Chapter 10

"Wake up, Alana. It is time to wake the young master yet again," Claude said, leaning over the bed and touching the American's shoulder lightly.

The windows were already streaming the morning sunlight into the room, but where that usually woke the green-eyed woman, today she still slumbered, thus he was actually touching her, for once. It wasn't that it bothered him at all; it was just that it was inappropriate and she was so skittish at times…

"Claude?" she asked with a groan and blinked awake slowly.

"Alana, we have to wake the young master," he informed her, still leaning over her.

She reached out and touched his hand and he was taken aback by how hot she was. It was certainly an abnormally high temperature for a human.

"I don't…I don't feel well," she murmured, eyes glassy and cheeks flushed.

He realized that what he'd originally thought was deep breathing from sleep was panting. He whipped the sheets back and she whimpered, burying her face in the pillows. She's somehow managed to get the nightgown up past her stomach in the night, so that it was bunched up around her chest. She was drenched in sweat.

"It's cold," she whined, reaching for the blankets again.

He took hold of her wrist, stopping her weak attempt.

"You have a fever," he informed her with his usual blank tone.

Her eyes widened as she began shivering violently. She began pushing at her nightdress, pulling it down to cover herself but had to stop and turn her head, coughing heavily before she fell back against the pillows again, panting.

"I'm so cold," she said, teeth chattering.

He sighed and stood to get Hannah. She'd have to change Alana into something more comfortable while he woke the young master. Before he could though, Alana grabbed hold of his hand.

"Don't go," she said quietly, "I don't want to be alone right now."

He sighed and came back to her side, raising his voice and calling for Hannah. The maid came in a moment later, eyebrows furrowing with confusion when she saw the younger girl laying on the bed and holding tightly the butler.

"Change her into something more suitable and get a bowl of water and a cloth. It appears that Miss Monroe is sick."

Alana squinted up at him, finding the sunlight was too bright for her.

"Who's Monroe?" she asked in confusion, "My name's Alana."

He sighed and patted her hand to get her to quiet down.

"Hannah is going to take care of you."

Alana's eyes widened as she struggled to sit up in her weakened state, still clutching his hand.

"You'll come back, won't you?" she asked earnestly.

It was clear that she was delusional by this point. Her green eyes were glassy and unfocused even though she was looking him in the eye. Claude knew that Alana never would have asked something like that had she been well. Hanna came to the other side of the bed and gently took Alana's shoulders, beginning to pull her away from the other demon.

"No, wait Hannah, please!" Alana pleaded even though she was too weak to fight against the woman.

Tears collected in her eyes as she struggled to get back to him. He sighed, not wanting to be affected by the heartbreaking (at least to someone else) expression on her face, but finding his protectiveness for her flaring anyway. Hannah stopped pulling on the sick girl when she saw the threatening look he sent her.

"I'll be back to attend to you momentarily," Claude assured, "but you must do as Hannah tells you in the meantime."

The human girl nodded emphatically and released the butler, leaning back against the female demon without argument now. Satisfied that she would behave without upset now, the demon butler left to attend to the master. He checked his pocket watch as he left the room to find that he was almost five minutes behind schedule.

With a sigh, he rolled the tea cart into the master's room and pulled the curtains apart.

"Master, it is time to wake," the butler bid, stoic as ever.

The younger boy sat up and stretched, scowling when he noticed that Alana was missing.

"Where is she?" he asked moodily.

"Miss Monroe is very ill, at present, and is entirely unable to attend to you, your Highness," Claude informed him.

Alois's eyes widened in horror.

"You must take care of her! I command you to attend to Alana until she's all better. Just get Hannah to play with me today."

The butler paused for a moment, considering the master in surprise. How far was he willing to go in order to get Alana and Claude together?

"Well? Get to it!" Alois shouted.

"Yes, your Highness."

Alana's 102 degree fever had finally broken and now she was sleeping. In the course of her illness, she'd had several hallucinations…one of which included talking to her brothers about Claude.

"He's really stubborn and hard to read, but he can be a real tease sometimes, you know? He's much more interesting than Mason ever was. Can you keep a secret? I might actually be falling for him!"

"…he's a demon, Thomas, of course he scares me! But I don't think he'd hurt me. At least…as long as Alois doesn't order him to…but he's got such a handsome face. I'd love to see him smile."

She stirred suddenly and blinked awake again. Claude leaned forward in his chair, wondering if she'd see anything this time.

"Claude?" she asked and started coughing, "some water…"

He helped her sit up and handed her a cup. She accepted it, downing the contents quickly before collapsing back on the mattress. As she was settling back in, she turned on her side, watching him with sleepy emerald eyes. She looked exhausted. Her skin was pale now that she didn't have a fever and there were dark circles under her eyes from having terrible nightmares.

"I don't see how you can fall in love with me," she murmured suddenly, looking sad, "I'm completely inadequate. I feel like I'm always bothering you or making your life harder. It's like even when I'm trying; I sound so stupid just speaking to you."

A couple tears escaped before she swiftly wiped them away and buried deeper beneath the sheets.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't care. It's just 'cause I'm sick, I'm sure," she continued, voice cracking slightly.

He sighed and reached over, lightly petting her hair. Surprised, her eyes opened wide again as she looked at him silently.

"Now that was a stupid thing to say," he told her, allowing the smallest of smiles to grace his features.

She blinked up at him, fisting the sheets in her hand.

"Get some rest. You're still sick," he ordered gently.

She nodded and closed her eyes; the hand holding the sheets slowly relaxing as she drifted back into unconsciousness. He adjusted his glasses, but kept his hand in her dark, messy locks. Hopefully, she wouldn't remember any of what had happened when she'd fully recovered, but knowing Alana, he wouldn't count on it.

At least, he thought, she doesn't seem to be having anymore nightmares...

"I dreamed of my mother this time," she's told him tearfully, "Claude, I'm scared. My mother died of a fever too. Remember? I told you a little while ago."

"You're not going to die," he murmured to her sleeping form, "at least not while I'm here."

"Claude?"

It was Alois, sticking his blond head into the door.

"Is she better yet?"

"Her fever has broken. All she needs now is to rest until morning and I'm sure by then she'll be back to normal, your Highness," Claude answered stiffly.

"Good, Hannah is so boring," the younger man pouted before noticing Claude's hand in the girl's hair, "Getting attached to her, are you?"

Claude closed his eyes, trying to keep from looking annoyed at the self satisfied smirk on the brat's face.

"This is the only way she'll rest peacefully. Besides, I understood that his Highness wanted me to become attached to her."

Alois scowled and gripped door.

"I do. Just don't forget about our contract."

"Of course not, Master," the demon assured, "my first priority is always you, as per our agreement."

The boy's expression didn't clear as he turned and shut the door behind him. Finally free of the brat, Claude turned back to the sleeping American.

"I don't know how you can stand him," Claude confided.

Naturally, there was no answer, but he could imagine what it would be if she was awake.

"He just wants companionship. He's a lonely little boy who has lost all the people close to him. Besides, he's not that bad. I guess I'm just patient because he reminds me of my brother."

He had no idea how either of them would fair as a couple, but he could just imagine what sort of demon she would make with the happy-go-lucky attitude she had. He shook his head slightly when he considered turning her into a demon. But the thought did make him smile a little. She would wreck all the other demons she came into contact with.

"We'll have to see how you fair in the coming months," he murmured, bringing his hand from her hair to her face, brushing her cheek with the back of his fingers.

Still sleeping, she reached up and took his hand, intertwining their fingers and murmured his name under her breath. He sighed and closed his eyes. He was falling for the helpless human and there was nothing he could do about it now that his master had made it an order.