Author's Note: In celebration of Frozen Dance's release, I am taking some down time to get back to Sebastian and Serena. Oh, how I have missed them. They've never fought me as hard as Nikolai and Kat did.

I know that this first chapter is a little slow, but we still some stuff to deal with in the past. Also, I've decided to just scale back some of the sex and we'll keep it on fanfic, cuz that's where everybody is! It's also a lot easier to use than other sites, for all of us.

This is a sequel! If you have not read A Demon's Mate, you will not have any idea what is going on! Thank you, that is all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of its characters. I only claim Serena, Asta, as well as the demons and descendants that I introduce.

Hell Welcomes You

Chapter One

1894

Numb. She was finally numb. Elizabeth Midford looked down from the window of her childhood bedroom as her things were being put away. They had been packed in a haze of anticipation and wonder as she prepared to leave her family home for good days ago.

That was gone now, buried in the Phantomhive family cemetery with her fiancée. In the window's reflection she saw her beautiful wedding gown being prepared to be taken off its stand and the trunk that would conceal and protect it, a symbol of broken hope, in one of the endless attic rooms. She had tried it on the night before her wedding, against her mother's wishes. Frances was worried she would stain it, or tear a seam, or pull a thread. It had to be immaculate for her wedding as all of London society was crossing the country to attend, even Queen Victoria had accepted an invitation and was expected to make a rare appearance.

She had been wearing it, dancing around her rooms and trying to ignore her mother when the footman had knocked and insisted that Lady Frances was needed in the salon to greet a guest with the marquess. It had been rather suspicious. Suspicious enough for her to sneak down the stairs with Paula whispering warnings behind her.

She'd known as soon as she had seen Undertaker sitting in front of the fireplace.

The funeral today had buried all her hopes in the ground with his body. There was no telling herself that it would be like last time. His body had laid cold and still in the coffin hand-carved by the mortician. She had watched as the lid was closed and the wood lowered into the ground. Her family had tried to pull her away, she didn't need to see this, but she had too. Last time, they had erected a stone over an empty plot. She had to be sure or she'd always wonder if he would come back again.

"Leave me."

She knew her voice was hollow. Saw the surprise in the maids' eyes that she had spoken at all. She hadn't said anything since the night Undertaker had told them of his death. Since she had screamed that the mortician had made a mistake, he couldn't be dead. Not again. They had made a mistake once and he had come back.

Undertaker had offered to take her to the Phantomhive house and see his body for herself. Frances had been greatly offended at the suggestion but Undertaker had understood. She had to see him. The entire family had come, after she had changed. She had stopped them from putting the dress away that night, ordered that they not touch the confection of silk and lace until she returned.

The door closed behind the two women and Lizzy walked slowly around the dress on its special stand. It had been a favor from Miss Nina. Her old tailor and dressmaker normally did not bother with adult fashions but Lizzy had been her favorite client. She had also given the woman one of the coveted invitations to the ceremony.

Her fingers brushed the full silk skirt, tiered in lace, as she moved behind to the long line of diamonds set in gold that took the place of buttons. It was customary for the bride to wear pearls but they matched the necklace, bracelet and broach that had belonged to her aunt. He had promised the set to her to wear for their wedding. She reached up to touch the sleeves, starting in silk and ending in bells of lace, and saw the deep jet of her mourning dress. She didn't know why she reached up again. Why she grabbed the silk so tightly and pulled that it ripped easily. The sound was satisfying, echoing what she felt inside.

She didn't realize that she was screaming until the door burst open. Frances and Paula pulled her away from the shredded pile on the floor before she realized that she was still screaming, reaching for the mess of fabric.

1894 Lucifer's Gate

Ciel watched the being in front of him as they walked forward into darkness. They hadn't spoken much since he had awoken different. At Undertaker's parlor, Sebastian and the reaper had done all the talking. He hadn't known what to say, too consumed by the strange feelings throughout his body, too afraid to touch anything that it would crush in his hand, too blinded by how bright the entire world was. Too distracted by the hunger in his belly.

He didn't know what he wanted, only that Sebastian and Undertaker weren't giving it to him. The demon had growled when Ciel noticed someone pass by the front of the small shop and gotten up from the floor he had been told to sit on. They didn't want him to break one of Undertaker's coffins.

Ciel hadn't known what or who was out there. Only that he wanted it. The purpose he had wanted it for was a mystery as well. Sebastian had yanked him back into the shop and closed the door firmly.

Undertaker had laughed, the sound grating on Ciel's sensitive ears. "He's hungry already. And sniffing out his first meal."

"I'll feed you later." Sebastian said as he pushed him back down. "We have to work out your death first. And Lady Elizabeth deserves to know that there will be no wedding before she shows up for it."

"Why not? I'm not dead." Even his own voice sounded foreign to him, too loud.

The demon had glared at him. "You cannot remain in the human world as you are. You must be trained before you can walk among humans and not give yourself away."

"He'll need to eat before you take him home." Undertaker took a bite from the bone cookie in his hand and Ciel was surprised that it looked disgusting to him.

"So will I." Sebastian sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Quantity vs quality it is. I'll get a body while I'm out. But, I'll need you to look after him."

"Of course. We can pick out his coffin," the reaper laughed.

Ciel pulled out of his memory as the darkness in front of him cleared. A large mass of people was in front of them. Some were quiet while others wept. A scream came from the front and it brought his attention to the spiked wall of black reaching for the heavens these people would never see. He couldn't see anything else in either direction. There was only the wall and people. Behind him was only more blackness.

"Ciel."

He looked to his former demon butler and conspirator, a foreign being to him now, dressed in leather with wings that embraced and echoed the very darkness around them.

"You stopped." The demon, Undertaker told him to call Elder, waited for an answer but he didn't have one.

Ciel just shook his head.

"You need time to adapt. Come." He turned again and started walking. "We're almost there."

"This is Hell?"

"This is home," he corrected.

As they walked around the crowd, people tried to grab Ciel. Sebastian pulled the new demon closer to him and struck the souls back with a wing.

"What do they want?" Ciel asked as they continued forward.

"They think that you will help them."

"Do they not deserve to be here?"

"Yes."

"Then why do think that I will help? If I hadn't become...this, I would have been one of them."

Present: Lucifer's Gate

Serena held on tighter to her demon as the fog and darkness cleared in an instant to show a mass of people in front of them. Some were quiet while others wept. She looked up and saw the onyx stones forming a wall that dominated the space. At the top, people were sitting between the spikes. Wings opened and Serena knew they were not people but Fallen protecting and welcoming the souls of the damned.

"What's wrong?"

She jumped at Ciel's voice as Malphas tightened his arm around her.

Her eyes went back to the people. "They're..."

"They're quite distracting, I know. I thought the same thing the first time the Elder brought me through the gate."

"You cannot help them, Serena." Malphas turned them so that she couldn't see the souls crowded around the gate.

"But..."

"No. Whatever their reason, they belong here. Or they would never have been brought before the gate."

"Would I have come here? Would I have been one of them if I hadn't woke up back in Tokyo?"

"No, only pure souls are mated to demons. You would never have seen this place."

She tried to look behind her as they passed, but the Elder's wings blocked her vision. He led her forward, never breaking his stride as a small door appeared in the line of black.

"Elder Malphas." Another demon smiled as they approached. "I see you have better news this time than a new demon."

"Charon. My mate, Serena." He pulled her to the demon holding a book in front of the door.

He held up a book and looked between her and the picture on the page with glowing red eyes.

"There is a death date listed here. Almost a hundred years before the date of birth." His confusion was obvious as he looked closer at the red head, cocking his head to the side as his eyes glazed over.

"What is he doing?" She whispered.

"He's reading the weight of your soul."

"A death date a century before a birth date and a pure soul." Charon shook his head as he came back to himself and snapped the book shut, making Serena jump. "Alright. I don't pretend to understand but I see the chains between you."

The demon waved a hand and the tall pair of doors opened.

"Welcome."

"Thank you," she said quietly. Malphas pushed her toward the doors and her hand reached for Ciel's. She jumped when the doors closed behind her.

"Shh. It's alright." Ciel smiled from his place beside her. "I did the same thing."

The two demon led her forward to the sound of flowing water. She stopped again as the river appeared in front of them. The bluest water she had ever seen lapped at the shore where they stood.

"We could go straight to the Tower or take the scenic route." Malphas contemplated the water in front of them.

Ciel raised his hand from the other side. "I vote for the scenic route." He leaned down to Serena. "Otherwise, you'll be bombarded by those that wish to meet the Elder's new mate at home."

She looked at Malphas. "Scenic route."

He snapped his fingers and a boat floated to meet them at the shore. Malphas lifted her easily to jump into the boat and Ciel took his place behind them. When she looked back he held an oar and was dressed in a copy of Sebastian's butler uniform.

"First stop, the Forest of Passion."

1894 London

The solicitor's office was somber as Lizzy was led by her mother past busy clerks to a room in the back. She didn't want to be here for the reading but was told it wasn't a choice. Ciel's will required her presence and she had wished for a reason to leave the house and the stream of condolences that seemed to arrive every hour.

A long table stretched down the center of the room they were led into. Frances led her to the right and settled her in a chair. As it was pushed in she looked behind to see Bard, his eyes bloodshot and rimmed red. All of Ciel's servants were present, standing along the back wall. Tanaka held a sniffling Finny as Mey-Rin stared at the floor. Snake looked straight ahead, not really seeing any of them. On the other side of the table Prince Soma sat with Agni behind him as always.

"Where's Sebastian?" Her voice cracked with disuse.

Tanaka shook his head. "No one's seen him since he left with Lord Phantomhive that night."

The door opened and Mr. Collins, whom she recognized from the meeting over her marriage contracts, came into the room with a solemn-faced clerk.

"Thank you all for coming today. I know that this may seem rather rushed but the Earl had insisted, in the event of his death without an heir that his will be read and the property disbursed before the crown seized the earldom's assets."

"Already?" The marquess was shocked that it was moving so quickly.

"The crown has made the announcement that they were take possession of the earldom's property and assets within the next few days. That's why this had to be done today. I am to make sure that everything is ready to hand over."

"Vultures."

Lizzy looked over, certain that she had imagined the soft but strained voice from the back of the room.

"Yes, well..." Mr. Collins held out a hand for the papers his clerk held and started flipping through them. "The Earl had all the necessary paperwork and bequests arranged. There are notes with several and I would remind you that these are his words and not mine."

Bardroy laughed softly from his place and shook his head. Strangely, Lizzy felt a smile for the first time in days.

"I will spare you the business dealings and gifts to charity as well as the legal wording at the beginning." The solicitor took off the first two pages and handed them back to the clerk. "To the servants of Phantomhive as a whole. The Earl has left an annuity to each in the amount of two hundred pounds a year. The amount in this account should last no less than twenty years."

The Midfords looked just as stunned as the servants as they all stared at the solicitor.

"Is that right?" Tanaka asked.

"It is correct. There is also a property outside the city, as yet unnamed, left to Tanaka, Snake, Finny, Bardroy and Mey-Rin. Note: 'You all can stay together or sell it and fight over the profit. I don't really care.'

"There is also a certificate of entry to the Royal Academy of Cuisine made out to Bardroy." He held out the small stack of papers. "Note: 'They have been warned to confiscate any weaponry, explosives and firearms.'

"Sebastian Michaelis."

"He's not here." Agni spoke up.

"There is a note only. Note: 'I'm certain that he is not here and it doesn't matter. He has received what he wanted anyway.'

Everyone was confused but the solicitor shrugged and moved on.

"Edward Midford. Raven's Nest in Kent. Note: 'I built this property from nothing, all you have to do is manage it. Good God man, get out of the tea parties and horse races and do something with yourself.'"

Edward laughed as his head hung toward the table.

"Prince Soma Azman Kaudal. Penworth Hall in Surrey. Note: 'I would leave you the London house but it is part of the earldom's entailed property. I know what it is like to have your home taken out from under you. What I said before still holds true and this is graduation day. The listed property has quite a few more responsibilities but I'm sure that you are ready for them by now.'

"Elizabeth Midford. The Funtom Company and all of its branches, patents and recipes." Mr. Collins continued through the commotion of the room. "Note: 'You should ask for your father's help in the management and Mr. Statham is a competent business solicitor.'"

Mr. Collins slid a large packet of papers in an envelope across the table.

"There is also one letter. Note: 'You may throw it on the fire or read it in its entirety when you wish.'"

Lizzy stared at the sealed paper, her name written on the front in Ciel's elegant script.

Present

Serena stared amazed at the forest that had seemed to spring up out of nowhere. Colors so vivid they hurt her eyes surrounded the small boat as it coasted through the waters. Ciel had leaned down behind her and assured the red head that she would get used to it.

"What do we have here?"

Malphas sighed as he waved for Ciel to push them toward the bank.

Serena looked past her demon to the beautiful woman that was standing at the water's edge. Rich, black hair formed a cloud behind her, framing the white robing that clothed her body and blending with the black wings that sprouted from her back.

'And I thought I was intimidated by Corrine.'

Behind her were more women that bowed to Serena as Malphas helped her out of the boat.

"Gremory, my mate Serena."

The woman waved him off and took Serena's hand with a smile. "My, you're much more beautiful than that demon deserves."

"Gremory has a violent hatred for men." Ciel supplied from the shore.

"Well, if they weren't such useless, vile pigs."

"Hello Gremory!" A voice came from across the water.

When Serena turned she could see a bleak hill crowned with a large castle that hadn't been there before. The woman holding her hand glared at the waving brunette man across the water.

"Raum. He likes to tease Gremory." Malphas whispered. "Don't get in the middle of it."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"Anyway," Gremory pulled Serena's attention back to her. "I'm certain that you are eager to see your new home. Should that man choose to be unbearable, you are welcome to come and see me."

"Thank you," Serena smiled not sure what else to say.

Malphas slid a hand around her waist. "Off we go then."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Gremory waved her hand and opened her palm to Serena. Laying against her skin was a single leaf of beaten and polished copper. "Welcome."

Serena looked to Malphas before taking the copper piece and realized it was on an almost invisible chain. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"It's from all of us. I doubt you'll see any more of the Forest Elder's this trip through."

She stopped when she saw a deer walking along the tree line. There didn't seem to be anything unusual about it, except its large size. The buck lowered its massive rack to the ground and stood again before wandering back into the trees.

"Furfur," Ciel whispered as he and Malphas helped her back into the little boat. "Don't take it personally. He likes his animal form and stays in it most of the time."

*********************Hell Welcomes You***********************

Flashing red and blue lights lit the night. Samuel had been asked to remain on the porch while the officers searched the house and surrounding area. What had started as a simple investigation had become a full scale search when a dog brought by one of the responding officers had found Serena's necklace on the path, her blood staining the silver almost black.

He had waited twenty four hours, like he was supposed to. That didn't make him feel any better. The blood on her necklace was long since dried. The detectives didn't know what to make of the water and gas and electricity being turned off. A call to the companies proved the bill had been paid. They had been shut off at the house, like someone going away for a while. However, all of her things were still in the house, including the keys to the doors. The bank book in a drawer showed thousands of dollars still in it and no activity in months.

They had found the garage shortly after starting. All five bays were full, not a car missing. How had she bought all of those? Every one of them had been in her name. New and fully paid for. Their keys rested in the box on the wall.

All of it had pushed the missing person's case into a full-scale investigation. Officers were looking through the house while others searched the trees and shoreline. They had asked him to stay here. He could tell they thought that Serena was dead. They didn't want him looking with them when they found the body. The shoreline was their first spot and where they were certain to find her. After he had told them that Serena knew how to swim, but wasn't the greatest.

Tara was at home, keeping Sam from coming down here and fending off the waves of condolences that were flooding in. When he had been given a permanent assignment in this town, their family had gotten to know many people. Everyone wanted to say something, offer support. He just wished they would go away. Neither of them needed to see this.

"Major."

The detective's voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he focused on the man in front of him.

"Sir, we have to stop for the night."

"What? You can't. She has to be out there."

"Sir. We could walk right over her right now and not see her. There is no light in the woods. The trees are too thick."

"The shore?"

"Nothing." Detective Matthews looked away for a moment. "We're going to dredge the lake tomorrow."

Samuel shook his head. "She's not dead. I know she's not."

"Major. Go home for the night. There will be officers staying here, we're still processing the house."

"I can't just go home."

"Sir, there's nothing more you can do here." The detective put a hand on his shoulder. "Go home."

********************Hell Welcomes You********************

"We are now exiting the Forest of Passion," Ciel spoke from behind them. "Please make sure that all of your belongings are inside the boat and that you are securely seated as we enter the Enchanting Sea."