Vampy: I don't own anything from Black Butler. Thank you to everyone who has followed/favorited/reviewed Lover's Morgue. I won't be rewriting the next chapter at all unless I see some spelling errors.


Ciel leaned against the cold brick wall of an alley with his arms crossed, watching as his breath formed a small cloud in front of him. His mind was whirling from the conversation he'd had with his butler earlier that evening about their new suspect to the Jack the Ripper killings. Even as he saw the truth in Sebastian's words, the young earl wished that he could deny it.

The butler in question stood next to his master. He watched the boy from the corner of his eye in silence, knowing that Ciel was trying to work through something that he would speak when ready. The demon's patience was rewarded a few moments later.

"Are you absolutely certain that he will appear if we stay here?"

"Yes, Young Master. This is the only way to get to Mary Kelly's tenement. He should not be able to get in or out without being seen by one of us." Sebastian replied. He eyed Ciel's ill dressed form with distaste. "Even though it would have made you stand out, perhaps it would have been in your best interest to wear something a bit warm-"

"We have a goal, Sebastian, and wearing these thin commoners clothes will help me achieve it. Besides, we wouldn't have this problem if you had just told me that the culprit wasn't human." Ciel interrupted crossly as he glared at the demon.

Sebastian merely smirked. "I was simply following your orders, My lord. You never specified what species I was to be investigating."

This earned him another glare, which he ignored. Ciel turned away from Sebastian and looked into space again. The earl began to muse aloud. "They're curious, these killings. Removing the organs of the prostitutes, it just seems like such a commonality. What is it that makes these murders a necessity for hi- are you even listening to me, Sebastian?!"

"Sorry, Young Master." The demon reluctantly put down the cat he had been cuddling while Ciel was talking. The boy opened his mouth to scold his butler when a scream pierced through the air.

Ciel immediately dashed towards Mary's room, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Impossible! We were here the whole time! No one could have gotten past!" He threw open the door before Sebastian could stop him.

Blood spattered the walls, the droplets slowly falling back to the ground in small trails. Mary Kelly lay on the floor with a gaping wounds in her abdomen and her organs scattered about her body like wrapping paper after a child's gift has been opened. Sebastian made a noise of disgust as he quickly covered his master's eyes with a gloved hand, only a second too late. The butler politely looked away as the young boy emptied his stomach of his last meal, the vomit staining his clothes and landing on his shoes.

"Oh my, what a mess you have made." Sebastian muttered, though it was unclear whether he was talking about Ciel or Jack the Ripper until the latter stepped out of the darkness.

"S-surely you don't think that I did this, Sebastian?" Came the timid voice of Madame Red's butler.

The demon smirked slightly as he eyed the blood and gore covering the other man. It was pretty obvious that Grell was the one behind the murders. "I don't think it's necessary for you to keep up the act, 'Grell Sutcliff'. I must admit that I was rather surprised to see one of your kind here, and pretending to be a butler, no less."

"An act. . . " Grell slowly grinned, revealing shark like teeth. "Yes, a most marvelous act. I am an actress, after all. I'm impressed with how well you've played your role, 'Sebastian'. "

Ciel pushed Sebastian's hand aside just in time to watch Grell transform from the drab, timid butler he'd been for the past few weeks to a very effeminate red haired version of himself. "Who, and what are you?"

The man grinned and bowed mockingly to the young boy. "Grell Sutcliff, butler for Death, at your service. "

"Death. . .?!" Ciel whipped his head to look at Sebastian, his eye widening in shock. "He's a-"

"Yes, my lord." The demon watched as Grell went about removing his disguise. "Grell is a Shinigami, a Death God. As I told you before, no human could have committed these crimes. . . At least, not alone."

Grell grinned widely. "Quite right, Sebastian- no, I'll call you Bassy. I am merely working for the woman I fell in love with."

"Woman. . .?" The word dropped like a stone from the numb lips of young Ciel Phantomhive as sorrow filled him, but he didn't allow any of it to show on his face.

Footsteps echoed throughout the alley away as Madame Red stepped out from Mary Kelly's flat. "Hello, dear nephew."


Remind me why we're out here looking for the girl you just tried to send away? Mortis asked as Undertaker leaped from roof top to roof top. The silver haired man glanced anxiously at the dark clouds that were rolling in from the west, thunder roaring in the distance.

"I need to find her. She could run into her father, or Jack the Ripper, or a demon, or -Styx forbid- Morningstar." Undertaker groaned in distress. "She doesn't know how to defend herself yet. I let her leave and she doesn't even know how to keep herself safe!"

Mortis tried to comfort his master and friend. You were doing what you thought was best for her. How were you supposed to know that she had been awake when you kissed her? How were you supposed to know that she would say those things to you? You were completely justified in your reaction. She was pushing you, and you needed to say something.

Undertaker shook his head. "That's no excuse, Mortis. I was just being selfish. What I should have done was sit down with her and come clean about everything. She deserves that much from me, at least."

So when you find her, you're going to tell her about Morningstar? The scythe snorted derisively. You really think that will solve anything? It would just put her in more danger. Granted, Morningstar has made sure that no one will believe you and who would believe a rookie?

"Be quiet, Mortis. You're distracting me." Undertaker muttered in annoyance. His eyes darted around in hopes of catching a glimpse of Raven's dark locks as he reached out his senses, searching for her soul signature. The retired reaper skidded to a stop when he caught a faint trace over by the White Chapel district.

Shit.Mortis cursed as Undertaker immediately headed in that direction. She must be subconsciously attracted to that area because of the Death Aura.

Undertaker said nothing as he pushed himself to go even faster.


Raven peeked around the corner of an alley as she searched for the source of the strange sound she heard. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Grell lunge at Sebastian with a weapon of some sort, it's metal teeth rotating as it let lose a constant roar. "Oh!" She breathed in awe. "A Death Scythe!"

The demon dodged Grell's attack, neither of them sparing a glance towards the alley's entrance- though they both sensed that Raven was there- as they did not want to give the other an opening to strike. The crimson soaked reaper grinned. "Looks like we have an audience, Bassy. I do hope you don't disappoint her with a happy ending!" He swung his Scythe again.

"A happy ending? With as tragic a death as yours will be?" Sebastian smirked slightly as he grabbed a lamp post to block the blade of the Scythe. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Hmph. I see that you underestimate my abilities. Your mistake! My darling little Ophelia here can cut through your gas lamp. The only thing Scythe metal can't cut through is another Scythe." Grell giggled as his chainsaw cut through the post and swiped his opponents arm.

All of the observers watched dumbstruck as what looked to be reels of film exited the wound on Sebastian arm. The Phantomhive butler sucked in a breath as memories started to play through quickly, only allowing small glimpses here and there.

"Mhm, your Cinematic Records seem like they would be quite interesting to watch allt the way through. I do hope you'll let me kill you to see them." Grell licked his lips hungrily. "Give us another little look-see!"

Raven gasped as the other Shinigami lunged once again with his Scythe upraised. Sparks flew as Grell swung his Scythe towards the Phantomhive butler and came into contact with the alley wall instead."Oh Bassy, do stop ducking all the time! I want to paint the blade of my precious scythe red with your blood, so please. Stop. MOVING!" He punctuated each word with another swing of his chainsaw.

Sebastian grabbed the blade between his hands, the force of the blow pushing him back against the wall as he struggled to prevent the revolving metal teeth from biting into his shoulder. "I'm afraid I am disinclined to acquiesce your request, Grell," the demon grunted. His muscles strained as the chainsaw moved a bit closer.

"Oh, how terribly dull of you!" Grell's pointy teeth flashed in a grin. "But it's been said that talent rises up in the face of a challenge!"

Raven didn't see what happened next as she was pulled away from the alley, a startled scream bubbling past her lips for a mere second before a gloved hand covered her mouth.

"As if I don't have enough to deal with because of that insufferable twat Sutcliff, now I have to worry about you as well?" The voice sighed in annoyance as its owner turned her around. "I told Slingby and Humphries to watch you carefully so I wouldn't have even more overtime, but obviously I. . . have. . .to. . ."

William trailed off on his rant, seeing Raven up close for the first time since he discovered her existence. He was suddenly overwhelmed with memories he had struggled to repress for over 17 years as he came face to face with a girl who looked so much like Maria. And so much like him!

The Council is going to give me so much overtime when they find out about this. . .