Chapter 24

Disclaimer-I own nothing!

Eric could hear the women screaming as he entered the warehouse, how terrible. They shouldn't be screaming, who did that to women? There was no way he could let them suffer like this, this man was sick. If it would help his cause any he would kill him.
"To think that a man as cruel as you exists." Coming into the light he saw the disgusting sight in front of him. Young woman tied up and crying, yelling for help, how despicable.
"You are?"
"Poor things. How could you scare woman like this?"
"Please! Save us! Please!"
Seeing the women running to him, seeing how terrified they were made his purpose here harder. Though, he had to, for Alan, for his happiness. Pulling his blade out from where he hid it he broke the ropes that bonded the woman. Seeing the look cross the lowly males face he dared him to try and cross his blade as he brought to his throat. He would kill him without a second thought if he got in his way. He knew his blade along with the cold, emotionless stare scared him. Lowering his weapon he watched him drop to the floor. Seeing the woman trying to look for their freedom he thought of Alan. He had to do this for him, he had to live, nothing but him mattered in this life.
"Don't worry. I won't let you feel the slightest bit of pain when I strike." For some reason he didn't want to face them before he hit them. Maybe knowing they were already scared was what made this harder for him. But if he just walked away then the freak would kill them, either way they were dead. At least by his hand it would be peaceful. Turning, he quickly brought his blade up slashing both of their throats. He didn't watch as they fell, he couldn't.
"No way, you couldn't be the real serial killer?"
Watching the other examine the two he had just killed he could feel the new souls weighing down his own, along with the ones he had collected before.
"Have they died already? Even though you have cut through them, there is not a single drop of blood spilled. This child-like pure white skin, makes the corpse look even more splendid. He really didn't want to hear him glorify what he had done. It was still murder in cold blood. They had wanted him to help them. And while he had he knew it wasn't in the manner they had hoped for. He still felt terrible for it, he would always feel the burden of his actions until he died, and possibly even in hell.
"How could this be? The chirping of the baby birds dying…For so long, I have thought that this was true beauty!"

Eric tried to tune him out, he couldn't handle it. This was for Alan, for his happiness in life.
"But look! Freezing a pure and beautiful moment for eternity….these adorable faces like it is wrapped by an elegant ribbon…who the hell are you!"
This was for Alan, for his future.
"One who could perform a murder on this level is definitely not a normal person."
This was for Alan. This was for Alan and he had to leave, he had to get out of here and away from the death he had caused.
"Eric!"
"Alan!" Seeing him entering the warehouse he stopped, how did he find him? He couldn't see him; he couldn't see this, what he had done.
Alan couldn't believe his eyes as he saw two young women slain behind Eric. He saw the Viscount with him but it didn't matter.
"How cruel…why are you doing this?" Tears threatened his eyes again only to pushed away by his anger. All he wanted was answers, the truth. To know what happened to the man he knew and loved. Looking at the woman's faces he almost became lost in them. That one day that would be him. That that day would be coming soon he could feel it.
"What do you want to achieve by collecting souls from young woman?" Wait! No, he wouldn't, why, why would he do that? It wasn't possible. "Don't tell me that…you…" Had he seen it then? Was he attempting it? But it was just a folklore he had to have known that. Eric hated this, hated keeping Alan in the dark, from knowing the truth. He wanted him to know that he loved him and did this only for him.
"Eric!"
Bolting for the back exit Eric tried to get away, tried to hurt Alan enough where he would stop chasing after him. Get them to stay apart until he had finished collecting the souls he needed.
"You'll understand once I have collected the souls."
"No! You'll answer me! I won't stop, unless you tell me the truth." He wasn't going to let him go so easily again. If this was what Eric wanted then so be it. They would end but he still deserved the truth. They would be enemies from this day on unless he got what he wanted.

Turning, Eric saw the hatred in Alan's eyes. So this was it then. Fine, but he would still save his life. Seeing Alan coming forward with an attack he dodged, he didn't want to hurt him, he didn't want to fight him. Watching Alan prepare for a second strike he tried to come up with a way to block and hope for him to understand he wasn't going to hurt him. Seeing he wasn't going to get it he decided he wouldn't use his blade to strike. As he brought his blade up to defend he saw Alan trying with all his strength to break through. He saw the thorns get him before he felt the pressure against his blade weaken and heard him gasp. As his hand went to his heart he punched him across the face. He didn't want to, especially at the moment, but he knew it was the only way for Alan to believe it was over. It was the only way he would understand.
"You became weaker, because of the Thorns of Death…"
He couldn't watch Alan in pain on the floor, his heart wanted to go to him. It wanted to comfort him and help him relax. But he couldn't do that, not anymore.

Alan laid on the floor as he had landed after Eric's punch. Thanks to the thorns he couldn't breathe and managed to lose his footing after the hit. Eric had actually punched him but not only that he was walking away. What had happened to the man he loved? This wasn't the man he knew, when did everything between them change? How did he not see this coming? Seeing Eric take one last look at him before taking off he tried to stop him. He didn't want it to end this way.
"Eric!" Attempting to stand he made it no further than his knees as the thorns stabbed his heart. Lowering to the floor on his own he felt tears come from his eyes. He couldn't believe this happened. He didn't want to.
"It seems that he has escaped." Hearing Sebastian's voice he forced himself to sit up and dry his eyes before he saw him. He was alone now and at the mercy of a demon, he had to be strong. With his weapons help he stood up and followed Sebastian out. He didn't like it but he had no choice but to partner up with a demon for the time being.

Well this really sucked, why did both Eric and Alan have to be on assignment together. And why did it have to be taking so long. He was bored here; sure he had William to talk to but at the same time not really. And he had no party buddy to either get drunk with or make sure he got home in once piece and without one of them he couldn't hold any group dates. They really needed to get back here soon. Following Will from his office he tried to look interested in work.
"This is weird. Alan Humphries missed the deadline to hand in the report. What in the name of God happened to him?" Alan never handed in a report late in all the years he had worked here. The thorns could have gotten to him but Eric would have helped him and if he was killed then they would have seen it on at least one death list or by Eric coming back and telling them.
"Could it be that Grell Sutcliff has caused trouble again?" Ronald figured it was probably from Grell, it had to be. Both of them were strong and Eric would protect Alan from anything. If he had an attack then he would drop everything to help him until he was back on his feet. That could be why no report had been turned in yet, if Alan was bedridden until the attack passed then Eric wouldn't work on it. He wouldn't leave Alan's side. Work would be the last thing on his mind.
"The possibility exists. If it goes on like this, the Death God Dispatch Society's name will be tarnished. If so, we have no choice but to work overtime."
"Eh, you're kiddin'!" What, that couldn't happen, he hated overtime no matter, what the reason. He had a social life, one he enjoyed and wanted to keep. I must finish my work on time and then leave. Today I am going out with the secretary departments…" Looking through the current Death List book he saw something he had never seen before. What was happening? "...Eh, wow! What's this! The names on the Death List are totally increasing!" Quickly going to Will he went to show him, see if he could explain how it was possible.
"The Death List?" That couldn't be good, this worried him greatly. Taking a look he saw Ronald was right, name after name was being added. What in the world was about to happen down there?

Alan awoke feeling stronger than before. Looking around he remembered he followed Sebastian back to Ciel's mansion after his fight with Eric. He had been allowed to rest for awhile and only woke up due to hearing Ciel being informed of the situation. He minded that they were going after Eric but he knew they wouldn't listen to him. Plus, he was a guest here; he had no say in what they did. But he had to be the one to reach Eric first. He had to talk to him, see if he couldn't get him to stop. Deep down he knew the man he still loved was in there. Even if they weren't together anymore he still loved him and he would save him no matter what he had to do.
"The opponent is a Death God, huh. That is pretty troublesome." Seeing Ciel past his door he followed behind him also seeing Grell with them. He felt slightly better being here knowing Grell was here and would hopefully fight alongside him if the need arose. Hearing the maid yelling for Ciel he stopped to see what was going on. The servants all seemed excited by it.
"An invitation…for what? Druitt's Opera. That sick minded Viscount? I have no time to waste on him." That name, why did that name sound so familiar to him?
"Presenting the Most Beautiful Opera in the World, organized by the Viscount of Druitt. Entry is limited to woman and children, men are only allowed entrance as escorts."
"What is this about? Only woman and brats!" That's no fun." Grell sounded disgusted by the thought.
"Only women?" Alan got a horrible feeling about this Opera in the pit of his stomach. Woman, the Viscount, why did this bring terror to his entire being?
"Alan, what's with that look? Upset by the rules to the invitation too? I mean really, what kind of party is it when children are allowed?"
"Let me see the invitation!"Moving away from Grell he went to the maid to see if he could see it for a moment. The Viscount, woman, opera, why did he feel death approaching this opera?

"Oh, artist of Death, for your sake, I have prepared you the best stage." Eric stood on the balcony of the Viscounts mansion. He had told him about needed young women, pure young woman and he happily agreed to help him. Soon, Alan would get his souls soon. He was close to it now, so close he could begin to feel it. In two days the nine-hundred he needed he would have and Alan would be saved.
"To think that a murderer would have a supporter, how ironic."
"You will show me right? The most elegant massacre opera."
Eric just watched him. It was sickening how excited he was over this idea. He probably would have easily collected the thousand souls by now and wouldn't have thought twice about it. That must be what truly separated to two of them at this point. Good, he didn't like being considered the same as him, he hadn't lost his mind. He hadn't chosen to kill for beauty or whatever he called it.

Ronald looked over the Death List again; this was so odd, so strange. He never saw anything like it before.
"All the people on the Death List will all die at the same place. I wonder whether it will be caused by human or nature. Anyway, it seems that at one place, a huge amount of people will die."
"And where is this place?" This wasn't good. Whenever a large amount of humans died demons were sure to appear. They were already down three reapers; depending on what happened and how many demons arrived they could face trouble. He wasn't even thinking in overtime he meant in being out numbered.
"Wait for it…"

"It's him!" That's how the name sounded familiar; he couldn't believe he didn't see it sooner. "The name on this pamphlet, Druitt, is the man with whom Eric cooperates!" The Viscount was the man he saw in the warehouse with Eric. He didn't know how long they had been working together but this letter proved they were. Eric needed souls and if his hunch on why was correct then he needed a thousand. The Viscount knew many people and was known to be a lady's man and womanizer; he could easily get them together. They were the perfect team. Oh no, this couldn't happen. All those innocent people. He had to stop Eric from doing this. He had to get to him before it was too late.
"What?"
"I see, the stench of danger is definitely overwhelming."
"The destination of the opera is Crystal Palace and that is where we shall go then Sebastian. We must gain entry by any means. This is an order, kill the Death God Eric!"
"Yes, my Lord."
No! They couldn't kill Eric! He had to stop them, had to stop Eric before they got to him. Before he made the biggest mistake of his life.
"Allow me to come to. I must speak with him at any cost. We were partners, he was my friend, I must get to him first. I need to be the one to stop him!" Alan got Goosebumps from the stare Sebastian gave him but he remained strong. He had to, for Eric's sake.
"What do you say young master, shall we bring him?"
With a quick side glance he was relieved to hear Ciel give him the okay.
"Fine, he could prove to be of some use in drawing him out. Just keep an eye on him so he doesn't cause any trouble."
"Yes, my Lord."

"The destination shall be Crystal Palace."
"Fine. I don't care where it happens so long as people are there." Eric felt restless and noticed Alan hadn't left his mind since he last saw him. He hoped he was alright. He just had to hang on a little longer.
"Of course people will be there. Beautiful woman flock to all my parties, this opera shall be no different."
"Whatever." He wondered if Alan was still mad at him for what he did. Part of him didn't think so but he had never treated him so badly before. He still felt horrible for punching him intentionally and while he was already weakened from the thorns.

"The place where a huge amount of people will die is Crystal Palace!" Ronald showed Will the location after finally finding where it was listed.
"We will be going there then. We must make sure no demon touches a single soul."
"Yea I know. Should we tell the others?"
"We'll go alone, if we need backup we can send for it."
"Of course sir." Hopefully his three superiors were alright and would find out what was going on without being caught up in it. If they learned of what was going on than they would probably lend a hand. They had a lot of souls to collect for just the two of them and they didn't know what they were going up against in terms of what would cause these deaths.

Both Alan and Eric laid in the beds they had been given in their hosts mansions. Neither could sleep as they thought about the other. They missed them and couldn't sleep not knowing if they were okay. Alan refused to believe that they were over. They couldn't be, not when they needed each other now more than ever. He could feel it, he didn't have much longer. He could die any day now and Eric made a silent promise to him to allow him to die in his arms. To die feeling him close. Maybe if he reminded him of that promise they could work this out. Eric hoped Alan was taking it easy. He seemed to be having attacks more frequently now. That wasn't a good sign; it meant the thorns were close to piercing his heart. Alan had to hang on, he was coming to save him.
"I love you." Both whispered to the empty side of the bed as they stared at the space where the other should be. Where they truly belonged.

0o0o0o

Two chapters in 24 hours! Go me! Can't see me writing again until Thursday so another update shall be either then or Friday. Love the reviews and I love everyone reading this.
~Femalefighter~