NB: I don't own Kuroshitsuji. And I lied. I thought I was done writing in this AU, but I received a note from a disappointed reader. Apparently, there is not enough "magical ass-kicking" in 'Raising the Stakes.' I wholeheartedly agree, Master S.L.A.D.E. and thus, this one-shot is dedicated to you. Apologies if it's choppy; it's been quite resistent to editing.
Keep in mind that this might make very little sense if you haven't read 'Fidelitas.'
And finally, just an FYI to those of you who are so indulgent and kind as to follow along and read my stuff: I've received two requests to write one-shots based on 'Fidelitas' (from two writers who are far more talented than I will ever be). I will ask to post their offerings to my profile for your reading pleasure. So, please stay tuned for that. And [shameless promotion alert] I'm working on a SebaCiel multi-parter, so be on the lookout for that too!
Content warnings are light but include fantasy violence and blood, suicidal ideation, piss-poor editing, and a bit of discontinuity with 'Fidelitas.' As always, I am grateful for your follows and alerts (and completely staggered by your support!), and I solicit your reviews. Thank you for reading.
She moved. The steak knife missed her hand by mere milliseconds and landed squarely in the very old volume which had lately served as her armrest. It cut viciously into the cover and remained there, perfectly vertical with pinpoint precision. She sighed and shook her head resignedly. I'm getting too old for this. Sebastian had been positively paranoid since he'd been released from the Containment Prism, and as such, he was insistent on what he referred to as "defense training." To his credit, his efforts at causing bodily harm to his master did heighten her vigilance, but she found them largely misplaced nonetheless. Alexandra was growing weary of feeling like her own home was a carnival fun house bursting with booby traps and tricks. She'd been peeking around corners in fear of ambush for over a week. He never sought to do any critical injury, however, and upon examining how deeply embedded her steak knife was in her book, she was thankful he'd been aiming for her hand and not her head. She lifted the book, knife still in tow, and waved it at him threateningly.
"If you're going to do your silverware ninja thing, could you at least refrain from damaging my books? This is a first edition."
"Excellent, master. How did you know it was coming?" He dismissed the bored way she looked at him, but he found her reflexes to be serviceable at least. A cheeky sort of smile found its way to his lips; she was able to dodge him. That meant she wasn't completely helpless. Good. Very good.
Alexandra sighed again, her tone shifting to one she'd doubtless adopt with a recalcitrant child, "I'm an exorcist; I felt an approach of dark power. You ought to try Cloaking yourself if you want to catch me off guard." And then she mentally cursed herself for giving him ideas.
"Cloaking will be ineffective as we're contracted. You'd feel my approach regardless." He stopped abruptly, considering something carefully before voicing it. "And how is it that you can dodge a demon's knives, but you're completely incapacitated if you're drugged?"
"I'm only human Sebastian, and thus I share the same weaknesses as those of my ilk. If I am in poor mental or physical health, my magical abilities suffer correspondingly. As for your lackluster attempt at ambush - well, considering the contract, it's rather pointless, isn't it?" She returned to her research, steak knife clattering pointedly as she pulled out of the book and dropped it to the floor. "We'll never defeat Rasputin through brute force anyway; it will require cunning…..which is why I have no time for your games."
Again he sidestepped her insult. "You have a very irritating habit of thinking that you're the only one with supernatural abilities. I too can feel dark power. And do you want to know what I felt in that Prism?" Alexandra inclined her head in his direction, indulgent as ever, although she plastered a smile to her face in such a manner as to indicate that her patience was wearing thin. Sebastian had been so frustratingly inconsistent since they returned from Selo. At times, most especially upon their immediate return, he was surprisingly tender towards her, tending to her injuries with endless patience and unabashed concern. At other times, he was markedly different, distant and sometimes cruel in ways which left her breathless and with no doubt that he was, in fact, a demon. And then, there were times when she felt that he intended grievous harm as he gave dull diatribes about magical defense while sending a dozen razor-sharp projectiles flying at her. One of these days, she thought darkly, he's going to hit his mark. Those days she found particularly taxing, and apparently, today was going to be one of them. He continued in a tone just bordering on condescension. "I felt the presence of another demon - a powerful one with an insatiable appetite, and a penchant for brute force, as you so delicately put it."
"You caught all that while you were trapped? Hmph. I didn't feel anything." She leaned forward, propping her elbows on the desk and cupping her chin in her palms. If he detected a dark presence, then there was a spectator during their little adventure. Rasputin has made a demonic covenant. Interesting.
"You were weakened. And he was Cloaked. But he cannot hide from his own kind. And master…." He trailed off, hand waving in elegant flourish. She knew it was all for effect, but she capitulated anyway.
"Yes?"
"He wants you." It was a purr, dark and enchanting, and she shook her head against the implied "you're mine" that he did not articulate.
"That's what this is about, isn't it? You can't bear the thought of another demon stealing your food. How trite."
He didn't respond; her assessment was unfailingly accurate and there was no point in disputing it. Circumlocution seemed the best way to handle her at the moment, and Sebastian was nothing if not a veritable expert at handling troublesom masters. "I'd repay any harm you sustain with interest. I've already told you that. But, in the event that I am incapacitated, as I was in that Prism, I would be remiss in my duties as your protector if I did not teach you to defend yourself." As if to make his point, he aimed another knife at her. His movements were too swift to be recorded by her human eyes, but she felt a small tingle at the nape of her neck that made the tiny hairs there stand up in record speed – a magician's fight-or-flight response, a sixth sense for those gifted with the ability to manipulate residual supernatural energy. Small sparks of white light glittered briefly as his knife slammed against the invisible force-field that she'd conjured and joined its mate on the floor.
"I am perfectly capable of defending myself," she said drolly before returning to her work.
"Against me, perhaps. You can feel me coming. But if he comes for you, he will be Cloaked."
"And I will happily send him to Hell."
"What if he chooses to fight? Demons are more difficult to exorcise when they do not inhabit human hosts. And you've never even attempted such a thing." She stopped reading and looked at him seriously. As difficult as it was to admit, he did have a point. Sebastian saw that he'd captured her attention and pressed his advantage. "Tell me. What happened the last time you put such faith in your own power?" Shock distorted her features. A startled gasp escaped her throat before she could bite it back. His words landed as forcefully as if he'd cast a curse over her, and she thought she'd collapse from the heaviness settling upon her chest. So, today is a cruel day, is it? Alexandra didn't answer his question. She couldn't trust herself to speak, and honestly, he never expected a response. She closed her eyes, lest they betray the anguish that he'd just stirred up, but the memories flooded in, try as she might to fight against them.
Blood and tears mingled pathetically with other fluids…but mostly there is blood…too much of it for its owner to still be alive. Ropes biting into wrists and ankles as she struggled to dislodge the monster on top of her, to get free, to save them….clothes torn from bodies as crimson gashes became gaping crimson wounds….Isaac's eyes, typically so full of light now turned a dull, lifeless green, open wide with terror yet unseeing all the same….tiny limbs bucking under animalistic thrusting….and somewhere amongst the strangled, desperate cries of her very young son, a sadistic laugh thrummed through the air.
Her eyes flew open, wide with waking terror, and she knew full well that the memories would invade her dreams as she tossed and turned in her bed that night. Sebastian watched calmly, almost reverently, and when he spoke, his voice was so soft that she felt rather than heard his words. "You've paid very dearly for the sin of arrogance, master. What more are you willing to lose?"
Alexandra rose slowly from her chair and walked around her desk, her comportment unreadable, save for the minute trembling visible only to Sebastian's expert eyes. A quick, sharp gesture of her wrist sent his abandoned knives reeling towards him much in the same manner that they had come at her. Both whizzed menacingly as they sliced through the air, but he evaded them easily and they landed sharply in the wall with a loud thud. Evidently, there was force behind her actions, and whether they were motivated by her anger towards him or her determination to rid herself of the memories he'd called up, he could not say and did not care. She was willing to play, and to him, her motives were immaterial. "This is the third time I've repeated this, so pay attention: I'm an exorcist. White magic by its very nature is stronger than black magic; that's one of very few divine gifts that I still find useful. So, you see, the last thing I need is your instruction." The assertion was a hiss. With it, the lights in the room brightened suddenly, as though an electric surge passed through the circuitry. He noted the ambient change with silent approval; she wasn't impotent, that much was certain. But he needed to see more to make an accurate assessment of her abilities.
"Prove it." He considered her for a moment as her finely controlled anger threatened to spill over into the realm of uncontrollable rage. If she could best him in her current agitated state, then she could defend herself reasonably well against most demons. "Fight me. If you win, I'll not trouble you again. If you lose, we will commence training immediately." She glared, but Sebastian knew his master well, and he knew he'd won; she'd never back down from an explicit challenge, and considering that he'd just pushed all the right buttons to trigger her wrath, he suspected that an opportunity to maim him might be an enticing offer.
She bowed low in assent, mocking him no doubt, but he did not take the bait. He merely nodded back and tugged at his leather gloves. Nothing was said in the way of preamble, but his irises took on a familiar vermillion glow as the library grew suddenly cold. Alexandra's supernaturally bright lights dimmed quickly before extinguishing themselves altogether with a muffled whoosh. Darkness enveloped her, total and blinding, and she could not move for fear of falling into a trap. Sebastian's velvet laugh echoed throughout the room eerily as an arctic wind whipped through windows that had been firmly shuttered. The self-contained whirlwind rattled the furniture and shook the bookcases, dislodging various objects from their perches. Alexandra could hear her teacup smash as it blew off her desk and sent tiny shards of porcelain scattering across the floor. She closed her eyes in concentration, trying to pinpoint his exact location, but it seemed as if he had dissolved into smoke - a fierce, sentient smoke that was now licking the back of her neck, sending unnatural tremors down her spine. Were those his fingers dancing around her waist, or were they her chills? She couldn't differentiate. A venomous whisper was at her ear. "Stop me if you can, master," it said, the "master" being caught up in the sound of air rushing past. Those were definitely his fingers, incorporeal as they seemed at the moment, and they were beginning to creep under her blouse and tighten around her neck in a manner not at all seductive. They solidified into razor-sharp talons, scraping threateningly along her skin. There you are.
She caught her breath and smiled. Got you. "Lux." The lights returned to their former luminescence, and she felt the talons at her throat shrink into lacquered fingernails. Sebastian did not release her, however, so she closed her eyes, concentrating on casting her next spell. "Dunamai." A surge of power passed through her body then, sending his hands flying off with such alacrity that it looked like she'd ordered him to unhand her. He rematerialized several feet away, slightly out of breath and looking at his palms concernedly. The leather gloves were torn to shreds and smoking, and as he removed them, he saw that violent red blisters were beginning to form on his alabaster skin where he'd touched her.
"You couldn't do this to your kidnappers?" Sebastian asked exasperatedly, still examining his wounds.
"I was drugged before I had a chance to react." She looked at him again as he prodded an injured hand with an injured finger, and she found that she could not gather any sympathy at all. He'd brought up the past, he'd started this petty fight, he'd struck the first blow, and she'd finally lost her patience. So he sought a duel? Fine. He'd get one. "But I'm in top form now. Shall we continue? Or have you seen enough?"
"I'm just getting started." Again a chill settled in the room, but this time it was accompanied by a tightening sensation around her chest. She felt his vice-like arms wrapped around her, squeezing all the air out of her lungs mercilessly. Alexandra scrabbled against his grip, trying to get free, but her fingers found no purchase. Sebastian was not wound around her as she expected, but instead standing in front of her, expression impassive except for the dangerous glint in his eyes. He nodded almost imperceptibly in her direction and the invisible hold tightened. She choked. Tiny white lights blossomed behind her eyes, and she knew that she'd faint if she didn't retaliate soon. But he'd stolen the air from her lungs, and the power of intonation with it, leaving her with limited options in terms of wordless magic. Crafty bastard. She concentrated with every ounce of mental energy left to her.
The faintest glimmer of a sparkling sphere was taking shape around her body. At first, Sebastian thought he was imagining the random silver lights that flashed momentarily in mid-air. But, it became more and more solid as she moved away from him and he could feel his spell slipping as the globe gained structural integrity. Twinkling white lights were now revolving at superhuman speeds around her, making the illusion look something like a transparent spinning disco ball. Inside, she'd caught her breath and was holding her hands against its sides. She gave one hefty push outwards and it expanded like an exploding star, reverberating across the library, knocking dozens of books from the shelves and Sebastian off his feet. The large gilded mirror over the fireplace shattered, showering him with sharp, crystalline raindrops. When the dust settled, Alexandra was still breathing heavily but smiling in a victorious sort of way that needled him for reasons he could not articulate.
He dusted himself off, ostensibly unmoved except for the fact that a tiny shaft of mirrorglass had cut a hole through his pristine suit jacket. He tutted and removed the jacket, tossing it nonchalantly over his shoulder. Alexandra readied herself for his next move, but he disappeared. Completely. Typically, she could find Sebastian lurking in the corners of the manor, his hiding place indicated by the telltale shadows that somehow seemed darker than any of the others in the house. She found no patch of blackness to turn her attention to, no dark corner from which he might attack. It was completely unnerving, as she knew well the sheer impossibility of fightining an unseen enemy. But if she'd become a pile of jangling nerves, Sebastian never knew. She gave the illusion of perfect collectedness. "What will you do, master, if you cannot see from whence your death comes?" The words were a whisper, rich and velveteen, but deadly quiet, and they would have been lost in the air had she not been listening for his taunt.
"Oh, I can see you." She picked up a rather large shard of mirrorglass from the floor, mentally lamenting the fact that she'd have to have that particular mirror replaced again. She held it at eye level. "Ostendite." He was standing several feet behind her, reflected in the glass, although she had no doubt that he would not be there if she whirled around to face him. He winked at her roguishly before he moved out of sight. Keeping the mirror in place, she spun around, trying to locate him. His movements were too fast to be caught in her field of vision, but she could see patches of black flitting out of the mirror as she twisted and turned. This is impossible. I can't win like this. The thought had just crossed her mind when she felt what was unmistakably a talon scrape across her cheekbone. He'd drawn blood. She stopped, shocked. In the mirror, he resumed standing several feet behind her and licked the blood from his fingernail seductively. "My, my, my. We are in trouble now, aren't we?" There was a wicked amusement underscoring his words that sent a nervous shiver through her body. He bore no resemblance to her dutiful, concerned bodyguard.
"If it's my blood you're after, why don't you stop fooling around and come claim it?" She grinned mirthlessly. "Ctavnah." No sooner had the word slipped from her tongue than a smoky white sword began to take shape in her free hand. It looked insubstantial to Sebastian, but he was no fool. He knew that the blade would slice through him if she should hit her mark. He could feel the divine power emanating from it. So you did come to play, master. Excellent. He quirked an eyebrow in surprise, but he was not much concerned, having had the advantage of centuries to practice his swordsmanship. He could parry any blow she could deliver, and so he charged at her headlong in hopes of surprising her into flailing. Her sword remained outstretched, at the ready, but he jumped it and flipped over her with ease. A divine blade was an impressive trick, but she'd have to outmaneuver him, and being human, she did not have that kind of agility. It was only when he landed effortlessly on his feet that he felt a biting sting across his cheek. He placed his palm to his face and looked at her incredulously. She'd not moved, but blood stained his hand, scarlet and glittering against pale fingers. He looked at her again, mouth gaping in disbelief. The smoky sword had disappeared, but she stood with her back to him, holding up the jagged piece of mirror. Ruby liquid dripped along its edge and he could see her devilish smile reflected in its surface.
"You were distracted by the sword. Understandable. But you underestimate human ingenuity." She dropped the mirror. It shattered and became part of the collection of broken glass now littering the floor. "Now, what to do with all this glass?" Alexandra asked, but the words carried none of her typical lilt. They were dangerous and cold, and Sebastian readied himself for attack. She held her hands at her sides, fingers splayed out parallel with the floor, and lifted them up very slowly, curling her fingers inward while drawing them up. "Anah." Various shards of porcelain, glass, and mirror zoomed towards her from around the room, gathering in a glittering pile at her feet. She'd somehow made herself into a magnet for sharp objects and Sebastian couldn't help but be impressed. The debris at her feet followed her hands' progress, each piece of glass moving upward as if being drawn by an invisible puppet string. They hovered around her in mid-air, as if waiting for further instruction. Sebastian recognized that she'd made the move from defensive to offensive magic, and he tensed. Her hands were held out at her sides now, fists curled tightly. Suddenly, she unfurled her fingers. "Janah." Instantly the shards of glass radiated outwards from her, like a particularly lethal firework, and before he could move, Sebastian felt a dozen makeshift knives stab him at once. He remained standing, however, and he considered his great advantage in being an immortal; a human would have surely been killed. The attack had taken a considerable amount of energy from her, and she propped herself up by placing her hands on her knees, taking in the fact that the library walls were now punctuated with sundry bits and pieces of glass. This will take forever to clean up.
Sebastian, on the other hand, was worse for wear. Typically, he would have removed the glass piece by piece and allowed himself to heal fully before retaliating, but this was a magician's duel, and he was not about to be outdone by a human with borrowed power. He shifted, dislodging all the glass from his body at once, and as his true form began to take shape in the library, once again they were doused in darkness. Alexandra heard the rustling of plumage fill the chamber and the staccato tapping of heeled boots echoing their way across the wooden floor. She held her breath; she'd never fought a demon in its true form. Things had escalated beyond her control very quickly. He was flitting about the room again, taking every stray opportunity to scrape a nail across her shoulder or thigh. Again the air grew frigid, and she felt as if she'd walked into the eye of a storm. Sharp claws were whirling around her at lightning speeds, making her feel dizzy and nauseated. The sensation of being squeezed returned with a vengeance and once more her voice left her. Feathers with supernaturally sharp tips and edges cut viciously into her body, leaving dripping gashes in their wake. She was bleeding all over and as she gulped in whatever air she could, she choked violently. The air that froze her skin became hot ash when inhaled. It left a searing pain as she sucked it into her lungs, bringing tears to her eyes. She felt like she'd swallowed the pieces of glass she'd sent at Sebastian. Blood dripped from her chin as she coughed in a desperate attempt to expel the hot air. Her chest rattled with the strain of breathing. "Enough...Sebastian, enough." She hit the floor dully and Sebastian immediately resumed his anthropomorphic form. He'd won, but the triumphant smirk playing across his lips disappeared swiftly when he saw that she was bent over and coughing blood. He rushed to her side, but as he reached out to examine her injuries, she pushed him away so violently that he too fell over.
"Mas-"
"Don't touch me!" She screamed, and the effort caused her to choke again, painting the floor anew in tiny crimson splashes. Sebastian brought a finger under her chin, hoping to demonstrate his concern, but he was pushed away yet again. This time she slapped him for good measure. He cupped his face in surprise. It hurt, but he could not be sure that it was an entirely physical pain. He'd never seen her so angry. "I said I don't want you to touch me. You ought to learn your place. I am master here." Shoving him aside, she got to her feet gingerly and hobbled out of the library, hand clutching a particularly nasty wound at her side. She didn't look back, pausing in the doorway just long enough to spit, "Don't ever forget that." He noticed a trail of scarlet droplets following in her wake. He'd clearly hurt her very seriously, and judging by the echoes of incessant coughing he heard as she made her way up the stairs, she'd sustained considerable internal injuries as well. He'd gotten carried away, he was certain of that, but he was he was equally certain that she would have held back if he hadn't been so aggressive. She'd have defended herself but not attacked. He wanted her to become accustomed to using offensive magic, but as was customary of their interactions, once more he'd taken things too far. He sighed heavily and rubbed his temples, and not knowing what else to do, set about cleaning up the demolished library.
Alexandra rarely passed any length of time in her bedroom which was not spent sleeping. She preferred the formality of the library or the airiness of the drawing room, but having no doubt that Sebastian was in one or the other of those chambers, she confined herself to her own quarters, determined to avoid him as long as possible. She was angry and exhausted, and as she began peeling sodden layers of clothes off her body, the great extent of damage she'd sustained became clear. Bloody gashes covered the majority of her pale flesh, and while most of them were shallow enough not to need much more than antiseptic and bandages, some were so deep that blood issued from them still. It looked to her like she'd been tossed into a wood chipper. She prodded a cut with her finger. It stung horribly and she winced, cursing herself mentally for exacerbating the pain. Feeling altogether too tired to properly care for her wounds, she cleaned the deepest ones and applied pressure to them, hoping that it would be enough to stem the bloodflow. Hospitals asked far too many questions, and she was sure they'd have her committed for "self-inflicted injuries" had she sought treatment, but if sleep would come, she'd be in better shape to fix herself up in the morning. Alexandra changed into fresh clothes before falling back onto the bed. She turned to her side, trying to get comfortable, willing herself to drift off. It was useless; she doubled over into another coughing fit, clutching her chest as her blood patterned the coverlet in red polka-dots, and she knew she'd have to prepare a potion to heal her internal injuries or she'd likely die.
"I think I'd rather die than walk all the way to the kitchen," she said to no one in particular. The thought of remaining in bed until she fell asleep seemed particularly appealing. If she woke tomorrow, it would be another day, and if she didn't, well, at least she wouldn't have to clean the library. She weighed the options. As if in response, a sharp tap sounded at the door. Answering it seemed like a bad idea at first, but then she relaxed, knowing that Sebastian would never deign to knock. "Enter." Propping herself up on the pillows took more effort than it should have taken.
"Drink this, your Grace. It will help you heal." Yuri marched into the room, carrying a steaming mug containing an amber-colored liquid that smelled strongly of Scotch. She eyed it warily. "Relax. It's Mandragora…...in a potion of my own devising." He offered her the mug with a sly wink, and she took it, suspicion dancing across her features. "Trust me, this will be more effective than anything you or Sebastian could come up with." Yuri remained standing in front of her, arms crossed over his chest authoritatively, and she could do nothing but follow his orders. She drank. He watched her as she downed the contents of the mug, evidently making sure she'd swallowed all of it.
"No one calls me 'Your Grace'." She handed the empty mug back to him and took stock of her body. He was right; a pleasant warmth was taking hold in her chest and she knew that the potion was working. She wrapped her arms around Yuri's waist gratefully and buried her face in his chest, comfortable in the knowledge that he would share her weaknesses with no one. He leaned into her embrace and brought his chin to rest on her head.
"I thought you might need reminding of who you are, of the legacy you carry." He was running his fingers through her hair in a fatherly fashion. Alexandra didn't like being coddled as a rule, but in her current state she was very much appreciative of the gesture. Her parents died when she was a very young girl. At the time she believed it was the doing of a drunk driver. When she came of appropriate age, Yuri told her the truth about Rasputin's followers and their involvement. And since then, he had served as her closest confidant and adviser, and occasionally, as her driver. That he should see her a bit broken up was not unusual in the least; he'd been bandaging her scrapes and bruises since childhood.
"Who I was died two years ago, along with whatever legacy I am supposed to honor. Who I've become is a far cry from the woman I should have been."
"Is that so?"
"Do you really need to ask? Just look at the things I've done. I am unrecognizable even to myself. I've become cruel and unfeeling, and whatever soul I had left I've traded for the trifle of vengeance. There's no 'Grace' about me. There's no good about me. Not anymore."
"Is that why you hesitated tonight? Because all you are is callous and calculating?"
"W-what?" A beat. And then she recomposed herself. Trust Yuri to see through her façade. "I should have known you were watching." She smiled. He really was very shrewd.
"I watched you hesitate. Sebastian might not know that, but I do. You could have Banished him, and you didn't. And I am left wondering why."
"I did not want to cause him any irreparable harm." He merely quirked an eyebrow and let his eyes wander over the numerous bandages wrapped around various parts of her body. She nodded, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"You could have ordered him to stop."
Throughout their long history, he never questioned her actions without reason. That very fact made her uncomfortable now, and she pulled away from him, retreating into herself. "I did not anticipate the need to order him."
Yuri slid his hands under her chin. They were old, weather-worn and calloused, but she found comfort in them precisely for these reasons. He looked kindly at her, and as if reading a book, he read her thoughts on her face, making her feel like much like an embarrassed adolescent. She averted her eyes. "You trusted him to not hurt you."
"I know what you're going to say, but he's different. Give him time. He'll prove his worth." He shook his head in disbelief.
"You can't save him. He's a de-"
"-demon. Really? And here I thought I'd summoned an angel." She smiled to let him know that she was teasing, and that she would consider his advice with all due sincerity. "I don't want to save him." Trying to find words to articulate what it was about Sebastian that won her trust was too difficult a task, and so she abandoned the attempt altogether. "Look, you don't have to trust him. But, haven't I earned your trust?" She continued to look away, focused on nothing in particular, but he understood far too much to let the silence stand.
"I miss Isaac and Nikki too, but protecting Sebastian will not compensate for their loss. Do not forget why he was summoned. They deserve vengeance Sasha. Rasputin is ruthless. To destroy him, you will need to be equally so. You must not hesitate, even if Sebastian must be sacrificed."
He gazed into her eyes again and did not release her until she nodded her assent. "I understand." And she did.
"Good." Yuri took his leave with a kiss on her cheek, and she was left, if at all possible, more spent than before he'd arrived. It was then that she became aware of a second silent presence in the room. Of course Sebastian knew that he would not go unnoticed, but he was clearly waiting for her to acknowledge him.
"I thought I told you to get away from me."
"Not in those words, precisely. And you certainly did not command me to do so." He emerged from the shadows, and unsurprisingly, he was completely healed from their duel, although he was far more subdued than usual.
"I can change that." She coughed again, but there were less red stains on her hands than there had been before Yuri's intervention. He made a small motion towards her, but dared not touch, keeping her earlier injunction still firmly in mind. Worry graced his features, however, as his eyes traveled over her body. "If you're here to apologize, you can just forget it. I have no use for your regret."
"Apologize? Whatever for? I was merely doing my duty. It is my responsibility to look after your physical safety. Providing some self-defense training is no doubt part of that." Under normal circumstances he'd have said this with subtle irony edging his words, but there was no playfulness and no lilt, and she knew that he meant precisely what he said. Despite this, she remained furious with him.
"You nearly killed me. Explain that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but your duty is to protect my life, not endanger it."
"There is no real danger to your life while you carry the covenant. As far as tonight's events are concerned, I did only what I deemed necessary for your instruction. Yuri is right. You cannot trust me. I am what I am. You should have used whatever means necessary to counter my attack." His matter-of-fact delivery only compounded her anger.
"Stop patronizing me. I was battling demons before I even thought about summoning you. I didn't need any instruction then. And are you telling me you would have killed me if I hadn't surrendered just now? I don't believe that." She waved the idea away impatiently.
"Of course not. Killing you would be a violation of our contract."
"Right. The contract." Her tone fell flat, and he could hear the unmistakable sound of frustration. Realization dawned. He knew now why she'd grown so irate, and it had very little to do with the fact that she'd lost their duel. She was angry because he'd disappointed her. How foolish of her to expect ethical culpability from a demon. He was staggered.
"What did you expect?"
"Nothing. I got exactly what I'd expect from a demon. But, you, Sebastian, I thought you-"
"You thought what? That I cared? That you had somehow domesticated me?" She started. Alexandra had been sure Sebastian's feelings for her went beyond the terms of their contract, but his behavior tonight left her doubtful. Had she been seeing in him only what she wanted to see all this time? Perhaps he was no different from others of his kind after all. "Don't be naive. I'm a demon."
"I'd worked that one out for myself, funnily enough."
"I am incapable of proper human sentiment."
"Are you? Prove it."
"What?"
"Kill me. If it's my soul you're after, it could be yours in a matter of minutes….seconds even, if you're as efficient as I think you are." Her eyes glittered dangerously, but she was very serious. He did not doubt that.
"Apologies, master, but I cannot do what you ask. If I kill you, I forfeit your soul. And that is a price I am not willing to pay." He bowed dutifully. She scoffed.
"Contracts can be changed. For example, I could emend the terms of ours such that you can claim my soul upon my death, whatever the circumstances, whether or not I've achieved my revenge." He might have imagined it, shocked as he was, but for the briefest of moments he was sure that he felt a twinge of heat on the back of his left palm. Did she really emend the contract? She rose from the bed and moved closer to him. He scrubbed his face tiredly. Tonight's lessons were not going at all according to plan. "Do it, Sebastian. Do what any other demon would do." Her hand found its way to his cheek and she was leveling him with an unblinking stare which was strangely alluring for all its intensity. It made him slightly uncomfortable, which, admittedly, was in itself quite a feat. Typically, he was the one making her feel wrong-footed and insecure. "You don't care, do you? You are incapable of human sentiment, right? So why the hesitation?" Her voice was a seductive purr, no doubt crafted to solicit his acquiescence. She leaned in, allowing their lips to touch briefly and their breath to mingle. There was a sharp intake of air as his breath hitched in his throat.
"You are playing a very dangerous game." A hand shot out towards her. Long fingers curled around her extended wrist and she was frozen in place. His eyes flashed warningly as he closed the tiny space between them, each of his words causing their lips to brush together heatedly. "I am a hair's breadth from either killing you or ravaging you. Do not make me choose." He closed his eyes then and stepped away from her, barely restraining himself, but from what he wasn't quite sure. She should know better than to tempt me in such ways. If I were any other demon... He took a few calming breaths and decided that the best course of action was to turn his attention to more immediate concerns. Devouring her soul and devouring her body seemed equally appealing at the moment, and dwelling on either option for too long would invite trouble, even though she seemed to be courting said trouble with the fervor a lover at the moment. He had no idea what she hoped to prove. Sighing wearily, he resumed his bodyguard's persona without further comment. "I think you should let me tend to some of these wounds. You've lost quite a bit of blood. You're clearly raving." This was the only logical explanation for her odd behavior. True, she'd been somewhat self-destructive and reckless during the tenure of their contract, but never without reason, and despite her utilitarian methods, she'd never been particularly suicidal. Asking him to kill her just to prove a point was entirely too extreme, even by her own standards. This temporary lapse in sanity must be a direct result of her injuries. As such, he looked forward to having his master back once she was fully recovered. He made his way to the bathroom to retrieve first aid supplies.
"I could order you." Ruby eyes grew wide in surprise as he spun around. Her face was set, the corners of her mouth turned down in determination. If she had changed the contract, then protecting her life was no longer his first priority. Apparently, she had every intention of letting this ridiculous farce play out to its end. Sebastian moved closer, reclaiming some of the distance between them. But he gained his ground slowly, carefully, unsure of how to approach her when she was so volatile. They stood a few feet apart, each waiting for the other to make a move, or at least give an indication of how the situation would be resolved. "Sebastian," It was a breath - a whisper, but in it he heard resignation, and perhaps a bit of despair. "I order you…."
She never finished. He strode forward and swallowed the order by kissing her, using his tongue to tangle hers before she voiced any more of her absurd ideas. Knowing full well that she had not pulled away only because her mind was still processing the fact that his mouth was invading hers, he concentrated with all his might on one unspoken command - Sleep. She fell limp against his chest before she could rebuke him. He swept her up and deposited her on the bed, his head shaking disapprovingly all the while.
"You really are the most infuriating of masters." He slipped off his shoes and climbed in beside her, all warnings of keeping his distance forgotten. "Provoking a demon to prove a point. Have you lost your mind?" She shivered slightly, unconsciously curling herself into him and he could only pull her closer in response. "Do you have any idea what I'm capable of?" He rolled up his shirtsleeves, and then he began unwinding her bandages one at a time, stripping off her clothes with extraordinary care, keeping her pressed close so she wouldn't lose any body heat. "Or are you just looking for novel ways to torture me?" Having removed her clothing, he examined a relatively deep cut at her wrist. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but it hadn't completely healed either. If he were an honest demon (and he usually was), he'd admit that he felt more than a pang of guilt when he saw the extent of her injuries. Sebastian brought a talon to his own wrist and slid it across his flesh, leaving a deep incision. He intoned a few choice words. Blood dripped from his wound to hers, and as it made contact with her skin it hissed softly. She flinched in her sleep, making the smallest sound of protest, and he nuzzled her gently as he spoke into her ear. "I'm sorry. I know it hurts, but it will help you heal." He wiped their blood away, revealing slightly pink, but otherwise unbroken skin underneath. "Didn't I promise to repay each of your injuries with interest? I did not exempt myself from requital." He proceeded up her arm and then to the rest of her body, repeating the procedure until every slash, abrasion, bump, or bruise had been magically erased. His regenerative abilities meant he healed after each slit of his wrist, making the process painful, lengthy, and physically draining. Having cut himself open for what felt like the thousandth time, Sebastian found that the sleep which was usually a luxury for him had become somewhat of a necessity. Like his master, he too could benefit from a night's rest. He brought the covers over them and thought very briefly about re-dressing her. That thought was banished as soon as he imagined her reaction upon waking naked and wrapped around him. Chuckling softly to himself, he drifted off, a mischievious smile on his lips and his fingers threaded through hers.