The large, wooden doors creaked open and the roaring sounds of the storm blew into the entrance hall. The lights were out, and the only thing the pair could see was the chequered tiles beneath their feet.
"H-Hello?" The male's voice echoed through the empty manor, disappearing as though it had been swallowed by the darkness.
"We do not mean to intrude I…Our carriage was destroyed in the storm!" The lady stepped forward, being halted by her husband. They gained no response.
"Perhaps this place is abandoned?" The lady said, holding a gloved hand to her chin. "It's frightfully cold in here."
"We need assistance, and it's over a day's walk to the town. We don't have a choice."
"What of our little one? We must call home and…" The lady began to panic, and the male put his hands gently on his wife's lithe shoulders.

As he opened his mouth to speak, a booming voice echoed through the halls.
"You are trespassing." Their heads turned towards the voice, but saw only a shadow. The male pushed his bride behind him protectively and stood forward.
"Please, we mean no harm. If we could use your telephone…"
"The lines will be down in this storm, there is no aid to be found here. Turn around and leave."
"We beg of you sir, we need your assistance I…" The doors slam closed behind them, causing a freezing draft to rush past them. The lady looked up and was met with a pair of dark, bloody eyes. Her body froze. The shadow licked his lips and a cruel smirk curled on his face. The male jumped in to save her but it was too late. He was struck down quickly, sent to the ground with a sickening crack and a deep bite wound in his neck. He turned on the woman, sinking his teeth into her neck.

Ten years later.

"Sir." The servants stood to attention, the master of the house stepping into his coat at the aid of his butler Tanaka.
"I will be leaving for a few days, so I'm entrusting the care of the house to you. Do not, and I repeat do not let me down."
"He said it twice." The chef said, his cigarette hanging limply from his mouth. The others nodded and bowed to the Earl.
"Have a safe journey master." The boy nods curtly and exits the house, stepping into his carriage. With a crack of the reigns, the horses began clopping their way down the cobbled driveway, taking the Earl to his destination. His parents had disappeared ten years ago during a storm, and nobody ever found their bodies. Rumours began to spread of a vampire living on the outskirts of London, nestled in a gloomy castle of darkness and blood. Since coming of age, Ciel Phantomhive succeeded his father's position as Earl and head of the Funtom company; London's leading toy and confectionary manufacturer. Ciel didn't believe in vampires or anything supernatural, but he couldn't deny the opportunity to maybe discover what happened to his parents.

The carriage pulls up outside of the Undertaker's parlour, and the bell chimes as he steps through the portal.
"A little Lord approaches." The Undertaker snickers, rising slowly from a coffin in the middle of the room.
"Enough of your gimmicks, I need to see the corpse."
"Ah, the lovely lady in red. Quite the stunner she is, at least she was when she had a pulse." Undertaker had always been a strange one, mad as a hatter some say. His obsession with the dead and lack of interest in currency were both bizarre, and Ciel could never quite understand his motives. Thus far though, he wasn't dangerous.
"Take me to see her, now."
"Patience my little Lord, we cannot rush these things. You know what I ask in return for my services." He gets up in Ciel's face and grins widely, his fingers resting on his lips. "Give it to me."

Ciel stepped back, a little nervous and lacking any form of humour. He sighs and pushes Undertaker back, his face already turning red. Ciel started dancing like a gypsy, swinging his hips and really getting into it. His entire face turned crimson and as he stood with his arms raised above his head Undertaker burst out into fits of maniacal laughter, clutching at his sides as he kicked his legs out. Ciel hid beneath his hair and growled.
"The body Undertaker." The strange man stood and wiped away tears, leading the Earl to the back of the parlour. Ciel despised having to conjure new ways to make him laugh, and wondered why he'd learned that kind of dance in the first place. At least I'm good at it, he thought to himself.

His findings were slim, with nothing but a bite mark on the neck of the victim. She hadn't been drained of blood and Undertaker couldn't determine how it is she died. It was like her heart just stopped. He'd issued a warning to the Earl before he left too:

"Take care with your soul little Lord, you get but one."

Those words stuck with him oddly enough, distracting him as he eyed the correspondence lying on his desk. He flicked each envelope aside until he saw one with the royal seal in wax on the back. He tore it open and read the contents.

My dearest young Phantomhive,

It pains me to ask this of you, as it is embarrassing to admit the declining state of this country's security. Young maidens have recently been disappearing across the country, and I am at my wit's end.

In short; I wish for you to discover where these ladies are disappearing from, and bring them back to their families.

Queen Victoria.

"This again…" Ciel sighed. Many years ago, young girls were being kidnapped and sold off in private, underground auctions. He'd been subjected to this himself as he went in disguise, dressed as a girl in a pale pink ensemble. But now his connections were fewer; his aunt was dead, his parents were gone and the only people he spoke to regularly were the servants.

He would have to call in a favour.

Ciel's grip on the receiver tightened as the tone rang out, but eventually a smooth voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Lau, it's Ciel Phantomhive."
"What a surprise my lord! To what do I owe this pleasure?" Lau always sounded so happy-go-lucky, and it annoyed Ciel to no end.
"I…I need a favour." Lau made a curious noise and Ciel could hear him whispering to the girl he was always with. He had no idea what their relationship was but it was strange to be certain.
"What kind of favour does my lord require?" The blue haired male could feel his face burning hotter as the need to explain himself rose, and he swore he would snap the phone at any moment.
"Just get here as soon as you can, we can talk in private."
"Very well, I shall arrive as soon as I am able. See you soon!"

Ciel slammed the phone down, rubbing at his forehead with the makings of a headache creeping up.
"Tea master?" Tanaka knocks on the door, standing at the ready with the trolley. Ciel lets out a contented sigh and Tanaka pours him his tea. He'd sweetened it with a little honey to help take the edge off of the Earl's stress, something he knew to calm him ever since he was a child. He'd been a weak boy, born with asthma that left him physical weaker than most. His body was frail, lithe like his mother in every regard. Even at twenty years old he still held a softly feminine look, especially in those gorgeously jewelled eyes of his.
"Tanaka…why do you serve me?" Ciel asked, sipping his tea. Tanaka looked a little bemused, laughing with three little chortles.
"Master, it is my duty to tend to the head of the Phantomhive Estate. I made a promise to your father."
"The previous Earl eh…"

A huge explosion ruptures from the kitchen, and Tanaka quickly excuses himself to take care of the impending property damage caused by the chef.

The sun began to set over the city, and the master of the castle watched from behind sheer curtains of his abode. He was the only creature inhabiting this castle, cursed with eternal life that needed more than simple nourishment. He hungered for blood, souls. He remembered the taste and smell of every victim, from bitter and bland to sweet and floral. Every soul had its own scent, its own taste. His preference was a rare one; sweet, a little savoury and bathed in darkness blacker than black. He licked his lips, thinking back to his favourite food. Only one tasted this way in the last fifty years; the blonde woman who'd stumbled in with her foppish husband. She'd had such brilliantly blue eyes, delicate and framed with long eyelashes. Yes, she was delicious indeed, and his belly growled loudly. He placed a gloved hand over his stomach and smiled to himself.
"Soon, I sense we shall have a grand feast." He spoke in a sultry voice, his accent of the upper classes and drenched in lust.

He turned away from the window, making himself busy with the upkeep of the castle. Every day he would dust, sweep and mop the dark halls. Now and then a stray townie would stumble upon the place, and the 'devil' considered them a free meal. His property, his rules. Sure enough, a man and his subordinates approached with torches and pitchforks, wielding crosses, garlic and bibles. The shadowy male grinned, licking his lips once more. His meal had come.

"Agh, damn it." The Earl cursed, his hands tightening until his nails sunk into his palms.
"Come now my lord, I've never even know a woman to make this much noise." Lau sighed, holding his position.
"J-Just…hurry up and…get on with it. I can't…breathe."
"You're making far too much of a fuss over this, isn't that right Ran Mao?" The girl nods silently, and Ciel lets out a loud gasp as his body was squeezed further. His face was red, his body hot and quivering. Just a little longer, you can endure this. Ciel's thoughts were cut off by another tug and he let out a loud moan that honestly embarrassed him.
"There, all tied!" Lau stood back and admired his handiwork, with Ciel glaring at him over his shoulder. He let his arms finally relax at his sides, trying to adjust to the tightness surrounding his torso.
"I'll never understand why women put up with these blasted things. Do they not have naturally curved waists?"
"Oh yes my lord, but you see the more drawn in the waist, the more desirable the…female."

He eyed Ciel's body, noting the gentle curve that had formed at the waist.
"Can we hurry this along? I'd rather be out of this damned frock as soon as possible. I cannot believe I have to do this again."
"Nobody forced you my lord, you came to that conclusion on your own." Lau laughed behind his sleeve, earning a dark growl from the younger male. One he was dressed, Ciel was led to the carriage and began to make his way to an estate hosting a ball. The reigns crack once more and the young Earl reluctantly sits back in the seat. The ride took a while, and he'd drifted off to sleep in the meanwhile. A bump in the road jars him from his sleep, hitting his head on the window.
"Damn it driver, what's going on up there?!" Ciel tapped angrily on the roof of the carriage, but no reply came. The horses suddenly started to fight, and the carriage overturned. Something had spooked them, and once the straps broke they ran as fast as they could, leaving Ciel all alone.

His driver was nowhere to be seen, and before him sat a giant, abandoned castle. It was gloomy, dark and the air felt heavy. He scans the windows for any sign of life, and could have sworn he'd seen something in one of the upper windows, maybe on the west side? He stands and looks around, cursing his rotten luck at being stuck in a dress in the middle of nowhere. The road stretched on through the trees for what seemed like miles, and there was no way in hell he was walking through the mud in these heels. In the end, Ciel decides to enter the rusty gates of the castle and beg for help. The door opened with ease, much to his surprise. His eyes scanned the interior, seeing gaudy statues, faded paintings and dirty China littering the halls. He lets go of the door and it closes behind him, scaring him a little. His heart raced, his palms sweaty and his eyes flickering madly to search for signs of life.

Little did he know, a shadow was watching him carefully. He'd stalked him with his eyes, and intended to simply kill the female.

Until he caught her scent.

She was sweet, savoury and bathed in that appetisingly aromatic blacker than black. This child was his ultimate meal. He'd gotten greedy last time, and hadn't savoured the taste of the soul he'd devoured. This time, it would be different. He would capture this maiden, entice her and put her under his spell. He would feast slowly on her.
"Hello? I…I need assistance." Ciel's voice rang out, and the devil closed his eyes lightly. Such a sweet voice. He stalks down the stairs one step at a time, his heels making no sounds. He watched the maiden closely, trying to reel in his hunger. The crew hoping to exorcise him hadn't sated his appetite in the least, if anything it left him feeling hungrier simply because they were 'dirty' souls.

"What brings you to my castle?" The devil's sweet voice rang out, and Ciel turned on the spot. The shadowy figure crept closer, clad in black to match his surroundings. Ciel gulped hard and tried to moisten his lips. Time to act as the 'maiden'.
"M…My carriage…My horses are gone, I'm all alone here."
"I can see that." Ciel watched the stranger with precision, taking in every detail of his face. He was gorgeous, with blood red eyes, porcelain skin and raven black hair that framed his face. He circled the younger male like a predator, taking in that fragrant aroma that was the 'maiden's' soul. He reaches up to take a lock of hair between his fingers, lifting it to his nose.
"And why would a maiden such as yourself be wandering this neck of the woods alone? It's dangerous to be alone." Ciel blushed and tried to steady his shaking hands.
"I was…on my way to a ball in the nearby town. My driver is gone and my horses ran away."

The stranger let the lock of hair fall gently from between his slender digits, reaching up to touch Ciel's face. The material of his gloves was soft and made him shiver.
"You poor child. What is your name?" Shit! I hadn't thought of that. Quick Ciel, think of something.
"E…Elizabeth." He mentally slapped himself. The stranger smiled widely, taking him by the hand and kissing the knuckles.
"A pleasure to meet you Lady Elizabeth, you may call me…Sebastian."

A/N: I know it's a little OOC for these two, but I couldn't resist writing a Beauty and the Beast fanfic after I read one on here. It's been a while since I uploaded and I've pretty much abandoned my other stories, so I can only apologise. However, I hope you like this story.

Silver.