And so concludes the first arc of the story. I must warn you, though. This chapter diverges from the plot in the anime.

And don't forget to review! I read and appreciate every review I get, and they help motivate me when I'm writing. :) That being said, I hope you enjoy my chapter.

A Fair Lady to Behold part III

The investigation of Jack the Ripper carried on, I suppose. After my infamous night at the Viscount's party, we stayed in London for a little while after, but I was shut out from the rest of the case. I didn't mind it, though. I had enough excitement for a very long time, and I was content to return to my solitary afternoons spent in the library.

You see, adventure wasn't what my romance novels promised it would be. Dressing up like a lady and going incognito was certainly enjoyable, but almost being sold in the black market was beyond horrible to experience. It was a nightmarish situation, and I would prefer to not go through anything like that again, thank you very much. Yet, there was something about that one evening that made me wonder how I could ever go from being a beautiful noblewoman to a simple governess. Those few hours changed me so much that, I daresay, my old life would seem quite dull in comparison.

Then there was the issue of Sebastian. It was preposterous to think he was anything else than mortal. But what simple man could do the things he did? Oftentimes, the picture of all those people at the auction, lying unconscious on the floor would pop uninvited into my head, and I would wonder who on Earth could do such a thing. Then I would ask myself what Sebastian could be if not a man. Perhaps a monster? Monsters don't exist, though. This discussion would revolve around and around in my mind, never getting anywhere useful to the point where I was almost driven mad.

And oh those eyes! I had never noticed Sebastian's eyes before, thinking them simply unique, but now I could see how they burned. They were two red things that smoldered with passion and violence. Of course, on the exterior Sebastian was polite, helpful, and respectful, everything a good butler should be. Yet every once in a while, I caught glimpses of the creature who lived underneath. It was a feral animal, vicious and cruel that delighted in bathing in the blood of the innocent. He was a wild thing, the purest form of a savage, and he terrified me.

Coward that I am, I hid from Sebastian by any means necessary. If he was coming towards me in the hall, I would hurry into the nearest room, and if he walked into the same room as I, I would scurry out as fast as I could. I knew I couldn't live like this forever. Sebastian worked in the same house as I with only four other attendants. We were bound to be forced together one way or another, and when that day would come, I hadn't an idea how I would manage.

Finally, one sleepless night I pronounced that I was done with this nonsense. I would prove if Sebastian was human once and for all! How I would go about doing this was an entirely different matter. But the one place I knew wouldn't hurt to start was the library.

Ciel's city home had a well-stocked library that certainly wasn't as vast as the one in his mansion, but it was comfortable enough. So in nothing but my nightshift I took a candle and crept down to it where I began perusing the shelves for something that would be useful to me. It was some minutes before I found anything worth reading, and it was The Gentleman's Encyclopedia of Supernatural Creatures. I settled myself down in a comfortable chair and began to skim the pages. It was when I got to the D section that I found something that might fit his description, 'demon.' I shall now record what the passage for demons told me:

Demons are frightful creatures that are born in the very depths of Hell itself. They have one purpose, and that is finding souls to devour. They will spend years roving the globe, searching for the perfect human soul to consume; then they will prey on it with animal savageness.

Occasionally a demon will attach itself to a human. They will form Faustian a pact in which the demon will serve the human until a certain accomplishment is completed. In exchange the human will grant the demon his or her soul. It is advisable not to set up a contract with a demon because once sealed, it is irrevocable, and your soul will never depart to heaven if consumed.

Spotting demons is quite a difficult task since they can easily take on human form, but there are a few ways to tell if you suspect another gentleman or lady is not from France, like they might very well say they are, but from the burning pits of Hell. First of all, most demons take on an unusual eye color like yellow or violet. And, if you can convince them to take off their gloves, they will have a variation of the symbol of a star within a circle on the back of their left hand if they are in a contract with a human. They will also be able to complete tasks no other human could do. They might even seem like a perfect person, but the discerning Englishman is never fooled.

"Miss Goodly," Sebastian said.

Startled, I jumped in my seat, knocking the heavy book from my lap. "It's you!" I cried in the midst of my fear. The very person who scared me was now standing before me…alone…in a dark room. I noticed right away that he wasn't wearing his suit jacket, and on closer inspection I saw that there were slashes of blood on his shirt. Naturally, the color drained right from my face.

"I'm sorry to have startled you," Sebastian spoke, "but I was wondering what you were doing up so late."

My mind raced for something to do or say. Running away and screaming bloody murder was out of the question. I was mortified already since I was standing before him in nothing but a nightgown, and making a fool of myself would only make it worse. Oh, if only Miss Thompson could see me now. I supposed she'd be so scandalized, she'd have a heart attack right on the spot. "I was just…" I began, at a complete loss for words, but I figured that when in doubt I could always use literature to my advantage. "I was just 'pondering weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore.'"

Sebastian gave me a smile. "Well then you should be off to bed before 'there comes a tapping as of someone gently rapping, rapping at your chamber door.'"

I tried to smile back, but it came out as a pathetic twitch instead. "Y-yes, of course. I'll go right away."

"Would you like me to escort you back to your room?"

"No!" I shouted, when I saw him raise his elegant brows at me, I said, "Thank you, but I can find my way back by myself."

"Then I bid you goodnight."

"Yes…goodnight." I backed out of the library without turning my back on him. To his credit, he just gave me an odd look at my strange behavior, and turned to pick up the book I dropped on the floor. When I was completely out of the room, I dashed back up to my chambers where I closed my door, and locked it. It was only until I was sure I was safe that I let myself slide to the floor in exhaustion. What a dreadful night this was turning out to be.

I tried to go to sleep, really I did, but my fear kept me up. I would imagine Sebastian coming into my room and murdering me and the last thing I would ever see were those awful eyes. And so I tossed and turned in my bed, keeping a watchful eye on my door in case it unexpectedly opened.

It was some hours past midnight when I realized how silly I was being. There's no such thing as demons! All this nonsense was all in my mind. I had cobbled together evidence against Sebastian that was hardly even valid, and my overactive imagination had blown everything out of proportion. Sebastian wasn't a demon but a normal human butler, and he'd probably laugh in my face if he heard the things I fancied him to be. In fact, I would prove to myself that he is human. I thought that if I went downstairs to fetch a glass of water undisturbed it would prove I made everything up.

When I left Fairfax Academy, I was given a simple wooden cross the size of my hand as a parting token. Since then, it was tossed carelessly into my suitcase to be buried under clothes and books. Now I rummaged for it with reckless determination, and when my hands touched its surface, it gave me a fleeting sense of relief. It was true that I was attempting to disprove the existence of demons, but I thought that a little protection wouldn't hurt.

I was positively trembling when I went to the kitchen, cross in hand, once again wearing nothing but a nightgown. The kitchen was as dark as I expected and as silent as a tomb, but I saw no one waiting for me in its gloom so I continued on.

"I hope wandering around the house late at night isn't becoming a habit, Miss Goodly" Sebastian said.

I screamed when I saw his tall figure emerge from the shadows. No longer was there blood on his shirt, but I was still frightened nonetheless. My whole body quaking with fear, I held the cross before me like a shield. "Stay back!" I yelled.

Despite my best efforts, he continued to approach me, and I could see he was mildly amused by my paranoia.

"The power of Crist compels thee!" I continued. "Stay back, you evil monster!"

Still he came forward.

"Foul demon, be gone!"

Now he was inches away from me, and all he did to stop me was snatch the cross from my hands and dash it to the floor.

"Damn," I said, "that was supposed to work."

"So, Miss Goodly, you've discovered that I'm a demon, I presume?" Sebastian stated matter-of-factly.

"Ha!" I exclaimed. "You admit it."

"I'm not admitting anything. On the contrary I'm simply stating fact. If you would have asked me, I would have told you the truth of what I am for I cannot lie."

"That doesn't change anything. You're still an evil thing from Hell," I replied vehemently.

"And where did you hear that, your former boarding school?"

What was Sebastian playing at? Was he trying to use logic to slither his way out of my accusing grip? "Well…yes."

"And do you believe everything they told you?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why should you believe what they told you about my kind?"

I couldn't think of an answer so I stared bashfully down at my bare feet.

"I'm sure you've heard that demons are evil creatures who seduce humans into sinning, but that is false. We are simply immortal creatures who hunt souls."

"Yes, and you're in a contract with Ceil. You're going to swallow that child's soul like a savage."

"I'm also sure that you're well aware of the fact that humans are mortal. Everyone dies, and so will Ciel. When I find and kill the people responsible for his parents' death, he will agree by his own free will to let me consume his soul. How he dies is his own choice to make, not yours."

"But what will happen when your contract is over?" I asked, my fingers gripping the countertop behind me. "Will you come after my soul next? I assure you, Mr. Sebastian, I won't let you have it."

"Now wherever did you get that idea? When I said before that I wouldn't hurt you I was telling the truth, and nothing has changed." He leaned closer to me, but since my back was pressed against the kitchen counter, I had no space to shrink away from him so I closed my eyes. As my heart beat began to quicken, I felt his lips press against my forehead, and when I opened my eyes he had vanished.

I knew that Sebastian's kiss was done out of ill-intent. He saw that I was afraid of him, and knew that getting any closer to me would alarm me even more so that's exactly what he did. Yet, despite myself I trusted his promise. I couldn't put my finger on the reason why, but somewhere beneath all logical thought I knew that he meant me no harm. Whether he would cease teasing and trying to frighten me was an entirely different matter.

The next morning, I awoke from a dreamless sleep, and stepped out onto the balcony to behold the most vibrant sunrise I had ever seen. The sun was a violent shade of crimson, bathing in its own bloody rays, and it was the most beautiful, savage thing I had ever seen. In my appreciation, I stood to watch the sky until all the sun's passion had dissipated into a clear, blue sky. That was the day I heard that Madame Red had died only the night before.

The quote that Eliza began and Sebastian finished was from "The Raven" by Poe in case you were curious. ;)