Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji or its characters, the same goes with ideas that originate from another manga/anime/game/book, etc.

Chapter Six: Night of Death Part I

The day had gone by tensely. Ciel had been working on the case, trying to find out where he went wrong and what more evidence could he find that would lead him to the right person to apprehend. Ariel would help every once and a while, but as she told Sebastian the previous night, she didn't help much and stayed back most of the time. Madam Red and Lau had gone home for the time being, or they assumed so since the duo had made themselves scarce. Vincent had gone into town on the orders of his mistress to locate something for her.

It was getting late now, and Ciel was still working along with Sebastian. Vincent had just made it back to the town estate before the rain started to pour down in heavy sheets. Both Ciel and Sebastian looked at the other two oddly when Vincent leaned down to whisper something in her ear before handing her a packet of papers.

Flipping through the pages briefly, she looked back up at her friend and butler, ready to give him his orders. "Tell them that we'll reschedule the meeting to 3:45 two days from now, if that's to their liking. I also need you to head back to the manor; the rat should be ready to confess by now unless he's gone insane from being in the dark," she told him as she handed the papers back to him. "Write a message to the queen saying that we'll have her answers soon enough." She whispered something else in his ear before nodding at him once, signaling for him to carry out her orders.

Everyone could tell that Vincent was reluctant to leave his mistress alone, but he had his orders and it was his duty to loyally carry out those orders.

"As you wish, milady," he replied, bowing towards her before exiting the room and soon the estate.

'I have a reason for everything, Vincent, and you know that,' she thought, watching her butler leave. 'You'll come to understand my reasoning for this decision later.'

*** a couple hours later ***

A knock sounded at Ariel's door, making her look up from her door opened a few moments later, revealing Sebastian standing there in the entryway. She bookmarked her place and set the book down on the table beside her.

"Sebastian... does Ciel need something," she enquired, keeping a wary gaze on him as he walked into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"My young master is currently playing a game of chess with Madam Red," he informed, earning a confused look. However, he saw the brief narrowed glance towards the door. "Is something wrong, milady?"

She focused her attention back on the Phantomhive butler. "It's nothing important," she replied dismissively.

A small smirk crossed his face; as skilled of a liar as she was in Human standards, he could still read lie from truth on her. "Now, milady…" He suddenly appeared in front of her, placing one hand next to her head, basically trapping her in the chair. "I don't appreciate liars," he said, smirking at the restrained uneasiness he felt from her.

"Are you certain you have the right to talk about liars," she questioned.

"I'm not sure what you mean, milady," he replied innocently, though the look in his eyes gave him away.

"Now that is a lie," she retorted, not amused in the slightest. "You lie every day, even more than I have to." She paused. "As for what the 'problem' is, I believe you already know. You left your master with one half of Jack the Ripper."

His smirk broadened into a grin, both knowing and mischievous. "One half," he echoed, purposefully ignoring the first part of what she said. "You certainly know more than you let on, milady."

'He's baiting me,' she thought irritably. "I'm quite certain that you already knew this. The fact that you haven't told Ciel yet confuses me, though."

Sebastian smirked again. "I only do what my master orders. I either become his pawn or his knight, depending on the specifications of his orders," he replied, not being really direct. "With the orders he gave me, the only possible suspect on the list is the Viscount, who is clearly not responsible from the papers today and from what you've already known."

"Ciel hasn't suspected non-Human activity," she asked rhetorically, the raven butler not answering. "He needs to consider every possibility, especially since he knows that non-Humans exist," she continued before narrowing her gaze at him. "After all, he has you, doesn't he?"

"So you already knew of my contract with Lord Phantomhive?"

'It's hard not to notice a Demon's aura,' she thought, her mental tone set in a drawl.

"Then you should know what happens after our contract is completed," he continued, not waiting for a verbal response; he didn't need one. A thoughtful, interested gleam entered his eyes. "However, you and Mr. Valentine aren't normal Humans, are you?"

Her muscles tensed slightly, but Sebastian still smirked, catching the action and knowing he was right.

"What Vincent and I are does not concern you; the main things you should be concerned with are the wellbeing of your master — your contractor — and the orders you have to follow, not me nor my butler," she replied, ducking under his arm and getting off the chair.

He stayed quiet for a few minutes before smiling that fake, polite smile. "I apologize if I have interrupted your reading, milady. However, I originally came here because the young master will need you momentarily; it's about time to apprehend the true Jack the Ripper."

"...This took longer than I thought it would," she finally commented as she grabbed a white peacoat with black trimming, leaving it draped over her shoulder for the while. 'It's raining, and that's supposed to go on and off tonight. Couple that with the cooling weather, it would be easy to get a chill.'

"Yes, well, tonight will draw the final curtain on Jack the Ripper, milady," Sebastian assured, holding the door open for her like a perfect butler would. He noticed that she wasn't moving from her spot, practically staring a hole through the window. "Is something wrong, miss?"

"...The rats have begun to move about," she replied, walking past him, before they made their way to Ciel's room.

When they reached the young Earl's door, Sebastian knocked twice before entering, Ciel lifting his head slightly to look at his butler. He was only somewhat surprised to see Ariel leaning against the doorframe, her visible eye closed and her expression set in an impassive mask. Yes, Sebastian had told him that her main purpose was to "supervise" him and only help him when he truly needed it. It irked him a little at first, but he did understand the logic behind it all.

"Well then?"

"No matter how I look at it, the result is still the same."

"Yesterday's murder, the Viscount didn't do it."

"Exactly," Ariel confirmed from where she was. "None of the people in his mansion could have done it either."

"Indeed," Ciel conceded. "No person could move that quickly… Anyway, tomorrow we'll start… Sebastian…! You didn't—"

"Of course not, young master; I told you I never lie," the butler replied smoothly. "Now, involved in medicine, ties to secret societies or black magic, lacking alibis for the nights the bodies were found…"

"The only Human that fits your criteria is the Viscount," Ariel continued.

A scowl crossed the boy's face. "You both know more about this than you're letting on, don't you?"

"I am simply one hell of a butler," Sebastian stated. "As you well know, I only carry out the orders my master has directly given me," he said, placing his hand over where his heart should be, before tossing the papers up in the air. "You only need to say the words, my lord, and I become either your pawn or your knight." He placed his hand back on his chest, that knowing grin still on his face. "Now, master, move me into check."

Note: Please be patient! I know Vincent hasn't played too much of a role in this story yet, but I promise that he will soon.