She sat back on her heels and looked into the eyes of the young man in her arms his eyes were a pure, clear blue, what lovely eyes, how sad that they were now so glassy and unresponsive. She sighed and wiped the wet hair that was sticking to her cheeks, out of her face. It was now that she realized that it had started to rain. She smiled a little and licked her lips before wiping some of the blood off of her face. She stared for a moment, watching the stream of blood flowing from the limp body she held. It ran wound its way through and around the cobblestones of the dark and deserted alleyway like a crimson river. She smiled again, but then her head quickly snapped up. She heard footsteps approaching quickly and the drunken voices of those leaving the tavern at the end of the alleyway.
She let the dead body fall from her arms, there was no point in trying to hide it, it would be found anyway, and there wasn't time. She gave the young man one last glance and then hurried for the cover of the shadows and the night. She knew she would have to move fast, and get to the outskirts of town. She ran swiftly through the streets of London the night was her friend and her cover. Silently and stealthily she made her way out of town as the rain began to fall harder.
Meanwhile a warm fire flickered in the huge fireplace in the sitting room of the Phantomhive mansion. Ciel sat, as he usually did in the evenings, with a good book. His butler, Sebastian, who would have usually been standing just behind Ciel's large armchair, tonight had seated himself in another armchair near the fire. Ciel understood, and couldn't blame Sebastian for being exhausted especially after having to take care of ( or rather have as little contact with as he could and still perform his duties for) their current "House guests" Ciel looked up over the top of his book at Sebastian as this thought crossed his mind and he smiled a little, his eyes moving to the two men occupying the other armchairs. Well one man and a…..
"I'm bored" said Grell draining his glass of wine and refilling it, emptying the bottle. "I know!" he said jumping up and grabbing the empty wine bottle. "Let's play spin the bottle!" he said with a wicked grin, His eyes fixed on Sebastian. Sebastian made a noise of disgust and buried his face in his hand. "Oh pleeease Bassie!" said Grell not so subtly making his way over to Sebastian and atempting to sit on his lap, Sebastian however stood just as Grell sat, causing him to simply fall to the floor. Grell gazed up at Sebastian hopefully.
"only if I am ordered to do so." Said Sebastian with a smile and a slight bow. Grell then turned his hopeful eyes to Ciel, who simply hid behind his book. Sebastian smiled at his master's lack of response, but Grell's face fell. "fine." He said looking away, and caught sight of Will. "WILL!" he said his face lighting up again "How about you?" he said inching his way over to Will. "You want to play?" said Grell leaning in to whisper in his boss's ear.
"Grell…." Said will without looking at him.
"yessss?" said Grell leaning in even closer. Will hit Grell in the stomach to stop him from getting any closer.
"Sit down." Said Will, still not looking at Grell. Grell said nothing…having just had the wind knocked out of him, but collapsed back into the armchair and curled up hugging his knees looking hurt and disappointed.
The rain continued to pour outside. Sebastian moved to look out one of the large windows. He thought he could see in the shadows, a dark figure moving quickly along the drive.
" Master…" Said Sebastian but before he could finish there was a particularly bright flash of lightning and there was a loud knock at the door. "Master, I believe we have company." Everyone looked up at Sebastian a little bit surprised. It was Grell who spoke what they all were thinking.
" Who the hell would come and call at this time of night! And in this weather?"
"Well Sebastian, go find out who it is and do show them in." said Ciel recovering from the slight surprise. Sebastian gave his master a bow and turned to leave.
"Ooo Bassie let me come too!" said Grell jumping up to follow Sebastian.
"….No!" said Sebastian flatly but his eyes flashed and Grell sat down again.
"don't see what the problem was….just wanted to see who it was." Grell was muttering under his breath. Will sighed and rolled his eyes. "What?" said Grell looking over at Will angrily. Will said nothing, but adjusted his glasses and looked back at the newspaper in his hand "You jealous?" said Grell with a little smile. Will coughed.(the closest thing that he came to to laughing).
"you would like that wouldn't you?" he said calmly
"and just what is that supposed to mean?" said Grell angrily. Ciel went back this book doing his best to ignore their fighting. A few minutes later, the door opened and Sebastian entered, followed by a young woman. Will and Grell fell silent immediately. She was soaking wet, she must have been walking for quite some time in the rain, her boots were caked with mud and she wore a dark traveling cloak with a hood pulled up over her head so that her face couldn't be seen.
"Th-thank you, for allowing me to come in." she said. " Is there anywhere I might wash up? I feel just dreadful presenting myself to anyone…in my current state."
"My my well this evening has certainly taken a turn for the interesting." Said Grell as he got up and crossed the room to get a better look at the visitor, of course by going to stand right next to Sebastian. and putting his head on Sebastian's shoulder. Sebastian grimaced and shook Grell off. "of course miss." Said Sebastian with a little bow. "This one here will show you the way." He said giving Grell a good shove.
"Me?..but…but..oh fine. This way" Grell said motioning for the woman to follow him. He turned back when he reached the door and scowled at them. Sebastian smiled and waved him on.
Grell lead the woman up to the second floor and to one of the vacant guest bedrooms. "well, here you are." He said showing her into the room. "thank you very much." Said the woman unfastening her traveling cloak. Grell didn't have the least bit of interest in the woman anymore and really just wanted to go back downstairs, was now examining his nails. "…mmm let me know if there is anything else you need." He said in a bored voice and looked up at the woman. She had removed her cloak and he could now see her. His eyes grew as large as silver dollars. She smiled weakly. "p-please…don't be alarmed." She said Her hands face hair and the entire front of her dress was caked with a red substance that was unmistakably blood.
"you…you're …you're" Grell stammered as the woman stared at him biting her lip. "you're….gorgeous!" he finally got out. She smiled and looked at him quizzically, tilting her head to the side. "well that's a new one." She said with a little chuckle. They stood there staring at each other for a minute before she broke the silence. "Well if you don't mind…" she said moving towards the bathroom. "I'll just go clean up…be out in just a bit." She smiled and left Grell alone in the room. He crossed the room and sat down on the bed staring at the closed bathroom door. "Oh dear…" her voice came from the bathroom. "What's wrong?" said Grell snapping out of his trance. "umm.. do you know if there is someway I might borrow something to wear?" Grell thought for a moment, they didn't exactly have an over abundance of dresses at the Phantomhive manor. Well, except for…. " I might have something that will fit you…" said Grell and he left the room.
He walked quickly down the hall to his own room and grabbed one of the many red dresses he owned and took it back to the strange girl. "Here." He said opening the bathroom door enough to throw the dress in and then shut it again. In a surprisingly short time the girl reentered the room. She was extremely beautiful. Her dark auburn hair fell down her back in curls, it really was a lovely color, now that it wasn't caked with blood. And she had the most fascinating green eyes that sparkled. She sighed looking down at her old dress and shook her head. "Another perfectly good dress ruined!" She said with another sigh and threw the dress down onto the bed. "Well, lets get going." She said clapping her hands together and leaving the room. Grell followed her back down to the sitting room. She paused when they reached to doors to the sitting room, and turned back to Grell. "I'd appreciate it if you could keep that …whole …mess…" She said jerking her head to ceiling to indicate the upstairs "to yourself, for now." Grell stared at her for a moment before nodding. She smiled, and they entered the sitting room once again.
They entered the room and once again all eyes were on the strange girl. She crossed the room to where Ciel was sitting and curtsied to him "Thank you milord for allowing a stranger into your home and offering me such hospitality." She said "Of course, of course." Said Ciel waving her thanks away. "you are welcome at the Phantomhive manor as long as you wish to stay, miss…umm?" He said with a little bow. " Ruby." She replied with a smile. "Ruby." Ciel repeated with a little smile. He looked over at Sebastian who was watching Ruby with a very odd expression, a mixture of confusion and amusement.
"How intriguing…" said Sebastian to himself. "what's intriguing?" came Grell's voice in his ear. Sebastian looked over at Grell, who was once again way to close, but for once was not looking at Sebastian. His gaze was fixed on their new visitor. "she is." Said Sebastian with a small smile "hmmmm…yes, she i-wait a minute what! Why?" said Grell snapping his attention back to Sebastian. "Should I be jealous?" he said taking hold of Sebastian's arm. "You like her better than me?" said Grell. " If you are jealous of everyone I like better than you, then you should be jealous of everyone." Sebastian hissed at Grell and yanked his arm away. Grell made a noise like a sad puppy and hung his head. "I simply haven't seen someone like her for quite sometime…" said Sebastian, looking back at Ruby. "what do you mean "someone like her?"" said Grell "don't tell me you haven't figured it out yet." Said Sebastian rolling his eyes. Grell blinked back at him. "when she came in… couldn't you smell the-"
"What are you two carrying on about?" said Ciel looking over at the two of them. "Nothing at all young master." Said Sebastian leaving Grell to go and stand in his usual position behind Ciel's chair. Grell sighed and went back to sit in his armchair next to Will, who was still completely engaged in his newspaper. "Someone like her?" Grell thought to himself "what was that supposed to mean… and what was it that he was have supposed to have smelled exactly?" He thought as he stared a Sebastian, whose eyes were still fixed on Ruby. Grell followed his gaze. "And what about all that blood, that beautiful, beautiful blood? She certainly was quite an interesting visitor." He thought and a smile crept across his lips.
Before long Ciel announced that he was retiring and rose to leave. He gave Ruby a slight bow and then left the room, followed by Sebastian. Soon after Will yawned, put down his news paper, and headed for his own room. The fire was dying, it was now very dark in the room, and only the area right around the fireplace was lit. "Thank you." Said Ruby looking over at Grell. She was nearly completely in shadow only her face was lit as she leaned in near the fire warming her hands. Grell watched her from the shadows. "for keeping my secret, and not saying anything... it must have been very alarming for you." " not really.." said Grell. She looked surprised. "Well… I mean, I'm not exactly normal myself am I?" he said with a grin. "No, no I guess your not." Said ruby and she laughed. "about your secret…"said Grell "what exactly-" They heard the doors open and Sebastian's voice came from the door way. "I was about to retire and wanted to make sure that you were settled in your room first...milady." "Of course." Said Ruby rising from her chair. "how thoughtful of you." She made to leave, but paused as she passed Grell. "Thank you again." She said softly and then followed Sebastian out of the room. Grell jumped up to follow them. "Right, of course." He said catching up with them. "What I really want to know is where YOUR room is Bassie darling." He said and gave Sebastian a wink. Sebastian grimaced and rolled his eyes. "please forgive him…" Sebastian said turning to Ruby. She laughed. "I think I can find my own way from here." She said and headed off down the hall. Grell and Sebastian watched her go. "I'm right down the hall if you need anything…" Grell called after her. Ruby turned, smiled and gave him a little nod, and then entered her room closing the door behind her.
Sebastian turned to Grell with raised eyebrows. "…what?" said Grell looking back at him blankly. "right down the hall if you need anything?" Sebastian repeated almost mockingly. "Shut up." Said Grell looking away. His eyes suddenly lit up and he looked back at Sebastian. "that is…I'll be right down the hall unless I'm in someone else's room." Grell said with a wink. Sebastian grabbed Grell's arm and pulled him closer. "try it" he hissed in Grell's ear. "And you won't see tomorrow." He said pushing Grell away. "Oh Bassie!" Grell said, giggling. Sebastian rolled his eyes and headed off down the hall in the other direction. Grell watched him gor for a minute before turning around and going to his own room.
Grell stretched out on his bed, going over everything that had happened that evening. He still couldn't make sense of Ruby, she was fascinating, there was no doubt about that! And she had looked so beautiful all covered in blood. Come to think of it, she looked beautiful blood covered or not! Bassie certainly thought so! Ahh Bassie! And with that thought Grell smiled to himself, rolled over and fell asleep. Meanwhile Ruby stared up at the ceiling as she lay on her bad. "What an odd house, and such odd people!" She thought, and then laughed out loud. "I think these people are odd? ME? Ha! I'm one to talk. Well at least they are kind, and I am safe." She thought and fell asleep with a smile. The whole house was quiet and dark as Sebastian made his last rounds around the house to make sure that everything was in order, everything was. Aside from the sound of the rain still pounding outside, it was completely silent, and except for the candle he held, it was completely dark. This was how Sebastian liked the manor best; late at night when it was quiet and dark was when he was happiest. He made his way to his room and shut the door behind him, locking it, just in case Grell decided to try something after all. He changed into his night clothes and got into bed and sat for a moment just enjoying the sound of the rain and the feel of the darkness. He smiled and blew out his candle, and the last light of the day was extinguished.