Madam Red's POV:

It had been quite a while since I had last seen my dear niece and nephew, at least a month, but seeing as there was once a time that they were missing for so long, it wasn't as awful as it could have been. Kali and Ciel had changed within the last three years, both of them acting different from one another and different from what they once were. Ciel used to be so happy; he used to always be smiling; he used to laugh so very much. Then again, so did Kali. She now was much more strong-hearted than what she used to be, but a lot less stubborn.

When her parents first told her she was to wed the current Viscount of Druitt, Aleister Chamber when she was ten, she kicked and screamed and stomped. He was not related to her like Elizabeth was to Ciel, but they had known each other since Kali herself was five, and the Viscount was thirteen. Truth be told, they used to be rather adorable. Aleister used to always play with her, and she would beg to climb in his lap, or play with his long hair, or beg my sister to let her go and play with him. However, she did not wish to wed him, and begged and pleaded not to have to. However, Rachel and Richard never lifted the engagement like they were planning to before their death, and when Kali and Ciel turned up again three years ago after going missing, she never brought it up.

I once asked her if she still wished to wed him, and she simply said yes. Nothing more, nothing less.

"What are you going to do about the rat problem here, Earl?" I asked Ciel as he sat in his chair beside Kali's while a group of us were playing pool. Each of us, including Sir Arthur, knew that it was all a setup to try and capture Vanel, and as a proud aunt, I must say that Kali and Ciel were doing a wonderful job at making it seem as though it were nothing more than a friendly game.

Ciel waved off my question, like he waved off his turn in pool, and so Kali stood and walked over to the table. Today she wore a lovely canary yellow gown I had gifted her last month, a style that was currently all the rage and that most noblewomen couldn't even get their hands on, and I couldn't help but to notice she looked very mature in it when she bent over to make her shot. Her mother would have been proud to see the strong set of her face as she leaned there, prepared to hit the cue ball into absolutely nothing. I watched her carefully, and watched as she took her shot, the white cue ball rolling and bouncing off of the farthest wall, only to come back with force and hit one of the striped ones, thus launching it into the left middle pocket, sinking it with ease.

Grinning, she said "It's actually rather easy, Madam Red," before leaning back up, looking over to Ciel with a grin. They were on a team together, as always, and since she sunk one of the balls, it was Ciels' turn to continue on with their turn. "To suppress a rat infestation, you have to invade their nest and take them out in one set swoop."

Now standing beside Kali, Ciel gave off a small smirk to her and she gave him the same smirk back as they both looked at Vanel from the corner of their blue eyes. Oh, their mothers eyes, how the color looked so lovely, on both of them . . .

"This game is over," he said as he took a position, shooting at a red solid, which he hit. It then sent the cue ball towards the Eight ball, hitting it and sending it into a pocket. And thus, the game truly was over.

Kali Phantomhive's POV:

I couldn't help but to cover my face with a gloved hand as I watched Aunt An fondle Sebastian. She always could make a scene uncomfortable and awkward. However, I did take this moment to steal a glance at Sebastian. His eyes were closed, and when they were was the only time I would ever allow myself to look at his face.

Sure, he was handsome, but I could not see what women fainted over with him, or why they would want to touch him. He was nothing more than a damn demon, a creature I felt vile for allowing in my house. I had known what he was simply by the feeling he gave off, but also by Ciel's right eye that I had seen about a year after we returned. I once walked into his room and saw it when he opened his eyes quickly, but I played it off like it was nothing. As far as I could figure, my little brother assumed I knew nothing of demons or their contracts.

Looking back at the tea in my hand as everyone began to speak about a drug trafficker, I couldn't help but to think back to the day that I returned to my family's burnt manor, only to find that the rumors were true, and that Ciel was there. I couldn't help but to cry out as I ran to him, throwing my arms around him and holding my dear little brother, but I noticed there was a man beside him who was staring at me. I knew right away what he was, and I vowed right then to never look into his eyes on purpose, no matter what the circumstances.

I couldn't save my brother in time, but this vile creature could?

My hand began to shake a little as my dark brows furrowed. I could see my reflection in the tea now being distorted with tiny ripples. The blue Phantomhive jewel in my hair shimmered even in the wavering, dark reflection of the tea.

Just then, I heard Lau say, "I am but a tamed guinea pig, and will do whatever the earl and lady order me to and not to."

I couldn't help but to laugh in my head as I heard that, though I kept an impassive look on my face, as always. Just then, Aunt An grabbed Ciel away from Lau and threatened him, and that was when Ciel looked to me from the corner of his uncovered eye and glared as I was clearly holding back a laugh. That's when he sighed and was dropped from our aunt's arms, causing me to walk over and help him up, only for him to knock my hand away and begin to tiredly walk out of the room. I did not keep my hand on his arm, though I did keep a close eye on him. He knew how much I hated when he swatted me away, but I also knew he hated to feel like someone, anyone, was grabbing him.

As we walked down the hall, I went wide-eyed as I noticed that Finny, Mey-Rin, and Bard were all running about with different ideas on how to catch the rats that were invading. I kept a close eye on Finny, who for some reason was in a great big cat costume, with a real cat on his head . . . Goodness, now I'll have to hide the poor boy—I don't know why I always think of Finny as being younger than me. I'm fairly certain we're the same age—from Sebastian if he stays in that thing. I may not like our dear butler, but I did know a good many thing about him.

Deciding to help for a moment, I ran after Finny as I noticed Sebastian and Ciel were talking, and Ciel began to walk off. Madam Red and Lau did often try his patience a bit and wear him thin, so I didn't go after him or insist it best he eat with them and I.

Sebastian then came and discarded of the rats the four of us were chasing after, and seeing as he had no right to give me orders like he did with the others, I picked my head up and walked out to the gardens. I would rejoin Lau and Aunt An soon, but first I needed some form of fresh air. I loved my manor, but I hated being locked up when I could feel the brilliant outside world just at my fingertips.

Standing there, I breathed in the fresh scents of the roses that were blossoming in our improving garden, smiling to myself momentarily as I stood there, inhaling the sweetness. Suddenly, I felt a hand clap over my mouth and began to scream against it, trying to claw at the arm that the hand belonged to, but my nails could not penetrate my gloves or his suit, and I slowly began to feel myself drifting off lazily.

2 hours later

"Hmm, there is something off about you, Lady Phantomhive," Vanel said into my ear just as Sebastian came into the room. He was behind me, his arms around me as he made an attempt to keep Sebastian away from me. The gun at my head didn't really help with anything either, especially since Vanel's only remaining henchman was in the same position with Ciel.

I swear, if he shoots my little brother, I'll-

"What could possibly be off about me?" I asked Vanel, cutting off my own thoughts. I did not look up at Sebastian, but I knew that he had been standing still in the doorway. I was looking at his feet, watching them intently as though they were his eyes, silently pleading for him to save Ciel before me. If I died, I died. No big deal. However, I would not let him die. I've let him down enough, I couldn't do it again.

"You never, ever look into your butlers eyes." At Vanel's words, I couldn't help but to go wide-eyed, an action I didn't often do when around others. Much like Ciel, I was hardly ever surprised by words or actions. However, I did not expect this. "Surely, not many look into their servants eyes for they are not equal to their power, especially someone as high in the ranks as you. However, there is something else about it. You never look into his eyes, and I can only assume it is because you have made a mistake. It is most likely because you have slept with your butler and are ashamed of it. You cannot possibly look into his eyes and face facts that a good little Christian girl like you, who is still meant to be pure and blossoming, was deflowered by her own servant."

Hearing his words, I began to laugh, hard, in a rather sadistic manner. I was laughing so hard that my body was actually shaking, and I knew that Ciel's blue eye that matched my own was wide.

"Oh, that is rich," I hissed when I was done, shaking my head a bit. That was when I turned to look at Vanel. His eyes were a bit wide as well. "Do you honestly think I would dare to touch a creature such as that filth over there? Ha! I do not look into his eyes for I know who and what he is, and I will not look upon the windows to such evil."

"Evil, huh?" Vanel said, arching a brow and grinning. His breath smelt of tobacco, and I was sure he saw as I tried to wrench away. However, he grabbed my chin and forced my head to look over and up towards Sebastian. I shut my eyes quickly and refused to look, but that was when Vanel said one thing that would get me to do so. "Open your eyes and look at your butler, at your 'evil servant', or I will have my man shoot your dear little brother in the head."

Hearing the tumblers in the gun turn as the man cocked it, I opened my eyes, wide, and they were immediately locked with vicious red ones. The eyes of Sebastian. Three years I was able to keep this up, three years I never once looked into the evil that was the demon, but now I did . . .

I could tell something was off with Sebastian, because he just looked stunned as he looked into my eyes. I don't really know why, there was nothing special about them. They were the exact same color and shape and even size as Ciel's "good" eye, meaning he's seen it before, and often.

That was when Vanel's hidden men shot Sebastian suddenly, when he came back, and when he killed them all and rescued Ciel and I. Ciel passed out from exhaustion, though he'd never admit to it, so Sebastian carried him all the way back to the manor as I walked alongside him, having thrown my shoes off into a random brook we passed. Nothing was said, no one was looked at, and we got back home finally.

Mey-Rin and Finny came to check on Ciel and I, but I simply went and took a bath, going under the water every few moments to scream at the top of my lungs, for I had looked into his eyes.

I had seen true evil.

True evil had seen truly me.

He knew what I was.