Title:Predator

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the known Characters.

Warning:This story has graphic sexual encounters. Please keep that in mind when reading. This has no connection whatsoever to Heat. References to rape in this chapter.

Genre:AU, Rape, Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Angst

Pairings: Claude/Sebastian, Eric/Alan, Undertaker/Grell

Chapter 16.

It was raining out now, Eric Slingby noticed, seeing the glint of the clear liquid trailing down the windows of his apartment, pausing for a moment to look at it. He had gone to the kitchen to make himself some coffee, now that they were finally home again.

Alan had finally been able to fall sleep and Eric was thankful for that, knowing how much his frail lover needed the rest. After hearing what had befallen one of his closest friends, Alan had been adamant about going to see him immediately, despite the fact that he himself had barely escaped the same fate. It didn't matter, though, because what the Demon had done had spread the curse much further now.

Gritting his teeth, Eric took a deep breath, fixing his glasses as he exhaled slowly. It was going to be a very long night, he knew, but there was no way he was going to let his guard down again. As he waited for the water to grow hot, he thought back to just before the visit that he and Alan had gone on to see Grell and, by extension, the Undertaker.

(Flashback)

"I have to go see him," Alan had pleaded, looking into his love's eyes as he spoke, a few tears on his face. "He'd do the same if it was me, Eric... He's been there every time my curse has acted up. I can't let him do this alone..." He knew how worried his older love was, yet he would not yield on this. it was Grell who had taken care of him during each attack until Eric had come into his life.

Hating to see how upset Alan was, Eric had still been extremely reluctant, part of him frightened that the Demon would come after his lover again. Alan was so weak as the curse grew with each attack; this Demon could kill him without even meaning to. "I can't lose you... not like this, not yet," Eric whispered, knowing it was true. He knew he would lose the love of his life one day, but he couldn't bear to lose him so soon after finding him.

Alan heard the anguish, feeling it inside of his own heart as he closed his eyes. "I could die in my sleep tonight, my darling," he whispered back, the words agonizing for him yet they were true. "I can't stop living because I will die. It's just a matter of when. For now, I have to keep living, Eric... Or I might as well be dead already..."

Flinching at the serious words, Eric wrapped his arms around his love tightly, his green eyes burning as he squeezed them shut, tears escaping to run down to his slightly pale face. "There has to be a way to save you," he choked out, feeling how thin his lover had grown in the past few months. The visit would be made, though Eric could see with his own eyes that Alan was fading more each day. How much longer would he be able to hold Alan and tell him that he loved him?

(End Flashback)

Far away in a closed mortuary, a silver-haired mortician was relaxed within his bed, smiling as he opened his eyes to look at the smaller male cuddled up against him. Grell had fallen asleep, though he was fully relaxed in his sleep with no nightmares this time. Those seemed to have faded after Grell and Alan had spoken when they were alone.

(Flashback)

Eric glanced around cautiously, now that he and Alan were outside again in the city of London. He didn't like making themselves targets like this, though he couldn't blame his love for wanting to see for himself that Grell was alive. Considering how different their personalities were, it really did surprise him at times to see just how close the pair truly were.

The knock on the door appeared to surprise the mortician, as he slowly opened it, slight puzzlement on his face despite the fact that he had greeted them. Eric did see the way that the older Reaper's eyes flicked behind him, looking to see if there was any danger around before he invited them inside, then closed the door and locked it again.

"What can I do for you?" Undertaker questioned seriously, not wishing to be rude but quite aware that Grell was alone right now. Though his smaller lover was asleep for the moment, he did not wish him to wake with him gone, not after the nightmare he'd had just a few hours ago.

"Please..." Alan softly said, deep worry within his green eyes, his face still pale as he looked pleadingly at the Grim Reaper he barely knew anything about. The bruises upon his neck still showed clearly, though he cared little for his own injuries, not after Grell's were so much worse. "I just wanted...I have to see him," he whispered, aching so badly for his flamboyant friend inside.

Seeing the plea but still not wishing to wake Grell nonetheless, Undertaker had been about to deny the request, until he realized who this slight Reaper must be. Grell had so few people he called friends among the Reapers that this, the only one who had come here so far, must be Alan Humphries.

He knew a great deal about Alan, though he had never met him before. Grell had spoken of him quite fondly and had admitted about the curse that would one day take the brunette's life. Tragically, even Undertaker had no knowledge of a cure that could help one whom his love cared for so deeply. "Let me see if he has woken yet," he replied almost gently, giving Eric a knowing look before he turned to leave.

The blonde Reaper had stepped closer to him, clearly seeing how reluctant that he had been to allow the visit at first. No doubt he had been about to say something as well, though Undertaker had relented upon the realization that it was Alan. And the protective man with him had to be Eric Slingby, though Grell had not mentioned him nearly as much as Alan.

Upon returning to his bedroom, Undertaker perched on the side of the bed, gently stroking his beloved's cheek as Grell stirred beneath the covers. He would not wake him up, but if Grell woke on his own, then that was a different matter entirely.

After all, no one else had come here to see him since the attack.

Feeling the touch, Grell's thick eyelashes parted as he opened his eyes, knowing who was here beside him again. Despite everything, he still recognized his lover's touch and could distinguish it from the memory of his rapist's touch. "Darling?" he questioned softly, seeing a strange look on Undertaker's face.

Smiling in reassurance, Undertaker leaned in and gently kissed Grell's forehead. "You have some visitors," he explained softly. "I believe Alan is one and the other is Eric..." He hoped it wasn't too soon for the petite redhead to see someone who knew what had happened to him.

Blinking in surprise, Grell's smile grew at hearing that they had come to see him, sitting up slowly in the bed. "Alan's here?" he repeated, focusing on that first. He wasn't too surprised that Eric was with him, considering how protective that the blonde was of Alan. Grell himself was equally protective of Alan as well, remembering how frail his best friend was.

Of all the Grim Reapers, Alan was the only one who had known that he was dating Undertaker and he never told anyone else at their headquarters. He was the only other Shinigami that Grell trusted with his life, aside from Undertaker.

"Yes," Undertaker confirmed, pleased to see how happy his love was at hearing who his company. As expected, Grell had mentioned Alan rather than Eric, but he was simply glad to see the genuine smile and how bright his eyes had become. "Shall I send him here?"

Grell nodded, reaching to comb his hair smoothly with his fingers before he smiled at his love. "Thank you," he softly said, meaning it on several levels. He knew that just as he himself was hurting, so was his beloved, yet Undertaker remained by his side nonetheless.

(End flashback)

Whatever they had spoken about, Undertaker had not known. The pair had been left to speak while he remained with Eric, speaking further on the Demon and what each knew about it. Learning that Alan had been attacked as well had angered Undertaker, for even he could see how weak the brunette was compared to other Grim Reapers.

Undertaker did know, however, that Grell's mood had improved slightly from the visit, his smiles returning along with his appetite. He was very grateful for that, even if he didn't know what had caused the change. When he felt up to it, Undertaker was certain that his beloved would tell him, but for now, he was careful not to push him too far.

The newfound desire for revenge was something that Undertaker was also attributing to what the two younger Reapers had spoken of. Grell had admitted of his own anger that Alan had been hurt by the same Demon, ranting about it for quite a while.

Undertaker certainly did plan on tracking the Demon down and finishing him off. It wasn't just about what the damned thing had done to Grell, but for everyone that the Demon had targeted. Of course, the main reason was because of what had happened to his lover. The creature had to be stopped before he was able to complete whatever it was that he was planning. There was surely much more to this than met the eye, though he had not figured it out just yet.

(Phantomhive Estate)

Sebastian was back in his room at the manor, sitting upon his bed. The crimson-eyed Demon had been quite surprised to be given the night off, though his master had insisted upon it. His protests had fallen on deaf and stubborn ears; Ciel wouldn't allow him to return to his duties.

It wasn't that Sebastian was ungrateful for the boy's concern, but he didn't understand why Ciel seemed to protective and concerned about him. Ever since the contract had been formed, it had been him, Sebastian, taking care of Ciel. To have the situation reversed so suddenly without warning was more than a little disconcerting.

Then again, many unusual things had happened lately. After all, Sebastian had allowed himself to be claimed by Claude Faustus, even if it was only temporary. For the time being, there was a truce there, though the Raven was not too eager to have a repeat of what had happened earlier. For a Grim Reaper to watch them having sex had been quite embarassing for Sebastian.

He did believe that Claude had not realized that they were being watched until they were finished. A slight blush appeared on Sebastian's cheeks at the memory, though at least Ronald Knox had been just as humiliated at having been caught doing such a thing. Even if they had been out in public, the ward had been there for a reason. No humans were around, so it was none of Ronald's business just what they had been doing. The only thing had left him rather tired, to be honest, and he had slowly begun to remove his clothes to prepare for bed.

Caught up in his thoughts, Sebastian did not even realize at first that he was being watched, a shadowy figure at his window with a glowing pair of fuschia eyes. By the time he sensed the other Demon had turned sharply, glass and wood splintered inwards as the window was broken through.

Raising his hand up to attack immediately, Sebastian was not prepared for a sharp pain at his throat, a strong pair of arms holding onto him just before he felt a pair of fangs prick through the sensitive skin of his neck. It burned severely, drawing a hiss of pain from the Raven, and even as he tried to jerk free, his vision was already fading into nothingness.

To be continued