Chapter Ten
Sebastian flew through the thick brush and thickets, twigs and needle-sharp thorns going unnoticed as he moved at an incredible speed. The moon was merely a sliver, hardly noticeable behind the thick rolling clouds overhead. He carefully skirted around the running creeks and rivers as he came upon them, crossing fields soundlessly, completely unaware to the humans who were currently retiring from the evening's activities.
Slowing, he sniffed the air again, growling deep in his throat as he found Ciel's scent to be nonexistent. He was running blindly, searching desperately for some kind of tangible direction.
When he had woken from his comatose state, Sebastian had already sensed that something was amiss. It didn't take long before he found Ciel to be gone, his scent stopping at the mouth of the hollow. Thoughts that the boy had finally scurried away entertained his mind without a hint of mercy, and he had immediately set off for the boy's residence, finding it void of the blue-eyed human.
Stopping to absently contemplate the gently swaying leaves that still clung to their branches much like a frightened child would cling to its mother, Sebastian mulled over all the possibilities behind Ciel's disappearance. Wicked elves would have left their scent, just like the first time, and their specialty in magic was limited to spells that decontaminated the body. The wraith could have come by, and it alarmed the vampire as he realized he had restricted knowledge of their abilities. Could wraiths leave scents behind? The one he'd met in the market looked far from ghostly, as most were rumored to appear. Tightening his fists in frustration, Sebastian forcefully banished this possibility to the back of his mind as a last resort.
The last to see Ciel other than himself had been Angela and Claude and…
Snarling low in his throat and causing any nearby critters to scamper away in fear, Sebastian's eyes glowed blood red as his fangs and claws extended out of pure, unkempt wrath. He drank in the air, knowing that they hadn't even left the area, the older vampire too wary of travelling aboveground if it were true that the underground routes were blocked. With little to no effort, he instantly detected the two familiar strands, his instincts already calculating their exact position.
"Claude, come on already!" Alois cried, prancing backwards through the open field, the long grass smoothly swiping his chest and tickling his chin. He launched his arms out in a gesture that all was safe. "There's barely any light anyway, and I hardly think humans would be tending to their crops this late."
The elder creature's golden eyes narrowed as the blonde started teasing him of being frightened. He let Alois have his fun, moving along the rim of the trees that surrounded the field, his developed instincts not liking the idea of being so defenseless and exposed.
Alois eventually skipped over to him, wrapping both his arms around his middle and hugging the taller close. Naturally, Claude gathered the younger vampire into his arms, distracting the blonde with licks and rough kisses as he slyly moved back into the cover of the forest. No matter how dark it was, he never quite felt secure enough. Alois had yet to learn to be cautious of danger.
"Nngh…Cl-Claude," the boy moaned, crudely twisting his fingers in black locks and pulling their faces that much closer. He viciously bit at the elder's lips, needy as blood spilled plentifully into his awaiting and hungry mouth. Licking at even teeth for pleasure, Alois just barely noticed Claude stiffen considerably before breaking into a dead run.
Clinging so hard that he accidentally extended his claws in order to gain purchase, Alois whimpered before barking over the rush of wind for Claude to stop and explain himself, but his protests fell on deaf ears, meaning that the other wasn't playing with him. His golden eyes shimmered red around the irises, causing the blonde to glance over Claude's shoulder to see what exactly they were running from.
His vision blurred black for a moment, and the next thing Alois felt was the sensation of his back splitting into two as he was literally chucked into some kind of tree or rock. He grunted in pain, tears coming to his eyes but not quite spilling over as he heard Claude faintly groan nearby.
"Claude-!" he cried out, his voice deserting him as a sob escaped, effectively choking him. He tried to stand, but he fell on his face, which was dripping with blood. He could now clearly hear the sounds of a fight somewhere to his left, yet his enhanced vision failed him as he couldn't see anything through the pitch darkness and overgrown vegetation.
Everything went silent for the longest moment and Alois' breath hitched as he imagined the worst. His fangs extended as his instincts of defense kicked in, and he managed to straighten himself on his knees in a half-squat, half-huddle as he prepared himself for his attacker.
Before he could even take a shuddering breath, what little unneeded air that filled his lungs was forcefully squeezed out as a hand tightened excruciatingly around his tiny neck, his back pressed against something rough and firm. Narrowed red eyes glared hatefully at him, and even through his pain and floundering consciousness, Alois immediately recognized who it was who held his life literally in his hand.
"Se-Seb-ah-!" the blonde cried, his half formed words being forced out of his throat as the older vampire's hand constricted without mercy.
"Where is he, what the hell did you do with him?" Sebastian hissed, his voice more or less deformed and sounding more like his true nature instead of his usual, precise and methodical speech. He rattled Alois, knocking his head until it bled. Tears streamed down the blonde's face as fear consumed him. "Where's Ciel?!"
Suddenly Alois was knocked to his side, an arm catching him before he could hit a patch of rocks. He was pulled close to his maker's chest securely, the vampire's chest vibrating as Claude growled threateningly, defensively. Through hazy blue eyes, Alois saw Sebastian down on one knee a couple feet from them, his nose wrinkled in anger as he hissed at the duo.
"Sebastian," Claude said clearly and taciturnly despite the fact Alois could tell he was fuming.
Crimson eyes glared hatefully at them, but Sebastian didn't attack again. Tense moments passed between them before he stood to his full height. Claude didn't move but kept watchful eyes on the other, sustaining his defense up and shielding the youngest of the trio.
"Where is he?" Sebastian finally questioned, his voice near normal, and his frayed appearance smoothed down some.
"We haven't done anything," Claude answered back calmly, watching the other with steady eyes. Sebastian remained still, considering the older vampire's words. "Back off."
Whimpering, Alois turned into Claude's chest, arms wrapping protectively around him. Seeing Claude go into that state of rage once had been one thing; he'd been defending him from a cluster of orcs shortly after he'd been turned. But being on the receiving end of such wrath was absolutely terrifying.
"I know you have access to spells that could easily hide his scent," Sebastian outright declared, his temper veiled now. "I've seen the looks on both your faces whenever you were around him."
Setting Alois between two upturned roots, Claude stood. "I will not lie and say that neither of us had a natural attraction toward the boy," he started, holding his hands out, his eyes narrowing slightly, "But do you honestly think us foolish enough to take him from you?"
Sebastian glared at him heatedly before scoffing and turning his back. It was obvious he knew the truth, but his anger had yet to be sated. "Then where the hell is he?" he questioned lowly.
Gasping, Alois scrambled to his feet like a broken doll, his icy blue eyes wide with realization. Stumbling to Claude for support, he blurted, "An-Angela told me something yesterday!" Sebastian rounded on him faster than he could comprehend. A protective arm shielded the youngest just in case of another temper flaring out of control.
"Tell me. Now," the vampire breathed lowly, menacingly. Alois' jaw quivered as he searched for words. Mercifully Claude pushed the other back an arm's length.
"She said there was a way that I could 'borrow' Ciel," Alois articulated quietly, clutching his partner's arm for security as red eyes blazed with renewed anger. "She said that if I use hypnotism I could-" He was cut off mid-sentence as Claude launched back as Sebastian hissed, his tone low and at its deadliest. They watched the vampire seethe, surprisingly not taking his anger out on them again.
"But you're too young to possess that aptitude," Sebastian eventually reasoned out, "I'm also too young, but Angela…"
"She might have been able to develop such an ability; she is at least two centuries older than us," Claude added helpfully, his and Sebastian's eyes meeting in mutual agreement. He tilted his head back to sample the air. "Her scent would lead us northeast."
Angela inhaled sharply, her back tensing as gooseflesh broke out over her whole body. Taking a cautious step forward, she sniffed the air with distaste. Her eyes narrowing, she glanced behind her shoulder, catching the smallest of glimpses of who was coming.
"Shit."
Murmuring ancient words under her breath, Angel started to run, the cold wind icy against her skin. A familiar tingling sensation raced through her body, and in a blink of an eye, she was airborne, her slightly transparent wings glowing in the scant moonlight.
"Damnit," Sebastian breathed, finding that the woman's aroma had vanished. Behind him Claude scouted the small area where Angela's remaining scent hung. He shook his head, finding nothing of importance. "She evidently noticed us."
"Is there a way to follow her in her bat form?" Alois asked drowsily, peering over Claude's shoulder.
Sebastian shrugged, his face twisted in frustration. He glanced at Claude for wisdom, and the other went into thought. "How long has she been in the area?"
Snapping a branch in between his fingers, Sebastian replied gruffly, "Since Ciel arrived. Before that, she was moving through western Asia. I hardly think she'd run back all that way if she had set up a temporary nest." Claude nodded at the logic, both he and the other raven haired vampire searching the area for any kind of clue as to where she would've dashed off to. They came up empty-handed.
"Did she tell you anything else, Alois?" Claude bumped the younger creature clutching his back, the blonde stirring from his daze. The older pierced his finger with a fang and offered it to his partner to sip at. Alois closed his mouth around the appendage gratefully.
"No."
Growling, Sebastian cracked a thick branch and followed what little scent he could detect. His red eyes blazed in the darkness as he sought anything that would give them a more definite lead, his hopes rising a little when he caught sight of ripped fabric. Studying it carefully, he felt his spirits rise that much more as he calculated which way they were heading next.
"She's turned southeast," he said as Claude came up behind him. "And there's no way that she could retain her form for very long. She'll have to touch land again at some point." With that little less than solid confirmation, they started off, keeping their senses keen and eyes open.
It was about twenty miles later that they were overwhelmed by the female's scent. They had managed to track her despite her being airborne. Angela had been sloppy in her three or four takeoffs, evidently frightened of what would happen to her if they caught her. Sebastian's blood boiled the nearer they got to wherever it was she was unintentionally leading them, his hands clenching into fists as the thought of choking her to death came to mind.
Arriving to a clearing, the trio came upon an old building. It resembled a warehouse of sorts, made of weathered stone and rusted iron, the surrounding foliage only just starting to creep up the sides of the large and hollow structure. The sky had cleared of its clouds and the stars twinkled dimly overhead, the shard of a moon doing little to light the area. Surveying the area quietly, Sebastian nearly sprang forward when he caught the sight of Angela waiting outside the large double doors.
"You can all come out," she called softly, a smile gracing her lips as if nothing were wrong. "I promise I haven't set a trap if that's why you're hesitating." Warily considering her words, Sebastian and the others gradually ducked out of their cover. They stopped when they were within ten feet of the white-clad vampire. It was then that Sebastian caught the faintest wisp of Ciel's scent.
Steeling himself against acting on his anger, Sebastian stepped forward, his burgundy eyes glaring heatedly into semi-blank violet ones. "Why go through all the trouble when this was to be the obvious outcome?" he questioned viciously. "Hand him over."
With the tiniest of giggles, Angela tapped a finger to her lips. "Oh, but it wasn't I who went through all the trouble," she replied, "You see…" Stepping back gracefully, she pushed the doors open slightly, stepping through the space they allowed. She disappeared into the building, silently bidding them to follow.
Ciel's scent was stronger inside, but it was still heavily masked with stale rainwater and some kind of chemical that made his nostrils burn. Sebastian constricted his eyes in order to see better as he and the others walked down the corridor. When they came to the end of the hall that led to what would've been the main room of the warehouse, the trio stopped as their path was blocked.
Angela lay on her back with her arms spread wide. Her head was turned to the side, a small amount of fresh blood dirtying her white hair, and a little was seeping out of the corner of her pale lips. Lilac eyes were dull, nearly devoid of life. Sebastian and Claude looked down on her with confusion before Sebastian sniffed and walked around her as something much more important caught his eye.
Amid forgotten machinery and rickety steel tables holding the weight of what seemed to be hundreds of tiny metal tools was Ciel. He, too, was laid out on his back on what appeared to be a clean examination table, his skin at its palest. He was lacking his shirt and shoes, and some kind of tube filled with his precious blood was stuck in his right arm. His eyes were barely open, but Sebastian could see that they weren't as dull as Angela's.
Rushing to the human's side, Sebastian gingerly touched Ciel's slate-grey hair, baring his teeth and snarling as he got a better look at the needle stuck in the crook of the boy's elbow. "Se-…Seb-" the boy tried to say, his words dry and raspy as he recognized Sebastian's touch. Softly telling him to be quiet, he cupped Ciel's cold cheek, and as he was about to pull out the tube with the other, he was pushed back by an unseen force, his back colliding with a sturdy table.
His knees fell to the gritty floor by themselves, a heavy weight settling over his shoulders. Sebastian grunted, searching for Claude and Alois, but seeing no sign of either vampire. Extending his claws, he attempted to pull himself back up to his feet, but the invisible weight kept him firmly down. Glaring into the shadows around him, he froze as if a blizzard had just come through.
"Oh, Sebastian, leave 'im be," a voice sauntered from the shadows, "You don't want to hurt 'im any further, do you?"
A/N: Aaaannnddd….cliffhanger! (sorry) Thank you so much for everyone who has been keeping up with this fic, I really appreciate it ^.^ Feel free to tell me what you think of this chapter~!