Reagan stared at him for a few minutes She started to say something but the words wouldn't form. Unable to process what Adrian just said, she got up and started pacing again. Adrian watched her for a minute or two then got up and brought her back to the bed to sit down.
He chuckled lightly, "Don't know where to start with that … hehe, eh, love?"
"That's an understatement." She replied. The questions in her head were endless.
"Let's start from the beginning, poppet." Adrian offered as he watched the various emotions play across her face. He pushed his right hand through his bangs, pulling them back. "I will tell you what you need to know."
She nodded in agreement. "What is a Judicia?"
"A Judicia is a balance of sorts. There are times, though very rare, when a demon, shinigami … hehehe … or an angel has gone too far." Adrian explained, pausing seeing the distant expression on her face.
Reagan zoned out for a moment, gone to a different time and place. She felt her nose get poked and realized that he was trying to get her attention. "Sorry …" she said quickly, a light blush ghosting over her cheeks. "You mean they insane."
He nodded, "Yes … hehe, very good. There's a fine line and once that's crossed … a 'balancing of the books' must be done."
"They have to be …" She answered.
"Eradicated, yes," he concluded for her.
Reagan could feel the tears burn that back of her eyes, "Why?" She asked softly, looking everywhere but that reaper in front of her.
"They've gotten to the point where delusion and madness are they're reason. They become a danger to the Judicia themselves." Adrian said. Then he noticed a tear run down Reagan's cheek. Why would she be … That would make sense. He scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. Whispering in her ear, he reassured Reagan, "No love, that's not why." Adrian could help but laugh to himself. "Granted the dolls … hehe … weren't my best display of curiosity, I'm talking about when a being is so far gone that there's no bringing them back."
She nodded, "I understand. I'm sorry .."
He giggled and brought her lips to his. When he pulled back, his usual grin replaced the seriousness of what he had explained. "No need for apologies, poppet. I can see why your mind went to those events. Though, at twelve years old, seeing my complete record shouldn't have happened." He quipped.
"I didn't mean too. You left your ring on the nightstand." Reagan prodded, poking him in the chest. Then her smile faded. "How many have there been, Adrian?"
He closed his eyes, mentally counting past events. "There have been two so you're the third Judicia to be born."
"And you saw the last one." Reagan paused, frowning at the math then she gasped. "That was over …"
Putting a black tipped finger to his lips, he shushed her. "It's a secret." He looked over at her alarm clock. "Love, it's 6 am and I know you were sitting in the living room for a little bit before I came out."
Reagan nodded and untangled herself from his arms and robe. Adrian pulled the bedding back, stepping back so she could lay down. He sat down next to her after covering her. Gently, he tucked a loose strand behind her ear.
Leaning down, he brushed his lips against hers, once, twice, a third time, his tongue tracing her bottom lip silently asking. She timidly opened her mouth, his tongue dipping into her mouth to taste her. He gently stroked her tongue, tasting the earl grey tea that she had drank earlier. Reagan sighed softly as she felt his hand cradled her cheek.
Adrian smiled and slowly broke the kiss, noticing the slight phosphorescent tint that played through the ice blue of her eyes. "Hmm, such a sweet taste, I'll have to be careful with you, love … hehe." He pressed his lips to her forehead, "Goodnight poppet."
She snuggled down into her blanker, smiling like a Cheshire cat. "Goodnight Adrian." Within a few minutes, Reagan was sound asleep.
He got up and started to walk toward the door when he something shift outside. Making his way over to the windows behind the desk, he looked down at the roof of the neighboring building to see a grungy looking man watching. Adrian let his calm expression twist into a snarl, a growl, too low to register in Reagan's ears, rumbled in his throat.
The man's eye grew wide as they flashed fuchsia. He turned to run, only to barely dodge a set of pruners. The demon stumbled back and jumping to a neighboring building. The reaper looked up at the window and nodded, taking off after the demon.
Adrian lowered the blinds so Reagan wouldn't be disturbed in the morning. He walked out of her room, closing the door. Crawling back into his own bed, he passed out until his alarm went off.
A few days later, on November 28th, the Yard brought in the eighth body. Giving Undertaker the folder, they thanked him and left. About an hour later, Ciel and Sebastian came in with more information.
"Undertaker, are you here?" Ciel called out as they walked in.
The office door opened as Adrian stepped out, "Ah, what do I owe the pleasure today, my Earl …hehe?"
"Have you been able to look over the body yet?" Ciel asked curtly.
"Oohhh … maybe, maybe not … hehe … that will cost you."
Ciel growled, his eye flashing. "Sebastian …"
Reagan was lounging up on one of the ceiling rafter in the open ceiling, watching Ciel get frustrated. "After 150 years, you should be use to this Ciel." She teased as she gracefully dropped down, landing almost silently beside them. Ciel just glared at her. She couldn't help but laugh, "Ah, is the pup upset that he's not getting his bone." She winked at Adrian as she hopped up on the counter.
Adrian for his part, howled with laughter, a loud bang following. Reagan shook her head as she snatched up his top hat off the floor. She hopped up on the counter and put the hat on her head. Her black velvet and satin corset top hugged her hour glass figure while her jeans wrapped around her hips and thighs.
Finally, after 10 minutes of cackling, Adrian picked himself off the floor. He walked over, wrapped his arms around Reagan's shoulders and told her that the flower delivery would arrive in a few minutes. She slipped off the counter and handed him his hat.
"Thank you, love." He brushed his lips against hers. "After the flowers are taken care of, please, go get something to eat. I know you haven't eaten yet this moring, poppet." Reagan nodded. Grabbing her frock coat from the office, she headed to the back to check in the flowers.
Ciel stood there, shocked. After a few minutes, Ciel snapped out of it. "Well … that's something I've never seen you do before."
Adrian simple giggled, ignoring the comment. "Now then, since Reagan … hehe … has ever so kindly … hehe … my fee for you … again, the next time, you, my dear Earl, have to pay it yourself."
They walked back to the prep room and went over the body and hour. Meanwhile, Reagan had finished with the flower order and went upstairs to eat. When she came back downstairs, she was surprised to hear Ciel and Sebastian talking to Adrian in the front of the shop.
She slipped into the prep room and looked over the files that were on the counter. Something didn't seem right with the body. The young woman had been killed like the others, matter of fact, she seemed normal. That is, until Reagan notice a slight discoloration in her nailbed. Adrian's probably going to be piss off at me for this but … I know that nail color." She put on a pair of gloves, picked up a scalpel and made a small incision into the abdomen. As she withdrew the knife, a mix of blood and a black tar-like substance oozed out. There's the ichor.
Reagan took off the gloves and washed up. As she stepped out of the prep room, she overheard the conversation and silently watched.
Ciel handed Adrian a small manila envelope.
"We found this after the Yard left." Sebastian explained as Ciel red over the file.
He cut open the envelope and a silver chain and locket poured out into his hand. Adrian raised to his nose. "There no ichor. That's … odd."
"It's impossible to know we're looking for without more information." Ciel growled. "So far, we only know that Reagan has encountered each victim since she's moved back to London."
"Not entirely, true my lord." Adrian pointed out. "All my guests were seen at a club called Noir Nocturnal."
"All of them, even the newest victim?"
Adrian smiled, "It appears that after meeting Reagan, each of them would end up at the club and meet with someone in an exclusive area."
Ciel thought for a moment, "Undertaker, would it be possible for Reagan to read the locket since there's no ichor present?"
He looked at the young demon. That might be the only way, but it's dangerous for her to pull a record before her binding is completed. "My lord …"
Reagan came out of the shadow of the hall. Everyone turned and looked at her as she walked out to the front of the shop.
"Lady Reagan, how long have you been there?" Sebastian asked, clearly shocked.
"Long enough to hear the conversation." She said then she looked down at the floor. "Let me see the locket."
"We'll find another way, love." Adrian offered, no wanting for her to push beyond her limit right now.
"There isn't any other way and you know it." Reagan biting back at his overprotectiveness. "By the way, the young woman was poisoned."
"Reagan, what did you do?" Adrian asked her as he walked back to the prep room. "Come and explain, poppet."
Ciel and Sebastian followed Reagan into the prep room. She grabbed a pair of gloves. "Taking in account everything, I re-read the files. She looks like she died of natural causes and I would have agreed if I hadn't noticed something.
Reagan picked up one the girl's hands and holding it for Adrian to see, "Her nailbeds are too gray. If you look closer, you can barely make out the black veining."
"Okay, so how does that prove she was poisoned, Reagan?" Ciel asked, not understanding.
She picked up a clean scalpel and inserted it into her previous incision. Pulling it out, the blade was covered with blood and ichor. "This only happens when ichor is introduced into fresh wounds." Reagan looked at Adrian. "I'd bet money that when we wash her down, she'll be covered with scarring."
Sebastian watched Reagan through the whole discourse. She had a disconnected look. "If I may, Lady Reagan, how do you know the process of ichor poisoning?"
"I've been through it and survived." Reagan said. No one said a word about her revelation. "Now, please let me see the locket."
Adrian conceded the point, know that she was right. "Go sit down out front and prepare."
Reagan took off her gloves and sat down in the chair behind the counter while Adrian grabbed a vial of pearlescent liquid. He then went into the prep room, grabbed a clean beaker and made some warm salt water.
"What those for?" Ciel inquired as Adrian set the items on the counter.
"These are for after she's done." He replied. After pulling the curtains and locking the door so anyone would see that the funeral parlor was closed, he walked over to Reagan. "Are you ready, poppet?"
She stood up and held out her hand, "Yeah." She took a deep breath and exhaled as he put the necklace in her hand. Reagan closed her hand reflexively around the locket and inhaled sharply. Her head rolled back as she felt herself sink.
"What in the world …" Ciel breathed out as they watched Reagan's appearance shift.