She sips her drink, thoughtfully.

"... Possibly. Depending on the details of our partnership. I'm not going to be your little golden retriever witch, jumping at every chance to please my rich master. If you expect that, you will be sorely disappointed."

"That's not what I was thinking at all. You'd be an employee, which means you get monthly compensation as well as additional compensation for missions you help us with. That penthouse is still on the table, by the way. There would be terms for you to sign regarding magic materials but I am sure someone as good at magic as you would be responsible." She almost purrs that compliment, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hand. "Maybe I could show you around the office, so you know what we look like when we're at our most competent."

Snort. "And I would have the right of refusal for missions, no arm twisting if I think it's too likely to get me on some big nasty's radar and get me killed. And the ability to cut ties and leave if I so desire, I refuse to allow myself to be trapped."

"Just like every other employee, yes."

"Mhm. I think something set up more like consulting work than actual employment with hours and healthcare and whatnot. I don't particularly trust any one of you to not try to sacrifice the amoral vampire when it's convenient, however pretty your compliments and however depleted your magical staff is. And if I terminated my employment, would I get to keep the Gem of Amara, for my good behavior and sensibility?"

"That can be worked out with legal. But the fact that you're amoral is completely irrelevant to our purposes—here." Jack reveals the spinning top again and spins. "Tell a lie."

"I am six foot one and built like a linebacker," she deadpans to the top.

The top stops spinning and falls onto the table.

Jack sets it upright and spins it again. "Were we to enter a professional relationship, we would be no more likely to sacrifice you or throw you under the bus or anything like that than we are to do so to any other employees. The fact that you're an amoral vampire will mostly be a social curiosity among staff, which already contains more than a few nonhumans." The top continues to spin.

"... Interesting. And you would seek to shield me from any backlash from the ex-Slayer's 'friends,' should they take offense to my having stolen their boss's shiny?"

"Of course." It still spins.

"And your organization doesn't already think its normal employees are expendable or available for sacrifice for 'the greater good' or some nonsense? I've heard of how the Watchers work, you know."

She scoffs. "No, nothing like that. The Watchers are absurd and if we knew where the Slayer was right now we would be offering her our protection. We are looking, actually."

"Good for you. And yes, they are." She hums thoughtfully and sips her drink again. "My favorite color is crimson red," she says experimentally to the top, to make sure that it definitely works.

Yep, it stops spinning.

She spins it again.

"How close are you to offing the ex-Slayer?"

"Best guess? She'll be dust in less than two weeks."

Spin spin spin.

"And what's your current largest wrench in the operation's success?"

"Actually pinning her down. As I mentioned, her anti-scrying enchantments are very good. We can now consistently locate places where she's recently been, and so she has been on the run from us for a while now. It always seems delayed—sometimes our spells tell us she is extremely definitely standing four feet in front of us when she is evidently not. The delay is shrinking, though."

She hums thoughtfully.

"You began hunting her seriously around, mm. Eight to six months ago?"

"Yes."

Yvette contemplates the top.

"The protections are very good because I made them," she says conversationally. "But I don't particularly like her as a person, and was in no position to refuse when she asked. Actually, I find her personally grating to the extreme and find her controlling and obsessive nature asphyxiating."

...a slow smile spreads on Jack's face. "Is that so."

"I actually found the idea of spending the rest of forever with her constantly dropping by my house unannounced infuriating and I've been quietly contemplating her demise for years. So if I were to remove her protections, your organization has an excellent shot at killing her? With the understanding that she is very good at martial combat and that if you show up with a stake and a floor plan with her, you will die, and then I will die slowly."

"The tactical team chasing her has ten people, five of whom are of various nonhuman origins with particular advantages against vampires. It will not get to the point of martial combat."

"... All right," says Yvette, musingly. "Then I suppose we can all be free of the bitch. I will be expecting the Gem of Amara once she's dead, you understand."