Chapter Eight
Saphira sighed as she waited beside Ciel in the dark alley, Sebastian on his other side. She knew what happened next and her heart went out to Ciel. There was a very high chance that his aunt was going to die tonight, though Saphira will try to save her. Beside her, Ciel began to shiver.
"So cold," he murmered, wrapping his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm.
"Even if this is a poor area, and even if my normal clothes attract attention, the clothes you're wearing now are not enough, right? And it looks like it's about to rain, too." Sebastian stated, turning to him.
Saphira wrapped Ciel up in her arms, holding him to her. Her body tempature was higher than normal due to the fact that she was keeping herself warm with her inner fire. The young Phantomhive Head relaxed into her, his shivering stopping as he immdiately began to warm up. She smiled softly and rested her chin on the top of his head.
"If we stand here on guard, that guy will really come, right?" Ciel questioned Sebastian.
"Mm, because there's only one entrance, and this is also the only path." Sebastian answered.
Ciel glanced at the door to the room that Jack the Ripper's next target lived in. "So the murderer's next target is Maria Gale, who lives in that room?"
"Yes. I've told you many times I haven't gotten it wrong."
"It's true that apart from missing their internal organs, they also have 'something in common'. However, must that person really need to go around killing people? And also, I... DID YOU LISTEN TO ME? SEBASTIAN!" Ciel glared at the butler, who was currently cuddling a car, with annoyance, an angry tick forming.
Saphira chuckled lowly, watching the duo with fond amusement.
"Ah, I'm so sorry. My mind wandered off."
"We're not keeping it! Let it go quickly!"
"I understand." Sebastian reluctantly set the cat down. "And so cute too..."
Ciel sighed, leaning back into Saphira embrace, flushing slightly when the woman tightened her hold on him just a bit. That was when the scream rang through the cilly, night air. Ciel stiffened, his eyes widening.
"Wha- but no one went inside! Lets go!" the Phantomhive Head ran for the door belonging to Maria Gale's room, throwing the door open. A splatter of blood landed on his cheek.
Sebastian quickly took hold of Ciel, knocking of his hat, and covered his eyes. "Don't look!" He exclaimed as he leapt back a few feet from the flat.
Saphira firmly clasped Ciel's hand in her's as she stared at one Grell Sutcliff.
"That was rather over the top, it's all over the floor... 'Jack the Ripper'... No... Grell Sutcliff." Sebastian commented, staring calmly at the shinigami.
"N-no, this is-I heard cries, and when I got here it was already..." Grell stuttered out, trembling as he walked out of the room.
"Already what?" Sebastian asked him. "we were always outside the only route. Just how did you manage to get into the same room as the deceased? Do you still plan on pretending in the state you're in? Isn't it enough? Mr. Grell... No, even 'Grell Sutcliff' must be a fake, right? I must say it's the first time I've encountered a 'human like you'. Din't you act so convincingly?"
Grell grinned, revealing pointy, sharp teeth. "Heh, is that so? That's correct!" he undid his hair and took off his glasses. "I'm an actress. And a top rate one at that!" he declared as he combed his hair, which was turning bright red as the dye was washed out by the rain. He then put on fake eyelashes and black gloves. "But aren't you the same 'Sebastian'? And what about dear Saphira? She certainly isn't human."
"This is the name Young Master gave me, I am 'Sebastian' at the present." Sebastian stated, still covering Ciel's eyes.
"What I am is of no concern, Grell." Saphira said as she shifted closer to the demon.
Grell slipped on a pair of red glasses. "Oh, the role of a faithful dog! Even though a handsome man as a loyal dog is rather nice- Then allow me to reintroduce myself, Sebastian, Saphira... no, Little Sebas and Saph!" the shinigami said with a flip of his long hair. "I am the butler of the Barnett family, Grell Sutcliff. We're all butlers, well, maid in Saph's case, so hello." He blew a kiss to the demon and fae, which bounced off them as they stared at him blankly.
"Ah, I can finally appear before you in my real form! Because isn't it embarrassing to appear before a handsome guy with out make-up? Or a beautiful woman. Hehe... I much prefer the male gender, but Saphira dear," Grell gave the Fae a thourough look over, making her feel a bit violated. "Why, you're enough to turn a girl lesbian! Honestly, Saph-chan, what are you? I simply must know."
Saphira cleared her throat, inwardly grimacing. Never had she thought that Grell would set his sights on her. Sebastian, she understood. The demon was sex on legs. But not her (honestly, Grell didn't like woman, so why her?!). "All I'm going to tell you is that I'm not from this world."
Grell blinked, before grinning. "Ohhh, I understand now." he winked at her before turning to Sebastian. "It was my first time seeing a demon as a butler, so I was very surprised at first!"
"This... aren't you the same?" Sebastian asked him, barely restraining himself from attacking the shinigami for daring to look at Saphira like that. "I've lived long enough, I've never heard of 'that kind of person' becoming a butler. You, who should have stayed neutral between God and humans, Death God. On the other hand, you are more or less a 'god'. Why did you become a butler?"
"Don't say it like that! Oh right... I've been captivated by a woman. Other than Saph-chan, that is."
"That woman is?" Sebastian asked,
"You don't really have to ask, do you?" Madam Red walked out of the shadows, as calm as could be. "Sebastian,"
Ciel moved Sebastian's hand from over his eyes. "Madam Red,"
Madam Red turned her gaze to her nephew. "My calculations were wrong, who would have thought the person to uncover Grell's real identity would be someone by your side, Ciel."
"From the very beginning, your name was in the list of suspects. However, Madam Red, your alibi was really quite perfect." Ciel told his aunt.
"How terrible, Ciel. You would suspect one of your own?"
"As long as there is a possibility, I don't care whether that person is a blood relative or a friend." Ciel responded, showing no emotion. "In the list of suspects, any 'human' could not have done it. The same goes for you, of course. But if the co-criminal was 'not human' then that is a different matter. To be able to access Maria's room without us noticing, you should have the ability to go to the murder scene from the Viscount's place, right? And then, to disappear from the party for a few minutes, is something peple would not notice... The only ones able to be 'Jack the Ripper' would be the both of you. Madam Red and Grell Sutcliff.
"The victims of Jack the Ripper, apart from being prostitutes and being left with no ovaries, there was also another thing they had in common. They were all your patients at the Central Hospital you work at. All of them underwent a 'certain surgery'. The patient list setting out the order when they'd undergo their operations, are here." Ciel took out a sheet of paper with names and the times of their operations. The order in which the victims died correspond exactly to the patients on your operation list. The only name left on this list was Marie Gale. I thought if I waited her, she would appear. However, I could not save her."
Saphira gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Madam Red got a sad look on her face. "How unfortunate, Sebastian. My cute nephew, my sister's son. If you hadn't discovered this, we could have still played chess together. However," Her hand clenched into fists. "I'm not going to go easy on you anymore!" she yelled.
Grell suddenly whipped out a chainsaw, his Death Scythe, and Sebastian quickly moved to stop it before the shinigami could kill Ciel. Saphira wrapped an arm around the Phantomhive Head and moved him back a few steps. She would protect him, even if it meant giving up her life. That fact alone made Sebastian's worries ease slightly.
Saphira barely listened as Sebastian explained to Ciel what a Death Scythe was. She only snapped back to attention when she saw Grell blow a kiss to Sebastian and then wink at her. She blinked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What'd I miss?" she whispered to Ciel, who just turned pink in response.
"Can you not say such revolting things? And we're working too." Sebastian sighed, irritation in his eyes.
"Mm, you're so unfun! This part of you, I can't take it anymore, little Sebas-chan!" Grell suddenly appeared behind Saphira, a lock of her red hair twirled around his finger. "Oh, little Sebas-chan, I do love red the most. Hair, clothes, lipstick, I love them to be red. And Saph-chan has such lovely red hair! She looks even more lovely when she wears red, don't you think?" Grell kissed Saphira's cheek, making her, Sebastian, and Ciel stiffen. "That's why I love using fresh blood to do make up for those ugly woman. The more flamboyant a woman is, the more she's as beautiful as a poisionous flower, right?
"A cool man who uses the color of wild roses to dress up would definiately be beautiful, Sebas-chan. I want to make you use that beautiful wild rose color, and tear your body up to its deepest core, Sebas-chan." Grell finally released Saphira, who suppressed the urge to sigh in relief.
"Death gods should quietly capture the souls that are about to depart from this world. Butlers are supposed to follow their master like a shadow. To violate these two principles like you have, makes me want to throw up." Sebastian stated, face expressionless.
Grell pouted. "Hey, I really tried my best as a butler to serve my master! I even worked without my make-up or dressing up!"
Sebastian sighed. "How shocking... And you still call yourself a butler?"
Grell grinned. "Even if I'm like this, I'm still the butler of DEATH!"
Ciel removed his eyepatch, having had enough. "In the name of Her Majesty and my own wretched name, I COMMAND YOU! CAPTURE THEM!" he ordered the demon butler.
"Yes, My Lord." Sebastian smirked. Unbottoning his coat, he draped it over Ciel with a closed eyed smiled. "So that your body won't become cold. When we return to the mansion, I'll prepare some hot milk for you. I'll add honey or brandy to sweeten it."
Saphira yanked Ciel away as Grell attacked, just barely missing the blow herself. Sebastian and Grell began to fight, the demon dodging blow after blow from the shinigami. Saphira hugged Ciel protectively as she watched them, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She flinched when the demon was cut. She knew that a shinigami's death scythe could permenatly kill a demon, which is what had her so worried. She didn't want Sebastian, or Ciel, to die. Ever.
So, should Saphira save Madam Red or should Ciel's aunt die?