A/N: Sieglinde is an important character. She will thus have POV chapters. Not as many as Ciel and Sebastian, but they should be pretty regular. I'm updating at a dangerous speed. Kinda running out of chapters, hahah...ha.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to leave revies, guys! =D

Beta credit goes to the wonderful Carrie2sky! :D

CHAPTER 4

Sieglinde didn't enjoy scaring people. She had been prone to panic attacks when she'd been younger and, strangely enough, the biggest shock of her life had turned out to be the best cure in its own twisted way. Trying to summon a demon was one thing, but actually managing it was a completely different pair of shoes. Not many could intentionally call a demon. It had given her such a shock back then that she still wondered how she had managed to form a contract with him and cover the loopholes she didn't want the demon to seize. But somehow she had gathered that courage and talked to Sebastian in a firm voice from thereon. He bowed and said 'Yes, my lady,' and sometimes she found it in her not to think of him as if he wanted to kill her before they'd found Claude.

Seeing him in his demon form had brought back the old memories of how she had been afraid of him, apprehensive, and then (merely) deeply suspicious. His demonic form wasn't anything she'd gotten to see often, only in moments when he dropped the human illusion – but only in places, never fully - in order to provide her with a fang, with claws or other things she wanted to try out in potions, salves and other things. Sometimes he let out his wings, black and gorgeous, and she would pluck a few feathers. She was able to approach him without fear now. Not because she didn't think that he was dangerous but because she knew that she was safe for now. It made their conversation less strained, it didn't make her mull over her orders too much when pressed because she knew that even if he managed to find a loophole in her orders might irritate her, it was the worst that could happen to her so far. Knowing herself in safety also made it easier to look at Sebastian's real form. It didn't make her less suspicious of him, it didn't make her trust him. It merely confirmed his temporary loyalty to her, and that was as good as it could get. It was fine this way, because surely Sebastian wasn't particularly trusting of her, either.

Ciel Phantomhive, who had no such promises to rely on, held himself very well. It was surprising that his expression grew stony after the initial shock. He needed a few seconds to calm down, focused only on Sebastian as if trying to imprint the man's portrait on his mind, and when his breathing had slowed down and his weren't wide with shock, he took a key from a desk drawer and politely (coldly) asked them to follow him. Sieglinde exchanged a glance with Sebastian. The demon seemed faintly surprised. But Ciel's reaction was only secondary for now – they had what they wanted.

"I suggest you do not taint the room," Ciel said as he walked.

Sieglinde shook her head, realizing too late that he couldn't see it. "I'm using a tracking spell. It's not like I'm going to prepare a dark ritual."

"Why this room in particular?"

"They were killed in there," she replied. "And their souls were taken there. The demon's magic should reside in that room for a while afterwards. I don't assume he took any other souls in the house, otherwise we wouldn't have to go to this room now."

"Souls don't exist," Ciel said brusquely. His posture was stiff. He must be highly uncomfortable, turning his back to people such as Sieglinde and Sebastian. Who wouldn't be? She would have liked to offer to walk in front of him, but she wouldn't know where to go.

Sieglinde frowned. "Now that you know that demons exist, why not change your opinion about souls, too?"

Ciel didn't answer. Sebastian caught up with her. It took her a few moments to realize that it wasn't him adjusting to her pace, but her trying to keep up with him. She took small, quick steps; Sebastian had long legs and wasn't going to slow down for her. "Maybe you should give him time," he said thoughtfully. "It is a lot to digest, I assume."

She blinked several times. Herself worrying about Ciel was alright, but Sebastian had never expressed something like that before. "Please don't tell me you're concerned about that kid."

"I wouldn't call it concerned," Sebastian said smoothly, but did not elaborate any further.

"And 'that kid' can perfectly hear you two," Ciel said over his stiffened shoulders. He must be getting cramps by now. "Who are you to call me that, anyway? You look younger than me."

Sieglinde shrugged. "I'm just as old as you are. Frozen in time. It's part of our contract."

Ciel, the poor boy, must be too overwhelmed with so many new facts that he simply didn't answer. Yes, that had to be it.

They arrived at the master bedroom. Ciel put his hand on the door handle, but he hesitated. "Earlier, you said that Claude forms contracts. You also said that he took their souls." He paused, pensive. "Are you telling me that he was contracted to my parents?"

"Yes, we believe that," Sebastian said. "From what I know about him, Claude only forms contracts. Though sometimes he will break them. In any case, he prefers to brand a soul as his to take. It tends to keep off competition."

"I don't think my parents would contract a demon," Ciel said.

Sebastian straightened. "And I am sure they knew exactly what they were doing."

After what seemed to be a small struggle with himself he opened the door. Ciel and Sieglinde walked inside, but when Sebastian made a move to enter, Ciel held up a hand. It seemed that he really didn't want to take any risks about the demon 'tainting' anything in this room. Sieglinde didn't understand the notion. It was just a room.

She looked around slowly, scanning the room with her senses. It smelled of nothing, the heaters were turned off, and everything was neatly arranged. She wasn't even sure if she could feel any magic. With a small groan she went to the doorframe where Sebastian was standing. She'd come to loathe these moments. Ciel, standing in the centre of the room, gave her an inquisitive look. "The demon has to come in. He's helping me."

"No way," Ciel sneered. "I don't want him setting foot in here."

"Just two seconds," Sieglinde murmured, coming to stand in front of Sebastian. The demon arched a perfect eyebrow, clearly knowing what was to come. He grabbed her by her upper arms and leaned in, thankfully stopping a few inches away from her face.

It was always hard relaxing in moments like these. She looked at the demon's chest and took deep breaths, glad that Sebastian had chosen not to wear a scent. They had done this two, maybe three times prior to this, and instead of getting smaller, her apprehension only grew larger with each time. She understood the benefit just as well as the danger.

As she breathed in and out she felt something inside her loosening. She concentrated on this and nodded, exhaling carefully. Sebastian breathed in.

Sieglinde wished she could see the piece of her soul leaving her, but between them was just air and the feeling that something was getting smaller within her. Shrivelling. Sebastian let go of her and took two steps back into the hallway. Sieglinde felt faint for just a moment, before her magic rushed to compensate for the loss of her essence. It was a vain, if instinctual attempt. She felt the power swell beneath her skin. Everything seemed brighter. This was something she was dangerously close to getting used to.

With the boost in magic she scanned the room again, extending her conscious into every corner of the room. She looked until the rush died down.

There was nothing.

Then it hit her with force. She had just given a piece of her soul for nothing.

"So?" Ciel's voice drifted to her. She shook her stupor off. The boy seemed a lot paler than he'd been before. Then again before demons and witches hadn't existed in his reality.

"We waited too long," she said. Ciel looked past her, frowning at something behind her. Probably Sebastian. She could guess how he must feel about that. Then again, he shouldn't complain. He'd gotten a small meal.

"What does that mean?" the Phantomhive boy asked.

"It means," Sebastian spoke up, "that we cannot track Claude down and will have to wait until he finds his next victim."

"It could take days or years until we hear from him again," Sieglinde said and shrugged. "Sorry to bother you. We'll be going our way now." When she turned around, Sebastian was giving her an unreadable look. The only thing she could read from it was displeasure. Although that tended to be his standard look.

Sieglinde had always wondered what a demon's eye would do. Sebastian would grow it back anyway, right? Even if he wouldn't be able to glare at her for a few seconds, she'd still take the chance, only to have a short rest from those eyes. Some things got annoying too quickly. Or maybe that was simply the deficiency talking. She had just lost something essential. "Sebastian, we're leaving," she said, not actually needing to, because if they couldn't find anything here, what good would it do to stay any longer?

Just as Sebastian stepped aside to let her lead the way, Ciel's voice stopped them.

"Wait," he said, his voice firm and demanding. "You will not leave until I say so."

Sieglinde raised her eyebrows. "Really now." She was about to stride away just to prove a point when Ciel spoke up again.

"If this Claude person is responsible for the death of my parents," the boy began, "then I wish to see him caught, too." Surprisingly enough, colour was returning to his face as he spoke, as if his wrath burned away any trace of fear that may have lingered.

Sieglinde exchanged a look with Sebastian. This time, there was a spark of interest in his gaze. "What do you wish for? Vengeance?" she asked.

Sebastian took a step towards Ciel, and the boy's expression faltered for a second before it hardened again. "No, he doesn't," the demon said. "He wants to stay safe. This isn't about his parents, it's about him. How incredibly selfish."

Ciel gave him a hard look. Sieglinde found herself mildly surprised. That one was strong in the most unexpected moments. "Do the dead truly care whether they are avenged or not?"

"How would I know," Sebastian murmured. "I am not dead." He grinned. "I see your point, my lord."

Ciel nodded, grimly pleased. "Then I don't see why I shouldn't try and help you track him down. My father had few close friends, but those friends knew everything about him."

"I don't think we can track a demon down by looking at the acquaintances of its past victims," Sieglinde said. "That is a ludicrous idea."

"It might not be," Sebastian replied. "If those people are nearly as interesting as Vincent Phantomhive himself, I am sure that Claude would find himself tempted to contract them as well. He was never particularly good at resisting."

"Then it is decided," Ciel said. "I will see what I can find out."

If he could, Sieglinde thought. They said their goodbyes and left the estate. Sieglinde watched the demon's eyes in the rear view mirror as he drove, concentrated on the street. When he looked up once or twice to find her staring, she didn't have the decency to look away.

"Is there something on your mind, Mistress Sullivan?"

"I was wondering…" Sieglinde looked out the window. "What happens to the soulless?

"Are you afraid of death?" the demon purred. "So suddenly?" Before she could reply to that, he went on: "After I take your soul, you will be given a chance. You will not make it consciously, nor will I have a say in it. It will simply happen."

"And then?" she asked.

Sebastian fell quiet.

Sebastian being contracted to Sieglinde in this fic has pretty much one reason: Because he's a demon and forms contracts, I didn't feel like him contracting Ciel again in this story. It gets... monotonous after a while. I wanted them to meet under different circumstances and with the question of a contract already out of the way, which meant that Sebastian had to be contracted to someone else. I liked Sieglinde in the manga. So there you go. Yeah, it is kinda strange to get used to, but just roll with it! :)

Also, it makes it more interesting to see how the SebaCiel develops when Sebastian is still a soul-eating demon and Ciel still a mere human.

Anyway, don't forget to leave reviews, dear readers. Reviews are love.