J-C: Hello all! I'm back! *gets beaned in the head by a stuffed animal* What the crap?
~Sasuke~ You left me alone with this pervert for over 2 hours! What the heck were you doing?
J-C: Responding to anonymous reviewers and rewatching the latest episode of Kuroshitsuji 2...wait, where's Naruto?
~Sasuke~ That's unimportant... *tucks gag and ropes under the carpet*
J-C: O.o
~Sasuke~ Just hurry up and introduce the next chapter!
J-C: YES SASUKE! Whew...he's scary when he gets mad. Yet, not as scary (and cute) as Alois! *huggles an Alois plushie that doesn't even exist yet but that she really wants* Welp, since there haven't been any reviews for Chapter 11 yet, I can't say my thanks for that...so I'll just say thank you for reading Chapter 11 and heading straight on over to Chapter 12, lolz! ^0^ I might as well make this Author Note quite short in celebration of updating quickly (two updates in a day, oh yeah!). So lets say hello to our by now close friends, Disclaimer and Warnings!
Disclaimer: You have NO idea how much I want to own Kuroshitsuji at the moment...hello! Sebastian and Claude are gonna get wet in the next episode! *dies at the thought, therefore forfeiting the chance for ownership*
Warnings: Welp, we've gots language, violence (more than in Chapter 11, so have your barf bags ready people...but still not AS bad as Chapter 9 I think...), sexual situations/themes, sexual assault (*sniffles* WHY? Oh...because I wrote it... XD), BOY x BOY love (I think I might stop warning that now...), and...yep, that's about it for this chapter! ^-^
J-C: Even though you guys have just read Chapter 11, it never hurts to refresh your memories. Sooooo...thoughts look like this (I loved Episode 5 of Kuroshitsuji 2!), regular dialogue and stuff looks like this (Sebastian AND Claude are gonna get wet in the 6th episode!), emphasized words look like this (SEXUAL ASSAULT, OH NOES!) or like this (The arc is almost over!), Sound FX look like this (SPLASH!), (XXX) stands for scene/time changes, and anything with a number behind it means that it has some extra info about it at the end of this chapter (ex. Bishounen (2)). Now that everybody's memory has been refreshed, get ready for Chapter 12! Enjoy! ^0^
Chapter 12: The Hunter
Wh-What happened? Where…am I? Am I…dead?
Ciel's head lolled to the side as he slowly regained consciousness. He slightly opened his eyes to find that everything was transitioning between blurry and clear. He shut his eyes when his head began to spin. Everything was gradually coming back to him. He had been waiting in the hotel room for Sebastian to come back…Father Gregory had visited him and went into Jack the Ripper Mode…they had been fighting when…
Ciel's eyes shot open as he sharply took a breath. He blinked owlishly to find that he was in a dark room. His natural eye slowly began to adjust to the absence of light. He could make out the outlines of shapes that he guessed were furniture. He painfully turned his head to see a barred window located almost near the ceiling. Ciel groaned as his bodily pains finally registered in his mind. He had taken quite a beating from the psycho demon; he was amazed that he was still alive. The boy moved to sit up but was jerked to a stop by a restraint of some sort. A confused expression flitted across the blue-eyed boy's face. He looked up and gasped; his hands were tied with pieces of cloth to the corners of the headboard of the bed. Ciel looked back down at his feet and was relieved to find that his feet weren't tied down.
He began to wiggle against the constraints until a sharp pain originating from his broken wrist shot through his system. Ciel winced but continued to struggle against his bonds. The clank of the metal bars that he was tied to filled the once silent room. Regardless, Ciel's struggles only increased. He moved to bite his lip to stop himself from crying out and alerting the priest's attention. Instead of biting flesh, Ciel bit a sour tasting material. Ciel's eyes widened as he bit down on the cloth gag tied around his mouth. He stopped moving for a moment and allowed for his situation and the surroundings to sink in.
Why am I tied to a bed with a gag over my mouth? More importantly, where the heck am I? From the looks of the several pictures of the Virgin Mary and the faint scent of incense, I must be back at the church. But I don't understand…why would Father Gregory bring me here? Furthermore, where is he anyway? If I can't get out of here before he comes back…
"Ah, you are finally awake. I swear, I wonder why Halfies like Sebastian bother to make contracts with such weak creatures," a lilting voice commented. Candles perched in holders on the walls suddenly filled the room with light. Ciel winced before his eyes quickly adjusted. He turned his head to see Father Gregory leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe. Ciel's eyes narrowed at the relaxing demon. The priest frowned disapprovingly before he began moving towards the bed.
"Now now, what is with that look? You should be happy to see me; I am about to cleanse you of your sins," the priest stated. Ciel's glare intensified as the man reached out a hand to gently stroke his cheek. The butler whipped his head to the side, but the demon harshly grabbed his chin and forced the boy to look at him. A thought seemed to pop into Father Gregory's head; he smiled gently at the angered child. "Perhaps I should remove this gag from your mouth…I only tied it there as a precaution in case any members of the congregation were to appear. Of course, they could not hear us anyway…no matter how loudly you scream," the man added darkly. Ciel resisted the urge to shudder at the look in the other male's eyes.
The priest moved to remove the gag from Ciel's mouth. Angry red lines were present where the gag had been tightly tied. Ciel spat out the bitter taste in his mouth from the gag before he glared at the smirking demon. "Where the hell am I?" he asked harshly. The demon chuckled before running a hand through the boy's hair.
"At St. Mary's Cathedral of course. We are currently located underneath the main part of the church; these are my old sleeping quarters," the priest explained.
"Release me at once," Ciel demanded. The demon's smirk widened before he harshly gripped Ciel's hair. The butler winced at the harsh treatment but refused to cry out.
"Demanding aren't we? That type of arrogance coming from a whore like you is neither appreciated nor appropriate," the demon reprimanded. He twisted the strands of hair in his hand; Ciel squeezed his eyes shut and clamped his lips shut. The boy knew that this man received great pleasure from causing others pain. He refused to give the man any sort of pleasure.
When Ciel didn't cry out, the demon huffed with disappointment and released his hold on the boy's hair. Ciel's scalp smarted from the rough treatment. "For the last time you third-rate demon, I am not a whore," Ciel shot back furiously. The demon wagged a teasing finger in front of the boy's face; Ciel was quite tempted to bite it hard enough to draw blood.
"Manners boy…you are talking to a pureblood demon. That type of talk is suited for your pathetic Halfie master only," the possessed man warned. Ciel smirked at the mention of his master.
"Well, since it seems that you think Halfies are lower than yourself, than either Sebastian is an extraordinary Halfie, or you are a pathetic pureblood," Ciel commented mockingly. The dark-haired boy bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood to prevent himself from making any noise as he was harshly slapped across the face. Father Gregory growled at the young Phantomhive. Ciel gagged when the man suddenly shoved two of his fingers in his mouth. The boy's eyes widened as his tongue was gripped and pulled past his lips. The demon pinched the sensitive muscle, causing the boy to squirm and squeeze his eyes shut in pain. The priest pulled on Ciel's tongue a tad harder, causing new shockwaves of pain to course through the boy's system.
"You have quite a mouth on you, don't you boy? Now you listen and you listen well; if you continue to talk disrespectfully to me, I will rip this bloody tongue right out of your mouth," Father Gregory said harshly before he released the muscle. Ciel's head snapped back causing his whole body to fall back onto the bed. The boy swallowed unsteadily as cold fear began to course through his body.
What exactly is this man going to do to me? What is up with this whole Halfie and pureblood thing? And where is Sebastian?
The sound of rustling clothing jerked Ciel out of his buzzing mental process. "Now, what do you say that we begin cleansing you of your sins?" Father Gregory said in a giddy tone of voice. Ciel's eyes widened in fear as the man slipped himself out of his brown robe. He instantly knew what the man was going to do with him. He began to struggle against the bonds on his wrist, doing his best to ignore the burning pain from his wrist. The demon watched with amusement as his prey struggled in vain. "That's more like it; struggle like the weak and pathetic being you truly are," the priest said. Ciel's heart lurched when the man perched himself over his struggling body.
He shuddered as the man ran the back of his hand against his cheek. "I must give that piece of shit some credit…you are really something…" the demon murmured. Ciel gasped as the male proceeded to latch onto the side of his neck. The boy whipped his head in an attempt to throw the man off of him as his hands twisted and jerked in their bonds.
"St-Stop it!" he cried out. Ciel gritted his teeth when the demon twisted his head to the side and forced his head to remain in place with his hand. The boy trembled with fear and disgust as the man continued to suckle on his skin. His eyes popped open when Father Gregory bit at the flesh. Warm blood ran from the punctured area; the demon grinned before he began licking at the salty fluid. Ciel's heart was pounding; was he really about to be raped by this man?
The priest pulled back to examine his handiwork and grinned proudly. A dark red, almost black bruise was forming underneath the still bleeding wound. "I would like to see Sebastian do that…," the man commented snidely. His glowing golden eyes trained onto the red-faced boy that was glaring at him with a mix of anger and terror. He smirked before leaning down to whisper in the boy's ear.
"Don't worry baby…you'll die feeling nothing but pleasure," the evil being whispered maliciously. Ciel's eyes widened; his struggles increased as the man moved back and began to unbutton the buttons on his vest.
"NO! Let me go…I don't want this! Y-You bastard…release me at once!" he ordered in a shaking voice. Father Gregory smirked before he used his sharper than normal nails to tear the material of both the vest and the shirt to pieces. Ciel watched with horror as his tattered clothes were removed, revealing his upper half to the male's hungry eyes. Ciel continued to pull on the constraints. He felt a surge of hope fill his heart when he was able to slide his hand a little through the cloth. The demon smiled evilly before he began to kiss along the boy's chest. Ciel shuddered with revulsion. Father Gregory took it as a good sign and moved from the boy's chest to be face to face with the boy. He tilted the boy's red-tinged face up and smirked.
"Oh baby, we are going to have lots of fun together," he murmured huskily. Ciel's eyes widened as he continued to slide his hands out of the bonds. The man moved to kiss the boy on the lips but Ciel turned his head at the last minute. Father Gregory growled at the boy's disobedience; he proceeded to slap the boy, making sure to rake his nails on the flawless skin. Blood dripped from the scratches on Ciel's face. "Don't make this harder than it has to be…" he warned before he began to kiss down the boy's belly.
"I-I, nnn! I don't…ugh…want t-to...ah…with y-you!" he protested desperately. The demon smirked against the boy's belly button before he harshly grabbed Ciel's crotch. Ciel screamed as the man roughly rubbed him through the material. The temperature in the room increased drastically as the boy did his best to fight against the man. He kicked his unbound legs at the other male; his hands were now halfway free. He just needed a little more time…
The man grabbed the boy's kicking limbs as he reached to unzip Ciel's pants. The younger male tried to close his legs to halt the man's progress. The demon sighed and looked at the trembling boy. "Why do you continue to fight your true nature? As long as you can be fucked, you will be pleased. I can see it in your eyes; you subconsciously know the truth about yourself. But if it will make you feel better…imagine that I am Sebastian," the "holy" man instructed. No sooner did the other male say Sebastian's name, Ciel slipped out of his bonds. Pure shock formed on Father Gregory's face when the boy shot up from his position. With his good hand, Ciel delivered a punishing punch to the middle of the demon's face. Blood spurted from the man's now broken nose; the demon howled and held his injured nose. Ciel took the opportunity and kneed the man in his exposed crotch. The priest keened in pain.
"An unworthy creature such as you should never compare yourself to my master," Ciel spat hatefully.
Ciel pushed the man off of him and rolled off of the bed. He hit the stone floor and quickly picked himself up. The boy raced to the open entrance and dashed up the winding stone staircase. His breath came out in panicked gasps as he sprinted up the stairs. He looked behind him and felt his heart jump when there was no sign of the rapist. Hope and adrenaline pumped through his veins as he continued to run up the stairs. If he could get out of this part of the church, he had a higher chance of actually escaping alive. Blood pounded in his ears; his eyes darted around wildly.
Suddenly, a sharp pain from his lower back caused Ciel to gasp and lose his balance. He fell onto the stairs with a cry. A dark chuckling filled the air, causing the air's temperature to drop drastically. Ciel shakily picked himself up and turned around. His eyes widened in panic and fear as the bleeding demon walked calmly up the stairs. His eyes were eerily glowing and blood was dripping from his fangs. His mouth was stretched impossibly wide in a joy-filled smile. Directly behind him was nothing but darkness. Ciel whipped his head around and prepared himself to dash up the stairs, but a hand gripping his hair stopped him. Ciel opened his mouth and screamed as he thrashed in the other male's hold. The demon wrapped his arm around the boy's waist and picked the child up off the ground.
The boy blindly kicked and punched behind him as he was dragged back into the room. "Heh, you really thought you could escape me? There is no escape, so stop fighting me," the demon said evilly. Panic and fear flooded the boy's senses, clouding out all reasonable thoughts and ideas.
"NO! Help! HELP ME! Someone…PLEASE! LET ME GO! Let go…AAAAAH! Please…don't do this! PLEASE! SOMEONE SAVE ME!" Ciel screamed. The demon laughed insanely as he walked through the doorway. Ciel reached his hands out and gripped onto the edges of the door. Father Gregory clicked his teeth and pulled harder on the boy. Ciel shrieked but refused to let go. He knew if he was taken back into that room, there really was no hope. He pleaded with the man; screams and whimpers fell from his lips like water. His cries only turned on the man pulling on him. Ciel felt his hands slipping from their position.
"STOP! D-Damn it…SOMEONE! RESCUE ME!" Ciel called out desperately. He didn't care that his throat was raw and aching; if at least someone heard him, he might have a chance. An image of a raven-haired man popped into his mind just as his hands slipped.
"SEBASTIAN!"
Jack the Ripper growled at the mention of the other demon's name before he tossed the boy back onto the bed. The sound of the wooden door swinging close was the sound of death. Ciel shook with fear as he curled up on the bed. This had to be a nightmare of some sort; this couldn't really be happening. His mind raced as he desperately tried to think of some way to escape his fate; there was no way he was going down without a fight.
"Come now my child, it is time to atone for your sins," a dark voice murmured in Ciel's ear. The boy moved to punch the man but his hand was grabbed and thrown back onto the bed. Ciel was able to get a few scratches on the priest's face with his other hand, even though his wrist was broken. Jack the Ripper smirked before suddenly flipping the boy over. He grabbed onto the boy's already injured arm and jerked.
CRACK!
Ciel screamed in pain and agony as the man broke one of his arms. Panting, the priest bent to whisper in Ciel's ear. "That's right…let me hear your voice," the man ordered. Ciel buried his face in the mattress as the man began to nip and kiss his bare back. He felt a tug on his pants and struggled, even though his mind was hazed over with pain. The garments were easily removed from his body, along with his underwear. The boy was now completely exposed to the killer.
"I-I'm not…done…hah, hah…not yet," Ciel gasped out. A cruel laugh filled the room before Ciel was flipped onto his back. He glared at the golden-eyed male before he spat in the man's eye. As expected, a punch was delivered to Ciel's mouth. Bleeding from the mouth, Ciel continued to struggle against the priest. "A-And…you can r-rape, hah, hah, ugh…me, beat m-me, and mutilate m-my body to get my, hah, heart…but…hah…I won't give you th-the pleasure of h-h-hearing my voice," Ciel whispered hatefully. The demon blinked at the boy's strength and defiance. His eyes flashed before a challenging smirk spread on his face.
"Oooh? Do you think that you can keep that promise?" Jack the Ripper asked mockingly. Ciel's glare intensified. He could feel bile rise in his throat as the man lifted his hand. He watched, hypnotized, as the man's hand twisted and cracked into impossible shapes before blades ripped through the skin. Blood showered Ciel's body, causing him to feel even sicker. True to his word, he remained silent. The serial killer grinned insanely before he brought the tip of the blades to the top right of Ciel's shoulder. "I think it's time we got to the heart of your sin, don't you?" he asked kindly. The boy winced as the tips of the weapons easily ripped through his flesh and muscle. He bit his lip to stop himself from screaming in pain and agony. Jack the Ripper laughed gleefully as he pressed down.
CRUNCH!
A pained gasp slipped through his lips as his shoulder bones cracked under the pressure. A mad glint developed in the man's eyes. Pain raced through his nerves, invaded his consciousness, and blocked out every other emotion. Ciel couldn't take it. Jack the Ripper began to make a downward slicing motion. Ciel squeezed his eyes shut and opened his mouth to scream.
BAM!
The loss of pressure on his shoulder shocked the boy. Ciel painfully opened his eyes and gasped. Jack the Ripper was still perched over his prone body; only, he was bleeding from the side of his head. The man's eyes were rolled back in his head, revealing the whites, as his tongue lolled out from his lips. Ciel resisted the urge to scream as the man fell off of him and crumpled to the floor. The boy blinked, shocked by the change of events.
Jack has been shot in the head? By who?
"Honestly, when will purebloods learn not to mess with other's pets?" Sebastian asked in a disappointed tone of voice. The demon tucked the still smoking gun in his back pocket. Ciel's head whipped in the direction of the now open door. His heart leaped when his eyes locked with Sebastian's, and he almost cried with joy at the sight of his master. Of course, Ciel wasn't a big fan of showing such emotions.
"What took you so long? Were you too busy fooling around?" he asked angrily. Sebastian chuckled at his pet's scolding before quickly making his way over to the bed.
"My apologies…I had a few…situations to deal with before I could get here," Sebastian said politely. Ciel growled at the other man, causing Sebastian to smirk. He took in the appearance of Ciel; he was bleeding from several areas and covered in cuts, blood, and bruises. His right shoulder was completely destroyed. He had a broken nose, wrist, and arm, and it looked as if he had experienced some minor head trauma.
This will make escape quite difficult.
Sebastian quickly unbuttoned his overcoat and wrapped it around Ciel's battered body. Ciel gasped with surprise and pain as he was scooped into his master's arms. "M-Master…what are you doin-"
"We must get out of here as quickly as possible. That shot will only temporarily stun him because it came from a human's gun…I need to get my other tools," Sebastian said hastily as he moved towards the door.
"W-Wait! There is no way I'm going out into public with only your coat over me! I'm naked!" Ciel protested. Sebastian looked at his partner before he sighed resignedly. He set the boy down and disappeared for a few seconds. Ciel blinked when the demon appeared in front of him with his mended shirt and vest, underwear, and pants. "H-How did you-?"
"It is not too difficult for me to repair such things…now, dress as quickly as possible," Sebastian ordered. Ciel nodded and struggled painfully into his clothing. It didn't occur to him until after he had buttoned the final button on his vest with one hand that he had just been standing completely naked in front of Sebastian. He didn't even have time to blush before he heard a feral growl from the opposite side of the room.
"Sebastian Michaelis…I'm…hah…going to…hah…KILL YOU!" Jack the Ripper roared. Ciel covered his ears, fearing that he would go deaf just from the volume of the man's voice. Sebastian smirked™ before he leaned down and gently pulled Ciel's hands away from his ears.
"Excuse me," Sebastian said politely. Ciel's eyes popped out of his head as a fire filled his body for a few seconds. It raced through his veins and numbed all of his senses. He didn't even have time to scream before the fire ceased to be. Ciel blinked when he looked down to see his broken arm and wrist completely healed. He looked up to see Sebastian inhaling deeply.
"What did you just do?" Ciel asked curiously. Sebastian smirked before he placed a glove over his bare hand.
"I just healed you…well, not all of you, just the parts of your body that could possibly hinder our escape. Now, do you think you can run Ciel?" the demon asked seriously. Ciel shook out his legs to check for any injuries before nodding dutifully. Sebastian glanced over to see the pureblood's hand shakily coming up from the floor. Ciel gasped when his hand was suddenly grabbed. Sebastian raced up the stairs, nearly dragging his smaller companion along.
"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE! NO ONE EVER ESCAPES ME! NOT EVEN THE QUEEN'S DOG!" Father Gregory screamed. An explosion sounding from Jack's former room filled the air. Ciel felt a scalding heat behind him and turned. His eyes widened when a torrent of fire blasted from the doorway and raced in their direction.
"Sebastian!" Ciel called out to warn his demon master. Sebastian merely nodded before he turned around. He stopped running and pressed the boy to his chest with one arm. Ciel fisted the material of the man's coat as he buried his head in the other male's chest, causing Sebastian to smirk. He raised his free hand and stared at the fire for a few seconds. His eyes glowed and flashed as a torrent of his own fire shot from a candle perched to their immediate right. The black-colored flames easily engulfed the orange ones, slowing, choking, and then obliterating them. Ciel untucked his head from the man's chest and gaped at the black flames licking the stone walls and stairs. The boy had no time to inquire as to how Sebastian had done what he had just done before he found himself stumbling after the older male again.
The two raced up the stone steps. When they reached the top, Ciel was shocked to find the body of one of the altar boys at the top of the steps.
So this is what he meant by situations…
Ciel shuddered before reluctantly following after the pale male. The immortal's eyes scanned the area for any signs of other inhabitants or for Father Gregory himself. Ciel constantly looked over his shoulder for any sign of the other man. Ciel's heart jumped when a flash of metal appeared in his peripheral vision. Sebastian growled before he suddenly dragged them both to the floor. He rolled over and covered Ciel's tinier body with his own just as three blades whizzed above their heads. A crash sounded from the end of the hallway before the weapons retreated back to wherever they had come from.
"Are you alright Ciel?" Sebastian hissed. Ciel nodded shakily, and the demon moved off of the boy's back. Ciel stumbled to his feet and looked down the hall, expecting to see the psychotic demon at any moment. Fear clutched at his heart as his eyes widened. He couldn't believe that he had almost been Jack the Ripper's next victim. As if to remind him of the other male's existence, his injured shoulder pulsed. Ciel cried out and gripped onto the injured area. Sebastian eyed his injured pet for a moment before silently cursing. There was no way he could heal an injury inflicted by another demon's weapon…at least not now.
"Ciel," Sebastian whispered lowly. The tone of the demon's voice shocked the boy. He was suddenly grabbed, whipped around, and gently pressed into the wall. He looked up at the other man with shock and slight irritation in his eyes.
"What are you doing master? We need to get out of here," Ciel hissed with disbelief. Sebastian glanced down the hall before looking down at his confused pet.
"You need to get out of here…I will handle Jack the Ripper. Now, if you continue going straight and make a right-"
"Absolutely not!" Ciel cut in. Sebastian's eyes widened as the boy glared up at him. "We are not separating again, not now. You saw what happened when you tried to protect me earlier today. No…we need to figure out a way to wipe this guy from the mortal world…together," Ciel added forcefully. The demon blinked down at his wounded pet before he softly smiled. This boy never ceased to surprise him.
Ciel gasped when he was suddenly enveloped in a passionate kiss. Not sure whether his master had lost his mind or not, but liking the thrill that ran through his body, Ciel hastily kissed the man back. To think, if Sebastian hadn't come when he did, Ciel would've never gotten the chance to participate in such an act with him again…not that he wanted to of course. He was merely making his master happy like a good butler would. The demon wrapped his arms around Ciel's waist and pulled the tiny body closer to him. Ciel clutched onto the front of Sebastian's jacket and willingly opened his mouth so his master could explore. The demon did so in a quick yet seductive fashion, causing Ciel to weakly moan as his tongue was sucked into the other man's mouth. Ciel felt his knees go weak as his cheeks burned with a fiery blush. For just a few seconds, the boy forgot where he was and the dire situation they both were in as he lost himself in Sebastian's kiss.
"You and every other Halfie are exactly the same…you waste your time being all romantic and caring for your pets instead of just taking what's yours," an annoyed voice said. Ciel's eyes popped open before he quickly pulled away from the other man. He looked down the hallway and felt his blood run cold as Jack the Ripper slowly made his way in their direction. His eyes held a manic look and his smile clearly had malicious intent in it. The man was once again wearing his brown robe, but it was covered in freshly spilled blood. Ciel watched, horrified, as Jack's once broken nose quickly repaired itself and the hole in the side of his head from the bullet closed back up. Sebastian smirked and moved one of his hands from the boy's waist to press it to the back of his head. He pulled Ciel closer to his body and glanced behind him. In order for this to work, the timing needed to be perfect.
"Idiot! What are you doing?" Ciel hissed, looking up into his master's ruby-red eyes. Sebastian made a shushing motion before winking at the boy. Ciel frowned but said nothing else. The demon turned to face the serial killer and warily smiled.
"Oh? So does that mean all purebloods steal what belongs to others?" Sebastian asked smartly. Jack growled angrily as he glanced down at the blushing boy.
"Your mark in the boy's eye makes me sick. You waste your time making contracts with these worthless creatures just so you can take their souls. Then you brainwash them with sweet romantic gestures while secretly darkening their souls to perfection… Such a waste of an immortal life," the demon shook his head forlornly before grinning. He pointed his blades at Ciel before glancing at Sebastian, "It is so much easier just to take hearts. Those contain the true essence of a human…so Sebastian, give me that worthless boy so I may feed," Father Gregory asked before licking his lips. Sebastian smirked.
"As a Halfie, I of course, have to obey your word or suffer the consequences," Sebastian began. Ciel stared up at his master with shock.
What? He's just going to give me to him just like that?
"So you may have Ciel," Sebastian paused, and Jack the Ripper grinned triumphantly. "If you can catch us first," Sebastian finished slyly before suddenly throwing himself backwards…
And right out the stain glass window.
Ciel gasped with shock as they burst out of the tower of the church. Shards of glass flew through the night air as the two fell straight to the ground. Ciel looked back to see Jack the Ripper gaping at them from where the Virgin Mary's face used to be. The boy clung onto the smirking demon and glared at him.
"Are you crazy? You're going to kill us!" Ciel screamed as they continued to plummet to the ground. Sebastian placed a kiss on Ciel's lips, causing the boy to scowl. The wind whistled in their ears and watered Ciel's eyes. He couldn't believe that he had escaped from a near death experience just to be killed by his suicidal master. The demon, however, knew exactly what he was doing. It was one of the escape routes he had planned out when they had visited the church two days ago. Sebastian guided their falling bodies towards one of the many rooftops of London. With the grace and skill that only a demon could possess, Sebastian adjusted Ciel so that he was carrying him bridal style, while simultaneously back flipping so his feet hit the roof first instead of his head.
Ciel had buried his face in the other man's chest when he had been adjusted because the spinning was too much for his head and his stomach. He continued to tremble in his master's arms for a few moments until he was positive that he wasn't currently splattered on the ground. He untucked his head and glared up at his smirking master. "What the hell did you do that for? We could've been killed!" Ciel scolded. Sebastian chuckled.
"I told you that I had mapped out all possible escape routes. That just happened to be the closest one," Sebastian replied calmly. Ciel growled and mentally berated himself for actually being happy to see this guy.
"You could have at least given me some sort of warning. You can scare people to do death doing those types of things," Ciel said crossly. Sebastian said nothing as he walked to the edge of the roof. Ciel clutched onto the man's coat as the demon jumped from the roof onto the ground.
"Are you admitting that you were frightened by such an act?" Sebastian asked teasingly. Ciel rolled his eyes before struggling in the other man's hold. The immortal took the hint and gently set the child on the ground. Ciel moved to adjust his clothing, but stopped due to the searing pain from his injured shoulder. Blood was quickly seeping onto the clothing covering the area. Ciel pressed his hand down on the area in an attempt to slow down the bleeding. Sebastian moved to the opening to the alleyway and glanced down the empty street. When no sign of Jack the Ripper presented itself, he motioned for Ciel to follow him.
The two males quickly moved from the alley and ran down the street. Sebastian knew what he was doing was quite dangerous; if they were caught, not only would Ciel be killed, but Sebastian would literally have hell to pay for tricking a pureblood. He mentally sighed. He really hated the way the whole demon hierarchy worked. It made his other job particularly difficult; it was a good thing he had the most powerful demon on his side, or else he would've been exterminated centuries ago.
Ciel panted for air as he followed his master. The combination of the pain in his shoulder and the physical exertion were definitely taking their toll on his body. He wasn't sure how much longer he could continue to run; however, he refused to ask for Sebastian's help. His pride wouldn't allow for such weakness to show. The demon would sometimes glance over his shoulder to see how his companion was faring. Every time he did so, the boy was looking progressively worse. Sebastian eyed Ciel's injury and had a mental argument with himself over what to do.
Can I really do such a thing to my pet? It will only add even more conditions to this contract between us…I am beginning to regret my decision to form a contract with this boy in the first place. This is definitely becoming much more complicated than I initially anticipated.
Ciel sighed with relief when his master's pace began to slow down. It was a good thing that whatever Sebastian was looking for was close by because the boy was positive that he wouldn't have made it if they had to go all the way to the other side of the city…or even to the hotel. Sebastian's sharp ears could faintly hear the sounds of scratching metal; Jack the Ripper was definitely close by.
He is running his blades along the sides of buildings…that means he is very confident in his abilities to take both of us down.
Sebastian smirked at the thought. He had been right to pick this man as someone to make a deal with years ago. He was the type of demon who could easily by destroyed just by his own self-confidence and ignorance. The raven-haired male slowed to a walking pace and quickly turned into a narrow passageway. Ciel blinked before reluctantly following after the man. He had many questions for his master, but he decided to save them for later. The two walked down the narrow and rank-smelling area until they reached a dead end. Ciel glanced up at his master but Sebastian didn't say a word. The red-eyed demon took off one of his gloves and bit his thumb. The boy watched as his master brought the bleeding finger to the wall.
Faster than the boy's eyes could follow, Sebastian drew an exact replica of their contract symbol. No sooner did he finish closing the spiked outer circle around the star did the mark begin to glow. Ciel watched, fascinated, as the mark burned itself out, leaving scorch marks on the surface of the wall. Sebastian rapped the back of his hand against the burned wall. The burned bricks instantly crumbled from the light touch. A small hole was now present in the wall. Perched inside the hole was a silver briefcase that also bore the mark present on both Ciel's eye and Sebastian's hand. The demon wordlessly pulled the briefcase from its place and turned away from the wall. No sooner did he do so, the wall took on its previous form. The boy blinked; there was no sign of a hole nor were there any burns present. It was as if it had never been touched.
"Ciel, give me your hand," the demon said. Ciel looked down at his now kneeling master with a question in his eyes. He held out his free hand, but Sebastian shook his head. He silently pointed to the hand holding his bleeding shoulder while simultaneously unlatching the briefcase. "I need your blood in order to do this," Sebastian said seriously. Ciel blinked with confusion.
"My…blood? Master, you are more than just a noble, a businessman, and the Queen's Watchdog, aren't you?" Ciel asked suspiciously. Sebastian smirked as he pulled out a pistol. The silver gun had intertwining roses engraved on the barrel. On the brown handle of the gun was the contract symbol. He reached back into the suitcase and pulled out a black-colored cartridge. He flipped open a compartment on the bottom of the handle and shoved the cartridge into it. A click sounded before the compartment closed itself. He looked up at Ciel before closing the briefcase. Right before Ciel's shocked eyes, the container melded into the ground. Sebastian moved from his kneeling position and stood in front of his pet.
"You are very bright…you will definitely be useful to me. You are correct; I am not only a nobleman, a businessman, and the Queen's Watchdog. I am also a hunter of supernatural beings," Sebastian said. Ciel gaped at his stone-faced master before shaking his head.
"You mean…you hunt other demons and vampires and stuff?" Ciel asked. Sebastian smirked and nodded his head. "And you want me to become a supernatural hunter as well, which is why you need my blood. Correct?" Ciel deduced.
"You are correct again my pet. No other demon or being can touch a hunter's weapons…they will not work for them. There are other hunters like myself, but we each work on different parts of the Earth. These weapons are specialized for the specific being and are bestowed upon hunters by Satan, ruler of Hell," Sebastian explained. He paused to allow the information to sink in before he continued, "The only way another person can utilize a hunter's weapon is if the hunter themselves allows them to…or, if the hunter bestows part of their responsibility upon that being. In this case, we are going with option B. I am adding yet another term to our contract; not only are you my pet, butler, and partner for the Queen, you are now a supernatural hunter as well," Sebastian stated.
Ciel's head was reeling with what Sebastian had just told him.
I'm going to become a supernatural hunter? Heh, it seems as if the list of things I am supposed to do just continues to grow.
Ciel's hand slightly tightened on his shoulder before he removed it from the area. He looked up into his master's eyes and smirked. "So what are you going to do with my blood-covered hand? Are you going to lick it like a dog?" he asked mockingly. Sebastian's eyes flashed before he gently grabbed the boy's wrist.
"The blood on your hand is both symbolic and physically needed. It symbolizes the fact you are willing to spill other creatures blood on your hands and it is physically needed so whenever you touch my weapons, they will activate for you. Now, I need for you to firmly grab onto the handle of this gun. Make sure that your blood is completely covering the symbol. You are going to feel pain in your contracted eye for a few seconds because the contract is being revised…again," a sly smile spread on Sebastian's perfect face, "And do try not to pass out this time. We are currently being hunted, and I do not wish to have both your unconscious body and Jack to deal with," he finished charmingly. Ciel growled with annoyance and spitefully grabbed onto the handle of the gun.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Ciel adjusted his hand to see if perhaps he hadn't put the majority of the blood over the symbol. Sebastian patiently waited. Ciel began to feel a faint throbbing in his contract eye. It was an annoying kind of pain, but it was something that Ciel could definitely handle. Sebastian watched as the contract began to glow for longer periods of time. Suddenly, Ciel screamed. Blood formed in the corners of his brightly shining contract eye. It quickly spilled over and ran down the side of his face. The demon moved to place a hand over the boy's mouth to muffle his screams. If Father Gregory were to come at this very moment, they both were in serious danger. Ciel clutched onto Sebastian's arm with his free hand as white-hot pain originating from his eye traveled throughout his body. It felt as if every particle of skin was being torn apart only to be slowly regenerated while his internal organs were being blown up only to be stomped on. Sebastian held the boy's contract eye open to make sure the new change was being made. Gradually, script that only Sebastian could understand formed underneath the space between one of the sides of the star and the rim of the circle.
With one final flash, the contract was sealed. Ciel fell onto the other male as he gasped for breath. His whole body was shaking from the aftermath of the pain it had just felt. Sebastian gently removed the gun from Ciel's death grip; it would be a shame if the boy were to ruin one of his best weapons. Ciel's mind spun and pounded painfully; the pain his body had just undergone was way worse than whenever he would disobey Sebastian's orders. Slowly, his grip on Sebastian's arm loosened. After a few more minutes, Ciel was able to push himself off of his master. The demon tenderly reached for the boy's face and wiped off the twin blood trails with his thumb. Ciel brushed the man's hand from his face and wiped the rest of the liquid off himself. After thoroughly scrubbing the area, Ciel looked to see Sebastian loading another gun. The demon tossed the gun with the roses on it to Ciel. The boy caught it and was slightly surprised to see some of his remaining blood slowly seeping into the glowing symbol on the gun. When all traces of the salty fluid were gone, the symbol ceased to glow. The click from Sebastian's now loaded gun rang through the alley.
"You are going to explain everything to me before we reach the manor," Ciel commanded. Sebastian only smirked.
The sound of ragged breathing alerted both males' attention. Sebastian warily looked at the entrance of the alley to see a psychotically smiling priest staring at them. Ciel shuddered at the look in the man's eyes as he glanced at his body. The boy released the safety on his gun and was about to shoot the other man pointblank, but Sebastian put a hand in front of the opening of the boy's weapon. "The first rule of hunting: Allow for the prey to present themselves as one in need of extermination in three different ways," Sebastian murmured. Ciel gave the demon a look that suggested he needed to be the one exterminated.
"I win!" Father Gregory said gleefully. Sebastian cocked his head to the side and smiled politely.
"Oh? And what is it that you have won Father?" the demon asked. The golden-eyed man growled at the red-eyed demon before he stepped into the alleyway.
"Don't think that just because you work for Satan that you can trick purebloods like myself," the priest spat hatefully. Sebastian smirked™.
"You still call yourself a pureblood? Do you not think it is a tad ironic and hypocritical to be in a position of great power for God and still claim rights as a demon?" Sebastian asked.
Reason one for extermination: has betrayed one's true nature, driving himself into insanity.
Sebastian tilted his head slightly to the side as the other demon's weapons shot at him. The blades crashed harmlessly into the brick wall. "Do not mock me Halfie. You have no right to interfere in my feeding habits," the pureblood hissed as his claws retracted.
Reason two for extermination: feeding habits have become a want instead of a need.
"But you yourself should know as a pureblood, that stealing another demon's pet is a serious offense," Sebastian said calmly. Father Gregory growled before his eyes migrated to Ciel. Sebastian used his free hand to cover the boy's eyes in order to prevent the demon's attack. The priest cursed loudly before abandoning his attempt at hypnotizing Ciel to come to him.
"As if I fucking care about such things. A true demon always trumps a Halfie," the man said before laughing cruelly.
Final reason for extermination: has thrown away all regards to supernatural law and etiquette.
Sebastian removed his hand from over the boy's eyes. He whispered softly, "Rule #2: Openly state reason for extermination to the hunted one." Ciel nodded with understanding and listened to the sound of Sebastian's gun's safety being released.
"Gregarious Sanctus, you are to be exterminated for betraying your demon nature, feeding unnecessarily, and for throwing away all regard for supernatural law and etiquette," Sebastian called out. The dark-haired boy watched as Sebastian's eyes began to glow. The normal blood-red was replaced with a swirling scarlet. Ciel shuddered at the change before turning to see Father Gregory launching himself in their direction. The boy gasped when he was scooped up from the ground with one hand. Sebastian balanced his inexperienced supernatural hunting partner with one arm and shifted out of the way. "And finally," Sebastian called out loud as he ducked underneath the other demon's swinging blades, "Rule number three: Exterminate your prey as quickly and as quietly as possible," he finished before taking aim.
The holy man ducked as a bullet whizzed towards the center of his forehead. It collided with the wall of the alley with a loud explosion. Debris flew into the air, creating a cloud of dust over the sparring demons. Sebastian was easily able to dodge the pureblood's frenzied swings. Ciel was shocked when he was suddenly placed on top of a trash can. He wildly looked at where his master should've been standing. Ciel scoped the cramped alleyway until he saw his master and the priest's forms. He watched with wide eyes as Sebastian delivered a punishing blow to the other man's stomach. Father Gregory cursed and moved to punch the smirking male in the face. Sebastian smoothly maneuvered out of the way to stand in front of Ciel. The boy's eyes widened to comic proportions when Sebastian gave him a searing kiss. He quickly pulled away and smirked.
"I had to get rid of extra weight. And yes, I will explain everything in due time so please do not move from this spot. It would be quite a shame if I had to-"
"Sebastian!" Ciel yelled out. Father Gregory rose up behind the oblivious man and made a downward swinging motion with his clawed hand. Sebastian's smirk only widened as he suddenly whipped off his coat. The material of the clothing temporarily blinded the demon, giving both Ciel and Sebastian the time to duck out of the way. Sebastian tightly wrapped the rest of the coat around the other demon's head and moved to the middle of the alley. He began to spin the other's body around and around over his head. Ciel began to get dizzy from the amount of times he saw Father Gregory spin around. Eventually, Sebastian unwrapped the coat and sent Father Gregory flying into the brick wall at the end of the alley. The raven-haired man shook out his jacket before he made his way back over to Ciel. He placed the coat over Ciel's head. Ciel opened his mouth to protest.
"Master-"
"It would make our travel home even more difficult if you were sick," Sebastian said before winking. Ciel frowned but held onto the ends of the jacket.
Father Gregory shook his head before standing straight. He brushed the dirt off of his robe before locking eyes with his smirking enemy. "Don't think that your little tricks will work on me. I will not allow for you to exterminate me!" he roared. Sebastian's smirk widened before he stepped back to the middle of the alley.
"I am not asking your permission; I am merely informing you that you will be exterminated from this mortal world to eternally live with Satan in the deepest depths of Hell. You should be happy that I am sending you home to be with your pureblood brothers and sisters once again," Sebastian reasoned. Father Gregory's eyes widened before his bottom lip began quivering.
"No! Don't send me back there…I'll be killed for sure!" he begged. Ciel blinked at the man's sudden attitude change. One minute he had been screaming death threats and making attempts on both of their lives. The next, he was pleading for his life. The boy shook his head.
It really is true…killers truly are the biggest cowards.
"You won't be killed…you will merely be punished. I am sure that Satan has missed your presence Gregarious," Sebastian continued as he calmly stepped towards the other demon. The golden-eyed man shuddered before he suddenly disappeared. Sebastian's eyes widened when Ciel screamed. He whirled around to find his butler struggling valiantly against the other male. Gregarious crushed the boy to the wall and wrapped both of his hands around the boy's throat. Ciel gagged and kicked at the other male's body.
"Ciel!" he yelled out before running towards the pair. Father Gregory held up a hand, causing Sebastian to jerk to a stop. Gregarious laughed maniacally before turning to look at Sebastian.
"Still think you are in control Sebastian? Ha! Now you listen and you listen well. If you don't want your precious pet to be killed, you will do exactly as I say. Now, I'm just going to take my leave from this alley; if you make one wrong move, I will crush his windpipe and tear it from his throat. You will call off your extermination effort and leave me be for eternity. Do you understand?" the demon said. When Sebastian made no sound nor any moves, he squeezed Ciel's throat even tighter. Ciel squeezed his eyes shut and silently opened his mouth in futile attempts to breathe. Sebastian's eyes narrowed at the sight of his pet struggling in pain. His own body was slightly suffering due to the bond they shared. Ciel weakly turned his head and opened his eyes to look at Sebastian.
Sebastian was shocked by the look in the boy's eyes. Ciel was actually saying to continue with the hunt, to forget about his well-being. The boy was actually threatening to truly hate him even more than he already did if he allowed for Father Gregory to get away. Sebastian sighed before straightening himself out. His mind raced as he thought of a plan to once again rescue his pet and actually kill Father Gregory. A nearly invisible smirk formed on Sebastian's face; it was going to take all of Sebastian's acting skills in order for it to work flawlessly.
"Release Ciel…now," Sebastian ordered angrily.
"I don't have to take orders from you. Now back off!" the priest ordered. Sebastian's eyes flashed as his fists and teeth simultaneously clenched. He allowed for his demonic rage to fill every corner of his body. In order for his plan to work, he needed to harness all of his anger and focus it on the man hurting Ciel. Ciel watched as his master took calculating steps closer to them. The demon glanced in Ciel's direction and gave him a reassuring smile.
Both Father Gregory and Ciel's eyes widened at what Sebastian did next. The smaller man launched himself at the priest and tackled him to the ground. Ciel dropped from the wall and clutched at his bruised throat as he desperately filled his lungs with much needed oxygen. Sebastian and Father Gregory rolled around the ground, each one lunging for the other's throat. In order to win, one of them had to kill the other. Sebastian was counting on using his raw demonic anger in order to fight against the other.
Sebastian really was the weaker of the two. He didn't have nearly as much brute strength as Father Gregory. It was one of the many disadvantages of being a Halfie. They kicked, punched, and clawed at one another. At times, it would seem as if Sebastian would have the advantage. But then, Father Gregory would smash him into a wall or skillfully aim for the weakest parts of his body. Neither one was willing to give up.
Ciel watched in awe and fright as the two beings tore at each other. They fought like wild animals instead of like men. There were several gashes on Sebastian's body from where Father Gregory had gotten a good scratch and bite. Father Gregory didn't look any better. His nose was broken and one of his eyes had been clawed out. Regardless, Ciel could see that Sebastian was weakening. He covered his mouth in shock when Father Gregory pinned Sebastian down. His eyes widened as the other demon delivered punishing punches to Sebastian's face. He winced as each punch left a bruise or a gash on the man's once immaculate face. His master's struggles were becoming weaker.
"Master!" Ciel called out desperately. Sebastian's eyes lazily rolled in Ciel's direction. The look of worry and fear on the boy's face gave him a little more strength. He was able to send the other demon all the way to the brick wall at the back of the alley with a well-aimed kick. He pinned the man to the wall and ducked as the man swung at his head with his blades. Father Gregory shrieked when Sebastian grabbed onto the middle blade and used nearly all of his strength to tear the weapons right out of his hand. Bloodied and covered with splinters of bone at the end, Sebastian tossed the weapons to the entrance of the alley. Injured and frightened, Father Gregory unleashed all of his power on Sebastian. Blood sprayed from Sebastian's mouth as the pureblood demon punched him in the stomach.
Ciel could slightly feel his master's pain as Father Gregory literally beat the shit out of him. Never one to sit back and watch events occur, Ciel desperately searched for a weapon of some sort. His eyes traveled to the overturned trashcan. A glint of metal caught the boy's eye. He heard a pain-filled howl; his head snapped back towards the fighting demons. He was shocked by what he saw. Sebastian had once again been pinned down by Father Gregory. Only this time, the man was literally breaking every bone in his master's body.
"SEBASTIAN!" Ciel screamed. He dove for the trashcan and desperately dug through the trash, ignoring the agonizing pain in his shoulder, until his hand wrapped around his gun. Father Gregory was so focused on finally killing the annoying supernatural hunter that he didn't hear the panicked boy's screams and movements. Pain filled all of Sebastian's mental processes, but he couldn't resist the urge to smirk.
All according to plan…
"Don't smirk you bastard!" Father Gregory roared before he reared back and punched Sebastian in the mouth. "As soon as I'm finished with you, I am going to fuck Ciel to death," he whispered lustfully. Sebastian's eyes flashed furiously.
"Are…you sure…about that?" he asked confidently. Gregarious Sanctus broke his other arm, causing Sebastian to howl again. The man took great pleasure in hearing other's screams and cries. Because he had immersed himself in Sebastian's pain-filled howls, he didn't hear the click of a gun.
BAM!
Father Gregory paused in the process of breaking Sebastian's sternum to look down at his chest. A gaping hole where the left side of his upper torso should've been was missing. In its place was a swirling black vortex. The man's face paled to pure white as he locked eyes with Sebastian. His whole body began to shake as shock overtook him. Sebastian shuddered as he quickly repaired all of his broken bones and damaged organs. He never really got use to speeding up the process of healing. It always felt weird and left him in a fairly weak state.
He pushed the other demon off of him and ran over to his trembling servant. The boy was shaking so badly that the gun slipped out of his hands. Sebastian could tell that he was in shock from everything that had just occurred. Ciel looked up at him with fearful eyes and whimpered feebly, thinking that Father Gregory was coming for him again. The demon smiled at him before he lifted the boy into his arms. Ciel wrapped his arms around the male's neck and clutched onto his demon master. Sebastian held the shaking boy close and gently kissed him once, twice, three times before repeatedly whispering the boy's own name into his ear, bringing Ciel out of his shocked state; they backed up to the back of the alley.
"AAAAAH! NO, NO, NOOOOO! Please…have mercy! C-Ciel…HELP ME CIEL! SEBASTIAN PLEASE!" Father Gregory shrieked from his position on the ground. He rolled over and cried for the boy and his master as his hands extended in their direction. Ciel watched coldly as the vortex that originated from where the boy had shot the demon in the chest slowly began to grow. The hole began to suck things in the surrounding area into its depths. Father Gregory's body was slowly being sucked into it. Bits of flesh, bone, and muscle migrated into the hole. The demon desperately struggled and tore at his own body to try and escape the hole. It looked as if he was being stretched and twisted like dough. His face and neck were molding together. His body began to curl in on itself.
"I'll be back! I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS! You haven't seen the last of me! I swear it! I'LL KILL YOU…SEBASTIAN MICHAELIS!" the man screamed one last time before he was silenced forever. With a loud whoosh and a bright flash of light, Father Gregory was gone.
"Gregarious Sanctus, exterminated," Sebastian said monotonously.
XXX
"A-Ah…nnn, m-master! Stop i-it…It hurts!" Ciel whined. Sebastian leaned back to look at his sweating pet before smirking.
"It will feel better soon. You should know that by now," Sebastian added. Ciel blushed and adjusted himself underneath the larger male. Sebastian shifted a little more to the right...
"Ow! Be gentler!" Ciel yelled out.
"Maybe if you didn't move so much…" Sebastian mumbled with slight irritation.
"What was that?" Ciel asked threateningly. Sebastian smiled charmingly and transferred more of his power into his hand to speed up the healing process. The two males had returned to the hotel at exactly 11:30 that evening to find their hotel room to be completely fixed. Sebastian hadn't been fazed in the slightest by the condition of the room, but Ciel was shocked. After a few minutes of explaining that the hotel manager was a demon as well and always fixed rooms that had been destroyed by supernatural activity, Sebastian carried the boy over to the bed. Ciel began to punch at the other male's chest, thinking that the man was about to do something perverted to him. Sebastian had to pause again to explain to Ciel that he had to heal his shoulder before he bled to death. Ciel had paled at the thought and grudgingly allowed for the demon to proceed. If Ciel had known how much more painful this healing process would be than the earlier one at the church, he would've stuck with the human way.
Sweat was beginning to form on Sebastian's brow. Healing himself from another demon's attack had taken its toll on his body. Now that he was attempting to heal Ciel as well, he could feel his energy quickly being drained. It took a lot more power to heal injuries inflicted by supernatural beings' hands than by a human's because they were much more damaging and deadly. That was the main reason why he was healing Ciel in the demon way instead of just allowing for the boy's body to heal itself at a normal pace. Ciel bit his lip to stop himself from crying out as Sebastian finally pieced together his shattered shoulder bone. The demon pulled back some of his energy as he began to work on the torn muscle. It didn't take as much power to heal muscle and skin. Ciel squeezed his eyes shut as he felt every fiber of his muscle piece itself back together. Sebastian grunted and pulled back even more of his power to finally close the gashes from the blades. Ciel gasped with pain and tightened the hold he had on the other male's free arm. He dug his nails into the material and clenched his teeth.
Finally, Sebastian was finished with the boy's shoulder. He took a quick ten second break before moving to fix Ciel's broken nose. Ciel inhaled sharply through his mouth when he felt the broken cartilage snap back into place. He then moved to Ciel's hand that had been sawed through by Jack's knife. By now, Sebastian was panting and shaking above the boy. Ciel sat up and gently pushed the man off of him. "Okay, that is enough master. You have done enough. It is just some little bruises and scrapes that are left. Nothing that a little Witch Hazel won't be able to fix," Ciel said reassuringly. Sebastian breathed deeply before glancing at Ciel's severely scratched cheek. He reached out his ungloved hand and gently caressed the skin.
"You call that a little bruise or scrape? Not…even a scratch…should mar your beautiful face," Sebastian whispered before transferring the last of his healing power into his hand. Ciel winced at the pain and blushed at the remark as he felt the skin of his cheek move back together. He growled once Sebastian was done after seeing the man wobble slightly from his kneeling position on the bed.
"You are too stubborn for your own good sometimes. That was a waste of your energy! If you think I am going to drag you to the stagecoach, you are sorely mistaken," Ciel scolded as Sebastian closed his eyes to shut off his healing power. He slipped on a glove to cover his hand before he opened his eyes to smirk at Ciel.
"My apologies," he said humbly. Ciel rolled his eyes before hopping off the bed to pick up his discarded shirt. With quick and nimble fingers, the boy buttoned the shirt in record time. He ran a hand through his hair before he looked pointedly at his master.
"Well?" he prompted. Sebastian raised an eyebrow before a slightly confused look flitted across his face.
"I am sure you have the ability to speak in complete sentences, no?" he asked teasingly. Ciel glared before crossing his arms over his chest with a huff.
"You promised me in the alley that you would explain everything to me before we reached the manor," Ciel said with slight irritation. Sebastian leaned back on his hands and appraised the boy in front of him. He cocked his head to the side and smirked.
"We haven't reached the manor yet, have we? Besides, it takes two hours to reach the estate from London. Considering that we will be traveling in the dark, it may take even longer. Relax my pet. I will keep my promise; we demons cannot lie," the immortal said nonchalantly. Ciel frowned at how relaxed the other male was.
To think, I had actually been worried about him a while ago too! Unbelievable…
"You were a human before, correct?" Ciel asked suddenly. Sebastian looked genuinely taken aback by the boy's sudden question. A silence settled over the pair; sensing that Sebastian was at a loss for words, Ciel moved back over to the bed and sat himself beside the lounging male. "How long ago were you…like me?" Ciel coaxed in a softer tone of voice. Sebastian glanced over at his butler before he sighed resignedly. He knew that Ciel would continue to ask him these types of questions until he gave him a straightforward answer. He straightened up and ran a hand through his raven-colored locks.
"I have been a demon for a little over 500 years now. To be exact, I am 538 years old. In demon years, I am about the age of an adolescent or young adult. In human years, well," Sebastian paused to chuckle, "I should be dead." Ciel blinked at the centuries' year old man sitting beside him.
How can that be possible? He doesn't look a day over 25!
"I became a demon during the heart of the Black Death in 1349 (1), and I do not remember…well, I rather choose not to remember anything about my life before I became the demon that you serve faithfully," Sebastian said in an oddly cheerful tone of voice.
"Okay…so you are called a Halfie because…you were not born a demon?" Ciel inferred. Sebastian nodded before he suddenly cleared his throat.
"I would prefer if you did not use that word…it is very offensive to demons like myself. It is a derogatory term employed by older pureblood demons like Gregarious," Sebastian added. Ciel flushed at the rebuttal and folded his hands in his lap.
"My apologies master…um, so does that mean there are only two types of demons? Purebloods and Hal-I mean demons like you?" Ciel asked curiously.
"In a sense…but in reality, the demon hierarchal system is much more complicated than that. I will try to make it as simple as possible. You see, demons are categorized not by necessarily how they became a demon, but by their abilities. Imagine the hierarchal system to be a pyramid of sorts. At the top, of course, is Satan. Directly below Satan are the Sins. They are what you humans know of as the Seven Deadly Sins; in reality, they are actually seven of the most powerful demons: Pride, Avarice (Greed), Envy, Wrath (Anger), Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth. Next are the Sanctus' (2). In a way, they are regarded as sacred and hold great positions of power. The Sanctus' make up the Council, which is the highest form of authority in the demon world. They determine the laws and ultimately pass judgment on things that occur in both the human and the underworld," Sebastian smirked before locking eyes with his awestruck servant, "But the truth is they are merely Satan's…bedding mates," the demon chuckled before continuing.
"Below the Sanctus' are Purebloods. Purebloods are of course powerful and the most common type of demons. They can be divided into several groups, such as Slashers, like Gregarious, Shape-Shifters, Drinkers, and many, many, others. Believe it or not, Slashers are the lowest form of purebloods. A demon's position in the system based on abilities is derived not from how destructive their ability is, but how well the demon can control it and how slyly they can seduce or distress the human population. Below purebloods are Liberi (3). Demon children are highly prized, regardless of what type of demon their parents are. They are considered unstable because they do not know what ability they inherited from their parents, and they usually discover their ability by complete accident. It is the instability that makes them so cherished. There have been several times in history where a demon child will awaken an ability that has never been seen before."
"After the Liberi is the last and my group of demons, the Semihominis' (4), also affectionately known as Halfies. We are the demons who were once human, therefore, we are envied and also the weakest demons. We differ from the other types of demons; we can switch between abilities because our make-up is entirely unstable. If I chose, I could become a Slasher like Jack the Ripper and then switch to a Drinker. The only setback is I would have to revert to my original form in a relatively short amount of time or else I could possibly kill myself. The change on my body would be too much," Sebastian finished charmingly.
Ciel gaped at his demon master for a moment. His mind was buzzing with new questions and thoughts.
It is very hard for me to believe that my master is one of the weakest demons…it is mind-blowing to even think that they are so many different types…
"So, what type of demon is Sly?" Ciel asked after a moment.
"He is a pureblood…more specifically, he is a Morbi (5). His special ability is to cause plagues, such as the Black Death," Sebastian replied. Ciel bit his lip.
"How exactly is a human like me supposed to be able to identify these different demons? There are so many!" Ciel asked with slight frustration.
"Well, you could observe their lifestyle and find out their abilities over time, therefore categorizing them. You can also tell by a demon's feeding habits. Purebloods, for example, eat human hearts, although they do not have a necessity to eat for many centuries. Semihominus', like me, feed on tainted human souls. Drinkers are the only purebloods that don't eat human hearts. They feed on animal or human blood," Sebastian added off-handedly. Ciel tilted his head to the side and scrunched his nose cutely.
"Aren't blood-drinkers vampires?" he asked. Sebastian shook his head.
"That is something that you humans have mixed up. In fact, many demon types have been named incorrectly by your kind, even though the real beings are completely different. Drinkers are the ones who suck blood. A true vampire does not feed off of blood; they feed off of any beings', including demons', life-force. They are highly dangerous and have been hunted to extinction because of the danger they pose," Sebastian explained.
"Isn't there an easier way to categorize your kind and not confuse them with another supernatural being?" Ciel mumbled. The immortal smirked and gently grabbed Ciel's chin with one hand. He tilted the boy's face up and wrapped his other hand around the boy's back to pull him close so he was looking into his crimson orbs. Ciel placed his hands on the other man's chest to steady himself. A silence settled over the two; before long, Ciel's face began to heat up with a blush.
"Yes…a demon can be broadly categorized in one of the six groups based on eye color. If a demon falls into more than one of the main groups, then they have the option of changing their eye color," he said softly. Ciel's eyes lidded and he shivered at the feel of the other male's warm breath washing over his face. "A Sin has completely black eyes…it is like staring into endless voids. Sanctus' have brown-colored eyes, Purebloods' have gold eyes, Liberi have green eyes, and Semihominis' have my color eyes…a blood-red crimson," Sebastian whispered. Ciel swallowed unsteadily at the closeness of the other man's face to his own. He became all too aware of the feeling of the other man's arm on his chin and body.
"What about Satan?" Ciel asked just as softly. He could feel himself getting lost in his master's intense eyes.
"All colors," Sebastian responded before moving to kiss his mesmerized butler. Their lips touched softly and began a sensual dance that only they knew the rhythm to. Ciel felt the room instantly heat up. He squeezed his eyes shut with embarrassment when Sebastian moved his hand from the boy's chin to caress his blushing cheek. His heart rate increased drastically when he felt Sebastian's hand on his back slip underneath the hemline of his pants and underwear. Sebastian broke the kiss, and began to kiss and nip along Ciel's neck. The boy whimpered and bucked when Sebastian's finger poked at his entrance.
"M-Master...ahn, stop..." he breathed out before emitting a high-pitched whine when the demon bit on his sensitive earlobe. Sebastian moved to put another mark on the boy's neck; he abruptly stopped. The lack of stimulus to his neck caused Ciel to freeze. Did he really stop? Why is he listening to me all of a sudden? The boy blinked and nervously licked his lips. "Wh-What's wrong?" he asked uncertainly. Sebastian moved back slightly and glared at the mark the other demon had left on Ciel's neck. Following the man's gaze, Ciel was able to infer what had caused the demon to stop. He clapped a hand over the hickey and looked away uncertainly. "It's nothing too serious...I think he just put that there to make you jealous or something...um, he said something about you not doing better than that..." Ciel trailed off when Sebastian gently grabbed his chin so he was looking at his face. Ciel's hand slipped away from the hickey as he gazed deep into the other man's eyes.
Yep...he's jealous. This is definitely not going to end well...for me anyway...
"Well, we are just going to have to prove him wrong, now aren't we?" Sebastian said lustfully. Ciel's eyes widened; his response was muffled by Sebastian fervently kissing him. The boy's eyes fluttered shut as he softly moaned at the feeling. His hands fisted in the man's shirt when Sebastian threaded his fingers in the boy's silky hair. His other hand traveled back to its previous position near the boy's entrance. His finger traced the puckered hole, causing Ciel to tremble with nervousness and excitement at what was to come.
"Ohoho, I see that someone is giving a lesson of some sort! Can I help?" an excited voice sharply cut through the oddly romantic mood. Ciel's eyes popped open before he abruptly broke the amorous kiss. He jumped out of the other man's hold before tumbling ungracefully to the floor with a surprised yelp. Sebastian sighed before pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Don't you ever knock Yersinia?" Sebastian asked tiredly. The blue-haired demon smiled cheerfully before fully coming through the window. He laid on his stomach beside Sebastian on the bed and grinned up at him.
"Nope! You should know by now that I like to surprise people Sebastian!" the jovial demon said. Sebastian rolled his eyes and moved to help his shocked butler off the floor. Sly tilted his head to the side and glanced carefully at Sebastian.
"Sebastian…are you sure it's smart to be involved with that kid? Considering your current situation-"
"Is there actually a purpose for this visit?" Sebastian cut in sharply. Sly blinked, slightly taken aback by the other demon's bluntness, before pouting.
"Why does there always have to be a purpose for my visiting? You are so mean sometimes Sebastian! I don't understand how anyone can put up with you sometimes…" Sly said in a hurt tone of voice. Sebastian rolled his eyes before reaching into his back pocket. Ciel quickly wiped his recently kissed lips when he noticed Sly staring at him. The blue-haired male gasped and looked at Sebastian with horror. "Sebastian! You didn't do what I think you did…did you?" he asked with shock. The black-haired man tilted his head to the side before glancing over at his confused butler.
"What exactly are you implying Sly?"
"You made a human a hunter?" Sly whispered in a scandalized tone of voice. Sebastian made no comment; he merely handed the envelope to the Queen's servant. Sly ignored the letter and squinted at Ciel's contracted eye. A small smirk spread on his face before he comically wiggled his eyebrows. "Aaaaand you marked him as yours? So that's who I heard last night…" the male stated before winking at the dark-haired child. Ciel blinked at the man's words before he finally understood their meaning. He gaped at the smiling immortal with a bright flush on his cheeks before whirling to turn to his unfazed master.
"Do all demons have unnecessarily good hearing?" Ciel asked with exasperation. Sly rolled over so he was lying on his back. He let his head fall over the side and stared at the pair upside down.
"Weeeell, you were excessively loud…at least to most demons' ears. Some of them complained to me…although most of them were happy to have some form of entertainment for the evening. At least it wasn't all painful for you…" Sly added thoughtfully. Ciel buried his face in his hands; how many demons had heard his cries last night?
"I think you have once again worn out your welcome Sly," Sebastian said in a clearly fake tone of voice. Sly rolled back onto his stomach and frowned.
"Awww, don't be like that Sebastian! I was just having a little fun…," a grave expression formed on the man's youthful face, "But seriously, did you really make Ciel a hunter like you? Do you realize…"
"I am perfectly aware of what I have done. As a hunter appointed by Satan, I have the right to pass part of my responsibility onto whomever I choose," Sebastian cut in. Sly moved into an upright sitting position and reluctantly took the letter. He tucked it into the breast pocket of his suit before locking eyes with Sebastian.
"You are correct…but you do realize how much danger you are putting Ciel in, don't you? Hunters always end up becoming the hunted at some point. Even though the boy does show more maturity than most humans at his age, his race has never been part of the Hunters' society….at least for significant periods of time. Many of them go insane or…well, you know Sebastian. It is dangerous even for demons to be Hunters. You remember what happened to Timothy, don't you? He was hunted down by the mates of the beings he eliminated. Are you willing to not only put Ciel in danger but also for your contract to be revoked due to him witnessing your death? You know it is inevitable Sebastian. You are lucky you have lived for as long as you have…many mates are out for your blood you know. Do you know what will happen once word gets out that you have a human hunting partner? They will go after him because they will assume that he is your weakness," Sly paused for a moment before glancing over at Ciel. He was slightly surprised to see he didn't have a hint of fear on his face or in his eyes. Sly suddenly leaped from the bed to sit on the window ledge.
"Then again, that child has been surprising our race quite nicely. Perhaps he will actually last longer than a few months?" Sly added before smiling reassuringly at the blue-eyed boy. "Don't worry Ciel. If Sebastian doesn't survive a few more of his hunting expeditions, you can always form a contract with me! I will treat you very nicely. Like the lover you never had," Sly stated seductively. Ciel felt slight warmth settle on his cheeks at the tone of the other male's voice, even though he didn't know what he meant by a lover. Sebastian's eyes narrowed at the blush starting to form on Ciel's cheeks. Sly, sensing that his life was possibly in danger, hurriedly waved at the blushing butler.
"Kidding, I was just kidding!" he nervously laughed while glancing between Sebastian and Ciel. "Well, I think I'll be taking my leave now," he waved the envelope in front of his face before grinning, "I have a letter to deliver to Our Lady. I hope I can visit you guys again soon…especially you Ciel," he added huskily. Sebastian growled at the flirting demon, but Sly merely smiled at his angered friend. "Oh, by the way Sebastian, your ride is here. A good master wouldn't keep their servants waiting," he added in a sing-song tone of voice. With a wink at Ciel and a wave at Sebastian, the other demon was gone.
XXX
Although he was reluctant, Ciel was once again sharing a bench with his perverted master. Already, the man had attempted to kiss and grope him several times…every time, he was harshly denied. After about twenty minutes of failed attempts, Sebastian had finally given up. The only sounds that could be heard were the horses' hooves on the road and the sound of the wheels turning. Ciel was gazing out the window, watching the scenery pass by. Everything was so peaceful and relaxing in nature. The boy could feel himself being lulled to sleep by the sounds around him. It was hard to believe that only an hour ago, he had been desperately thinking of a way to save his master's life. It amazed the child how quickly time flew in life. It was so fleeting, so delicate, and yet, it could be resolute and harsh at times. Ciel glanced at his quiet master out of the corner of his eye.
If time seems to be going fast at times for me, what is it like for Sebastian? Is time like a never-ending cycle of days, seasons, and moments? I wonder why he doesn't want to remember his life before he became a demon…perhaps it is too painful for him? I never did get to ask him exactly how a human can be changed into a demon. Is it a painless experience? Is it horrifying? Does he even remember the moment he changed? Heh, if he did, he probably would choose not to relive it. But, I really am curious about what Sebastian the human was like…was he always so sardonic and knowledgeable? Is that even how he looked as a human? What was life like back in the 1300s? Is he frightened by all the technological advances around him? It must be at least slightly unnerving to see things evolve around you. Then again, this guy would probably embrace the changes with open arms. But what about watching the people around him disappear? Is that the reason why he doesn't want to grow close to anyone…even me?
"It won't happen again," Sebastian suddenly stated. Ciel blinked and looked over at his stone-faced master.
"What won't master?" he asked before yawning tiredly. The pale immortal turned to face him with a small smile.
"I won't comfort you like that again during a hunting expedition or a mission for the Queen, although it was slightly entertaining to squirm in such a way…like a beetle's larvae," Sebastian replied with an angelic smile. Ciel blinked before frowning. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared out the window.
"Don't compare me to a bug, that's disgusting! I only looked like that because you were fooling around instead of doing your job. Besides, I didn't ask you to comfort me in the first place-"
"Because I will protect you to where you will never have to be afraid like that again," Sebastian finished softly. Ciel stiffened before turning to look at his master.
"I wasn't afraid…and besides, don't make promises you can't keep," Ciel scolded in a quiet voice. He yawned again and felt himself beginning to nod off. Sebastian chuckled before looking out the window on his side.
"As a master, where would we be if I couldn't accomplish such a small matter?" Sebastian said confidently. Ciel's eyes drooped slightly before his body began to sway. He didn't realize he was so tired.
"You…are too…noisy sometimes. Stop being…so full of yourself," Ciel mumbled. Sebastian ran a hand through his silky hair.
"Do you think it is appropriate for you to scold me for such things? If I remember correctly, you were the one boasting after Sly departed that you weren't frightened by his words. That you would most likely surpass me because I am not focused enough on the right things-" Sebastian was suddenly cut off by a slight thump on his shoulder. Thinking that the boy had punched him, he turned to scold the boy. His eyes widened at the sight he saw.
Ciel's head was resting on his shoulder; he had fallen fast asleep. Sebastian stared at the sleeping Phantomhive for a moment. The sound of his quiet breathing filled the stagecoach as they continued to peacefully head home. Occasionally, shafts of moonlight would filter in through the window and illuminate the boy's sleeping face. He looked completely relaxed and peaceful. It gave the illusion he had never experienced any hardship in his life. The innocence that radiated off his china doll face made Sebastian's heart thump unsteadily for a second. The demon's ears perked up when he heard the boy softly mumble his name…shortly followed by an insult. A small smile formed on Sebastian's face when Ciel snuggled into his shoulder before he returned to looking out the window.
(1): That date is actually historically accurate. According to some sites I found on Google, the Black Death took place in England from the years of 1348 to 1350...geez, do you realize how old Sebastian is? And he still looks smexxi! ^-^
(2): Okay, so I don't know ANY Latin whatsoever, I used the language because it's really old and in this story, those are the proper names for demon categories...so I used a translator I found on Google...so if this is wrong, someone who understands Latin let me know so that I can fix it. But anyway, Sanctus is Latin for saint (Noun) and it can be used as an adjective to describe something holy, sacred, divine, etc. So that's why this group of demons are known as the Sanctus's.
(3): Liberi is Latin for children...so that explains why it's used as the name for the Demon Children category.
(4): Semihominis is Latin (obviously XD) and it means half-man, half-human, and half-monster. So you can see why I chose this Latin word to describe Sebastian's group of demons; he used to be a human, therefore he is half-man, and now he is a demon, so he is half-monster (but a very smexxi monster! ;D).
(5): And the final Latin word: Morbi. Morbi is plural for Morbus, which means sickness, illness, disease, etc. Sly's name, Yersinia Pestis, is the name of the bacteria that caused the Black Death. So you can see how they correlate with each other.
Naruto: I'm free! Did you miss me J-C? J-C: *staring at the computer and rewatches the Alois and Ciel scene from Episode 5* ~Sasuke~ I think that's a no Naruto... Naruto: *pouts* Don't ignore me J-C! I can do something to Sasuke that's 10x better than what that blondie is doing to Ciel! *grabs Sasuke and imitates what's happening on the screen* ~Sasuke~ A-Ahn...dobe...st-stop! J-C: *shushes them* Keep it down you guys...this is the most slashable thing to happen in Kuroshitsuij yet! Naruto: Looks like we need to increase our efforts Sasuke... *smirks* ~Sasuke~ Help me... J-C: *finishes watching the scene* Oh, we're already at the end of the chapter huh? *stares at the floor where Sasuke is being ravished by Naruto* How the heck did you guys end up on the floor? ~Sasuke~ S-Save m- J-C: Welp, I guess it's time to say sayonara to everybody! I had lots of fun writing those two chapters, so it would be really awesome if you guys could review one or even both of them! *puppy eyes* Please? I think it would be so EPIC if I got 100 reviews for one chapter...that probably won't happen, but it doesn't hurt to dream, right? XD Oh yeah, I just wanted to say thankies to all the people who have subscribed to me on Youtube. It means so much to me! I now have close to 30 subscribers! ^-^ I've gotten past my goal of having 25 subscribers...maybe I can get to 50 soon... *smiles* I also want to say thank you for everybody's kind comments on my dedication vid to you guys! ^0^ Anyhoo, we have finally come to the end of the Murder-Mystery arc. Whew...that turned out to be a pretty gory arc...but I'm super excited about moving on to the new arc. Things are only going to get more complicated for our lovely mains as secrets are uncovered, pasts are remembered, and new characters are introduced! I can't wait to see you guys in the 13th chapter of One Hell of a Master! If you thought things were crazy now, get ready for twists that will blow your mind, massive nosebleeds, and DRAMA. See ya sooner than you think! Ja ne for now! ^-^
