She sat in the open roof carriage with Ciel, staring at the scenery as he and Sebastian chatted. A holiday? Preposterous. It was just the ruse he was using to get them out there. They were going to the supposed site of the Queens new resort – a small town called Houndsworth. Even the name had a foreboding feeling to it.
"Ugh." She said covering her nose at the rancid smell of decay.
"What is it, Lucile?" Ciel asked her as her eyes darted around for the source.
"It smells like death here." She said.
"And dog." Sebastian added to which Lucile rolled her eyes.
"Of course it does you idiot, I'm here." She spat back. Sebastian laughed but didn't reply. Then she saw what had kept him quite. A large tree near the road had hundreds of metal collars hanging off it. She knew what this was – she knew it well. Bear baiting. In which they would trap a bear, chain it and let dogs rip it to shreds. Although she was part canine, she could never condone the mindless slaughter of other animals. Even cats. It just wasn't right to her. And now it seems that dogs have taken the place of bears. It made Lucile sick to think that humans could do this kind of thing. The party moved on but Lucile would never forget that tree.
"Hey look! First villager spotted!" Finny exclaimed happily as they passed an old lady pushing a pram. Lucile paid them no mind, something else had snared her attention. A faint, foreign scent. It smelt like something sinister, like the way Sebastian smelt only less pleasant – if you could even call Sebastian's scent pleasant.
"I heard there are quite a few in this village who were murdered or are missing." Her young master said gnawing at her curiosity, "The population of the village has decreased by a third in the last ten years. Investigating and resolving this situation is one of the jobs I was given."
"It'll eat you down to the bone…" echoed around the small party eerily as the old woman disappeared into the fog.

The village of Houndsworth was small and sandwiched between a large lake and vast hilly plains. There were dogs everywhere, Lucile of course didn't mind so much but she took great pleasure in seeing Sebastian's obvious discomfort. He really hated dogs. The village itself was what you'd expect a small country town to be like. Few people roaming the streets, stone fences and cobbled roads. But something was still off to Lucile. She had even ignored Sebastian's statement about obedience training for dogs – until he called her name.
"Hmm?" she asked, wondering what he wanted.
"See, Young Master, even the wildest dog can be trained to respond to its name." he said, she could feel the smirk in his voice. She narrowed her eyes at him but didn't say anything. There would be a time to get him back for that, but it wasn't now. As they reached their destination, the scent grew much stronger. A fine eyebrow arched as a young maid with bluish-white hair stepped outside to meet them and she gritted her teeth as the maid and Sebastian made eye contact. Normally, she wouldn't have cared in the slightest if a woman was staring at the demon butler – he was incredibly good looking, but she just didn't like this woman. Her voice was soft and delicate as she spoke;
"Would you be the Phantomhive party?" she asked. Lucile could feel Ciel's gaze upon her as she openly glared down at the meek woman, but she didn't care. He could punish her later for it; right now she was drenched in that sickening scent.
"Yes." Sebastian replied with a hint of malice only Lucile could pick up on. He didn't trust her either.
"Welcome to Barrymore Castle." She said and bowed formally, "The master is awaiting your arrival." She heard Mey-Rin and the others swoon over the woman, Finnian especially.
"Lucile, come." Sebastian said softly as Ciel stepped out of the carriage. Yet another remark he would pay for eventually. She followed his instruction without a word, however, and followed her master into the castle.
"You're unusually quiet." He stated as they climbed the staircase.
"You feel it too, don't you?" she asked him while glaring at the woman's back.
"Yes."
"This way, please." She said as she opened a door and stepped into the room. The study was decorated with heads of various animals which only made Lucile's mood worse, but when her eyes fell on the mounted head of a large wolf, she became furious. Her fist clenched hard, nails digging into the soft skin of her palm as she stared into the glass lifeless eyes. She clenched her jaw hard and narrowed her golden eyes.
"You need to calm down." A low voice purred in her ear as his hand encased around hers, "We can't risk our master's purpose." Lucile bit her tongue and tried to steady her breathing. Suddenly the woman screamed in pain. Lucile's eyes flew to the face of the man causing her harm – Lord Barrymore was whipping the maid.
"What's with this little Chihuahua? I was told to welcome the Queen's envoy!" he barked furiously. Chihuahua?
"Angela, are you not even capable of something as simple as that?" he asked as he whipped the girl some more. Did he just call Ciel a Chihuahua?
"Sebastian!" Ciel ordered when he couldn't stand a moment more of the girl's pitiful whimpering. The demon was behind Barrymore in an instant, keeping him from whipping Angela again.
"What are you doing, you Doberman?" Barrymore asked shocked. Doberman? This is getting ridiculous. If anything Sebastian would be Great Dain…Or Rottweiler. Definitely not a Doberman. She thought with a smirk.
"Are you trying to bite back at me? Let me go, you!" he exclaimed. Clearly Lord Barrymore was a dog fanatic.
"I am the one who ordered him." Ciel replied stoically.
"What?"
"I'm assuming the letter was delivered." He continued taking a seat, "I am Ciel Phantomhive." Barrymore wrenched his arm free from Sebastian's grip,
"Are you saying this little Toy Poodle is the Queen's envoy?"
"Are smaller dogs not acceptable to you, Lord Henry?" Ciel tested. Lucile smirked, she was very proud of her little master's goading. Sebastian had been training him well in that. But her enjoyment was short lived when she caught Angela staring at Sebastian again.
"Excuse me, sir." She said to Ciel before storming out of the room.

Outside, Mey-Rin, Finny and Bard were all unpacking everyone's belongings. All looked up in surprise when they heard Lucile slam the door shut with enough force to shudder the stone walls. She glared daggers as they stared at her and then stalked off towards the servant's quarters. It smelt there too, but it was weak and so she sat at the table and sorted through her mind. Just who was that woman and why did she have such hatred towards her?
"Miss?"
"What, Bard?" she snapped not looking up. She could tell from the permanent smell of fire that it was him.
"Is everything okay?" he asked taking the seat across from her, "It's just I've never seen you that angry before." Lucile let out a long breath,
"That woman aggravates me." She said truthfully.
"Miss Angela?" he inquired. Lucile nodded and looked up into the chef's cool blue-grey eyes. His cheeks reddened slightly and she realized this was the first time they'd been this close and alone. She never really got to spend much time with any of the servants, aside from Mey-Rin and Sebastian – but she shared a room with the maid and a curse with the demon.
Bard was rough around the edges, but he wasn't unattractive. His hair was short and dirty blonde, his eyes were calming, but there was darkness behind them, like he'd seen something terrible long ago. Something he was still trying to forget.
"Miss, you're staring at me." He said shyly as he scratched his head.
"Sorry." She replied, "You asked something?"
"I was just wondering why? She seemed nice enough." He replied. Lucile pursed her lips,
"Many things that seem nice on the outside aren't always. A rose will always have thorns." She said cryptically, not wanting to give anything way, but at the same time wanting to tell him everything.
"I don't believe you have thorns, Miss." He said coyly. Lucile smiled at his flirting, it had been a while since a man was this nice to her.
"Thank you, Bard." She said, "You always know what to say to cheer me up, don't you?" Bard laughed,
"Only sometimes, Miss."
"Call me Lucile. I hate being called anything but." She insisted.
"No promises, Miss." He said cheekily as the door flew open revealing a very annoyed looking Sebastian.
"So this is where you got to." He said to her, completely ignoring the chef.
"What do you want?" she asked keeping her gaze on Bard who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sebastian was the one man the servants never mess with, she knew they respected him immensely. They always got uncomfortable when he and Lucile would argue.
"What was that up there?" he asked, still ignoring the Blonde Incinerator.
"Uh, I'm gonna leave you two alone…" he said unsurely and practically flew outside. Lucile sat perfectly still and kept her eyes where Bard had been sitting. She wasn't going to let him win this one.
"I'm sure you had it covered." She replied unemotionally. Sebastian slammed his fist down on the table almost shattering it. Still she stayed perfectly still. He took her chin and forced her to look at him,
"Look at me when I'm talking to you." He said dangerously, his eyes gleaming furiously, "What the hell was that about?" She jerked away from him and stood,
"I don't have to explain myself to you, Demon." She spat. The next thing she felt was a sharp pain across her cheek.
"Say it again." He warned. She smiled.
"Demon." She said looking back into his red eyes. He slapped her again. She could tell he was enjoying hurting her – and something twisted in her was enjoying it too.
"Demon." She repeated, testing him even more. Once again he hit her, though this time it was with his fist. Like a spark igniting within her, anger took over her body and she swung. Her fist connected with the side of his face, making him growl in anger. As her hand was falling he grabbed it with lightning speed and pinned it to her back then, taking a fistful of her hair, forced her head onto the table.
"Say it again." He hissed once more as he moved closer. Something hard pressed against her lower back,
"Tell me what I am, Lucile Conte." He ordered her, his breath hot against her skin. She panted hard, the edge of the table digging into her hips, but her voice was silent. Sebastian chuckled and stood,
"Don't ever talk to me like that again." He warned before leaving. Lucile sat down and gently touched her swollen lip. She was used to being beaten because of her mouth, but this was different. She knew his strength – he could have pulverized her into the ground if he wanted to. This was gentle, soft even. She smiled despite the pain, he'd enjoyed it.

Sebastian walked as quickly as he could to get away from that damned woman. He didn't feel bad for hitting her, if anything he'd enjoyed it. A quick glance down told him he'd enjoyed it a little too much. It was the anger in her that made him want to be as far away from her as possible – that same anger that stirred unfamiliar feelings within him. The urge to protect and to destroy anything that wasn't him harming her. Although it was under Ciel's order that he kill Azzurro Vanel, he would have done it anyway for bruising her. That was his job, he would even purposely goad her into doing something she would have to pay for, and just so he could cause her pain. But she would never cry out, not once had he heard her beg for mercy. He would break her though, it was just a matter of time.
"Sebastian, where is Lucile?" Ciel asked him as he rounded the corner.
"Down stairs. Would you like me to fetch her?" he asked.
"Bring her to my room. I have things to discuss with her." Ciel replied as Angela led them both to where Ciel would be staying.
"If it's about her disobedience today, it's already been taken care of, master." Sebastian said, making sure Angela would hear.
"No, but good." He replied as they stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.
"This way, please." Angela said meekly as she held the door open for Ciel.
"That's all." He said as he closed the door in both their faces. Angela walked with him as he made his way back downstairs.
"Um… That woman…" Angela said softly.
"Lucile? She's hardly a woman." He replied, no she was so much more than just a woman.
"Was she severely punished?" she asked gazing up at him with lavender eyes. Sebastian raised an eyebrow,
"Does it bother you?" he asked becoming curious. Angela shook her head, and then nodded.
"The master whips me when I've disobeyed or have been stupid. To me, that's not harsh…But you seemed not to like the whip, so I was just wondering if…"
"We used other less pleasant methods?" he finished for her. Angela nodded.
"No." was all he replied, truthfully when it came to Lucile he was more aggressive since she had the ability to heal ten times faster than a normal human due to her Lycanthrope genetics, but he would never use a whip. He would rather feel the bones breaking with his own hand.
Lucile was sitting in the same place as when he'd first found her, Finny, Mey-Rin and Bard all crowding around her like she was dying.
"Ah-hem." Sebastian coughed getting their attention immediately. As usual Mey-Rin's face flushed and she began to stutter profusely. Surprisingly though, Finnian's expression was somewhat the same. It seemed the boy had a crush on the seemingly meek Angela. The most surprising was Baldroy's expression – he looked mad. Lucile turned her cold, golden eyes on him and locked his immediately.
"Lucile," he began but she cut him off,
"I know." She said standing and gently placing a hand on Baldroy's shoulder. She glided past him, her arm gently brushing against his as she went. He was about to follow when the chef's voice stopped him.
"Sebastian, I-"
"Is there a problem, Bard?" he asked knowing the ex-soldier wouldn't have the gall to stand up to him. Bard shook his head and gazed down. Sebastian sometimes wished the three would stand up to him, but he knew they never would.
"Are you coming, Michaelis?" Lucile called, her bell-like voice echoing down the stairs. She'd used his last name, she wasn't mad anymore.

Lucile leaned against the wall awaiting her master's instructions, Sebastian stood beside her.
"Investigate what is really going on here, Lucile. I saw you reaction towards Lord Barrymore; I believe he is hiding something also." Ciel said from his chair.
"Yes sir." She replied, "Am I to ask the locals?"
"No. Sniff it out. It'll be easier to get around in your other form." He ordered. Lucile stifled a groan – Sebastian was going to love this.
"We'll tell the others that you've gone to a neighbouring town in order to follow a lead. Stay as a wolf until the culprit is found." He finished, "I'm counting on you, Lucile." With that, he dismissed her. She hated those words, it meant she couldn't mess up. Failure was not an option. But if he wanted her to stay as a wolf, someone would have to mind her clothes until she changed back, and the only person was,
"Michaelis." She called just before he closed the door. Sebastian raised an eyebrow in question,
"You're going to have to come with me." She told him.
"Afraid of the dark are you?" he replied. She glared at him and then smirked,
"Someone's going to have to look after my clothes, and I sure as hell can't carry them in as a wolf." To her surprise, he smiled and obliged her. Lucile pouted as they both headed into the darkness, careful not to let anyone see them. To her it felt like they were two school children about to do something forbidden.
"Would you like me to turn away?" he asked. Lucile rolled her eyes,
"Do what you please. Besides, it's not like you haven't seen a naked woman before." She said as she began to unbutton her shirt.
"Yes, I've seen my share of naked women, but you and women are completely different." He said nonchalantly. Lucile growled and tossed her shirt at his head, naturally he caught it before it hit him.
"I didn't mean it as an insult." He clarified, "I don't see you as some normal uninteresting human female."
"You may not have meant it that way, but it sure sounded like it." She grumbled before stepping out of her black leather knee high boots.
"My apologies then." He said. Lucile huffed and untied her brown breeches,
"Anyway, I'm sure you've seen me naked as well." She said passing them back to him.
"I don't make a habit of trying to, so no." he said, "My timing is impeccable."
"No kidding." She replied suddenly feeling self-conscious. She had been certain he'd seen her, even Bard had seen her in underwear before.
"Would you like help?" he asked as he began to unlace her corset.
"Thank you." She said becoming meek. What was happening to her, and why the hell was he being this nice. Sebastian was never 'nice', he was, at the most, tolerable.
"Lift your arms." He said, she did as she was told and he lifted the garment up over her head. With a sigh she slipped off her underwear – those she didn't hand back to him, but instead left them where they were. She would feel far less embarrassed that way. Taking a deep breath she shut off her mind and centred herself before beginning the painful transformation. The changes are subtle to begin with, heightened senses, elongated fingernails and ears. And then the fur. Lucile dropped to all fours as her bones began to break and reform and her organs shifted. She was full wolf in under 5 seconds. She stretched, getting used to her body once more and cracked her neck before turning to Sebastian who was staring down at her.
"I must say that is impressive." He said, "Not even a whimper." Lucile rolled her eyes and huffed to which Sebastian chuckled.
"Sit." He said, "Lie down." Oh, no, he did not just do that she thought while glaring at him.
"Actually, it's quite peaceful with you like this." He said just as a howl echoed around them. Lucile's ears pricked up and she turned in the direction of the howl.
"Guess I spoke too soon." He said as she took off towards the noise.

She was close. She could feel it in her bones – the scent was so strong now. But just as she was about to close in on it, something stopped her. A feeling in her gut that Ciel was in danger. Without hesitating she raced back towards Houndsworth and her master. As she came closer, she could hear the bell ringing and the cheers of the people. What had happened while she was gone? She stopped on top of a hill to catch her breath. Down below the townsfolk had her master and her friends tied to posts and were about to set dogs on them. Lucile's muscles tensed and she blindly sprinted towards Ciel. She leapt clear over the wall and landed between the animals and Ciel, barring her sharp, white teeth.
"What is that?!" Finny called as he saw her, "It's too big to be a dog." Barrymore gave the order and the dogs were released. They charged for Ciel first, but Lucile stood her ground. No way was she going to let a pack of mangy mongrels touch her Ciel. She leapt for the dog coming for her, tackling it to the ground. She pinned the dog to the ground, her jaws around its throat just tight enough for it to know not to move. A chorus of yelps and whimpers behind her, and the sweet scent of antiseptic, told her that Sebastian had arrived.
"She's not a dog," he said, "She's a wolf."
"Sebastian!" Mey-Rin cheered as if he were the hero saving the day. Lucile resisted an urge to roll her eyes and instead released the hound beneath her. The dog wimpered and bolted, it's tail between it's legs.
"The farce ends here, Barrymore. Listen up, there is no such thing as the Demon Dog." Ciel began, causing the crowd to stop gasp dramatically. As her master was addressing the crowd, she began retreating back knowing that it was already problematic that she had arrived. In this form, especially in a place like this, she couldn't be associated with Ciel Phantomhive or they would begin question him. While the crowd's attention was on Ciel's speech, Lucile snuck away and began her hunt to pick up the trail she'd left behind.

"I thought you, at least, would be pleased." Sebastian remarked as they began their long journey home, their new 'pet' Pluto excitedly trying to sniff Lucile. With another shove, the man-dog was sent flying to the other side of the carriage while Lucile stood and precariously made her way up to the front where Sebastian sat.
"Why on earth would you assume that, Michaelis?" she asked sarcastically as she sat next to him. The demon didn't even bat an eyelid,
"He must be irritating for you to be in such proximity to myself." Sebastian mused, "Even if he is one of your kind." Lucile fought an urge to punch the annoying butler in the face, this must have been his revenge for saying something nice about her earlier. She cursed him under her breath and turned back to check on their snoozing master. Ciel was fast asleep with Pluto curled in a ball at his feet. She studdied the boy's peaceful face and wondered what she would do when Sebastian finally took him. What would happen to her? Would she be left to take care of Finny, Mei-Rin, Baldroy and Pluto, or would Sebastian take over as master? What kind of master would he be...? She found herself gazing at the man beside her, his fine features, stright nose and high cheekbones and flawless skin. For a brief second, she wondered what it would be like to touch that perfect creamy skin, but then shook her head, banishing the rancid thought from her mind.
"Fly in your face, Lucile?" Sebastian asked teasingly. Lucile glared daggers at him and turned her focus to the road. That's right, he's a bastard. A cold hearted demon with a beautiful face. I would rather die than become his servant.
"Sebastian?" she called softly, ready to change the subject. His red eye slid to her face; a signal for her to continue, "Angela...I don't trust her."
"Neither do I. She's hiding something, I just don't know what." he agreed.
"I have a feeling that we'll be seeing more of her in the near future." Sebastian's smile was full of sadistic malice as he replied,
"I can't wait."