Chapter 33: Danny POV

Sebastian slid his hands over my trousers and kissed my neck as I brushed my hair. He watched me in the mirror and pulled back.

"Don't cut your hair," he said, kissing my temple. "I want to see it long, once."

"I am still a man to the Earl." He slid his hands up to cup my breasts and smiled as I swatted them away. "Decorum - remember? That is what the Earl asked anyhow."

"But not in the privacy of your bedroom."

I turned around and put my hands on my hips. "A moment of passion and you want it all?"

"I seem to recall a few moments, of lasting, memorable, passion," he said, kissing me slowly with each word. I pushed against his shoulders and smiled, kissing him back.

"I think you are planning something in that mind of yours," I finally said, walking out of the bathroom and picking up my vest from the chair. "Are you going to let me know or do I have to wait and be surprised?"

"A little of both," he said after a moment. "Have you given any thought to what yesterday will mean for us beyond these walls? I am happy to keep you safe in that bed, and delighted, but you know, for this moment, we both have positions that are more than just the two of us."

"The Butler and the Tutor," I sighed. "The Earl will be mad when I tell him about my secret."

Sebastian nodded, pensive. "He will be angry, yes. But perhaps understanding."

"I don't like the word 'perhaps.'"

"You are the young Master's savior - twice. He will be more understanding and open to your position now." Sebastian placed a well gloved hand on the door as I went to open it. "He may be willing to give something else you crave."

I looked at him and saw there was a mix of longing and excitement. I shoved his hand off the door and shook my head. "Make me pancakes and we can say my cravings are done."

"Oh, my sweet Demon," he muttered into my ear.

"Sebastian," I growled, warning, nothing but a warning to stop, to dismiss his thoughts on the matter. I shuddered inwardly; I had protected the young Master not because I had to, by a Contract, a Bond, but because he had grown on me, even when he was Possessed. His sparkling green eyes and dark hair, his smile, and the way he would sometimes look at me as we went through lessons, reminded me of my own sisters, of the girlish dream of having children of my own, or simply that I was made to protect. Souls from Demons, and now, to snatch them from Reapers? I wanted to cradle the young Master and not see how his eyes held now a different look for me.

"Danny," Sebastian breathed as he passed me. I blinked and looked at him. He was busy placing the fruits out on the side table and I was standing at the table too, having wandered through my daydream to arrive where Human food was served, and suddenly I surveyed the toast and eggs. 'Perhaps' floated into my mind and I turned to Sebastian and without realizing I even had a plate in my hand, I opened my palms, dropping the plate, only to watch in horror and amazement it stop, and the well cultured Demon who I had tied myself to, no matter what, lifted it in his hands.

"I don't think I can do today," I said suddenly.

"No, best you get back to bed."

"Can Demons get sick?"

"You feel feverish?" He placed a hand on my neck and frowned. "You feel fine."

"Maybe on the outside," I siged. "Inside I don't seem to put a thought together."

"The young Master will not be up to continuing his studies, you will not be needed today, Tutor," he said lightly. He placed the dish back on the table and slid his hands up my arms, "Go to bed. Demons don't need to sleep, and even so you are fully now a powerful creature, I believe I have occupied your first 24 hours of being such, with less than restful activity."

I smiled and licked my lips - Finnian was out in the Garden, Baldroy was trying not to burn the eggs, Mey-Rin was starting the daily wash - and leaned forward - the Earl and his wife were in bed, the young Master was also sleeping - and kissed him gently. I saw his eyes widen for a moment, even so he knew where everyone was, I was sure.

"I made sure we were alone," I breathed. "I shall try to rest. I agree, there wasn't much of that going on yesterday." I kissed him again and untangled myself, walking back to my bedroom.

Sebastian had once said that being a Demon was about sucking the emotions out of the Humans around us, small glimpses of their Souls. That those emotions were what guided him to create - really mimic - them in himself. But he was Made, not Born, and I was a woman - all these unknown parts coming together in a way that no one could imagine. I lay on the bed and ran my fingers over the blanket I had wrapped around myself as we had finished one more passionate lovers meeting. I stuffed my hand in my mouth and giggled like a schoolgirl. I was sharing my bed with a man! A very nicely looking and feeling man!

I rolled over and looked out the window, missing the open fields of trees, blooming and waiting for the time to produce their fruit, to be picked, enjoyed. I got up and decided to do just that - go outside and think. I had to think. I had to sort out what had finally happened, where I was going to go.

My feet carried me like the wind, like they had when I had defended the Manor and I stood in the middle of the gardens, the morning dew still clinging to the blades of grass, the small branches of the trees. I sat on the bench and looked up, the vastness of the sky seemed to welcome me and I could float. Danny - my twin - and I would lay on the back of the wagon and watch the clouds, making up small stories of why the blue sky would make the puffy white clouds, and then would make the clouds sad, making it rain down on us below. There wasn't a cloud over head, but I saw there were more coming, and a few looked like they were sad, and would rain. I smiled gently, the memories rolling over me.

I was forever frozen in the last memory of my Human existence, a perfect shell for eternity. But I was more than a handsome woman - I was a woman who had hopes and dreams. I closed my eyes - had. Were they all gone now that I was a Demon? I laughed. More importantly, had they fled when I had decided never to declare myself a woman to anyone? It was easy enough to do - men washed separately mostly, we slept with clothes on, or at least a thin layer covering any flesh that would stir the sinful emotions, we all got standard sized uniforms to wear. I was among men for two years before… before I killed myself before I could be taken by force by men whose eyes would have looked down at me, hungry. A hunger that was very different than the hunger that had been in Sebastian's eyes as he held me, kissed me, caressed my cheek, and muttered things in a scolding hot tongue I didn't understand, but it warmed me throughout my being.

The sun was rising over the trees far to the East and I watched as the dark of night was slowly consumed by the chasing light. What a metaphor! I had let myself be taken by what I had to do, an act of survival, both on the battlefield and within the Society. But I now had a choice. I could balance them. I could be a woman, wearing dresses, dancing openly with the man I loved, and be a man, respected and brave. I watched the birds take to the sky and move as one. One. It was a different sensation to be called 'Daniella' - my name. My name. Not my brother's name. Not someone who I was only part of. I finally stood after a few more moments of peacefully reflecting.

I placed everyone - an interesting ability I wondered how often Sebastian had used to keep track of me when I was a Reaper - and walked to the Earl's study, still in some disrepair since Sebastian had been occupied and had not left to survey the physical damage the Demon and I had done to the room. I opened the door with a small knock, once more facing the two men I had respected and admired.

"Ah, do come in, Mr. Hyde," the Earl said, placing a broken chair back down. "Sebastian said you were feeling a bit of the effects of this," he added, looking around.

"Yes. Partially." I took another step into the room and looked at the broken chair. I looked at the Earl and cleared my throat, suddenly dry. His eyes were bright and I could see the dimness of his other, Marked, eye through the black eye patch. The same Mark I had casually outlined and caressed on Sebastian's hand. "I have been keeping something from you."

He looked at me and sucked in a deep breath, as if preparing himself to go underwater. Perhaps he was rightly preparing himself.

"To start with, as you have seen, I have come into my powers," I said in a rush of words. "All the small things that have been happening over the past four months came together when I needed them. I defended this home - your home and your family - because I had to. I felt compelled to do so. It was natural, like protecting the young Master from the Reapers." I slowed down and listened to the beating of both the Earl and Sebastian's hearts. "Almost like my womanly instincts were to protect her children."

"Yes quite," the Earl said. He shifted his head toward me further and took me in. "'Womanly instincts,'" he muttered and tried to figure it out. I took a breath and broke his wonderment. I dove in, and hoped I would come up to the surface after taking the plunge.

"I have needed to survive for 50 years disguised as a man. I am not a man, physically, nor, it seems, wholly mentally," I said, letting the air seem to stale and suddenly shift as I went on. "I am sorry to have deceived you so, Earl," I finished, bowing my head.

I heard the Earl shift and then felt his hands on my shoulders. "I understand something about deception and hiding," he finally said softly. I looked up and knew what he meant. The Contract was beautiful even so it was shrouded behind fabric. He fingered his patch and nodded. "Yes, Sebastian did say long ago others of his kind could see it. The greedy Demon made it so visible I can't present it to even my wife when we are alone." There was a drop of sadness in his voice, but he pulled back and straightened. "So, Ms. Hyde, this is new to everyone, I imagine."

I heard Sebastian shift a bit and it caught the Earl's attention. "Aw, bloody hell, Sebastian!"

"It was for the Tutors protection, my Lord."

"And…" he started then turned and let out the breath he had been holding. "We shall talk about this later, Demon."

"Of course, my Lord."

The Earl looked at me and sighed. "If I leave to get my own tea, will you two be able fix this?" he waved his hand at the broken chair and the toppled side tables. He looked at the desk and ran his hands over the gash where Mey-Rin had landed. There were papers scattered everywhere.

"Of course," I replied. "It was my fault that -"

"No, please, I will not place this upon you. I am a rather lovely target for many, both Humans in polite society and those I crush under my heel. And, a constant attraction for Demons to visit and try to wrench away. And now my son," he added as he looked over at the couch, the only piece of furniture not damaged in some manner. "He is a target or a good substitute it seems."

I turned away, not trusting that my own memory of his son would not shine in my face. He walked past us, once more commanding all that was around him, even so he was leaving two Demons who could possibly control even more. I felt the shudder of Power course through me and Sebastian spent less than a second to repair everything.

I frowned at him. "How will I learn all the finer points of being a Demon if you do it all?"

He smiled and slid a hand over my neck and pulled me closer. "You will have plenty of time to learn all the finer points. Right now, I wish to kiss the delectable woman who is standing before me."

I hardly protested as he kissed me, held me closer and at last pulled away, pride shining through as he looked at me. "You are a most peculiar Demon for sure, Ms. Daniella Hyde."

I smiled widely and kissed him on the cheek. "I would imagine I am. I have done everything else quite opposite, so why stop?"