"A letter from Lord Davis my Lady ".

As Victoria spoke, Claude gave Penelope a pointed look as he inclined his head. Penelope in return gave him a perplexed look and went over to Victoria, taking the letter out of her hand before dismissing her. Delicately Penelope then unfolded the letter, giving a slight huff at the over exaggerated seal, and skimmed over the contents before pulling a face at the subject matter.

"He wants to go on a 'leisurely stroll' around the park. I suppose after my quick escape the other day I will not get away with declining his offer. I will write a reply when I get back in the study". And with these words, Penelope tossed the letter behind her, letting it gently float to the floor. Claude had yet to speak and yet again he cocked his head as though to say something.

"So you were saying?" Penelope asked as she settled herself down into the chair, giving him an expecting look. He was looking directly at the letter and then back at her when it clicked. Jumping from her seat with a start, she gave a large gasp.

"You think it's Lord Davis". She all but shouted, her hair accidently whipping into her face making her quickly remove any that had stuck to her mouth. After a couple of seconds of faffing around she felt a breeze and Claude had moved to pick up the letter.

"I believe that he could be the potential master. Although I am merely basing this off that fact that so far he has been present on a few occasions Lucy has appeared". As he spoke, Claude circled her like a predator before finally stopping right in front of her and pushing her back into the seat. With each arm on the armrests, he leant in causing Penelope to press her back fully into the chair until she could not move back any further.

"Just say the word and I will go". His eyes glowed and Penelope squinted her eyes at him suspiciously. 'Is this just jealously?' she wondered. Realising that he had trapped her, she pushed her body forward until their faces were but a few inches from one another. Just before she could press her lips against his own cold ones she spoke.

"We will not act irrationally; this will take some investigating". She whispered before using her hands and pushing them against her butler's chest, causing him to move back a bit and letting her get up. She swore she had heard him grumble the word tease, but she was far more concerned with how to find out if Lord Davis was indeed behind this.

"What on earth would be a reason for him to do this though? He shouldn't have a reason". She paced up and down the rows of bookcases, totally oblivious to Claude's bored expression.

"Is he any relation?" she asked suddenly, turning around to find Claude gone. A whisper in her ear caught her attention.

"You are on the right tracks; do you remember your cousin? The one you were originally going to marry? He appears to have disappeared soon after your uncle's death, it wouldn't be a farfetched theory to suggest he changed his name, he would be Lord Davis' age as well". The more Claude spoke, the more Penelope found herself considering his theory. She had totally forgot her cousin but it wouldn't surprise her if he wanted revenge. But she still had doubts, from what she could recall of her cousin she had never remembered him having the same features as Lord Davis.

"Are you sure that there is not another reason for you to think this?"

"Another reason?" His expression was one of complete innocence and Penelope almost rolled her eyes at his act. She knew damn well he most likely had another agenda, she would just rather he come out with it.

"You don't like him, do you?" she accused, pointing a finger at his chest which he captured and pulled her forward.

"I don't know what you're talking about. But if you wish to investigate perhaps locating the contract mark would confirm the theory. Judging by the power of Lucy, it would be safe to say it will be in a visible place". He then leaned in until his lips were close to her own.

"Go finish your work". And with that she was on her own, but somehow was grasping onto the letter. She was always amazed at how sneaky Claude could be. When she had made her way back to the study and began writing a reply to Lord Davis' invitation, she felt the cold dread of anxiety climb up her throat. If it was indeed Lord Davis, then to be with him would just increase the chances of her being attacked again. But deep down Penelope knew that Claude would not allow her to get in harm's way so dabbing the pen into the ink well, she signed her name off with a small flare. After sealing it with the family crest, she placed it carefully into the tray on the right side of her desk and began to work again.

Yet as she got towards the end of her work she kept thinking back to how quickly Claude had been willing to put an end to the lord. Her mind then wandered over to how she was supposed to find the contract mark without making a complete fool of herself. She couldn't exactly ask that he strip off in the middle of a park. After all the society she found herself in was obsessed with decorum and manners. And if it turned out that Lord Davis was completely uninvolved in the entire debacle Penelope often called life, she had no idea what her next move was. But she knew that she would do whatever it took to get rid of such a threat, even if it meant having to put herself in danger.

"My Lady, would you like me to deliver the letter for you". Asked Victoria who bustled through the door, her usually neat hair looking as though she had been dragged through a bush backwards.

"Are you ok Victoria? You look swept of your feet!"

"Oh I'm fine My Lady, the weather has taken a turn and I had to bring the washing in before they were ruined". Victoria then went to get the letter off the desk when Penelope held up a hand.

"Do not bother with the letter, I'm sure Claude can handle it. After you have prepared my afternoon meal you may be excused for the rest of the evening". Victoria tried to argue back but Penelope had already begun to shoo her out of the room, closing the door behind her. Turning back, Penelope proceeded to then stare outside, flinching when a bang of lightening rocked the sky. She didn't know if it was a sign that dark things were on their way, but Penelope was already bracing herself for what was yet to come in the week.

"Claude!" she shouted all of a sudden, hoping that the demon butler would be able to hear her wherever he had been residing. When there was no reply, she gave an exasperated sigh.

"What is the point of being able to hear the worms in the soil but not your own-" she cut off mid rant when she spotted the slim body of Claude laid back on her desk chair with a smug smirk. In his gloved hands was the letter she needed to be delivered.

"Please do go on, I believe you were talking about me". He spoke with an air of arrogance that made Penelope tempted to push him out of the chair but she controlled any desires to do so. More so because she lacked the strength, although she wouldn't admit to that.

"Would you please deliver this message for me. Oh and also we have a couple of days before I meet with Lord Davis to do some background checks. If you could, I would be interested to see if there are any newspapers discussing my uncle's death and his son's whereabouts. Oh and if you could find out if Lord Davis' parents are alive it would help me greatly". She was surprised when Claude chuckled in response.

"What? Does this situation amuse you?"

"I have spent the day in your library hoping to find any family documents. It appears as though your parents removed many. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Lucy had done something similar when she had been working here. As for Lord Davis I will bring you what I find tomorrow after a deliver the letter. If that is all, I believe dinner will be ready shortly so if I was you, I would make your way to the dining room". He got off the chair with a cat like elegance and made his way out the door without so much of a second look.

Although Penelope was indeed happy Claude had been investigating, she still felt like their relationship, if that is what it would be called, had hardly changed. She knew he said he would not change for her but she expected him to at least acknowledge that something was different. Shaking her head, she didn't want to doubt her decision, after all she couldn't expect him to be sweeping her off her feet every five minutes for passionate encounters in the shadows of a badly lit corridor. She had to stop romanticising him.

When she had reached the dining room, as Claude had said food was already being served. But she was surprised to see Claude the one serving it.

"Where is Victoria?" She asked as she made her way to sit down, nearly doing so until Claude quickly pulled the seat back for her and pushed her in.

"She has the night off, does she not?"

"Well, yes".

Claude then after serving the food stalked around the long table and took a seat directly opposite her. She gave him an odd look wondering what he was doing but began to eat her food, not wanting it to get cold.

"Claude, when I first met Lord Davis he had said that he knew my father through my cousin. Do you think that he may actually be the cousin or just know the cousin?"

"It appears he knew who you were through your family but I cannot say exactly. Would you tell the person you wanted dead exactly who you were?" He asked and took a sip from the drink in front of her.

"Wait a second, you don't usually drink! And I suppose he could be lying, but we shall have to see".

"I don't drink normally, but I thought you would feel more comfortable if I was to act a bit more human". He avoided eye contact and Penelope almost squealed at his thoughtfulness.

"Oh oh oh, so much for not changing for me Claude. Didn't realise you had such a soft side". She teased between giggles earning a glare from the dark haired man. She then watched with a disgusted expression as the drink he had just taken was spat back into the glass.

"Well you successfully killed that moment". She mumbled, but couldn't help the smile that danced on her lips.

"I apologise for being considerate". He drawled with a bored expression as he placed both elbows on the table and looked at her from over his spectacles. She was tempted to chastise him like her mother used to when she placed her elbows on the table but thought better of it judging by the glare she was receiving.

"I was not aware that you preferred my darker side, I will be sure to accommodate you". And as he spoke the candles which had been in the centre of the room flickered so violently that they blew out one by one until the only thing that lit the room was the odd flash of lightening from the tall windows that painted the wall. When a particular crash of lightning lit the room, Claude had all but disappeared and Penelope slowly stood from her seat.

"I was only teasing Claude, let's not play this game. I'm well aware that you are not soft". She spoke calmly hoping he wouldn't detect her growing anxiety. When he failed to make his presence known, she moved well away from her seat and used the table to help her navigate the way out. She was stopped however when a sudden bang of lightning vibrated on the thin glass of the window and illuminated Claude's figure in front of her. She hardly had a chance to scream when she found herself on the table with him all but on top of her. She felt his cold breath against his neck before being replaced by his lips. Her heart was hammering against her chest and she was sure with his hearing that it was deafening. A sharp sting made her flinch and she realised he had bitten her. But the sting was soon replaced with pleasure as he sucked on the bruised skin in an almost apologetic manner.

His head moved lower and she felt his tongue run gently across her jugular and the feeling of complete helplessness and pleasure was confusing. It was like a spider and a fly, and right now she knew she was defiantly the fly. His head lowered further and she felt a tug on her light blue dress as his hand managed to reveal her shoulder. He continued his act and in her haze she wondered how bad the damage was to her skin. It was another crash of thunder followed by a sheet of lightening that allowed her to see what he was doing and she gave a cry of alarm when his usually pale lips were painted with her own red blood. Her cry was silenced almost instantaneously when his lips smashed against hers and a predatorily like growl drowned out any other sound. She could taste the metallic tang of her blood and although she didn't mind the taste of blood she was amazed at how enjoyable it obviously was to Claude.

His gloved hands suddenly grasped her hands, pinning them behind her head and then disappeared. Yet she didn't move them from the position he had placed them in, knowing damn well he wouldn't play about with her. She felt his hands grasp her dress and pull it up slightly, causing her to blush as red as her hair and for her once still hands shot down in instinct. The lighting flashed again and she saw a playful smirk on her butler's face and with a one hand he gestured for her to move her own. When she did what she was told, begrudgingly, he then grasped her thighs roughly and dragged her so that her legs were dangling off the table. He had pressed his body against her own and she felt if any more blood rushed to her face it was likely to explode. When he then moved closer so their hips were touching the candles lit up and she flinched at the unexpected light.

His tongue slowly ran across his blood stained lips and she noticed his glasses were no longer on. She moved her hand and felt the spot he had bitten and was shocked to find blood still trickling from the wound.

"I didn't realise you were a vampire as well". She rasped, her throat dry all of a sudden. She then watched as he pulled of a glove using his teeth, shooed her hand away and after sticking his finger in his mouth, proceeded to rub it over the wound. As he did, her skin felt warm and observed as Claude pulled back his now bloody finger and licked it clean. He then carefully removed a handkerchief from his top pocket and wiped away any blood which had stained her lips.

"I believe you wouldn't want me to change anyway". He murmured and with that he sorted her dress out and wrapped his hands around her hips, pulled her off the table and then went to clear the forgotten meal away.

She grinned as he sorted himself out and blushed when she accidently got a glimpse of something. Feeling overly warm she went to head out the room when the loud clock chimed signifying how late it was.

"That time already!" She exclaimed to herself and with one last look at Claude who now had his back to her she ran up the stairs, hoping to inspect the damage.