Rose sat in the tub, her knees drawn up to her chin. She breathed in the steam that was rising up from the water. During baths, she would always think about her day, but this time she was thinking about Henry for some reason. It had thoroughly enraged her when he had completely forgotten about her at court. Sebastian had made the comment about her being jealous and it got her thinking. Could I be jealous? She decided to ask him when he walked through the door to wash her hair. It would also take her mind off the fact that she was, in fact, naked.

"Sebastian?" Rose continued, knowing he was listening as he poured water over her hair. "Do you really believe me to be jealous of Lady Anne? Tell me the truth."

"I cannot lie to you," he said simply before she interrupted.

"Yes, but you can weasel your way around the truth without actually saying what you really mean."

"You know me so well," he smiled.

"See? You're avoiding the question," she said seriously.

"I do not believe my mistress to be jealous, no. I do, however, believe that you feel this girl to be…competition, in regards to your plan."

She nodded in understanding. Her butler went about massaging the shampoo into her hair. She loved the feeling and leaned into his hands, which she knew to be ungloved. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. The scent of lavender filled the air and she felt the warm water rinsing the lather from her hair. It was, by far, one of the most relaxing things.

"Rose." She heard him whisper.

"Hmm?" She didn't open her eyes. The day had caught up with her and she was nearly too tired to move.

"Do you need some help out?" That voice sent shivers down her spine.

He wrapped her hair in a towel as she slowly lifted her hands from the water. She opened her eyes just long enough to see his black-nailed hands grasp hers. Sebastian steadied her as she stepped out of the tub and onto the cool wooden floor. The butler in him started drying her off as quickly as he could in order to get her into bed to sleep, but the demon part of him wanted to take his time running the towel across every nook and cranny of her body and get her into bed for an entirely different reason.

He dried her hair as best as he could with the towel before pulling her nightdress over her head. Wrapping one arm around the backs of her knees, he felt her arms circle his neck. Breathing in her scent, he knew his eyes were glowing at that moment. The butler carried his mistress to her bed and gently pulled her arms from his neck before tucking her in.

"Sebastian?" she mumbled, causing him to still. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight…Rose."


Sebastian sat on the edge of his bed, looking at nothing in particular. He found himself concerned, which was an odd predicament. Rose had said that she would be gone for a couple of days, but he had a feeling that something wasn't right.

He couldn't very well go after her and leave his young master alone and vulnerable. He only hoped that she would return quickly and safely. The butler didn't understand why he had this feeling of unease. Something was off, dangerously so.


His mistress had brought out this bestial desire in him that he hadn't felt in a long time. It was difficult for Sebastian to close that door, still catching her scent, still feeling her touch, and with the image of her body, untouched by any human, male or female, burned into his mind.

The butler snuffed the candles as he walked the darkened hallway. He caught a glimpse of his reddened eyes in the window pane. Stopping, he closed his eyes and stabilized his self before he continued.

Sure, he could have her if he wanted. Rosalina wanted him as well; she was just too innocent to notice the signs. However, any demon who crossed that fine line in the relationship with their masters or mistresses took a very great risk. Humans grew attached so easily.


Rosalina stood outside the line of trees, looking in. This was the location she had heard rumors of. This was where the rumored Nickola Luxor had been seen. He was one of the most wanted demons in Hell. The reason was unknown to demons of her ranking. She hoped that the rumors were true and that he might shed some light onto the inner workings of demons and what she could expect.

She'd traveled all the way to the Carpathians; the entire way, all she could think about was him. Rose couldn't put a finger on it, but she knew that part of that butler had changed. She had originally put it off as his aging, but, now, she grew more suspicious. It wasn't something she could see, hear, or even smell, but she knew something was different. She could sense it.

As she worked her way past the overgrown foliage and a few downed tree limbs, a crack of thunder made her smile. She watched as the lightening illuminated the forest, casting ominous shadows in every direction. The crack of thunder didn't scare her; it was the other cracking sound that caused her to freeze, her senses prickling, and began to slowly turn to face whoever stood behind her.

She caught the silhouette of a figure in her peripheral before the lightening stopped flashing. The aura she felt from this person was that of a very powerful demon. Lightening flashed once more and revealed a man with dark auburn hair, reaching the middle of his upper arms, and the crimson eyes to match. He wore a long brown duster over a thin black shirt and, what appeared to be, his old butler's pants. In each hand, in front of his chest, he held a piece of a small branch, snapped in half. The demon smiled, slyly.

"Judging by your age, I assume you were not sent to apprehend me," his voice was deep, gravelly, and held the smallest hints of a Hungarian accent. "Which leads me to presume you are in need of my help?"

"Yes." It was the only word that she could force from her chest. His aura seemed to be crushing her.

He dropped the broken limb and walked ahead of her, "Follow me." She felt the air around her release in that moment. He must've known how his energy was affecting her. It didn't take very long for them to come upon the entrance to a cave at the base of the mountain. "How long have you been hunted by them?" he asked as they turned down a set of tunnels.

"Just a few days."

"What did you do?"

"I…left. I left to help my maker," she said, causing him to pause. "He refused to bring his newly turned master to headquarters. They had sent over a dozen hunters after him; so I left."

"So, Sebastian knows you're here?"

Her eyes widened. "You know him?"

The demon chuckled. "I know of him, yes. I didn't stay in Hell much during the time when he was there, but I remember. I'm not sure if you know this, but, when you get as old as I, you will begin to recognize a demon's particular energy. Your energy is new to me, but I can recognize that small hint of Michaelis in you." Rose smiled at this. He continued down the tunnel until they reached a large open space.

There were a couple of wooden and leather chairs, slightly decayed, a mass of papers strung about, and a single picture frame sitting on an old piano. Wax dripped from the edges of the piano as the candles piled atop it burned brightly. The antique metal filigree of the frame drew her attention. In the frame was a drawing of a beautiful young woman, her hair in a mass of flowing waves, sitting beneath a tree near a lake. Rose wondered why there was just a thing, sitting alone there, as if it were an altar or memorial.

"Might I ask why you were hunted for so long?" she spoke softly, still distracted by the drawing.

"Well, since I'll likely be telling the whole story, you'll need to know that I was the first. It all started with me. Granted, there were others, but I was the first one who made it known and was banned, cast out." He slumped into a chair, moving some pages from the small table between them.

"But why?"

"Because I am a demon, over 3 millennia old, and I," he looked at her, deeply serious, and said, "experienced the return of my human emotions."


A/N: Alright, I know…there was a tad bit of cheese at the end, but please stick with me! It will all make sense and get so much better from here on out. I also wish that I could update more, but as a single mom, I can only fit in so much writing time into my days.

I've had the song "Forgiven" by Within Temptation stuck in my head for this whole chapter. I've also got a good twist in store for Rosalina soon…^_^