Elizabeth Midford
"Where are we going to get this information?" She asked, watching the landscape turn dark and twisted as the world seemed to fall away as they passed it in the Hell carriage.
"Uh... Sebastian knows." Ciel mumbled. He had used that as an excuse to get Elizabeth away from the destruction of the last Demon Library. Demon libraries were once abundant all over the world, with public information that demons could have access to until... well, until they were destroyed. By demons.
Also the once small population of humanity and flourished into a vast expanse of humans that took and never gave, thus driving away the demons for fear of their discovery. Though humans already had suspicions of demons existing, their hypothesizes were further proved in the middle ages when demons discovered they could possess humans if allowed both by the human and by the terrible deity in the sky.
Though that once terrifying deity in the sky was no longer as involved in mortal matters as he was in Abraham, Isaac, and Moses' time. So the demons lost their fear of him. However what the demons didn't know is that that fearsome deity was watching to see what they would do. The newer demons believed him dead and long-gone from the realm, while the older, more experienced ones knew otherwise.
The deity in the sky was a diabolical one. He was cunning and was obviously biding his time until the end. Any demon with half a mind would have read the original scroll of his prophesied words and they would have seen that it had spoke of his withdrawal into his home. Until the end of time, it said, he would stay in the clouds, waiting patiently for when demon and mankind brought their own deaths upon themselves. Then he would come and banish the demons back to their fiery lands of pain and fear. While the worthy would be brought into his domain in the sky.
Sebastian told all of this information to Ciel, how he assumed that they were only a mere hundred or so years away from that end.
Now both demons knew of this end, yet only one of them knew someone with special information about this 'end'. That information also included how to break a deal with Lucifer. Ciel had ordered Sebastian to take them to someone with information about how to save Elizabeth, and so far, Ciel was regretting his decision as they were taken further into the Underworld. Or Hades. Whatever the kids called it those days.
"So Sebastian is sure of where we're going yes?" Elizabeth asked confusedly, leaning her head out the window to watch a dismembered rabbit corpse drag itself towards the direction they had come from.
Ciel quickly yanked Elizabeth back into the carriage, and she turned to glare at him, luckily missing the demon that jumped at the carriage.
Ciel's eyes widened, and she turned around once more.
"What?"
He grabbed her shoulders, and placed her one the seat next to him. "Don't look out the window, okay?"
"Why not?" She asked, and began to move back to the window. As she moved her hand, she felt him grab her fingers, and she began to make an exasperated comment before seeing his expression. He actually looked worried. So she slowly sat back next to him, staring forward at the blue interior. Her hand seemed to burn where his hand met hers.
It was probably nothing... Just nerves.
The carriage slowly pulled to a stop, and the door opened with a loud creak of the hinges. Elizabeth made to go first, but Ciel was suddenly gone, his hand no longer holding hers, and she heard his voice from outside of the carriage.
"M'lady, we have arrived." He said in a grand voice. She frowned, and stepped out of the carriage, taking the hand he offered.
The world outside was practically colorless. The trees seemed leeched of all color, the flowers an ugly gray, and the rest of the world was different shades of gray.
Elizabeth suddenly noticed the odd creatures surrounding her. She almost spoke, when Ciel wrapped his hand around her waist and pinched her side.
She bit back a yelp of pain and whispered angrily at him. "What?!"
"You're in dangerous territory. They know you're human. They think you're my escort. Act as we're lovers." He whispered hurriedly to her.
"What?" That seemed to be her new catch-phrase.
"Laugh like I said something funny." He whispered, so close to her ear that his lips brushed her earlobe.
Elizabeth was doubtful, but forced a smile and giggled as girlishly as she could.
"Good, now try to not constipated." Her whispered.
She bit back a vicious retort (about how his expression always looked like that, but she never complained), and instead put on a dazzling smile.
That smile almost faltered at the sight of the creatures. She finally got a complete view of them. They had extra limbs, and cuts and bruises covering their bodies. Some had horns, and wings that were bigger than Elizabeth. Though all were drastically different in some way, they were all crouched in the same position. Their heads were bowed, left arms placed across their midsection, right hands extended towards the large white mansion before them.
"Where are we going sweetheart?" Elizabeth giggled, and poked Ciel's cheek. A look of annoyance flashed in his eyes before a wicked grin crossed his features.
If Elizabeth was going to suffer, he'd suffer too.
"Patience, my love, you shall see." He whispered, and pinched her side painfully in retaliation for the poke.
She let out a squeal, and smiled at him, meanwhile staring at him, mentally willing him to keel over in pain and catch on fire.
They reached the mansion doors, and they opened with a flourish. Elizabeth had to blink to fight back the tears in her eyes from the overly-exuberant colors. There were even some colors she hadn't seen before.
The foyer was grand and she could already tell that most of the occupants in the room were demons. About half had a female human hanging on their arms, oblivious to the hungry gazes in their gold eyes.
"Oh honeybee!" One girl squealed, and smiled lustily at her demon. His returned smile seemed more hungry than lusty.
As Ciel and Elizabeth made their way across the room towards the front desk, Elizabeth realized where they were.
Some odd demon and human hotel. A hotel where the demons could feast on the souls of women without fear of being caught.
"Welcome to the Hotel of Perdition!" The concierge greeted us with a flourish of his hands. Or what should be his hands.
Elizabeth back a chuckle at the dolphins that were in place of his hands. Perhaps this place wasn't too sinister if they had a man with dolphin hands at the front desk.
"Would you be liking a master suite with the couples combo or...?" He cast a sideways glance of hunger at Elizabeth. "Something more... suiting to your needs M'lord?"
Ciel unconsciously pulled Elizabeth closer to his side, his grip on her waist tightening quite painfully.
"We'll just need your best room. With everything."
"Ah! The whole package I see!" The concierge jotted something down onto a piece of paper, and held it out to Ciel to sign.
Ciel signed his name and handed the paper back to the demon behind the desk as Elizabeth reached for the paper to sign.
The man's eyes widened in surprise. "Mr. Phantomhive? What a delight to have you and your escort among us!"
The entirety of the lobby looked up in shock at Ciel and Elizabeth.
"I'm glad to see you finally enjoying your time as a dark one!" The concierge said, and handed Ciel the key. "You are room 666! Our best room, on the 666th floor!" He continued with a scary smile. Ciel grit his teeth, then let a pained smile cross his face.
Ciel lead Elizabeth away from the lobby and the concierge who called after them, "Have a nice forever my dear!" Both demon and human stiffened, and began to walk faster.
As they made their way towards the lift, Elizabeth couldn't help but notice the way the demons sitting in the chairs and benches seemed to watch her with their hungry eyes, completely ignoring their humans.
The lift opened, and Elizabeth and Ciel stepped into it. It had a black marble interior, with one button that read, '666' in a fancy scrawl of handwriting.
Ciel pressed it, and the doors closed with a clang. The last thing Elizabeth saw of the lobby were the red eyes of a particular demon that was alone, and grinned menacingly at her.
While in the lift, Elizabeth didn't try to relinquish Ciel's tight hold on her as he had initially assumed she would. Instead, she seemed to almost fall against him in relief.
The ride was silent, and the doors opened to a large room with a theme of black everything. There was a splash of red, but otherwise, the room was black centric. Everything in the room seemed very oddly styled, with odd black seats that were made of a strange material. On the counter tops were two oddly shaped boxes. Next to them, on the floor, were two more boxes. One being tall, the other rather short. The short one looked almost like a stove, but it seemed so much more different.
They stepped into the room, and Elizabeth went and looked curiously out the window. They seemed right above the front entrance, and Elizabeth could watch demons and humans arrive in carriages less grand than her and Ciel's. She could see the line where the color of inside met the bleak gray of outside.
"Why are we here? And where exactly is here?" She turned to ask, but Ciel was gone.
"Ciel?"
"Here." He said, and walked out from the entry way to the large bedroom with a large bed with a black theme as well.
He was wearing a simple white shirt, and casual pants. His feet were bare and pale against the black tile floor.
She watched him as he made his way to the odd furniture, and sat on the large chair with a long sigh. Leaning back in the chair, the top half of it leaned back with Ciel. Elizabeth watched him move the chair in fascination. He pulled on a black lever on the left side of the chair, and a foot rest attached to the chair popped up.
"What is this place?"
"The Pit, Perdition, Limbo, whatever you want to call it."
"Purgatory?"
"That too." He replied tiredly, as his eyes drooped closed.
"So... Why are we-?"
"Can you please be quiet for a moment?"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms. "Well excuse me your majesty. Do you need me to bathe you too?" She snapped sarcastically.
One of his eyes opened to show a sliver of bright blue. "That'd be nice."
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed in annoyance at his crudeness. She then stomped over to him and stood over him by the strange chair that moved.
"Do you need something?" He asked, both eyes closed once more.
"Why are we here Ciel?"
"To talk to someone who may know how to save you."
"Where is Sebastian?"
"Probably doing what does best."
"Which is what?"
"No idea."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to let out another snappy retort when he placed a finger to her lips.
"Shush..." He muttered tiredly.
Her lips and cheeks burned both in embarrassment, and another unidentifiable emotion she would never admit to or allow.
"I just really feel as if we should be- Eek!"
Ciel had waved his hand and she was suddenly laying on the odd couch, no longer in her dress and petticoats, but in a simple white shirt and shorts like some peasant with a soft white quilt covering her.
"What the Hell-?!" She began.
"They think we're performing coitus. So, if they don't hear anything-"
"Just what the hell are you insinuating Phantomhive?!" She snarled and stood up, tossing the blanket aside.
"That I can see through your shirt you're wearing." He replied with a shrug, while internally fighting to not blush and to not go and kiss her roughly. These weren't his feelings. It was from the crystals and their scent.
Demons had certain crystals that, when combined, made demons much more aroused. It didn't work on mortals, but they didn't need it to.
Not in this place.
Elizabeth yanked the cover up, and wrapped it around her shoulders covering herself, a blush making it's way onto her face.
"Why did you put me in this?" She asked, unable to conjure her previous indignation due to her embarrassment.
"I just imagined you in much more comfortable clothes to be in is all." He replied, purposefully keeping his eyes closed, and trying not to let his imagination wander.
Normally demons exercised little self-control, so this was a hard task.
"Well, where is my dress?" She asked, fighting the urge to smack his oh-so-peaceful face.
He shrugged. "The bedroom? I don't know, just please let me sleep. I'll answer all your questions when I awake."
Lie. He would only answer the questions she needed to know. And he wasn't sleeping because he was tired. He was sleeping because he wanted to sleep off the arousal created from the demon crystal.
Elizabeth walked into the large room, with the bed in the middle, and a wardrobe in the corner of the room next to a little table with a mounted mirror. On the wall to her right, was a full body mirror.
She opened the wardrobe eagerly only to be greeted with grisly objects ranging from unusual objects to swords and maces.
The clothes were very skimpy and little remained of whatever they had previously been used as. Some of the outfits looked as if they'd once been beautiful dresses that were cut up into terribly revealing clothes.
Elizabeth had no problem with what she wore, but this? This was beyond what she'd ever imagine herself wearing.
Her dress was nowhere to be found, so she stayed in the see-through shirt and the shorts.
"Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well! Loooong time no see sweetie!" A voice cackled from across the room.
Elizabeth's heart sped up in fear. She turned to see that terrible reflection of hers just as Ciel ran into the room.
"Oh, and Ciel! Nice to see you love." The reflection purred, her eyes changing from pink to a darker, uglier green in a mock version of Elizabeth's own forest green eyes.
"You have no business here." Ciel replied coldly, his hands balled into fists at his sides.
"Really? Is that so?" The reflection replied.
"What do you want?" Elizabeth boldly interjected. She didn't want to admit it, but she was afraid.
"I want your body."
"What?"
"Get out of here demon." Ciel snapped.
Darcy turned her head towards him and let a dangerous smile cross her features.
"Why don't you call me by my real name love?" She said.
"Your real name? What is she talking-?"
"It's not a 'she'. It is an 'it'. And I have no idea." Ciel replied glaring at Darcy.
"Oh, I think you do my love. And if you want her to live, you'll tell her."
"Tell me what?" Elizabeth turned to Ciel. "What is it?"
"Nothing don't-"
"Don't worry?!" Darcy began to laugh a crazy insane laugh of a madman. "Au contraie mon amour! You are very very wrong! You should be afraid."
Ciel moved and placed himself in front of Elizabeth. "Leave us Darcy."
Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Why would I ever leave you?" She sighed dramatically. "Though, if you two want some... alone time who am I to judge? Especially since I'll remember it all once I take her body as my own!"
Elizabeth trembled against Ciel, and then fell.
"Elizabeth!" He exclaimed, and caught her shoulders.
"My head..." She moaned. "It just started hurting."
Ciel held her, and then his eyes turned to pink with slit pupils. He had never felt any hatred like this. Hatred at Darcy for hurting Elizabeth when she never did anything to deserve it. In fact, she didn't deserve any of this. She had a normal life until he dragged her into this mess by letting her see him at the Frozen Fair.
He was a horrible person.
"But you're not a person are you? You're a demon. And we're all horrible here." Darcy commented casually to Ciel's thought.
"Leave us." Ciel said, the anger rippling out from his dark, twisted heart.
"Ooh scary!" Darcy rolled her eyes and held up her hands in mock fear. "What are you gonna do, cry on me?"
Suddenly, Ciel felt a twinge of something in his gut. Something he'd repressed for awhile now since becoming a demon. The power contained within Ciel was that of Lucifer himself. Which is why Sebastian and him had left Hell and never returned. If Lucifer learned of his power, he and Sebastian would be killed. Including everyone Ciel had ever met or made contact with.
Including Elizabeth.
Ciel closed his eyes, and let a bit of this power surge over him. It felt like such a release, to let go of every restraint he'd placed upon himself.
Darcy flinched and her eyes flickered back to their regular pink. "What are you doing?"
Ciel closed his eyes, and then let go of every barrier in his mind.
There was silence, and then the mirror shattered. Ciel opened his eyes, and saw that the mirror was completely gone. The frame and all. The only thing that remained was a single shard of the mirror. Ciel picked it up and saw Darcy's pink eye watching him. Then it showed her evil smile, and he faintly heard her whisper.
Until next time my love...
"Is she gone?" Elizabeth mumbled her eyes closed tightly in pain. Ciel grabbed her elbow and helped her over to the bed.
"Yes, she's gone." Ciel replied quietly. Elizabeth's eyes suddenly fluttered open, and she tried to push Ciel away.
"We have to do something! Why are we just-?"
Before she could finish, Ciel had grabbed and laid her on the bed, then tossed the blankets over her.
"Go to sleep Elizabeth." He interrupted.
"No! We have to do something! How do you know Darcy? And why-?"
"Elizabeth, just sleep." He interrupted again in a firmer voice, then turning his back to her, he began to walk out of the bedroom. Darcy never did anything without a reason. He had to find out why she wanted Elizabeth to know about her and what she really wanted.
He would find out.
"Ciel, after this I'll have one more day. Please, we have to do something!" She said misty-eyed.
Ciel clenched his jaw in pain, and glanced back at Elizabeth. She looked so tiny underneath the covers, like she was the innocent Elizabeth he left behind all those years ago.
Walking back over to the side of the bed, he leaned over next to her and surprised himself and her by gently kissing her forehead.
"It's okay. I will make sure nothing happens." He whispered. "Besides, I'm the demon. I don't need sleep." He joked, then stood up and walked away, not turning around so Elizabeth wouldn't be able to see the blush that crawled up his neck and his cheeks.
Elizabeth, for once, had no scathing comment. Her forehead burned where his lips had touched just like every other time he'd touched her.
She listened to his footfalls as he exited the room, and heard the lift clang open then shut.
Her eyes drooped closed as she cursed her weakness. If only she didn't need sleep...
I started writing, and the world happened.
So I'm still doing the thing where you can give a new title to this story. That will go on until chapter 19. And please take ten seconds to review. I worked on this for two hours. Two hours of back pain lol, thank you!
R&R