So, I wanted this chapter out in October, buuuut practicum is kicking my butt. At least the chapter is here! Enjoy!
Warnings: Contains spoilers from chapter 129 onward.
Chapter XI
House of the Rising Moon
She watched as the rain began to fall in the early morning hours. The sun had risen and hid like a coward behind the grey clouds of London. The curse continued through, a creation to keep a demon trapped for eternity, imprisoning everyone else under the weeping weather.
It was like the lands had been overcome with an infectious disease.
Lotte's hands moved down the cold window, following a small tear drop on the glass. Her reflection held no emotion. Her long sleepless night had made her calm. Her eyes held heavy bangs but she didn't feel the exhaustion her body screamed. All the tears she let out had emptied and numbed the lust she had for the demon lurking in the shadows of this house.
Her nails screeched against the window, knowing what she had to do. How the dark night inspired her and how a deep contemplation would lead to her redemption.
Find Lilith and leave.
….leave him behind? Don't forget why you came. She thought before muttering. "No more distractions."
She bit her lip as a small reminder surfaced in her eyes.
"Dammit," she muttered, brushing it away with her hand.
Her mind felt clear, but her goddamn heart.
Her eyes moved to the bed. Unslept in and perfectly made by the demon in the house. She shook her head, leaning on the glass and looking back out into the grey world. She breathed out, trying to rid the flashes of the night.
His lips on hers.
His hands….
The way he looked at her.
"He had to have felt something," she muttered.
Lotte walked to the bed, staring at it as if she wanted something to happen - a mirage. Two bodies lying twisted in the fabric. If it happened last night would she be in the bed now, sheets tangled, and her naked body glued to her demon butler's? Would she feel happy? Would she live happily ever after in the castle and become the princess she read about in bedtime stories?
A finger moved on the perfect sheets, tracing out where she would be. She smiled, shaking her head. "It would be too easy, wouldn't it," she stated at the bed. "To get your way and pretend it wasn't just a dream. Soon you would realize what is real and this, what you're seeing, is."
She took her hand away, and frowned at the bed.
"Besides, happily ever afters don't exist."
She pulled out her own gun that was placed in the nightstand and aimed it at the door. She breathed out, both arms extended with the black weapon tightly in her grasp. Her hands remained still. Her lips shut tight. She narrowed her eyes, and waited.
Raphael…what did you mean in your god forsaken letter?
The knock on the door alerted her tired mind, and her eyes moved quickly to the clock on the walls.
Right on the hour mark.
She heard his voice. The deep muffle of his voice rattled her brain like the ghost in the shadows.
And the door opened.
He did not react when their eyes met. He didn't comment on her dangerous aim. She flicked the gun off safety mode, hovering over the trigger.
"Mr. Wilson is here to speak to you, Lotte," the demon butler stated. "Shall I prepare coffee in the lounge?"
Both figures remain as still as statues. The next few seconds had slowed. Lotte knew the bullet wouldn't kill the creature in front of her, but would she feel better to see the metal burn his fingers?
"Tell him I'll be there in a moment," she spoke quietly.
The demon nodded and left.
She lowered the gun as the adrenaline that had built up in her system disappeared. Her hands shook as she placed the gun on the bed, stepping away.
A deep breath later she exited the room into the hallway.
The long corridor stretched as the red carpet flowed like a river to her location. Lotte was on edge. The lack of sleep made her hands shaky, her mind fuzzy, and heart beat too fast. She had to breath deep every few seconds to stop the urge to scream. Step by step she moved through the house, feeling the nerves creep further and further into her skin.
Then there was a sound. A slightly voice whispered in her ear.
The moon will rise…
…be careful.
It repeated itself, moving through her brain like a quiet child in an empty room. She stopped for a moment, placing her hand against the wall. It is all in your head, she kept telling herself.
She comes with the moon… It kept saying.
Then she opened her eyes and found herself staring at a grey skinned, dark stoned figure at the end of the hall. She knew it wasn't just the lack of sleep.
"It's just in your head," she told the form as she shut her eyes tight once more, taking in a breath of the heavy air.
Be ready… it hummed.
She opened her eyes slowly to see whatever it was gone.
However, she knew it wasn't the same ghostly disfigured form she saw in her Grandfather's forgotten tomb. It wasn't her father's disturbed spirit.
Whoever this was…she had never met before.
Her skin crawled, creating small bumps of fear at the surface. Lotte shook her head, trying to forget that the house held secrets from her family's past. A dark inheritance created shadows in her dreams and turned them into terrifying nightmares.
She would rather fight an army of demons than get involved with the dead.
Lotte headed towards the lounge at a quicker pace than before. If she was going insane the voice would follow until she would sleep then haunt her dreams instead. However, if the supernatural wanted to be known, they would continue rage, remaining in the shadows until it was time.
xXx
London, December 14 1947
Lotte was only five years old when she first saw the ghost of her grandfather. He came to her when the full moon reached its peak in the winter sky. It was a strange scratching noise that awoke her. It sounded as if a dog was trying to dig itself a hole. In her dreams, it was a dog – a black shadow like creature with red eyes, digging a grave in a cemetery.
Her grave.
She awoke quickly after that, squeezing the white rabbit in her arms – a birthday gift from her father that night.
At first she didn't know what to do. He stood at the foot of her bed - grey skin and full black eyes, wearing a white suit covered with dark blotches of decomposition and mold. For a moment they stared at each other. For a moment, there was silence.
Then her grandfather's mouth began to open, as if trying to say something. His hand reached out as his mouth grew wider and wider, too big for human standards.
Lotte's eyes widened from the sight as he came closer towards her location.
And when a wheezing scream erupted from the figure's mouth, Lotte matched it with her own loud piercing sound. She didn't hesitate from leaving her bed and exiting the room.
Down the dark corridors she ran, not looking back at the chasing nightmare. Her breaths came out rapid and panicked. Her mind didn't understand what she saw. She wanted to know why nightmare creatures existed and why it was reaching out to her. What did it want?
She ran to the only person that could help. "Father!" she cried out, turning the golden doorknob to her parent's bedroom, only to find it dark and empty.
She turned and called out her mother's name, running down the labyrinth of hallways. She called her father's name again as she turned another corner, only to be faced with an apparition at the other end. A woman dressed in a blue velvet gown, standing at the end of the hallway of windows and staring out at the full moon. Her long blonde hair flowed down her back like a golden river, and her pale glass-like complexion made Lotte mesmerized by her beauty. She didn't know who the woman was, immediately thinking she was a new servant.
In that moment, she didn't care. She just needed someone to help her. So she ran quickly to the woman, calling out, "excuse me" in a tiny voice.
The woman turned to her then, and when she did Lotte let out a loud gasp, falling backwards on the floor. In the pale light she saw her face - half beautiful and half mutilated and bone-like. Her blonde hair on the other side was nearly non-existent with a dark hole replacing where it should be. The golden hairs that were left were blood stained and ratted.
Lotte let out a massive, shrieking scream as the woman began to float towards her.
No thinking. No breathing. Lotte turned and ran fast away from the moonlit hallway, leaving behind her white rabbit.
But she was too scared to remember what was in her hands. She was in her own nightmare. Her own real nightmare. And all she wanted to know was why.
"Father!" she cried out, as tears rushed down her cheeks. "Father! Help! Mother!"
She turned down the hallway towards the stairs. If she couldn't find anyone, she would run outside. She didn't care if it was cold; she needed to leave the house.
She began racing down the flight of large stairs, planning in her head to run to the nearest neighbour or anyone. But she noticed a slight, winter breeze travelling through. It nipped at her skin and she shivered slightly. Then she saw it. Her father was standing through the open doors, facing outside. Snow flew in, as if a massive blizzard decided to begin. Her mouth grew into a smile as she quickly ran down the rest of the red staircase, not caring about the sudden weather change.
It was only when she placed her bare feet on the marble floor did she notice the blood. Lotte paused, puzzled by the liquid. Her smile disappeared as she followed the trail of red footprints and the small drops of blood towards her father.
"Father?" she called out in a tiny voice.
He didn't turn to her. He didn't reply.
He only fell.
Lotte watched the blood pool under his body, mixing in with the white drifting snow.
That was when Lotte's world fell as well.
Turning black.
xXx
London, August 1967
"Ms. Phantomhive? Ms. Phantomhive, are you listening to me?"
Lotte blinked out the small flashback of memory. It had been a long time since she had secured the dark pictures of that night deep inside her mind. She never thought that one day it would want out.
She continued to blink away the dark past as it faded back into the depths of her memories. "Yes…sorry, yes. Can you repeat what you said?"
"There is a buyer who is interested in purchasing the old toy factory. However, they are departing tomorrow so they would like to secure a deal with you tonight."
"Tonight?"
"Yes, I have planned out a small dinner party with them and a few others who may be interested."
Lotte shook her head. "Mr. Wilson, isn't that too soon? You can't just plan something at my house without telling me."
"I understand your frustration, Ms. Phantomhive; however, this may be the last chance at securing a good price for this warehouse. After all, the building is currently a crumbling waste. This may be the best time and only time to…prepare."
Lotte blinked at his words. "I can't just drop everything though and host a dinner party."
"You don't have to," the butler behind her stepped in, placing a cup of coffee in front of her. Lotte refused to look at him as he continued, "I shall prepare everything. You will not have to lift a finger."
"All you need to do is meet with them, have some wine, sign some papers, and they'll be on their way. Perhaps you may have a better offer from the others too," Lawrence finished.
"Okay, fine. What about my outfit? I don't suppose I can wear jeans and a leather jacket to this party now, can I?" She responded impatiently.
"There are a few dresses that may interest you in Lady Elizabeth's old chambers. They may need a quick wash, but I can prepare that for you as well," the demon answered again.
"Its fine, I'll manage," she grumbled.
"Fantastic," Mr. Wilson clapped his hands and stood up. "Then I shall see you all before the moon rises."
"I shall begin prepping for the night then," the dark voice of the butler announced.
When Lotte turned her head to finally look at him, the demon had already left.
"Something on your mind, Ms. Phantomhive?" Mr. Wilson asked.
The two began to walk back towards the entrance. "No, I've…just…I'm fine."
"You haven't been sleeping it seems," he said.
Lotte glanced at him. "I said I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind with this toy factory business."
When they reached the foyer, Lotte stopped in her tracks at a quick flash of an image in front of her. Her father standing at the large entrance doors, covered with blood. The same image when she saw him….
"Ms. Phantomhive?"
"Yes…sorry. I did it again, didn't I?" she said, looking down at the marble floors.
"You've been seeing them, haven't you?" He asked. "The ghosts who roam the halls."
She let out a quick huff of laughter, nervous. "Don't…be silly, Mr. Wilson."
"Ms. Phatomhive, I've seen them too. You know that as much as I have."
She took in a deep breath, crossing her arms and facing him. "Do you know who they are? I saw one this morning but can't place who it could be."
"There were many deaths in this old manor, Ms. Phantomhive. There may be more than you've been seeing."
"I've been seeing them more and more lately. More than I want." She thought back quickly to the hidden memory.
"Ah, so they've begun to be more active then. Interesting."
"Is there a reason?"
He gave her a soft smile, continuing towards the entrance. "Quite possibly," he answered, opening the doors. A slight chill flew through the room. Rain poured outside. Lotte shivered. Wilson looked back. "Best be on your guard, Ms. Phantomhive. If the ghosts have come out of the shadows this early, something big is about to occur."
Lotte's brows furrowed as she watched Wilson tip his hat to her.
"Good day."
xXx
Lotte stared at herself in the full length mirror. Her emotionless glance stared back. Dark circles still hung under her eyes from lack of sleep. Her mind still ran through the events that morning. Visions of the past. A buried box opened from her childhood which she kept locked since that night.
And yet, it felt strange.
Outside the light began to dim. Soon the rain would slow to a drizzle until stopping completely. The moon would rise as stars would stare down like eyes in the night. This dinner party she was supposed to host…. Lawrence Wilson was correct, there was something coming.
Lotte knew she would have to be on her toes.
She clenched her grandfather's pistol, tracing the engravings on the side. All day she hid from him, wanting nothing from him. Over and over she contemplated leaving. One step after another she would get on a plane back to her non-existent life in New York.
But when she stood up, her feet wouldn't move.
"Damn," she muttered under her breath, letting out a sigh.
As much as she tried, as much as she wanted, she couldn't get him out of her head.
"Lotte," his voice awoke her.
She didn't jump, she didn't move. She only looked at her reflection.
"I have brought out an outfit for tonight's event." She heard him shuffling behind her. In the mirror she noticed his black, tall figure set something on the bed. She swallowed, looking away and back towards the pistol in her hands. "It was one of your grandmother's old dresses: a beautiful, blue velvet gown. I hope it will suffice."
The description of the dress alerted Lotte. Her eyes flashed up to the reflection of the demon before she got up and walked towards the dress lying on her sheets. When she laid eyes on the long sleeved design, she knew….
"I've seen this before," she whispered softly, touching the gown with the tips of her fingers.
She gasped as the vision of the nightmare swarmed her mind. The blonde lady in the moonlight who's disfigured face haunted her. A piece of her childhood she locked away.
"You said it was…my grandmother's?"
"Correct. It belonged to Lady Elizabeth. It was…one of her favourites I believe."
Lotte swallowed. "She didn't…die in it, did she?" Then she shook her head. "You know what, never mind. It's a ridiculous question."
But the more she stared at the navy, blue fabric, the more she saw her. Pale complexion, blonde hair, half destroyed by death and blood. A rotting corpse of a ghost who stood and stared at the full moon.
A haunted childhood.
Lotte backed away from her bed and right into the hard and firm chest of her butler. She froze at the touch. She froze as his hands took a hold on her shoulders, making sure she wouldn't find herself lying on the carpet at her feet.
She stepped forward away from him, facing into the direction of the mirror she stared into earlier before. "I can't," she started, "I can't wear that. I can't wear anything of hers."
"Then perhaps I can…"
"No!" she snapped, shutting her eyes tight. "It's fine. I'll… figure something…."
She dug her hands into the pocket of her leather jacket. The location of the sapphire ring she made a home for. She would touch it periodically, making her nerves calm and become the bad thoughts but a distant nightmare.
However, when her fingers touched nothing but emptiness, she snapped.
Instantly, she turned. Her eyes carrying fear inside. Her breathing reacting as if panicked like someone as shot her in the heart.
"Where is it?" she muttered to herself. At first in a low voice, then she repeated the question, each time getting louder and louder.
She flew all over the room, pulling drawers, throwing sheets on the floor hoping to reveal the missing piece of her past. As she did so, the demon butler remained watching, waiting for a moment to ask, "Lotte, what is wrong?"
She had pulled the whole room apart.
But the sapphire ring could not be found.
"It's not here." She then faced him, locking eyes with him for the first time since the passionate event they shared. In a stern voice she asked. "Where did you put it?"
"I beg your pardon?"
She marched towards the demon, grabbing him by the collar and shook. "Where did you place it you filthy piece of Hell spawn!?" she snapped.
Her chest moved up and down quickly. Sebastian narrowed his eyes and grinned down at her. "Well, what fancy words you have, Lotte." He teased, taking a hold of her hands, leaning towards her. "I would've thought you'd have better ones."
Her breathing slowed as she felt his own air on her face. She eyed his lips, waiting as they inched closer to hers.
Closer and closer he fell.
So close their lips almost….
And then the doorbell of the house rang.
Both figures looked out to the open door where the echo of the noise came from. Sebastian gave her a smile. "It looks like the first guests have begun to arrive. I shall go and greet them properly while you get ready."
He bowed and left soon after.
Lotte looked outside once he departed to see the rain has seized and the moon…
…the full moon has risen above the house.
The pale, blue light flooded into her room. She quickly turned the lamps on like she was scared of spies in the shadows. She needed the light.
Or let the butterflies deep in her system become devilish creatures.
xXx
Lotte had given up.
The dress that once lay on her bed now covered her skin.
She fought with herself for hours before realizing there was no time to find another outfit. Her grandmother's spirit would have to forgive her. And the haunting visions…
Velvet blue fabric hugged her body, flowing like a waterfall down the length of her figure. Her dark hair remained streaming down her back. She left her boots on, using the long dress to cover what would be inappropriate for a dinner party. And hidden on her right thigh was her pistol, hung and strapped.
She would not go unarmed.
Oh what Grandfather would say to this.
She chuckled lightly at herself. The Phantomhive name had gone down in history as nobility, but she had changed the label to somewhat distasteful.
I am a hunter. "So people will see me as one."
She smirked at her words and walked out the door. Echoing down the hallway, she could hear the voices of the guests moving into the house. They entered like ghosts making Lotte stop for a moment. She placed her hand on the wall, taking in deep breaths. Her mind and heart raced as she kept reminding herself it wasn't in her head.
Head held high, she turned the corner to the staircase. As soon as she started down the steps, visions of the dark night flashed. She paused, tightening her grip on the railing before continuing down. She blinked out the pictures and ignored her brain.
Sebastian and Lawrence Wilson stood at the bottom of the stairs, greeting the last guest in the foyer. Lotte watched Sebastian's eyes land on her. She swallowed, moving to Wilson who gave her a soft smile.
"My, well don't you look ravishing tonight, Ms. Phantomhive," he commented. "If you had been born a blonde, you would've been the spitting image of your grandmother, God rest her soul."
Lotte grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Wilson."
Then Lotte looked at the demon behind her, catching his eyes.
"I believe the last of the guests have arrived. I shall see you in the dining hall," Wilson continued on, disappearing behind two closed doors.
They were alone. Lotte swallowed, looking down at the ground.
"You look…" the demon began to say until an interrupting knock announced from the entrance.
The pair looked at the doors. Lotte's eyebrows furrowed. "I thought Mr. Wilson said the last of the guest had arrived."
"Perhaps he was mistaken," Sebastian added, moving past to answer the door.
Lotte followed, curious who the late comer was. When the door opened, she let out a small gasp at who was on the other side.
"Ciel?" she exclaimed. "What…"
"Charlotte, I apologize that we are late. It is unforgivable," he explained, moving inside with his maid following close behind.
As he entered, she could help but notice the demon butler beside her, eyes wide and body unmoving.
"Sebastian, long time," Ciel added, nodding once at the demon.
The woman maid took the old man's coat off and handed it to the butler without a word. She did not look him in the eyes, and Lotte watched as she showed her a concerning glance.
"Sebastian," Lotte said without taking her eyes off the two late comers, "why don't you put their coats away and I'll meet you in the dining hall."
"As you wish," he answered.
Lotte watched him leave, his red eyes glancing at the old man in front of her as he did so. She let out a small, nervous sigh.
"What…Ciel…," she began.
"Something smells good…." He spoke. "May I smell your perfume closely?"
He stepped forward, almost embracing her. Lotte's body froze as motioned her to lean down to his level. He breathed hard on her ear as he grabbed her hand and placed something small and cold on it.
"Keep it close. Do not loose who you are," he whispered in her ear before back up. "What a lovely fragrance. Is that lavender?"
He nodded to his maid and started towards the dining hall doors.
Lotte opened her hand to see the sapphire ring she thought had vanished now lying on her palm.
Dammit.
Lotte grabbed the maid's arm and asked, "What is going on?"
The maid's body shook as she gave Lotte an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I don't even know. All he told me was 'it's almost time'. He won't say anything else."
"Almost time for what?" she asked as the butterflies appeared again.
She shook her head.
Lotte watched as the maid followed her master into the dining room, leaving her alone in the foyer. Lotte looked down at the ring once again, cursing at herself. Quickly as she could, she dropped it in her boot.
When she stood back up straight, she jumped slightly at the unfamiliar man standing in front of her. He was wearing all black and stared back at her behind thick lenses. She swallowed nervously at the silent figure.
"You don't happen to be Charlotte Phantomhive, would you?" he asked. His voice was soothing and still.
"Yes. I am."
A smile appeared. "Good, my boss has been interested in the toy factory for quite some time. Mr. Wilson would've mentioned it. We're the ones who are leaving tomorrow."
Lotte breathed out in relief. "Right, yes. You want to buy the property right away."
"Exactly. However, we are in more of a hurry than we thought. My boss would like to speak to you right now about it if you don't mind."
Lotte shook her head. "No, that's fine. Are they inside the dining hall?"
The man shook his head. "No, I thought we'd go somewhere more private. My boss is in the office upstairs to do the negotiating. It's quieter."
"The office…?" Lotte asked carefully. Does he mean my grandfather's office?
"Yes, it's a good place. Apparently it was your grandfather's?"
She nodded, narrowing her eyes slightly at the gentleman. "Okay, sure. Let's go."
She followed him upstairs, watching him the entire time. There was no darkness that surrounded the man. Any indication of demon did not alert her brain. He was clean.
However, his green eyes made her skin crawl slightly. She would have to be on her toes.
Once at the office door, Lotte watched the man knock. Behind the door, a woman's voice answered, saying to come in.
The man than gave Lotte a smile and allowed her through.
Once Lotte was through, the door slammed shut. She looked behind her once then faced forward, seeing a woman with long blonde hair standing in front of the large window. She was looking outside, the full moon flooding over the white dress she wore.
Lotte narrowed her eyes at the woman, stepping forward. Fast flashes of the woman in red moved quickly in her vision, keeping her heart rate increased. Lotte took a deep breath and watched as the woman in front of her turn around to give her a small smile from her porcelain look.
"You must be Charlotte Phantomhive," the woman spoke; her English accent smooth and beautiful.
Lotte watched as the woman began to move towards her. "And you are?"
The woman stopped in front of the desk, placing herself into the light. Lotte froze at the colour of the woman's eyes.
Red.
"Of course, where are my manners?" Lotte saw the dark look the woman gave. "I'm Lilith. It is so good to finally meet you."
Lilith has finally arrived! WOOT! Creepy chapter though... ;) Reviews help me out a lot!
