Author's Note: Nothing right now.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of it's characters. I only claim Serena and Asta, as well as the demons and descendants that I introduce.
A Demon's Mate
Chapter Forty Three
Lucifer touched down on the back lawn of a beautiful, Colonial style mansion and walked leisurely toward the house, taking in the beautiful landscaping that had been done with an eye for detail that wasn't human. There was a wrought iron table set on the expansive, marble balcony that led into the house itself and he pulled a chair out silently. Taking a seat, he looked up at the darkened building and waited. It wasn't long that the door leading to the inside opened and the demon he came to see stepped outside.
The Fallen waved off the bow he could see coming.
"Lord Lucifer. To what do I owe the honor of a visit?"
"Your mate, actually." He laughed softly as the demon cursed. "Your Serena is quite interesting, isn't she?"
"Yes, my lord."
Lucifer held out a hand to one of the other chairs and waited for the demon to sit.
"You know, she still calls you Sebastian."
"I was waiting until my contract was over to tell her my name. That did not happen before her death in the past."
"I had heard of that. Speaking of names, what are you using now?"
The demon raised an eyebrow. "My master has named me Aiden this time."
"Rather popular name," Lucifer commented.
"My master is evil for sure, but, not the most inventive."
"Hmm, I can feel it from down here." Lucifer looked to a window on the second floor and the center of corruption that he could feel radiating from it. "He'll certainly be a fitting meal when your contract is over. However, he's not another Ciel Phantomhive then?"
"Far from it." The demon got a wistful look on his face before turned his attention back to the other.
Lucifer smiled and leaned back in his chair. "London has been... eventful since you mate arrived. Especially, last night."
Aiden's attention was definitely caught.
"She's fine." The Fallen held up a hand to stop the small panic that he could see coming. "However, she was injured. That is why, the one you call Undertaker shared his blood with her."
The demon snarled and burst from his seat. "I'll rip that damned reaper to shreds!"
A weight hit Aiden square in the chest and shoved the demon to the ground. Concrete and stone gave under the power with a crack. The crushing weight didn't let up and he felt the bones in his chest start to give under the pressure. Struggling did nothing. There was no power or strength that he possessed to move the foot holding him down. He looked up the long body holding him down to the blazing eyes of an enraged fallen angel.
"You will do no such thing. If you were better at looking after what belongs to you, it wouldn't fall to others to do so in your absence. Don't complain about their methods." The Fallen waited a moment, his eyes blazing with the power of the cosmos as he held Aiden down with his foot. After a moment, he let the demon up and took his seat again.
"Sit down, demon." Lucifer's tone left no room to do anything else and he waited for the Elder to force himself into the seat. "I came to explain and have no wish to repeat myself. So, I suggest that you pay attention."
Aiden forced himself to calm down. Closing his eyes for a moment, he pulled himself back together and when he opened them again, his normal crimson showed instead of swirling red. Taking a deep breath, he forced his body to relax back into the seat and waited.
"Good. Now, I'll explain." Lucifer laid his cheek on his fist. "It appears that the first earl of Phantomhive was quite interested by the occult and found a way to seal his soul into the house itself. Over the centuries since his death, he trapped the souls of his descendants in the house with him to feed off their souls for energy and power, almost like a demon."
Aiden shook his head his eyes narrowing. "I stayed in that house for years and never felt a single soul that shouldn't have been there."
"Therein lies the genius. He had immersed himself and the souls within the house itself, within the mortar, stone and wood, so that it felt like they should have been there all along and it didn't trip anyone's radar. However, when he was finally found out, Jonathan had buried himself so deep in the house, that he could use the building and everything inside it as a weapon."
"It brings into question some of the events that always surrounded that house."
"Doesn't it?" Lucifer smiled. "Anyway, your mate and Undertaker figured out that his true aim was to gather enough power to push one of his descendant's souls from their body and, at the moment of death, he would jump in and take over. Ciel Phantomhive was the first one that he planned on using, however, we all know how that turned out. His focus shifted to Alexander after the boy's birth. Your mate has grown quite close to the boy."
"I have heard that he is very interesting."
"Ah, yes, the guard that you left at the estate. Anyway, in fighting off Jonathan, of which they were successful by the way, Serena was injured. Seriously enough that Undertaker gave her enough blood that her body would be able to heal. No more, no less."
Aiden fought against the anger that was rising that a reaper gave their blood to his mate. Despite what many thought, it was a connection that would linger and he wasn't happy about it. The iron handrails started to bend under the force of his hands and the small screech of metal brought his anger under control again.
'I need to get her in my home and away from this nonsense as soon as possible.'
Lucifer's voice pushed thoughts from the demon's mind, forcing him to pay attention. "I am explaining to make it clear that you will not lay a finger on the being known as Undertaker. There is nothing romantic between the two, although they do appear to be becoming close. It is nothing to be concerned about."
The demon leaned forward in his seat. "Lord Lucifer, why are you involved and so insistent that Undertaker be left alone?"
"That is my concern. Not yours. You should be worried about completing your contract and retrieving your mate." The smile stayed on his face, but his sunrise eyes carried a warning that this discussion was over. "Now, then. I will be going."
Lucifer stood and Aiden hurried to follow. As the Fallen walked back down the patio stairs, Haagenti appeared on the lawn. The Elder stood shocked on the grass as Lucifer walked easily across the area toward the back wall.
"Good evening, Haagenti. I have already explained what happened in London."
Haagenti hit his knees, staring at the ground still shocked. "Lord Lucifer."
The Fallen didn't stop as he jumped to the top of the wall that ran around the estate and disappeared behind it.
"What was Lord Lucifer telling you about?" Haagenti stood again and saw the other Elder with a phone to his ear and his hand up to tell him to stop.
"What is wrong with you!" Aiden yelled into the phone as soon as the line was picked up.
***************A Demon's Mate******************
Serena smiled and lifted her head to the sun from her place in the center of the maze. It was quiet, a moment to reflect and just be. The scent of flowers wafted on an easy breeze and surrounded the red head as she leaned back in her seat and listened to Alex's laughter while the boy ran through the twists and turns made from stone and bushes, his demon following behind in the small game.
She opened her eyes at the sound of footsteps to her right and saw Malory coming through the last turn of the maze.
"I was wondering where you had gotten too."
"I was just enjoying the garden. It's beautiful here." Serena smiled again as the older woman sat in the other seat. "Was there something that you needed?"
"Actually, I was going to see how long you were planning on staying with us. I'm sure that Alex would love you to stay and the rest of us have grown rather attached."
"Despite all the trouble that I bring."
Malory laughed. "Even with all the demons and reapers that you bring with you."
"I suppose that I could stay for a while. I don't really have anything else going on right now."
In her room, that she had claimed for the duration, Serena looked out the window over the garden that was covered with snow. The same as it had been when she stayed with Ciel. The door opened behind her and Claire walked in with a smile.
"Are you sure that you don't want to come down? My cake isn't going to be there forever."
Serena smiled. "I'm sure. This is a family thing."
"Alright."
The door closed softly behind the girl who had just graduated and Serena turned back to the spring garden.
It was beautiful with all it's colors and blossoms. The perfect place to hold a wedding. And from her place in the window, she could watch it all. Anabelle was gorgeous in the flowing white gown that she had had customized, various pieces taken from gowns of previous family members and put together to make something that was old and new.
The door opened again and Serena marveled in Malory's blonde hair that was now lightened by streaks of white.
"Alex would love it if you would come to the party. He wants you to meet his fiancé."
"I know, but I don't want to get attached to someone else." She looked down at her hands that were starting to show signs of age.
Malory gave her a sad smile and shut the door behind her.
Serena smiled as the moonlight shown bright and clear through the window edged with frost. She heard the baby crying as Alex walked the halls with his two month old son. It was after midnight but the boy just wouldn't settle after the excitement of his first Christmas. The door cracked open and the soft light from the hallway spread across the floor. The crying slowly stalled as the baby looked around the new room.
"Hey." Alex smiled, looking so much like she had pictured a happy Ciel. "I thought that you might still be awake."
"It's a beautiful night."
"If someone's not screaming in your ear."
Serena laughed and stroked a finger down the soft skin of the infant's cheek. Big, blue eyes watched her carefully before starting to close as she hummed a little song from her childhood.
"You should come out more often. I've never been able to get him to sleep so quickly."
"It should be any day now."
There was a sadness in Alex's eyes as he smiled down at her. After he left, she recognized it as pity. The same thing that she had seen in all their eyes on the less and less frequent visits to her room.
She had the window open to let in the heat of the summer night. The roses that climbed a trellis outside her window gave off a heavy fragrance that drifted in with the night breeze as she brushed her hair. Red had given way to white long ago and she pushed the length behind her to ignore the evidence of her wait. Nothing could disguise the wrinkles and spots that covered her hands. A sound from outside and Undertaker appeared on the windowsill, as young as ever.
"I haven't seen you in a while. How is London?" She started to get up but he waved her back. The reaper knew how hard it was for her to stand now.
"The same as always." He knelt next to her and when the reaper looked up, he sighed. "He's not coming, Serena."
"Yes, he is." She insisted. "He just needs a little more time."
He shook his head. "There is no more time."
Her hand pressed against her chest, trying to stop the pain that had been there on and off for days. Her breath came faster, she told herself from the panic that was rising. It had nothing to do with the body that was failing around her. She grabbed the hand that came up to cup her cheek.
"Just a little longer. Please."
"I'm sorry, Serena."
She saw the scythe that she had swung once herself appear in his hand. Darkness edged her vision as the blade swung toward her.
Serena bolted up with a scream and pushed herself into the corner of the four-poster bed. The maid that had just entered the room, stood next to the door with wide eyes. The red head looked down at her hands and pulled her hair forward to check the color. The door swung open and banged against the wall as Edwin and Lucien burst into the room.
Both demons saw her on the bed and quickly looked around the room for any possible threat.
"A nightmare?" Lucien smirked as he came around the side of the bed. "Aww, did your imagination scare you?"
"No, I saw your face." Serena pushed him away, still shaking a bit.
Edwin coughed into his hand to cover a laugh as his partner stalked back to the door.
"Fine." Lucien pouted. "We'll wait for you downstairs then."
The door closed behind them and the maid looked uncertain again. Finally, Serena remembered that her name was Jane.
"The family is meeting for breakfast in thirty minutes, Miss Serena."
The red head nodded and tried to untangle herself from the sheets.
"Do you require anything, Miss?"
"No. No, I'm fine. I'll be down in a minute, Jane."
The maid bowed and hurried out of the room. As the door shut behind her, Serena wrapped her arms around her body and let the shakes pass through her.
*********************A Demon's Mate******************
Flames climbed the walls that surrounded Ciel as he stalked the enemy that had consumed the majority of his life. A part of him still wanted to flinch back from the fire, his biggest fear, but he wouldn't back down now. The man scrambled back from his position on the floor, trying to get away from the death that was walking toward him. In the distance, both could hear the screeches and screams of the two demons fighting deeper in the house.
"Monster."
Ciel felt a smirk pull at the corner of his lips. The gun he held lifted, barrel pointed at the man on the ground that had nowhere else to run. "I'm only the monster that you made me.
His finger tightened on the trigger, just a little. "If you had just left us alone, I would never have become this. I would never have become what I am."
The man laughed as he shook his head. "You should look into your family more. You're all monsters. Blame it on me, blame it on your demon, blame it on the way the world is, blame it on God if you wish, but you still would have turned out the same. I'm just another symptom of the cursed Phantomhives."
Ciel didn't see, so consumed by the rage that always filled him bubbling over. He didn't see the man wiping his hand along the floor, picking up the dirt and dust and broken debris that was close at hand. He didn't see the cloud coming at his face until he felt the dust hit his airway, felt his lungs try to reject the foreign matter...to point of closing against it. The coughing started, each harder than the last. Breath refused to enter his lungs as the Earl dropped to his knees. Pain ripped through his chest, throat, head, darkness edging his vision.
"N...no! Not yet." His finger tightened on the trigger, even though his target was just a dark blog in his dirt-filled eyes. "I won't die before you."
****************A Demon's Mate*****************
Blooms of every color danced in the summer breeze as Serena made her way through the well-tended garden. The shears found only the most perfect flowers before cutting them from their stems and adding their color and fragrance to the mass in her hand. It was early enough that the humidity had yet to press down on the world and it let her walk slowly through the perfect garden. Perfect, but she couldn't help but think that something was missing without the explosions or screaming that had always marked this house as she had known it. Maybe that was the problem. This wasn't the home that she was looking for.
After calming down in the shower, Serena had sat through a quiet breakfast and escaped as soon as Alex had disappeared with his nanny. She had to get out of her room, out of the house that her mind had turned into a prison that had nothing to do with Jonathan or his awful ambitions. There was another place that called to her after last night, but she couldn't visit without an offering.
The garden of stone was exactly as she remembered it. Spires of granite and marble rising from the earth, marking the place of the deceased and leaving a monument for the living to mourn at. Each one a testament to a life that was ended, either prematurely or well-past time, and each stone was individual in the life that it marked. There were some that matched, she assumed those of married couples, or a child that had passed too soon whose parents had chosen a stone that they would copy later. Time was reflected in the way they were made, the craftsmanship and design. One could see the passage of years, decades, centuries...generations in the stones.
There was a quiet beauty here and Serena wondered if this was what made Undertaker continue on in the business of death. To make something lasting and beautiful for those left behind. To let them rejoice in the life that was lost and the memories they still had. Each stone was a memory, maybe not for her or the current generation, but they each had been a memory for someone.
That wasn't right. Some of these stones were memories for her and Serena stopped in front of the first with a smile. It was newer than the others she would be looking for, but not by much, only a couple decades. It carried the same hand-chiseled look that was quite impressive, considering the lack of machinery at the time. She wondered if Undertaker had crafted this as well, as he seemed to have done for most of the family. Was the coffin that was laying under this ground carved by the same reaper that still offered his hand-made coffins today, still carved them with the same attention to detail and appreciation for the person that would use them as he always had.
Shaking her head, Serena pulled two of the pink roses out of her little bouquet and laid them in front of the stone.
"I hope you still love pink, Lizzy. It fit you. Something bright and happy in the cold, London winter." Serena sighed and knelt down, balancing on the balls of her feet. "I thought that I would come here and everything would be alright, that I would find what I was looking for. But, it's not here. This isn't home anymore." She laughed. "I guess I did get to see you one more time though."
The red head looked over, at the matching gray stone that sat beside Lizzy's and leaned to place the yellow roses that she had cut.
"I didn't know you, especially not enough to choose a flower for you. They say that yellow is for friendship. Even though we didn't really meet, marrying Lizzy makes you a friend."
Seeing the bright yellow and pink together, Serena nodded and moved to the row behind. There were three stones here that held her attention and all three matched. The red head stopped first in front of one baring a lady's name, belonging to Ciel's mother.
"I have a feeling that Lizzy modeled herself after you." She laid another set of the pink roses at the base of the stone. "I wish that I had gotten a chance to talk to you."
Moving to the next, Serena took a moment before kneeling down and laying the white roses she had cut on the ground.
"Ciel always had white roses around the mansion and I think that was because of you. I know that they are supposed to mean innocence, but there's a cool sophistication that I always think of when I see white roses. And I think that fits you." Serena smiled as she stood back up. "Thank you for helping last night."
The last stone she had come to see stood proud on the other side of his father's. The dark granite rose from the ground, proudly declaring the life span of the last Earl of Phantomhive with no apology or sugar-coating. There was nothing to detract from the harsh reality of a short life. And there was nothing to show how vibrant and full that life had been.
"I know that you liked the white roses, but they didn't fit you to me. That cool sophistication did fit the image that everyone else saw, but not the Ciel that I saw." Serena took a moment to smell the bright, red roses that she held before laying them in offering at the base of the stone. "I always thought of red roses when I saw you. Passionate about everything that you did. Elegant and striking in the midst of drab gray. I wonder if the rest of London society saw that, if it wasn't just the money and status that made the Momma's push their daughters at you even though you were already engaged. Is that what made people want to do business with you, want to be close to you on the small amount of occasions that you did venture into society? Did they see how special you were? Is that what drew Sebastian to you?"
She sighed and sniffed tears back. "I miss you. Undertaker told me that Sebastian broke your contract, so he didn't eat your soul. You must not have died in the house since you weren't here for Jonathan to feed on and there is no way that he was able to drain you dry before we got him out. So, where did you go?"
Her fingers brushed the carved name.
"Did you see what happened here? Or have you already moved on? Do these members of the family not matter to you since they don't carry the Phantomhive name? Or, are you still watching them...from wherever you are?"
"You know he's not in there."
Serena jumped and glared at Undertaker leaning against the stone.
"I know." The red head sighed and flopped on the ground in front of the next stone in the line. "Gravestones are for the living. They give you some way to feel that your loved one may still be there, something else to focus on instead of the death below the ground."
"That's awful philosophical for this early in the morning."
Serena shrugged and watched as the reaper came around and sat on the ground next to her.
"You're looking a little pale."
"It's nothing." She waved him off.
"Really?"
"It's just a nightmare. Doesn't mean anything."
"Our dreams are sometimes a glimpse into the psyche."
"You're not going to let this go, are you?" The red head glared before looking away from the smirking reaper. "He didn't come."
"Your demon."
She nodded as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself.
"I wasted the rest of my life waiting and he never came because...of what Lucien said. I never did anything, all I did was sit in that room and wait. Then you came and..."
"I see." Undertaker brushed her hair back from her face. "That's not going to happen."
"How do you know? It could happen. The last time I saw him, I was yelling at him. We fought all the time." Serena choked on her own breath for a moment, refusing to cry again, but of course he knew. The reaper laid a gentle hand on the top of her head.
"Shh. I know because I saw him after your death."
A tiny voice came from the curtain of red hair. "I heard him."
"What?" The reaper pulled her face to look at him.
"I was still in there. I heard what was going on. It just took me a while to remember it."
"Then you should know that your fears and nightmares are groundless. Demons don't get another chance. They don't get another mate. That's why they are so protective. When a soul is chosen for a demon, that soul is at the end of it's...life, I guess you would say. If the demon doesn't find them or they pass before the mating is complete, there is no other life waiting but the next stage. That's also why there is no reason to fear not coming back to this plane. You wouldn't come back anyway."
"So, when He was talking about Ciel being reincarnated..."
"That wouldn't happen for you." He pushed her hair back again with a smile. "He'll come and you can work out whatever your problems are then."
Serena looked away, letting his words sink in and feeling the little flicker of hope push the rest of her nightmare away.
"You know, instead of talking to a carved rock, you could just ask me what you want to know."
"Change of subject. And what's that going to cost me?"
"I suppose that I should charge something, but I'm tired too after last night." Undertaker sat back against Ciel's stone and stretched his legs out. "I'll bill you. Who do you want to know about first?"
Serena started but the reaper merely pointed to the name carved in stone above him. "Malory said that his death certificate lists his cause of death as asthma, but that can't be right."
"Actually, it is."
"What!?" She grabbed the front of his robes and tried to pull him closer.
"The little Earl found his enemy and he didn't fight fair. The man threw dirt in Lord Phantomhive's face." Undertaker shrugged.
"An asthma attack? That's what killed him?" She waited for his nod before she exploded. "That can't be right. Sebastian must have lied to you. There's no way that Ciel was killed by something so stupid."
"Demons don't lie. He couldn't change his body, Serena. His lungs were his weakness and his enemy knew that." He shrugged again. "The little Earl did kill him before the end."
Serena looked at Ciel's stone and let the shock go through her. "That's...not right."
"It's just the way it is. He killed his enemy, Serena. That was enough for him."
"It shouldn't have happened like that." The words were only a mumble, barely heard by her companion. "What about Soma and Agni?"
"Ah, the prince had to vacate the townhouse, as it was part of the estate. It was rather upsetting for him to have lost his best friend and his home at once. He took to traveling for a while and when he finally came back, he married an Englishwoman and stayed here for the rest of his life. It was one of Lady Elizabeth's friends I believe. And Agni was one step behind him the whole way, like always. They were all friends and remained in each other's lives until the end."
"I miss them."
"And they missed you. It's interesting that you gave the little Earl red roses."
"Why?"
"That is what he placed on your grave and that's what Lady Elizabeth brought here every year. To you and her former fiancé."
"I can't believe how much Alex looks like Ciel." Serena shook her head and turned back to the reaper. "It's not just looks either. They have some of the same expressions."
"And why shouldn't he look like the little Earl?"
"I know that Lizzy and Ciel were related, but seriously? Ciel died before he married Lizzy. Her descendants should not look like him."
Undertaker grinned, looking at Serena out of the corner of his eye. "You should know that people don't have to be married to have sex."
Her eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped. "No way."
"Lady Elizabeth married Arthur only weeks after he became the earl. It was a little shocking to society. Until their first child was born a bit early, add in the fact that their new son looked like a carbon copy of the former earl..." He shrugged. "It wasn't hard to figure out."
Serena's jaw dropped further and she turned to look at Elizabeth's stone. "Lizzy!" The red head laughed. "I guess she got her kiss, huh?"
Undertaker snorted. "I'd say that she got more than a kiss."
The smile on her face vanished as she turned back. "That would have been a problem with society."
The reaper nodded gravely. "It was, at first. The family laid low for a little while. However it's hard, even for the most viscous gossip, to keep something going when the queen herself attended their wedding and the christening of their son. Also, the nobles didn't like Arthur as the new earl to begin with. He wasn't one of them. When it was discovered that the boy looked so much like the former earl that his parentage couldn't be disputed, they looked at it as fate stepping in and keeping the noble blood in power."
"Didn't Arthur have a problem with that?"
"I believe he may have thought it right, as well. He was never as comfortable in his position as the little Earl or his son had been. Could that have been being raised by a country doctor, perhaps. I think it was because he didn't think that he should have been earl either. He said once that he and his name were a shelter for the Phantomhives to grow strong again."
"And they did," she said softly.
Undertaker nodded and followed her eyes to look at the house.
"I believe that we are about to have company." The reaper nodded to the path that led between the cemetery and gardens as Edwin walked quickly through the gate. Lucien was right behind him, with a phone held away from his ear, but stopped just inside the stones. Serena couldn't hear the conversation but when Lucien kept wincing, she wasn't sure she wanted to.
Edwin found them easily and long strides ate up the ground to close the distance. He still glared at Undertaker and how close the reaper sat to his Elder's mate before speaking to Serena.
"My lady. We have been looking for you since breakfast."
"Sorry. I wanted to visit after last night." She patted the ground that held Ciel's grave, "Alone."
He looked to Undertaker again. "You don't look to be alone."
The red head felt heat come over her face, not sure if it was anger or embarrassment. "I was alone for as long as I wanted to be."
His glare shot to her before he remembered his Elder's threats. Pulling calm back around him, Edwin bowed slightly in apology. "The Elder has ordered us to return to his territory."
"Is that who Lucien is talking to?" Serena looked again at the pained expression on the blond's face that she could see from across the cemetery.
"Yes. The Elder is angry that you were upset by Lucien's careless words."
"What?"
Undertaker leaned forward. "I believe that he means your nightmare."
"How could Sebastian possibly know about that already?" She turned to Undertaker. "I just told you about it."
The reaper smirked. "You should know, around this house, there is always someone listening. And this one has your demon's phone number."
He pointed behind her where a small grove of trees sat in the corner of the cemetery. In the middle, in the deepest shadows, Serena made out a man waving. She could feel the smirk in his stance, in the air, even though she couldn't see it and waved back slowly. "He feels so damn familiar. Is that Malikai?"
"You know Malikai?" Edwin asked.
"He showed up at the townhouse in the past."
The demon blinked at her for a moment. "I see. And no, the Elder did not leave Malikai here."
"Teo? I saw him in Tokyo. I think."
"You did. He was your guard while in Gusion's territory. He would only allow one of your mate's demons to be in his territory at a time." Undertaker giggled as she tried to find the answer. "I believe he is awaiting you in America."
"You're right. Teo's shorter. I didn't think that he was part of Sebastian's...family." Serena looked between them as the reaper laughed.
"He wasn't, then. Teo transferred after meeting you."
"Oh." She looked back to the shadow. "And you're not going to tell me who he is. He told Sebastian about my nightmare?"
"Yes, and the Elder has also heard about what happened here last night. He is upset that you were injured and put into a position to accept blood from Undertaker."
The reaper in question laughed a little. "I take it that you both are in a bit of trouble over that. I told you that he would be more angry with me than you."
"He is most angry with Lucien and myself." The demon winced slightly.
Serena winced with him. "I feel like I should apologize."
"Don't." Undertaker sat up straight. "You cannot hide misbehavior from their Elder."
The demon growled at him but the reaper didn't flinch. "You know that I am right. The Elders keep their families in line. The smallest seed of dissent can grow into a full rebellion."
"Okay, what the hell are you guys talking about?" Serena looked back and forth between them.
"You will rule the family in the Elder's absence. In essence, the demons of your family will look at you the same as they do your demon. You cannot allow them to get away with anything that the Elder would not allow." Undertaker stared at her through his hair and Serena could feel the seriousness in eyes that she couldn't see.
"Oh."
Edwin closed his eyes for a moment. "Undertaker is correct."
All three looked over again as Lucien started toward them. The smile on his face was obviously strained as he reached the little trio but he never said a word about it.
"The Elder would like us to return to his territory."
"Edwin already told us." Serena spoke past the lump in her throat. Edwin and Lucien weren't in her nightmare at all. "When are you leaving?"
Both demons looked confused. Finally, Lucien cocked his head to the side. "When you do. The Elder has ordered all of us back to his territory."
"Ordered?" Her eyes narrowed. "He ordered me to go back home?"
Undertaker giggled. "I love that that is the only part of the statement that you consider relevant."
"He thinks that he can just order me around like one of his little underlings?"
They could see the redhead working herself into a rage and the demons were already trying to think of something to bring her back down. They remembered the last time she had gotten angry at the Elder and the damage that turned inward. There could be no other logic behind getting so drunk that one didn't even remember their own name.
"I believe he is thinking that he can protect you better if you were to leave the London area, that is no longer in his command." Undertaker slid her a sly look. "He didn't fully think out this plan. He remembered that the current Phantoms are much more boring than their predecessors and forgot your talent for finding trouble."
"Hey!" Serena pointed at the reaper before turning away. "You just might be right."
"There you are."
Their little group looked across the graveyard as Malory made her way in their direction. The blonde smiled at seeing all of them together. "I thought you all had taken off again."
"I was just visiting." Serena smiled. "I don't know what they're doing?"
"Visiting?"
The redhead nodded. "Yeah, and I figure I own this little piece of land."
"How do you figure that?"
"It has my name on it." Serena pointed up to the letters chiseled in the large stone.
"I suppose you're right." Malory brushed off the nearest stone and leaned against it carefully.
"I wonder." Serena looked at the ground she was sitting on.
"What?"
"If we dug this up, would there really be a body in there?"
"Why wouldn't there be?" Undertaker giggled from her side.
Serena pointed to herself, pinching her skin a little. "Because I'm here."
"Your body never went anywhere. Just ask Teo when you see him. When you passed through, only your soul went to the past." The reaper sent her a smile. "You should remember who pulled you through. Making another body, one that could die there, wouldn't have been that hard."
"In a sense of morbid curiosity, I really do want to dig it up now. I think it would be interesting." Serena looked around the circle of horrified faces. "What?"
"I think it would be sick." Malory finally said what they all were thinking.
All but one of them. Undertaker pulled a shovel from out of nowhere. "I agree that it would be interesting. I wonder what would happen if you touched your own bones?"
She thought about it for a moment. "Maybe make a rip in the time-space continuum? Isn't that what happens in all the movies?"
Undertaker pondered her answer for a moment before stowing the shovel in his robes. "Perhaps we shouldn't."
"Yeah." The redhead sounded a little depressed. "No sense tempting fate like that."
"We're returning to the Elder's territory." Edwin reached down and pulled Serena to her feet. "You've spent far too much time with reapers."
"I came out here to talk you into staying for a while." Malory crossed her arms. "Now, I think I agree that you should head back."
"Any place that a large amount of demonic power has been used can mess with your perception of reality if you are not strongly rooted in it." Lucien showed an uncharacteristic seriousness. "As the mate of a demon, an Elder specifically, your understanding of the human world is a little skewed to start with. Add in, your little trip and the fact that most of the people that you are close to are not human," He shrugged. "It brings strange thoughts that normal people would readily dismiss before they went very far."
Serena watched the demon. "Are you saying that instead of a checking into plane tickets, I should be looking to check into Bedlam."
"Not at all. Many, but not all, people that are considered to be insane got that way because they saw the truth. They saw the world behind the smoke and mirrors. But humans need the smoke and mirrors to keep a hold of their sanity, to feel safe. It's part of the reason that angels and demons stopped showing themselves to humans unless it was unavoidable. The illusion would have been fading for you for a while now. You know that there is something not right with a lot of things and the further into our world that you get, the more you think of the possibilities."
"Humans are rather fragile creatures." Undertaker agreed. "For most, the closer they get to the truth, the more they cannot handle it. The little Earl was one of the exceptions."
Malory shivered in the summer sun. "You make me want to pack up my children and get as far away from here as possible."
"Your bloodline has lived on the edge of the truth since the beginning." The reaper leaned forward. "It is through family that you are rooted in the face of forces not of your world."
Serena gasped and Undertaker nodded as she got it.
"That's how Ciel was able to summon a demon through sheer will and Jonathan couldn't. How he was able to have wrath without corrupting his soul. That is what the Phantomhive family was really for." She sat up straight. "They protected London from evil. I thought it was human evil, but it wasn't all human. Jonathan got into the occult through family, through walking the line between the worlds of humans and other things. He thought that he could become more. Ciel lost his root when his parents died, but he knew that he was still human. Whether he used the power of a demon for the queen's orders or not, he used it to protect humans. Jonathan touched the reality and saw possibilities for himself."
"And in doing the opposite, the little Earl kept his soul pure. Even through a contract with a demon." Undertaker turned back to Malory, his eyes showing for once. "That is why it was so important that the title pass through blood of your family, even if it wasn't legitimate blood. Through so many generations walking the line, you've built up a resistance to the madness that threatens others. Through living here, growing up here, you build that sense of what is human and what is not, while keeping yourselves firmly rooted in the human world through family bonds."
"Demon's mates aren't close to anyone." Serena said softly.
"And so, they do not have the roots to stay in this world for a long life." He touched her cheek. "You all see the truth, the things that cause accidents, the things in the shadows and it fascinates you. You keep probing deeper until you either find your mate..."
"Or are disposed of by the things you're poking at." She shifted, uncomfortable. "I spend a lot of time with reapers. And I was close to Ciel, who had a contract with a demon."
"And death surrounds all of us that you are close too. It is part of who we are, being the ones who pick up the pieces or the ones who order it done. You seek us out because we are different and you think that we are different like you. But the more you poke, the closer you come to something poking back."
"Like Jonathan."
"Or the human who ordered your death in the past. That is why mates are taken to their demon's home as soon as possible. There is more danger in the human world for those who don't fit. Especially from other humans and you are not equipped to survive it. Even as a mate, at your core, you are a fragile human."
"Because the demon has to care. We stay fragile, even if our life expectancy goes through the roof, even if we get stronger, we're still subject to death while in this world. Because demons have to care about their mates and their safety. It's what keeps them in line. It's a constant threat."
"You are closest to me and I am the biggest threat to you." Undertaker looked her straight in the eye. "Before the war between reapers and demons, demons would bring their mates back to this world from time to time. It's how reapers were able to get to them in the first place. Now, they are kept in the demon's homes where they think that they are safe."
Serena suppressed a shudder, her voice breathless when she finally found words to speak. "But you can go there. Because of your father."
The reaper nodded. "I truly believe that is why I was born in the first place. Why I keep going century after century. I am the sheathed blade that could be called back onto the field in a moment. I do not think that it is coincidence that you saw me in your nightmare. A part of you recognizes the threat that I pose to you."
Edwin pulled the redhead behind him as Lucien jumped forward. Serena held onto the demon's jacket as she tried to make sense of everything.
"You would do it, too. Even after giving her your blood, after calling yourself friend. You would take her soul if it showed up on your list."
"Yes. Once a soul is placed on the To-Die List there is nothing else to be done but wait and collect it." He spoke plainly, looking to the hiding place of the girl behind the demons.
Lucien snarled at the reaper. Behind Edwin, a small voice called him back.
"Wait. I understand. I told you that I could hear what you were saying back then." Her voice was thick. "I keep poking at what could kill me because I think you're the same as me. Different, like me. But you're not."
"You are correct. Unfortunately, we both have a place in the mechanics of existence, but we are on opposite sides of those mechanics. You chain a demon and the power that he wields, I lead the souls that are not evil enough to warrant a demon's hunger. Including your own, if ordered to."
Serena nodded, sniffling tears back in, pushing the loneliness back down. Straightening from her place behind Edwin, the red head nodded. "We should go."
*********************A Demon's Mate*******************
It wasn't as upsetting as Serena thought it would be, leaving the manor. The girls had already left for the day, something about a date with friends in town. She did wish that she had had more time to spend with them but they didn't seem to be affected by the strange and unusual that Serena surrounded herself with. Knowing about the strange and unusual and having it shoved into your face were two very different things. Serena didn't want to be the one doing the shoving. Henry was already on his way to his London office. She had been expecting the most resistance from little Alex, but it didn't happen. He wrapped his small arms around her neck and held on tightly, but there was no tantrum.
Alex looked to the upstairs and Serena knew that the demon that had always kept him company had already spoken to him about their leaving. No wonder the boy hadn't been surprised when his mother brought him down to say goodbye.
It didn't stop him from wrangling a promise to call once a week and to come back for break next summer. Serena didn't have the heart to tell him that she was hoping this was over by then.
She did hear a little choke from the boy holding back tears and she was glad that his guardian demon had already taken the brunt of emotion. The red head was upset enough already.
The trip into town was quiet, Edwin and Lucien content to let her dwell in her thoughts. The blonde had tried to apologize for what he had said, but she didn't want to hear it. Serena just didn't want to deal with anything anymore. Thankfully, they seemed to understand and left her to her thoughts.
Serena took a last trip through the empty hotel room looking for anything that she may have missed while packing. Lucien stood at the door with the last of her bags and waited quietly. Although, she hadn't spent a lot of time here, she felt the same pain as leaving the manor. This was a waiting place, that she could go out into the city, possibly run into someone that she knew. Either one of the reapers or one of the Carthrages. In this place, she could still feel connected to the London that she had known through brief trips with Ciel and Sebastian. The beat of the city was the same, the people and the cadence of their lives were the same. Leaving this room was saying goodbye to that and accepting the feeling in her stomach that, once she boarded the flight that Edwin had arranged, she wouldn't come back here again.
'But, I'm going to Sebastian. Even if I won't see him right away. That's the reason that I came here to begin with. I was looking for him and I found him, even if it wasn't where I expected to.' The red head took a breath as she nodded to Lucien and followed out the door. 'I still needed to see the house again. To know, for certain, that they were all gone. And now I know they had lives, happy lives, after I left.'
Downstairs, Edwin was finishing up at the front desk. Serena came up behind him and started digging in her purse for her wallet.
"What are you doing?" Lucien shuffled the bags he carried to be dropped easier if there was a problem.
"I'm checking out and paying for my room." She spoke slowly as if she didn't understand why he had asked in the first place.
"Edwin is handling it. Didn't you guess why he took your key cards?"
"What?"
"The Elder isn't going to allow his mate to pay."
"I can do things for myself." She hissed at him.
"I don't understand why you're upset. Weren't you worried about your budget?"
"And I had budgeted my hotel stay. I can pay for things myself. I'm not one of those helpless women that wants a man to come in and take over everything."
The blonde shook his head. "I don't understand humans."
Edwin turned and moved to usher Serena out of the hotel. The red head scowled.
"I could have paid for my own room."
"The Elder ordered that I take care of both reservations. His orders are more binding than yours." The demon didn't miss a beat as he led her through the doors to the car that was waiting to take them to the airport.
The driver had already opened the trunk and was waiting patiently to take their bags. Edwin kept a hand on her lower back as they walked to where the car waited and moved to open the door. Something caught her attention and Serena stopped. Edwin had to stop as well or run the risk of knocking her into the car's side.
"My lady?"
Serena looked around them, searching for what had made her stop. Finally, she shook her head. "It's nothing."
"Ah, just who I was looking for."
Serena's head snapped up as the voice called from the sidewalk. Edwin took a step back and she could see the demon fight off the urge to bow in the middle of the concrete. Out of the tangle of humans crowded on the sidewalk, Lucifer smiled as he stopped in front of them.
"What are you doing here?" Serena looked around, as though someone would recognize who they were talking to and panic would erupt in the streets.
"There was something that I wanted to talk to you about. Before you left London." A gentle hand pulled her purse from her shoulder and handed it off to Edwin. "We'll meet you at the airport."
"My lord. I am not to let my lady out of my sight."
"Yes, I'm certain that your Elder is quite unhappy about last night's events." Both demons winced at the news that everyone knew their failure. Lucifer kept the smile on his face as he turned Serena and slid an arm around her shoulders. "I think that I am capable of watching over your Elder's mate."
Without another word, he led the red head into flow of the crowd. She noticed the same looks that Sebastian and Haagenti garnered sent Lucifer's way as they moved down the street. Every so often, Serena realized that people would start to follow them, turning from their intended direction to walk behind the Fallen before shaking their heads and stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. Lucifer didn't pay them any mind as he continued on his way.
Serena looked up at the Fallen. "What are you doing here?"
"As I said, I wanted to talk to you before you left the area."
"About what?"
"Well, I need your help with something. I helped you last night and I didn't ask for anything." His hand slid down to lay on her waist, pulling her closer. Lucifer leaned down to speak quieter with a pretty smile on his face. "That makes us friends. And friends help each other, right?"
"Oh, hell."