Another week, another chapter.
Chapter 8
Another reaper. A tall, slim and dark figure stood upon the roof, looking down upon the group. "I am, William T. Spears of the Dispatch Management Division. I am here to pick up this incompetent reaper." The stoic man pushed up his glasses, his luminescent green eyes piercing through the darkness. He did not look amused.
"Will! Are you here-?" The newly arrived grim reaper jumps from the roof, landing directly on Grell's head, effectively cutting off his sentence.
"Dispatch member Grell Sutcliff, you have broken the rules. You are accused of killing humans not on the To-Die-List, conspiring with a human, meddling in their affairs, revealing classified information and carrying an undocumented death scythe that was modified without following the proper procedures." Will kicked Grell for every regulation that was broken. "Please return to the main branch office to submit your reflection letter and report." He dragged the red haired reaper by his hair.
"But Will! They almost killed–" Grell's words were cut off when the other reaper flung him into the ground.
"Shut up!" The stoic reaper then turned to face the demon and bowed with a scowl on his face. "I apologize that this thing has caused you a lot of trouble. Here is my card." The demon butler only looked at it with an unimpressed face. "Honestly, for me to have to bow down to a lowly, vile creature such as you…" Will glared at the demon. "Even if you have to tarnish the name of grim reapers, there must be a limit to it."
Sebastian threw the name card over his shoulder, looking at the stoic man with a dark and mocking smirk. "In that case, please keep a close eye on him as to not trouble creatures such as me."
"Demons are such that use various means and chances to poke fun at humans, before proceeding to leech whatever comes out of it." The reaper narrowed his eyes at the demon butler, scrutinizing him and his race. 'Living such a long life is bound to be boring otherwise.' The witch chuckled. She didn't act much different. Perhaps it was one of the reasons many believed her to be a demoness instead of a witch.
"I do not deny such claim." Sebastian chuckled.
William turned his gaze to the little lord who still knelt beside his dead aunt's body with a perplexed and tired look in his eyes. The situation was both mentally and emotionally straining for him. He would most likely pass out by the time they arrived at the town house. "But because you are a hound on a leash – it seems you are slightly better than the other wild and untamed hounds."
Alyssia carefully unbuttoned her dress, carefully pealing it off her skin, removing her corset and chemise. Some of the fabric stuck to the wound as the blood dried around it. Wounds such as these were always bothersome they tended to bleed for hours, but she was too tired to heal it as of now. It would have to wait until tomorrow, yet the cut still needed to be cleaned immediately – at least the blood that clung to her skin. Her familiar cawed quietly, catching her attention. "Don't worry Augury, it's nothing." She had wounds far worse than this. But apparently, staying here made her soft if that red haired reaper could injure her so easily. She chuckled humorlessly. "Show me the letter." The stark black bird flew over and perched itself on her shoulder. A note was tied around his ankle. With the investigation at its peak she hadn't found the time to read it yet, but the witch had feeling she already knew what was in it.
At the moment no one should bother her. She was alone in her room whilst Sebastian tended to their young earl. It was time to solidify her suspicions. She skimmed through the short reply; her honey brown eyes turning into crimson orbs and she let out a short somber laugh. "Well, I thought as much." She looked over the letter again as her familiar rubbed its head softly against her hair. A way to comfort her. "It's fine Augury." Alyssia didn't know what to make of it. The fact however is that Sebastian hadn't killed her yet nor had he shown any sign of wanting to end her. Maybe there was nothing to worry about. "You did well." She gently stroked her fingers over the crow's head and beak. "Get some rest." In no time he had settled into a dark corner of the room and fallen asleep.
Chuckling at her familiar's antics Alyssia burned the letter and couldn't help but remember what the reaper had said. 'A hound bound to a collar?' She scoffed. 'Hardly…' Sebastian was more likely just abiding his time and moving things along with subtle words of manipulation. Even if that demon was bound to a contract, to her it seemed as if he was the one orchestrating his own drama. He was both the director and the audience. She chuckled taking her nightgown from her closet, just as a knock sounded from her door.
Sebastian entered the room without bothering to wait for her acknowledgement. 'Speak of the devil and he shall come…' She quickly hid her naked torso behind her thin white silk nightgown. It wasn't that she was embarrassed about her state of dress, the witch was actually quite confident with her appearance, but that didn't mean she would simply go around half naked in front of everyone. Alyssia glared at the demon. "Do you know the word privacy?"
"Your wound has to be cleaned." He mocked her with a close eyed smile.
"I can do it myself." She narrowed her eyes at him and held her nightgown even closer, as she felt surprisingly vulnerable in the current situation – understandably so, with her just having found out exactly who he is.
"Come now, what type of butler would I be if I wouldn't care for our maid." He came closer.
The witch took a step back. "I highly doubt this is necessary." It didn't help that the thin fabric of her nightgown would only hide so much and there was something she rather not have anyone see.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, dear. I've seen many women in my life." The demon teased as he closed the distance. His comment ticked her off, but not enough to forget her current worries. Sebastian grabbed her by the arm pulling the witch closer and turning her slightly. The cut was by the side of her ribcage and it certainly needed tending, otherwise it would scar. Although the wound wasn't too deep, it had yet to fully stop bleeding. "Hold still." He looked at her sternly when she wouldn't stop squirming. Alyssia clenched her teeth as he cleaned the blood away with a cloth. Then his bare fingers examined the wound, tracing it lightly. It reached from her side all the way to her back. His eyes narrowed as the demon caught sight of a scar that went from her top left shoulder to the small of her back. His hand around her arm unconsciously tightened. "Alyssia." His voice was cold and deep. That's when she knew he'd seen the scar. It was inevitable. His fingers ran along it.
"Alyssia, run!" Her mother called out to the little girl. Blood spewed from the woman's mouth as she was stabbed with a holy sword. Alyssia was in shock watching as the angel's sword pierced through her mother's lungs and the villagers cheered. She couldn't move; her body was frozen stiff with disbelieve and horror. "Alyssia!" She was startled out of her stupor as her mother looked at the girl pleadingly right before the angel severed her head off the shoulders. The little girl's body began to shake in fear when the angel then proceeded his way towards her.
"The devil's spawn next." The crowd chanted and she ran. Fear gripped her and tears ran down her cheeks. She wanted nothing more than to go back to the way things were before. Alyssia wanted her mother – alive. But she knew it wasn't possible and her mother would want her to survive. So she ran with all her might.
But the angel was faster. He slashed her back. The little girl fell. Blood pooled out of her tiny body as she whimpered and sobbed. Then they grabbed her by the hair and dragged –
"Who did this?" Sebastian's voice startled her out of the memory and she flinched.
Alyssia moved away from his touch. "Get out." Her voice sounded meek. If it wasn't for his demonic hearing Sebastian wouldn't have picked up on it.
"Alyssia, tell me. What. Happened." He moved closer to her. The demon could smell the vulnerability in her scent. Something she never had.
"Get out." Her voice a little louder than before but he didn't listen. "I said, GET OUT!" The demon was suddenly flung out the door. She shut and locked it with her powers, sinking to the floor, shaking. Augury had awakened from his slumber when he heard the witch's distressed voice; the crow's pitch black eyes now peered at her solemnly. He flew over to her crouched form and wrapped his wings around her shoulders in a protective manner. Alyssia clenched and unclenched her hands time and time again to stop the trembles. Gripped her hair in frustration as the memories plagued her; it all came rushing back.
Outside her room, Sebastian stared shocked at the door. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. When he did, the demon picked himself up and straightened. His eyes flashed crimson and his aura spiked. He had never seen her like that. So vulnerable. Scared like a child. It made him mad. No, he was seething inside. 'Whoever did that,…' He snarled.
So…I hope you enjoyed that.
I know it's short but I think the chapters will be around this length for now. Writing really long chapters was kinda hard and I was never sure when to stop, so I'll just stick to shorter chapters for now. That's not to say there won't be long ones.
