It was typical. The ink smudges that never seemed to leave her fingertips. Wearily Ivy sighed as she finished up the shop's paperwork, nudging her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. It wasn't the work hours that dragged her down, it was the lack of sleep. She only wished she could blame it on insomnia. Truth was she slept just fine, but the dreams interfered her every sleeping hour.

Crystal blue eyes flicked to the door of the used bookstore she had taken up ownership of. Granted Tomes and Curiousities was not where the librarian had expected herself to end up but after Lady Wilkerson had passed and left everything to Ivy, how could she refuse the old woman's dying wish? Lady Wilkerson... Ivy shook her head and slammed the ledger shut pushing away from the front counter. Ever since the old woman had died and asked her to take on the responsibility of being guardian of the books things had changed drastically for Ivy. The dreams... so many of them. Her eyes burned when she closed them, she blamed it on exhaustion. At least the burning singed away the smudged shadow figure that lingered in the darkest corners of her dreams. Funny thing was, that shadow figure should have spooked her. Instead? It made her feel safe. She welcomed and yearned for its presence.

"Freak."

Ivy mumbled the mockery of her own self awareness as she stared down at her ink smudged fingers before smoothing them against the sides of her jeans. All in vain to make the ink disappear.

"You rangggggggggggggggggggggg?"

Ivy's head shot up, eyes narrowing behind her glasses as she instantly went on edge. Hands already went searching for a weapon until she saw the ice blond curls and the adorable button nose of Pippa Livingston peek from around one of the shelves.

"Oh. Hey Pips."
"Inky!"

Ivy's head ducked down, flat gold hair shielding her expression as she grimaced. How she hated that nickname but ever since she took up ownership of the store, the other local shop owners had called her Ink. There was no changing that. Pippa herself was one of the shop owners, owning a unique gift store that specialized in anything and everything you possibly could imagine or ask for. Sometimes Ivy wondered if she was some sort of magician or genie, Pippa could find anything her customer's seemed to desire. Even if they didn't know it at the time. Speaking of which... Ivy's nose twitched and she couldn't help her mouth from watering. When was the last time she ate? A shake of head before she peered at Pippa with a lopsided smile.

"Are those muffins from Delacroixs?"
"You know it!"

Sing songy and impish Pippa practically raced over. The girl was a whirlwind of energy.

"Thanks Pippa."
"Don't worry about it. I knew you probably hadn't ate in ages but you enjoy I gotta go. Byyyyyeeeeeee!!!!!"

And just like that, Pips was gone.
"Huh."

A shake of head and a pop of the warm morsel of cinnamon chip muffin left Ivy practically moaning in approval. Grabbing her bag,muffin, and keys Ivy set out to close up shop. She couldn't help but mentally swear when she dropped her keys and the fresh muffin in the process. Fetching the keys and bemoaning the crumbled destruction of the muffin she locked up as the air took on a thick quality of dread and darkness.

In the district they called this the Demon Hour. Ivy whispered a trail of what she figured was half nonsense and half prayer, she was an idiot. Everyone knew you never left the wards after certain hours and here she was doing just that... but she had to get home...she could have slept in the shop but no. Not Ivy. Brave.

Foolish.

Ivy.

"Well Ms Kane, it appears once again you have failed to adhere to the rules. You know that unless we need something, this is our time, unless you were willing to come out and play..."

"No...n...n...no. No. I'm sorry.... I was just going. I swear."

Blue eyes flickered as she nervously tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and looked around her. The demons were like wolves no lone wolf mentality here... a quick look around her and her heart rate sped up. Four of them. No wonder Pippa had hightailed it so quick out of there. She was the smart one.

"Oh...little one you aren't going anywhere. You belong to us now. Besides... a little bird told me that there's been some...unusual... things going on at your store. Aren't you supposed to be reporting to the Centre of any... oddities."

"Y...yes. But... it was just... some trouble with the light fixtures. That's all. Bad wiring. I didn't know."
"Bad Wiring...oh...you could say that, little Ink."

Ivy swallowed thickly, her trembling leaving her keys jingling in her palm. Why did they all of a sudden feel so warm in her hands.

"Just let me go..."

"Hey Boss."

The gravel and grindstone growl of the demon behind her left the hair on her arms standing on end. They were so close. All she could hear was the keys chiming in her hand as she couldn't control her hands from shaking. It was the start of winter and yet she felt she was burning up. Could she be coming down with something. Ivy opened her eyes, God but the pain of them. Her eyes hurt so much....another inaudible bark of an order before the demons were upon her. The world around her became light and darkness. So much light.

She cried out in the pain of it as her blue eyes were blinded by a pale gold sheen, leaving those icy blue irises to become sunlight on the water. The first blow of a fist connecting with her stomach left her crumbling as her keys hit the cobblestones and the light began to fade. Her hands burned as if on fire as they hit the ground to catch herself. Ivy figured it had to be a scrape, some bruising that was all... It had to be.

But as Valer's face appeared before her she knew it was so much more.

"You stupid little girl, pathetic human you have been keeping a secret... and you know how we hate having secrets kept from us...."

The words faded, a subtle gesture of Valer to his crew and the only sound that filled the night were Ivy's screams.