"Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once."- William Shakespeare.

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Chapter 21- Preparations

"What the hell do you mean that we can't find him," Daemon yelled angrily at his superior.

"Daemon, I need you to think rationally right now," Sam said slowly like he was talking to a 5 year old, "Aiden left a letter saying that he wanted a leave. We can't do anything about it, he said in the letter that he is visiting his family. Let the poor guy have a break."

"Aiden never writes letters, I would know..." Daemon said angrily.

"Maybe not to you... he must never have found a particular reason to write to you," Sam said soothingly.

"Seriously Sam... you know Aiden... I know Aiden... he would never disappear like that. He wanted this case solved more than me, he just wouldn't go like that," Daemon said trying to calm down.

"I know, but what else could have happened?" Sam asked.

Daemon didn't have an answer to that. What else could have happened? He could cut the Reaper out since he only specialized women and had never kidnapped anyone before.

"If you get a hold of him, tell me, ok?" Daemon said tiredly, "and meanwhile, I have to go check on the case. New dead body and all, you know?"

"Oh yes, unfortunate event that was. But I heard you have a witness, that must be good. You got anything out of her?" Sam said interested.

"The witness will not be involved in the case," Daemon said without leaving any room for argument.

"Ok..." Sam allowed with a sigh, he would let Daemon do what he wanted, "and since Aiden is not available, I got you an assistant. Not like Aiden, but to just help you out"

"I don't want another assistant," Daemon said.

"That is exactly the same thing you said when I appointed Aiden for you. And look how far you've reached now... you are even worrying about him. That is good improvement."

"I don't worry about him," Daemon muttered.

"Oh, I am sure you do," Sam said with a twinkle in his eye.

They were cut off when someone knocked the door.

"Yes enter, that must be your new assistant," Sam said enthusiastically. Daemon just rolled his eyes.

The door opened a platinum blond woman walked in. Daemon looked at her curiously.

"I know you... I have seen you before...somewhere..." Daemon said. The woman smiled and said, "Yes, I am the girl who delivered that letter to you that day. The name is Deandra."

"Ah...the letter girl," Daemon said with recognition.

"Letter... what letter?" Sam asked interested.

Daemon was about to change the topic of discussion before Deandra said, "Oh you know, he was very enthusiastic about it. Even snatched it from me, so who was it from?"

Sam raised his eyebrows at Daemon.

"Uh..." Daemon said trying to fabricate a lie, "it was from... from my....my... my wife!"

"Wife?" Sam asked and his eyebrows rose even higher. Daemon was enthusiastic about something regarding a woman?

"You're married?" Deandra asked sounding almost disappointed.

"Yes," Daemon said nodding his head.

"What did your wife write to you?" Sam asked curiously.

"I'm sure you wouldn't want to know," Daemon said with a smirk as he got back his confidence, "or do you?"

Sam coughed awkwardly and said, "No thanks. So I will let the two of you be on your way then. Good luck."

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"Aren't you going to ask me about my previous cases and experience and all?" Deandra asked as she tried to catch up with Daemon who was literally flying through the halls like a bat.

"What use would that be to me?" Daemon asked.

"You would know if I will be a good assistant or not?" Deandra asked.

"I will be the judge of that. I don't like others forming opinions for me," he said sharply and looked back at her coldly. Deandra winced and was about to ask him more about the case when he interrupted her and said, "Don't talk. Your voice is grating my nerves."

Rude much... Deandra thought. In a way, it was good he had a wife or she would have tried to make a move on him. And he didn't seem like a pleasant man at all. His poor wife...

"You are going to do a few things for me..." Daemon said.

"I am?"

"Yes you are. And don't interrupt me, I don't like it. You are to go and collect all the case files from Aiden's office and I need you to bring it to my office. I suppose since he is not here, you can have his office. But if I feel you're incompetent, then you can kiss your job good bye."

Deandra blinked at him owlishly and then nodded when she understood that he expected a reply.

"And I need you to sort out my appointments. And today evening, from 6 to 7, cancel any appointment. Also..."

"May I ask why sir?" Deandra asked curiously. He didn't seem like the kind to cancel his work.

"None of your business. And I think I said to not interrupt me, didn't I?" Daemon asked.

"Yes sir. Sorry sir."

Daemon nodded and continued walking. A part of him liked the power it gave him when she called him 'sir' but another part of him was reminded about Aiden absolutely refused to call him that.

He sighed. If he wanted to find out about Aiden, it would have to be kept a secret from Sam.

But then he scolded himself, he knew that Aiden could take good care of himself. He had seen that in various cases.

"Also, Miss..."

"Sturtevant, sir. Miss. Deandra Sturtevant."

"Ok, Miss Sturtevant," Daemon said, "um..."

"Yes sir?"

"Do you know any good restaurants around here?" Daemon asked nervously absolutely avoiding eye contact.

"What?" she asked bewildered. This man never ceased to amaze her.

"Yes, Sturtevant," he said irritated.

She gulped at his mood change.

"Um, I heard the new Monascus restaurant that is nearby is pretty good," she said unsurely.

"Oh ok," he said looking relieved. Then he tensed and asked, "Is it... um... romantic?"

It took Deandra a minute to comprehend what he just said.

"Uh yeah... candle light and all that," she said slowly, not understanding what was going on.

"Candle light... that is good...,"he said distracted.

"Sir, if you wouldn't mind me asking exactly why you want to go for a candle light dinner when we have a case to solve? Or do you want to solve a case there?" she asked confused.

"Um..." he said and then looked down at his new assistant. She looked very girly and all, probably she would know what girls liked...

"Um, Deandra, if I want my wife to apologize to me, what exactly should I do?" he asked.

Deandra looked at him for a minute and then chose not to ask why he was worrying about something so trivial. His temper honestly scared her.

"Well, depends on what you did to anger her," she said.

Daemon looked away. Was he ready to start sharing emotions and that too with a complete stranger.

But she was to be his assistant and Aiden always listen to him when he had a bad day. Besides, he had promise Rosalyn that he would try to be more open.

"I... I may or may not have brought another woman..."

"You're screwed," Deandra said, "I don't think you can fix it."

"Wait no... I did that to piss Rosalyn off because she pissed me earlier and I regret it. Besides I didn't do anything to that girl whose name I don't even remember. I also confessed everything to Rosalyn and she didn't look that angry later, but I don't want her upset," Daemon said, all in one breath.

"Ok, probably the dinner might work but you will have to prove to her that you care. Do all the flowers and candy thing, be nice to her and so on. But since you are good to her always, that wouldn't..."

"You know what, forget this. I have a case to take care of. Don't cancel any appointments. I was just being silly," Daemon said, effectively ending all conversation.

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"Hey Jace," Rose said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Why were you absent today, Rose? Do you know the number of times I called you and you at last picked the phone?" Jace said, trying not to sound too pissed.

"I'm sorry. Some things came up," Rose said. Daemon had tried very hard to stop all the reports about her on the media and her identity was kept anonymous. To her surprise, she hadn't even told him that she was uncomfortable with people knowing it was her.

And her face had only come on television during midnight after the incident took place and almost everyone she knew was asleep.

She could just imagine her mother's yells through the phone if she knew about what had happened.

"Well, you should have informed us if something came up. Do you know how worried I was?" Jace said angrily. This was the first time he seemed to show some emotion other than calmness.

"Why? Anything else happened?"

"Yeah, I have no idea where Alec is," Jace said pissed.

"Alec..." Rose said alarmed, "where is Alec?"

"Yeah, if I knew that I wouldn't have asked you," Jace said dryly, "I thought you both skipped school together without telling me. That is why I was pissed."

"Why would you think we skipped together?" Rose asked.

"Well..."

"Well, what?"

"Well, he clearly likes you. And he isn't a bad looking guy, so..." Jace said awkwardly.

"Wait, you thought Alec and I was together doing 'things'?" Rose asked annoyed, "what the hell, Jace? My husband is a dick, a mega dick, but I still care for him and the only guy who can be with me is him. Seriously?"

"Ok, I am sorry," Jace said apologetically, "I didn't mean to offend you."

"Yeah, whatever. Now how do we know where Alec is?"

"I'm not sure."

Rose heard the sound of the front door opening and shutting.

"Any idiot home?!"

"Yeah, Daemon has arrived," Rose said rolling her eyes, "I'll talk to you later."

"Ok."

"You do know how to impress someone," Rose said as she got down the stairs. Daemon was removing his tie's knot and he smiled sheepishly.

"Uh...yeah..." he said stammering," Rosalyn, I have to go to Italy tomorrow, something to do with the case."

"Oh..." Rose said disappointed, "that's nice."

"Uh, yeah. I know you have school and all, but... could you like... come with me?" he said nervously. Rose looked shocked at her husband who was acting like he was asking his first crush out.

"Sure, if you want me to come," Rose said slowly.

"Great," Daemon said, "pack useful things only. Don't pack stupid girly things that won't be needed. We are just going to be there for three days."

Then he brushed past her and went upstairs.

"Well, there is the Daemon we all know and love," Rose said to herself.

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"Yes, Sam. We are leaving tomorrow morning and no, Miss. Stu something is not coming with us," Daemon said as he threw his boxers from the bag to the ground.

"You mean, Deandra Sturtevant," Sam said exasperatedly, " so you are going alone?"

"Uh, no," Daemon said, mentally noting that he had said the word 'uh' too many times since the last day, "my wife is coming with me."

"So, honeymoon, huh?" Sam said teasingly.

"Yeah, whatever," Daemon said distracted as Rose entered the room, carrying all their washed clothes. He watched as she surveyed the room with a distasteful expression.

"Have you found anything else about the third murder?" Sam asked.

"No," Daemon sighed, "we just know her name is Ginevra Pierce. I put up Miss, Sturtevant to check on more about her."

"Ok, but make it fast. And you sure Deandra can do that?"

"Well, if she can't so at least that, then she is completely useless for me," Daemon commented as he watched his wife kneel down and scowl at his boxers. Before he could do anything, she picked one of them and threw it at his face.

"What the hell, woman?!" Daemon yelled.

"What?" Sam asked curiously.

"Nothing boss," Daemon said to his phone and then turned and looked questioningly at his wife.

"How many times do I have to tell you to not put your clothes on the floor. Now every time you do that, they will land on your face. How's that?", asked Rose. And without waiting for his reply, she walked out.

"Stupid woman," Daemon muttered and then turned back to the phone, "Don't even comment about what you just heard. Just tell me what else I should do."

"Whatever you say, Daemon, whatever you say."

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AN:

Well, I uploaded, I'm not sure when I'll upload next coz tomorrow is definitely not an potion. Now let me go back to my studies.

Adios,

Ashley