Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for missing our weekly appointment, but... it's clearly thanks to the site itself and a major issue the doc manager had, not allowing for new story documents to be uploaded! What enfuriated me more was that I was notified for the surgery I had talked before and I really wanted to publish the THREE remaining chapters before that, so you would not be left hanging right before the end... but FFN decided otherwise...
Anyway, the surgery was done (finally 🎉) and I'm back, on the mend! The site seems to be working again, so... better later than never... get ready for the conclussion of this long story! 😊
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or its characters. I entirely own only my OCs, arcs and ideas/themes not mentioned in any form of the franchise (manga, anime, games, movies or musicals).
Chapter 64: The Tutor, Loose Ends
When Selina recovered, found herself in bed in one of the manor's guest rooms, cleaned, bandaged and dressed in her softer and looser nightgown. Miranda was sitting by her side tending to her wound on her right shoulder. The angel was so focused on her task that was genuinely startled when Selina cleared her throat.
"Oh, you're awake! How do you feel?" She asked with a smile.
"Um... Like I just barely survived a training session with Grell... and William combined." The witch said and chuckled along with Miranda.
"Wow, these humans, although undead, were so much harder to fight than a demon?"
Selina nodded. "Yes, they were... Weird, isn't it? I don't know, demons are usually too cocky and sure of their superiority, so they use their strength differently, while the zombie I fought was too desperate, he put all of his strength in every attack. It was overwhelming. Where is Sebastian?" She asked after a few moments of pause.
"Downstairs with young master, the others and the police." Miranda informed her. "I had to give quite a fight to pry him from your side. He was constantly fussing around you; your room was ruined so he brought you here, ran to bring you clothes and your witchcraft kit, told me which ointment to use and how... like I don't know! And then started calculating how many oranges he would need for one week." She sounded quite annoyed by the worried demon, Selina was obviously enjoying it but that last sentence cut her chuckle off.
"Oranges? Oh god, not again." Miranda looked at her confused. "I did the mistake of telling him that oranges and orange juice help when a human loses blood and then... after our mission in Brighton, where my blood was harvested, took it to the extreme. He fed me orange juice... I don't know, three, four times a day for a week! If he does that again my skin and hair will turn orange, permanently!"
The angel blinked a couple of times and then burst in an utterly amused laughter. "Okay, I may not have interacted with as many demons as you have, but I must admit he is different from what I thought and expected... He is one of a kind, I guess, the exception." She shrugged.
"I have been telling you that from the beginning!" Selina said with emphasis.
"You're in love with him, your opinion is not objective, so it doesn't count. You're calling him 'my love' and he is ready to melt at your feet... a lovestruck demon, for Christ's sake!" Miranda responded at a loss by the couple's so peculiar bond. "But what I witnessed tonight, how cool and composed everyone remained, despite all they saw and found out... Especially Finny, he seems to genuinely love young master and Sebastian, a demon! Unbelievable! I mean... it confuses me!" Her eyebrows furrowed and her facial features made evident the identity crisis she was currently experiencing.
Selina smirked. "It makes you wonder what kind of monsters humans can become and where are the good and protective angels when needed, in order for a demon to be considered a savior and be loved that much by humans, right?"
It was Miranda's turn to nod and her eyes were sad. "He prayed to God asking for help so strongly, so desperately and received no answer! Is there anything more pure and sacred than a child's cry for help when in such a dire situation? I find it impossible to believe not even an angel was in the area to hear his cry!" The image of young master praying in vain, while he and his brother suffered in their tormentors' hands had been etched deep in the angel's mind and heart.
Selina knew exactly how her cousin felt. She cupped Miranda's cheek with great understanding in her eyes. Miranda sighed and shook her head sending away these thoughts.
"Anyway, you need to get some sleep. Sebastian said he and young master will try to forestall police's questioning towards the wounded for tonight, but the following days will be full and most probably everyone's cooperation will be needed. Elizabeth is fine, out of danger. Young Sieglinde is a true miracle worker." She informed, anticipating Selina's next question as she settled and smoothed the bed covers around the blond witch.
"Hey, what do you think about everything Undertaker said? It is really intriguing that Claudia, Vincent and... our Ciel were and is very susceptible to supernatural, since their souls do not carry even a small trace of magic." Selina commented, sparking Miranda's interest.
"Yes, indeed. I have not sensed anything from the boy either... but he is in a contract with a demon so that might be an explanation, at least for him."
"Maybe, but Sebastian has told me that from the first moment he felt the boy's summon, the pull was so strong that he could not resist. It was not just the taste of young master's desperation but his soul's strength."
"Well... he was in a dire situation, really desperate, that must have given him the strength and command needed to summon and bind a demon." Miranda shrugged.
"Maybe... but I feel there is something more." She fell deep in thought and then an idea started taking shape in her mind. "You know, Sebastian has told me more than once that occasionally young master's soul and mine feel quite similar, like having something in common. The only thing we do have in common, other than having lost everyone and gone through psychological hell, is our blood type."
"Hmm... Indeed, both you and young master have AB- blood type, which is a very rare type to be found in two unrelated people, but whose souls feel similar to a demon... I hope you are not suggesting the young Earl is our ancestor or something..." Miranda looked a little bothered by the idea.
Selina looked at her like the angel was an idiot. "What I am suggesting is that, since you said grey souls exist, even without having magic but are sensitive towards the supernatural, the Phantomhive line, or some members of it, might possess such souls. Which would explain many things, as well as Sebastian's desire to devour that of young master's but not mine." She explained.
"As I previously explained, the benefits and pleasures a demon receives from a living mate are more long lasting than the momentary ones of devouring a soul that satiates their hunger for... half a century at best. Besides, after a demon accepts their mate wholeheartedly, the spiritual core and the mate's aura-soul intertwine so much that wanting to devour it would be a kind of... self-cannibalism. Thankfully, not even demons do that; plus, it seems your demon had accepted you from the start even without realizing." That left Selina blushing quite surprised and enamoured with her mate all over again. "However, your theory sounds logical. I don't know if the connection of soul and blood type has been already researched. I'll look into it when I get back... now get to sleep!" Miranda finished in a commanding tone.
Selina giggled, wiggling deeper in the soft bed and closing her eyes after saying "Yes, mummy" to an annoyed Miranda. She finally allowed herself to relax and surrender to the comforting and healing darkness of sleep.
{~}
The woman was startled out of sleep by the softest of sounds, it seemed she did not sleep very deeply after all. She opened her eyes, looked towards the sound and saw the demon slightly grimacing as he was peeling his bloodied and ripped clothes from his body. Scratches and lacerations adorned his smooth skin and widened or closed according to the movements of his muscles. They were not deep like that time on Campania or St. Ives, but would take some time to heal, since they were caused by a death scythe. In an instant, she was kneeling on the bed reaching out to examine the ones on his shoulders and back.
"I didn't realize he had nicked you so much." Worry resonating in her voice.
"They are nothing but a scratch, dear. Were you not supposed to be sleeping? Are you in any pain?" The demon asked, turning to look at her with softness in his eyes, as he caressed her cheek and one golden lock getting in the way.
"I'm fine! Miranda must have applied healing stuff at every inch of my body and bandaged everything that could be bandaged. Sit down, I will take care of them." She responded and grabbed her kit from the night-stand; her voice left no room for argument.
Sebastian did as was told and for the next twenty minutes enjoyed the soft and caring touch of his precious mate that relaxed him as nothing else could, making him realise how tired he actually was, after fighting Undertaker on his own for quite some time, until the reapers decided to make an appearance. He could not help but smile, watching Selina's serious expression as he was sitting with his back on the pillows and she glued those blasted bandages of hers on the wounds of his chest.
"If I did not know how worried and afraid you get when I am wounded, I would say you enjoy pampering and touching me like that." He said with an over confident smile just to be stricken by blue lightnings from the witch's eyes.
"I would much prefer pampering and touching you, without first having the shit scared out of me every time I see a death scythe or ghostly hands ripping you apart... jerk." She said seriously, but then could not resist his smile and returned one shyly.
Sebastian's widened, as his palms cupped her face, lifting it to look at him. "As I too would prefer for my little witch to not be bandaged from head to toe, driving me to madness with worry, but... I know she is a wild, incorrigible kitten."
He leaned closer for his lips to meet hers so softly and tenderly that Selina's knees felt weak, despite being seated on the mattress. She responded to his kiss and, as it always happened after the couple was experiencing a dangerous situation, they soon started kissing more intensively. Lips, teeth and tongues meeting with urgency, tasting each other, as if that would reassure the one that the other was truly alright. Sebastian's arms embraced Selina and pulled her closer, sitting her in his lap while her arms circled his neck and shoulders. When they broke the kiss, they hugged and remained there for a while, just enjoying each other's presence. Selina's lips rested on a spot where his neck met the shoulder and Sebastian buried his face in her hair.
"I got so worried every time I saw the scythe touching or brushing you and when you cried out..." She said but the memory of the moment and her feelings prevented her from continuing.
"I would have honestly killed him if young master had not stopped me... seeing you falling down, wounded by his creatures and his weapon..." Sebastian's voice sounded like boiling rage.
"Shh..." Selina said trying to calm her mate that tensed just by talking about that moment. "I am perfectly fine now, in a few days I will be like none of this happened, so relax, please, my love."
Sebastian breathed out, trying to follow her advice and indeed felt his body relaxing. Suddenly, to his surprise, he started feeling a pair of lips he adored, planting kisses on his long throat and a wet tongue teasing the skin from time to time; warmth started spreading in his body - more intense in his loins - as the kisses got closer to his Adam's apple. His little succubus knew exactly which was his weak spot - it was only logical since he himself did not know before she discovered it - and was taking advantage of it to the fullest.
"S-Selina, you need to sleep and rest to heal..." He breathed out, throwing his head back on the pillows and closing his red eyes, unable to resist the sensation.
"Yes, but you need to heal too, quickly." Selina said and the demon instantly felt the familiar tickling her aura caused him when she pushed it in him, feeding him.
"What? Selina, no. You insisted I take your aura in last night, to make me even stronger and it indeed helped during battle, but please, not again. You need all your strength to recover." He said seriously and attempted to gently push her away, but Selina seemed determined to do what she had in mind.
Her mouth was on his collarbone now and her hands travelling all over his body with a southward direction, but before she knew it, he had pushed her down on the mattress, his body covering hers, his hips resting between her legs and his hands pinning hers on a pillow. Sebastian smirked and his lust was obvious in his eyes as much as in Selina's, but he slowly managed to put it under control.
"Sebastian, please, let me help you! Besides, we both want to do it..." Selina slowly dragged one leg over the demon's tempting him.
"More than anything, my dearest, but you have already helped more than I could ever dream of. The swords, the cloaking spell." He said and his eyes rested on the small green design on his chest that was fading now. "You will help greatly if you recover quickly, I will not be so worried."
"But-" Selina tried to say, but Sebastian's lips took away her words, causing her to sigh with pleasure.
They kept kissing for a couple of minutes, but the room's door opening made them stop. Without changing position, they turned to look at the annoying intruder and saw Miranda frozen in place as she was about to say something, her eyes wide, ready to fall off their sockets at the sight.
"Can we be of any assistance to you, Miss Miranda?" Sebastian almost growled, not even trying to mask his irritation towards the angel.
Miranda's brows flew up, missing her hairline by few inches. "Unbelievable! What a nerve! You dare claim you honestly care and have feelings for Selina, but you do not respect how wounded she is. Is it so hard for you to reign in your animalistic lust just for once?" She said with evident disregard in her voice.
"I beg your pardon?" The demon's irritation was turning to anger.
"Hey, hey! Calm down, both of you!" Selina's voice cut through the tension slowly forming in the room. "Miranda, I am truly sorry for saying that to you, since we are family and all, but I seriously think it is none of your business what I do in bed with my husband!" Selina said, obviously annoyed.
That seemed to take aback the angel, who opened and closed her mouth trying to speak. "Yes... yes, of course. It's just that... overexertion is not good for you right now. Your wounds might open again and-"
"Will she go away for good if we tell her?" An exasperated Sebastian asked.
Selina tried to shrug but pain stopped her. "I sincerely hope so! Alright then... I was trying to 'feed' him some of my aura to assist his healing. My aura gets stronger when I'm excited and reaches its peak when I am about to orgasm, so... in this case I was the seducer and Sebastian the resisting victim! Satisfied? Now, shoo!" She waved a feet towards Miranda, obviously sending her away.
Miranda was left with mouth open for a while. "Really? That's how it works? Wow... I never found any details about the mechanics of it... other than what Sebastian told me, that is." Her expression had become that of amazement and thought, but when the last sentence sank into mind, her features twisted in a grimace of absolute appal. "A demon, resisting victim of seduction... How absurd!"
"Miss Miranda, if you would be so kind to tell us what you intended to say in the first place, intruding in our chamber?" Sebastian said with his obviously fake politeness, close to his limits of tolerating the angel.
"Oh yes, yes, you're right." The demon's unfriendly tone snapped the angel back to seriousness. "I came to let you both know that Mr. Spears and the others, from our time, will soon pay a visit in order to discuss some matters of interest to both of you."
Sebastian scoffed. "I seriously doubt reapers would have to say anything of interest to me, other than how that scarlet abomination will stop threatening Selina and bothering me."
It was Miranda's turn to smirk quite smugly. "Don't be so absolute, you never know when you might get surprised... Anyway, that was the message I had to convey, I'm going now. Sorry for intruding but this was the last thing I expected to see." She finished waving her fingers to the couple's direction, like she was trying to shoo away something unpleasant.
"Is this making you jealous? Do you see something you like? I sincerely hope not, it would be so troubling." The demon teased the angel with malevolence in his eyes.
"Ew! Even Grell would be more my type if she was interested in women, sane and had normal teeth." Miranda said and walked out of the room.
As she pulled to close the door, the last thing she saw and heard was a pouting Selina, lightly kicking Sebastian's bottom while she was ordering him "not to hit on her cousin, not even as a joke" and the demon actually laughing - not chuckling as usual - reassuring her there was no chance to repeat that mistake again. Besides, one witch was more than enough for him. Selina giggled and then they both laughed. Miranda smiled in the darkness of the hallway, once more impressed by the relationship built between the couple, and how that had changed the demon greatly; that development pleased the angel. She sighed as longing for her own... potential mate came over her and in a blink of an eye disappeared from the hallway and the era.
"And that's Miranda. Always so bold in theory, but so prudish in practice." Selina said with mirth in her eyes.
"Why are we still discussing about the angel?" Sebastian arched an eyebrow.
"Correct. We have more important things to talk about. Where were we?" Selina asked, seductively wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling his hips closer.
The demon gifted the witch one of his most seductive smiles and glances, making her heart beat uncontrollably fast and a hot wave run through her. "We were at the point where I regrettably have to deny your so interesting advances and insist that you sleep and rest, my dearest." He immediately lifted himself from her and gently released his waist from her hold.
"What? Oh come on, Sebastian." Selina complaint sitting up. "I am being serious that I want you to take my aura in! I agree in becoming a snack to you if that hel-"
A long, black nailed finger landed softly on her lips silencing her. "I know all that, my wilful kitten, and they make my blackened heart swell from... happiness, as you would call it. But I would prefer to engage in so deliciously pleasant activities, without the need for me to partake of your aura or at least without you being hurt. Besides, have you forgotten that my first scythe wound was when Grell almost cut me in two? I did heal perfectly in a couple of days and it was long before your lovely existence stormed into my life."
Selina blushed a little embarrassed, obviously having forgotten that incident. "That is true... although Grell is nowhere near as strong as Undertaker was, so her hit would not be the same."
"As these wounds are nowhere near the impaling he did on Campania. Now, do not be stubborn any more and get as much sleep as you can. The following days are equally important as tonight was and will be very long and tiring." For a second, Selina felt he was treating her like a child, and she was not wrong since his voice was the same as when he practically ordered his master to go to bed... a touch softer now.
Selina sighed finally giving in and moving under the covers Sebastian held open for her. "All right, you convinced me, but I want you to tell me what happened, while I was lights out and what to expect the next days. First of all, how is young master and everyone? Miranda told me lady Elizabeth is out of danger."
"Yes." Sebastian said and settled in the bed beside the woman, pulling her in his arms. "Lady Francis arrived within minutes after I called the Midfords, she will spend the night by lady Elizabeth's side and if she is better tomorrow she will take her home. It must have been quite a feat to keep lord Alexis and Edward from coming... they would get emotional and that would be too troublesome." He sighed quite relieved.
Selina let out a relieved sigh. "Thankfully! I know I am still disappointed at lady Elizabeth, but I try to understand her situation too and I most certainly did not want her to be harmed."
"Understanding as always." Sebastian planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Lady Sieglinde and Prince Soma testified to the police everything they knew and... saw tonight..." He said meaningfully making clear that the youngsters said nothing to jeopardize their master's plan. "...and then abducted young master, took him to a room and forced him to tell them details about everything. Young Sieglinde is a very formidable opponent, I must say." The demon's voice held a hint of pride for the girl or Selina's ears played tricks on her?
"Meaning?" She asked smiling, already imagining the answer.
"Well, to put it lightly... if young master lost his cool in front of lady Elizabeth on Campania, he does not stand a chance in front of lady Sieglinde; she is capable of eating him alive. She is as stubborn as he is and never, never yields unless she gets what she wants, and the things coming out of her mouth." He rolled his eyes but smiled by how Selina was enjoying it.
"I had suspected that from the beginning. I may had not understood a word she said the night she intruded young master's room, but everything about her showed how dirty mouthed she was for a secluded girl." Selina smiled at the memory.
"Oh! Have I not told you what she was saying that night?" Sebastian asked, surprised at his omission, seeing Selina shaking her head.
"Nope, and my elementary knowledge of the German language is almost wiped from memory as soon as Siegli and Wolfram learned English. What? I never said I'm good at languages, other than the witches'." She said, watching Sebastian shaking his head disapprovingly.
The demon narrated to her what was communicated that night between young boy and girl with the interpretive assistance of himself. It left Selina breathless, flushed in face and in tears from laughter and with the decision that Sebastian was not one hell of an interpreter.
"So what happened after young master succumbed to the 'German tortures' and spilled the beans?" She asked once recovered from her laughter fit.
"All three fell asleep on the bed the interrogation was taking place. Wolfram, entirely scandalized and embarrassed by the image, attempted to remove lady Sieglinde from young master's side, but even though she was asleep, managed to land a strong slap on his head with one hand while the other was clutching young master's sleeve. We let them sleep like that; they would get too grumpy if forced to wake. But I took Prince Soma in another room, he was sprawled taking much of the bed and young master in his sleep was kicking him away, ending up in throwing him off the bed, for certain."
Sebastian failed to understand which was the cute element in all this that made his mate react in a manner dangerously similar to lady Elizabeth's outbursts... Although, he had to admit, his master looked rather nice with young Sieglinde by his side, in a way they fitted together.
"You are quite joyful tonight, despite all the tears you shed earlier for Mr. Tanaka and the real lord Ciel." He told her after a while.
Selina's face sobered immediately. "Well... it's not that I am not saddened by Mr. Tanaka's death any more, I am and I will be more the following days, when his absence becomes more evident or when the thought I could have saved him sinks in, but... I feel relieved in a way. He died as he wanted, in the service of his master and what's more important, after his master's death and knowing he leaves his other master in competent hands. I believe he left this world feeling content and peaceful."
Sebastian nodded. "That is indeed true. I sensed so from his soul leaving his body, right before being reaped by Spears. Also, I think he believed his last actions redeemed him in young master's eyes for choosing to remain by real Ciel's side." Selina agreed. "How strange, humans rarely remain truly loyal to each other until the very end."
"Is that why you admired both him and Agni?" Sebastian glanced at her like she had uttered a ridiculous notion. A demon admiring mere mortals, how preposterous. Selina did not tease him further, she just reached up and kissed his lips tenderly. "How are Snake and the others? In relation to Mr. Tanaka, I mean. I won't ask for young master because... I can imagine how lost he must be feeling, but, of course, he will never allow himself to show anything."
The demon nodded again, with a slightly evil grin on his lips as his mouth almost watered at the thought of suppressed desperation, grief and pain piling up in his master's soul... but it was not time yet. "Snake is very quiet with a distant gaze, but listens and executes my orders as always. I saw once or twice Mey-Rin dabbing her eyes with her apron, Finny wiping his nose on his sleeves - I had to order him to use a handkerchief instead - and Bard chewing at his cigarette while staring at the empty space, but it was when they were alone and thought no one was watching them. When they are all together they are closer to their usual bumbling imbecile selves."
"It's expected. Snake found out things difficult to stomach... The others... I believe they will grieve later, each in their way. I'll talk to all of them tomorrow and especially Snake, I have to clear up some things for him. By the way, how are they towards you? Do you sense any difference?"
"No, not really. No fear, disgust or anything. They actually look to be more comfortable around me now." Sebastian's black brow arched in slight confusion.
"That is good. They know the truth and, in their eyes, that explains all of the strange things they had definitely noticed about you. They appreciate and feel grateful for everything you and young master did for them and that is all that matters to them." Selina explained with a loving smile.
"I did only what served my master's interests." Sebastian answered with apathy in his features.
"They know but that doesn't change their feelings. However, I will investigate if they have fully realized what it means that you are a demon and I a witch, just to be sure, but I strongly believe that if we, and especially you, continue acting towards them like we did all this time... there won't be a problem."
"Young master ordered the same; we are to continue conducting our business as before and no demonic or witch tricks in front of anyone." That seemed to irritate the demon a bit.
His pride would never allow him to openly admit it, but deep inside he hoped the revelations would give him the freedom to use his demonic skills more, finishing his duties faster and then have more time to spend with his beautiful mate... but, of course, that brat of a master he had would never stop working him like a dog.
"He is right, you know. If the servants don't see something out of the ordinary that could constantly remind them we are not humans, then we have less chances of suddenly freaking out on us." Selina said, studying the light scowl on her demon's face. "Now, tell me about the police."
"Everything went exceptionally well, I must say. Of course, lord Randall seemed determined to find a fault in everything we said and presented him, but it seems a shift of power has occurred, because most of the investigation was actually conducted by Abberline."
"That tip for the cargo of blood from Brighton was the best move our master did." Selina commented proudly.
"Indeed, it would not be surprising if sooner or later lord Randall retires and Abberline takes his place." Sebastian smirked, quite satisfied at the thought of his master gaining an ally within Scotland Yard, willing to turn a blind eye and let the Queen's Watchdog do his job unbothered.
"Did they see the bodies?" Selina asked, bringing her husband back to reality.
"And not only that. I have no idea what Lau told them, but a coroner arrived along with the police. It goes without saying that young master asked him to examine both his brother's and Mr. Tanaka's body; he did so and came to the conclusion that the bruises in lord Ciel's elbow nook coincided with repetitive puncture wounds. He got really worried seeing the boy's bloodied mouth and pieces of ripped flesh between his teeth. Furthermore, he verified that Mr. Tanaka's death was due to extreme blood loss caused by bite of the carotid artery and the teeth pattern matched human ones, so either lord Ciel had bitten him or one of the other numerous dead bodies."
"What will they do about the bodies?"
"Try to identify them, took pictures of each one of them and will cross-check them with missing persons and all that. The coroner asked for permission to examine in depth lord Ciel's and Mr. Tanaka's bodies, young master denied demanding for his brother - as well as the rest of the bodies - to finally be allowed to rest in peace. However, he directed them to Undertaker's funeral parlour, in case they find any enlightening notes, since he was also a member of Aurora."
"Let us hope Undertaker was telling the truth about using means and ways beyond science, so we will not have to face another Frankenstein, sooner or later, thanks to his notes." Selina sighed exasperated. How could she imagine, when reading that so classic book as a child, that a time would come she would start despising it.
"No worries, my dearest. Despite Abberline looking determined to catch Undertaker - even though he looks at a loss about how to catch such an elusive person - and even if Scotland Yard search through his parlour... they will never find anything of interest in his parlour... not that there was something, to begin with." Sebastian said with a smile, while planting a kiss on his wife's hand.
"Either I slept longer than I actually thought, or you are even faster than I knew... and I really thought I knew." Selina said, eyes wide and round from surprise; Sebastian chuckled and informed her it was a little bit of both. "So, did Randall and Abberline swallowed the 'Undertaker being a pawn of the evil mastermind Blavat' part or...?"
"That was when Randall almost ate his moustache from frustration and Abberline seemed quite disbelieving... until we told them that Viscount Druitt might knows the truth, as a founding member of the Aurora society."
"Do you really think he will play his part properly?" Selina sounded a little worried.
"I do not see a reason for him to fail. Besides... we were pretty convincing, were we not, my precious, talented witch?" Sebastian leaned closer, his eyes glowing red as his lips brushed Selina's, both sharing the smile and look you expect of villains to have in stories, making it hard for an outsider to tell the demon from the human witch.
{~}
Aleister Chamber, Viscount Druitt, was attending one more ball masque and had to admit he was bored to death. The musicians, although quite talented, played the usual stuff, the food and drinks were mediocre, no particular show to interest him and the worst of all... no noteworthy woman on the horizon.
To be honest, there were some very beautiful ladies - young and little older - to whom he smiled from time to time, making them blush and sigh happily having caught his attention even for a second, but the problem was that he knew all of them, and most of them intimately enough to be able to recognise them behind their elaborate masks. In short, this ball lacked any source of excitement for him!
He had started entertaining the idea of leaving - either way he made an appearance, as it was proper - when a most delightful sound was heard! A laughter so vivid and melodic that the image of a cardinal singing above the crystal clear water of a rushing stream popped in his mind. Impatiently, he started looking around for the source of this heavenly music and after a while found it. What his eyes saw was simply breathtaking.
A small group of ladies was gossiping and giggling siting in some chairs, but among them there was one, a little younger from the rest, of exceptional beauty; a red cardinal indeed!
Red and black satin with a perfectly fitting bodice hugging a most attractive figure, highlighting busty attributes as much as needed, leaving cream coloured shoulders and collar exposed, leading to a beautifully long and delicate neck. A scarlet plaited waterfall cascaded on one shoulder, while big loose ringlets circled a without doubt divinely beautiful face, despite the black feathery mask covering most of it, making green cat-like eyes more prominent. Delicate hands with black gloves reaching above the elbow were fanning this paradisical image and gently covering these scarlet glistening, kissable, smiling lips.
Aleister saw the bored sigh escaping the porcelain chest, as the lips grimaced behind the black fan at some nonsense the other women were discussing, and instantly knew the cardinal needed to be rescued. Without second thought, he headed there and in his usual flamboyant manner spoke.
"Oh, my poor heart is torn in two! My little robin is fighting so strongly to win me once again that I want to surrender, unconditionally, but the red cardinal before my very eyes is claiming me so formitably that I cannot resist!" He said, bowing in front of the unknown woman.
She was so stunned that did not offer her hand for him to kiss, until the lady beside her nudged her, informing her about her admirer's identity. "Oh, Viscount, you surely exaggerate. It is hard to believe a man like you can be charmed by something as simple as a robin or a cardinal." A shy blush and flutter of eyelashes captivated him even more.
"Oh my God, my heart cannot take it! The sweet cardinal underestimates her heavenly song, but if given the chance I will change her mind." A charming smile and puckered lips planting a new kiss on her hand was all it took for the woman to leave her companions and follow him.
Before she realised, found herself seated on a settee and quite cornered on one side as the Viscount of Druitt was showering her with the most grandiose compliments and wet kisses on her uncovered skin of neck and shoulders. The woman kept giggling and blushing, while lightly swatting his wandering hands with her fan.
"Oh goodness, my lord, you are so overwhelming. Please, give your poor cardinal a moment to catch a breath." She pretended to beg. "Besides, I would like for us to talk a little before."
"My heart has no room for talk as your flames are consuming it mercilessly." Aleister said, kneeling on the settee and pushing her further back. His voice was turning harder and his kisses more demanding.
The woman resisted the panic attack looming at the corner of her mind... or the so strong desire to punch him to a pulp; her mission was more important. "But, my lord, listening to your voice while talking, do you know how much it turns me on?" She said with a little pant.
The kisses stopped as the man looked at her startled. Yes, women always said they loved his voice, but mostly when they were otherwise occupied, not when they just talked. For a second, he thought of granting her wish, after asking her to remove her mask - he really wanted to see her face unobstructed by anything - but on the other hand, the way her green eyes, surrounded by the mask's black lace, made his loins quiver with desire was simply irresistible.
He smiled and retreated, just a little, enough to allow the woman to sit normally on the settee. "As my cardinal wishes." He bowed his head. "And what is it that you desire for me to talk about?"
The woman fanned her face for a minute to calm herself down. "Well... you know how gossips are. Ever since that Campania shipwreck and your miraculous rescue, there have been so many rumours circulated in high society." She looked at him curious but still innocent.
He definitely could not resist. "What kind of rumours your cute little ears have heard?" He asked, tickling her said ear.
She giggled. "Rumours like... There was a secret organization on board, conducting experiments that went very, very wrong. The army of monsters tearing into living humans' flesh was the result of these experiments; and then the crashing on the iceberg... Actually, some people think the iceberg came at the most convenient of times." Her green eyes, wide open stared at him, thirstily waiting for his answer.
"W-what... what strange and totally false rumours have you been hearing, my sweet?" He had turned a little white but brushed it aside quite ostentatiously. "And even if part of all these fantasies were true, how could I know? I was struggling to save my life the whole time!"
"Oh really? Let me remember, what was the name of the organization?" She rubbed her chin trying to remember, while Aleister by her side had started stuttering, attempting to turn the discussion to some other topic. "Oh yes, Aurora Society it was called! So, my lord, you say you have no idea, even though some believe you were actually a member of this organization, a founding one no less..."
"That-that is pr-preposterous! Nothing of the kind is true and no one can prove otherwise, they were all drowned or killed by the dolls!"
"And what about those working in Sphere Music Hall and the blood establishments recently exposed throughout England?"
"They were lower rank members, they did not know I was also one!" He declared with agony in his voice and then turned totally pale, as soon as he realised he had actually admitted everything.
He turned to the woman beside him and saw how different she looked now. Her innocence and sweetness was replaced by a lethal, sharp smile and cruel coldness. She was smirking quite satisfied.
"I-I-I have n-no idea how you found out, b-but know you have nothing against me, to extort me for whatever you think you will gain."
"Is that so? And I thought you being suspected as Jack the Ripper, while in reality you abducted and sold young girls, even nobles' relatives, was a pretty strong ace in my sleeve." The woman said with a smile.
"I paid my way through that!" He cried out infuriated and started getting up from the settee, but a black gloved hand fell heavy on his shoulder, pushing him back on the seat. The hair at the back of his neck were standing upright, as the new presence behind him was emanating a stronger aura of blackness and danger.
"Yes you did, but I keep thinking what our poor Queen would think if she found out..." Viscount Druitt attempted to say there was no way for her to find out. "I wonder if that will be the case even if... Albert whispers something in her ear... and we all know how important Albert is for her and how she heeds his... words." The woman said, staring at him meaningfully.
The person behind him presented him with a hand puppet identical to the one the Queen's butler, John Brown, was using to cheer up and advice her sometimes. "Oh my dearest Victoria, that foolish child, Aleister, has gotten himself mixed up in serious trouble. He makes me so worried... he jeopardizes the image of the entire British nobility and yourself! I cannot bear that agony. I have been thinking that perhaps we should remove him from Viscount for a while, to give him time to think of his sins and maybe even repent. What do you think, my sweetheart?" The male voice coming from behind him said.
Viscount Druitt was actually shaking like a leaf now. "Wh-who-who are you people? Wh-what do you want from me?" He said staring at the woman and then the puppet; he did not dare turn around to look at the mysterious man.
"Who we are is of no importance, what we want, on the other hand, is something very simple and easy. Soon, the police will come to ask you questions about the Aurora society and how is that linked to Sphere Music Hall, the murders and the blood extraction establishments. All you have to do, and of course insist on that, is to tell police that behind everything was a man named Blavat Sky... Have you met him?" Finished the woman, a little surprised at the light of recognition in Druitt's eyes.
"My-my nephew, Edgar, introduced him to me when performing in the Sphere Music Hall... A handsome young man, with purple, braided hair, strange tattoos and always so cheerful. He wrote the songs for the boys and, yes, he seemed to have a deeper knowledge of what was going on there for real, but... I know very well he is not the mastermind behind Aurora."
"True, but we would like for the police to think otherwise. Understood?" The woman insisted.
The Viscount pursed his lips for a moment while thinking. "H-hold on, are you by any chance sent by him? By the creator himself? Please, if he wants to stay low for a while, give Blavat away to shut the police up... he does not have to worry! Of course, he can count on me for everything... if that means I'll be forgiven for my silly attempt to take over Aurora!" He smiled having regained his self confidence and was trembling with excitement. "Oh, and if he needs assistance for his next endeavour, now that the blood operation failed, he can come to me. I will be more than happy to assist him again."
The woman kept staring at him, her green eyes indecipherable, until she smiled graciously. "Noted, my lord. Do as we agreed and my master will appreciate it greatly. I assure you, he will not forget your so precious help."
"Yes, of course. As far as I am concerned, Blavat Sky organised everything... everyone else were his pawns!" He reassured once again and it was evident he could not contain himself.
The Albert puppet left his sight, as the strong hand released his shoulder and was offered to the woman. "Very well then. Our master and we thank you very much for your cooperation and... be sure we will visit again if need be." She said with a cold warning in her eyes, as she accepted the offered hand that helped her get up and go behind the settee, towards the balcony door.
"It would be my pleasure, my little cardinal, to accept your visit again... hopefully, alone this time." Druitt said charmingly turning towards the sound of retreating steps.
He saw the woman, indeed heading for the balcony, along with a tall, caped man. His breath was caught out of sudden fear, as the man, hearing Druitt's last words, turned to look at him in a not so friendly manner. His eyes seemed to momentarily flash a vibrant red, but it was just a trick of Druitt's eyes, due to the man wearing a red mask with two horns protruding from the forehead, a devil's mask. The woman simply ignored his suggestion. The man opened the balcony door, led the woman out and turned to shut it while giving one last glare at the blond man on the settee, already lost in his daydreaming of how he could become useful again to the Aurora founder.
The couple moved further away from the room and stopped. The man unclasped and removed the black cape - revealing a burgundy tight costume complimenting his tall, lean figure - and gently wrapped it around the woman, she circled his neck with her arms right before scooping her up in his arms and, after making sure no one was watching, jumped in the air from one roof to another until they disappeared into the night.
"Phew! It's finally over!" Selina said, letting her head fall on Sebastian's collar.
As soon as she breathed out, her eyes turned back to their natural blue, her wrists and hands did not look so fragile and her breasts lost volume, returning to their normal size.
"Yes, and if we knew he would be convinced so easily, just by believing we were talking on behalf of Undertaker, this would not be needed." He said, staring at his hand under Selina's knees, dissolving from the Albert puppet to black tendrils to his long gloved fingers holding his mate secure. "But thankfully, you finished quite quickly, otherwise I have no idea how much longer I could stand watching him touching you." A murderous intention was lacing his voice.
"Jealous, huh?" Selina smirked, her feminine pride quite satisfied. "But I have to agree, I was beginning to worry and panic with his forwardness. If he slipped a hand somewhere forbidden, I would flip out and ruin the illusion, which was already hard to maintain. It was on different body parts and for too long... never done that before!"
"That would be a most unpleasant development, both for our mission and Druitt's survival, since he would have seen a view for my eyes only." Sebastian said and the tip of his tongue hungrily licked his lips, while his eyes were pinned downwards, to where the dress was slipping off Selina's chest, revealing such a lovely sight.
Selina's cheeks and neck turned slightly red under the many layers of powder she had applied in whitening the tone of her skin."Hey! Eyes on the road, you pervert... otherwise, I'll keep the hair." She threatened pointing at her red plaits and ringlets. Then, she pulled upwards the loaned dress, wondering how the hell Ran Mao had found that dress, meant for a woman with quite a narrow waist but a bust bigger than Selina's... maybe even that of the well-endowed Chinese woman.
Sebastian looked at her with a mixture of pain, disgust and determination in his eyes. "I forbid that. Especially this particular shade of red." He eyed the hair, the colour screaming of Grell all over.
Selina could not help but giggle. "Don't worry, love. Even if I keep the colour now or use it in the future, that won't mean I'll start calling you Sebby or Bassy all of a sudden." She said and at the 'Sebby or Bassy' part tried to mimic the feminine voice of the scarlet-haired reaper, causing a shudder of disgust to run through the demon's body.
"Please, my dear, do not do such jokes without warning. I get shocked and I might drop you."
Selina was really enjoying it. "Nah, you love me too much for allowing something like that to happen." She said and planted a kiss where the demon's throat was peeking out of his costume's high collar, and meeting his jaw.
A pleased groan escaped his throat and he landed on a roof in order to savour the sensation. "You know me so well, little succubus." He said, bringing his masked face close to that of Selina's and studying it before smiling seductively. "I insist on you getting rid of the red hair and the ridiculous amount of powder on your skin, but... you can keep the lipstick for a while." He finished and dived to hungrily devour her blood-red lips. To his disgust, he had to agree on something with the Viscount; this colour made Selina's lips more kissable and he could not resist even if he wanted.
{~}
When Selina woke up again, her body was still in pain - not so much due to the bites and slices but the strain of the ferocious battle - and had no idea what time or day it was. She got out of bed, dressed as quickly as she could and ran to the kitchen hoping she was just late for breakfast.
Casual chatting from the trio welcomed her as soon as she entered the kitchen. They were going about their duties under Sebastian's supervision; Bard preparing a fish, Finny whipping the cream for the desert, Mey-Rin wiping the plates that Snake was washing and Sebastian did everything else, as usual. The witch stood speechless in front of an image resembling quite a lot the time Agni had managed to put everyone to work and they enjoyed it. They were talking about the needed repairs, since it seemed the stashed zombies in the cellar had literally wrecked the place.
"Good afternoon, my dear. Did you get a good rest?" Sebastian told her with a small smile and the others greeted her with their usual enthusiasm.
Selina nodded but then her eyes goggled. "Afternoon? Of what day?"
"The 16th..." Sebastian informed her.
She was shocked. "What? Why did you let me sleep for so long?"
"You obviously needed it? I tried once or twice to wake you up to eat but you did not even move." Sebastian said in a matter of factly manner.
Selina sighed and her shoulders slumped. "I guess I did... Damn, I must be getting old if a zombie and a little sparring with a reaper exhausted me that much." She scratched the back of her neck quite disappointed at herself.
"And having your blood drained and spilled in a short period of time, and doing a lot of energy draining magic stuff. According to what Black told us you are still a human, you know... says Oscar." Snake said, rolling down his shirt's sleeves, having finished the dishes.
"Are you already talking about me?" Selina whispered, faking annoyance to Sebastian who came close... with a glass of orange juice in hand.
"Just answering questions they are too shy to ask you, dear. I guess you will be doing the same about me soon. Is that not the way to build mutual trust between colleagues?" He responded with a little teasing smile and arched eyebrow. His eyes were very eloquent about how he expected her to be mindful of what information about his person she would share with the humans, but then again... she was his mate and he trusted her completely.
The woman was ready to respond something, but then hissing sounds from Emily were heard. Snake listened to the reptile and suddenly the scales on his cheeks turned pink, but the snake nudged him to speak. "A-and having to-to... satiate a demon so often, not just one night like it was with Beast... puts a b-big strain on a woman... says Emily." The poor man had turned quite the tomato.
Selina was not far behind, as she almost chocked at the glass of juice Sebastian had more or less forced in her hand. The demon patted her lightly on the back making sure she was alright. Bard had also finished with the fish and now was scratching the one-day beard dusting his cheeks and seemed deep in thought.
"Hey, Snake. You mentioned something similar the other day and that name... Beast. I think I've heard it before." The chef said frowning in an effort to remember.
Snake had recovered slightly and without realising it, was already talking on behalf of one more snake. "Black, bouncing curls, hot body with delicious curves dressed in black leather and stockings, whip on her hand and big- says Wilde!" He rushed to shush his bold reptile friend, as he turned once again red from embarrassment.
"Oh right, I remember her! Snake, I must once again apologize for having to kill your friend; she was a real beauty, even though a little kinky with her whip." Bard said, but then a light of realisation appeared in his eyes and almost dropping his cigarette he turned to Sebastian. "You had a night with the gal? A whole night? Oh man! That's so unfair! Why do you always get the gorgeous and cute ones, huh? What about the rest of us, poor, mediocre, human men that never have a chance to compete with you? Man, I would be more than happy to have that Beast warming my bed at nights." He sighed genuinely disappointed.
"If you would like, Bard, I can warm your bed at nights. Dagger never took my offer seriously... says Emily." Snake said, trying to fight off the constant waves of embarrassment his snakes caused him. Emily was flapping her eyelashes at Bard, who instantly turned paper white.
"N-No, no, thanks! Mey is more than perfect for the job!" He said, grabbing the maid sitting beside him in an almost suffocating hug. Mey-Rin let out a trembling "Eh?!" as soon as realised the true meaning of Emily's and Bard's words and a fiery blush coloured her face.
Finny blinked. "Are we doing again the group hug we did while sleeping on the train from Wolfsschlucht ? I want in!" He announced and threw himself to hug chef and maid, forgetting the bowl of cream he was whipping.
"Gently, Finny, you will crash them and we already have enough cleaning on our hands. And get back to the cream, it is almost ready." Sebastian advised and the gardener responded with a happy "Yes, Mr. Sebastian!"
A light giggle made Sebastian turn to Selina, whose eyes sparkled happily and satisfied; he smiled too. She had told him she would investigate whether the humans had fully realised the meaning of his nature and all, but it seemed she got her answer.
Truth was, the three bumbling idiots and Snake were taking rather well the fact they had a demon - who would eventually consume their master's soul - and a witch for colleagues... and strangely enough he also found that quite relieving. He never cared for humans' opinion of him, he was only maintaining a human facade for convenience, because it would be too troublesome to have the servants freaking out - more than usual, that is - every time they see him or having to constantly threaten them to keep them under control. Terrorizing them in their wake and sleep could be fun, but would turn them to useless trembling idiots and he could not have that... plus, spending his time with Selina was more fun!
After a while, excitement calmed down and a little nostalgic look settled on their faces as the memory of a soft "Ho, ho, ho!" that would complete their laughter came to mind; a sound they would not hear again. Selina saw them staring sadly at the corner the late elderly butler was sometimes sitting on his comfortable, fluffy pillow, peacefully sipping his tea - the pillow was still in place, but the man was long gone - and the thought that perhaps she could have saved him resurfaced. Now, it was too late, so she shook her head and poked Sebastian, signalling him to keep them working and keep their sadness at bay for now. Sebastian followed her advice and assigned them to new duties.
"Um, Snake. Could you wait for a while? I would like to talk to you about something." Selina said, stopping the footman right before he exited the kitchen following Finny.
The young man nodded, after receiving permission from Sebastian that he could delay for a while. Selina ushered him in the servants' sitting room and invited him to sit beside her on the sofa. She seemed unable to make up her mind how to begin, but then took a deep breath and spoke.
"The other day, you said you had suspected young master had lied about Joker and the others and that they were already dead... Do you know who... actually killed them?" She went on, seeing him nodding and was surprised that he continued nodding at her question.
"Bard, Mey-Rin and Finny, came and talked to us... said they were sorry and cried... especially Finny, as expected... says Webster." There was a little more sadness than usual in the young man's eyes at the reference to his previous family.
Selina let a relieved sigh, silently thanking her friends for taking it upon themselves to clear this so delicate issue with Snake. "And they are! They are deeply sorry, but... did not know you at the moment or who your friends were. They only knew there were invaders in the manor, looking to harm their master and anyone else they find. You understand that, right?" She asked hopefully.
Snake nodded again and looked at her straight in the eyes with his golden ones. "I am not angry at them or hate them. They indeed did what they were ordered and that is all." He spoke in his own low voice, a little higher than a whisper.
"But do you hate Smile and Black?"
He remained silent for a moment. "I do not know... Smile lied to me... Did he lie about everything?" A desperate hope in his eyes.
"No! He was telling the truth that they were kidnapping children... unfortunately." The woman's eyes turned sad.
"Please..." He said pleadingly and Selina nodded.
For the following minutes, Selina narrated him everything she knew about the Noah's Ark Circus case and her words left Snake so visibly emotional for the first time, as he was sobbing quite inconsolably, clenching fists and teeth; his reptile friends had fallen silent, not knowing what to do for him.
Snake had only heard about this Kelvin and was grateful to him that he saved his friends and in turn they saved him; he knew they loved and respected him like a true father, but now that he thought about it, there was always a slight sadness and fear in their features when talking about him... Now he knew the reason.
That sick man had given them back life but kept them under a tight lease, fooling them they had to keep obeying him for the rest of the children in the orphanage to have a future... the rest of the children he molested and that bastard doctor killed to carve out of their bodies what Joker, Beast and Dagger desired most... Complete bodies that would make them like all the other humans, or at least close enough, to spare them of the disgusted looks they received before. Snake did not know Kelvin but hated him with a burning hate for everything he did to his friends and wanted to do to Smile!
"They did not enjoy a minute of all this and did not know everything. Joker found out moments before he died and... he almost lost his sanity, but the others were spared the truth." Selina told him, gently stroking his trembling back.
"Joker... did he die quickly?" He asked after a while, having composed himself a little and allowing Selina to dab at his eyes and clean his face from tears with a handkerchief. Selina lowered her eyes without answering and he understood. A few more minutes passed and then Snake got up, he seemed almost entirely back to normal. "Well... We should get back to work... says Goethe."
Selina did not say a word, just followed him. When they got to the first floor they saw young master heading to the library along with Sebastian. Snake immediately sped up and stood in front of them, looking determined and bashful.
"Smile, Black... I- we... thank you for all you did for Joker, Dagger, Beast, Doll, Jumbo, Peter and Wendy... says Oscar. They- they would not be able to handle the truth and live with it... we believe... says Emily and Bronte!" He finished, as the two snakes completed each other's hissing. Snake suddenly bowed to both master and servant.
Boy and demon exchanged glances totally and genuinely confused. "Ehm... You are... welcome... I suppose?" Young master finally said, watching with wide eye Snake straightening up, looking at them with gratitude and a little sparkling eyes and then leaving to join Finny in their previously assigned work. "All right... what just happened?" The boy Earl asked as soon as the footman disappeared behind a door.
"I believe we were thanked for killing his companions, my lord. How odd!" Sebastian said, totally dumbfounded.
"If I understood correctly, he prefers that someone else delivered the punishment they deserved for their crimes, instead of watching them suffer while alive, knowing the whole truth and hating themselves or even taking their own lives." Selina joined them, quite impressed by the depth and altruism of Snake's feelings.
"Selina, dear... What exactly did you tell him?" Sebastian asked her a little suspiciously.
Selina lifted her hands with palms up, the very image of innocence. "I spoke the truth and nothing but the truth... it just seems it boosted his... trust in you two, as strange as it sounds." And she smiled a little impishly at them.
Sebastian was looking at her obviously confused but then sighed, certain he would never understand how exactly human minds worked. Young master, on the other hand, kept staring at the tutor until a smirk appeared on his lips and a light in his eye.
"Is that so? You speak the truth and nothing but the truth, huh? Then perhaps you could shed some light of truth on a matter that has been bothering me since that night..." He said and motioned Selina to follow him and Sebastian in his office.
Selina did so, curious; she looked at Sebastian for any clue, but the demon looked as ignorant as she did about what their master wanted to know.
"Well... When you, Mrs. Selina, got nicked by Undertaker's scythe and fell down, Miss Miranda reacted in a very... strange manner. It would not be an understatement if I say that momentarily she looked nothing like an angel of light, but more like a demon, no different from Sebastian. However, since everything else coincide with her being an angel for real, I can't believe she is an actual demon, fooling all of us all this time... Therefore... what exactly happened at that moment?" He asked when seated behind his office, his fingers intertwined supporting his chin, making him look like a most serious adult.
Sebastian was looking prouder than ever with a malevolent smile on his lips, like he was satisfied that his master noticed the ultimate weakness of an angel. Selina was a mixture of surprise with a drop of pride and obvious awkwardness as she started twiddling her fingers.
"Oh, that... You noticed... W-well... it is quite a personal matter for me to discus so freely... Perhaps, you should ask her the next time she comes by. But I can assure you it is no danger to you and your contract or goals!" She finally said with a smile, certain she got away with it.
"Oh come on, Mrs. Selina. You know how children can be when curious about something. They cannot wait to get an answer and the more the adults deny them, the more annoying they get... And I am just a child myself, right?" Now he had opened his blue eye so big and innocent, that indeed he looked nothing more than a child filled with curiosity, bursting with impatience.
Selina goggled her eyes and then her brows furrowed, showing how much she hated when he was playing the "I am a child" trump card. Sometimes, it was getting really scary how good of a teacher Sebastian was and how good of a student the boy was. Said demon was staring at his master and then at his mate and back again and was having a hard time not to laugh loudly; one thing he would miss - when everything would be over - was how these two often challenged each other.
"I can also order you to tell me, Mrs. Selina. You are my servant after all. And yes, I know Miss Miranda is not serving me, but she is freely coming and going in my house so... I must know anything that could cause troubles in my household." The boy Earl added more seriously now.
"Oh okay, I'll talk!" Selina finally gave in, after a stare contest with young master, who was obviously more than determined. "But you have to promise me, both of you..." She glared at her husband for a moment. "...that you will not bring it up in front of Miranda, not even to joke about it." Again, a glare towards the demon. Both he and his master had to agree with this condition. "It's a side of her angelic nature that she is not really proud about. Now, hmm... Love, do you have a coin on you?"
"Oh, let me look." Sebastian said and patted his pockets for a while, until he found one forgotten in his trousers' back pocket. "Here you go, dearest." He gave it to Selina with a smile.
"Thanks!" She responded similarly and then turned to their master. "Alright, remember what Miranda said about natural balance and how both good and evil are needed in equal parts to maintain this balance? As expected, both angels and demons are parts of the balance and since they are two of the paths a human soul can take after death, we could say they are like the two sides of the same coin." She said showing the coin.
"Funny, she also used the same metaphor when trying to prove me she understood my situation with you more than I thought." Sebastian said arching a brow intrigued.
"That's expected. My mum used it when teaching us this stuff. Anyway... Normally, these two sides are quite distinct and separate the one from the other. However, there are some rare cases where the sides can be mixed up, under certain conditions." Saying that, she placed the coin standing on the desk and flipped making it dance around for a bit, the two sides getting blurry, hard to tell apart.
"Is that what she meant saying that an angel can go crazy without a mate?" The boy asked and his eye made evident how intriguing he found this information.
"Yes, but there is another reason causing angels to fall, a very rare reason, that is. Angels are the personification of the purest kind of love, that of unconditionally caring for others, for humans. That can cause them really strong feelings and when the object of their love is suffering, they suffer with it and that pain pushes the angel closer to the threshold that keeps the two sides separate. Despite how much demons like to deny it, a soul that has been wronged, suffered and experienced tremendous psychological pain can resort to anger and hate, with everything that brings along... and eventually turn to a demon; it's not only being evil just to be evil."
Silence filled the room for a moment as Ciel Phantohive was thinking that, even if he had managed to escape the cultists and take his revenge on his own... his hate would still drive him to the demons' side... as it would do to Selina considering her hate and crimes. In that case, he indeed preferred oblivion in a demon's stomach than becoming one. He glared at Sebastian, who gifted him one of his smiles, baring pointy fangs.
"So, if I understand correctly, Miss Miranda's object of unconditional love, in the angelic sense, is you." He finally said to his tutor.
"Correct. An angel that has maintained their human memories and emotions will still love the human or humans that held a special place in their human hearts. That is why normally, these angels are forbidden from revealing themselves to their loved ones, but in Miranda's case, the Grim Reapers needed her as a go-between in making me work for them and eventually be sent here. Seeing everything I experienced after the gang attack, but being unable to help me, pushed her close to the threshold quite early on in her angelic life. That is why she must be very careful to not cross it for good. I really appreciate that you called her back to order at that crucial moment during the battle. Thank you, my lord." Selina finished and bowed slightly.
Ciel fell back in his armchair, thinking. "You want her to remain an angel, as she was the... whiter of the three of you, right? It is who she truly is." He said and Selina nodded. "Alright, I also prefer having a weak, young angel in my feet - since I obviously can't get rid of her but keep you - instead of an even younger demon out of control rampaging around. Sebastian, you will never attempt to cause this specific angel to fall in any way. That is an order!" He finished with great determination.
"Yes, my lord!" The demon said with a bow and a hand over his heart. "However, you did not need to order me. There is no chance of making my lovely mate suffer to cause a weakling angel fall."
With that he tucked an unruly gold lock behind the woman's ear, making her blush as she looked at him. Adoration was so visible in their eyes, that their master made a disgusted sound and waved them to leave him, since his curiosity about Miranda was satisfied enough. He had more important things to think about, like the aftermath of all the revelations about him.
As soon as Sebastian closed the office's door behind him, he pulled Selina in his arms, trapping her in his embrace. "Speaking of my lovely mate suffering... I will not allow even her own self to do so. In short... stop thinking you could have saved Mr. Tanaka. We all know you would do so, if it was truly within your powers. We all have our limitations." He said seriously, reminding Selina how he himself could not bring the dead back to life, as he had informed their master soon after signing the contract.
The woman sighed. "I know, but..."
She did not finish, as a gloved finger landed and softly caressed her lips. An honestly caring kiss followed, a further proof of the demon's words, and the woman was left with nothing more to say.
A couple of moments later, they headed downstairs together. Their fingers intertwined as they walked side by side.
And with this... any issues within the Phantomhive household are resolved. As I said, we are getting closer and closer to the end, so I'm wrapping things up as best as I could think. I just hope it is believable enough.
Druitt: I can't tell how I hate his guts, but... I thought he could prove a little useful in the end. I know that his character is not so easily manipulated and he might turn out to be more involved than we can imagine, but... he kind of always gave me the impression that he is mostly barking without biting. It is more than obvious how much he enjoys his noble position and lifestyle, so the idea of how painful for him would be the possibility of being stripped of all this plays a major part on how I see him, and of course... I wanted him to suffer a little 😈. Certainly, Victoria would already know of all his illegal dealings, but for the threat to work, I needed her to perhaps not know all.
Miranda: No one has commented about the changes sometimes happening on Miranda when she is in agony, but I believe everybody wanted an explanation, so here you go. Please, keep it in mind for possible future content.
Snake: Damn... his part made me emotional when writing and now... it was even worse ðŸ˜! It might seem a little too far-fetched that he would thank the killers of his previous family, but... I don't know, I always had the feeling he could forgive everyone he considers family, perhaps because he needed to have a family so much! As for the circus troupe not knowing the entire truth... I strongly believe that. I know I'm probably biased by placing myself in their shoes, but I cannot think they would have knowledge of the materials used in their prosthetics and would be cool about it. Joker's reaction at the revelation showed me no one had a clue. What do you all think?
Till next time! Bye!
