorough a betrayal as this one had been.

He set his glass on the counter after taking a large sip. She really wouldn't want to hear this next bit. "The other two distinct possibilities are Andy and that simpering moron you let do all of your paperwork." He held up a hand at ehr immediate protests. "Andy is a smart very loyal woman, a true asset, but I think she may be letting her heart cloud her mind. The man she's been seeing? I checked him out. He was one of the Death Eaters who hovered on the outskirts and never took the mark like myself. He hasn't joined my ranks, or anyone else for that matter, but he eludes to everyone that he's on their side. I can't tell if the man is crazy and has a death wish, or completely brilliant for maintaining neutrality for so long while rising in the ranks of several political groups." He shook his head. Archeron Hades was indeed a clever bastard. "I don't think Andy has been giving away secrets but... you know how easily it is to learn about an organization when you're sleeping with the upper ranks."

He shook his head. In all honesty, he was a bit disappointed in Andy. They'd been in Hogwarts together, on the quidditch team too. He had been three years ahead of her, but he'd nearly dated her and they'd been friends for a short time until his jackass of a best friend at the time had ripped her heart out. These days he spent half his time in fear that Andy would figure out who he was, remember him, and try to rip his eyeballs out in Amy's office during a finance meeting. He was an assassin now, but back then he'd feared the wild child for the lack of control she exerted over her crazy temper and all those muscles she made in quidditch training. She made an excellent beater, though, just as she made a fantastic second for Amy now. Especially since she'd gotten her temper under control... for the most part. He knew she would never intentionally betray Amy, but... some things are easy to pick up from body language and small clues, and if Archeron were as smart as Asher expected, they may have a problem.

"Really, I think the biggest possibility for a leak of this magnitude you have is Scaboir, but beyond him Andy and your secretary are the best options. That woman hates you as much as you hated Voldy, and her only incentive to keep her mouth shut and work for you loyally is dead at your hand." Asher lifted his untouched glass of whiskey to his lips. He let the cool burning side down his throat before setting the glass down and leaning into Amy, a hand on either side of her knees.

[Amelia Cosette]

[Asher Jacobs]

Asher nodded at her decision. It was a good one, a rational one. Fix a problem and it can come back, remove it entirely and you could move forward without the fear of moving backward. He wondered if she wanted him to kill them or if she'd rather he found someone who'd never been seen with her. In all honesty he wasn't sure he knew anyone qualified enough to take out Andy's man. He was an Auror and crazy or smart enough to play all the sides at once. With a grimace to himself he decided he'd have to be the one to do it. "Might I suggest we give Archeron Hades the option to choose a side permanently? Our side? The man is a bit too skilled to waste without offering in my opinion." He shivered under her touch on his collar bones.

"Head Auror? Hmm... seems a bit too visible for my liking. If that's where you prefer I work, I'll have to work out a good disguise, a whole new cover..." Something occurred to him. Few among the Death Eaters knew of his real name, they all called him assassin. Those who did know it as well as his true face were higher up in the leadership. They couldn't expose him and be taken seriously, they were lying cheating Death Eaters after all, and he had no Dark Mark to prove their accusations. "Actually... It's been a while since the world has seen Asher Jacobs. My mother will probably kill me for not staying in contact with her but... I think I'll take the position under my real name." He slid his hands from the counter to her hips, scooting her forward a bit and wedging himself between her knees. His hands traveled north, tracing the line of her body. When he reached her shoulders he stopped, a dark look coming into his eyes. If she kept touching him like that he was bound to forget they were supposed to be talking business.

[Amelia Cosette]

[Asher Jacobs]

Asher was proud of Amy's answer about Hades. She was learning to think ruthlessly, and that was good. It would keep her alive and on top. The small smile growing across his lips faltered though when it occurred to him that the situation could apply to him as well. He had tried to kill her, he hadn't wanted too and had done a crappy job in the attempt on purpose, but his intent at the ball had still been just that: assassination. He felt a twinge of regret that she still didn't trust him after all this time, all that they had been through. He had left himself open to destruction at ehr hands, let her into his home and his heart, and she still didn't trust him. He wasn't sure hat greater sacrifice to his personal safety he could make, how he could show her that he wasn't playing her strategically for power or information.

A heavy sighed slipped his lips and even as she drank down the last of her whiskey and moved toward him, he gently removed her legs from behind his knees and went to refill their glasses, needing a moment to hide the expression betraying his emotions. He was angry and sad all at once. For the first time he wondered if maybe the caution born of past mistakes and betrayals was a hindrance in Amelia's life more than an asset. He himself was a very guarded person, but he trusted himself at least to know when he was being played and used and when to pull away from an emotional connection that would bite him in the ass later. Not only did Amelia not seem to trust him, she didn't seem to trust herself to be honest.

He drained his whiskey glass before flicking his wand to send fresh ice into both glasses, pouring the whiskey over top of it even as they plunked into the tumblers. He rolled his head on his neck, hearing the crack as his spine popped. Asher wasn't sure how much longer he was willing to play the political game. He was getting older, but he was still one of the best assassins in the world. All that kept him from vanishing yet again was Amy. All of his political posturing had been to get to her and regain her trust. Now he was finding that that may never happen. She didn't trust herself with her heart, how could she ever trust him?

Now in a foul mood, he handed her her glass with a scowl and frown. "You're infuriating, you know that?" Maybe it was his being a man, but he couldn't understand why she couldn't just let go of the crap in her past. It wasn't his fault everyone in her life was a betraying ass, and she knew that he hadn't really been trying to kill her. He'd attacked her with bloody stunning spells for Merlin's sake! Talk about beneath your skill level. He eyed her confused expression at his change of temper and emptied his glass in one go. It was all the whiskey he'd have tonight, and he was grateful for the burning sensation as it traveled down his throat and into his belly. Asher had a high alcohol tolerance, but he didn't like to test his perimeters, especially with a new guest in his home.

[Amelia Cosette]

[Asher Jacobs]

Asher wasn't sure what to say. He knew what he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her exactly what was on his mind, with quite a bit of detail, but he knew exactly how she would respond to it and it wouldn't be good. Instead he cracked his knuckles and bought himself time. How do you explain emotions to someone who didn't want to hear them? Someone who denied they even had emotions?

His mind made, Asher locked his eyes with hers and made his point succinctly. "I have tried very hard to get you to trust me, Amelia," he didn't feel much like using silly nicknames right now. "I have invited you into my home, my most guarded place. I love you. I can't sit around and pretend it isn't irritating as hell that you don't trust me, even now." He shook his head, the anger seeping from his voice as he spoke. All that was left was the disappointment. He sighed and poured himself another whiskey. Maybe tonight was a good night to be a little less than perfectly aware of his surroundings. He knew that Amy wouldn't like that he could read her so easily, much less his next bluntly stated words. "I've let you into my heart, Amy, twice, and it's not turned out well so far. You still think that I could kill you on the drop of a dime. The only spell I used against you in our little fight was a stunner. I could have killed you several times over by now. Do you know why I haven't?" He asked her, eyes narrowing. "Well? Do you?" He abandoned his whiskey glass by the tumbler and got up in her face, poking her in the sternum to hit his words home. "It's because when I think about you're body lying cold and empty of life on the ground, I feel my bloody world shatter. If I killed you, my mind wouldn't survive it, you damned mistrusting witch. You're so busy letting the crimes of those close to you in the past rule your thinking that you cant just accept that I'm not them."

[Amelia Cosette]

[Asher Jacobs]

Asher moved when she pushed at him, the muscles in his face working to regain control of his expression. He would not let her push him into anger by dismissing what he'd just said. His eyes lifted to take her in as she moved to leave. He loved her like this, the raw true Amelia, so her hair was and average blonde? So she had normal blue eyes? She was beautiful this way every bit as much as when she dressed up in her flashy colors and costume-like wardrobe. That her hair had faded meant she was weakening, the walls were breaking down. If he could just get inside.

"Amy, don't push me away because you're afraid. I know you want to, but you don't always have to be in control, you don't always have to keep anyone or anything that makes you feel away from you." He shook his head sadly and looked at his toes, hoping to find words there, answers. "You're not going to be able to get rid of me by shoving business between us, and someday I will knock that damned wall down you've built around your heart." He stepped toward her and gently reached for her arm, holding her there more by his words and presence than any physical touch. If she wanted to run, he would let her, but not without making her listen first. "You don't have to bare you're soul now, all at once. I just wanted you to know how I felt. I want you to be able to look at me and see the correct motives, not the ones fueled by your healthy paranoia." He brushed a strand of that blonde hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind an ear. A single small motion and she would be in his arms, but Asher left that last step to her. Amy was the one who had to come to him. He'd done his part, the rest was up to her. If she wasn't ready, he would understand, he would do his job and wait and maybe next time she would be ready. He really hoped she would come to him sooner rather than later.

[Amelia Cosette]