I've been itching to continue writing for this story for so long; so after finding time and spending two days working on it, I was able to cough up another extra long chapter! Whoo!
I sincerely appreciate the new faves, follows, awesome views, and glittering reviews from VampireSiren, Safire Lupe, Tsukino Aisuru –A, Jasmine98, NonieBee, KHRLover1997, xxyangxx2006, and Knyttet. Y'all make my heart flutter!
Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji belongs to Yana Toboso. I only own my OCs and ideas not seen in the anime/manga.
-Janelle-
This was incredibly hilarious.
It was already bad enough that Ciel had to endure being separated from his butler by sharing a tent with someone else. But the worst part was what had come next-Sebastian's assigned roommate was none other than the grim reaper himself, Mr. Spears.
Standing off to the sidelines and watching Joker grinning like all was well with the world whereas the demon and reaper looked just about ready to rip each other's heads off, it was hard for me not to crack a smile at this supposed 'mess'.
"So, everyone's clear so far on their designated tents and roommates, correct?" Joker asked while shuffling through his papers.
"That's right! Smile and I are gonna be best buds in no time!" a young girl with shaggy brown hair covering her left eye stated with a grin, slinging an arm around a moping Ciel.
From the looks of her more unfeminine clothes, I had thought she was a boy at first, considering she was dressed in trousers. But hearing how light her voice was, I didn't think it could have belonged to a male. Unless, of course, if puberty hadn't struck yet, but I wasn't about to dwell on that silly matter.
"That's good to hear! Smile and Black already get along so well, so we thought it'd be good for the both of you to make some new friends! Gotta step out of your comfort zone remember?" Joker reminded Ciel with a wink.
Ciel merely gave a sigh and reluctantly agreed whereas Sebastian and William were still caught up in there intense 'death glare' battle.
The orange-haired host then crossed over to me, scanning the papers in his hands and running a bony finger down the list of names.
"Ah! Pearl, you are going to be in tent number fifteen. Sorry that you're assigned a little farther from Smile and Black. Especially Black, eh?" Joker gave his cat-like grin, giving me a nudge with his elbow.
I let out a small chuckle. "Oh yes, it will certainly be devastating for me to have to be separated from him. How will I go on?" I stated with a roll of my eyes.
Joker laughed and then I asked, "So, who is my roommate? Or…oh my, will I be lucky enough to have a tent to myself?" I asked with a dramatic gasp.
"Very funny, you silly goose, but don't get carried away now! Remember, ya gotta work your way to the top for that privilege."
He patted my head like I was a child, causing me to wince every time his bony hand knocked my cranium.
"As for your question, you'll have to head to where your tent is. I assume your roommate has just about finished working at this moment…"
His face then grew solemn, reading over the names again.
"It's strange though. Tent fifteen had already been occupied before, but apparently, one of the two had disappeared, so your roommate's been alone for quite some time now." Just as that seriousness set in, it was masked by his cheerfulness once again. "That's your cue! Go on then! Make yourself useful and befriend the poor, lonely soul!"
He coaxed me to move, pushing me forward a few feet from behind before carrying on with his priorities.
I watched him go in the corner of my eye before taking a deep breath and making my way towards the exit. Yet before I could even take three steps, a firm hand caught my wrist and yanked me back, stopping me from moving any further. The familiar warmth that belonged to this hand told me who it was and I slowly turned my head.
Behind me loomed Sebastian, who was staring me down with a stern look, though there was no anger behind it as far as I could tell.
"Oh, you done burning holes through that reaper's skull, are you?" I commented with a chuckle, but his expression did not change. Instead, his grip on me tightened.
"Which tent are you assigned to? I shall go with you," he merely stated like he wouldn't take any objections.
I didn't answer right away, for I was figuring out why he wasn't his usual, cocky self at the moment. I smiled a little, though that smile disappeared in the next second as I looked up at him, trying to show certainty in my eyes.
"It's all right. You needn't trouble yourself. I can take perfectly good care of myself." I winced, knowing that was the lousiest excuse I could come up with. I just knew what he was going to say next and I really didn't want to hear it.
He scoffed bitterly and refused to let me go. "Yes, Janelle, I've seen how well you've been able to handle things on your own, given the recent circumstances. I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not."
I sighed, shaking my head. "Sebastian, please…"
"Why are you so keen on pushing me away?" he bluntly asked. His vibrant red eyes softened slightly and though it wasn't apparent, it almost looked as if he was a little upset.
"I…I'm not trying to push you away…"
I turned fully towards him and clasped my left hand over his gloved hand gripped on my wrist. I willed myself to smile for him, gazing straight in his eyes.
"I just don't want to have to depend on you all the time, especially when you have your master to look after. You know I'm not nearly as important."
He narrowed his eyes a bit and didn't answer me. I patted my hand on the back of his and tried to keep up a positive disposition. "May I ask that you trust me? I promise…I promise that I'll be okay."
I didn't know if he was going to give in, but I truly hoped so. I couldn't bear weighing my own problems on top of his priorities.
To my slight surprise, he adjusted his hold on me, loosening his grip on my wrist to grasping my hand instead. He then lifted our hands, pressing my knuckles against his smooth lips, his eyes downcast in deep thought. I could feel his cool breath against my skin, and a real smile broke on my face then.
In mere seconds, I felt his lips curl into his normal smirk against my fingers and he let go of me, his eyes flaming with that usual playfulness once again.
"All right, I shall hold you to that promise then. Now go before I change my mind," he said the last part seriously, though his malicious smile was still present on his face.
I laughed and began walking backwards. "Thank you, Sebastian. And…" I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Good luck handling that reaper."
He crossed his arms, glaring at my words. "Please, I don't need such luck. And how dare you speak of that nuisance right now."
Sensing a sudden spike in his demonic energy, I quickened my pace. "I shall see you soon!" I called back to him, turning away and leaving the practice tent before he could say anything more.
Blood, that was the first thing that caught my attention when I had finally arrived at my designated tent.
It froze me in my tracks and I couldn't stop myself from inhaling the delectable scent deeply through my sensitive nose.
Human blood…It smelled absolutely…delicious.
My hand unconsciously rose to my throat, feeling the all too familiar aching burn. I swallowed and forced my legs to continue on, meeting the entrance of the tent.
The scent was so overwhelming, but I tried to keep control of myself. I was not about to cause bloodshed before I had even met my roommate.
Making sure my eyes weren't flaring red before entering, I lifted the flap of the tent and stepped quietly inside, only for me to freeze in place once again.
"Ow…oh god, this hurts…"
My eyes were glued to the person's caramel blonde hair, my ears immediately recognizing that small voice. It was her.
I heard her hissing in pain as she struggled to get the first aid kit on a high shelf. She stood on a wooden stool, reaching for the white box with the Red Cross. All the while, I noticed that her left hand bore a nasty looking cut on the inside of her palm. My intense gaze focused on a single drop of blood slipping out of the oozing cut before it landed on the dirt ground. How I wished I could lick every drop of the red essence off the ground, and off her enticing wound…
I let out a menacing hiss, my fangs bearing slightly as I clutched onto my neck. Stop, there was no way I was going to hurt her!
The young woman grew frigid, having heard my snake-like hiss. I gulped in apprehension as she slowly turned her head to me. In surprise at seeing someone in her tent, the first aid kit, hanging on the edge of the shelf, descended on her head and caused her to tumble to her knees.
She cried out from the throbbing pain that took over her skull and I instantly sped to her side, kneeling in front of her.
"Oh no, are you all right?" I asked uselessly, even though it was obvious she wasn't okay.
She flinched at the sound of my voice and hesitantly lifted her head until her honey brown eyes met my ocean blue ones.
"Y-Yeah…t-that was my mistake," she stuttered in slight embarrassment, just like I remember she did a long while back.
I couldn't stop the warm smile that erupted on my face, feeling a sense of true happiness coursing through my cold veins. I couldn't believe I had finally found her. I couldn't believe it.
I chuckled, my hand touching her arm. "Eva…" I said softly.
A timid gasp escaped her and her eyes explored mine more deeply, as if she was trying to understand how I knew her name. Yet, seeing her raise her uninjured hand to her open mouth in the passing minutes, I knew she found the answer.
She continued staring at me for the longest time, though I didn't mind the tension. Sitting there together in the deathly silence, I couldn't help remembering the time when we were locked in that carriage with the other women, lost and riding off to nowhere. Maybe we were still lost and confused, but at least we weren't so trapped anymore.
Recognizing the pale color of my skin, my eyes, my hair and most importantly, the icy touch of my hand against her skin, she spoke in a broken whisper. "Y-You…It's…you?"
"You remember me?" I asked her sweetly, grasping her arm tighter and hoping that she really did.
She was clearly at a loss for words, her mouth still slightly open and her eyes now wandering to the ground. She didn't know what else to say, until she finally moved the fingers on her injured hand, which caused her to groan in pain again.
The blood on her right hand was still fresh and it was becoming extremely difficult to hold back my urge to bite into her sweet flesh. It would be so easy, but I repeated over and over in my head to refrain from doing so. I let go of her arm, noticing my fingers were beginning to tremble, but delicately held up her right hand anyway, feeling the warm blood and refusing to breathe through my nose.
"Let me help you with this. How did you get cut so badly?" I asked her, despite how shaken and shocked she still was.
"Umm…" She actually smiled a little, her white teeth peeking behind her chapped lips. "I…I was working backstage and accidentally…cut myself while handling one of the juggling knives. I…was being careless…"
I smiled back at her and stood up, gently helping her back on her feet. "Let's get you seated on this bed, shall we?"
She nodded and allowed me to guide her to the lower bunk bed. I examined her open wound closely, feeling my eyes burning red in a spilt second despite my efforts. Her blood smelled too good…
"I-I'm sorry about the mess. I was trying to wash it off myself, before you came…" She then paused for a minute before looking up at me again. "Is it really you? That girl…you were the one who didn't speak, right?"
I grabbed the first aid kit off the ground and pulled up the small wooden stool to sit in front of her. While doing so, my eyes darted quickly over the interior of this tent. It was quite small, of course, much like all the other tents reserved for the second-tier members and backstage workers. There wasn't much either, save for a small crate, a dirty mirror, and the crammed shelf at the back of the tent.
Well, at least this place was a hundred times better than the environment we were forced to live in as prostitutes.
I turned my attention back to her and nodded. "It really is me. I'm here now and…I'm so relieved and glad that I found you…" I admitted, my smile not disappearing.
Eva furrowed her eyes in confusion at my last few words, frowning a bit before she spoke again. "Wait, you were trying to find me? But…why? We hardly even know each other," she questioned me.
I paused in my work, finally noticing the rough, dried skin on her hands and how frail and thin her wrist felt in my grasp. She seemed to have lost even more weight since the time we were separated in that underground auction. Her skin had lost its peach complexion as well, leaving behind a grayish tint. She was in horrible shape and in her eyes, I could see that she was exhausted; tired of the misfortune she was forced into.
I hated what she had been through. I wanted to help her…
"Regardless, whether we knew each other or not, I just…had to find you." I made eye contact with her. "I had to know you were okay. I couldn't help feeling guilt and frustration at leaving you at that time…"
I then clutched her hand tenderly again, shaking it in my grasp. "In all honesty, you were the only one who showed me kindness and reminded me that…there are people out there willing to help. I just had to find them." I exhaled deeply and then smiled again. "So, I wanted to say…thank you. You don't know how much your company meant to me back then."
I bit my lip, not sure of how she was going to react to what I just confessed. Though, there were no other words. Instead, she lurched forward and wrapped her arms around my torso, pulling me into a surprise embrace.
My eyes widened slightly and I tried to angle my head to look down at her, her thick, blonde hair blocking my view of her face. "Eva…?"
"Y-You too…" Her voice was muffled, but I could still understand her. "You were one of the only people that I thought could be my friend. I…I was so scared. I still am…"
I immediately wrapped my arms around her, patting her back in comfort. "It's okay. I'll get you out of this. You don't have to feel scared anymore."
"But I can't help it. I'm scared of what's going to happen. And I'm scared that the people I connect with will end up leaving me," she cried, her hold on me getting stronger.
I frowned and pulled her back so that I could see her face. My hands grasped firmly onto her bony shoulders and I stared her straight in the eyes. "I'm not going to be one of those people. I won't leave you, I swear."
Her brown eyes were glazed over with tears, some of them falling down her cheeks. "You won't?" she whispered, wiping the salty liquid from her face.
I nodded again with a firm smile. "I won't."
She averted her eyes to the ground for a minute, a few stray tears dripping as she did so before she lifted her head and returned my expression. "Okay…"
I patted her shoulders. "Good, now let's get you patched up quickly."
She patiently sat on the edge of the bed, helping me clean her wound with the antiseptic before I grabbed the bandages and began winding the gauze around her hand.
I was extremely glad when the deed was finally finished in the next few minutes. There was no way I was going to be able to endure anymore of this.
"Thank you so much. It almost feels a hundred percent better already!" she stated cheerfully, examining her bandaged hand from front to back.
She looked up, expecting to see my face but saw the back of my head instead. Her eyes widened when she saw that I was heading for the entrance of the tent.
"W-where are you going?" she asked me in a shaky tone.
I could hear the trepidation in her tone, and it had distracted me from the inner battle with my violent instincts. I forced a happy expression and looked over my shoulder at her. "Don't worry. I'll be right back. I just need some fresh air."
She sighed in relief and nodded. "Okay. I'll be heading to bed then."
"Yes, you do that," I agreed and gave her one last look of assurance before making my exit.
As soon as I was a good distance away from Eva's tent, I clutched onto a nearby crate, taking in ragged breaths. I was seriously going to lose it. I felt like ripping my own head off. It was hard, so hard to hold it all in.
Staring down at my hand, remnants of her blood lingered on my fingertips. Without bothering to think otherwise, I brought my stained fingers to my mouth, allowing my tongue the pleasure of tasting her blood.
A content and breathy sigh escaped my lips. I licked my fingers until they were completely spotless, and yet, I was still not satisfied. Monstrous thoughts sped wildly in my head; including the thought of running all the way back to the tent and spilling her blood all over the floor so that I could feast to my heart's content.
I shook my head, wracking my fingers down my neck and forming gashes as I did so. I sank to the ground, burying my head in between my knees and concentrating on calming down.
I couldn't hurt her.
-Sebastian-
I stared in absolute boredom at the flaccid 'ceiling' of the tent, lying in a stiff and straight position on the bed. I was certainly not accustomed to doing absolutely nothing, and sleep did not come to me as easily as it had to the cursed reaper below me.
To think that I was forced to room with this annoyance; a silly thing, luck was. I had no such luck. One could say I had the capabilities and skill, but luck was not something I harbored, nor needed.
I let out an exasperated sigh and pulled myself up to a seated position, leaning my back against the wooden border of the bed.
Resting an elbow on the measly wood and holding my chin in thought, I went over all that had happened during the day in my mind. I skipped over many of the minor events and lingered on the most important: clues towards my master's investigation, and…
My hand clenched into a fist. Although I had remained by my master's side the entire time, it did not stop me from thoroughly scanning my surroundings and smelling the air for that cursed beast that was now on the prowl for her. Knowing that he had managed to infiltrate this area so suddenly, there was absolutely no way he was going to be able to escape this place alive.
My lips curled at my next few, more malicious thoughts. It had been quite a while since I was able to kill something, let alone someone. The lack of murder was indeed a crime, a dry spell that I must expel immediately. A demon not killing, that was utterly absurd!
I felt my blood boil in both fury and excitement at the thought of my hands catching hold of his innards and tearing them apart; that is, until I realized something. I hadn't been able to catch the vampire's scent at all throughout my examination, nor did I sense his aura.
It had aggravated me to no end. It was as if he had disappeared and was no longer within the vicinity. That couldn't be it. If he wanted her as much as he did, he would not give up and leave so easily.
Thinking about that beast led my mind to her, the words she had said to me playing in my head. My frown deepened further. I absolutely despised the fact that she tried to handle her issues on her own, when she clearly could not do so alone.
Another sigh escaped me. I just could not understand her at times.
But I did know one thing. She was mine, and therefore any problems that she faced would inevitably be mine to deal with as well.
Ending it on that note, I listened closely to the calm breathing of the reaper before shifting my position. I couldn't stand wasting time here, knowing that there was more for me to explore concerning the abducted children.
Moving forward, a brief draft coming through the flaps of the tent blew past me. Breathing in, the scent that was carried along with the draft caused me to flinch unintentionally.
Janelle, her scent…why was she outside?
Despite my restlessness, I continued moving slowly, making as little noise as possible. My hand grasped the side of the bed and I leaned forward. Yet just as I did so, the familiar clicking sound of the reaper's death scythe intercepted me from making another move.
I watched a few strands of my hair get cut off and float to the ground. My eyes narrowed and I turned my attention to the reaper, who was already glaring as he fixed on his spectacles.
"Where do you think you're going? It is far too deep into the night for any of your 'soul-stealing' motives. Refrain from wandering without a master and stay put," William ordered.
He then withdrew his weapon and fell back onto his bed, the rustling of the sheets heard in the next moment before all was silent once again.
I exhaled deeply for the third time that night. I suppose I had no other choice but to put my explorations on hold till morning.
-Janelle-
She was fine now, and that was all that mattered. She told me everything, about how she was sold off to another man at that auction, but was able to escape his grasp with the help of the man's son, who hated his father's treacherous ways with women. From then on, it had been a struggle for her to survive on the streets, as well as avoid captivity again, just as I had been forced to experience in the past. Her story was so similar to mine; it was as if we were sisters.
It was not until she was found by some of the first-tier members, along with a few other girls she had followed and traveled with. Seeking refuge at the circus, they told her she was too weak to try out for a higher position, and instead, gave her a job as a backstage worker.
"It's rough from time to time, especially when we're off touring to different places. I'm already so tired of moving from place to place, so I often hope that we stay longer in one area. I'm very glad we'll be here in London for a while though," she explained to me with a smile while I began climbing up the ladder leading to the trapeze.
"It's lucky that I was able to catch you here in time. Otherwise, I don't think I'd ever find you!" I called back to her before reaching the very top.
Eva looked up at me worriedly while I attempted to swing on the trapeze for the millionth time. Unfortunately, this was harder than I had thought, almost harder than the tight rope I would say.
"You can do it, Janelle! I have faith in you!" she hollered up to me with her hands cupped around her mouth.
I gave a nervous smile, waving down at her before taking hold of the trapeze and jumping off the platform. Feeling the wind blowing through my hair, I readied myself to flip in the air at the right moment. I let go of the first bar and exerted as much strength into my flip as possible in order to propel myself accurately.
Eva watched in awe, but her expression dropped when she saw that I had missed the second trapeze once again and shut her eyes before I painfully landed onto the netting at the bottom.
"Damn…" I muttered, moving the hair out of my face and resting an arm over my head. "I give up. I can't do this…"
The caramel blonde jogged towards me, holding her arm out for me to take. I smiled at her and accepted her hand as she pulled me up to my feet. I carefully got off the net and then bent over my knees, cursing at myself again.
"I thought you were going to make it that time. What do you think you're doing wrong?" She tilted her head while I whipped my hair back and glared at the trapeze like it was taunting me.
"Maybe I'm too heavy," I joked bitterly, placing my hands on my hips. I then laughed at myself. "I can't believe I wasted my time taking that entrance test. I could have just signed up to be a backstage worker like you!"
She shook her head, the lone braid within her tresses following her motion. "Don't say that. Being a second-tier member is a lot better than staying behind the scenes! Your position is so much more exciting!"
"Yeah, but I think I've had more than enough excitement in my life. I'd rather be invisible, really…" I replied.
She frowned at my words, staring at my distant expression before noticing me looking off to a different direction. She followed my line of vision and saw that my gaze was focused on the two distant men on the other side of the practice tent. Seeing a smile beginning to creep on my face, she raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Do you know those two?" she asked, snapping me out of my daze.
"What? Oh, well, sort of. I only really know one of them," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck.
She then asked me to point out who I was talking about and I did so.
"That man, dressed in all black? Why does it look like he's wearing a butler's uniform?" Eva questioned, narrowing her eyes at Sebastian, who was currently attracting a crowd with his natural talents.
I hesitated on my answer, thinking over what was the proper thing to say. Sebastian and Ciel were on a secret investigation, so obviously, I couldn't blow their cover, even to Eva. Well, not now at least.
"He…used to work as butler, before joining the circus," I answered shortly, hoping she would buy that.
She seemed to believe me, and then I saw her giving me a sly grin. "Say, you never told me the reason why you joined this circus. Is it because of him? Is he your lover or something?"
The heat rose to my cheeks at her comment and I cleared my throat. "W-well, yes, you could say he was part of the reason. But mainly, I was looking for you."
She scrunched her nose like she had smelled something bad, when in actuality; it was her way of showing confusion. "Wait, there's still something I'm not getting. How did you know I was here?"
I knew she was going to ask me this question sooner or later, and I was fully prepared to answer. I exhaled and then said, "Okay, listen. Do you remember who your past roommate was?"
Eva nodded, grasping her arms. "Yes, I do. Her name was Carlene. She wasn't very nice to me at all. I mean, she was nice enough to help me get by but…other than that…she was…strange."
The blonde then turned to me, her doll-like eyes going wide. "You met her, didn't you?"
I nodded with a solemn expression, my eyebrows knotting together. "She didn't try to hurt you, did she?"
She shook her head. "No…but she kept telling me that I 'smelled nice', whatever that meant. It really frightened me. And sometimes…" Eva hugged herself tighter, staring at the ground. "She'd stare at me with these blank, hollow eyes, like she was some kind of…lion that wanted to eat me…kill me."
She tried to laugh it off. "Sorry, you must think I sound crazy…"
I walked over to her, resting an arm around her shoulders. "No, you are absolutely not crazy. She was the mad one."
Eva gave a light giggle before growing serious again. "Do you know what happened to her?"
I paused for a moment before shaking my head. "No, actually. I'm not sure if I'll ever see her again, not that I want to anyway."
Eva didn't say anything for a while, her head resting against my shoulder until she flinched and jerked back suddenly, her face showing slight fear.
"You know, I never wanted to say this, but now that you mentioned her, you and Carlene seem to be…similar in a way. It's hard to explain…" she said slowly, rubbing her right arm.
I chuckled at her words, much to her surprise. "Yeah, Carlene mentioned that to me when she told me of your whereabouts. She thought you were ignorant for saying that, but honestly, I kind of disagree with her." I shrugged my shoulders.
Eva shook her head vigorously. "No, she's right. I am ignorant for thinking that, because you are not nearly as evil as she was."
I smiled, clasping my hands behind my back as I kicked a stray pebble on the ground. "Is that so? Hmm, thanks Eva."
She grinned at me, before her eyes held that former sense of mischievousness once again. "Hold on a minute, Janelle, you're not off the hook just yet. You still didn't answer my second question about you-know-who," she whispered the last word, all the while nudging me in the ribs and jabbing a thumb at a certain demon across the field.
I rolled my eyes. "Must you really drill on that particular question?"
She nodded enthusiastically and I sighed, crossing my arms. "Well, I'm not exactly sure…"
Eva frowned. "What does that mean? Don't you care about him?"
"Of course I do. He's…very important to me. But sometimes, it's hard to figure out how he feels about me. Or…if he feels anything for me at all…" I shrugged again, knocking another pebble out of the way.
She sunk in what I said for a minute before replying. "Has he hurt you before?"
I paused and then shook my head. "No. He's helped me through nearly all of my struggles. It's strange but…I feel like he saved me, in more ways than one. I'd probably be dead if we had never crossed paths."
I hadn't noticed Eva's grin at me while I had refused to make eye contact with her, in fear of blurting out something not meant to be said.
"You shouldn't worry then, Janelle."
I turned my attention back to her, seeing that her gaze was set on Sebastian and William practicing in the distance.
"As long as a man treats you the way you want to be treated, then all is well. But…" Her voice grew softer. "If he ever hurts you, then it's over. In the end, you have to look after yourself, and put yourself first, Janelle. I mean, let's be honest."
She turned to me and grasped both of my hands. "You and I have been through so much mess in our lives already. Isn't it enough? Being used and treated like nothing but a toy…you can't let that happen again."
I stared down at our bound hands and rubbed my thumbs over her dry skin, swallowing back a lump that had formed in my throat. "Thank you for saying that, Eva. I'll keep that in mind."
I then lifted my head and gave her a stern look. "You better watch out for yourself too, you hear?"
She laughed and nodded, her cheeks gleaming pink in her joy. "Yes, yes, I will."
I sighed in content and then pulled her into my arms, hugging her once more. She giggled and returned my embrace, finally feeling less lonely in this one moment.
Enjoying the last few seconds of this hug, I heard footsteps and sensed a familiar aura approaching us. Though I knew who it was, I didn't bother breaking away from Eva just yet.
It was only when Sebastian was about a few feet away from us did Eva finally notice him. She gasped in surprise, jumping out of my grasp.
The demon chuckled at her fright and placed a hand over his chest. "Forgive me, I did not mean to startle you lovely ladies. Please, do continue with what you two were doing."
I narrowed my eyes at him with an amused smile. His tone had that hint of mocking again, like he was displeased with something. Oh great, what was he thinking this time?
Eva was back to her stuttering and babbling self again as she brushed off the front of her blouse. "U-um, no, i-it's okay. W-we were just hugging, right?" She sent me a flustered grin.
Sebastian tilted his head at us, his eyebrow raised in interest. "I see you know my Janelle. Tell me, dear, is she your roommate?" He directed the last statement to me.
Eva giggled at the blush that became prominent on my pale skin. I knew I hadn't just imagined what he had said prior to the question. Shaking it off, I nodded to him, patting the blonde on her back. "Indeed she is, Sebastian. And she so happens to be the girl I was looking for," I stated proudly.
The butler's crimson eyes lit up, a hand curled under his chin as he turned his gaze to the blonde beside me. Now it was her turn to blush, though I think it was out of shyness. Eva retreated closer to me, shrinking under his alluring stare.
"My, my, I am rather pleased that you were successful in finding her Janelle. It's about time you stopped moping now, isn't it?" he teased me, causing me to roll my eyes.
He then bowed lightly to Eva, executing his skills as a gentleman and a respectful butler. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am known here as Black."
Eva blinked once before she grinned and stepped away from me, shyly bowing to him as well. "Nice to meet you, Black. They call me Sunny here, even though I'm not a performer."
"Really? I didn't know that. The name they gave you is adorable!" I commented, turning to her.
She blushed harder and shook her head in protest. "No it's not! It's embarrassing!"
"Yes, I suppose you're right. All the stage names here are a bit embarrassing…" I stated with a straight face.
As if on cue, a loud voice suddenly boomed from behind us, shouting for Eva. "Oi! Sunny! What are ya doin' in here?!"
Eva gasped and turned around to see a young, scrawny boy approaching her and looking peeved off.
"I-I'm sorry, I was just talk-"
"Don't ya know you've got alotta work waitin' for ya?! C'mon now, we ain't got all day!" he snapped, taking her wrist and dragging her forward.
"Hey! Be gentle with her please!" I shouted before I could hold my tongue. Sebastian's eyes brimmed with amusement at my sudden outburst and he smiled.
The boy merely gave me a weird look, whereas Eva grinned at my protectiveness kicking in.
"Whatever, let's go!" the boy repeated himself and yanked on her again, ignoring my words.
I gripped my forehead, shaking my head in disapproval as I watched them disappear from view. Now that it was just the two of us, Sebastian stepped closer to me, allowing his arm to snake around my waist and pull me into his side.
"Well, that went better than I had expected. It was about time," he stated with a satisfied smirk, his gaze directed to where the two had left.
My eyes narrowed and I leaned my head back to look at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean…" He slammed my face against his chest and then bent his head close to my ear. "Now I get to have you all to myself, and I didn't have to think up a strategy for your precious friend to leave either."
Although I had been pleased to be in his arms again, what he was saying was rubbing me in the wrong way.
I placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away, but not far enough because of his strong hold on me.
"You did not just say that." I glared at him, trying to distance myself. "How can you say such things when I had finally found her, Sebastian?" I snapped. His grip on me was not loosening in the slightest.
His smirk merely grew wider, unperturbed by my words and incessant struggles against his hold. Instead, he grasped my wrist and began walking towards the exit of the tent in a brisk pace.
"Where are you taking me?" I demanded, letting my feet drag against the ground every so often in order to slow him down.
"Just come along with me, Janelle." His tone of voice held impatience and he looked back at me with annoyance. "And stop trying to fight me or I'm afraid your arm will be detached if you do."
The blue of my eyes darkened a bit but I bit my lower lip, stopping myself from saying anything that could further provoke him. I turned away from him, bottling up my irritation.
His lips curled into that devious smirk again and he continued onwards, noticing it was easier now that I had calmed down.
"That's my girl," he whispered, half to himself.
"You know, you can only be angry at me for so long, Janelle," Sebastian teased, finally stopping and turning around to me.
I growled under my breath and crossed my freed arms. I took the time to look around and noticed we were in a far, secluded area among a large number of crates and hidden behind two rounded tents.
"Where…are we? Is it safe here?" I asked without really thinking.
The demon butler chuckled at my words. "Does it matter where we are? You should know that you will always be safe with me."
I peered behind one of the tents and narrowed my eyes. "There's barely anyone here."
Sebastian nodded, a sly smile crossing his face. "Indeed…"
I turned back to him and noticed him taking off his left glove, the middle finger of the glove caught in between his teeth as he pulled it upwards.
I furrowed my eyebrows at his curious actions. "What are you doing, Sebastian?"
His smile grew wider. "So many questions…" His eyes then darkened a bit. "I was watching you practice earlier. Your lousy movements tell me that you seem to be lacking in energy."
I scoffed at him and looked to the side. "Well thanks for saying I'm lousy, like I didn't know that much."
Without me noticing, he pulled down his sleeve on his left arm, allowing the pale skin of his forearm to reveal itself. He grazed his skin with the gloved fingertips of his right hand and his eyes flashed in that demonic hue.
"You're thirsty again, aren't you?"
I froze at his utterly true words. He knew, of course he knew. There was nothing I couldn't hide from this man. He knew me like the back of his hand. Dammit.
My head slowly moved back to him and he could see the anxiety written on my face. "I-I'm okay, Sebastian. I can still go on without feeding for a few more days."
I heard him humming in thought, watching him staring down at his exposed arm before he suddenly brought his wrist up to his mouth. My eyes widened when I saw his sharp fangs reveal themselves and, to my dismay, break through his soft flesh. Immediately, large beads of his dark red blood gathered at his self-inflicted bite wound and just as quickly, my eyes changed into that blasted fiery red.
He then whistled to me like I was a puppy, diverting my attention from his wound to his face. His left index finger curled at me, beckoning me to come closer. "Come, my dear. Your dinner awaits," he said in his usual teasing tone.
I couldn't believe him, what did he find so amusing about this?!
I shook my head and clenched my fists. "Sebastian, why are you doing this? You're not some kind of…personal blood bank for me! I can't let you do this!"
The demon frowned at my resistance and then rolled his eyes. "Don't start with me again, Janelle. I'm allowed to do whatever I please when it comes to you."
I began breathing heavily again, the scent of his blood flooding my senses and messing up my thoughts. Before I could even stop myself, my feet began moving forward by themself.
"Hurry now, dear, before your meal gets cold," he continued to toy with me.
A rivulet of blood had formed down his forearm and just as a drop of red began falling to the ground, I lurched forward and grabbed his arm, allowing my tongue to lap up the stream of his blood.
Sebastian gave a smirk of triumph at seeing me bending at his will, enjoying the sight of my eyes glowing red and my soft tongue running along his skin. The feel of me licking him clean sent pleasurable chills throughout his body and strangely, he didn't want me to stop.
He saw me hesitating when I had finished licking off the blood, my mouth now hovering over the veins that resided just below the barrier of skin. His crimson eyes met my equally fiery ones, seeing the concern behind the vicious gaze.
"Go on now," he urged me and I eyed his wrist again before opening my mouth and allowing my fangs to penetrate his flesh.
While I was feeding, in my mind, I convinced myself that I wouldn't go on for too long. Despite how utterly raw and delicious he tasted, I wouldn't delve into gluttony. That would just make me feel worse about what I was doing to him.
After hearing me taking in a few gulps, his eyes widened slightly when he saw me retract my fangs from his flesh and lick the already closing wound clean like I always did.
"Finished so soon?" he asked me, tilting his head.
I looked up at him, the irises slowly dimming back to blue. "Aren't you glad about that? Doesn't it…hurt?" I said softly, pure dread filling me.
"No, not in the least bit. It actually feels rather good to me," he admitted, glancing over his arm to make sure the bite wounds had closed up before covering it with his sleeve.
He watched me looking down at his blood staining my fingers and before I could run my tongue along the digits, the demon abruptly eliminated the remaining distance between us. He grabbed me by the waist, pulling me in till my body was pressed against his.
I let out a sharp gasp when his forehead rested against mine, his enticing lips mere centimeters away.
"You owe me something," he whispered, moving closer and allowing his upper lip to brush against my parted mouth.
I was confused by his statement at first, but understood quickly due to his 'invasive' actions.
Before he could close the gap between our lips, I moved away and instead, dipped my head in the crook of his neck, much to his surprise.
My stained fingers crawled up his chest and stopped at the collar of his dress shirt. Pulling his collar down and loosening his tie, I could see more of his flawless skin, the warmth from his neck meeting against my nose.
"Oh, I do? Hmm…I wonder what it is…" I said, using this small opportunity to play with him.
Inhaling his heavy scent deep into my system like a drug, I dared to dart my tongue out, letting it graze up his smooth and slender neck until I met his jaw bone, where I opted to leave behind kisses that lasted for barely a second. Feeling vibrations under my lips from a low growl that escaped him, I couldn't help but smile in pride. How I enjoyed taking the upper hand, even if it barely lasted.
As expected, my turn in toying with him died down immediately. Wasting no time, his ungloved hand slithered into my wavy tresses. He then grabbing a fistful of my hair and pulled, making me lean my head back to him.
I winced a bit by his harsh action but the stinging pain was forgotten when he slammed his lips against mine, hungrily claiming my mouth like he had wanted. The kiss almost seemed like he was mad, for it was rough and bruised my lips in an instant. Just when he was about to part my lips, he heard a muffled laugh coming from me and he broke away, sending me a curious and irritated look.
"What are you laughing about?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. His bangs fell over his left eye, but I could still see his irises gleaming with desire. His lustful state made him all the more appealing and unlocked my intense craving for him. What this devil of a man was doing to me was insane, ridiculous. But right now, I didn't care.
"You bit my lip, you jerk. That hurt," I replied to him with a fake pout.
Sebastian blinked once before smirking and chuckling in a low, malicious tone. "You'll get over it," he shot back and leaned down, capturing my lips again.
He bit my lower lip once more, hard, like before just to spite me. But this time, I was ready for it and a soft, breathy gasp escaped me from the enjoyable pain that shot through my lip. I could feel his mouth curling into a smile before his tongue entered my parted lips. The lithe, wet muscle rubbed against the walls of my mouth, leaving behind tantalizing sensations that had me begging for more. My left hand went to grab the back of his neck whereas the other slipped into his raven black hair, keeping his head in place.
He could still taste the remnants of his own blood in my mouth, but it didn't deter him. Just to have me yearning for more, he playfully allowed his tongue to graze against my sharp fangs, cutting himself and spilling more of the delicious red droplets.
A muffled moan came from me at tasting the dark and spicy taste of his blood again. I broke away from him for a split second, an audible wet pop sounded from our parted lips. He took this brief pause to push me back against the crates behind us, my back meeting the hard surface of wood. He hovered over me and I leaned up, latching my mouth back with his again.
My tongue took the lead this time and darted into his mouth, finally letting me explore him as much as I pleased. Just when I thought I could go further, however, the tables turned on me once again, and he closed his lips, trapping me as he began massaging and sucking on my tongue, earning more sounds of pleasure to escape me.
My hands wandered over his body, lingering over his chest and fighting the urge to rid him of his vest, tie, shirt, everything. I wanted to feel him, truly feel every part of his body, but his damn clothes prevented me from doing so. I attempted to undo some of the buttons of his vest but surprisingly, he stopped me, his hand clutching mine and squeezing my fingers.
He felt my lips grow frigid at his action and that was when he finally pulled away. He gazed at me with a satisfied smirk, loving that his intense kisses left my lips reddened and plumper than before. My pouting just tempted him further. He wanted more, and he knew I did too. But at the same time, we both knew it had to end.
His irises shone a brighter red and he cupped my face in his hand before drawing close to my ear. "I'll admit; you've got me feeling jealous, Janelle," he stated in a low tone.
My eyes widened a little and he moved back. "You're referring to my friend, aren't you?"
He had no readable emotion on his face. "You care so deeply about her, it slightly angers me."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "There's no need to feel that way, Sebastian. You know that I care a lot about you too."
He frowned, not fully pleased with that answer. He then sighed and guided me away from the crates before holding me close in his arms in the next second. I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my cheek on his shoulder while he leaned the side of his face on my head.
"Then you should know that I don't particularly like sharing," he replied back in a stern tone.
I held back my urge to laugh again with a broad smile. I closed my eyes, enjoying the immense body heat from him enveloping my body.
"Don't worry, Sebastian. Who do you think I'm going to be bothering longer?" I stated, my hands running along his back.
Hearing a deep chuckle breaking from him, I knew that I had managed to lighten his mood a little.
Meanwhile, Sebastian froze, glancing down at the contract symbol on his left hand. It glowed slightly and sent a tingly sensation down his arm.
His master needed him.
-Ciel-
I hated this. I hated everything about this circus and I hated having to live in an environment below my stature. It was utterly humiliating; and what had just happened had made it all worse.
I couldn't move at the moment, after having run as fast and far away as I could from my overly cheerful tent mate. Sitting here behind one of the covered carriages like a pathetic fool, wet and freezing in this cursed winter, I just didn't want anyone to see or come near me.
Yet as that thought had crossed my mind, something soft and warm draped over my body and I flinched, lifting my head from my knees.
"You'll catch a cold if you stay in those wet clothes, master," the familiar, deep voice that belonged to my butler entered my ears.
Wrapping the towel that he had given me around my body, I looked up and glared at the smug look on Sebastian's face.
The demon butler sighed lightly. "Well, it seems I'll have to fetch you a fresh change of clothes. Excuse me for one moment, master. Janelle, look after him."
I shivered, holding the towel tighter against me as a breeze blew past me and another presence kneeled before me.
"My lord, may I ask what happened to you?" A feminine voice inquired and I recognized it to be Janelle.
I froze though, not from her presence, but because of the hand touching my knee. My visible eye widened and I hesitantly looked up into her ocean blue orbs. Unlike Sebastian, her gaze held no teasing, no hidden evil, and no fire that I could see. Instead, there was water, warmth, and a lingering hint of sadness in hers.
Strangely enough, the concern and warmth in her eyes did not match the feel of her hand on my knee. Her skin was pale and cold like marble. No, her icy touch reminded me of that cursed water that had soaked me. It reminded me of how I had fallen to the ground, and then…
My expression darkened and I felt anger rise inside me. I hated how she felt. I didn't need concern or pity from a woman, and certainly not from this vampire.
Without holding back, I slipped a hand from under the towel slapped her arm away from me, my glare now meeting her look of surprise. "Don't touch me," I ordered and buried myself back under the towel.
"Must you be so harsh, my lord? She was only worried about you," Sebastian entered the scene again, the new clothes he fetched hanging from his arms.
I growled and yelled, "I've had enough of this place! I'll lose my mind if I continue living like this!"
My butler sighed again. "You'll feel you'll lose your mind? Master, are you so weak to surrender this quickly? Because, the master I know…" His tone grew darker and out of nowhere, flashbacks of my cursed past ran through my mind. "…would never surrender so easily."
I stop shivering for once. "The master you know, huh? Hmph, then you know well that I, the head of the Phantomhive family, should not be living like this."
I finally stood up, removing the towel and stepping towards Sebastian. "Let's end this investigation quickly."
A light chuckle suddenly broke the tension and I turned to the side to see that Janelle was biting into her knuckles like she was holding back laughter.
I narrowed my eye. "Do you have something to say, Janelle? Spit it out."
She removed her hand and beamed at me, a hint of playfulness set in her eyes. "Young Master, it truly makes me sad to see you so upset. Are you sure you won't be in need of a hug?" she asked gently and then opened her arms.
Sebastian snickered and I froze for a moment before my cheeks grew warm. "Did you not hear me before? I said, don't touch me! So don't even think about it! Sebastian!" I turned to my butler, expecting him to shoo her away.
Before the demon could make a move however, Janelle was already walking away. "If you ever change your mind, my lord, I'll be right there!" she called before she disappeared out of our sight.
I watched her go and shook my head, a tint of pink still lingering on my face.
"How noble of you, my lord. You refuse to embrace another woman in order to uphold your true feelings towards Lady Elizabeth. How admirable indeed," Sebastian said, only adding more coal to the fire.
"That is not the case at all!" I snapped, my body temperature rising and eliminating the cold I had felt earlier.
Sebastian merely chuckled before placing a hand over his chest. "Whatever you say, my lord."
