Hi everyone! This is my first story for the Black Butler. I hope you like it! Oh, and don't forget, I don't own Black Butler or anyone in it. Though I wish I did own that one hell of a butler... (sigh)


Chapter 1

"I shall die every year," I whisper, my lungs struggling for air.

This voice doesn't sound like mine, although I know it is. After all, I'm the only one here, in this meadow. Flowers surround me, their dainty white petals quickly turning a gorgeous red. The grass beneath me is my bed, merging with my long green hair and accenting my golden, distant eyes. The light of the moon beckons me with its light, feathery touch. What a perfect grave I have chosen for myself. I should have remembered to steal a tombstone, and engrave it with "Sleeping; Do not disturb". I should have buried myself in the warm arms of the earth and be done with it.

Now pain sears through my body like a red-hot fire poker. My body convulses as sweat trickles down my skin in the form of blood. The cool night wind caresses my body in a useless attempt at comfort. I have to bite back the anguished scream that has forced itself up my throat. I will not let anyone else know my pain. This pain that runs so deep that it's on the verge of ecstasy.

When will I be free of this?

I manage a smile through this agony I'm currently wearing like a varnish. I would have laughed, but it's just too damn hard to breathe at the moment. But even though I smile through my own death, I can't deny it: I'm terrified. What a sick thing for a demon-cat to say, isn't it? At least, that's what my father has told me countless times when I actually had faith in him.

But I can't help myself: this fear of mine brings tears to my eyes, which spill over and merge with my blood. What I would give to have someone hold my hand right now….

"Suffer…through pain…and darkest…fear…."

Another stab of pain, and I already feel like giving up my soul. But no, the witch who cursed me wouldn't have allowed my death to be quick. She wanted me to suffer. To feel her pain and fear as I ripped her soul out of her body and devoured it.

The tears come harder now, regret filling my innermost being. I shouldn't have destroyed them all…they were mere humans. Defenseless. Innocent. But I was at my weakest, and my demonic self screamed for strength. This demonic self that I loathe. Because of it, I will die every April fourth, midnight. Happy April fools, indeed. It seems the witch had a killer sense of humor.

But to suffer not only emotional pain, but physical as well? And to always die afraid and with regrets?

The regret is merging with my pain and fear now, a symphony that plunges tonight's beautiful color into nothing but monochrome. The ensemble forces my demon side to emerge: I can feel my human ears transform into their natural, cat-like ones. I can feel my nails growing into claws, can feel my golden eyes burn red. My body is losing its child-like quality. Its humanity….

I squeeze my eyes shut, concentrating on the pain that serves as a thread to this world. I have to hang on…. If I don't, this agony will consume me. Devour me alive, like I have devoured so many others. I will lose myself to my own, inhuman screams. Again.

An image suddenly flickered through my mind just as my heart squeezed out its agony into the rest of my body. The image of my best friend, my only friend. I still remember his black hair and gentle, dark eyes. Gentle, even though it was my fault he was dead. I clench my fangs, my mind replaying his death without my consent.

His eyes were clouded with pain, blood dripping from the deep gash that spread across his chest like a wildfire: consuming his very soul with his own rivers of blood. I could practically see his soul banging against his nearly lifeless body, trying to escape. But he stayed a while longer, just for me. Just to touch my face one last time.

"Everything…will be…alright," he whispered just before his soul left his body.

I looked up to see my own father, with blood dripping from his claws, his inhuman eyes mocking.

"So you've chosen this filth -this human- over your own kind, Katrina? What a disgrace. Your soft heart shall kill you, pet."

His laughter sent chills to my spine, and I could feel nothing but hatred for him. Cold hatred, as deep as the abyss itself. I have never known such a bone-chilling feeling before; I have never been driven this far. And soon enough, I lost myself. Beyond redemption.

"Your soft heart shall kill you…."

'Looks like Father was right,' I think to myself as I feel my own soul bang on the door of my body. 'It seems he always was.'

It is true. My soft, merciful, stupidly sympathetic heart had sent me on the killing spree that resulted in this curse. I have learned the hard way to never follow the heart. It is nothing more than a deceitful blob. I open my eyes, although they now feel as heavy as lead. I can feel my heart beat slowing drastically, pounding its last beats into my head. My lungs refuse to take in another breath. Even so, I look up at the night sky, with the stars that shine like diamonds on black velvet.

'I wish I could forget everything. But it's hopeless, unless I find a way to break this curse.'

I manage one last, mirthless smile as I whisper the next line to my damnation:

"When morning comes, I shall arise."

And with that, I set my soul free.