New update already, mah peeps!
Thank you to the lovelies VampireSiren, fencergal19, Princesa de la Luna, piplup225, and pammazola for reviewing the last chapter!
Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji belongs to Yana Toboso. I only own my OCs and ideas not seen in the anime/manga.
Right when he saw the certain look in my eyes, he wasted no time. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me right into the small, dark room, where he had just finished finalizing the lodgings for his lord over the telephone.
A deep scowl set on his face as his sights focused on the watery film over my eyes. At first he was confused, but now he was getting irritated.
"Don't you dare."
I swallowed hard and then mustered up a smile. "I know…"
"No, you don't." He backed me up against the wall, eliminating any breathing space between us. Not that there was anywhere for me to move much, the room was certainly narrow and could easily make a person claustrophobic.
He placed one hand near my head on the wall, keeping me caged within his grasp. He leaned his forehead against mine, his vibrant gaze searching through the blue depths of my irises. "I absolutely despise when you do that."
I sighed heavily. "Yes, I know. That's why…"
"You still don't get it, do you? I don't care whether you shed tears or not. But what I cannot stand is when you try and hide what you truly feel," he stated in a stern tone, pulling away so that I could see the serious expression he wore.
His firm demeanor melted away in a matter of seconds when he continued on. "There's no need to act so strong in front of me. I want you to let everything go in my presence. I don't want you hiding anything from me. You should know that by now."
He waited for what I had to say. I was being stubborn, trying once more to swallow down the growing lump in my throat. Then, I spoke softly, "But…I need to stay strong. I hate it when I fall weak, because then…"
My voice trailed off and he used this opportunity to pin my body completely. My back met the wall and his lower half pressed against my body. Before I could bother finishing what little I had to say, his warm lips roughly met mine, bruising them on harsh contact and igniting the dire yearning I had for him. A breathy gasp escaped me as he pried my mouth open with the brutal force of his kiss, pushing past my soft lips and indulging in the sweet taste of our tongues meeting and rubbing against one another.
On instinct, my core began moving against his hips and he responded with as much fervor, grasping my thighs and lifting my legs so that they were wrapped around his torso. He pressed himself closer, and though we were fully clothed, I could feel his arousal burrowing deep against my center, the heat quickly rising inside me. My body was reacting so strong and fast, easily succumbing to his aggressive, lustful actions. How badly I wanted, no, needed him… My pulse was rising like mad and my breathing grew heavier, almost at a desperate rate in response to his greedy touches.
Once he had a taste of me, he couldn't pull away and neither could I. He had me addicted and our mouths moved together nonstop, licking and biting, trying to satisfy the growing desire inside of us but finding we just couldn't get enough.
Sebastian growled lowly, pulling on my lower lip with his teeth before letting go, leaving me breathless and flushed. He then whispered against my tingling lips, "I could just eat you up, Janelle..."
A sly smile crossed my reddened lips and I smashed my mouth against his once more. Biting his velvety lips in return and licking off miniscule droplets of blood, I responded, "Not if I do it first."
The demon's smirk grew wider and his mouth wandered to my jawline, nipping the soft spots while his fingers were busy undoing the buttons of my collar. A part of my neck was exposed and his lips attached there like a magnet, his tongue darting along the tender skin. He hummed in utter content and I closed my eyes, loving the vibrations of his muffled voice against my throat. Unknown to me, the demon found the taste of my flesh nearly satisfying, as if it was a temporary drug that could hold off his vicious hunger. If he could have his way with me now, he imagined me surrendering to every one of his sinful touches, writhing in pleasure under him like before, and he knew. If he could just have a true taste of me…Such sweetness, he thought, something he could just devour like a ravenous animal. It truly made his fangs ache for so much more.
Yet he knew something else, something far more important. His desires were not above his master's orders, and therefore had to be set aside for the time being.
I felt his head lift from my neck as he pulled back to look at my face again. He still had my legs wrapped around him, our bodies still so close. He saw the hint of surprise on my face, as well as the passion that burned in my eyes. He gave a genuine smile then, pleased to realize that I wanted him as much as he desired me.
My hands rested on his broad shoulders and I almost wanted to demand why he stopped. But snapping back to my senses, reality came rushing back.
"My dear, have I gained back your trust?" he asked me.
I had to think that one over, for it had only been a few days and nights. I knew deep inside that my trust in him was still shaky. He was a demon after all, a deceiving and manipulative creature feared by most mortals, and there was only so much that I could believe…but…
"You are my mate."
That's what he told me before.
Sebastian saw the uncertainty in my eyes as I sighed and said, "I don't think I can trust you completely yet…I need more time."
The demon merely smirked at my answer, letting out a chuckle and not looking at all disappointed. Instead, he seemed amused, as per usual; he was enjoying the little challenge I was putting him up to. I did say it wasn't going to be that easy, no matter how tempting he could be with his devilish charms.
"Stubborn girl, I see. Hmm, well then, I suppose I can't change your mind entirely but, will you believe what I am about to say, just this once?" he urged me, keeping my gaze locked with his. When I gave him my utmost attention, he continued, "Just know, dear, that no matter what happens, whatever obstacles that may get in my way, I will return. I will come back to you."
The lump in my throat was getting harder to keep down and I bit my lip. I remember Agni telling me this, but hearing those words coming out of the demon's mouth in person was far more meaningful. I supposed, slowly, that I could find the will to trust him again.
"You better not break that promise, sir. Or I'll never, ever forgive you," I stated sternly, though Sebastian knew that despite the tone of my voice, I was going to believe what he was saying. I was giving him a chance.
He nodded, his close-eyed grin coming into effect. "I vow that I won't, love."
The demon saw that I wasn't faking it or hiding what I was feeling anymore. He saw the tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes and finally, a true smile spread on my lips, happiness lighting up my face. Allowing his lips to touch mine once more, he saw a single tear escape down my cold cheek. Pulling away with a genuine smile of his own, he brushed it away with his thumb. With just that simple motion, feeling his gloved hands against my skin once more, I was happy and he was able to leave knowing that I was going to be just fine on my own.
I was going to be all right.
At first, I thought it was just a part of my dream, because he came back. The way he called my name still echoed in my head over and over, but I found that I was able to tune it out better that night as I lay on the butler's bed. The empty room served some momentary peace and quiet to ease my frazzled thoughts. My dead ex-lover's voice was becoming dull, as if he was getting buried in a grave my messed up brain was creating.
Soon though, I saw another bizarre vision while I was resting. As it progressed, it seemed to be a continuation of that vision I had seen when I had nearly visited death's door. Percival's cries of my name were long gone and instead, I began to hear an ominous, deep voice muttering words I couldn't comprehend. Once more, I saw those black talons, the sleek, leathery skin, and those fiery, demonic eyes that hypnotized me in a trance I was willing to fall into. Yet instead of those dark, emerald green flames that had served as part of his intimidating aura, raven black feathers were raining down above my head. I tried to reach out for them, but every time they touched even the tip of my fingers, they shriveled and faded into nothing but sparkling black dust.
Then, the black dust began warping into those thick clouds of smoke on the night of the vampire's murder. It was getting harder to breathe, and the panic that arose was only making it worse. The smell of incinerating flesh was not present this time; it was only the intense heat that seemed to take over everything. How I hated fire…the pain of being burned was far more immense as a vampire than when I was human. I had learned that the hard way, back in my wandering days.
I fell to my knees; the smoke was becoming far too heavy and overwhelming. Hastily scanning my surroundings, I tried to see through the dark shadows that were surrounding me.
Wake up! I told myself. There was something wrong. This wasn't just a dream. It was like the fires were real, too real, too hot…
…
That's when I finally snapped my eyes open. Only to find that the heat I was sensing wasn't going away. A tremendous fire was literally breaking out around the Phantomhive estate.
In an instant, I had sprung out of Sebastian's bed, a wave of alarming thoughts attacking me one after the other. I thought about the state of the manor, the servants, and the cause of this sudden emergency. Yet the strangest thought that triggered me to move the most was what resided inside of the demon butler's closet.
I pried open his wardrobe, expecting to see the same amount of cats as the one time I had examined his closet, but to my surprise, there was only one particular feline remaining-the brown kitten that I had found and gave to him. A spark of curiosity rose at the thought of Sebastian having let the other cats go free, but without another second to waste, I scooped up the kitten in my arms. To my relief, Cocoa didn't protest and I made my way out of the butler's room, racing down the hallway.
Feeling the soft fur of the animal against my arms, I thought I was absolutely insane; to think I was worrying about the safety of his feline friends before anyone else. Sometimes I pondered whether or not I was starting to adopt parts of the demon's thinking process, but that idea was even more bizarre than anything else that crossed my mind. Trying to keep a clear head, I dashed my way down to the servants' quarters.
The first servant I came across happened to be Tanaka, and although he was still in his deflated form, he was already alerting the other Phantomhive staff members.
"Blimey! What the hell is going on out there?!" the booming voice of Bard called and he busted his way out of his bedroom.
"Bard, thank goodness, you're okay," I blurted without really thinking.
The cook caught sight of me and gave a sigh of relief. Scratching the back of his head, he answered, "Of course, I'm all right! But where's Mey-Rin and Finny?"
Tanaka's chortle broke through our state of alarm and we turned our attention to the old steward, who pointed down the hall. The two of us exchanged glances and then followed him outside, where the maid and the gardener were already running around in anxiety and panic.
"Pluto! Pluto, no!" Finny cried and all of us looked on in horror at the sight of the demon hound setting the entire forest and manor to flames with his dangerous ability. I narrowed my eyes at the sight of his spiky collar glowing bright, wondering if it was the cause of his sudden rampage. Through the smoke and heat waves, I was also able to catch on to the sight of a white figure sitting on top of the hound. Heightening my senses, I tried to decipher who it was.
The trio was shouting to each other on what to do, as well as trying to call Pluto back, even though it was useless. The demon hound had officially lost all control over his mind. Despite the confusion and the suffocating heat that settled on us, I was able to identify the person in white by their powerful aura, which almost seemed to match up to Sebastian's caliber. Pluto was already disappearing through the burning forest, but it was enough time for me to realize that what I was sensing, to my utter shock, appeared to match the aura of that certain woman from the Houndsworth village. Yet another person I was hoping I'd never come cross, and yet here she was.
Angela? No, for some reason, she didn't seem the same as before. It may have been my imagination, but the moment before Pluto fled, I spotted what appeared to be wings on her back. White wings that I thought were like those of a bird's. But comparing her aura to Sebastian's a second time, it didn't seem quite right…
Needless to say, I was utterly confused and too shocked to think straight. For all I knew, my mind had gone off the deep end, because nothing made sense. The real fact was that Pluto was gone, leaving behind a terrible wreck of the area and destroying the manor once again.
"Everybody, please stay calm," an elderly voice entered the scene and the trio and I turned around to see that Tanaka had returned to his regular human form. It seemed he always reverted back whenever there was an important matter or crisis to attend to.
The steward looked up at the estate, watching it begin to crumble in various sections. To think that Sebastian had just repaired the manor to its glorious state after the ambush of the first-tier circus members, and now this was happening. I couldn't help thinking this place was cursed to be doomed.
"We have to put out the fires, we do…" Mey-Rin declared in the silence, her face saddened as she lifted her spectacles from her face to reveal her hazel eyes.
"But what about Pluto? I saw someone take him away!" Finny cried. He couldn't look away from where the hound had run off to.
"We can't go after him now, but as soon as we put out these fires, we'll scout for that mutt, got it?" Bard assured him, placing a hand on the gardener's shoulder in comfort.
I stood beside Tanaka, who turned to me with a sad smile. Though I could see the kindness that stayed in his eyes, I found that there was something deeper in them. It was as if he had known everything, far more than I could ever realize. All this time, he had been on the sidelines, observing all that happened in the day-to-day lives of every person living at the Phantomhive estate. He must have known about the dark secrets, or at least had a good premonition. Did he know Sebastian was a demon? Did he realize the young Earl had essentially sold his soul to the devil? He had to have known; there was no doubt that despite how normal he acted, he knew it all.
It was almost scary. One look in those aged eyes of his, having witnessed many things in his long life serving this prestigious family, and it was like he could see right through me. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew what I truly was.
Cocoa began to stir in my arms and I was brought out of my deep train of thought. Looking down, the kitten, cradled in my arms like a baby, gazed up at me with its gray eyes and began squirming against my hold. I smiled lightly and set him down to the ground, allowing the feline to stretch his limbs. I kneeled down to his level, petting his chocolate-colored fur. In the back of my mind, I hoped that the circumstances weren't going to get worst. Pluto's howling in the middle of the previous night was like a bad omen, and no matter how much I tried to think positive, the bad feelings I kept having only escalated further.
It was only the beginning-starting once more with a devastating fire.
Early the next day, just as Bard had promised Finny, the four of us set off towards downtown London in search of the furious demon hound. The Phantomhive manor had suffered greatly from the hellish fires, sustaining significant damage inside and out. In its current state, it looked almost impossible to fix to its former glory. Tanaka had decided to stay behind while the rest of us went on with our hunt. Perhaps he had wanted to pay his respects to what was left of the manor; the old steward didn't elaborate on his reason for staying.
I could never foresee that the moment I caught a glimpse of the veteran standing at the burned entrance of the once proud manor, it was to be the very last time I would see him.
"You have a kind heart, Miss Janelle. Do not be afraid to let it show."
We hardly ever spoke to each other since the day I was recruited, as he was always in his 'quieter' state, so I was surprised to hear him speaking directly to me. It was something he told me out of the blue as soon as the trio was out of ear shot. I wondered why he specifically mentioned that about me, and at such a disastrous moment like this. Yet thinking it over, I suppose there was no better time he could have said it. It was either then or not at all.
"Thank you for your guidance, Mister Tanaka. I have always held great respect for you. Please take care."
I didn't mean for it to sound like a final farewell. However, fate seemed to have other plans, thwarting me down a different path I would follow soon.
…
The bad feelings were coming true. The nightmare continued into the later hours and just like that, it was night fall again. Pluto was wreaking havoc on practically all of London and people were running back and forth in a frantic frenzy. Things were going completely out of control, and the four of us ended up getting separated amongst the fiery chaos.
The last words I had recalled from the servants were mostly on how to get Pluto back to the way he was. Bard had his gun with him, loaded with tranquilizers.
Finny had a hopeful expression on his face as he watched Pluto atop one of the highest buildings. "He's like family to us. It's going to work, it has to!"
Just before we had divided, I had seen the look Bard wore as he gazed down at the rifle in his hands. I could just tell what was on his mind at that point.
"I don't even want to think about it…" The cook had muttered under his breath before aiming his weapon at the demon hound in an attempt to sedate him.
As I continued walking amongst the burning city, death surrounded me the further I lost myself. A few live citizens rushed for safer areas or boats waiting to take them elsewhere. The majority of what covered the streets was debris and multiple scorched bodies. And of course, there was fire. The flames were everywhere, burning stronger
than ever. One could relate this scenery to what Hell was depicted as, if only in the slightest. My mind played with the thought as it crossed with another, imagining how Sebastian would possibly laugh at the comment of burning London being compared to his home. I could only assume Hell was worse, far worse. I should be used to this by now, continue to grow numb to all this carnage.
I often found myself looking down near my feet to make sure Cocoa was following close by. The kitten was mostly silent, save for the occasional meow and hiss whenever he came upon something interesting or gross, like the corpses. I smiled warmly at the sight of him every time; I was very glad he was here with me. Whenever I set eyes on the feline, he was like a constant reminder for me to keep going forward. Don't be afraid.
My sights darted downwards once more, yet this time, the brown cat wasn't where I expected him to be. My pulse jolted and I immediately looked around, only to see that Cocoa had wandered ahead of me. Letting out a short sigh of relief, I caught up to the cat and kneeled down next to him.
"You scared me, you little rascal. I thought I had lost you for a second there…"
Cocoa let out a meow of what sounded like curiosity, his round eyes fixated on the burning building in front of him. I followed his line of vision and tried to figure out what he was sensing ahead of me. It wasn't hard for me to catch onto what the feline was sensing. In a split second, my ears were able to hear a tiny voice inside of the two-story home. Standing to my feet and approaching the residence, my eyes narrowed and then widened; I wasn't just imaging things. The voice of what sounded like a trapped child was what the feline and I was hearing.
"Oh no…" I muttered to myself and then glanced back at Cocoa. "Stay there, I'll be right back!" I told him, even though I wasn't sure if he'd listen. The cat merely remained where he was, his gray eyes still glued to whatever he was staring at. I hesitated for a minute, the flames getting harsher the closer I got to the building before I snapped out it and kicked the weak door down.
The terrified cries were still distant and from where I was standing in the crumbling building, the child was upstairs. Moving as fast as possible, I carefully stepped around the weakening floor boards, blocking out the flames with my arm over my head. A large block of wood sailed down just as I looked up at the stairs and I quickly backed up, watching the debris crash to the ground in a massive heap, causing more flames to burst.
It was getting hotter and far more dangerous, but I wasn't about to run away. Bracing myself, I leaped over the debris, colliding onto what remained of the staircase. Looking behind me, I noticed that I wouldn't be able to go back the same way I came as more falling pieces began blocking up the entrance. I pushed myself onto my feet, staying still to listen and heard the girl coughing to the left of where I was. Wasting no time, I used my enhanced speed to my advantage, not caring anymore if I was going to get burned in the process. I raced down the hallway, jumping over various holes and busting through random doors.
"Come on, where are you?"
I winced, starting to feel the pains of random burns I had attained but I ignored it. Pushing through one last door, I finally came across the girl, who lay unconscious on the ground. I sped to her body, picking her up and praying that she was still breathing. On impulse, the broken window in front of me was the first thing I spotted. Glancing at the girl, I made sure she was secure in my grasp before knocking down the remaining portions of the window and then crawling out of there. Once on the roof, I jumped down from the second floor. I was able to land on my feet safely and taking in a gust of fresh air, I exhaled in relief.
"I did it...I actually did it," I whispered to myself and then diverted my attention to the girl. "Are you all right, little one? You're safe now."
Silence. I gently turned her face towards me, and to my horror, I saw the unmistakable frozen look in her eyes. The girl wasn't responding. I gasped and then lowered my head near her parted mouth, finding that her breathing did, indeed, cease.
"No, no, no, you're not dead. You're not dead!" I exclaimed, shaking the girl's small body. I pressed my ear against her chest, hoping to hear a hint of life, a heartbeat, anything. Nothing, I heard absolutely nothing. My hand rose to the girl's cheek, finding that it was just as cold as my own skin. She was dead, but I didn't want to believe it.
I kept muttering words of denial to myself, grasping my head, my horrified stare glued to the girl's still face. Her eyes were open, and after another moment, I convinced myself to accept the morbid reality. Just as I reached out to close her eyelids for good, a most dramatic voice interrupted my action.
"Oh dear, another dead broad we have here! The work just seems to never end!"
The clicking of heels against the cobblestone met my ears and I slowly looked up to see vibrant crimson. It was all I saw, that color. Red shoes, red cloak, long red hair, and upon seeing this person's face, I was taken by shock once again.
No way…
The redheaded male frowned at the dead girl, making 'tsk' sounds as he tapped his finger against his chin. "It's absolutely dreary looking at nothing but burned bodies one after the other. Why can't one of them be covered in blood for once? Oh!" He clapped his hands together and grinned, revealing his razor sharp teeth. "That would be utterly magnificent! A beautiful death indeed~!"
The flamboyant reaper paused in the middle of his brief monologue when he finally took notice of my presence. His lime green eyes met my dark blue ones and a sneer crossed his lips.
"And what do we have here? You're still alive?"
One minute, he seemed overjoyed and in the next minute, he was suddenly angry. I didn't expect his next rather violent move and before I knew it, I was slammed against a half-broken wall, the reaper's gloved hand clenching around my neck. I winced from the collision and was choking due to his extremely strong grip. My fingers clawed at his arm in an attempt to loosen his hold.
He growled and pushed me further into the wall. "How rude! Staring at a lady like you did with those disgusting eyes of yours! Who do you think you are?!"
It took me a moment to realize who he was referring to-himself. A smirk managed to creep onto my mouth, despite how tightly he was gripping me. He was incredibly strong indeed, even though he didn't look it. Judging someone by appearance was definitely a no-no here.
"A…l-lady? I-is that what y-you really…a-are?" I dared to question his gender, not necessarily scared of him.
As expected, the red-clad reaper grew more furious and his other hand searched for something in his jacket. "Oh, you certainly want to die, don't you?! Splendid! Allow me to grant you a slow and torturous death as I drown you in nothing but red!"
I coughed out a weak chuckle and clenched onto his wrist. "Y-you…think…that's a g-good idea?"
"Of course, it is! It's a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself! Now, shut your trap and let me-"
He stopped all of a sudden, his temporary, 'ultimate' death scythe of tiny scissors frozen in midair just as he was about to tear the blades into my face. My vision was starting to get clouded in black, but noticing I was still able to see the dangling skulls attached to his red spectacles, I knew I was clinging onto the last bits of life.
Yet the reaper had halted in killing me. Now that he was close enough, and even through his rage, he had found that there was something oddly familiar about me in the last second. Disturbingly familiar at that.
Shaking in the remnants of his fury, his eyes darted to the cursed scissors in his grasp. The degrading and highly embarrassing death scythe reminded him of why his glorious chainsaw was confiscated in the first place. Gritting his razor teeth, he forced himself to withdraw his weapon and reluctantly pried his fingers from my neck, letting me go.
I fell to my knees, clutching my badly bruised neck as I paused to regain my strength. The redhead crossed his arms, peeved off that he couldn't risk killing me. Glaring daggers at my pitiful head, the reaper spat, "You should feel lucky that I spared your worthless life! To think I showed mercy, how revolting! But I've got too much on my hands as it is…Oh William, why must you be so harsh on poor, little me~! I don't deserve this harsh punishment!"
The reaper had turned on his heel, his back to me while he spoke to himself in his theatrical manner. Getting back on my feet, my hand still held my neck but I was able to function again.
"Grell…Sutcliff?" I spoke in a hoarse tone.
"Hmm~?" The redhead turned around to me, his eyebrows already furrowed in irritation. "You know of my name? Who exactly are you? I can't quite put my finger on it, but I can hardly believe I was ever associated with an ugly wretch such as you!"
Clearing my throat of the hoarseness, I answered him.
"Ouch, you sure have a way with words, don't you? Well, I've heard worse. I don't blame you if you don't remember me. But let me just say three words." With a small smile, I stated them. "Jack the Ripper."
The reaction on his face was quite interesting to watch. First, there was confusion, realization, a hint of happiness at recalling the memories, and then intense fury once again. He jabbed his finger at me and shouted, "You're that wretch I failed to kill?! You're still alive?!"
I nodded nonchalantly. "Yes, I am, ma'am. I believe this is the second time you asked me that silly question."
"Argh! I'm gonna kill you and rip that nasty, little mouth of yours!" he threatened me, wielding his scissors.
"Then why didn't you before? You had me right in the palm of your hands. I could have been screaming in agony by now," I continued to taunt him with my hands clasped behind my back, my sights focused on the smoky night sky overhead.
Grell growled and dashed forward, thrusting his scythe at my face. I didn't move and allowed him to make a decent gash on my cheek. I flinched at the feel of the blade, cold droplets of blood seeping out. I shut my eyes, waiting for him to do more harm. But he didn't.
"Tch, it's not fun at all if the victim doesn't put up much of a fight! You're such a bore!" Grell exclaimed in aggravation, flipping his red hair over his shoulder.
The wound began to heal up and I dared to approach him.
"Now that I recall, I do believe that it was dear Bassy who stopped me from finishing you off!" At the mention of him, an exaggerated gasp escaped him and the redhead whipped around, grasping my shoulders. A wide grin was on his face and his green eyes were glimmering in absolute joy. It was crazy how fast his mood had changed; it was almost hard to keep up with him.
"Have you seen my Bassy?! Please tell me you have! I've been far too deprived of that devilishly handsome butler! Ooh, there's so much I'd love to do with him…Kissing him with tongue for instance~! Ahh~!" Grell was falling absolutely lovesick thinking about the demon butler, and I honestly didn't want to know what kind of 'things' he wanted to do with 'Bassy', who, apparently, he believed was his.
"Sebastian Michaelis, you mean? Oh yeah, I've definitely seen him around," I played along, putting on a grin of my own.
"Really?! Where, where?! You must tell me!" Grell practically shrieked, jumping in place like an excited school girl.
I laughed and, with his growing impatience, he frowned at my reaction. "To be honest, I actually don't know where he is at this very moment. I haven't seen him since yesterday. So sorry!" I stated, saluting him like a soldier.
Grell pushed me back with great force, causing me to stumble. "Forget you! You're useless!" Yet just as he was about to walk away, he faced me in the next second. "What did you mean when you say you saw him yesterday? What are you implying, wench?!"
I blinked a few times like an innocent child and then tilted my head. "What am I implying? I didn't mean to imply anything at all."
"Liar! Are you saying you see my Bassy every day? I refuse to believe my Bassy would dare associate with a hideous woman like you," he barked, his expression twisting into one of utter disgust.
I sighed, getting tired of his insults. Might as well tell the truth, I suppose. "All right, you caught me. I admit; I do get to see him more than you ever could. And you know something else, Mister-I mean, Miss Sutcliff?"
The redheaded reaper was fuming and I imagined steam was coming out of his ears like the whistle of a train. "If things hadn't turned out the way they did, I would have gladly given him to you, I sincerely would…"
Grell was so ready to rip my head off, but it didn't matter. I just had to say it. "…but unfortunately, I like Sebastian far, far too much to ever let him go."
Hook, line, and sinker. He had lost his marbles, exploding in a rage that could possibly compete with the expansive flames engulfing London at that very moment. He stomped towards me, his long, bright red hair trailing behind him like fire. "Never mind, I take it all back. I don't care about the work load, for I have nothing to lose anyhow! Killing you once and for all will surely be worth it!"
Oh my, he was dead serious now. Well, it was too bad, because I couldn't die. Not when I actually had something, or rather someone, to live for.
I took steps backwards, but kept up the grin on my face, not daring to show a hint of intimidation. I quickly thought of something as a decent distraction, the obvious solution coming to mind.
"Must we resort to violence every time? Can't we be friends? I'm quite positive you and I would get along like two peas in a pod," I stated, nearly breaking my act due to the large amounts of sarcasm dripping off each word.
Of course, the reaper wouldn't calm down with that statement. He was backing me up against the wall again, and then that's when I saw something in the corner of my eye. Being as discreet as possible, I tried to identify what it was, guessing it was my feline friend.
It was now or nothing. I only had one chance before I was to be cut up into tiny pieces.
Putting up the most star-struck look on my face and clasping my hands together like a typical damsel in distress, I gasped in fake, but hopefully convincing, awe. "Oh, it's you! Sebastian, you've come to save me!" I declared, my eyes 'catching sight' of the butler 'supposedly' arriving behind him.
"Hah! You honestly think I'm going to fall for that one? Nice try, dearie~! Any other last words before I dispatch your worthless soul?" Grell spat, snapping his scissors with the blades shining in my eyes.
I mentally slapped myself, now regretting that I tried such a stupid idea. "Damn, I thought that was a good one. You're much wittier than I thought…I suppose you should just hurry and reap me then," I pretended to surrender, though I was readying my body to move as swiftly as possible to dodge his next strike. I didn't want to bother forming any other ridiculous distractions.
"If that's all you have to offer, than this dainty lady must commend you for going easy on her. Bye, bye~!" he spoke in third person and went to execute his fatal blow.
I clenched my fist, fully intending to speed off like lightning until an unexpected turn of events happened. Out of nowhere, something had latched itself onto the red reaper's head, and it took me a second to realize an adult-sized black cat had pounced on him. Using its sharp claws, it viciously scratched Grell's face without mercy.
"No! Not my face! Not my beautiful face! Get off me you vile beast!" Grell flailed about, trying to shake free from the feline but failing miserably. His struggles seemed to only make the black cat sink its claws into his face more deeply, causing the reaper to cry out in hysterical pain.
I couldn't move right away, but finding that the cat was helping me somehow, I used the pent up energy I had saved to make a successful run for it. Once the feline had seen I was dashing out of sight, it released itself from the reaper and also sped off in a blink of an eye before Grell could steady himself.
The redhead was alone, left to bite the dust. He let out the most frustrated cry, his voice echoing in the isolated quiet. Standing there with his face consisting of various scratches and punctures, the reaper had forgotten all about his work for the time being. The only thoughts swarming in his rage-filled mind were diabolical, murderous, and possessive. The demon butler was rightfully his; he could not and would not stand for anyone else to have him. No other being was worthy of the demon's affections except for the redheaded reaper himself.
Stomping his heel to the ground, Grell shouted in the air, "I'll have your head soon, you dirty wretch! Enjoy the remainder of your petty life! Once you're dead, Bassy will always and only be mine and mine forev-AH!"
"Sutcliff, what nonsense are you spouting about? Stop dawdling like a fool or you'll earn even more overtime," his superior commanded of him, having stabbed the back of Grell's head with his pruner.
"W-William…such a spiteful man, you are~!" the redheaded reaper mumbled in distress, his face planted on the ground from the force of his attack. Blood spewed out from his head wound and along with the pain, William's presence was forcing him to return to the task at hand.
One last and vital fact occurred to him during this minor defeat, and it lingered, seeming to taunt him. He was going to absolutely dread looking in the mirror, if he ever got the chance later on.
"Goodness…I barely made it…" I breathed, having found a relatively vacant area free of other potential reapers and humans. Surrounded by only the dead and burning flames, I slumped against a brick wall, not believing my actual luck at that point.
Lifting my head once I was settled, I spotted the black cat approaching me. "That was really something you did back there. Thank you," I spoke, placing a hand on my heaving chest. Watching him walk in my direction, the certain cat seemed so graceful and calm. His black fur looked perfect and sleek, compared to Cocoa's fluffier appearance. Speaking of the latter, the kitten was safely curled up against my side. He had caught sight of me and the mysterious cat, and was able to keep up with us during my escape.
Once the black cat was close, he all but leaped up onto my lap, his gaze fixated on mine. I narrowed my eyes at the feline's own pair, noticing that they were an interesting crimson color, reminding me a lot of…
No, that couldn't be it.
"You're quite the handsome fellow, aren't you?" I found myself whispering to him, raising a hand to rub his back.
A deep purr emitted from the black feline almost immediately and he curled up closer against my touch. His fur was just as soft as I had imagined and I found myself not being able to take my eyes off him. Once I withdrew my hand, the cat suddenly got on his hind legs, his two front paws pressed against my chest. While I stayed still, the cat rubbed his head against my neck, and then against my face. A smile broke out from me and it only grew wider when I felt the cat licking off the dried blood on my cheek.
It was utterly absurd, but I was blushing, and it was a mere animal that was causing my flustered state. Catching my eyes one last time, the black cat then turned, leaping away from me. He darted off into the distance, disappearing so fast, I hardly had the time to say or do anything.
Left alone with only the brown kitten on my side, who occupied the empty space on my lap, I pondered over the black cat's questionable actions.
The cat had saved me at the most opportune moment. There was no way it was coincidence. Secondly, the cat was far more affectionate to me, a supposed 'stranger' in his eyes. And lastly, those dark crimson eyes of his, that I tried to deny, were exactly like the demon's eyes. Yes, the demon butler that Grell had gone absolutely insane over. The man I was undoubtedly missing too quickly. I could try and convince myself that I lost my mind countless times. But I was sure, no, very certain that the mysterious feline was no ordinary stray.
Indeed, it was him, it had to be. That devil of a man enjoyed toying with my mind after all.
The demon butler, Sebastian, had protected me in the form of a sly and devious black cat.