Author's Note: In this chapter, I wanted Serena and Ciel to have a 'bonding experience' if you will. I ended up thinking that it was rather sad.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of it's characters. I only claim Serena.

A Demon's Mate

Chapter Twelve

The garden offered a perfect hiding place when the dance instructor arrived. Sebastian had continued to make little comments about Serena joining the earl's lesson during lunch and it had finally driven her from the house. Now, the red head looked out over winter's barren landscape.

The trees were bare of leaves and the flower beds had already been covered in preparation for the first snowfall that had yet to happen. The only blooms to be found were the hardy, winter roses from Germany. When the clouds let loose the flakes they were holding, the blossoms would look like fresh blood on the pristine backdrop.

'I suppose the greenhouse would have been a more appropriate place to hide out, but I run a greater risk of being found there. No one would believe that I would be freezing my butt off in an empty garden.'

There was a large gate just past the rose bushes and Serena's curiosity got the best of her. The latch opened easily and the hinges didn't make a sound. 'Well maintained, like everything else in this house. Can't there be one thing here that isn't perfect?'

Inside she found the same covered bushes and bare, ornamental trees. The cozy corner made it's occupant relax even without the blooms and greenery. A sound from the bushes made Serena jump, her heart pounding in fear.

'Oh, get a hold of yourself. Do you honestly still believe in the 'bush monster?''

A black cat with white on it's chest and paws padded out from under the bush that had rustled and sat in the middle of the walking path. Serena took off her gloves as she walked up the path.

"So, it's just you scaring the crap out of me, huh?" The red head smiled as she knelt to let the feline sniff her fingers. The cat must have decided that she was alright as it rubbed against her fingers.

'I wonder if the cat obsession is true too?' As her fingers stroked the animal's neck she felt something. Picking it up from the sleek fur, Serena saw a necklace with a small, blood red jewel.

"A ruby necklace? Of course he wouldn't just give you a collar."

"Collars and chains are for dogs."

Serena looked up from the jewelry to see Sebastian standing at the gate. A small bowl rested in his gloved hands. The demon wore no extra clothing, but didn't flinch at the bite from the chill wind that had her huddling farther into her cloak.

"I see you found my little secret."

"Trust me, it's not much of a secret. Whoever writes Kuroshitsuji knows all about it."

The demon blinked in surprise that one of his weaknesses was so well known, but recovered quickly. He came forward and set the bowl down. Serena watched as the cat quickly abandoned her for the butler and his offering.

"What's his name?"

"Her, and she hasn't told me yet."

"You talk to animals?" Her voice gave away her disbelief.

"It's more of an impression than an actual conversation. Still, cats are the only animals that I have met in my long life that can completely hide their intentions. I can never really tell what they are going to do next."

"I always thought it was them being capricious more than hiding."

"Perhaps that's it. Or maybe, that's what they want you to think."

Serena laughed.

"It's good that speaking with my master has brought your levity back. Although, I do wonder what you were talking about."

"We were talking about you, of course." She smiled. "Why else would he ask you to leave?"
"I thought so. If you wanted to know about me, I would be a more reliable source," Sebastian said as he stood from the cat.

"But would you tell me what I wanted to know?" She narrowed her eyes in disbelief.

"What is it that you want to know?"

"What's your name?"

"Sebastian Michaelis."

Serena threw her hands up. "See?"

"You cannot get that answer from Lord Phantomhive either."

"I never said that's what we were talking about." She saw a flash of irritation in his eyes and smiled. "Not so fun, is it?"

"No, I suppose it is not." Sebastian thought for a moment. "You ran out of my master's dancing lesson."

"Well, that was an abrupt change of topic. Did you realize you were losing that argument?"

"I admit nothing."

She laughed. "Yeah, public humiliation has never really been a big priority for me. Whether it was watching or being the one watched."

"Dance skills are rather important in this era."

"I doubt that I'll be going to many balls and things like that."

"Master does plan on you being involved with his cases since you already know the truth about his position and our contract. Dancing may be needed." He held out a hand to the red head. "There is no one here now."

'You need to get over it. Most people in the world hate who they must spend their lives with.'

Serena stared that the gloved hand before taking it with a sigh. The demon wasted no time in pulling her into him.

'How often do you get to take dance lessons from a demon? I'm not giving in to anything. I'm just taking advantage of a unique situation...Right?'

"Now then, a waltz is always essential to know in any society. Just follow me."

She started out shaky, not knowing where to move. Serena laughed nervously every time she fell over her own feet and against the black clad body. Soon, the steps repeated themselves and the red head could see their pattern. When her mind was no longer occupied by her feet, she could notice how easy it was to be with Sebastian, moving with him, and the bubbly feeling in her chest.

'I could see the connection between you. You like Sebastian, admit it.'

"You're thinking awfully hard about something." Sebastian's smooth voice interrupted her thoughts and she lost her place in the steps.

She bit her bottom lip as he guided her back into the sequence. "What does being a mate mean to you?"

"I did not think the concept was that hard to grasp."

"I know the concept can mean different things to different people."

"My mate is aware. That is good."

"I'm aware that you are dodging the question." Her gaze moved to the cat, watching them patiently from her place by the bowl. She seemed to be interested in what the demon and human were doing in her little corner.

A smirk played across his lips. "My mate is a soul that was created for me. Some demons believe that mates were introduced for the purpose of taming them. A way to calm the damned down a bit."

"What do you mean?" Her voice was a little suspicious, as if the red head knew that she wouldn't like Sebastian's answer.

"A demon's mate is to be protected above all others, even themselves. Their every command is obeyed without question. Their every wish granted. A mate rules their demon."

'Yup, knew I wasn't going to like it.'

"Why are you so adamant about going through with this? It sounds like slavery to me. Is not being lonely really worth that?"

"You do remember our conversation from last night I had wondered." He led her through another turn. "Many demons are happy to feel the chains."

Serena stopped and pulled away so she could see his face. "Are you?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Sebastian!"

Both looked up to the second floor. One of the windows was open and releasing billows of smoke and the voice of Meirin became more and more frantic. Bardroy's soon joined it.

'Is that all that happens here? Do they really blow things up daily?'

The butler turned back to Serena with a smile promising pain to someone. "If you will excuse me, my lady. I'm afraid that our conversation will have to be postponed."

Serena laughed to herself as the demon hurried away. Shaking her head, she felt something brush her skirt and saw the cat. The red head leaned down to pick up the feline. Both listened to the servants yelling for Sebastian and the butler demanding them to explain what they had done now.

"I want to know too." She put the cat back down and started for the house.

In the hall, she saw Bard racing up the stairs with a bucket of water in his hand and his goggles down over his eyes. A brilliant smile lit the former soldier's face and told her that whatever was going on, it obviously wasn't too bad.

'I almost wonder if he blows stuff up on purpose. He certainly seems to enjoy it.'

Serena followed behind the chef down the hall that led toward the guest rooms. The entire household stood outside one of the unoccupied bedrooms. Smoke was still wafting into the hall as Bard threw his bucket's contents on something that was smoldering just inside the door. She recognized that the object was a former wing back chair but couldn't tell what the covering had once been.

'It looks like someone poured melted candle wax all over it.'

"Mei-Rin, I would still like to know how this happened." Sebastian just stared at the maid with that creepy smile on his face. The Earl stood next to the chair, touching the grooves.

"There was a mark on the chair and the regular cleaner wasn't working to get it out. So, I tried the bleach on it."

"Bleach melted the leather?" Ciel poked the ruined seat.

"Bleach is highly corrosive. If there had still been some of the other cleaner still on the surface, they probably reacted and became...I guess volatile would be the word I'm looking for." Serena put her hand over her nose. "It's probably a really bad idea to breathe the fumes."

Ciel had started to cough as well as Snake. The footman's favored pets had slid inside his uniform already to escape the smell. Sebastian quickly shut the door to the room and picked up the chair. As he took it down the hall, Serena started to cough as well.

"I think we need to leave here." She grabbed Ciel and pulled him down the hall. There was a door that she had seen Mei-Rin go into before. "Where does that go?"

"It goes down the servant's stairs to the kitchens."

"That'll work."

Once down the stairs, they could finally take a deep breath without choking. Ciel and Serena slowed and let the servants lead the way through their part of the house. Bard led them to another door that opened under the grand staircase.

"Here we are, master." He smiled as he held the door for the earl and Serena. As soon as they stepped out, both smelled the fumes again and ducked back into the servant's hall. "Perhaps you should wait until we air the house out."

The soldier pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and tied it around his nose and mouth. Mei-Rin followed his example as Finny borrowed Snake's. There was no way that the footman, with his heightened senses, could go out into the chemical fumes. And Tanaka's age stopped him from going.

"Master," Tanaka waited for them to look his way. "I know it's inappropriate, but allow me to guide you to the servant's parlor until the house is cleared out."

Ciel waved the man on and followed with the others close behind. Serena was surprised by the spacious and well decorated room that was for the servants' use. There were two large chairs that flanked the fireplace with a conversation couch between them. A small table by the bank of windows had a pack of cards on it next to a crystal vase filled with the winter roses. The wall that the door was set in also held bookcases that were filled.

'I thought the servant's part of the house was supposed to be utilitarian. I could easily see the earl entertaining guests in this room. Other than the fact that you have to go through back part of the house to get here.'

Tanaka bowed to Lord Phantomhive. "I will prepare tea and check on the house clearing."

Ciel sat in one of the chairs with a nod. "Very well."

The former butler took Snake with him, leaving the two alone.

Serena sat on the couch, still staring at the room.

"Is there something wrong?" He coughed lightly again.

"I just...I thought...where did this room come from?" Serena picked up the book that was on the end table next to the couch. "Hamlet? Who was reading Hamlet?"

"Perhaps Snake." The nobleman leaned back in the chair. "This parlor is for the senior servants. I suppose that it could also be Tanaka that is currently reading that. I can't imagine any of the others, except maybe Sebastian, that would be reading Shakespeare."

'A demon reading Shakespeare's classic work? Really?' She looked at the book again before setting it down.

"You don't seemed to be bothered by all this."

"I suppose I've grown used to these sort of things." Ciel sighed. "Although, there is normally a week in between explosions. They must be showing off for you."

His annoyance was plain, but it was also clear that the Earl planned to do nothing to reprimand the servants.

"That's right, my lord. Push the rage down." She reached over and poked him in the stomach. "It'll make a nice ulcer someday."

He glared at her before looking again to the fire.

Sensing that the Earl wasn't in the mood for conversation, the red head got up and looked around the room again. 'The cards look well used. It's got to be Bard.'

On the shelves she noticed a small section of books on birds and another of what looked like romance novels. In both shelves were books that looked like they had read several times. She laughed, knowing exactly who was reading those. It was a black book on an upper shelf that caught her attention next. All the books on the shelf looked to be brand new. These were obviously just filler, not the well-loved tomes on the other shelves. She pulled it down and laughed uncontrollably.

"What is it now?" Ciel stood and walked over to the red head. She couldn't speak and just held the book out.

'Goethe's Faust.'

"I still don't see what is so funny."

"It's just that it's new. All of these are new. No one has read it. If they did...if they did..." Serena put a hand to her injured rib that was killing her, but she still couldn't stop. "It's right in front of them every day. And then they come in here every night, and it's right there."

The door opened to let Sebastian and Tanaka enter with a tea cart. Serena put the book back on the shelf and the two came back to their seats. She smelled Ciel's favorite Earl Grey as Tanaka handed her a cup. She saw the demon look to the book she had returned to the shelf and the small smirk that came over his face.

"Is the house aired out yet?"

"I'm sorry, master. There are still dangerous fumes on the upper level. We are expecting to have it fully cleared in another hour at the most." Sebastian offered a tray of snacks.

"Then why are you here?" The Earl took a sip from his cup while looking at his butler.

"I will of course rejoin the others." He bowed with Tanaka before both butlers left the room. Serena's gaze returned to the book as she took a bite of a chocolate petite four. A strange feeling started in her chest.

'Do I not want him to go?'

"See, I told you that you liked him." Ciel smiled smugly as he looked at her over the rim of his tea cup.

"I do not!"

"You're lying." He sighed. "I don't see why you bother. There are things in the world that you have no control over how they happen, only how you react. You're acting like a child. Thinking that you can bury your head in the sand and this will pass you over. It's better to face your fate than to run uselessly. It will catch up to you. Always."

"Is that why you made the contract with Sebastian?"

"No. I would have died that night if I didn't."

"Is it better, to live and have revenge than to die and move on? Is it better to lose everything?"

"I already had lost everything." The Earl stared into the fireplace. "I don't delude myself that I gained anything back. The manor may be here, but it's not what I lost. Even a demon cannot bring back my family, the life I might have led, the innocent child I once was. Should I have laid down and let them kill me? At least this way, the people who did this to me will pay. Maybe not today, maybe not next week or even next year. But I will get them eventually. Sebastian will give me that. And then I can finally rest."

"Would you tell me? What really happened the night you made your contract?"

"You want to know about the night I was supposed to die? Didn't one of those ridiculous books tell you that?"

"I want to know how you saw it."

Ciel stared at her for a moment before letting out a sigh. "I don't see how it could hurt. After my parents had been murdered, one of the footmen had taken me from the burning house, but they were waiting outside. He didn't stand a chance, there were too many of them. Whoever had ordered the attack had also ordered that if I survived, I was to be taken and sold. The house of Phantomhive crushed and they would see a profit from it. It is not unheard of for the younger children of lesser nobles to disappear. They're normally shipped out of the country in a matter of hours and sold to the highest bidder wherever they land. But, there was a nobleman who was willing to pay an obscene amount for me. Unfortunately for me, I had always been a pretty child."

Serena choked on her tea as he nodded to the assumption that he could read in her eyes.

"I wouldn't be the perfect doll that he wanted. After several unsuccessful escape attempts and the ensuing whippings, he decided I was too much trouble. And with the scars that would undoubtedly form, I wasn't so pretty anymore. There was a group, a secret society if you will, that he belonged to. They were looking for children to use as sacrifices to call a demon to serve them. They branded my body and threw me into an animal's cage. I lived for another week in that cage. The other children that they had gathered were already broken beyond repair. All of them, except one. A little girl named Joanna. She still wanted to fight, but I admit, I was already tired. I wasn't far from the void in which the others lived. I remembered those disgusting people, chatting and watching like they were at a ball and not watching children being killed for their amusement. We huddled together in that cage, watching as one by one, the other children were taken to the alter and killed. Their blood ran in rivers down the stone and across the floor. I saw Joanna's desire to live when they started on our cage. She kept pushing me further and further back. I can still feel the bars digging into my raw skin." Ciel shivered and Serena wondered if he was there with her or back in that cage.

"Finally, there were only three of us. She kicked the other boy forward to give us more time. It made me ashamed. I had been taught that women and children were to be protected and instead I was hiding behind her. When they came back, I started forward, but Joanna pushed me back again and they took her instead. She fought them every step of the way. They had needed four people to hold her down. When they tossed her body aside, I realized that they had taken the last thing, the last comfort that I had, the last person that I cared for, from me. A deep rage burned from inside me. When I started to scream, I was shocked that there was nothing that came out but sound. Then the candles blew out and the air became as cold as ice."

Serena leaned forward totally engrossed in the tale.

"I heard something sharp hitting the stones of the floor. One by one, the lights came back and there he was, standing in the doorway. I was terrified and excited at the same time. If it had been Joanna that finally called him, than wouldn't he kill her murderers? The demon walked down the steps that led to the alter and cages. He kept looking at each of them and I heard him say something about who called him. The nobles threw themselves at him, demanding that indulge their petty, grasping ambitions. Each one that came, he pushed them away. When he got to the bottom of the steps, he saw the markings on the floor. He said something about stupid humans. The next that came, he reached into their chest. What he pulled back was something that I had never seen. It was small and glowing, but swirling with black. The demon stared at it and declared that the soul was utterly pathetic. Looking back over the crowd, he stated that they were all pathetic. Still, he popped it in his mouth like a bonbon."

'Waste not, want not.'

"A woman screamed that they had made no deal and he told her that in killing the innocent to call him, their souls were already forfeit. There would be no heaven or hell for any of them, only the bottomless abyss of his stomach. The symbol on the ground was not to call but to give. I watched as he killed them all, swallowing every soul that he pulled from their bodies. When he came back down to the cages, the demon said that I was the one who called him. My rage had made my soul a beacon in the pitch black that called to any corrupt being."

'However, I have never made a contract with a child and I'm not really in a hurry to do so. Despite being a demon, I do have my own set of standards. They're all dead now, the price for my coming is already paid. I could simply leave you here. Whether you live or die is up to you.' The demon turned away, but the boy grabbed the back of his coat.

'Wait, it's not them. They're not the ones who killed my family, who took everything from me.'

'Oh,' the demon laughed and the sound slithered down his spine. 'Are you sure about this? Once a contract is formed, it can never be broken. I will swallow your soul just as I did theirs in the end. There will be no heaven or hell for you either.'

'I've already seen both.' Memories of his parents, his family, Lizzy crossed through his mind followed by the weeks of abuse and torture.

'You're really not going to let this go, are you?' The demon turned back. 'I'll ask once more, will you give up your very soul to achieve the revenge you desire?'

'Yes.'

"I knew that I would never live long on my own. Once the news that I lived and had returned to be the head of Phantomhive spread, the same people who killed my predecessor would be back. I needed the strength that I had seen. The strength that he had. I needed it and had what he wanted to bargain with. Once our contract was made, I ordered Sebastian to burn the house and all of those in it. Those disgusting people didn't deserve a proper burial, and the children that were left deserved the peace of death. It was strange to think of it this way, but I thought that if there was nothing left of their bodies, those children would still have the dignity of no one knowing what had done to them. Sebastian had styled his human form as a servant and I named him after my faithful dog. And that is all there is to tell."

"My lord..."

He scoffed. "After hearing all that, I see no reason to keep up the pretense of titles."

"Ciel."

"Don't. I do not want nor need your pity. I chose this path freely and have no more regrets about it than the day I made the contract with Sebastian. And as long as he fulfills our bargain, I will have no regrets the day he takes my soul either."

"Is that really true?"

The Earl turned sharply to stare at the red head and her soft smile.

*********************************A Demon's Mate****************************

Sebastian left the Earl's rooms after preparing the teen for bed. His master had been awfully quiet all evening and through their nighttime ritual. The demon knew that there was something on his mind but the boy had shown no sign of telling his servant. His last check of the house went by without incident. The servants had already left the kitchens to seek their own beds after the eventful day.

At her door, he didn't bother to knock. Inside, he found the sheets turned down, the fire built up, and her nightgown still laying on the bottom of the bed. The butler sighed at Mei-Rin's ineptitude.

'Honestly, are her marksmen skills really that valuable?' He noticed the door to the bathroom closed and smelled bath soap.

Opening the door he saw Serena laying in the bathtub. The red head lifted her wineglass in acknowledgment of his presence and put her book down.

"Look, I made my own bubble bath." She splashed the water slightly.

His eyes narrowed. "Are you drunk again?"

"No. I think that getting drunk two nights in a row is a bit much."

"I only ask because you have made no move to cover yourself."

"I'm sure that you have never seen a naked woman before. I must have scarred you for life." She shook her head. "Besides, the bubbles are covering everything."

"I thought I had already told Mei-Rin that you were not to have alcohol."

"You did. That's why I went and got it myself." She smiled at him.

"The wine cellar is kept locked."

Serena leaned forward and put down the glass on the small table that she had pulled into the room. She picked up a small object and held it up. "And the key was in the kitchen."

Sebastian held out his hand and she happily handed it over.

"Why are you so adverse to alcohol anyway?"

"I am not adverse to alcohol. I simply do not like my mate drinking it. Alcohol does cause damage to the human body." He took the glass from her table and dumped it down the sink.

She stared at the window, thinking. "Actually, I normally don't drink. Being in this madhouse must be the reason for that."

"You're using it as a crutch because you do not wish to deal with the stress you are currently feeling."

"Not really. Okay, last night, yes. But tonight, I had realized that I have never laid in a massive tub of hot water while drinking a glass of wine with a book. After talking to Ciel, I figured that I should just go for it. You know, do the things that you always wanted to do." She sighed. "I think I've gotten used to you. Kind of like the stages of grief. For some reason, I seem to be moving through them rather quick. Which is weird."

"It's the bond. Your soul knows that it is supposed to be with me." Sebastian knelt next to the tub. "Now, your mind is racing to catch up."

"That's a little too deep to be relaxing."

"In other words...you would like to change the subject." He picked up a curl that had escaped from her bun. She pushed his hand away.

"What did you and the young master speak of today? He's been curiously withdrawn since you two were alone in the servant's parlor."

"I asked him about the night he made his contract with you. I guess he's thinking about the past." She looked over at the demon. "You tried to not make a contract with him at all."

"I wasn't all that excited about serving a child. They are normally rather hard to handle."

"Is that the only reason?"

Sebastian stood and went to the cupboard to pull out towels.

"Why did Mei-Rin leave before preparing you for bed?"

She laughed at his refusal to answer. "I told her too. I wasn't born into this, Sebastian. It's hard for me to relax with someone standing over me."

"You didn't even let her wash your hair." He gestured to the configuration she had used to pull her hair on top of her head to keep it out of the water.

"I figured I could handle that. I'm a big girl, can put on my own undies and everything."

"I would help you if you like."

The red head stared at him for a moment. "I am so not in the mood. If you're thinking that you're going to get somewhere, you are very wrong."

"Of course. It is a simple offer to help. I am very good at bathing another person. You can ask my master if you wish for a reference." He bowed.

"Is that even right? Are nobles really so helpless that they can't even bathe themselves?"

"It is not that they cannot, it is simply that they do not feel that they should."

"Well, aren't they some kind of arrogant." She shifted to make sure that everything was covered.

"Even if they did not have a servant bathe them, I would do it anyway. Demons serve completely and we are very protective of our contracts. I would never leave any aspect of my master's care to another." Sebastian took off his coat and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

"Is that really all he is to you? Just another contract?" Serena watched him carefully. "Be honest."

"I will admit that Ciel Phantomhive is a rare human. He knows that one day I will take his soul, however he has no fear of me. He has no qualms about using me to do whatever he wishes. Even strong souls will ask if a demon will do certain things, but my master simply expects it. We seem to almost be in a constant game with each other. Who can get the other to submit first. However, he never orders me to do something demeaning as many have, simply to reassure themselves that they have the upper hand in this game." He smirked. "I do not have much respect for humans as they are my food, however I will admit respect for Ciel Phantomhive. If our contract had not been made, but he had still lived, I believe that he would have made a good demon. His way of thinking is very close to my own. I think that I will miss our game when our contract is over."

"You could just let him go, see him again in another life."

"There is no guarantee that I would find his soul again. And as wrong as it may seem to you, I need to eat Serena."

A small tear fell into the water. "I know it sounds stupid, I only met Ciel a few days ago, but I'll miss him."

"Perhaps, you should think about it from his point of view. I am not unaware that I have become important to my master, for whatever reason. When I take his soul, he'll stay with me forever." Sebastian tapped his chest.

"It's because you're the only thing that he has left." Sebastian looked surprised. "Children are defined by the things that are theirs. Their home, their family, even their toys. Ciel had all of that taken from him. He lost his sense of self, being a spoiled noble that was sold into slavery, and then to be a sacrifice. It was ripped away from him. You cannot die, you cannot leave, and you cannot betray him. You are the only thing that he has left that cannot be taken from him by anyone."

"I believe that you are right." The demon knelt behind Serena and started to remove the pins from her hair. "One moment."

She sighed and wished that Sebastian hadn't taken the glass away. He was back quickly with the brush from her vanity. It didn't take long to realize that he hadn't been lying about his skills. When others had tried to brush her hair, they always got caught on snags and ended with a headache on her end. Instead, the brush moved easily through the strands. If it stopped on a tangle, he carefully worked on her hair until the brush moved freely again.

"Lean your head back." He looked to the book she had laid on the table. "Faust is a strange book to relax with."

"When I found it earlier, it seemed rather interesting considering my current situation."

"You know that is mostly false. It is merely a tale that was passed down through the centuries and changed with each telling."

"So, there is some basis of truth in it?" She looked over her shoulder.

"Perhaps a small grain."

Serena relaxed even farther as the hot water was poured over her head. Fingers squeezed the excess from her hair before massaging the soap that she had picked the other day into her scalp. A small moan escaped.

"I would give you a reference anytime."

Sebastian laughed as he ran his hands over her hair again, trying to prolong the moment. He heard her heart rate slow further and realized she was close to falling asleep. A soft yawn came from his mate.

"I think we will talk more tomorrow. You are very tired." He rinsed her hair quickly and wrapped the length in a towel. Sebastian picked up the other towel on the stand and held it open.

Serena shook her head with a smirk. "I don't think so. Could you bring my nightgown in?"

"Of course."

When he came back, she was already out of the tub and wrapped in the towel. The demon laid his mate's nightwear on the table and left the room again. Moments later, Serena came out of the bathroom rubbing her hair with the towel to see him standing with her hairbrush next to an ottoman that he moved in front of the fire.

"What are you up to now?" She put a hand on hip.

"You cannot go to sleep with wet hair. You will become ill." He answered with a smirk of his own.

"Alright, alright." She took a seat on the ottoman with her back to Sebastian. "I really don't want to get sick in a time period with little to no medicine, but I am really tired."

"It won't take long, my mate."

"Can you not call me that?"

"It is what you are." He leaned over the red head so he could see her face.

"Why don't we start with Serena?"

"Very well, Serena." Her name slid off his tongue smoothly, causing her to shiver at his tone.

'Maybe the other was better than him calling my by name. There should be a law against that tone.'