Taken In

"You are sure no one escaped?"

"No one, sir."

"Good. We can finally put this tiresome event behind us. The Queen will be pleased to know th—"

"Master!"

Sebastian started slightly as the young lord fell back. He stooped to catch him before the child's head could connect with the cobblestone road that led back to the earl's townhouse.

"You have been awake much later than expected," Sebastian spoke to his half asleep master, "You should have told me to finish them off sooner. Then perhaps you could have avoided your injury."

The butler's words seemed to register in the boy's mind. Ciel blinked and then quickly frowned as he gauged his position. Sebastian was in the process of lifting him up into his arms.

"Put me down, Sebastian, I can walk on my own."

"It appears you cannot, my lord. This is the third time you have fainted now. Perhaps you lost more blood than you previously realized."

"Don't be absurd, it was merely a graze," Ciel said and would not meet Sebastian's stare. Ciel was already frustrated at this latest case that had taken a whole month to solve. And his embarrassment for a miscalculation that caused their being ambushed by a gunman from behind just fueled his frustration more. Ciel's hand went to the bandage on his upper left arm as a twinge caused him to wince. A small patch of blood could be seen seeping its way to the surface.

"Young master, it would be in your best interest if you allowed me to attend to you quickly. That house did not have all the necessary supplies needed to treat that graze of yours," Sebastian eyed the wound and a smirk twitched at the edge of his mouth.

The struggles of the past month with yet another drug-dealing nobleman, the near disaster of that night's faceoff, and Sebastian's teasing made Earl Phantomhive's temper snap. Ciel shot him a glare, "Do you defy me? I will not die from this, I will not allow it. Now do as you are told and put me down. That is an order!"

Ciel was breathing hard as he hurriedly walked on through the moonlit streets. The wound pained him more than he cared to admit. At that moment, knowing that Sebastian was right made him even angrier. Those idiots back there were now all dead, but they had made Ciel seem the fool. Someone would pay. Ciel was going to make sure of that. Someone would pay dearly.

…..wet rose?

That was a very strange scent to be permeating the London streets, and yet there it was. Ciel stopped short and looked around. Where was that smell coming from? It was not exactly unpleasant, but something about it filled Ciel with disgust.

"Young master?"

Ciel looked up ahead. The moon was shining and Ciel made out the silhouette of someone he recognized but was none too pleased to see. That thing was on a roof. Ciel still felt his stomach churn whenever he saw his aunt's coat wrapped around the redheaded fool.

What can that idiot be up to now?

But maybe this was the work of providence. That man killed Madam Red and he had never been sufficiently punished to Ciel's satisfaction.

"Sebastian."

"My lord?"

Ciel raised his hand to point at the red mass on the roof.

"Bring him."

He was out for blood.

Well, when was there a night that he wasn't hunting that rich red substance? As a reaper it was a rather unavoidable circumstance. Not that Grell minded in the slightest. There could never be too much of that wonderful color.

He should be moving along now though. He was running a bit behind schedule but what could Will expect? Will had to have known that giving him an assignment so close would result in nothing less. So Grell had dropped by the Phantomhive brat's home to see his beloved Sebas-chan, but found no one home much to Grell's immense disappointment. He would just have to find entertainment elsewhere, and a few painted corpses would certainly cheer him up. Grell stopped to double check his ledger for his next victim and took a bearing on his location.

Was that the wind?

London was a pretty enough city, but he would make it beautiful. Just a few artistic spatters would have a marvelous effect. Grell looked up at the full moon overhead. Might there be some way for him to paint that red too? The glowing orb had such remarkable patterns…Grell wished he could accentuate at least a few spots in the supreme color. It would make late nights with a lover even more romantic. He thought of how wonderful a passionate kiss under a red moonlit night would be.

That aura…

Grell tore himself away from his fantasy. It couldn't be…could it?...this late at night? Grell began to turn but a searing pain from behind swept through his body and sent him plummeting to the ground.

Grell released a low groan. What on earth had hit him? How long had he been unconscious? Well, semi-conscious. It is no easy task to completely knock out a reaper, but Grell being caught unawares had certainly helped his assailant. Grell had a vague memory of being carried…blue hair…careless words…taken down—oh hell it was no use. Grell shook his head a little, but immediately regretted the movement. The memories were still rather hazy for the moment. Grell tried to sit up but quickly discovered he was already standing. He moved to feel the back of his head but he could not move his arms. His senses returned to him enough that he realized his wrists had been shackled above him. No matter, Grell knew he could break those easily. He braced up and yanked downward,

"Ah! What the hell?"

His fetters did not yield and his efforts merely resulted in the metal cutting his wrists. Blood seeped out of the cuts and immediately made the area between his skin and the metal irritated and slick. A few drops began to run down his arm staining his clothes.

"Chains even a reaper cannot break?" Now Grell began to worry a little.

"So you are awake."

Grell's eyes shot forward but he didn't see much. The room was black as pitch and smelled foul and damp. Despite this, Grell could make out two pinkish orbs that couldn't have been more than a few yards away from him. Those were eyes. No, wait…those were his eyes!

"Sebas-chan?"

A match was struck to light a candle and Grell blinked in surprise. Once his eyes adjusted he was able to see the pristine gloves, that fabulous tailcoat, the devilish smirk…

"Sebas-chan! It is you! I'm so glad you're here! You can break me loose can't you? For some reason I can't…but that doesn't matter now that you're here to save me!"

Sebastian's smirk widened, "Now why would I set you free?"

Grell frowned in puzzlement, "But…"

Sebastian approached the chained reaper with long, deliberate strides, "I already went to the trouble of containing you," he ran a finger down Grell's chest slowly undoing his vest buttons, "I am certainly not going to be the one who releases you."

Grell shivered as he realized what Sebastian was getting at. Although the chains were a nice touch, Grell thought he could have picked a more romantic setting. Nonetheless, he grinned.

"I see. Did you have…other ideas?"

Sebastian spoke quietly, "Oh, yes."

Grell's eyes were half lidded. He had often fantasized about the day this man would take him and it was finally happening. He blushed a little under that gaze and felt Sebastian's warm breath hovering just beyond his lips. Just a little closer and he could….

Grell shrieked in surprise and pain as a knife was buried deep into his stomach. He looked down wondering where the hell it had come from. He was appalled to see Sebastian's hand on the other end of the knife. Grell looked up to see a grin accompanying those demonic eyes.

"Oh, my apologies Grell, perhaps your ideas and mine were headed in different directions?" Sebastian sloooowly pulled the knife out of Grell's body and a wide stain of red quickly spread across the white shirt.

Although he loved that color, especially on someone as beautiful as himself, Grell was not thrilled with the way events were now turning. He did not entirely enjoy such pain if no pleasure was to be found with it and damn if that knife hadn't stung.

"What the hell are you doing?" Grell was angrier now rather than in pain as he had already mostly healed.

"Merely following orders," Sebastian said calmly as two more knives were driven into Grell's body and more blood began to spill.

"Gah! Damnit! Stop that Sebastian!"

"So sorry, but my master's orders are absolute," Sebastian tilted his head with a little smile not looking at all apologetic.

"What orders did the little brat give you this time? I'm flattered you are making such a fuss over me but really a lady sh—"

Grell's words were cut short as Sebastian's hand quickly closed around his windpipe. Grell choked on his words as Sebastian squeezed and the sensation was even more uncomfortable since Grell could not use his own hands to grasp at the hand at his throat.

"I would appreciate it if you did not speak about my master in such a way. That could end very badly for you indeed."

A final squeeze and Sebastian released his grip. Dark blue stripes could already be seen around Grell's neck.

"And to answer your question: make him suffer."

"W-what?" Grell managed to sputter.

"You asked me what my master's orders were. I was told to make you suffer."

"Why the h-hell…does the kid want me to suffer?"

"Madam Red."

Grell was thoroughly confused, "But that…that was months ago!"

Sebastian sighed, "I'm afraid you caught my master at a bad time. He is still a child after all, and even the best children are capable of throwing tantrums. But I will continue to follow his commands no matter how foolish they may be. I cannot do so with you healing so quickly, however. Let's see what we can do to fix this little dilemma shall we?"

Sebastian flicked his wrists and his hands were soon full of knives. With a wicked grin, he advanced upon the captive reaper.