"You're not seriously coming with us, are you?" I was staring at Bill angrily while he just twirled his cane around and smirked. "Of course I am, I mean, a deal is a deal, isn't it?"

"But we're going on vacation! What the heck will you be doing there? It'll be boring as hell for someone like you..." My attempt to change his mind failed epically as they always did. Because Bill was always getting what he wanted. And there was little I could do about it. I had to learn that the hard way.

He laughed in his typical, little mad, way. "Are you serious, Moonstone? Like, you really think I'll get bored with you, aka a person to tease, around? Besides~"

He approached me while still floating about thirty centimetres above the ground. His face was so close that his nose was almost touching mine. I couldn't help but blush a little. And I instantly slapped myself mentally for falling for his flirting again.

"If you're not up for a little fun, like always, I'll have a 3000-passanger cruise ship full of girls that would probably kill each other just for a little fun with me~"

I made an unspecific noise that lit up his face. Because now he knew, that I knew he was right. And he indeed was. Whenever he appeared in his human form in front of people, especially girls around my age, he was the focus of attention.

I mean, it's not like I couldn't understand the girls. If I was one of them, aka would not have a clue of him being an evil, immortal dream demon with almost almighty powers and the will to destroy the entire dimension, I would probably fall head over heels for him, just like them. For being almost unduly sexy and charming, like he usually acted around teenage girls.

But he did not only treat the other girls that way, he tried with me as well. Being mischievous and flirty as hell as always. Though I of course was aware that none of that was even slightly to be taken seriously. He as himself was never to be taken seriously. I'd learned that everything he did was for a specific reason. A mostly evil or at least selfish reason.

But even though I was aware of all these things I unintentionally let his flirts get to me. It could not be considered a crush – at least that's what I'd been telling myself for half a year now because everything else would make me lose faith in myself and my strength. My will to resist him – at any cost – was there and it was strong. I was the only one knowing about his true self. I was the only one that was close enough to him to might ever be able to stop him. I was not to fall for him. Ever.

I tilted myself away from him just to clear my thoughts and stop that annoying heart of mine from beating way too fast. A small curse left my mouth when I began to imagine him flying to Florida with me, the Pines twins and their gruncles.

We booked that Caribbean cruise about two months ago. The twins, who were also my best friends and their gruncles who looked forward to spend a little time with their family and each other, not having to work all the day. We wanted to spend a calm and relaxing time there and the last thing we needed was some chaotic demon to ruin our peace with his games and manipulation. With Bill on board the ship would probably end up like the Titanic within at least three days.

Bill shook his head and giggled a bit. "Well, if your ship was to end like the Titanic we would need a tragic couple to complete the story. And since you are not a rich engaged to a scumbag and me not being neither poor nor able to die at the end, we can basically forget that Titanic ending." He grinned, revealing his perfectly white teeth. "Not that I promise to let your ship reach its final destination, I'll still think about that~"

I stared at him with my mouth slightly open. "D-did you JERKFACE just read my mind? I already told you like a HUNDRED TIMES to freaking STOP that!"

He only laughed about my attempt to insult him. That was when I realized another thing: "And...did you just compare US to Jack and Rose? We are NOT a couple AND WE WILL NEVER BE!"

I couldn't decide what to be angrier about, his mind-reading or his incredible impertinence to compare us to one of the most famous movie couples ever.

"And I wasn't even TALKING about the movie "Titanic", I was talking about the actual ship and the actual sinking!"

He laughed again. "Well, as I said, I'll have to think about that yet~"

I rolled my eyes. If there would be no other way I'd make a deal with him so that he had to leave the ship alone. I'd probably have to do something I don't want for it but I'd learned to live with that. We already made countless deals on my request in order to make life with him more endurable. And I already had to pay countless prices for my wishes because he tricked me every single time. I didn't know if I was just too stupid to learn from my mistakes or he was just too experienced in this kind of stuff. Well, it was probably both.

Why don't that Cipher finally CLEAR OFF, I have to pack... Since we'll be flying tomorrow... I was thinking to myself when I suddenly heard his voice in my mind: I'd love too, but watching you is a lot more interesting than watching anyone else~

I winced and let out a little yell while Bill was dying of laughter somewhere near the ceiling of my room.

Now this was new. I knew he could read my mind but I never knew he could talk to me like that. Now was one of that moments when I did actually considered requesting a deal about him stopping that mind-reading, but I was always too afraid what he could demand in return. Since that was a huge request he would most likely want a huge service for me to give him. And I could perfectly live without that especially with the cruise about to start.

I sighted again. Why did I had to make that deal with him, half a year ago?