X

We ran along the streets of Paris, sprinting towards the sacred grounds of Hell.

"I do not wish to bring you into harm, but I will be too far away from you otherwise. Which could, in turn, put you in further danger," Sebastian stated while he concentrated on following the trail of the angel's scent.

I blinked, "It will work out in the end, Sebastian, when this is over the sooner we can relax in Hell."

He turned to give me a half smirk, "So you are fully content in sharing quarters with me after all?"

My ears flicked in mild irritation, "I assume that the threat of Lumia will never be gone, therefore, I cannot leave you."

"How touching," I pursed my lips in aggravation but said nothing further. From roof to roof we went, silently through the night and soon the sun came up to chase away all the shadows of the moon. When Sebastian suddenly paused I hadn't been paying attention, it was only my cat-like reflexes - no pun intended - that stopped me from colliding with his turned back.

"We are close," he turned and walked past me to hop from the building and he landed softly in the alleyway below. Through a series of twists and turns we came across one of the many hidden docks. Tied to several piers were the large boats that would allow us to traverse Styx.

"My one weakness," I growled out while staring into the soul infested waters. Sebastian smirked before leading me to one of the boats before bowing.

"After you, my lady," I stepped in and the boat shook a little under the added weight. The black butler stepped in and picked up the rowing stick and after a few moments of untying, we were off.

I found it was easier to look up then to try and face my murky reflection in the water. The sky grew gray with each stroke of the stick and the clouds overhead became thicker, we were already halfway to Hell.

In the distance the monument rose slowly before suddenly becoming a large lone island, we docked and Sebastian held out his hand. I only took it in fear of falling off the shaky raft. I let Sebastian create what he wished with the ruins, I occupied myself by watching the empty sky and swishing my tail across the bench I was situated at.

A hand on my shoulder disrupted my thoughts. I turned towards the demon, looking up into his currently red eyes, "Do you require something, Sebastian?"

He sat and rubbed his fingers against my tail, "We have only a few minutes before it begins Radiance, we have reached our end. Please allow me to enjoy a moment for myself."

He reached his arm around me before pulling me in tight for a rather awkward hug, forcing my hat from my head while keeping a firm but not uncomfortable hold on my tail. I wanted to move away, but he would not let me. Instead, I attempted conversation, "What will become of your master while he is on his own?"

Sebastian smiled softly, "My young lord will be quite capable of handling his own. Should the need truly arise he will call on me with true meaning."

It felt like an eternity later, but in truth it had only been forty-five seconds. I couldn't even begin to imagine what the world would be like tied and bound to this obsessive demon, yet for some reason I couldn't picture an eternity without all the touches and petting. I thought hard, but going back to my old status as a maid seemed impossible. With a sigh, I was forced to admit my thoughts, "You've grown on me."

Sebastian leaned back to look down on me, "Have I?" a large smirk was plastered to his face as he traced his finger from the tip of my ear down to my jaw.

I smacked his hand away with my tail, "You haven't grown that much."

He pulled me in again, "I suppose a little will have to suffice for now."
Our time would soon be up, and if I didn't ask now there's a chance it would never be brought to light, "Sebastian..." He turned towards me, "What was your thought when you first saw me, when I first appeared, arm bleeding and facing your master?"
I felt his nose dig into my ear as he buried his face into my hair before he let out a short laugh, "A couple of things, Radiance. I knew you were what I was looking for, and it was meant in several ways but at the time I hadn't realized it. That gut feeling... it was not just because you felt new to me, it was deeper. You were to belong to me since that day, and I was sure to make it so." The world fell silent. There wasn't a single noise that my brain processed as we stared at each other until Sebastian broke the spell while stroking my cheek, "I also thought you had the most enchanting emerald eyes."

In a sudden spark of adrenaline, I stood, effectively removing myself from his grasp. My heart was beating at an unfamiliar rate and in a burst of panic and attempt to rid it I transformed right there, in front of him. I yelped as I was picked up, "Put me down you fool."

I was ignored, "In retrospect, I truly should have noticed how soft and delicate your hair is in both forms. Nothing earthly could possibly be this perfect."

I yowled and hissed and scratched his arms but to no avail, when I couldn't take it no more I could only shout in his face, "You couldn't have fallen for me!"

Silence again. I was at last able to remove myself by turning back into human form. He lost a bit of balance but he held me tight as I went from small to large in a couple of seconds and I wriggled out of his grasp using every possible trick up my sleeve.

I took a few steps back, trying to get away from this obsessive demon. My head shook in confusion, no he couldn't love my other half that much, he couldn't love me that much. I was an Infused, I was worthless. His standards were too different from mine. I kept walking and when he reached out a hand towards me I found myself running off, the edge found my feet and I felt no other choice but to dive into the soul infested waters.

With a splash I was soaked head to toe in horrendous water. Ghostly hands shifted and twitched towards me but even in their lifeless state they knew I was a something they could not drown. Frozen in worry, I allowed the being before me to lift me up and out.

My feline half was forcing me to shiver and as much as I didn't want to I leaned into Sebastian's warmth. He began stroking my wet hair and my body began to automatically dry itself off.

Sebastian set me in the boat and began rowing back to the land of the living. When we arrived I could no longer force myself to move when he spoke, answering my unintentional question several minutes beforehand, "And yet I have."

I growled, "It's not love if that's what you're claiming."

The corner of his mouth rose in amusement, "Perhaps you're correct, or perhaps you're not."

He took off, and without another word, I followed.

A flicker in the distance caught my eye. When I turned I saw a blaze of fire as it swept across the buildings. I blinked once, twice, and then a third time. A certain scent entered the air and penetrated my senses. That smell could only be one thing; dog breathe.

"Do you smell that?" I asked.

Sebastian's nose wrinkled, "It's even more horrendous mixed with melting tar."
I gulped, their pet was loose.

We came a little closer into town before stopping abruptly upon a tall building. We had only been standing in that spot for merely a few seconds when white wings descended from the sky. The angel smirked at us. The three of us sat in silence for a few moments before the angel, Ash I believe, spoke up, "Any comments?"

Sebastian didn't skip a beat as he answered, "Compared to the Great fire of London in 1666, this blaze seems very slow-spreading," Sebastian's ever present smirk was gone, as was his normally charming smile. Now his face was merely void of any emotion whatsoever, real or fake.

The angel had a soft look in his eyes despite the rather harsh smirk upon his lips, "You're right. Once uncleanliness and vice take hold, it's extremely difficult to do away with them. However, when this fire burns everything away the long awaited door will appear on the clean land!" with each word nearing the end of his statement his voice got an octave higher and a beat faster as he began to feel excited, "I shall open the door to the new century."

Disgust coursed through my veins and I tried hard to hold in the initial instinct to spit in his face and watch him writhe about in the so called uncleanliness. The fire heightened for a moment and I cringed when the flames illuminated the angel's pale face and twisted grin. Truthfully, he looked more demonic than Sebastian and I combined. Turning my head I saw how close the demon hound truly was, he was situated atop one of the many buildings and I noticed Bardroy shooting at the massive beast.

There was a moment of silence between us, the roar of Pluto filling the space. I noticed as the angel's gaze fell to the left of us, off the building. Following his gaze I saw Sebastian's young master Ciel running with the maid of the house.

The two approached the location of the demon hound, and I heard a low laugh escape the angel's throat, "You battled me for your master's sake. Who could have predicted that you'd be standing here with me now, watching his tragedy play out?"

"I do not act without an order from my master," Sebastian answered confidently, "and at the moment, there is no master I'm meant to obey."

There was a staring contest between angel and demon, I continued to look at the four below us. I suppose I wasn't losing my touch then, when I thought Ciel was changing, "I've thought to myself," the angel started, "I wouldn't mind joining forces with you, to rule the reborn world that will dwell in this clean land."

Sebastian shut his eyes, annoyed, "Aren't I a wellspring of the very uncleanliness you detest?"
The angel smirked softly, "When you examine them closely, all things have their own intense light. Morning and night, man and woman, light and darkness. If those thing are well- burnished and made one they return to their primal forms, beloved by my Father."

Sebastian scoffed, as did I, "You want me to be one of those vulgar patchwork dolls you're so fond of?"

My attention was caught from the glimmer of the fire as the angel began to remove his scarf, "No. If you wish..." his voice transformed and I couldn't decipher the sound of male and female, "...I can embrace you as a woman," with the overcoat partially removed, the angel opened the front up just enough for us to glimpse a full female chest. My stomach dropped to the ground in disgust.

Sebastian's eyes narrowed, anger only showing through slightly. He took a swift step back and I merely blinked when he laid a hand on the small of my back, "Unfortunately for you I have a women, one that I am quite fond of."

The angel frowned ever so slightly, "You are speaking of her?"

"Indeed I am," for a brief moment, his smirk returned, making his face almost brighter given the odd circumstances of tonight.

The angel moved in an instant and I found myself being held in his arms as he examined me closely, "You have a strange illumination. I noticed it earlier as well." His hands, though gloved, burned at my skin and I fidgeted, trying to free myself from his burning hold.

A low growl alerted us, "I will warn you once, do not touch what is mine."

The angel smirked, "I-"

"You have real bullets don't you?" a voice interrupted our thoughts and red eyes widened and the three of us turned heads to stare down at Ciel, what was his next move?

"Are you telling us to shoot Plu-Plu, young master?"

"Look at his eyes," the navy boy proclaimed, "his mind is gone. That's not the Pluto you know. He's just a beast now. You three know full well how wretched it is to have your pride stolen, to live without even a clear purpose! This is an order, Bardroy, Mey-rin, Finny, kill that demon hound with your own hands!"

The intelligence of the young lord's words rang through my head. Tears fell down the faces of the servants faces and I felt an odd sense of longing for the boy's soul.

I wrenched my thoughts from the want, Ciel belonged to Sebastian and I was in no position to fight for it. Turning towards the servants, there was silence for only a few moments, the sound of burning wood the only thing filling the void. No sooner had Ciel left the premises, had the bullets been let loose. I couldn't push down the satisfied feeling as the hound fell from his perch, landing on the ground and thrashing about in pain.

"He's all that I might expect from someone who would employ a demon," I faced the angel, now fully clothed as he dropped me, yet his or hers voice remained the same, "unfeeling and ruthless; a soul beyond redemption."

My teeth ground against one another at his empty words but before I could retort Sebastian took hold of me before running off into the night while he was distracted.

"Where are we headed?" Sebastian had me thrown over his shoulder as he was in such a hurry he must not have had time to inform me of the new plan.

"My master is awake," his hand tightened around my hip in excitement and I flicked my tail in his face. There was a brief moment of nothing but blurs. When my vision was properly set I was behind Sebastian as he held numerous bullets in both his hands.

"Sebastian..."

The butler smirked and turned partially to glimpse at his young lord, "You're quite right, young master, you won't end here," the bullets flew back with deadly precision at the guards surrounding us. Only one was unscathed, "I humbly apologize for taking an unauthorized leave."

"What were you doing?"

"Oh, I was preparing for the Last Supper. Sweet, hot, and occasionally tart, using a variety of spices to mature the flavor. Thanks to you I believe I'll be able to enjoy the ultimate soul... the ultimate supper."

I was surprised at the small satisfied smile that crossed the bleeding boys face, as brief as it was. His smile fell and was replaced with its usual scowl, "This is an order, take me to that angel of massacre!"

"Certainly," he picked his young master up and I followed as they walked out.

The one guard stood in shock but his last comment failed to remain in his mouth, "There's no way he's human..."

Sebastian paused and turned sharply, eyes flashing red, "You're right, I'm not human, I'm simply one Hell of a butler."

I followed the demon out into the streets where we boarded the boat we had left tied to the sidewalk, "This will joggle you for a moment, young master," the butler pushed off the concrete and we began drifting along, passing numerous charred fallen bodies.

A white feather caught the young master's attention and I squinted my eyes, we were far from over, "Where are we going?" Ciel asked.

"Here in England there are several bridges named 'Devil's Bridge,' so called because legend has it they were made by demons. In contrast, the Tower Bridge is a holy bridge which I surmise that the angel instructed Her Majesty to build."

As we neared the bridge the sound of moaning voices could be heard and I stared ahead at the unfinished bridge, "Human sacrifices? This is meant to be a holy bridge?"

"Taken too far, saintliness is far beastlier than evil," I couldn't agree more, most angels choose to go the way they believe is the cleanest path but the result lands them in the mud. We docked, "Young master, Radiance, please wait here."

The navy boy turned sharply towards his butler, "I'm coming along!"

"Young master to put it simply, you would drag me down."
The boy's visible eye narrowed slightly, "I see, so in other words you're no match for him if you're fettered down."

Sebastian placed his hand over his heart and bowed, and I realized that was as close as Ciel would get to whining, "Very well then. You shall have a prime view my lord."
I stood inside the boat as the two headed for a ladder, "Radiance should come along as well, so your worry can lessen and all of your focus can be aimed at the angel."
Sebastian paused with his first foot on the ladder. He glanced around his master on his shoulder towards me still standing on the floating boat, "Her presence would only distract me more."

Ciel turned to me before nodding. I followed up the ladder reluctantly.

We arrived at the top rather quickly, and there he was, the pale angel in the firelight. I stood a few paces behind Sebastian as the angel spoke, "They're burning down... Her Majesty's dream, and the human world. Ah at last, the great and notable day of our Father cometh! The signs shall be blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke... isn't that right, demons?"

"Why did you kill the queen too?"

"Her clouded fish-eyes," my head instinctively tilted to the side on confusion.

"Fish-eyes?"

"Her eyes should have been fixed on the future, but they were held captive by the past, and they dulled and rotted. There was nothing left for me to do but cleanse her."

The angel continued to talk while Sebastian turned to find someplace to seat his master. He sat the boy on top of a pile of sheet metal before standing straight, "This seat is a bit uncomfortable, but I believe it has the best view in the house."
Ciel nodded, "I agree."

"Your orders, my lord?"

The blue haired boy removed his eye patch and I saw the glowing purple of Sebastian's sigil as it brightened and pulsed. The power radiating from their contract was astounding, "Kill him... kill the angel!"

Sebastian bowed, placing a hand on his chest, "Yes, my lord," he stood and turned to me, "keep yourself from harm, Radiance."

"When the bridge is complete," the angel's voice tuned back into my head and I turned to face the white obstruction, "it will seal eastern London from uncleanliness. As an angel, I have no choice but to purge any demons who alight upon this gate. Purge them into pure white beings, without stain, without heart, without life," the angel drew his sword and leapt to meet Sebastian.

The butler produced several silver utensils and metal clashed with metal as they passed. When they passed a second time I started to step forward only to be bound by an unknown force. Looking down I saw black shadows gripping my ankles. When I looked back up I noticed Sebastian was in the same predicament.

"Sebastian!" the heartless souls bound and shackled me with their arms. I was completely immobile.

"This mist..."

"Yes, it feels wonderful," the softened look on the angels face disgusted me, I wished for some fresh air but the black might slip down my throat. A once male voice turned feminine and a womanly face appeared from the darkness around us, "this feels wonderful... they're so warm and clammy; nicer to touch then the finest furs."
I struggled against the blackness in vein as they continued to talk, "An angel clothed in uncleanliness? How the mighty have fallen."

"The pleasures of uncleanliness are unpleasant and unbearable to me, however," the male voice had returned, but it soon switched back, "The despair of uncleanliness gives me power."

Feathers shot out in the darkness, and while Sebastian had enough strength to dodge them I was attacked with a flurry of sharpened points. Three embedded themselves in my arm and I winced ever-so-slightly. I managed to turn my head enough to see that because of my placement, Ciel was perfectly unharmed, Sebastian would be glad.

The darkness began to spread towards the boy and I panicked, "Ciel!" he noticed the shadows closing in fast and all he could do was brace for impact.

The angel continued uninterrupted, "I grow stronger and stronger, oh what to do? I still... haven't given up on you, you know."

"I don't go for women who fornicate with dogs."

"If you won't embrace me, a women, I will stay in this man's form as the Sun, and sink my shaft into you all the way to the hilt."

"Your taste really couldn't get any worse," a bright light was emitted from the angel's sword and I was forced to look away

"Final judgment approaches, hear me demon: your chest will be the sheath to my sword. Take it into you!" the light rushed forward, I heard the sound of cloth and flesh ripping. Blood splattered on my face and while I knew he was close by I couldn't tell with the fog obscuring my vision.

"Sebastian?" I called out, there was no response. I struggled against the tightened holds of the souls but when I looked up my vision was crowded by the twisted smile of the angel.

Without a word the angel sliced my shin he, or she, didn't cut it off but the wound was deep enough that all I had to keep me upright was the souls. With another quick flash of his sword I found my hand was no long attached to my body. I gritted my teeth against the torment, "Demon, this pain is a blessing, supreme pleasure... the zenith can only be enjoyed by first enduring searing pain."

"Radiance..." the cloud began to clear some and my good leg hit the floor knee first. The angel turned, facing Sebastian, whose arm was missing, "get to safety."
The angel let loose a wild laugh before rushing Sebastian, "Sebastian!" the two of us turned towards Ciel.

There was a brief moment of silence before the angel broke it, "How dare you take your eyes off me in the midst of our glorious battle! You spoil my mood." As the angel brought his sword up to strike once more, in a puff of bright sparks the souls began to disappear one by one. Soon the battlefield was fully visible.

I looked around as the blackness dispersed, "Reapers..."

"Those blasted reapers dare to interfere with this noble and hallowed ceremony?"

"What a pity. It doesn't look like we'll be able to greet this "zenith". Shall I make my counterattack?"

"I'd hoped to have more fun with you, but there's no help for it..." the angel whistled sharply in attempt to summon the demon hound. He continued to whistle for a few minutes but when no hound came he was shocked, "The demon hound..."

"They did it," a small smile of satisfaction spread across Sebastian's face and I found myself mimicking the action.

The angel couldn't seem to contain the shock as he or she was shaking uncontrollably, "Useless... Useless... Useless... Useless..! They're all useless!"

"Young master!"

"Taste the flames of Hell!" as if the angel couldn't decide which form to take, the voices and appearance kept transforming in rapid fire in a rather grotesque display of nightmarish images. Feathers rained down like bullets and it took all of my remaining strength to move. My body was pelted with the sharp ends as I hovered over Sebastian's master, but before I was ripped apart another body leaned over mine.

"You shouldn't be so reckless," he muttered into my ear. His one arm was encircling me even while he was pushing the feathers deeper into my back. His breath was loud in my ears and I stared wide eyed into Ciel's blue ones, "I'd like to ask a favor from the two of you," I turned my head to indicate that I was listening. He leaned closer, "Please close your eyes."

"Sebastian?" our voices synced together in unplanned harmony.

"I am a butler, I cannot damage my master's, or my companion's, impression of me by looking unsightly. Please don't open your eyes until I say to."
"All right," I turned my head a little further and his gaze met mine. I knew what he was going to do, I nodded slowly. I watched as Ciel closed his eyes and Sebastian began to remove himself from me. I rolled to the side and we held each other's sight until my eyes were closed.

I heard the shuffling of feet and after a few seconds metal began to click with metal, "Now then, you can see my true form. It's unsightly, disgusting, repulsive... but it is my true form," My eyes screwed tighter, a demons true form was horrendous even for us, which is why most prefer to spend the days in human form, at least those weren't eye gouging to gaze upon. Some demons chose to lounge about in such an apprentice, but those who did so were quickly shunned.

I had a true form of my own, and it was just as bad as any of the others, "A-a demon..." the throaty screams of the angel penetrated the air and dust and debris whizzed by my face as Sebastian began. A thick cloud of what tasted like ashy smoke and soot engulfed Ciel and I and the bending metal forced us backwards and off the edge of the building, aggravating my wounds even further. With just the tips of my fingers I held on to the edge of the bridge, the boy gripping the metal next to me as I could feel his hair brush against my nose. Below us, my senses could hear the sound of flowing water, my grip tightened.

"Radiance, young master, can you survive long enough for me to count down from ten?"

"Yes," we answered.

"Very well then, ten... nine..."

"Revolting!" the angel's voice carried through the air loud and clear.

"Eight."

"Unclean, disgusting!"

"Seven."

"Unnecessary, infertile! Unlawful!"

"Six!.. Five!.. Four!.. Three!"

"Filthy, filthy, filthy, filthy, filthy, filthy, filthy!"

"Two!"

A deafening noise filled my ears. The sound covering the screaming angel's voice and through my closed eyes a brilliant light could be seen clearly, "One." When the brightness disappeared there was nothing but silence. My eyes relaxed some but they remained shut.

"It's over," I blinked and slowly opened my eyes and looked up towards the demon. His one arm dangling at his side and the other was already beginning to grow back. My gaze traveled to the navy boy whose presence was so very close. Ciel looked up to his butler, then to me, before sending us a soft, very soft, smile.

And he let go.

My eyes widened as his cinematic records burst from his chest as he plummeted towards the water below. Without a thought it seems, Sebastian jumped in afterwards, leaving me dangling off the side of the broken bridge.

Silence filled the air once more, and I pulled myself up when I knew Sebastian wasn't coming back for a while. When I finally pulled myself over I saw the charred body of the angel completing the last few unfinished feet, his wings frozen behind him, glowing like fresh embers.

I sat atop the bridge, admiring the rising sun. The mixture of red and blue and purple and everything in between caused a satisfied purr to erupt from the back of my throat. I felt a smile creep along the edges of my mouth and I felt a wave of contentment flow through me. I've never seen a sunrise like this before. I swung my legs back and forth off the edge of the bridge, admiring the scene.

"I believe... that I have found my favorite thing about the human realm."