Note: Why hello there my pretties. I am in a good mood today because A) I love this chapter and B) LOOK WHAT ALEX DREW FOR ME ASALKFJLDLS /post/26660603708/do-you-usually-have-this-many-drawing-requests-lol (paste this after alex .com) /is a happy camper Love you dearie 3 And, back on track, remember to vote! Anyway, here's chapter 21...

At this moment, my body and soul, to the last hair, belong to my master.

For you see…

I am simply one hell of a butler.

My lord… Wake up…

Ciel shot up abruptly, his head whipping around in search of Sebastian – or at least, the demon that takes his form.

"That was strange," he murmured. "At least I got a bit of rest… and it seems I'll still have time to think things through."

He glanced down at his desk. The letter to the Midfords still sat there incomplete. Looking at the clock told him it was nearly tea hour. How long had he been asleep?

Maybe I'm not really awake yet, he thought. But in all the other dreams it was as if everything had been colored red and black and gold. Right now it wasn't that way; everything looked just the same as usual.

Deciding to investigate further, Ciel pushed back his chair and wandered out of the study. The halls were empty and silent. Now, where might Sebastian be…?

His first thought was to go to his room, since that's where the other encounters took place. But he didn't want to get locked in again.

Unsure what else to do, he poked his head into the nearest door. It was empty, so he moved on, just blindly checking each room.

This was getting him nowhere.

He paused, glancing around the hall. It was completely empty and silent. He took a slow breath, reaching up to remove his eye patch. "Sebastian."

There was no reply. "Sebastian? Sebastian! This is an order! Come to me!"

Excruciating pain shot through his body, similar to that from the first dream but amplified tenfold, and he collapsed. Distorted laughter echoed off the halls.

Ciel knelt there, clawing at his hair and wailing helplessly. He tried to open his eyes a crack, but his vision was blurred by stars and stained red. He let out another bloodcurdling cry.

I was hoping this would be a bit more exciting. Just as in the first dream, Sebastian's voice brought relief. However Ciel was still in shock from the pain, and just laid there in a writhing heap. Get to your feet, my lord. Come and find me. Don't just rely on the contract.

Ciel tried to move, but it hurt just to breathe. "Ah… Sebastian…! I can't…"

Another sharp laugh reverberated through Ciel's mind. Pathetic… Though I suppose I should have known better than to be so loud.

He laughed again, but this time it was gentler, and it wasn't the painful echoing sound it had at first been. It was quickly followed by lips on Ciel's shoulder as arms pulled him up off the floor. "I'm sorry…"

Ciel peeked up at Sebastian. He looked completely normal. The red tint was gone. The pain had ceased completely with Sebastian's touch.

Too scared to ask questions Ciel pressed his face into Sebastian's shirt, muttering curses to no one and nothing in particular.

"Don't think you've escaped so easily, my lord. It seems I'm just not as tolerant as I used to be, and seeing you in pain…" There was something strange and feral about his voice; instead of bringing comfort it only fueled Ciel's trembling. Sebastian stroked his hair softly, shushing him gently as if he were a small child. "Have you made your decision, my lord?"

Ciel didn't reply. He hadn't. And even if he had, he doubted he'd be able to speak anyway.

Sebastian's whole body stiffened, feeling suddenly much harder as if Ciel were being held by a stone rather than a person.

"Then I suppose I'll have to take matters into my own hands."

"Please… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep…"

"Are you begging?" Sebastian asked incredulously. "It seems you've finally realized my power, Ciel. However there are much more effective ways to tempt me…"

Without thinking Ciel kissed Sebastian's chest, slowly traveling up to his neck.

"Demon… I've already made such a fool of myself…" he murmured between kisses. "My pride is destroyed, and there is no point in maintaining a false cover in front of you."

"That is true," Sebastian said softly, his fingers knotting in Ciel's hair as his shirt was pulled loose. Ciel sucked at his neck, the warmth of his mouth alien to the demon's skin. "You're only allowing yourself to become more entangled in my web, Ciel."

"Say my name again," Ciel whispered against Sebastian's collar bone.

"I'm surprised, Ciel, that you never saw this coming. You always spoke of using that spider's web to pull yourself out of Hell. But did you ever consider who made that web? Did you ever for a second consider that there might be a spider at the end of that web, ready to entangle you and consume you?"

Ciel didn't speak; his mouth was too busy working at Sebastian's skin. He was clearly trying very, very hard to coax some sort of reaction from the demon. It was quite cute, considering all of his efforts were in vain.

Sebastian caught his face and forced their eyes to meet. Ciel was immediately entranced by the demon's beautiful crimson eyes. "Sebastian…"

Sebastian brushed back Ciel's hair so that he could see the contract mark.

"I am much like a spider, I suppose," Sebastian said softly. "I lured you in with hope and beauty, pulling you into my nest so I may make a wonderful meal of you. Spiders have no feelings. They're killers, intent on finding prey and doing whatever they need to do so." He kissed Ciel quickly and so tenderly it surprised Ciel. When Sebastian pulled back he kept his eyes closed. "But it seems I've caught myself a butterfly, nearly as beautiful as myself but without the venom and sharp edges." His fingers brushed over the two places on Ciel's back where wings might've sprouted from. "You're like a lovely cerulean butterfly, Ciel… tangling yourself in a spider's web, so near death but saved by your spellbinding beauty."

Ciel opened his eyes a bit and watched Sebastian. He was changing, his mouth stretching and his skin darkening. Horns sprouted from his head and the wings unfurled, tearing through his butler uniform.

This form was different from before. He looked terrifyingly bizarre and distorted, his pupils slit and eyes glowing, his skin becoming a sickly shade of grey. Ciel could feel claws digging into his back and the sting of the slices that were surely now on his flesh.

Ciel stared, wide eyed and too scared to move.

"I cannot kill you… I will complete the contract and collect my payment by other means."

"What do you mean?"

The demon that had been Sebastian smiled wickedly, head tilted curiously as he examined Ciel. "You'll see, my lord."

In a flurry of black feathers he was gone.

Note [IMPORTANT]: Nine more chapters left! I have everything written through chapter 29. Chapter thirty will be reader's choice! Feel free to send in suggestions, and those that I like will be added to this list:

Current Options:

Alternate Ending (1)

Ten Years Later (1)

Ciel Visits Lizzie's Grave

This list will keep growing, so send me suggestions or just tell me which you'd like to read!

Oh, and I was wondering... How many of you read Loveless?