Pleasurable Venom
Chapter 11: Tea and Chocolate Cake
A pair of marble stairs flanked the set of dark wood doors. While both sides of the manor were not even, it was pleasing to look at. The color of the stone was smooth and it didn't contrast with anything.
Sebastian held his infuriating smile, as he pushed open the doors. I half expected them to groan in protest but they swung open silently. The muscles in my face settled into a mask of indifference. Inside of the home was nothing like the outer appearance. Shades of grey and blues broke apart bits of brown and red. It was gloomy and held an air of authority despite the bright chandelier. It fit the Earl and his butler. I thought that if I had walked into ti without knowing who owned it, I would place the Earl and his butler to the place. The colors matched the colors they both ware and the air felt the same. It felt like everything had a second side you couldn't see until you became part of them. And everything looked simple. Other then the engravings on the staircase and the paintings hanging on either side of the entrance, everything was clean and simple.
"Sebastian, we will be in the study, prepare tea." Lord, no, Earl Phantomhive spoke up from the first step up the main stairway. He turned to look in Sebastian's direction and the butler replied with a crisp bow and affirmative, before walking into another area of the house. With him out of the room, the tension in my shoulders subsided and underneath my breath I sighed in relief.
"Come. I wish to question you in my study." I didn't blink before my footfalls followed closely behind the Earl.
The hallways made up a twisting and turning maze of carpet and paintings. Occasionally, we passed a small table with arrangements of darker colored flowers but the halls looked almost identical. Doors dotted here and there as we walked. Each one made of the same wood and identical. The only difference in some of them were the amount of doors. Some had one door while others indicated larger rooms with two doors. I counted the amount we passed, racking up 23 doors, 3 double doors, and 14 windows before the Earl stopped in front of another set of double doors. I followed him inside and gently closed the door behind the both of us. A small fire pit sat next to the door and inside flames danced over logs. Book shelves lined the walls and were impeccably cleaned, no doubt Sebastian's doing. A deep green rug fell over dark wood flooring and under a set of plush chairs and a desk. Sitting on top of the desk was a stack of neatly placed papers. Beside that was an inkwell and quill. A pair of matching pens sat next to the quill. Behind the desk sat a high backed purple chair. A bayside window outlined the desk and chair, dark green drapes closed. A set of two paintings hung on both sides of the desk and gave the wall a bit of character.
I watched the boy walk to the char and promptly sit into it. He looked up at me with a serious expression and pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit." I paused a moment, biting the inner part of my lip. I really didn't want to. It felt wrong. Eventually I sat down, and dug my nails into my hand. Just enough to ease my anxiety.
If I hadn't already known what the boy looked like I would have pictured an overweight man smoking a cigar and a smug smile lifting the corner of his lips. Instead, a five foot boy with an eyepatch sat examining me. I could feel the stare and observation. I was a new thing and this boy was curious, looking over my body and cataloguing my behavior. He knew who was a threat and who wasn't because of their behavior and words. I knew he did, because under this stare, if I were not honest I would break. I was an open book for him.
My animalistic instincts slammed through my body. My survival is first and I was in the eyes of a really big predator. One that was judging me. I freeze in place when a shuffle and swish invade the silence. A sharp knock sounds behind the wood. The faint smell of tea fills my nose and I swallow. The second biggest concern was behind that slab of wood. Under the Earl command, the butler entered with a small cart, carrying tea and a couple dishes, I would guess to be pastries of some kind or another.
Sebastian places a cup and saucer in front of the Earl and then places down a small plate, holding a chocolate cake slice. I train my eyes on the butler and they widen in surprise when he repeats the placement with me, setting both dishes on the trolley and pushing it to my left side. I cast a glance at the offering and tentatively reach out to the cup, lifting it to my dry lips and sore mouth. My jaw aches to bite down on the porcelain, to bite down on anything but I keep myself in check and tilt the drink into my mouth. The warm liquid flows over my tongue and across my sensitive gums. It flares with burning pain where my fangs rest and I choke on the mouthful making its way down my throat. The muscles in my neck tighten and slam shut against the liquid not allowing it down my throat. I feel my gag reflex kick in and instantly hold the dish out, my body convulsing forward and sending a coughing fit through my lungs. The air in my nose suffocates me and I open my lips to take in breaths. Tea fights down my throat and I grimace, rasping out another set of coughs. My gums send pain signals to my brain and I let out a small groan.
Blinking back small tears I slow my breathing and focus on a small recovery. Air seeps into my lungs properly and while the tightness in my throat doesn't subside, my gums and fangs stop aching and hurting. I blink a couple of times before I realize what happened.
The flesh around my fangs was so tender and sensitive because of my lack of using them. And when a normally hot drink ran over them, my nerves freaked out. I calm down and decide it best to not drink the rest of the tea. Speaking of, where is it? The weight of the dish no longer sat in my hands and I looked up confused. At a point, Sebastian had took the drink and dish from my hands and set it down, back on the trolley. He was knelt beside me, a gloved hand resting on my back. I wanted to jerk away from the touch but forced myself to stay put. The Earl looked at me with the same indifferent face. When they both noticed I was fine, the butler finally removed his hand and stood back up.
"Are you alright, Miss?" Sebastian addressed me. I nodded after checking my throat and prodding around it with my fingers. He flashed me another one of his smiles, sending a fresh wave of creepiness through my skin. The Earl raised an eyebrow. "Why did you choke on the tea suddenly? Did you see something?" He asked. A slight tint of genuine curiosity filed his words but his features stayed in place. I shook my head. He leaned a bit forward and rested hs chin on his laced fingers. The position demanded a further explanation. "Uh...I wasn't expecting the tea to burn my gums." I said quietly. I hoped it wasn't too quiet. He must have heard because he casted me an odd look. "Burned your gums?" He pressed further. I nodded. "My fangs, I haven't used them in a while and so the gums around them are extremely sensitive because they recently ripped through them." I explain piece by piece, speaking clearly and softly.
He let a small smirk fall across his lips and he leaned back, picking up the silver fork next to his plate. "Interesting, your fangs you say?" I blink not entirely sure I should like the tone in the boy's voice. I open my mouth and gently tap the fangs. They ache under my touch and I hiss a bit. He tilts his head a millimeter to his left and I mimic it. "Interesting." He seemed to look down in thought for a moment.
XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX
The butler quietly observed the two younger people in the study. The woman, she wasn't human, exactly, she was more of a mix between snake and human. The fangs and, though not visible to the young master, the scales peeking out from her collarbones, both certainly were not human. In all of his years, Sebastian had never encountered someone like her. It interested him and he found himself wanting to know more about her. When he had come to rescue her, she didn't see overly relieved and was even taking a defensive position towards him. Here, a small unnoticeable smirk played on his lips. She was strong, he mused to himself.
His young master seemed to take a curious air around her and a slight pang of pride stung at his mind. Yes, his master, was thinking something, and if Sebastian knew his master well, then he was thinking about hiring the feisty woman sitting across from him.
As far as humans go, this lady was extremely strong and good at accessing things. He could see it in her eyes. A low flame, carefully observing and calculating everything she said and did.
XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX
I waited patiently and tried to guess what the Earl was thinking.
"The house you were staying in, who else stayed there?" His authoritative voice rung out and startled me out of my mild stare. I linked a couple of times and licked over my chapped lips. "I did, and two others. I don't know if they were there the entire time but they did visit occasionally." I supplied an answer to his question. "Two others...where they prisoners?" He asked. I mentally growled at myself. I should have clarified. I shook my head. "No, they were my captors." I hissed out, my memory flaring to Roanna, then it burned out with the thought of Adrian. "Their names, Roanna and Adrian. They are siblings." I racked my brain for the fuzzy memories of everything I knew. They were looking for something or someone. I couldn't remember what though. The concentration bled into my face and turned my lips into a slight frown. What was it they wanted? I couldn't put my finger on it. "They wanted something." I breathed to myself but when I looked up to the Earl his face told me he heard. "What was it?" He asked a bit impatiently. I pursed my lips and frowned deeper. "I, don't know." I replied.
He took a moment to look me over again. "Do you know where they are now?" He asked a bit off. I shook my head again. Just by the air I could tell he was hunting them. They were his prey. I shuddered, feeling the thin skeletal fingers of cautions gripping my spine and squeezing. "What is your name?" He inquired. I forced the growing feeling down and bit at my lip. "Helain, Helain Belford." I informed him, knowing he would tell if I lied. The slight cling of polished silver rang in my ears and brought my attention to the butler standing by his side. "Very good, you may stay here for the night, it's far too late to be travelling even on the short trip to the city. In the morning, SEbastian will provide you with breakfast and then you shall be brought where ever you need to be." He dismissed me, returning to his cake. Sebastian must have took the hint in his voice, because he straightened and gave him a short bow before smiling at me and moving to open the door and gestured me out.
I bit my tongue in the effort to keep myself from hissing at the man in the tail coat. He smelled dangerous. The smell strengthened the farther we were from the study and by the time he stopped in front of a single door, I was a breath away from growling. "Here we are Miss Belford. Everything you might need for bathing you can find in the bathroom and there is a spare night gown in the dresser to the right of the bed. Should you need anything, please call upon me." He suggested. I mentally scoffed at his perfection. I wouldn't put it past him to come when summoned, no matter what time I called. And it vexed me. His smug persona was just begging to be broken. The very rare flare of dominance filled my thoughts.
"I will bid you ado if that is all." He gave me a slight bow and walked down the hall, back towards the study. I watched his receding back and let my scowl show. There was just something odd about him.
Turning and shutting the door, a wave of deja vu swarmed my head. It brought me back to the Doctors manor and from there I wondered what the doctor and Grell were thinking or doing. They most likely have discovered me missing. Did the undertaker know I was missing? Did he care? The depressing aura penetrated my heart and I shook it away. He probably missed me, with how kind he is...but he did send me away to the doctors...but it was to get me feeling better. Hmm...
My thoughts swam in circles and danced around until I took a breath and decided to sleep on it.
Carefully, I searched about the room and bathroom, making sure the doors and windows were locked. I drew a hot bath, the steam filling the room and air. Flushed and overheated, my body felt nice and sleep ready.