AN: Who knew moving to Japan would be so hard.

Warnings: None (I think).

Chapter XV

The White Devil

Lotte watched helplessly as the White Devil's red lips melted on the demon butler's.

Her mouth gaped open at the shock. Breathing hitched. Eye's widening for a moment before blinking rapidly, hoping it was another one of Lilith's scheming mind games. But it was reality. Lilith was kissing him.

Her hands again rang the shackles binding her weak form, trying to get Lilith's attention. She growled and hissed, only fighting the moans flying back at her from the female demon.

Lilith was on him, saddling his lap and getting everything Lilith wanted. Lotte grunted, feeling too weak to speak, too weak to move, and too weak to do anything anymore. All she could do was watch as the man she come to surprisingly grown for sink deeper and deeper into the devil's lust.

Then Lotte noticed he was fighting too. Although he could barely move as much as she, Lotte noticed his hands clenching the chair's arms. Burning flesh. Veins popping under the skin. His black fingernails digging helplessly into the iron. A low growl too emitted from his throat as he was trying to move away from Lilith's undying lips.

But the demon woman would have nothing of it. She was a stone statue on top of him, and would never let go.

Until she did.

A quiet breath escaped her mouth as she moved her head away from the butler's tired but angry face. Lotte had never seen anything like it before. His teeth were clenched, but slightly pointed fangs had surfaced. Eyes were pure red, bright and full of rage. Dark shadows faded under them. Skin had grown pale white and unnatural, as though death had touched the demon.

And perhaps it did.

Then a deeper voice, a familiar voice escaped. Still weak and rasping, but darker than before. Lotte knew not what was happening; her head was so light. But… Sebastian….

"Lilith...how you've outdone yourself," he spoke out. "Now come and untie me so we can have a civil discussion."

"Michael, do you believe I am an idiot? I have given you a gift and you think I would do something so...foolish? No, you will remain there."

If the chair wasn't made of iron, Lotte knew Sebastian would've turned to black smoke and used the shadowed walls to help destroy the woman keeping them hostage. But his weakness would overtake him, and the black smoke that wanted to escape would evaporate before her eyes.

But he was safe, and away from the she devil.

Lotte's blood pooled below her, dripping from her fingertips and slowly moving across the drawn star on the floor. The shackles on her wrists had cut her skin too deeply. Her throat, dry. Head, lighter than any floating feather. This was the end. Lilith had won.

"Awe, come on now," Lilith's soft voice entered Lotte's ears like a bell. "Don't pass out just yet! You're about to miss the climax of our show."

Lotte's head moved forward unable to keep it up. Fatigue settled onto her like a warm hug. Eyes moving closer and closer into seeing nothing but darkness.

A sigh escaped Lilith's lips. A soft sound so soothing for Lotte to hear. But the devil's voice still rang, growing like a pack of flies. Lotte clenched her shut and tired eyes just wanting it to end.

Sebastian was alive after all. She knew he could handle Lilith.

It was time to rest.

"Little star, it not time to sleep yet." Heeled footsteps grew closer. "Michael, it seems like your mistress wants to leave."

A small click of the tongue. The footsteps stopped.

"Lilith...you vile bitch. You have created a mess that cannot be cleaned. I will rip your very essence apart from what you've done to her."

"To her? Look at what she has done to you. She has made you weak, Michael. Restoring you to a common butler. Her family has not treated you as you should."

"And you have? You took my memories, my powers, and trapped me in this...unforsaken prison. I will destroy you."

A small hum came from Lilith's throat. "Listen to you speak, Michael. You do speak the truth about trapping you, but only by an order. But I was not who took the very core of your abilities nor your memories. Unfortunately, my abilities don't reach that far. I cannot erase that much from someone's mind. I am only able to return pieces, Michael."

"Enough!" he snapped, huffing out in exhaustion. "You will cease calling me...by that name." A pause of silence, and his breathing slowed as his voice lowered. "If you were not who took away from what I am,…who did?"

"I can't tell you that," she answered swiftly. "Because I don't know myself. Only you would know, and me returning those few memories should soon make you realize who is behind your earthly imprisonment."

"Lies!" He snapped. Lotte could only imagine his red eyes moving as if he was blind, yet it was Lilith's magic was at work in his head. Slowly, there were memories being reeled in his mind like a movie. She knew how he felt.

"Stop calling me a liar!" she snapped back, with more force. Lotte could see subconsciously the White Devil's eyes glowing bright red like Hell itself. "You should be better at figuring out who took your precious powers and how to get them back."

"And trust me when I do, you will be first to know."

A sound of a smile and slither in her voice. "I can't wait."

Sebastian...Lotte's mind weakly thought… "uhhhh."

She had lost too much blood. It had drawn its way through the Faustian mark on the floor, mixing in with the blood that created the circle…but who's blood, she didn't know. All she knew was she was on the brink of unconsciousness.

"You damn spawns," Lilith's voice became poison as she forced her anger out at what Lotte thought were the remaining demons in the room. "You were to make sure she stayed awake long enough for it to be complete. The moon is not at its apex and I have yet to inquire the late Earl's soul. It is not time! Now she's lost too much blood for the ritual."

And of course, Lotte knew from the many books Raphael forced her to read on curse marks, Lilith would not be able to enter the circle after the blood had been drawn.

She realized then in her slow mind, it had been Lilith's blood that was spilt to create the lines of terror.

The demon would not be able to enter.

She wasted too much time. Lotte mentally smiled.

If she were to die, she knew Sebastian would be able to do something with her soul. Lilith would not have it. Even if she were to hide in the shadowed walls of the manor, never to be free, she would.

"You aren't going to die yet, little star." Lilith's voice was venomous.

The White Devil was angry; mainly because she wasn't getting her way. But Lotte was too far gone to think of anything. She was at the edge, and the last thing she heard before falling over was Sebastian's voice saying: "hold on."

She awoke what felt like moment's later with a burning sensation throughout her body. She coughed from what tasted like hot liquid metal scorching her mouth, tongue and throat. She didn't understand why or what was happening, but while her body was on fire, she felt the life return to her in a quick speed. The edge she had fallen off became a glass floor, pushing her back into the brightness of reality.

Lotte's eyes flashed open as she breathed out in a wheezing and painful breath. She coughed some more, noticing the small amounts of blood that scattered on the red marble. Another thing she noticed was the five bodies lying neatly around her, destroying the Faustian mark that painted the floor.

The first thing Lotte thought was: She broke the circle.

Lotte didn't have to say anything as Lilith read her mind and spoke. "Don't worry, little star. There will be other chances to take your soul. Unfortunately, your blood wanted to work quickly into completely the circle. What a shame. Next time I won't be so…distracted." She finished, looking towards the butler in the iron throne.

"What…what did you do?" Lotte mumbled out, becoming more and more aware of her surroundings. She still felt the burning throughout her body. "What…did you…?"

"I did what I could to keep you alive," the female demon walked towards her, stopping in front of her and leaning forward. "Be grateful. I sacrificed my own to save you for now. But of course, your butler helped."

Oh gods…the burning she felt was his blood. But she was too tired to care. "Why?"

She looked over towards Sebastian as Lotte followed her. "Why indeed." The demon moved, walking back over to Sebastian and wrapping her hands over his shoulder behind him. She leaned forward and whispered something barely audible for Lotte to hear. "You have your memories back. It's time to tell her the truth of it all. Why don't you start from the beginning, Michael?"

Lotte blinked at the name. Although Lotte's consciousness had been lacking, she heard Lilith call him by this name over and over again. Her brain back then, fading into the darkness, couldn't recognize why and thought maybe it was a trick, a hallucinating thought. Now she knew, it was actually being spoken.

But, why?

Lotte knew Sebastian's name was given to him by her grandfather. That much she knew. It had been written briefly in the journals left and forgotten by her grandfather. Although she didn't know the background on the name, she knew later after she met the demon butler, Sebastian probably wasn't his true name.

So his real name is Michael? I guess that's where he got his last name then. Perhaps, she thought, it was the remains of his loss memories holding on. A name he may not have known the origin of, but stuck to his mind. A lost past, only to be awakened by the monster standing between them.

Lilith continued to speak. "Why don't you tell her the reason why you killed her father?"

"No…" Lotte slowly said. "Stop telling me that lie. I…already know you killed-"

"I kill him," the demon butler said suddenly.

Lotte's eyes grew wide, staring blankly at the man sitting in the chair. The one who she had grown to trust. The one who had protected her when she couldn't protect herself. However, although the words were hard to hear, it was the way he said them that brought fear into her heart. He said the words so casually, so relaxed. It was as if he was stating a mere fact about the world.

The sky is blue.

Mountains are high.

I killed your father.

It reminded her deeply he was nowhere close to human, but a true demon.

A pure monster.

Lotte slowly shook her head at the demon before her. "No…" she muttered. "No, that's impossible. What Lilith showed me…it wasn't real…it didn't-"

"It did and it was," he breathed out, staring at her with tired red eyes.

Lotte felt the tears fall. She didn't stop them, but instead welcomed them as a last string of hope.

"Lilith must've taken my memories of that day away, which is why I didn't know," he continued.

"Yes, I can at least manage that," Lilith added.

Lotte shook her head and lowered it. She closed her eyes, not wanting to believe such words.

And the way he spoke too…it broke her heart how nonchalantly he spoke.

It made her grow angry with every word. All this time, she had been going after the wrong monster. All this time, the one who destroyed everything had been trapped and living under the same roof as her. She had so many chances if she would have known.

And then, there was the way she felt towards the demon which made her angry even more. For that, she hated herself for ever falling for the creature.

And still ever falling for him.

"Why?" she muttered through the growing sobs. Then she lifted her head, opening her tear-filled eyes to him and shouting. "Tell me why!?"

His eyes shifted away from Lotte and moved to the one holding his shoulders so intimately. Then Lotte understood. "Because of her," he spoke with a small growl. His eyes then returned to Lotte as he continued. "He was trying to summon her. I thought could stop him before it was completed. But I was too late. I had no choice, Lotte. He was already gone."

She shook her head again, finding her tears were starting to dry. "But why summon her?"

"Why indeed," he replied, turning his head slightly towards Lilith as she stood up, smiling.

"Oh dear, looks like the cat is really out of the bag now," she said, stopping between the two.

"Why was my father trying to summon you? What motive did he have?" She thought back to her journey into the room behind the iron door. The room where she was visited by ghosts. "Was he trying to…kill you?"

She laughed, loudly. So much so that it surprised Lotte. She was taken back by the response and realized her theory was so far from the truth. "Oh dear sweet girl. How you have been brainwashed by lies. Your father was summoning me for a couple reasons actually. One was to deal with this one." She pointed to Sebastian in the chair. "But that you already knew."

Lotte grew quickly impatient. "And the other?"

Lilith smirked. "The other was the true, big reason. The man was in love with me."

Lotte's breathing hitched, feeling as though she had ben fooled. Of course, Lilith was lying. The whole time she has been lying. At least, Lotte hoped it were all lies.

She didn't have many clear memories of her late father. He was rather an odd man from the little she remembered, but she knew he still loved his daughter deeply. Lotte's finest memories were the bedtime stories he told her by a large fireplace. Stories of fairytales and far of lands. Princes and princess and living in a castle. She remembered she was his princess.

Perhaps Lotte was too young to understand the odd little behaviors that came from her father. The length of time he would spend alone, only to resurface days later. Her estranged mother was never one to be near him except when he appeared at dinner time. When Lotte would ask her mother where he was, Lotte remembered her mother's face darken then strictly say, "He's away on business."

And yet, deep down she knew the man was hiding somewhere in the manor.

But the reason remained.

Then when Lotte first came into contact with the room behind the iron door and writings within it, maybe somewhere in her soul she made a small realization her father wasn't clear in the head.

Still, she didn't want to believe this was the reason.

"Bullshit," she spat out.

"Of course, you don't believe me, little star. Why would you? A poor daughter trying to avenge her father only to find out the truth about him. However, as much as you wish it wasn't true, it was," Lilith reply, letting out a deep sigh. "The poor man, hopelessly in love with a demon."

"Did you know about this? Is it true?" Lotte, still trying to piece this all together, asked the butler.

A small, tired nod. "I knew your father wasn't well. His…strange behaviors had grown worse since your grandfather passed. However…, I had no recollection of what his hobbies were. He hid mostly in the late master's bedroom. I found out later on shortly… before his death what he truly was up too."

Lilith let out a small laugh. "He was rather a little lost in the head. The man was obsessed. But it was rather entertaining how much he worshiped me. Alters and small blood sacrifices he made to make me happy. Even though I was never physically there, I still felt and heard his prayers. The poor soul."

Lotte swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. The fact this she devil was saying such things was beyond unbelievable. And as much as she didn't want to believe it, in her soul she knew Lilith was correct. It had made sense from all the strange things she encountered in that room. Lilith's name written on the wall over and over again.

But why the wire? If her father was in love with Lilith, why place iron wires inside?

Unless, he wasn't the one who placed them.

She remembered her mother then. A sought out Catholic. Strict and unforgiving at times. She was always holding onto that golden cross of her around her neck whenever her father came to dinner. Lotte remembers it now. Her mother was nervous around the man.

But being a child, who would understand why?

"It was my mother who placed those traps in the bedroom, wasn't it?" Lotte whispered, she looked at Lilith. "She was trying to stop you. She was trying to stop my father from summoning you."

Lilith scrunched her nose. "Jealously doesn't get you too far, does it."

Lotte shook her head. "My mother…she never liked this supernatural stuff. When I told her I saw things, she locked me in my bedroom for days, telling me to pray to God. People always thought she was too religious for her own good. I didn't understand why she acted so…insane. But now I do. She was scared out of her mind. By you." Lotte let out a huff of laugher before snapping. "You destroyed my family."

"Perhaps. But I doubt I was the only one who helped build the tower that would collapse. You have many to thank, little star. For instance, this one over here." Lilith looked over at Sebastian before returning to Lotte and whispering, "Maybe you should learn a little history before deciding who you should hate more."

Lotte eyed Sebastian for a moment before moving to the female creature with a stern expression.

"And I can show you," Lilith continued.

"Then show me," Lotte answered.

xXx

London, December 1875

There were so many voices whispering through Lotte's ears. So many she could not keep track of who was speaking. There were females and males. Shouting and crying. Begging.

What was going on?

Lotte managed to catch: "She may not make it through the night," and "Your child may not survive," and "we are doing everything we can."

Then suddenly they all disappeared.

"You think this is wise, my lord?" A fast, but harsh male whisper filled Lotte's brain as her eyes opened into darkness again. "Doing such a thing is a sin beyond reason! If the church were to find out about this…"

"They won't. At least, not from me. And if they do in the future…fuck it," another male's voice replied, deeper and smoother. Both were unfamiliar and Lotte noticed the desperation in the words. "Besides, it's the church I have to thank for this."

"But summoning such a creature! You don't believe it may actually work, do you?"

"I have to. It's last thing I can think of at this point in time."

There was a slight pause, as the first voice whispered in a lower tone. "This is devil worship, my lord. You think it's worth it?"

"Of course, it's worth it!" the second snapped, before letting out a sigh. "It's Rachael, Tanaka. I can't let her die. I won't let her or my unborn child die."

"But Lord Vincent," Tanaka pleaded.

"I will do whatever it takes to keep them alive." Another pause. "I understand if you don't want any part in this, Tanaka. I won't hate you if you leave."

"I am your butler, my lord. I am here to serve by your side until the very end."

"I apricate that, friend." A deep breath. "Then let us begin."

Lotte felt very groggy. As if she had been knocked on the head several times. Everything was disoriented and upside down. She felt lost and very confused. She could not speak, only listen to the sounds nearby. But then she noticed a sliver of light shine through the darkness like last time. However, somehow it was different. When she managed to get to the light, she still felt trapped. Last time, she was able to enter the light from pushing a door. This time, she could not enter. The door was locked for her.

Although she didn't understand, she did not fear the darkness. She only continued to watch through the sliver that was given to her.

The scene shown was blurred and fuzzy as if looking through a tunnel. She could not see much besides a dim lit room. But she did notice the few candles on the floor.

"Tanaka, you have to swear to me that whatever you are about to see, you will not share with Rachael. I cannot let her know what I've done."

"I will take it to the grave, my lord."

Then there was a knock on the door, and a third voice quietly entered the room. This time female. Lotte only saw only the backside of the girl's long blonde head and the white dress she wore. She seemed calm too when she spoke. "My lord, you've summoned me turning this hard time. Why?"

Lotte recognized the voice, and her eyes widened. Lilith?

And then she saw the man named Vincent, and how much he resembled her own father. Lotte thought back at the old nineteenth century paintings she found deep within the dungeons of the manor, and the name written in old books collecting dust on the shelves. Lotte realized then, the man she was staring at was her great grandfather. How am I seeing this right now?

"My dear Scarlett. I summoned you because I need one last favor from you. Can you do that for me?" Vincent asked, taking the girl's shoulders.

"Of course, my lord. Anything you want?" there was excitement in her voice. "I am yours."

"I am glad," he smiled. "I've enjoyed our time together, but now…now it is time to end it."

"What?" the girl named Scarlett breathed out.

Then he embraced her, tightly, as if he was trying to take the life out of her.

But when Lotte saw the knife appear from Vincent's sleeve, she knew he was doing just that.

Lotte watched as her great grandfather dug the knife's blade deep within the girl's back. Lotte heard Scarlett gasp in shock as she collapsed dead in Vincent's arms. Blood pooled from the wound onto Vincent's hands as he laid her down on the floor. Then without saying a word, began to draw lines around her.

Lotte had seen many summoning drawings from the books she once studied, but the one he drew was different than any normal summoning circle.

She remembers only seeing it once.

The mark of the Devil.

Is he trying to summon…Lucifer?

"Lord Vincent…that circle…"

"Yes, I acquired it from Undertaker himself." Vincent finished the last line and stood up outside the circle. "He told me…Death was the only one who could help."

"By God have mercy on our souls," Tanaka whispered.

Then Vincent began to chant what Lotte knew was a very old language. A language, as a hunter, she feared.

The candles flickered before shooting out from their positions. The blood on the floor ran like a river, only to fly back into Scarlett's body. Then there was darkness.

The only sound came from heavy breathing beyond.

For a moment it was silent.

Before light appeared again. It flashed, brighter than before. Lotte looked away from the sliver only to look back and gasping at who she saw in the middle of the circle of candles.

Scarlett was standing, but Lotte knew it wasn't her.

Lilith.

Vincent and Tanaka were more so surprised as she. The two men had been pushed to the floor from the force the light gave. They slowly recovered from the small blast, standing a bit dazed. From what they summon was not Death himself, but someone they did not anticipate.

And Vincent was not happy. "No," he muttered. "No…no! This…this is not who I wanted." He marched towards the girl. "Who are you? I wanted Lucifer, not some…demon in Scarlett's body. I demand Lucifer!"

The girl smirked as she watched Vincent march around the room, rabid. Lotte heard crashes of thing being thrown onto the ground. His voice coming out in snarls.

"This is all wrong! Dammit!"

"And how do you know I'm not Lucifer?" the girl spoke, her voice soft and chilling.

Vincent's breathing came out in harsh huffs of anger as he stopped in front of the circle. "I'm not an idiot. I've studied enough to know you aren't him."

She snickered. "You're right. You are smart man. I'm not Lucifer. I'm his daughter, Lilith."

Vincent stopped his angry pacing and looked at the girl. "Lilith? You mean you're the White Devil?"

"My father sends his regards. Thought I could help a lot more since he's bit…tied up at the moment."

"And how can you help?"

Then she stepped out of the circle, touching her finger to caress his face. Lotte's skin crawled. "Oh aye, through many ways, my lord. However, there is a price to what you seek. My services can be a bit pricy, but you already know that coming from a high noble background."

"Name it," he said.

"Ten years," she stated.

"That's it. That's all.'

"Oh, my lord. There so much more, but I'm going to keep that my little secret."

Vincent hesitated and Lotte held her breath. Tanaka spoke out first. "My lord, perhaps there is another-"

"Deal."

Lilith's smile grew, as she backed away from him. "Then it is done."

"Wait, don't we have to seal the deal?"

"The seal has already been placed. But you already knew or you wouldn't have been able to summon me."

A knock suddenly interrupted the conversation as Vincent glanced at the door. "What is it?"

"My lord," an out of breath female voice echoed, "My lord, good news! Your wife is okay, and has given birth to healthy twin sons."

"Sons? Twins?" he breathed out, before looking back at Lilith.

"Ten years," she repeated as she disappeared in a flash of white.

And filling the scene before Lotte's eyes with the same colour.

xXx

London, December 1884

Lotte thought it was over. But when she awoke in the darkness again, she knew Lilith wanted her to see more. The pressure in her head was too much for her to bare. She felt too disoriented to move anymore. The sliver of light was before her eyes again, but this time pushed her to try and open it beyond the darkness. Would it work?

Lotte moved slowly as she heard several voices coming from the light. When she finally placed her hand on the dark solid wall before her, she pushed with all the strength she had left.

It opened.

"We will now start the meeting of the Aristocrats of Evil." A familiar male voice announced. "Is everyone gathered?"

Lotte stepped into the light and into a familiar office. One she had never been in and yet seen. This time she saw several more people. She saw her young great grandfather sitting comfortably in a lounge chair, holding a glass of whiskey with Tanaka standing in the background. Another man, with hands firmly placed together, sat beside him, wearing a serious look on his face. An older man with a scar over his left eye stood against the wall beside her, arms crossed and holding a stern expression that made Lotte back away. A younger looking man with a plaid flat cap, from what Lotte thought to be the youngest, was kneeled eyeing the pool balls that were scattering the soft green table before her. He was battling another older gentleman with a blond mustache who wore a bowler hat similar to Mr. Wilson's. Then there was the man wearing a dark robe with long silver hair covering his eyes, which made Lotte's skin shiver from the smile he wore. Then Lotte noticed the woman standing slightly to the right of her great grandfather. She wore a feathered red hat hiding her blonde hair. Her red and black dress screamed wealth, and yet she hid her pretty face behind a red fan. By Lotte caught her crimson eyes to see behind such disguise.

Lilith.

Nobody seemed to have noticed her arrival or presence, and then she realized she was nothing but a ghost to them.

"You know," the younger boy stood, "I really think we should change the name to something else. I really don't like being called evil. I mean…look at me…do I look evil?"

"So what would you suggest, Pitt?" the man sitting beside Vincent asked in a German accent. "The Merry Men of London?"

"Yeah! That has a good ring!" Pitt exclaimed.

"I was being sarcastic. Besides, we aren't all men here."

"You know," Pitt's opponent interrupted, taking a shot in the game. "The kid's got a point, the term evil doesn't quite suit my personality. I'm more of a man of world wonders than evil." Then he cursed under his breath as the ball failed to fall into the net. "Sheisse."

"So you were saying, Chlaus?" the German snickered.

Chlaus stood, defeated. "I was saying that maybe a change in the name isn't a bad idea."

"Huh!" a rough voice replied from the corner, before continuing in a thick Russian accent. "Well, I like being labelled as evil. Shows that Russia and our people should not be messed with."

"Aye, I'm with him," the German man exclaimed. "Makes us Germans strong and undefeated."

"And yet us Russians could wipe your people out right under your noses."

The German shot out of the chair. "What did you say?"

"Enough," Vincent spoke up in a calm tone. "We aren't here to discuss name changes or who can defeat who in what."

Pitt raised his hand. "I know I can defeat Chlaus at pool!"

Chlaus gave the boy a hard stare.

"Yes, yes," Vincent waved. "But that is not the reason why we have gathered today."

"And why have gathered, Vincent?" Chlaus asked. "We should all be downstairs, celebrating. Especially you. It's not everyday your boys turn nine."

Vincent hummed as Lotte noticed Lilith's red eyes glance at him. "Yes, so I will make it quick. I have gathered you all here to decide the next successor of this organization."

"My lord?" Chlaus asked. All but Lilith and the smiling man were taken back in shock.

"I know this is sudden, but…things are moving fairly quickly. I just want to make sure I have named then one who will take over this role before it's too late."

"You aren't…dying, my lord. Are you?" Pitt asked, looking rather hurt by the news.

"No! Of course not. It's just a precaution, Pitt. I want to make sure my blood is…protected."

The German stepped forward. "Then I shall do what it takes to protect it then, my lord."

"That's very kind of you to step up, Diedrich. You've been an excellent friend. However, my decision will be through blood, not through companionship."

"Blood, Lord Vincent? But only Ciel and-"

"Yes, which is why I have decided my heir will be my elder son, Ciel."

"But he's just a boy!" the Russian stated. "He cannot run an organization from which he has no understand of."

"Which is why I will be the one to look over him until he comes of age," Lilith spoke out, making Lotte freeze. "Whatever happens, if our lord decides to leave us early, I will make sure the boy learns well."

The Russian man blinked and huffed in annoyance.

The man with long silver hair raised his hand. "I too will make sure he learns what he should learn." His smile grew large. "He will learn only the right things that will drive him on the path of success."

Vincent nodded. "Thank you, Undertaker." His voice grew serious and somewhat cautious. "Please protect him during his time."

Lotte's eyes moved to the man Vincent called Undertaker. Somehow the man also made her very uneasy. Perhaps it was the smiling mask he wore or the clothing that covered his pale skin. Or maybe it was what he was hiding behind his silver curtain.

For what hid under that mask was what strike the most fear through her veins. It was a dark mystery, Lotte could tell.

And then he looked at her.

I've returned! I'm slowly coming back to writing after settling here in Japan. You'll be seeing more updates soon!

Thank you to everyone who's continued to support me and this story! It means a lot! Reviews are always loved! I think I'll start replying to those who do!

REVIEWS HELP A LOT JUST SAYING!