Death Watch

{Author's Note: And now for a little lighthearted entertainment-at least, for the first half of this chapter. Happy holidays, my fellow Black Butler fans! Hope you enjoy!}

Chapter Eight

A Day in the Life of an Earl

The day started off well enough: bright and sunny; an unseasonably warm, mid-May morning.

At seven thirty am, Ciel awoke to tea and scones brought in by Sebastian.

Sipping his cup of his tea and reading the morning paper, Ciel was happy to find more glowing reviews of Funtom Company's newest novelty item that had just been unofficially released a few days ago. The line of stuffed toy cats came each with their own flavor of mouse-shaped lollipops; four different cats, four different flavors. Of course, the lollipops quickly being devoured by each child as soon as they received the cat, there would be an immediate call to buy new ones (to give to the cat, of course). This was the intended strategy of the new product, and it was sure to succeed fairly well, or at least so Ciel hoped.

After Sebastian had left to take the tea trolley away, Ciel dressed himself to the best of his ability, only to have Sebastian afterwards undo, untie and unfasten nearly every button and bow and clasp he had so painstakingly done himself, and then proceed to redo them in a manner that was much less askew and much more presentable for polite company. During breakfast, his butler then informed him that overall his company's finances were doing quite well, to say the least. It was nice to know that he would never have to worry about money problems, with his business acumen and his butler's own special talents providing occasional assistance.

All in all, it was a good start to the day. Such a good start however could only go downhill, as was proved correct soon enough.

At nine o'clock, Mey Rin set fire to the west wing when she accidentally tripped and fell off the step stool she was using to clean the chandelier, knocking over a gas lamp and igniting the curtains.

At ten thirty, Finney flooded the back garden while digging a hole to plant a new tree, apparently digging a well instead, having gotten carried away with the sudden idea of whether one could actually dig a hole to China.

At eleven forty-five, Bardroy blew up the kitchen. Again. That made the third time this week, Ciel thought, as he put two fingers to his forehead and closed his eyes, only shaking his head at this latest fiasco. After having born witness to such events as these happening so often over the years, he had become quite accustomed to them; almost to the point of being blasé about it. All in all, a typical Tuesday morning in the Phantomhive manor, he thought to himself.

Unfortunately, the day only continued to slip southwards from there.

At one o'clock, during lunch, Ciel received an urgent post from a delivery boy informing him that his business, Funtom Company, was being openly sued for allegedly stealing recipes for certain specified candies from Norstar Confectioneries Company. Ciel would have to take care of this, and soon; he couldn't have his business's reputation suffer even a moment's slighting. The fact that it happened to be true was irrelevant. Ciel pondered what course of action to take. After a few minutes he called Sebastian.

Showing him the letter, he instructed him to arrange for them to pay a visit to the Norstar company today, and to have the press be on site, as well as few other more minor details to be taken care of. Sebastian bowed, telling him he would see to it, and then left to make preparations for the two of them to make the trip into London that very afternoon.

Arriving at just after half past three, earl and butler strode into the front office of the Norstar Confectioneries's main factory, and demanded to see the president of the business. After the secretary left the room, Sebastian hurriedly stashed a few previously prepared documents in the desk drawer, before the young clerk came back to tell them that the president was currently preoccupied with important matters, and would have to see them another day. Just then there was a loud stamping of footsteps coming from the front hall, and in stormed a cadre of press officers, here on an anonymous tip that Lord Ciel Phantomhive himself had come to confront Lord Henry Ricker, the president of Norstar's, concerning the accusations against his company.

The poor clerk nearly tripped over himself, stuttering and babbling that he would be right back with president's company, he meant the company's back, uh, the back's… he would return shortly with Lord Ricker, he finally managed. Hurrying out, the press officers were left to descend on Ciel, cameras and pens at the ready. Sebastian put one hand up to stop them short, bending down and whispering something in Ciel's ear that only Ciel could hear. Rising up, the butler then addressed the crowd, and told them that his master was in need of a bit of refreshment to tidy himself up, and that they would return in a moment. Showing due deference, the men backed away to let the two stride through their path, and exeunt out the door into the hallway. Quickly making their way down the corridor and turning off into a side room that was apparently an unused office, Sebastian related to him an interesting discovery that he had observed with his keen demon senses as they had first come into the factory, and which he thought might be of interest to Ciel: it seemed that the place was completely overrun by rats and mice. Ciel was disgusted by this news, shuddering at the thought that even he, not to mention countless others, had eaten confections made in this factory with such an infestation. He pondered this latest revelation, and then looked up at his butler with a gleam in his eye.

"Sebastian, I have just the idea for a perfect solution to this situation." He proceeded to give him instructions, which the butler acknowledged and then the two hurried back out and returned to the main office. The president had by this time found it somehow possible to put aside his other important matters and make an appearance, and was now relating huffily to the reporters about how he had discovered that Ciel's company had been stealing recipes from him.

"Lord Phantomhive!" one lad in tweed exclaimed as Ciel walked in, rushing up to him with pen at the ready, camera men following behind. "May I ask you a few questions, sir?"

"Of course! Of course," Ciel replied. "But may I be so obliged as to have a seat at the desk, as I am fairly fatigued from my journey here?" The reporter, as well as Ricker standing beside him, was then swept aside without further ado by Sebastian, as Ciel made his way to the grand desk, to take a seat at the chair behind it, dwarfed by its enormity, but still managing to look haughty and smug despite it. "Sebastian, procure for me a paper and pen. I would like to make a quick note to myself on a matter I wish to refer to later."

"Of course, my lord," his servant dutifully replied, and going to the top right hand drawer, drew it open, pretending to look for some suitable note paper. "What's this?" he exclaimed in a well-executed attempt at surprise. "My lord, these documents are… interesting, to say the least." He shoved them in front of the nearest reporter's nose, which wasn't difficult, as it was hovering just inches away from the butler's hands. "Look! It says here: Funtom Company: recipe for caramel fudge. And this one: strawberry parfait lollipops. These are all on official Funtom letterheads, which I can attest are completely authentic."

"What?" shouted Lord Ricker. "That is a lie! An outright fabrication! How dare you go through my things, in any case! Begone with you, all!" He rushed at Sebastian to swipe at the papers he was holding, but was held back easily with one hand by the demon.

"My good man," Ciel said unctuously, smiling widely through tightly sealed lips, "why don't we let the Yard see these documents, and decide for themselves?" He then turned to the reporter. "In any case, I think there is a much more serious issue that needs addressing. If I may, could I ask you to be so kind as to step out into the hallway and allow my butler to show you something else of a much more serious matter?" The young man before him raised his eyebrows with suspicion, but nodded his head, and said, "Of course," and proceeded to follow Ciel and Sebastian as they strode out of the office and down the hall.

"What's this all about?" Ricker yelled after them, anxiously. "What's going on?" The two simply kept walking, a trail of press officers following in their wake, with Ricker running to catch up behind as the butler led them down the hallway and into a door that led into the main production area. Ciel himself took a side turn, and stepped into the office they had previously occupied. He knew perfectly well what they would find. Soon enough, he heard the shouts and exclamations of disgust and outrage from the press corps and then footsteps as they rushed further on down the hallway and into a door leading into the factory direct. Dimly, he could hear loud angry voices mixed with heated statements, and knew that Sebastian had pointed out to them the evidence of vermin that was plain to see when one knew where to look and what to look for. It was really a thoroughly unsavory circumstance, Ciel thought, without much sympathy, however. He smiled thinking about what was to come next.

In a little while, the cadre returned, the president still fuming and attempting to wheedle and explain his way out of his dire situation. As soon as they came in, Sebastian went up to Ciel, and told him of what had occurred (as if he hadn't known exactly what had happened). Ciel pretended to ponder the gravity of the news, and then suddenly brightened, proclaiming to his butler what his gracious response would be.

A half an hour later, Sebastian returned with a carriage that stopped outside the front door of the factory where Ciel and the reporters waited, the president still protesting and indignantly renouncing Ciel's interference, as well as continuing to vigorously deny his guilt in having stolen any Funtom recipes.

Out stepped his butler from the carriage, and out poured dozens of cats in his wake, each one seeming to glance at Sebastian before bounding forward and then leaping up the steps of the building and through its doors; cats of all shapes and sizes, colors and pedigrees. Most of them looked like underfed alley cats, which they in fact were, as that was where Sebastian had found them. What Ciel had proposed as an immediate solution to the Norstar Company's dire emergency of rodent infestation was that his butler bring in a small army of cats, courtesy of Funtom Company beneficence, and let them hunt down and exterminate the vermin forthwith.

The press hounds ate up this scene with gusto, snapping picture after picture, despite Ricker's desperate cries of perjury and the unlawfulness of Funtom's unasked for solution. He was soundly ignored however, and the ruckus continued on through the night, even after Ciel and his butler had made their departure. Prior to doing so, they let it out to a few of the reporters that Ciel intended to officially unveil his newest novelty item, the stuffed toy cats, the very next day, in front of their masthead store, with free samples and giveaways to go along. It would be the perfect scheme to promote the cats, with their mouse-shaped lollipops, which just happened to coincide with the Funtom Company's rescuing of the Norstar Company with their cat brigade.

Yes; a perfect opportunity that was much too good to waste, when Ciel had thought of it earlier today, after his butler had informed him of the infestation. He smiled at his cleverness, and relaxed back in the carriage seat the rest of the way home, looking forward to a good dinner and a pleasant evening in his mansion.

Ciel looked across at Sebastian, as the carriage rocked and bumped along the narrow, rutted dirt road they were now traveling upon, sitting opposite him and gazing at him with a neutral expression, but with eyes that hinted at a smile. Ciel found himself drawn to the shape of his lips, so refined and shapely, but still soft and sensuous… His thoughts brought him up sharp, and he looked away with embarrassment to gaze out the window, instead. But he couldn't help wondering if tonight would culminate in certain sordid activities, nor yet help hoping that they would…

Since that first night's intimacies, they had since engaged in more than a few repeats of such in the past couple of weeks. Sebastian would come in at the end of the day, attend to him, and one thing after another would lead to events taking a turn in that new direction. Sometimes it would be initiated during his bath, which he greatly enjoyed; sometimes while undressing or dressing him for bed, the demon running his hands down his arms a little too slowly, trailing his fingertips against his skin a little too seductively. Before Ciel would know it, they would be wrapped up in passionate kisses once more, leading invariably to his bed, where the demon would lavishly and painstakingly deliver gentle, smooth caresses, building up to Sebastian's hand being wrapped around Ciel's eager cock, squeezing, stroking; culminating in the quick, hard movements that would always result in him finding his glorious release, such a feeling as he had never know before in his life.

"Will you be needing anything else, my lord?" his butler asked later that evening, after Ciel had eaten dinner and was now reclining in his room with a book. Ciel could think of something he needed, seeing his butler standing before him, looking so elegant and handsome as always. Relaxed and feeling more at peace with himself now, Ciel felt a sudden surge of more than tranquility as his pulse sped up thinking of what things he could very well be needing, and have fulfilled if he only so commanded it of his faithful servant. He was sure that his butler would be more than willing to participate in any such acts as well.

"Sebastian, I believe I would like to have you to draw me a bath tonight. It would be nice to indulge…" and here he paused looking as knowingly as he could at his butler, "in such pleasures before retiring for the night."

Sebastian only bowed and with a small neutral smile said, "Very well, my lord," and turned to head towards the bathing room. Within a few minutes he had returned, and stood at the entrance with an attitude of somber formality.

Rising up from his chair, Ciel came round and strode over to the demon to stand before him. Impulsively, he wound his hands through his butler's arms, wrapping them around his waist to press himself close against the demon's torso, hugging him tightly. Turning his head to rest against his chest and sighing, he suddenly realized he had never once, in all his days, hugged the demon in a true embrace.

"Ah, Sebastian. What are we going to do about… this?" He could hear the steady thump, thump of the beating of his butler's heart, and looking up he found the demon looking back down at him with an inscrutable look on his face. What was he thinking? Ciel wished he knew. Ah well, he told himself. It mattered not. Whatever he took from this demon of his he would be happy to have, until that time when the end came and it would be over, and all would cease to matter.

He rested his cheek back against the butler's chest. Sighing once more, he broke away from his unreturned embrace and headed towards the bathing room. He was stopped, however, by a hand on his wrist, restraining him from continuing, and with a gentle tug of his arm was spun around.

"Master," the demon said in a low voice, eyes glowing darkly as he gazed at Ciel. He didn't say anything else, but just pulled Ciel closer to him, wrapping his arms in turn completely around him, and holding him tight. Ciel's heart gave a leap, and then a painful stab jolted through him, making his chest tight and his breathing difficult. What was this, he mused? Ha. Well, he wasn't going to analyze it; it wasn't necessary. He simply put his arms once more around his butler, and hugged back tightly. Smiling, he sighed in pleasure.

"Mmmm, Sebastian. This is nice. We should have done this a long time ago," he said with regret. Sebastian responded by bringing a gloved hand to Ciel's jaw, tipping his head upwards, and brought his head down to Ciel's. Gasping as the demon suddenly captured his mouth in his, Ciel was instantly lost in a sea of fervent, seductive kisses, drowning in libidinous delight.

"Wha…" he cried out, confused, a second later. The demon had pulled away, leaving him lost, mid-kiss.

"Young master, I apologize. I must see to your bath. I sense the tub is near to full, and I mustn't let it overflow." Ciel just rolled his eyes and shook his head in amusement more than annoyance. The demon would still act the consummate servant in fulfilling his duties as a butler per the contract, to the end. So be it, he thought.

He followed the demon to the steamy room, where his tub was soon full almost to the brim with sudsy, inviting water. He inhaled deeply, and was greeted with a delightful aroma of bath oils and soaps, smelling of lavender and vanilla.

He began to unbutton his jacket, wanting to immerse himself in the water as soon as possible. His fingers were still irritatingly slow and inept at the task however, and in a fit of impatience, he spat out, "Sebastian, undress me!" Both he and the demon looked up at each other in equal surprise at this unexpected command, but the demon just smiled, and replied, "Yes, my lord."

With alacrity, his garments were removed; first his eye patch, then his jacket, shoes, trousers, socks, garters, tie, and lastly his shirt. Sebastian then smoothly glided his rings off each of his fingers, reverently placing them upon a small table near the chair upon which he had folded and hung his clothes.

Ciel now stood in all his naked glory, his erection standing before him, an eager, begging protrusion. Sebastian looked down upon it, grinning devilishly and then looked back up into Ciel's now slightly open-mouthed face, small pants being expelled forthwith in anticipation.

With a shudder that racked his body, he sighed as he felt his butler's gloved hand wrap around his base, and then glide slowly up his length to play with the tip a little before gliding back down. Ciel's eyes closed involuntarily at the pleasure, and his legs trembled slightly as his butler continued his gentle but firm ministrations, his hand warm even through his glove.

"Ahh, yes, Sebastian." This was what he had wanted. Ciel opened his eyes when his member was suddenly abandoned.

The demon leered down at him, but didn't say anything, instead slowly lowering his body to one knee, and then the other, in front of Ciel. Ciel's eyes widened at this, as he gazed down at the sight of the demon's face just inches away from his quivering member, his eyes glowing with a dark intensity up at him. He hadn't been expecting this, but knew enough to suspect what was to come, and trembled with a combination of fear and excitement.

"Ah, young master," his butler sighed. "How I have wanted to do this, for so long."

"Oh, have you?" Ciel gazed back at him with mock accusation, but his mouth twisted into a smile of delight to his unmasking. He shivered, and then gasped loudly as the demon's mouth was suddenly on his cock, his lips covering and then softly closing over the head, while pushing his foreskin down with one hand to expose him fully.

"Nnng!" This was a sensation he had never felt before nor imagined in his entire life. The hot wet sheath of the demon's mouth was now traveling even further down his length, applying light suction as he went. Ciel's hands came out and landed on the top of the demon's head as he felt his knees threatening to buckle, and he grabbed fistfuls of hair to steady himself. He worried not if it might be painful for his butler, and was reassured by the sight of the demon smiling widely back up at him through lips still wrapped around his throbbing organ, momentarily ceasing in his actions, his ruby eyes glinting mischievously at him. They then closed as he resumed his continued enveloping of his member until he had fully taken him in, right up to the hilt.

Ciel gasped; he knew he wasn't exactly overly large compared to other males, at least the ones he had happened to see over the course of his life, but certainly not small, either. His butler then slowly drew his member out of his mouth, stopping at the head to then suck ever so gently at it before gliding his tongue playfully around and under the rim. Each new sensation had Ciel feeling more spellbound than before to the point of being delirious. The demon then began a steady dipping of his head up and down, back and over his straining cock, maintaining a constant suction that soon had Ciel moaning and gripping the demon's hair with a force that threatened to result in his pulling it right out of his head. The demon, however, didn't seem to mind, only giving a low rumbling growl as he continued his efforts with an even greater enthusiasm and an increased pace.

"Nn…nah! Oh, god! Sebastian!" Ciel cried out as he felt the pressure build within him. This was… this was more than good. This was unbelievable. "Yes, yes," he panted. "Ah, god. Yes." He eased up on his grip on his hair, instead choosing to run his fingers through those glorious, silken strands, long and dark. Mine, he thought greedily to himself. Each strand, every one, his. His demon: his to command, his to enjoy; yes, and why not, at least for what little time he had left on this world? Up and down, back and forth bobbed his demon's head, clamped onto his member, instilling wave after wave of soul-sucking delight throughout the very core of his being. When his butler's hand came down to gently fondle and caress his sac below, he moaned loudly once more, and went back to gripping the demon's hair tightly, twisting it between his fingers.

"Oh, god! Oh, GOD! Ahhh, Sebastian!" he gasped out. Nothing in his whole life had ever felt this good. He looked down to simply watch the demon as he rhythmically pumped his mouth over his member, applying suction almost continuously, and occasionally wending his tongue around the tip and under the ridge, producing the most glorious sensations indeed. He wet tongue came out and licked around the glans as he looked back up at Ciel, winking as he then dragged it down over the length to the very base, to then suck lightly on his scrotum.

"Do you like this, my young lord?" the demon asked. Ciel could only gasp out in ecstasy as this new feeling, and then moan loudly as his butler's mouth then traveled back up and over the head, to once more engulf him completely, sucking hard as he continued to glide his head up and down over his member. Just the sight of it, watching his demon service him like this in such an intimate manner, perverted and depraved as it was, was undeniably exciting, sending thrills of illicit delight through him.

"Ah, yes; I do, Sebastian; I do indeed," he uttered breathily, continuing to run his fingers through his butler's hair in between bouts of grasping it tightly. "I like this very much." He found himself thrusting forward and withdrawing in opposition to the demon's movements, giving way to writhing and weaving his hips in rising fervor. In response, he suddenly felt his hips being clasped tightly in an iron grip that pinched into his skin almost painfully, restraining him from further movement. For some reason, this just served to stimulate him further, sending him to even greater heights of glory as the demon continued sucking and gliding his mouth up and down his cock.

The pressure rose gradually within him, growing ever more unbearable until it finally burst forth from him with an intensity that he had never before experienced, making him gasp out as he threw back his head to then tremble and shake until his essence was fully expelled from him. Looking down, he saw that that the demon's mouth was still fully wrapped around his member, and he suddenly realized with embarrassment what the demon had just done. For some reason, however, the thought of it filled him with a renewed sense of arousal, tempering the mortification that he felt. It was just so… fiendish of his butler to have done that, he smiled to himself, in amazement at the whole experience.

Sebastian's eyes were closed, and he remained in that same place for many moments, before slowly pulling away from his still sensitive member until he finally released it, running his tongue over the tip, making him jump a little, and then licking his lips sensuously as if in deep enjoyment of the taste. Ciel just shook his head at his butler's depravity, not really feeling as disgusted by it as he knew he should. Finally opening his eyes the demon looked up at him, red orbs burning into his with a fiery glow, a satisfied smile slowly spreading across his face. Running his hands up Ciel's arms, he rose to stand before him.

"Would you like your bath now, master?"

"Uh, yes. Yes, Sebastian; please," was all he found he could answer, and proceeded to climb into the tub of still pleasantly warm water, relaxing a bit as he closed his eyes before going on to take the soft bath sponge proffered by his butler.

"Thank you, Sebastian." He wondered why he had begun using such polite language with his butler. He was his servant; his job was to wait on him, quietly, efficiently, and unobtrusively. It was considered impolitic by polite society to even deign to notice a servant's presence most of the time; rather, to just accept their services with no acknowledgment at all upon the nobleman's part. He supposed his new politeness had to do with their recently altered relationship; he couldn't deny that having engaged in such intimate acts with his butler had influenced his perception of him as more than just a servant. But of course, he had always been more than just a butler, being both a demon and a butler, or "Meerlia butler" as his butler was apt to say, as he was also a demon who would one day slaughter him and devour his soul. Being slightly more polite to such an one was excusable, he reasoned with a chuckle.

Dried off and now dressed in his night shirt, Ciel sat on the edge of his bed as Sebastian combed his hair. Suddenly a deep wash of shame went through him at the thought of what he had been doing lately. He thought of Lizzy, and how in all likelihood she would one day be his wife, as he didn't seem to be close to solving the mystery of his parents' murders anytime soon. He thought very highly of his dear cousin, even quite fondly he dared admit to himself. But now… How was he ever going to go through with that now? Would he even be able to be an adequate husband to her, he wondered? Or had he become perverted, like those men who lusted after boys, after other men; like that freak of a shinigami? He tried to put it out of his thoughts and just accept it. But nonetheless his thoughts continued to torment him, as another bout of self-reprehension filled him once more.

"Sebastian," he blurted out through gritted teeth. "Sebastian… am I… What have I become?"

"Master?" his butler queried. "What do you mean?"

"How am I ever going to be the husband that Lizzy deserves someday? I mean, if I am like… like those kind of men, how will I ever be able to please her?"

"Oh, my master," Sebastian smiled, as he put down the comb back on the night table. "You have nothing to fear. Have you never felt arousal at the thought of relations with women before?" Ciel nodded. "My lord, suddenly finding you are able to feel attraction for another man, and able to enjoy carnal relations with one doesn't mean you are now unable to ever feel attraction for or enjoy relations with a woman ever again. I assure you that you will be able to perform quite satisfactorily if and when that time comes. Do you not know that humans can feel these types of yearnings for both members of the same sex as well as the opposite? It is quite common, actually; the rare thing is simply people actually accepting these urges as normal, much less acting on them. Society of today imposes much too harsh a condemnation of such." Here the demon paused and smiled at Ciel before continuing. "If two people feel affection for each other, and wish to express that emotion in a way that is physically pleasing to them both, there should be nothing wrong with that. This society's ways are quite backwards and incomprehensible to me in regards to such."

Affection? Ciel's heart had skipped a beat, and he froze when he heard that word. He smiled and laughed to try to ease his discomfiture. "Sebastian, are you admitting you have affection for me?" The demon cocked his head and looked back at him with amusement.

"Of course, my lord. Why else would I want to so very eagerly consume your soul?"

Ciel could only nod at this and look away, his face flushing. The demon continued.

"I find you immensely appealing. And I don't just mean your adorable face, with that big blue eye of yours," he said, smiling. Here, Sebastian reached down and planted a light kiss on Ciel's left eye that had fluttered closed at his approach. "Nor yet that cute, perfect nose," and a kiss was placed on the very tip. "Nor even those delicate, sweet lips of yours." And with this, he sealed their mouths together with a deep, passionate kiss that had Ciel panting and hard again after just a minute of it. His hands wound around his butler's neck, and sifted up through his hair across his scalp. Sebastian half-growled, half-moaned at the touch, and then pulled away. Ciel pouted, but the demon spoke.

"No; it is you, yourself that I find more intriguing than anything else, my lord. Your soul, your past; your strength, your cruel-edged will, mixed with a hidden compassion; your penetrating discernment and razor-sharp intelligence: these are the things which make you so irresistible to me, and why I desire and crave you so much."

Ciel could stand no more of this onslaught of words, and interrupted it by means of pulling the demon down to seal their mouths together once again. The surge of renewed arousal that went through him surprised him and made him almost want to keep going until he had reached that summit once more that his butler had delivered to him so recently. But fatigue weighed down and he was inclined instead to just pull Sebastian down to lie beside him as their lips continued to drink each other in. Drawing himself up close to his butler's body and entwining his legs with his, he abandoned the kiss to bury his head in the demon's chest. Turning about a little, he then nestled his body into his butler's, snuggling up close and pulling the demon's arms under and around him. A deep sigh filled and left him, and he felt more at peace than he had ever before felt in his life. Feeling inexplicably pleased for some reason at his butler's little confession, he would have liked to tell him that he was not only happy to accept his affection, but that he returned it, as well. But he knew it was ridiculous for him to feel such a sentiment. The demon felt affection for him no doubt the way he also felt for the cats he loved so much, or rather, the way a cat feels for the mouse that he has caught, and proceeds to play with and heap adoration upon, rubbing his cheek against it and purring. Yes, he knew that that was all he was to him, and he would be a fool to think it was anything more, or to admit even to himself to feeling anything in return. He sighed, which triggered a wide yawn.

"Well Sebastian, I believe I will sleep now. Stay here, just like this with me until I do," he ordered, knowing the demon had no choice but to comply. And so saying, he immediately felt himself begin to drift off and sink into slumber, deep and sound, and dreamt of fangs sinking into his flesh, that then turned into soft, burning kisses, covering his body as if with roses whose thorns pricked and cut into him until all his blood drained out, and he was left in a pool of contented emptiness, hollow and still.