First chapter for the sequel to Guest!

"How is the reconstruction coming, Ciel?" Alice asked as she moved her piece on the chessboard. She and the Earl Phantomhive were in Chateau Fontaine's drawing room, playing a game of chess. The curtains were drawn, allowing a generous amount of sunlight into the room. Alice was clad in a simple light blue day dress, her chestnut hair down and flowing over her shoulders. Ciel was also dressed casually in a white shirt, bowtie, and dark blue shorts. His eye patch lay on his side of the chessboard, his purple contract eye a stark contrast to his blue one.

"Quite well." Ciel considered the move Alice had made. He moved his piece.

"Well Sebastian is overseeing it so that's to be expected." Alice made another move and smirked. "Checkmate."

Ciel and Sebastian were currently taking residence at the Chateau Fontaine while reconstruction continued at the Phantomhive Manor. Sebastian and Gabrielle, in their many torrid mating sessions, had destroyed an entire wing of the mansion and Sebastian, seeing as it was his fault, had ordered repairs immediately. Gabrielle was often out at the manor with her mate, more out of need to be in his presence than to actually be of use. She had explained the strange feelings to Alice as her departure from her usually aloof and independent demeanor had struck the duchess as odd. Gabrielle had said that she would return to normal once the mating season had passed and Alice was hoping it was soon.

Ciel smiled softly; he really only seemed to smile when he was around her and sometimes Elizabeth… when she wasn't annoying him. "It appears I've lost."

Aubrey and Courtney, Alice's twin demon butlers, came in with a cart. The afternoon tea and snacks were placed carefully on top. Alice noted with vague interest that the two had not taken part in their usual crossdressing since the Phantomhive and his butler had been staying with them. Aubrey, distinguished by the right-swooping part in his blond hair, started to serve Alice while his brother Courtney, his part swooping to the left, served Ciel.

"Today's selection is chamomile. Accompanying it is a delightful rasberry and cornmeal cake." Aubrey announced after they had set up the two masters with their afternoon tea.

Ciel took a bite. "It's alright."

Courtney, the more temperamental of the two, tightened his grip on a saucer. Noticing the cracking of her good china, Alice took a bite and smiled at the twins. "It's delicious. You make take your leave now."

"Yes, my princess." The twins said at the same time, leaving as quietly as they had come in.

"You don't have to be so rude to them." Alice chastised the earl, sipping at her tea. Ciel gave her a look. "Unless they have done something to offend your taste?"

Ciel sighed and Alice took it as a no. "Is Sebastian driving you as crazy as Gabrielle is me?"

Ciel looked up, a small smirk playing on his features. "He is such a pain these days. I'll be happy when this whole mating season is done and over with and he returns to normal."

"I know the feeling. Gabrielle is so odd. She feels that she has to be around Sebastian all the time. I trust her to honor her contract and I also know that Aubrey, Courtney, and Novella can protect me, but I want the usual Gabrielle back."

Ciel leaned back in his chair. "It's a mess, isn't it?"

"Ciel…", Alice started, looking out the window. Her empty cup and saucer had been put back on the cart along with Ciel's.

"Yes, what is it?"

"I was just thinking. It is mating season…and Gabrielle is a female demon…"

"Yes. Where are you going with this?"

"Can demons carry children?" Alice asked.

"I…don't really know." Ciel answered.

"It was just a thought. Sebastian and Gabrielle have laid together so much lately that I imagine she will fall pregnant…if that is indeed possible."

"Well," Ciel said as he rearranged the chess pieces, "We'll just have to wait and see. Care for another game?"

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Hannah?" Claude asked coldly. The two demons stood outside Alois' bedchamber, speaking quietly so as not to disturb the master.

"I am, Claude. I smelled it on her when I went to the city. It is pungent. She smells of him." Hannah said somewhat softly, a faraway look in her eyes.

Claude took his glasses off and cleaned them, a habit he'd gotten into when he was thinking hard about something. He replaced the spectacles on the bridge of his nose, his eyes glowing a demonic red.

"He took my mate. I will not allow him to create another life with her as well."