Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/8427745.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      M/M, Other
  Fandom:
      Kuroshitsuji_|_Black_Butler
  Relationship:
      Sebastian_Michaelis/Ciel_Phantomhive
  Character:
      Sebastian_Michaelis, Ciel_Phantomhive, Lau, Finny, Baldroy, Mey-Rin
  Additional Tags:
      Sex, Sexual_Situations, Drugs, Alcohol
  Series:
      Part 1 of Book_of_Secrets
  Stats:
      Published: 2016-10-31 Updated: 2016-12-20 Chapters: 14/? Words: 25254
****** Book of Secrets ******
by Novicecomics
Summary
     Spring of 1889. We follow the 14 year old Earl into the darkest
     depths of the underground on her majesty's order. Secret societies,
     murderous rituals, drugs, and sex will test Ciel's strength more than
     ever. Will he walk away proud or will his resolve be pushed too far
     when left by himself?
     Ciel/Sebastian will be written into chapters 13 and beyond.
***** A Letter from the Queen *****
An early spring chill fell on the Phantomhive manor. The fireplaces were kept
stoked so the mansion was kept warm for the young lord. Everyone was lively as
they worked on their early evening tasks. Finny was in the green house tending
to the plants. In a month they would be moved outside and planted as the
flowers returned around the estate. Baldroy was in the kitchen getting the
ingredients together for the master's supper. Mey-Rin rung out the master's
night gown and the outfit from the day before in the laundry quarters.
Through the long hallways of the Phantomhive estate violin music was heard
playing. The master stood in the music room with the instrument in hand as his
fingers glided along the wood. The bow hummed upon the tight strings and cried
softly as the melody proceeded. A stern looking tutor stood on the other side
of a music stand. The tall woman tapped the stand at every missed note or
breath as Ciel played. Slender fingers danced upon the neck as the song came to
an end. The last piercing note sung out and echoed off the walls as if saying a
final goodbye.
A tall butler stood in the doorway and gave a slight smile as he entered the
room with a cart. "Well played my lord." he complimented. Tanaka made a noise
in agreement from where he sat in the music room. The master had put down his
instrument and stared at his head butler. His look seemed to convey that the
man's input was unwanted. "Today we have a mandarin orange tea paired with
scones and an apricot cream."
Ciel took a seat in a large chair next to a side table so that the butler could
serve him. As the boy drank his tea, Tanaka thanked the music tutor and saw her
out. "I have brought this quarters reports to your study. I suspect that should
keep you busy until supper is served." Sebastian mused as he attended to the
young lord. "Also, her majesty's butler left this letter for you." Long white-
clad fingers held out a letter marked with the royal seal."
"A letter from her majesty?" The boy's interest peeked as he took the envelope.
He opened it up and his eye raced over the page. "Another job assignment." He
said quietly as if muttering the statement to himself. "There's a group of
elite council men that her majesty suspects of elicit activities in the
underground. She requests me to investigate and bring to justice those caught
in any illegal acts."
"Sounds rather beneath you if I may say my lord. Shouldn't the queen's police
be the ones to investigate the matter?" The demon's face fell as his interest
in the case flickered out. Already it sounded too cut and dry.
"I suspect she wants to keep it secret. If the yard got mixed up in this the
news papers would have a time of it." Ciel's voice was laced with an
uninterested boredom as well. What if he hadn't convinced the queen that he was
still fit to be her guard dog in the under world? He winced at the thought of
it. Maybe this was her way of saying he was being demoted. Though wouldn't she
just cut him off completely?
"Your schedule is clear this evening. Would you like to start on the case
tonight after supper?"
"Yes. I would like to make quick work of this. The queen sent a few names with
the letter. Figure out where most of them spend their time by tonight."
"Yes sir. I'll make sure everything is ready for tonight." A devilish smile
crossed the butler's face as he crossed his heart and gave a small bow to the
boy in front of him. A slight red glinted in his eyes before straightening
himself. He picked up the dishes and cleaned the table as the master left for
his study.
Upon entering the kitchen with the dirty dishes he found Baldroy and a very
overcooked meal. The air smelled of burnt food and the walls were scorched.
"Heya Sebastian! I had this great idea for how to make the stove cook faster
but I guess I still need to iron out a few kinks. Don't worry I'll have
everything in order by the time sup-" The blond man was silenced as Sebastian
rolled up his sleeves with an exasperated look.
"There isn't much time before supper. You've ruined the roast I had planned
tonight." The raven haired butler pulled out some ingredients from the cupboard
and icebox. He started to grease a pan as Baldroy angrily mumbled away to
himself about how no one else bothered to recognize innovation. "If you're just
going to be bitter channel your energy into washing those dishes and cleaning
up your mistake."
The chief got to work on the dishes as Sebastian started to mix together eggs,
cream, and a few vegetable he had diced. The two men worked in silence as the
food was readied. It wasn't until the meal was in the oven that Sebastian left
the cooking to the chief. "Keep an eye on it and don't do anything." were the
instructions he was left with. Before even leaving the kitchen a sudden scream
filled the manor.
Sebastian walked in on Mey-Rin slamming the master's night shirt into the wall
and on the floor. A fire blazed upon the fabric. The butler picked up a vase
sitting on top of the fireplace and poured it out onto the gown. The once white
garment laid upon the floor with burnt fabric, holes, dust, dirt, dirty water,
and now flowers on it. "I didn't mean to do it!" Screeched the redhead. "I
wanted to be sure the master's robes were ready in time for bed. I know how
cold it can get at night and wanted them to be extra warm for him. Yes I did! I
thought hanging his clothes next to the fireplace would be perfect. But then it
fell off the mantle and into the fire." She shrunk away as she said the last
part.
He picked up what was left of the gown and looked it over. "Even I couldn't
save this." He mumbled. "I'll have to go to town and pick up another." He
frowned and tutted at the mess. "Mey-Rin clean this up." He spun on his heels
and walked out the door while adding "and take down the others before the same
happens to them." The ditzy maid watched him walk away before hurriedly pulled
the other clothes off the mantle.
The trip to town took longer than what Sebastian was hoping. He had gotten
there quick enough but the tailor required far too long to sew the clothes
together. There was no helping it. The master had a level of quality that
couldn't be rushed. He was entitled to it though, after all he was a
Phantomhive.
No sooner did the butler step onto the Phantomhive property before he heard
Finny crying. He checked his pocket watch and winced as he rushed over to the
gardener. The man opened the greenhouse doors and was met with a frightening
chill. The whole building was frozen over and most of the plants had frostbite.
"SEBASTIAN!" Finny cried as more tears streamed down his wet face. "The flowers
looked a little dry so I watered them but I used too much. I tried to air it
out to get rid of the extra water but they accidentally froze! I killed 'em
sir!" The little blond boy whined.
"Take this to the master's room. I shall deal with this." The pale man closed
all the doors and windows and started to go to work. "Some of the more exotic
ones are dead, but these rose bushes seem to be fine. We'll replace the dead
ones with these and have a rose garden this year." The dead plants were pulled
out and tossed aside for Finny to dispose of later. Sebastian cut off a handful
of stems from the living rose plants. It would be quite the process but they
would have just enough rose bushes ready to be planted once the weather
permitted.
Eventually all the planters were filled and the stems were situated so that
they would grow into their own bushes. Sebastian brushed himself off, fixed his
outfit, and went to the study to fetch the master. There he found Ciel at his
desk writing a letter in response to the reports he had gotten from his
companies. "Supper awaits young master." Sebastian informed.
***** First Impressions *****
Chapter Summary
     Ciel and Sebastian track down one of the names on the Queens list.
     Meeting him will open up doors to mysterious places and challenges.
Sebastian slid a thick jacket onto the young lord's tiny frame. The proud boy
grabbed his cane before leaving his estate. Large redwood doors swung open as
the butler escorted Ciel out. The carriage was waiting for them. Two strong
black horses pulled the Phantomhive cart away from the mansion. A light snow
started to fall leaving muddy tracks as the master and his ever loyal butler
faded away into the cold night. The fires that warmed the mansion and shone
bright disappeared into the dark landscape.
The raven hair boy sat inside near a metal container with hot coals that heated
the air inside for him. Sebastian sat outside driving the carriage. The snow
didn't seem to touch the demon as they rushed off. "I've reviewed the list of
names given to me by her majesty and found a few places that they frequent. Two
of which should be out right now near the docks. They're frequent visitors to a
certain opium den we keep tabs on."
"We shall be giving Lau a visit tonight." Ciel said as he poured over the pages
Sebastian had prepared. The lives of those in power were rather dull to the
teen. It was all the same. The public face in the light of day then drugs and
alcohol when the populace wasn't looking. How bored does one have to be to
resort to the paid pleasures to get their jollies? His bright blue eye drifted
away from the pages to look out the window. The forest rushed by as the cart
bumped along the path. His thoughts grew distant.
The cart arrived at the dock near the Indian ships. Lau's establishment wasn't
far from there but it was a bit of a walk. Sebastian opened the door and helped
his master down. Before they could start down the ally, a familiar figure
caught the Earl's eye. "Inspector Randall?" A tall grey haired man walked
towards the boy.
"What do you think you're doing in this district at night, boy?" Asked the
Scotland yard inspector. "Only people who are up to no good are here at night."
"Does that mean you are too or are you just here to waste my time?" Ciel
sneered. "You're out of your league here. This is my domain. You best leave
now."
"One of these days that attitude will land you under my care Earl Phantomhive."
The man retorted as he walked off. "Keep out of my way tonight."
"That's my lord's line." Sebastian said with a sly grin as he escorted his
master into the dark allies. "With him around I suspect only problems." the
butler sighed.
The two men arrived quickly at an abandoned building and took some worn stone
stairs down to the cellar. Ciel rapped on the door. A large man dressed in
traditional Chinese robes opened the door and stared down at the boy. "Earl."
He stated. He moved aside and let the pair into the den. He closed and locked
the door behind them and motioned them to continue.
Down a few halls and they arrived at the underground opium den. Lau and Ran-Mao
sat perched on a rather large comfy couch atop a stair case that watched over
the hall. Couches situated around tables were full of people puffing the drug
and settling into their delusions. Groups of working class men and upper crusts
all ignored the world around them as they puffed their way into a perfect life.
"Ah, my dear Earl. I was wondering when I would see you again." Lau started. He
drew a breath from his pipe, tilted his head back, and breathed out. Ran-Mao
squeezed closer to the man as she watched silently. "What can I do for the
great Phantomhive?"
"I'm here on business. There are clients of yours I would like to talk to."
Ciel said as he masked his disgust.
"Oh yes. This matter is quite serious and must be dealt with quickly. We
wouldn't want this to get out now, do we?" He grinned "So what is this about?"
He tilted his head and asked in complete confusion.
"You never know what we're talking about you lout!" Ciel yelled as his hand
clutched his cane turning his knuckles white.
"Do you happen to know if William Anderson or James McColl are here tonight?"
Sebastian asked before Ciel blew up and caused a scene.
"They both frequent here. I believe William is right over there." Lau said as
he half heatedly waved a hand. "Haven't seen James in a while though. Maybe
he's dead?"
Ciel and Sebastian scanned the area motioned to until they found the man. "Lau,
the Scotland Yard is snooping around here tonight. You best be smart and not
get caught." Ciel stated as he turned to meet the man he was tracking.
"What's this? Does the great Ciel Earl Phantomhive care about an opium dealer?"
Lau smiled and mused.
"No I don't. Having you around means that I don't have to go far to find
people. I value the convenience." Ciel scoffed as he strode away.
"Well said my lord." Sebastian chimed. A slight smile played across his face.
"Shall we?"
The pair walked over to the man they were looking for. "William Anderson?" Ciel
half asked half demanded. The man looked up as if dazed out of a dream. Groggy
and not all there. "I am Cie-"
A loud banging came from the end of the hall where the pair had entered. The
sound of people rushing the place echoed. Some patrons reacted and started to
panic. A few were so out of it they were simply relaxing in the couches.
"They're here already?" asked Ciel. He looked back to where Lau had been. Both
he and Ran-Mao were long gone. "Sebastian we're getting out. Grab Will." Ciel
demanded. Sebastian grabbed the man and lead both him and Ciel up the stairs
and down a few halls. They rushed away with the sound of police raiding the
building behind them. They came to an open window a few stories up looking over
the back streets. Sebastian jumped out of the window with no hesitation. Ciel
climbed into the frame.
"Jump my lord." Sebastian said from five floors down. The disoriented man was
sitting next to him confused and scared. Ciel pushed off from the frame and
flew through the air. The cold snow pierced his face as he fell through the wet
night air. He landed in the butler's arms. They heard a few men running over to
them from around the building. Sebastian placed Ciel in one arm and grabbed the
parliament member by the wrist. He took off running and led the group out of
the area without getting caught. They stopped not too far from the carriage to
carry on without suspicion. The group walked back to the carriage where Randall
was waiting.
"Where have you been?" He bit out. His face conveyed the anger he had.
"I was picking up my guest. Do you think it wise to speak to a noble like that?
I can easily see to it that you be unemployed." Ciel retorted haughtily.
Sebastian opened the door for the two men and watched Randall search for his
words.
"You're in on this. I know it. You so much as put a foot out of place I will
have my men on you quicker than a horse can run." He yelled as he watched the
carriage rush off into the night.
 
"Wow! You really saved me back there!" William piped up once far enough away.
"Who am I to thank for this?" The man beamed looking for a name. Ciel was about
to speak but was interrupted by his butler. "This is my master, Earl
Pennyworth." The teen was about to retort but Sebastian continued. "My master
recognized you and wanted to make your acquaintance. There's no need for the
yard to ruin the fun."
Ciel caught on to what Sebastian was doing. He didn't understand but Sebastian
was never wrong. "That's right. I'm a big fan of those who work in our
government. Never thought I'd get the change to have a little fun with someone
as important as you." He swallowed his pride as he talked. "Too bad the den was
raided though."
"Fun? That's all? There's so many places better than the den. Let me repay you
and take you to the real party Pennyworth!" The man laughed. His mind didn't
seem to be quite there. They talked as the man gave directions to Sebastian to
a large manor outside the city limits. The three traveled through the cold
spring night as the snow continued to fall even more vigorously than before.
A few hours of idle chat and listening to the man brag, they came upon the
place. A large well lit manor stood out from the surroundings in the forest far
away from any city Ciel knew of. Carriages covered the grounds and people could
be seen inside having quite the time.
"Is it polite for us to show up like this?" Ciel wondered out loud. Surely
neither of them were dressed for an event like this. Earl Pennyworth wasn't
going to be on any invite list either.
"You'll be fine. You've got me to get you in! It's all about who you know
here." William laughed and proudly puffed out his chest. He was a person who
seemed to love getting in on his title.
The carriage pulled out and Sebastian helped the men out of it. They walked up
to the main doors and William knocked a few times. It was a weird pattern and
someone opened the doors immediately after the last knock. "Name?" Asked three
beautiful ladies dressed in elaborate dresses.
"William Anderson." The man said. "And guest." They looked the two men over and
started to giggle.
"Welcome back Mr Anderson!" The girls swarmed him. "Come in, come in!" The
ladies started to grab at Ciel and escort him in. Sebastian stepped in and kept
their hands off his master. "Oh, no servants." One of the girls said giving the
man a sideways glance.
"He's important to me. I have bad health and need him." Ciel quickly tried.
"No servants. House rule." William echoed. "Sorry, he'll have to wait here."
The man placed a large strong hand on the Earl's back and escorted him into the
manor.
"Wait for my orders." Ciel said to Sebastian as he was rushed inside the large
manor. Sebastian placed his hand on his heart nodded as the doors were shut on
him.
***** The Party *****
Chapter Summary
     Ciel Earl Phantomhive gets his first taste of the Manor's party.
Inside the manor were nearly a hundred woman with painted faces and beautiful
dresses. The woman all but threw themselves at any guest in the manor. Men and
woman of high ranking and important titles drowned themselves in the company of
the show girls. Alcohol flowed fast and free as the upper crust of society got
drunk on wine and attention.
Just inside the door was a table with hundreds of elaborate masks. William
picked one out and two ladies helped put it on for him. "Which on do you
desire?" Asked the third lady. She bent down to look into the Earl's eye. She
smiled a sickly sweet smile as her breasts squeezed against her dress top,
threatening to bust out. "How about this one?" She offered as her tanned hand
glided over to a half face mask that covered one eye.
Ciel took the mask from her hand and looked it over. There was a twisted smile
on the porcelain face. Blue gems fell from the eye. The smiling face wept in
pain from the missing eye. The mask was slowly slid out of the Earl's hand.
Tender hands placed it upon his face over his eye patch and tied the ribbons in
the back of his head. It felt cold on his cheeks.
"Come Earl! Let's enjoy the night." William said as he was pulled into the
manor by the two ladies who drooled over him. The third gently touched the
boy's hand and lead him in that way. They entered a large hall dressed up as an
elaborate ballroom. It was bright with glass and jewels shinning everywhere. A
fire was blazing off on the side near a tower of wine glasses and a table of
food. The orange light glinted in the hundreds of glasses giving the room a
warm glow. There were people everywhere. Woman dressed in desirable ways and
men in suits. Their jackets unbuttoned and a few with exposed chests. Woman
pawed at them, fingers dancing on skin, lips pressed upon them.
A stage was set up in the back of the room. It was draped in scarlet and gold
satin curtains. Woman of all walks of life danced for the guests. They wore
nothing more that what appeared to be overly dazzling underwear. Jewels, gems,
necklaces, and rings adorn the ladies as they moved in seductive ways. A group
of people crowded around and cheered as the ladies paired up and draped
themselves over one another. Skin rubbed against skin as their hands
seductively ran over the others.
Music played loudly in the hall. It was faster than most ball music. Ciel was
busy trying to take everything in. He barely noticed when a glass was slipped
into his hand. He looked down to a large champagne glass of some alcohol he's
never seen. The beautiful girl who greeted him at the door smiled seductively
as she let go of the glass. She lead the Earl to a couch pushed against the
wall. She seated the boy before she started to shrug off her shawl. The piece
of fabric fell to the floor while the Earl watched. She untied her sash and let
the beautiful maroon dress fall to the floor as well. The fabric pooled around
her tan legs. She stepped out of the circle in jewel covered underwear.
As the lovely entertainer started to climb onto the Earl's lap a gloved hand
fell upon her shoulder. A waiter with slick black hair smiled down at her. "A
guest has requested your company." Said the waiter. The lady looked back to the
boy in front of her and bowed a slight apology as she grabbed her garments and
walked towards the man who was pointed out by the waiter.
"About time Sebastian." Ciel said while handing his glass to the tall man.
"Apologies my lord. Getting in was more difficult than I had thought." Ciel
shot his butler an uninterested look. "Seems that this is what's called a host
club. It's where the rich get all their pleasures. Women, alcohol, even drugs
as well."
"It's a gross misuse of time and money." The boy sneered. He stood up and
surveyed the room once again. Will was unrecognizable in the wave of masked
faces. The only ones who could be seen were the entertainers. "Do you see any
of the other Parliament members?"
"Even I can't see through masks, my lord." Sebastian started to walk towards
the champagne tower with the master in tow. A few ladies started to stare at
the two men. A look of confusion crossed their faces. "Seems like a bad time to
stay together." Sebastian mused.
"I'll call upon you later." Ciel said as he started towards a table with a
large bottle and glasses. Sebastian nodded and walked on to serve more drinks
to other patrons.
"A different taste?" asked one girl next to the table Ciel had wandered to.
"It's okay. We cater to all here. If you want you can choose any member for the
chamber. Not just the performing ones." She smiled.
"WHAT!?" Ciel shouted. "That's disgusting!" he continued in protest.
"Only in society. You're free to be yourself here." The ebony girl walked to
the table and grabbed the bottle. She poured two glasses and handed one to the
boy. "If you insist though I'll be your escort tonight." She flashed a smile.
The two sat down on a plush couch. She sat rather close to the teen.
"Oh, thank you." Ciel pushed out. He swirled the liquid and stared at it. It
was some rather hard whiskey. He could smell how strong it was.
"My name's Cordelia." She smiled and placed her free hand on the boy's thigh.
"What brings you to the manor tonight?"
"Oh uh, I heard about it from an acquaintance. Sounded like my kind of fun."
Ciel's fingers traced a circle on the cold glass in his hand.
"Really? You don't seem to enjoy the music or performance." Cordelia's hand
slowly ran up the Earl's leg. "Did you come for the other entertainment?" Her
hand rested on the teen's crotch and caressed him. Ciel quickly took a sip of
his drink to distract himself. The alcohol stung his throat as he swallowed
more than he meant to.
"There's more to this place, isn't there?" He inquired wanting to move away
from the moment.
"I was hoping you would ask." Cordelia stood up and placed her glass on the
table. "Would you like a few minutes, a few hours, or a very long night
master?" She smiled and teasingly unbuttoned the first button on her night
shirt. The jewels on it twinkled as they moved against the light.
"Who's this guest?" Interrupted a tall blond man. He walked up behind the show
girl and stared at Ciel. "I don't recognize him." The large man dressed in a
well pressed suit looked him over. "I'm Edward. I'm the one who hosts these
parties." He held out a hand to the boy.
Ciel took it in his own and gave a strong handshake. "I am Earl Pennyworth.
William brought me here tonight. Said there was quite the party."
"You'll have to forgive my rudeness, my lord. We're having a closed party
tonight." The large man looked down at the boy through think circular glasses.
His grey eyes conveyed his seriousness. "I'll send you an invite to the next
open house party. Pennyworth, right?"
Cordelia quickly grabbed the Earl by the hand and helped him off the couch.
"I'll be sure to see him out!" She piped in. The dark skinned lady covered the
ballroom quickly with Ciel close behind. "I'm sorry, sir. If the master of the
manor doesn't see you as fit company than you should keep far away from him."
The woman stood in front of the Earl in the foyer. She leaned in and undid the
boy's mask taking it off slowly. Her hazel eyes scanned his face as the mask
came off. "Please avoid the master." Cordelia pleaded. The doors opened for the
Earl to leave. "Don't come back."
The large oak doors closed leaving the Earl in the now white world covered in
snow and ice. The world was dead silent. His heart beat faster as he took in
what had happened. Sebastian stood behind the master as if always having been
there.
"Your orders?" He asked patiently.
"We'll go back home for now. I have some research to do." Ciel said faintly as
if still lost in the party.
The world turned white around him and the snowy forest blurred into nothingness
from his warm carriage. The whole world seemed to fade away as if never
existing.
***** A Lady Named Celeste *****
Chapter Summary
     Ciel is forced to go undercover alone to catch the parliament members
     at play.
The late afternoon sun shone through the drapes in Ciel's bed chamber. The Earl
lifted his head off the satin pillow and looked around weary eyed. His blue
eyes fluttered open to find the fire freshly stoked. The room was comfortably
warm. Near the window Sebastian sat in a chair reading a novel. His dark eyes
lifted up and looked at his young master.
"I see you're finally awake. The staff will be happy to hear." He closed his
book and placed it inside his jacket. He stood up and walked over to the boy.
He started to grab the boy's clothes for the day and dress him.
"Why did you not wake me on time? I will not tolerate this lazy behavior." Ciel
scolded.
"Nothing could get you up, my lord. It's been two days since you passed out in
the carriage." Sebastian responded while slipping a sock on the boy's leg. "We
were worried. A doctor said you would be fine and wake up soon."
"Two days!?" Ciel gasped in surprise. "Why was I asleep so long?"
"A drug. It's very rare. The side effects are that you pass out and become
unresponsive for hours, even days on end." Ciel gripped at his stomach as his
mind raced. What did he remember? There was a party with loud music and woman
who performed. Everything was a blur of alcohol and an orange light.
"Edward..." Ciel whispered to himself. "I remember someone named Edward." His
blue eyes stared up at Sebastian silently asking if he could fill in the
blanks.
"I'm sorry, my lord. I don't know who you speak of. I know you were escorted
out of the party by a lady after taking a drink." A heavy formal jacket was
tugged onto Ciel's slender frame to complete his outfit. His head spun and his
stomach ached. He faltered his first step and fell into Sebastian. "It appears
that the drug is still effecting you. Would you like to sit down for a minute?"
"No. I'll be fine." Ciel straightened himself and walked down the halls of his
manor. "I would like a meal."
"It will be ready soon."
 
 
After a quick meal Ciel sat in his study pouring over the letter from the queen
and the research Sebastian had prepared. All of the names on the list had
chunks in their schedules where they disappeared outside of town often. Was it
possible all of them went to the mansion? Ciel held his aching head as he tried
to recall the night. There were many people who all looked to be of nobility.
Some were bound be have important positions. "How can we see under the masks to
know who is who?" Ciel wondered out loud.
"It seems that at those parties very few get to know the guests by name."
Sebastian chimed in. "I did some research while blending in. Most of the staff
say that only the lady entertainers ever get to see guests with their masks
off. The master of the manor can request it as well, but that hardly seems to
happen."
"So we work inside just like the circus. You can work as a butler for them once
again and learn more. I'm sure a few names would slip." Ciel mused.
"That would be nearly impossible, sir. I can't very well go around pulling
masks off. They would know something was afoot." Sebastian placed a fresh tea
on the desk for his master as he continued. "If we could get a show girl in
there though. That would be our ticket. I know just the lady." He smiled as he
said the last part.
"We're not using Elizabeth or Mey-Rin." Ciel scolded.
"No, not them. I had a certain raven in mind. You passed once before and we can
have you on the floor easily. With your age they won't expect too many curves
yet. You'll have a better chance of interacting with guests and learning their
identities easily."
"If you think you're getting me back in that bloody corset again," Ciel barked.
"I will make you wear the maid outfit for the rest of your life!"
"How else would we get what we need?" Sebastian suggested. "Besides, I thought
the queen would like her dog dressed up." He smirked.
"What did you!?" Ciel yelled. "I'm not wearing a bloody dress!"
"Alright. We'll just wait for Earl Pennyworth's invite back to the manor and
ask ever guest what their name is." Sebastian shrugged and walked towards the
door.
Ciel's face contoured into an ugly frown as he bit his lip. "Fine, but only
long enough to catch the parliament men. I'll point them out to you and you'll
snap a picture of them in the act. I'll corner them later and deal with this
situation."
 
 
The evening was setting in and the setting sun shone down on the mostly melted
snow. The forest surrounded the hidden manor with a dull brown sea. The path
there was muddied and worn. Sebastian left the carriage far out of sight. The
two men walked down the road, covering their shoes with mud. As they approached
the manor Sebastian stayed behind hidden by the trees and watched Ciel. The
young boy walked up the stairs alone and nervously knocked on the door.
"Hello?" Answered a thick older woman. She seemed to be in her late 50s and
wore more weight than a baker's wife. "What do you need?" She snapped at the
teen.
"I, uh, I heard that I could find employment here." Ciel said. His hands
gripped at the yards of royal blue fabric that loosely wrapped around him.
Black lace scratched at his arms and chest. A long black wig pulled back into a
braid tickled the back of his shoulder blades. "This is where young ladies
come, isn't it?" He tried again.
"You're too good for this." The woman mused. "Turn around and go back to your
middle class life." She started closing the door on Ciel.
"Wait!" Ciel insisted. "I have nothing to go back to. No family. No house. I
need this job."
"What happened?" The woman pried. She opened the door further and looked Ciel
over. She seemed unconvinced.
"A fire." Ciel mumbled. "A fire burned my home down. My parents were in the
house. They didn't make it." His blue eye looked up at the woman. "I was the
only one left."
"You'll be expected to work hard." The woman responded. She nodded her head
motioning the teen in. The heavy doors closed behind him. Ciel noticed the
tables and masks from that night were gone. The entrance was just as normal as
his own. The overweight woman walked up the stairs and started on her way down
a hall. "Keep up." she groaned.
Ciel quickly fallowed after her as he took the mansion in. Everything looked
regal and rather normal. No trace of wild parties or half naked women. They
walked down the hall and took another staircase. This one brought them to the
top floor of the manor. This was obviously the servant's quarters. The walls
were under embellished and the rooms seemed much closer together.
"You ever work?" The lady asked. "You look too noble."
"I've run papers for the news and sold flowers on the street corner." Ciel
lied.
"Easy jobs in comparison. No experience. All you got going for you is your
looks. Lucky you're cute."
"Name?"
"Cie-" Ciel stopped and thought it over. "Celeste" He continued.
"Well Cie-Celeste" She ruthlessly taughted him. "get used to this quick or
you're out." She opened the second to last door on the left. "Sarah, Cordelia,
we've got another one. You're training Celeste here." The older woman said as
she pushed Ciel into the room. The quarters was no more than a closet three
beds pushed together.
The large woman shoved Ciel into the tiny room and left, slamming the door
behind her. His blue eye looked the girls over. They wore short silken night
shirts. Long knee socks adorned their legs and showed off the slight bends in a
graceful way. "You look like you come from a good home." Sarah commented as she
walked over and looked Ciel over. "Can't imagine why you would chose to be
here."
Cordelia crossed the closet sized room. "What pretty blue eyes. If only you'd
move your hair out of the way." Her dark hand reached up to brush the hair out
of Ciel's face. He quickly grabbed the lady's hand in panic.
"I, uh, have a bad burn there." he tried.
"Best keep that scar hidden then. No one'll want you." Sarah said in a grossed
out tone of voice. She started running a brush through her long blonde curls.
"Ain't no place here for you." She said more into the mirror on the wall than
to Ciel.
"I have to agree. No one of your standing would ever want to be here." Cordelia
stepped back and eyed the beautiful gown around Ciel's frame.
"I don't have any standing. I just need somewhere with a roof and some food."
"Even a place like this would look attractive if that's all you ask. I remember
feeling like that." Cordelia took Ciels hand and stared into his eye. "I'll
watch over you." A spark shown behind her eyes.
"First thing is you have to ditch that outfit." Sarah started. "No only likes a
girl who flaunts being better off. Certainly not our master." The blonde girl
started rifling through the tiny dresser and pulled out a dark blue gown much
like what they were wearing. She held it out to Ciel and looked it over.
Ciel grabbed the gown and looked at the two girls. "Where may I change?"
"Right here dummy." Sarah answered slightly confused by the question. "We can
help you outta that mess of ribbon and lace."
"Tha-that's quite alright!" Ciel snapped. "I'll find a bathroom or something."
"Embarrassed? You'll have to get used to showing off that body quick here."
Sarah started unlacing the back of the dress and undoing the buttons. The
fabric folded under her touch and slowly revealed his pale porcelain skin. "A
beauty through and through." She whispered. "You'll be a popular one."
Ciel's hands clasped at the falling fabric and tried to hold it up. They
couldn't find out already that he wasn't a girl. He couldn't blow his cover
already. Worst yet is if he was found out and shamed the Phantomhive name.
Sweat grew on his brown as his mind raced. He tried to come up with a story. It
was no use. In a skimpy gown like that he'd be found out instantly.
The hair on his neck stood straight as Sarah started tugging the dress down.
"Hey, you gotta change if you want to work here. This is our daily uniform. You
don't get the flashy stuff unless there's a party to tend." Sarah started
tugging harder at the fabric. "I'll tear this off you if I need to!"
"Please stop!" Ciel shouted as he fought against the grip. Cordelia joined in
and started tugging at the front of the dress.
"You do have to change! You might as well get used to us seeing you first
before performing for the guests." The two girls were much stronger than Ciel.
He knew they would derobe him quickly at this rate. He tried to move away and
gain a bit of ground on them. He could rush to the nearest washroom and make up
an excuse later.
His foot got caught in the dress that was pooling on the floor around him. He
slipped and crashed into one of the beds. The dress was pulled off him enough
to expose his chest and stomach to the two girls. "Eh, flat chested huh?" Sarah
smirked and laughed. "No wonder you like that dress. It at least gives you a
bit of a curve there."
"Good luck getting any jobs with those flat things!" Cordelia jested. "Even
with lace and ribbons to distract the eye no guy will request your service."
The two girls started laughing as hard as they could while Ciel grasped at the
fabric and brought it up around him. Sure he wasn't a girl but did these two
have to give him such a hard time.
"Hey Celeste, you sure you're a girl?" Sarah poked. "You're so flat you'd be
better off passing as a paper boy."
"We'll have to stuff your gown a bit before you perform." Cordelia offered as
she leaned over Ciel. "Let's finish this before the madam comes back." Her long
fingers reached out of the dress once more.
***** Enter the Manor *****
Chapter Summary
     Ciel learns more of the manor and prepares for his first night
     undercover.
A knock sounded from the door. Both the girls looked up as the wooden door
opened. Ciel took the moment to grasp at the fabric trying to cover himself
more. A familiar man with slicked back black hair walked in. "Sorry for the
intrusion," the man started, "but meals are ready." He smiled as he stepped
aside. The two girls quickly stood up.
"Hurry up Celeste. All the good food will be gone if we wait!" Sarah started to
tug on Ciel's upper arm.
"That's quite alright. I'll take care of the new girl." The tall man said as he
waved the girls off. They both ran out the room and down the hall. The door
shut behind them leaving the familiar hired help with Ciel on the floor.
"Honestly sir, what would you do without me?" Sebastian sighed while stooping
over the boy.
"I had everything under control." Ciel lied as he regained his composure. Red
eyes narrowed as they looked him over. A disappointed frown crossed Sebastian's
pale face. This argument would go nowhere quickly.
"Lets get you dressed and in the dinning hall before anyone suspects anything."
White gloved hands made quick work of getting the young Lord out of the dress.
Sad blue eyes watched as if from far away as Sebastian took care of him.
"Forgive my touch, master." Sebastian said as his hands slid down the boy's
naked frame. He tugged up a pair of odd looking underwear. "Keep yourself
tucked well in these and no one will be able to tell from looks alone that
you're not a girl."
Gloved hands touched Ciel intimately as the fabric slid into place and the
illusion was complete. The boy felt his cheeks heat up as his butler caressed
his skin. "How's my mark?" He inquired. Sebastian looked at the burn seal on
his master's back. Red eyes looked over the nearly porcelain skin.
"The make up is doing well to hide it. We'll keep an eye on it though."
Sebastian slid on the soft nearly see through dress over the Earl's skinny pale
body. He watched Ciel move to his touch. The demon could practically taste his
master's emotions. It was tangy and delicious. The fear and pompous entitlement
mixed together and seasoned his meal even more than it already was.
Soft silk fabric hung loosely off the boy's frame. The dark blue only
intensified the color of his eye. His long black hair hung around his face and
offered a harsh contrast against his paper white skin. Sebastian's gloved hand
brushed aside Ciel's bangs. His purple eye shown the contract seal bright as
can be. A thin smile crossed the demon's lips.
"Make quick work of this job." Ciel said in a strong, stern voice. His long
black hair fell into place covering his purple eye as the butler dropped to one
knee.
"Yes, my lord." Ciel walked around his butler and out of the room. Sebastian
watched as his lord ventured forth to face this mission on his own. His eyes
shown with hunger that was nearly unstoppable.
 
Ciel caught up with the other girls just as the meal ended. They pulled him
into an empty ballroom with all the same drapery as the other night. "This is
the main show room." Cordelia stated. "We're to entertain men here with dance,
drugs, and alcohol."
"You know how to serve, don't you?" Sarah snidely asked.
"Of course I do." Ciel snapped back. He was shaky at it but he could at least
pour a cup of alcohol.
"The master of the house is having a party tonight. You won't have time to
prepare or learn to dance. Tonight you will most likely have to make sure the
guests have their pleasures and company." Cordelia listed as she walked to a
couch, spun around, and fell into it. "Now what would you do if I were a
patron?"
"I would-"
"No, no!" Sarah interrupted. "Actually do it! We've got a carafe of water for
alcohol and some left over biscuits for drugs." Her long tanned hand motioned
at a table with a plate and a silver pitcher on it.
Ciel crossed the floor, grabbed the pitcher and tried to pour a glass of water.
He splashed a little out but did a decent job. He carried it in his hand over
to the couch and presented it to Cordelia. "Points for trying." Cordelia
halfheartedly said.
"Like this dummy." Sarah shouted. She poured a graceful glass and sauntered
over to Cordelia on the couch. She took the extra time to swing her hips side
to side. She sat on the couch draping herself off the dark skinned girl as she
placed the glass in the other's hand. "Everything has to be seductive. You have
to entice the guests."
"Yeah, you won't stay here long if you can't even do that much."
"Looks like Celeste here is gonna need all evening to practice." The two girls
sighed and demanded Ciel try again. The three of them worked hard for hours on
end trying to get Ciel ready for the night. By the end of it Ciel was able to
master pouring the water. The madam of the manor had dropped by during practice
to leave a few rude remarks and a large white box for Ciel.
 
The sun had set and the manor was buzzing with activity. The ladies were
setting up the entrance. Cordelia and Sarah had taken Ciel up to their shared
room. They had opened the box left to Ciel. Inside was a beautiful royal blue
outfit. There was a top that covered Ciel's curve-less breasts with blue jewels
and silver chains. A long blue skirt with a silk ribbon was adorn with even
more jewels and silver chains. Coins draped around the hips and layers of see
through blue chiffon and a long silk ribbon to adorn the front and hide what
lay between the wearer's legs.
"Sarah and I are greeting tonight." Said Cordelia. "Get changed, report to the
madam for assignment, then meet us in the entrance." The girls quickly threw on
their costumes as if it was second nature. Ciel stood back and watched them tie
ribbons and put the jewelry on themselves with no help or problems. The two
girls rushed out the room leaving nothing but a blur of shinning objects and
clear fabric.
Ciel closed the door behind them and started taking the pieces out of the box.
They looked very different from the outfits the others were wearing. He slid
the thin black straps of the silk gown he was wearing off his slender pale
shoulders and let the gown fall to the floor and pool around his feet. He
stepped out of the soft blue ocean of silk and grabbed the first piece out of
the box.
It looked simple enough. He turned it around and found a latch on the back of
it. "Like a backwards coat." He mused. He slid the dark blue straps onto his
arms and held the garment against his chest. It sat awkwardly and pronounced
just how flat he was. His arms twisted backwards and he tried to hook the top
together. No luck. He folded his arms over themselves and tried reaching over
his shoulders to do it. No luck either. He put them under themselves to reach
behind his back and up. He couldn't get the hooks together. He tore off the top
and tossed it onto the bed in rage.
He picked up the skirt from the box and the fabric fell to the floor. The see
through skirt floated through the air. The silk ribbon stayed in his hand as he
bit his lip while contemplating just how much he hated this outfit. He slid the
chiffon over his legs and watched it fall back down. It didn't fit him and
wasn't even close to clinging to his small frame. This wasn't going to work.
A laugh came from behind him. Ciel spun on his heels to see a waiter with his
black hair slicked back. "Are you so lost that you can't so much as dress
yourself?" Sebastian's lips curled. "There's no need to nobility to dress
themselves I guess." The tall mad kneel down and picked up the chiffon skirt.
The fabric scratched against the Earl's perfect skin as it ascended. Sebastian
placed on hand on the boy's hips to hold it there as his other hand grabbed the
ribbon out of the small porcelain hands. Gloved hands twisted the ribbon around
the boy's small waist and tied it so that the extra fabric fell between the
boy's legs.
Sebastian took the top off the bed and instructed Ciel to hold out his hands.
He slid the garment up the boy's arms once again and seamlessly hooked the top
together. Blue laced straps were put in their place. Sarah had left some
stuffing for Ciel on her bed. The boy worked on that as Sebastian continued to
work on the outfit itself. A smaller white box of fine jewelry sat inside the
large box on the bed. Sebastian placed necklaces, bracelets, and rings on the
boy. Toe rings adorn the boy's bare feet and an anklet latched to one with a
thin silver chain.
A head dress rested in the last box of Ciel's outfit. Three rows of silver
chains linked to a blue gem every few inches around his head. More gems and
chains covered the side of his face that was already covered by his banks. The
outfit was complete. The boy looked exotic and gleamed like a gem of his own.
The two took a minute to look everything over. It was all put on right and
everything was well tied. As long as no patrons got too hands-on the illusion
would be well kept. "Sneak out and don't be seen. Keep an eye on the guests and
listen for anything helpful. You are to report if you see anyone we're looking
for." Ciel instructed.
Ciel left the room and walked down the hall. The last door before entering the
rest of the manor was the Madam's room. He knocked on it and waited. He could
feel just how bare he was. Nearly every inch of him was exposed. "About time!"
The old woman spat. "I saw your practice and would love to get rid of you, but
the master has decided otherwise. Our master, Edward, has asked for you to
escort him tonight. You will be at his side. Don't you dare step out of line."
She bit.
The woman walked down the halls with the bare-footed Ciel following close
behind. "Don't speak about you. Follow orders and for god's sake don't mess up
his drink." She frowned and looked the small boy over. "You're an
embarrassment." The fat woman opened the door to a rather extravagant room and
pushed Ciel inside. "Wait for him like a good girl."
As soon as the door was closed Ciel started to sneak around the room. It was
covered in only the finest fixtures and fabrics. It had to be the master's
personal room. He dug around in the desk and closet. All he found was mundane
clothes. He opened the drawers on the bedside tables and only found a few
things here and there. A bottle of pills, a small bottle of expensive alcohol,
a bottle of what looked to be thick water.
The only thing the Earl could find that was odd was the fireplace. Only the
multitude of candles in the room were lit and the fireplace was unused. The
door swung open as Ciel stood on his tip toes trying to see if there was
anything concealed atop the mantle. "Oh my, you are quite the beauty." A tall
blond man stated. He walked into the room and let the door close itself. "I saw
you today and just knew you'd look ravishing in this outfit." He smiled and
stretched his hand.
Ciel tentatively placed his hand in the man's and watched as Edward's greasy
lips kissed the back of it. He had to bite his lips to keep from making a
disgusted sound. "Oh! Where are my manors?" The tall man burst. "I am the
Bishop of Lincoln Angelical church, Edward King."
"I am Celeste. Thank you for letting me work for you."
"AH! A beauty and polite. You must have come from an upper crust family!" King
beamed with delight. "I would love if you'd let me get to know you, Celeste."
He moved past her to a table with a couple chairs set around it. A large bottle
of wine sat upon it and two glasses were already poured for them. "Please join
me in a drink." he held a glass out to Ciel as he invited her to sit.
Ciel crossed over with the fabric of his outfit flowing around him. A small
pale hand took the wine glass. He thanked the man before taking a small sip.
His piercing blue eye watched as Edward sat back in his chair. The man started
to ramble on about the church and his work.
***** Behind the Mask *****
Chapter Summary
     The manor proves to be more than Ciel can handle alone.
The party downstairs was in full swing. The ballroom was already full of
guests. The girls danced and hosted while watching the guests drink and take
pills provided to them on silver platters. The music was loud and the fireplace
tinted the whole night in a warm orange glow. Dozens of girls walked around
with alcohol, pipes, powders, and liquids in tow. Jewels glinted in the fire's
light and enticed those who watched.
Sebastian walked around the floor with large alcohol bottles in hand. The
butler went around replacing the empty ones. He scanned both the guests and the
girls. He saw William already, but knowing him made it easy to spot him. Not to
mention he was a loud patron. Sebastian's red eyes scanned the girls as they
swung their hips and draped themselves upon the guests. Ciel wasn't among the
others yet. However, Sebastian could still sense him in the manor along with
another person.
The butler walked out of the ballroom and started his way back to the kitchen.
He needed more bottles so he could continue to keep the party well stocked. His
proud steps echoed in the long hall. A high pitched scream came from further
down. He watched as a beautiful dark skinned show girl was being dragged down
the hall. Her long black hair was bunched up in one muscular guy's hand while
another had a death grip on the girl's arm.
"Please!" she begged while still panicked and screaming. "Don't do this. I-
I can't!" She struggled in their grip as they continued down the hall. Her
entire body wiggled and fought. The two men didn't even bother looking at her
as she screamed.
 
Ciel's pink lips pressed against the rim of the glass as he drank. The
conversation was boring and by all accounts the master of the manor didn't seem
to care for the same pleasures as his guests. The old blond man just rambled on
and on about his day. The other's in the church did this and he directed them
to work on that. The most interesting thing about the night was the warm room
and the wine in Ciel's hand. He licked his lips after each sip. It tasted
better than much of what he had before.
His blue eye wandered over the man for the hundredth time. His mind lazily
debated what to do with this roach. Would he crush it for the queen? Would he
report him for her judgement? He considered just reporting him to the yard, but
that would lead to investigations and important names being leaked. It was much
more of a headache then it was worth.
"...you?" Edward's last word lingered almost pointlessly in Ciel's ears. He
heard the word but by all means it seemed to have lost all meaning. "Oh my, I
hope I didn't bore you that much." the bishop joked.
"Oh, pardon me. I was lost in thought." Ciel quickly explained. "What did you
say?"
"I was asking what your story was since I was boring you with mine."
"A uninteresting one. I don't think you'd care for it." Ciel's eye wandered
from the smiling man down to the wine glass in his hand. It was empty yet
again. Again? He knew he was drinking it. He remembered that, but how many
times was it emptied by his thirst?
Edward reached over and poured more into the glass. "I would love a story."
Edward pushed further.
"My home burned down." Ciel recounted. He sipped at the wine. This time he
couldn't tell if he just liked the taste that much or if he was turning to it
to dull the pain of past events. "I survived it."
He looked up from the glass and found himself sitting on the man's bed with him
sitting on the chair directly in front of Ciel. The boy was slightly shocked
and tried to put down the glass. The base hit against the side table as shaky
hands worked hard to move. Wine jumped in the glass and some spilled out.
 
A large, empty bottle crashed into the muscular man with the lady's hair
grasped in his hand. The man toppled over releasing the lady. Dark green glass
shattered around him but left the show girl unharmed.
"It's not polite to ignore a lady." Sebastian pointedly said. His deep red eyes
shined as he stared the other man down. The butler threw another bottle down
the hall at the other man. This abductor caught the bottle and another bottle
that came whizzing by just seconds after the first. When the man looked back at
Sebastian, he found the man right in front of him. Sebastian flicked a cork top
at the man's face point blank. The cork top hit the tall man between the eyes
and knocked him out cold. He too fell to the floor after releasing the girl.
"Thank you!" The girl burst out as tears streamed down her face. Hair clung to
her sweat covered brow. She trembled and barely managed to stay standing.
"What was all this about?" Sebastian asked. The butler bent over and started
picking up the glass near the girl he had just saved.
"They were taking me." She replied as if Sebastian should already understand
the situation.
"Not for a midnight stroll, I presume." The butler had the pieces all picked up
by this point and stood back up to look at the girl in front of him.
"They found out I was... you're not gonna take me too, will you?" The girl
suddenly panicked and looked around. No one else was in the hall other than the
two men knocked out next to her. Her panicked brown eyes locked on to the
demon's faint red ones. He stared at her as if he lost all interest and no
longer cared but was too polite to tell her. "I'm pregnant." she finished as if
finding solace in the blank stare of his.
"Why ever would they take you away for that?" Sebastian wondered out loud. He
looked back at the two men who were still knocked out.
"The master of the manor is a religious figure. I always thought it was just
removing pregnant ladies from this life until they delivered." She lowered her
head, hiding behind her long brown hair. "But it's been more than a year since
the first one went missing." Her hands gripped at her skirt as she continued.
"I've asked before about them. I was always shushed by the master and the
madam. Afterwards I was assigned gritter jobs that kept me away from the
others. I was requested more often by the guests." Salty tears ran down her
face as her voice lowered. "They're up to something here. I just don't know
what."
 
Ciel collapsed into the bed behind him. His head spun as his eyes lazily took
in the sight of the room. Everything seemed blurred. His body felt heavy and
numb. He felt the bed bend under a new weight. The sheets folded on themselves
as Edward crawled on top of the boy. His eyes tried to focus on the face in
front of his. One hand pinned the boy down as another ran through Ciel's fake
hair.
"Get off." Ciel weakly bit out. He tried to move away but found that his body
just wasn't working. Edward's large pale hands flowed through the boy's hair
and up to his face. A thumb lingered on the boy's cheek as hungry eyes stared
down at him. The man's long fingers danced on the boy's soft skin.
"Such a beautiful face. Such deep blue eyes." A disgusting smile stretched
across his face as his hand threaded itself through the boy's bangs and brushed
them aside. Ciel quickly closed his eyes in a last ditch effort to conceal his
mark. "Open them for me." The man instructed. Both of his hands laid on the
Earl's face. He pinched the boy's cheeks in frustration and relaid his demand
once again. "Open your eyes!"
Ciel whipped his head to the side trying his best to stop the man on top of
him. Edward slapped the boy across his face. Ciel gasped in pain and surprise.
His eyes opened as if needing to see just to believe what had happened. "How-
how dare you strike me." He tried to sound intimidating as he forced the
sentence out. His head was growing dizzier and his grasp on the world slipped
more every second. The slap only sobered him up for a few seconds.
Grubby hands grasped the Earl's face in them. His head was jerked forward so he
was staring at a face that came in and out of focus. Pale blue, nearly grey,
eyes looked down at him in amazement. "That mark!" Edward proclaimed. "What a
fun toy I've found." His twisted smile strained his face as he took in the
sight of Ciel's purple eye. His hands let go of Ciel's face and let the boy's
head to fall back onto the bed he laid upon. Everything faded to black and the
Earl lost consciousness.
***** The Shadows They Cast *****
Chapter Summary
     Warning: death, blood, violence
"Help me." The pregnant show girl panicked. "Please, sir." Her entire body
shook as she stood baring her fears to the demon in front of her. "I just need
to hide for the night. I'll leave tomorrow morning while everyone is asleep."
She took a hesitant step forward as she pleaded.
"Whatever would you want me for?" Sebastian mused. He had mostly lost interest,
but asking a demon for help always meant something interesting would follow.
His eyebrows raised a bit more as if coaxing her to reveal her request.
"You work in the kitchen. You must know somewhere no one goes! I just need
somewhere to hole up for the next few hours." Her eyes darted behind Sebastian
as another server started to open the doors from the ballroom. The door
squeaked open a few inches before the waiter paused with his back to the two. A
show girl was talking to him. The door closed behind him as the two walked back
into the room with unfinished business. "Please, I don't have much time. I need
help now before anyone else finds out."
"Very well." Sebastian started casually walking past the two men who were still
knocked out. He continued on down the hall as the girl watched. She quickly ran
after him and kept pace. The girl walked so close behind him she was
practically on his coat tails. "Pardon my prying, but you said that this has
gone on for more than a year?"
"Uh, yeah. The first girl was nearly 30. It was Mary Ann. She had worked here
longer than most of us at the time. She'd been knocked up once before, but it
turned into a miscarriage. Edward offered to put her up in a better location
and tend to her until she gave birth." The girl tilted her head down as she
remembered an old friend. "We were all so happy for her, knowing that her child
would receive God's blessings."
"How many others were there?" Sebastian opened an older looking wooden door
that lead down into a musty cellar.
"After her, a few others were taken as well. It was Lisa, age 28, and Joanna,
age 16, they were such sweet girls. Then a few months later the twins Victoria
and Elizabeth conceived. They were the last to go willingly. Around then is
when the rest of us got worried. We weren't allowed to see or talk to the
expectant girls. They let us send letters but we never got any back. Some girls
asked about it. They were the first ones to go missing who weren't carrying.
Antoinette and some fairly new girl that I never got to know. We woke up one
day and they just weren't there. The madam said they ran away. I don't believe
it. All their belongings were still in their room."
"Pregnancy seems quite rampant around here." Sebastian pointed out.
"Well, it's to be expected whenever you sell sex." The girl looked up at the
man in front of her. "I know the male staff are supposed to be out of the loop
on that, but so many already know." Confusion was portrayed in her voice.
Surely he had to have known.
"A brothel?" Sebastian was amused once again.
"Among other things."
The two crept into a small room with bags upon bags of dried plants and rice.
"I noticed earlier that no one comes down here unless necessary. If you keep
quite and hide in the corner whenever you hear someone coming you'll be fine."
"A bit dark." She mused she walked to a tight corner between two stacks of
dried food. She wiggled her small frame between them and squished down. The
girl brought her legs up to her chest and looked around. Her eyes slowly
adjusted to the dusty surroundings. "Can you place one of those empty bags on
top of me?"
Sebastian grabbed a few of the burlap sacks and draped them over the girl. He
could see through the guise easily, but then again his sight was much better
than any human's. If someone were to just walk in, grab a sack, and walk out,
the girl would be unnoticed. "Will this be adequate, ma'am?"
The girl stayed quite. The smell of salt water hung loosely in the air,
tickling the demon's nose. She was crying under the sacks. She nodded and the
sacks shifted a bit from the movement. "Alice." She strained to say it. "My
name is Alice."
"Goodbye, Alice. I fear our paths may never cross again." He nodded a little
and turned on his heels. The door clacked close behind the man as he left her
alone in the dark.
Sebastian made his way back up the stairs into the main part of the manor. "The
master will be interested in this information." He mused. "At any rate, he'll
be furious to find out this place doubles as a brothel." The butler walked down
the hall towards the kitchen. He closed his eyes as he moved. His focus was on
finding Ciel. He didn't sense the Earl among all the others in the ballroom. He
wasn't in the show girl's quarters either. The demon strained a little as he
focused on the whole of the manor. None of the living souls were that of his
master. Sebastian opened his eyes as he looked up. He'd lost Ciel. He didn't
sense him.
The demon couldn't feel Ciel anywhere on the grounds either. Had the master
been in trouble he was just a word away. How could Ciel have slipped through
his hands?
 
"Good evening." A voice rang out. Sebastian was caught slightly off guard as he
looked towards the source. A tall man with short blond hair smiled and walked
towards him. He held a pale hand up and gave a slight wave towards Sebastian as
the man continued down the hall towards him. "Can't say I remember your name."
The man laughed a bit.
"Good evening, sir. My name is Jonson Smith." Sebastian placed his hand over
his heart and gave a shallow bow to the man. "How can I help you tonight?"
"Astounding! I've had such a polite waiter on staff and never noticed!" The man
gave a large grin and stopped just in front of the butler.
"Only the best servants fit such a great master." Sebastian smiled.
"You sure seem like you're one hell of a servant." Edward King mused. His smile
twisted his face as he watched the demon's reaction.
"I do give my best." Sebastian replied as a smile crossed his lips. His eyes
glowed red as he stared down the man in front of him.
"Show me your seal." Edward demanded as he stood tall trying to intimidate the
butler. "I know you're not one of my servants. I've never seen you before."
"A seal?" Sebastian asked. "For a human you are quite perceptive." Sebastian
transferred a few of the glass bottles he had been carrying around into his
other hand and bit at the top of his white glove. His teeth pulled the fabric
off his long slender fingers. The seal was uncovered and the glove was left
hanging from the man's mouth. He opened his mouth and let the fabric fall from
his sharp teeth as his eyes glowed an even brighter red.
"I suppose this also means that you know where my master is." The man said as
he stared down the bishop. His entire aurora shifted into something much
darker. The shadows behind him swirled and twisted. "If you really are smart
you'll tell me."
"So you can't find her? Even with a link to the girl? How queer that I was
right!" Edward clapped his hands together. His face brightened and the smile
only twisted his face more. "Tell me, does holy water really hurt a demon?" The
bishop asked.
Behind Sebastian a bucket of water was tossed onto him. The two men he had
knocked out earlier were up once again. The water scorched the demon. He bit
his lip to keep from screaming. Having been shot and killed many a time felt
like nothing in comparison. A trickle of blood ran down his chin as his sharp
teeth bared down on his bottom lip.
"Your skin is fizzling. That really must be a pain!" The man squealed in
delight. "Allow me to know more."
The muscular man lashed at Sebastian with a heavy chain. The butler grabbed the
chain in his hand and held it tight. He pulled on it, forcing the attacker to
loose his balance and fly towards the demon. Sebastian reached out with claw-
like nails to impale the man. The tall man threw salt on the man to distract
him. The butler whipped the chain around the other's arm and wrapped the two of
them up. With supernatural strength he slammed the two of them into the wall.
The cement wall buckled and cracked from the force.
"Superb! Silver and salt don't effect him!" Edward rang out happily as he
watched his men be used as a makeshift wrecking ball. Sebastian grabbed the
other end of the chain and snapped them in two different directions. The two
men screamed out as the chains sliced into them. They died instantly from the
force. The chain hung limply from wounds that went nearly all the way through
them. Blood dripped down the silver chain and pooled around them. Some had
splashed onto the surrounding walls, painting the hall with a gruesome scene.
"Such power! How would you like to work for me?" The blond man asked as he
stared at the mostly demonic looking figure in front of him. Piercing red eyes
turned on to the man and pointed heels clicked on the tile floor. Sebastian
walked calmly towards him.
"I don't think I will." Sebastian replied through sharp needle like teeth.
"Oh well. At least I asked first." Edward sighed. He shrugged and walked into a
side room, not seeming to care for the demon advancing on him. He turned around
and watched as the shadows around the dark room shivered in the demon's
presence. "I'll just keep you as a pet." The bishop shrugged.
"I belong to my master. I don't think I'll be looking for a new one any time
soon. Especially not some grotesque worm like you." His heels clicked on the
tiled room before he stopped. He was paralyzed in this room.
"So a devil's trap does work on demons." King walked over to the demon and
pointed up at the ceiling. "Just like a bird in a cage." Sebastian's red eyes
stared at a crude painting on the ceiling. Above him was a very old cursed
circle that bound him in place. He looked at Edward. He relaxed back into his
human form and watched the blond man from where he stood. "You're mine! You're
mine now!" He sang to himself.
"Only as long as I'm in this circle. I still don't obey you." Sebastian frowned
as he watched the disgusting human gush over his own achievement. "This will
only ever end in your blood shed."
"I have plans for you, demon." Edward all but gushed over his capture. He
walked up to Sebastian and looked him over carefully. "Yes, such a grand
specimen. You'll do well." He clapped his hands together once more and walked
towards the door. He opened it and looked back at the demon in his cursed cage.
"Now wait here like a good little bird."
***** Confinement *****
Chapter Summary
     Sebastian and Ciel both find themselves captured by the Bishop and at
     his will.
     WARNING: Gore, death, violence, rape inferred
Shortly after Sebastian was left alone in the dark sitting room he sighed in
annoyance. The butler rolled up his sleeve and looked over the burnt skin. It
fizzled and hissed as his body tried to regenerate itself. The man pulled his
sleeve up even further and grabbed a pen that hid inside his shirt. Sebastian
pulled out some folded paper he kept tucked away in his tail coat and started
to scroll a quick message on it. His red eyes scrolled around the room and saw
a window not to far away.
A white gloved hand rummaged around in his pockets until it produced a left
over cork from one of the alcohol bottles. The man grasped the cork in his hand
and flicked it with his thumb. The plug sailed across the room and hit the
window on the latch. The window unlocked itself and swung lazily open. The
frozen air from outside the manor flowed in and chilled the room. A few wet
snowflakes fluttered into the room and soaked the carpet.
The butler stooped over and untied his laces. He knotted the ends together and
produced his last cork top from his pocket. He tied it on one and and looked it
over. Sebastian held tight to one end as he flicked the cork out the newly
opened window. A loud noise came from outside and the shoe strings went taunt.
He quickly yanked his end of the makeshift rope and reeled in a large barn owl
that was flying by outside.
White feathers flew everywhere as the bird struggled against the string that
wrapped around his leg. He flapped viciously as the bird tried to escape. When
the bird came into contact with Sebastian's outreached hand it settled down as
if loosing all will to defy the demon. The butler held the bird still long
enough to tie his note to one of the bird's legs. He instructed the owl on how
to get to the Phantomhive manor before letting go of it. The white owl bolted
out of the room as if set upon a mission.
Sebastian fixed his appearance and laced his shoes back up. His piercing red
eyes narrowed as he dusted off his tailcoat. "Now, to figure out my escape." He
smiled to himself. The human world wasn't usually a challenge for him. This
would be quite fun.
 
Ciel felt a pain fill his head as he slowly came to. His head swam as he
desperately clung to what little consciousness he could. The Earl opened his
eyes and looked around him. The black of sleep slowly faded away to the blurred
world around him. He saw stones in front of him, as if he were laying on his
side on them. His eyes roamed around looking further away. There was a blurred
room and what seemed to be a fireplace a ways away from him.
He struggled to lift himself up onto his arms and regain his composure. His
weakened body barely responded. All he could manage was a soft grunt as his
arms refused to do much more than sloppily move against the cold stones.
"Ah! You're awake, my dear." A voice rang out through the stone covered room.
The blurred figure of a blond man dressed in black robes emerged from near the
fireplace. He came into focus better as the man advanced towards Ciel. His
disgusting, greasy face came closer to Ciel's than the boy would have liked.
"My dear I was afraid you were going to sleep the rest of the week away at this
rate. But I guess that's to be expected with the amount of drugs you took in."
He smiled a grubby little smile as his hands wrapped around Ciel's thin arms.
He helped the boy up and leaned him against the cold stones of the wall.
"....where?" Ciel tried to talk. His mouth felt numb and dry. His tongue tasted
like garbage.
"Oh! Where are my manners!" Edward gushed as he jumped up and smiled down at
the boy. "This is your new home. I should give you a quick tour." The bishop
ran towards the fireplace and motioned to two chairs sat in front of it. "This
is the sitting room. A great place to relax." He walked to the right of the
chairs and motioned to a large, messy bed. "This is our bed now. You'll love
how soft it is compared to those nasty stones." He gushed before walking to the
left of the chairs and motioning to what looked like a hospital bed. "And this
is the birthing bed." He smiled a twisted smile.
Ciel was shocked and could barely comprehend what he had just heard. He
strained his eyes to look closer at the object next to Edward. It was an old,
worn hospital bed that was caked in blood and other bodily fluids. It looked
disgusting and poorly cared for. He could feel his stomach churn.
Edward walked back over to the boy and scooped Ciel into his arms. "I've got
one last room to show you, my special sweetheart." He sang-songed. Ciel could
see over the man's shoulder as they walked away from where he had been perched.
Two woman sat chained to the wall almost right next to where he had been. They
both showed signs of pregnancy. The first, an older lady, looked nearly ready
to pop while the second was just beginning to show. The two girls sat with
their arms chained to the wall. They looked as if they had lost all will to
live or fight against their containment.
Both girls were draped in lovely gowns covered in jewels and see through
fabric, much like the show girls from the manner. The gowns exposed their
breasts and stomachs to the cold of the cellar room. Tiny, torn, see through
skirts barely clothed their thighs from the cold. The two girls looked as if
they had been there for far too long.
The bishop carried Ciel into a hallway leading away from the main area and down
into the deep dark underbelly. Edward's shoes echoed against the stones
underfoot. The sound filled the hallway and rang in Ciel's ears, causing pain
with every step. His head swam still. Ciel's entire body was slumped in the
man's arms as if unable to move on its own. The Earl tried to close his eyes
and think. Ciel started at the beginning with the Queen's letter. The manor and
having to go undercover were familiar too. He remembered being summoned to
Edward's chambers. The two of them sat around and chatted about mundane things.
That's where his memories got fuzzy. There was wine, and possibly a bed. He
seemed far too uncertain of the last bit.
Ciel snapped out of what little recollection he did when they entered the room
at the end of the hall. The stone cellar was covered in the same lifeless grey
stones as the rest of the place. However this one was painted with symbols and
Latin phrases. Not a single space was left untouched by the strange markings.
The floor itself was painted with a large pentagram that looked much like
Ciel's contract. The boy's arm fought to lift itself up and his pale fingers
laid upon his cheek, just under his purple eye.
"I knew you were perfect for me when I saw that eye of yours. You're into the
same deprived summoning as I am. But you have succeeded." His greasy, grubby
hand pushed the long hair out of Ciel's face and stared intently at the boy's
contract on his eye. His face lit up in a child like joy. "I would have never
guessed my new toy would come with a dowry. And a demon no less!" He sang out
giddily.
Edward let Ciel fall out of his arms. The boy smacked into the cold stone floor
with a muffled thud. He felt pain wrack his heavy-feeling body. "I saw your
demon. He's extraordinary." The man reminisced. "If you could summon a demon
like him on your own, why imagine the kinds we can bring out together. We can
show the world what these creatures are like." The bishop's hands squeezed into
fists as he thought about it. His body shook as he talked. "I can show the
church I'm not crazy. They want me to resign my position because they fear I'm
into something dark. But they'll be sorry they ever spoke out against me when I
prove that fallen angels are real."
He stooped down and shackled his hand around Ciel's thin arms once more. His
grip was far too tight as he nearly yelled out "The world will bow to me as I
usher in the new alliance between human's and demons! You'll be the queen of my
new world. The world of demons and humans."
"Get off me you loon!" Ciel bit out, trying to find his voice. Edward just
grasped the boy tighter and nearly forced him onto his weak legs. The Earl's
legs couldn't support his weight and he was solely upright due to the bishop's
iron grip. "Let me go." He demanded.
"I can't let you leave. You need to stay here so I can keep an eye on our
child." The crazed church-goer smiled as he talked. Ciel's face betrayed his
cool demeanor and portrayed fear and confusion. "You still don't get it, my
sweat. You've already summoned a demon. That means a child born from you has to
have the same abilities. You'll give me many children to use as demon bait."
His free hand reached out to Ciel's stomach and rubbed it in anticipation.
"A child? Are you insane?" Ciel asked horrified.
Edward let go of the Earl and walked over to what looked like a naked lady
sleeping on the stone floor. She was pressed up against the wall of the room
cradling something. The bishop stooped over and placed his hand on her thigh.
"I've read through many a teaching on demons. The best method I've see for
summoning one is blood of child. What better blood to offer than that of a
newborn?" His hand ran up the lady's leg and rested far too close to her
crotch. "So I've collected them from my whores at the manor. Though, they don't
seem to last long down here." He bolted upright and started kicking the woman
on the floor. She made no noise as he dug his foot into her side time and time
again.
The bishop stopped as abruptly as he had started and bent over once again. His
hands tore what she was holding on to out of her hands. He held up the mangled,
bloody corpse of a baby. It was horribly deformed and had dried blood caked on
it. Ciel tore his gaze away and threw up in disgust. His eyes went in and out
of focus as his head spun. He looked around the room trying to find a way out.
Ciel's gaze stopped at the center of the pentagram. It was soaked in blood.
Chunks of flesh and afterbirth clung to the stones. The Earl could feel the
color drain from his face and the heat from his body. He shook violently as he
looked at the horrific scene.
"Sebastian!" He called out as loud as his voice could. Ciel tried his best to
regain is composure and try to stand on his own, not wanting the demon to see
him so disoriented. After a few seconds the boy scanned the room. "Sebastian,
come to me! That is an order!" He tried again. And again, nothing happened.
"An order? You control him so well?" Edward gushed as he pulled Ciel into him
in an uncomfortable hug. "A contract does so much. So That's how I'll lead our
demons." He mused with the tiny teen in his grip.
Ciel struggled against the bishop as much as he could. His body still felt numb
and it was hard to move. "SEBASTIAN!" He yelled out. His voice was loud and
strong like an announcer at the races. Edward let go of the Earl and once again
let him drop to the stone floor. Ciel landed on his arms and legs. The cold
stone smacked into his nearly bare body.
"I told you, my love. I already met your demon. I have secured him." He stooped
down and stared into the boy's eyes. "He's trapped for now, but I'll soon take
this one as my prize for marrying such a capable lady." His face dropped to a
serious expression as he rambled on. "You'll both be mine." His eyes narrowed
and his face twisted into a terrifying expression. "All mine."
***** Storm the Manor *****
Chapter Summary
     Edward King has Ciel chained up and forcing him to take an unknown
     substance. Will he be saved soon or will things keep getting worse
     for the captive Earl?
Ciel shivered against the cold stones below him. He laid on the ground with not
much more than shackles and his show girl outfit on. Sweat covered his pale
skin. The orange fire light made him glow as if he himself were on fire in
place of the kindling. "st-stop." He begged with weak demeanor. Tears fell from
his mismatched eyes as he writhed around on the floor.
"Not yet. You have far too much fight in you, my love." Edward replied as he
stooped over and examined Ciel. His hands reached for the boy's face and his
fingers forced open his mouth. "Time for another dose." With one free hand he
poured a glass of cloudy water into the boy's mouth. The liquid on the boy's
face and went up his nose, washed over his already tearing eyes, and ran down
his chin and cheeks.
The Earl jerked away as the liquid rained from the glass and managed to spit
most of it out. He coughed violently and tried to cover his face. He still felt
weak from before. Now, however, he felt far worse due to the treatments the
bishop was giving him. It had to of been hours that the two sat in the cold
stone fortress going through the same thing. Edward had chained the boy up and
gave him some odd water to help with his dry mouth. The liquid had burned the
boy's throat and left him feeling awful. The bishop forced Ciel to take more
and more until the boy could do nothing more that weakly resist and shiver on
the floor.
"Damn it!" Edward shouted out as he jumped to his feet. He angrily chucked the
glass at the stone wall behind the Earl. The glass shattered on impact and fell
like glittering snow to the grey, lifeless stones. Somewhere in the corner of
the room the other two girls gave small gasps. They cowered as well as they
could while still chained to the wall. The ladies tried their best to disappear
into their thoughts, willing themselves to be far away from there.
The bishop stormed over to a side table next to the plush chair he normally
took up residence in. He hastily grabbed at a syringe and a glass vile of
cloudy white liquid. Ciel watched as anxiety crept upon him. His breath was
stuck in his throat as if the air itself would bring on what he assumed would
happen next. Sure enough, when the needle was filled, Edward stormed back to
the mess of a boy. A strong hand grasped at the boy's long black hair and held
it tight. The force brought Ciel towards the blond man and forced him on his
knees, straining to stay upright. His hands bolted up and tried to grab at
Edward's strong fist in his hair. Pale fingers clawed the skin on the bishop's
wrists as he desperately tried to free himself.
"You'll learn to listen to me!" The bishop shouted as he stuck the syringe into
Ciel's skin. He pushed the cloudy liquid out of the needle and watched as it
filled the Earl. Ciel's screamed out in pain as the liquid burned his skin and
made his body pulse in pain. This felt far worse than just having to swallow
the watered down version of it. "Once it sets in you'll be begging for me to
love you." Bishop smirked as he pulled the needle out of the boy's arm. His
hand untwisted itself from the Earl's long black locks. The boy dropped down
and writhed around screaming on the stones.
 
A knock came on the large wooden doors of the manor. A girl dressed up in her
show girl outfit opened the door and looked over the guest. A shaggy looking
cook stood smoking a cigarette outside. "Hey there!"
"No servants in the manor. Wait for your master outside!" The girl bit out
coldly. Her eyes were tired from a long night of hosting and she was unamused
by a servant trying to get in.
"I just need to collect my master. He's got a busy day tomorrow." The tall chef
tried.
"No disturbing our guests. He'll be out when he's done here." The show girl
argued. "Now leave."
"I was afraid you'd be a stickler." The girl's eyes widened and she fell to the
floor, blood drained from her and ran over the marble steps outside the door.
The chef pocketed a handgun with a silencer attached. "Sorry, doll. I hate
doing this." The man finished his cigarette and dropped the bud to the ground
next to the dead show girl.
"We're Phantomhive servants. This is expected of us." A small Gardner said
behind the man. "Let's go, Baldroy. Ciel needs us." The two men walked
confidently into the manor as the girl laid in a pool of her own blood.
The two men stood in the entrance and looked around. "Sounds like quite the
event in there." Bladroy muttered to himself. "Doubt we'll find either of them
in there."
"How come the note had specific instructions to this place, but nothing about
how to find either of them?" Finnian pouted. His eyes wandered all about. The
manor was huge and the two of them would be searching forever.
"Come on, use that head of yours. They're in trouble. They could have been
caught or are hiding somewhere. They can't just give us a map marked with an
'X'." The chef sighed out and started walking towards what looked to be a
servant's door near the stairs. "Our Sebastian is a sharp tack. I bet he had
used the servant hallways to get around. That's what I would do at least."
Finnian followed the chef away from the still askew front doors and into the
cramped hallway.
"Oh, I guess you're right. That sounds a lot smarter than what I could think
of." The cheerful, blond boy bounced along behind Baldroy. "What about Ciel?"
"If Sebastian is asking for our help, he either misses us or something has gone
horribly wrong. Can't imagine that stick in the mud got home sick for us." The
taller man frowned as he hugged the corner of the hallway. He surveyed the
passage then continued on making sure no one was around. "Damn, Mey-Rin is much
better with stealth missions." The chef bit out.
"She said she's better outside. I guess using those guns of hers isn't so
helpful in a tight hallway like this."
"I know, I know. It takes a load off my mind knowing she's supporting us, but
still. I'm not built for sneaking." The man peaked around another corner and
saw two girls escorting a rather out-of-it man down the hall. Baldroy grabbed
Finnian and bolted into a nearby door without a sound. They listened as the
trio walked by and down the hall. "This is taking years off my life." The chef
moaned.
Behind him Finnian was shuffling through the room. He had opened the drawers of
the desk and riffled through the bookshelf leaving a mess. As the boy picked up
the large oak dresser Baldroy shouted at him. "Oi! Drop it!" The man was
worried others in the manor could hear the commotion. Finnian looked over at
his companion and let go of the dresser. The whole structure rammed into the
floor with a loud thud and broke through the floor. "QUITE!" Bladroy urged in a
very loud shout.
"Sorry?" Finnian tried as he despritely picked up the dresser to put it back.
"Maybe if I put a rug over the hole no one will notice."
"I see my help has arrived." A voice came from the hole. The two men jumped and
rushed over to the crater in the wooden floor. Sebastian stood in the room
below them and stared daggers at the two. At least the devil's trap was smashed
to bits. The butler jumped through the floor and landed gracefully next to the
men. "Really, you two are just so much trouble."
"Se-SEBASTIAN!" Finnian yelled and threw his arms around the butler.
"Where's Ciel?" Baldroy asked with a frown. "I thought he'd be with you."
"We were separated." Sebastian stated. He focused on the estate. The party was
dying down and quite a few guests had left. The show girls were either in the
ballroom or most of them were in bedrooms. Bishop Edward King was nowhere to be
found. He bit his lip as he tried to focus on where he last felt the man's
presence. The man's private quarters were empty and there was no signs of
people in or near there. The butler was sure he had felt the man go up to his
room before loosing him again.
Baldroy grabbed Sebastian by the coat and started yelling in his face. "You're
Ciel's guard! You're the one who's supposed to keep him safe! You can't just
let him out of your sight!"
Finnian grabbed the chef's arm and looked up to the man. "Stop! Please." His
eyes begged the taller man.
"If I find so much as a scratch on the master..." Baldroy let the fabric fall
from his fingers as he stepped away. He clenched his jaw closed and shook his
head.
Outside of the door were shouts from other's in the manor. "I heard something
from in here!" A girl shouted as the sound of people running towards them rang
in the small room. The three men looked at each other and got ready to lay
siege to the manor. There was no avoiding it now.
Baldroy grabbed at the guns in his pockets as Finnian picked up the dresser he
had thrown to the side just a minute ago. Sebastian walked over to the desk. He
casually riffled through the already open drawers. His fingers pulled out any
stationary object he could find use for. He filled his pockets with pens,
calligraphy nibs, and ink jars.
"The fourth floor. Two doors down on the left. That's where you need to go. In
there somewhere has to be a secret entrance or room of some sort." Sebastian
spoke calmly. "I need you to go there and search it thoroughly as soon as
there's an opening." His eyes narrowed as his face twisted into a frown. He
hated delegating important tasks to the staff, but he knew where ever King and
Ciel were, he could not enter. "Everyone is your enemy here. Cut down those in
your way and find the young lord. I keep the staff away from you."
"Making us clean up after your mess?" Baldroy tensed as the group was upon
them. Sweat dotted his brow as anticipation of the coming battle lurked in the
air. "Some Phantomhive butler you are."
***** Shattered Connections *****
Chapter Summary
     Warning: Graphic depiction of gore
The door slammed open as a large group of servants, waitstaff, and a handful of
guests gawked at the trio. The servants at the manor saw the guns in Baldroy's
hands and reached for their own weapons. Just as Sebastian suspected, they were
trained to defend the master and his place. The show girls grabbed at long thin
knives hidden in their garters while the men who worked the kitchen pulled out
small handguns and kitchen knives from their aprons and uniform pockets.
Baldroy started firing off nondiscriminatory shots into the general group of
people. He aimed for anyone who tried to advance into the room. Show girls
screamed in pain and dropped down as the knives were blown out of their hands.
Blood dripped down their arms and stained their outfits as Baldroy kept firing.
Waitstaff took bullets to the shoulders and arms as they fired back.
Sebastian tossed pen nibs with pin point accuracy. The small sharp metal tips
pierced the servant's heads and throats. They dropped down and started to bleed
as their brains were scrambled and their throats punctured. Drunk and high
guests started to scramble away. They scattered and ran for any room they could
cower in. One show girl dropped down to her knees as he hands wrapped around
her neck. She tried desperately to breath with a hole through her throat. She
had moved out of the way just enough that the nib didn't burrow into her spine
in the process. Her eyes teared up as she suffocated.
Finnian tossed the giant dresser with ease at what remained of the group. Three
men were crushed between the wall and the dresser. A girl had tried to jump out
of the way. As the dresser fell to the floor in pieces, one heavy piece fell on
her and broke her leg with a loud crack. Sebastian ran out of the room, jumped
on the remains of the dresser, and lead the group down the servant's hallway.
Finnian followed and the chef took up the rear firing off a few finishing
shots.
"Stick close to the windows." Baldroy instructed as he rushed into the entrance
of the manor and up the stairs. Finnian raced to keep up with the tall man.
Sebastian broke off and stayed at the bottom of the stairs. Guests and staff
alike started pouring out of the ballroom. Most of the guests stormed out of
the large front doors, stampeding over the dead body that laid there. Staff
started to make their way towards the large stairs that lead to the rest of the
manor.
Sebastian started picking them off one by one. Two male workers pulled large
guns out of their uniforms and started firing on the butler. The demon picked
the bullets out of the air and dropped them to the floor around him. Some of
the larger men who walked around with the Bishop rushed into the scene. They
grabbed silver whips and flasks of water and started to attack the man.
A silver chain wrapped around the man's ankle. Sebastian smiled as he whipped
it towards him and yanked the man off his feet. He flew forward into Sebastian.
The butler's foot dug into the man's face and set him flying across the room
and through the glass window above the doorway.
Outside the sound of guns firing filled the snowy night. Glass shattered
throughout the manor as Mey-Rin took down the attackers pursuing Baldroy and
Finnian.
Sebastian jumped up onto a large glass chandelier and stood on it as it swung
around. Bullets whizzed by him, barely missing the mark. One of the larger body
guards threw a flask full of holy water at the demon. His eyes blazed with a
crimson rage as the liquid washed over him. His skin fizzed as the water soaked
his left sleeve. The butler bared his fangs as he severed the chain that kept
the chandelier aloft. The entire fixture crashed to the floor and took out most
of the staff. A few guests were caught in the crash as well. Rich and social
elites groaned and yelled out in pain with broken bones and gushing cuts.
 
Far from the chaos, Ciel laid defeated on the Bishop's bed. The boy was soaked
in sweat and tears as his body writhed in pain. It felt like hours, maybe even
days since Edward injected him. Drool fell from his dry lips. His eyes were
watered and glazed over. Small groans of pain slipped out of his dry mouth.
The bishop's grubby hand ran down Ciel's cheek. His thumb lingered just below
the purple eye with the contract seal. He tugged on Ciel's skin, forcing the
eye to open up wider for his admiring gaze. "You've become so docile. I should
have given you the full treatment to begin with." Edward smiled to himself.
"How do you feel, my sweat?"
Ciel's lips quivered as he tried to speak. He barely had the energy to keep his
eyes open. The only thing that kept him conscious was the horrid pain in his
body. "se-bas tian." Ciel whispered desperately.
"NO!" Edward screamed as he jumped off the bed. The bishop screeched as he
upended the bedside table with glasses and needles on it. The table flew across
the room as the glass shattered on the stones. Edward slammed his foot into the
side of the bed, shaking the whole thing with the Earl on top of it. King's
hands grasped at the gem stone necklace that adorned Ciel's throat. He tugged
the boy off the bed to stare face to face at him. "You're supposed to ask for
ME!" He screamed at the Earl.
The Bishop slammed the boy to the stone floor. Some of the loose glass pieces
sliced up the boy's skin. His eyes glazed over trying to zone out. His mind
tried to think of some place far away, but Ciel was too stubborn to resort to
some imagined world. He bit his lips trying to stay in the moment.
"You're MINE! With all my drugs in you, you're supposed to think of me!" Edward
grabbed Ciel by the shoulders and lifted him up. His face was almost sad. "Does
your demon mean more to you than I do?" His hands crushed the Earl's frail body
in their iron grip. Ciel looked at the man with a uninterested look. His eyes
stayed trained on the dark blue ones in front of him. "ANSWER ME!" Edward
pleaded.
"...se bas tian." Ciel tried again. He hoped against hope that this time his
butler would appear and perform his duties as a Phantomhive butler, but mostly
he wanted to spit in Bishop Edward's face. This was the closest he could manage
for now.
The larger man clenched his jaw and stared down at the Earl. His fingers
brushed against Ciel's soft pale cheek. "Fine." He said in a calm demeanor. His
thumb tugged on the skin below Ciel's purple eye. "I see how it is. I know what
has to be done."
 
Baldroy and Finnian had made their way to the Bishop's room. It was full of
candles and the smell of incense. Finnian started poking around the room as
Baldroy locked the door behind them and threw the window open. The two of them
started combing the room. They pulled out the drawers on the bedside tables and
dropped the contents to the floor. They pulled chains and furniture out of
their spots and inspected the floor. The tall, skinny chef looked over the
walls looking for odd cracks or anything that would suggest a secret doorway.
Finnian tossed furniture around the room. As the smaller boy tore the room to
shreds, Baldroy lit his cigarette before continuing the search. "Ya think
there's really a passage hidden in here?" He mused. The whole room seemed
rather normal.
"If Sebastian says so." Finnian replied. He picked up the bed and looked under
it. There were some dust bunnies, but no passage.
"I could strangle that asshole." The chef growled. He could feel anger boiling
inside him. "Huh?" He watched as the smoke from his lips wafted towards a
nearby painting on the wall. "Grab this painting."
The bright eyed gardener picked the over-sized painting off the wall like
peeling a sticky note off the counter. He tossed the painting onto the bed,
tearing it in the process. Behind the painting was a rip in the wallpaper.
Baldroy jumped at it and started to pry it open with his fingers digging into
the small crack. Finnian punched the wall were the painting used to be and the
makeshift door that was there broke into a million pieces.
A loud scream came from deep within the passageway. The two men turned to each
other in worry before bolting down the stone steps in the wall. Sweat covered
their worry stricken faces as they raced down the dark staircase. They knew
that voice.
They burst into the cellar room that caged the Earl and the other ladies. Ciel
sat on the grey stones with his hands grasping at Edward's wrists. He screamed
in pain once again as blood rushed down his cheek and dripped onto the glass
covered floor. The bishop's thumb turned in the boy's eye socket as more blood
gushed out. Disgusting squishing noises filled the room as he gouged the boy's
eye out.
***** A Fortress Falls *****
Chapter Summary
     Ya'll know the drill by now. Warning for death, murder, blood, gore,
     graphic descriptions, ect... ect...
Finnian felt his eyes widen. His feet moved on their own towards Bishop King
and his master. The gardener's fist connected with the older man's head. Edward
was sent flying and careened into the stone wall. The force of Finnian's punch
broke the wall and sent Edward into the next room. Ciel fell forward to the
ground. His hands covered his bleeding eye as he cowered in pain.
Baldroy rushed forward to take care of Ciel as Finnian jumped through the hole
in the wall and into the next room. "How dare you hurt our young master!" The
blond boy punched Edward King again and plowed him into the stones. He broke
the stones and left a crater in the floor. Finnian continued to slam his fists
into Edward King's face and chest, plowing him further into the broken stones.
"I can't forgive you!" He screamed as tears streamed down his face.
The chef grabbed at the sheets on the bed and started ripping them. He pushed
the cloth against Ciel's empty socket and started to tie some more around his
head like a makeshift eye patch. He gently hoisted Ciel into his arms like a
delicate princess. The boy's wig caught under Baldroy's shoe and slipped off
his head with a tug. Without the long black hair covering most of his bare
skin, it was easy to see what horrible shape he was in. Ciel was covered in
bleeding scratches from the glass. His pale skin was marred by bruises from the
bishop's treatment. The show girl outfit he wore was soaked with sweat and
stuck to his frail frame.
"Finny! The damn bloke is dead. Leave it be." Baldroy called out. Finnian
emerged from the other room with a small bloody mass in his arms. Tears
streamed down his face as he held it out for the chef to see. It was the
newborn baby's corpse used in a failed summoning ritual. The chef turned Ciel's
head so that his face was buried into the not-so-white chef's jacket.
"What kind of monster...?" Finnian trailed off with his question. He felt
himself break apart on the inside. The mother was dead and the baby had no
chance at life. He choked on his own tears as the dead mass in his arms
trembled. His whole body shook as he took in just how much the confinement was
like his own. Sick and twisted humans using others for their own amusement and
means. Finnian threw his fist into the wall and broke it down. The hole into
the ritual room widened further and started to buckle.
"Stop it!" Baldroy instructed. "You'll bring the whole manor down with your
tantrum."
"No, destroy this place." Ciel said into the chef's chest. The two men looked
down at the boy in Baldroy's arms then to each other. They nodded in
compliance. Finnian turned around and started to swing at the walls in the
other room as Baldroy returned to the staircase.
"Help me." One of the girls who was chained to the wall asked weakly. She
lifted her head and showed her tired, tear stained face. "Please?" The other
girl sat beside her, motionless.
"Finny!" The chef yelled. "Get over here." The gardener rushed over and just
noticed the two girls on the wall. He quickly broke the shackles off their
wrists. One girl didn't move, even after her arms dropped down in freedom.
"Christ, she's dead." Baldroy bit out. The other girl scrambled to get up and
started to waddle her way up the stairs in front of the men. She didn't stop to
thank them. She just rushed to leave her cage.
The cellar started to moan as the few stone walls that still stood took the
brunt of the manor's weight. "Let's go." Finnian said as he kicked down one
last wall near the hospital bed. The two men raced up the long stairway. At the
top of the stairs was what appeared to be water. It soaked the stones and made
the climb harder. Below, the cellar walls collapsed and brought a large chunk
of the manor down. They two men turned away from the basement and covered their
faces as a blast of dust ridden air blew by and covered the passage in debris.
The stairs buckled and started to fall apart. Baldroy and Finnian raced up them
as quick as they could.
At the top of the passage the water turned to fresh blood. The woman who had
waddled out in desperation laid dead on the bedroom floor. She had a bullet
wound to the temple and fell on her stomach. A child's hand hung out of her.
The woman must have been ready to deliver despite the poor conditions she was
kept in. The child had died with her, most likely due to being crushed as the
woman fell dead to the floor.
Finnian's eyes widened as he took in the gruesome scene. He turned away and
threw up on the stone wall of the passage. He hacked and coughed trying to gain
control again. Baldroy clenched his jaw and grabbed the other man by the back
of his shirt. "We're getting out of here."
Ciel shifted around in Baldroy's grip as they made their way through the manor.
Finnian regained his composure after leaving the room and raced ahead of the
two others to clear a path. Most of the manor had collapsed with the cellar.
The strong gardener threw the large rubble aside and punched through the more
stable parts to created a path.
The trio finally found their way to what was the entrance of the manor. In the
rubble and debris were bodies of guests, show girls, and guards all alike,
buried and dead. Sebastian stood on a mountain of rubble and immediately saw
what had become of Ciel. He grit his teeth and had to suppress his demonic
anger. How could he have allowed this to happen? The servants rushed out of the
manor into the muddy snow. It had looked like a massive tornado had torn
through the estate grounds with trampled bodies all over, carriage tracks, and
a few stampeding horses.
Some manor servants had stayed close and started to advance on the group that
came out of their home. A large carriage with two horses came flying down the
path way and a red headed maid kneeled on the roof of it. She shot her guns at
the last few of servants who stood in the Phantomhive's way. Her glasses
rattled on the top of her head as she took aim. Two girls fell, than two more
servants, and one body guard covered in blood died in the gunfire.
A handgun pressed against Mey-Rin's head as the carriage continued to race
towards the mess of a manor. "Move and I shoot." A girl instructed in a cold
tone. Long curled blonde hair whipped around Sarah's tanned skin. Her show girl
outfit waved around her. She had one gun trained on the maid and another
pointed towards the group of servants coming out of the ruined manor.
Cordelia jumped from the ruins of the second story and landed in front of the
group of Phantomhive servants. Her soft face was twisted into a serious
expression. She searched the faces of the men in front of her. The soft pink
and orange light from the sunrise painted the manor in a solemn picture. She
recognized Sebastian as a waiter who she talked to just that morning, or at
this point, she guessed it was considered yesterday. Her deep green eyes looked
closer and widened in surprise as she laid eyes on what looked like the new
girl. "Celeste?" She whispered.
"We've come to collect our master. Get out of our way." Baldroy commanded. His
arms shook as he fought the urge to grab his own guns. Ciel gripped at the
chef's coat and drew himself closer.
"You destroyed our home for her?" Cordelia asked in astonishment.
Sebastian took advantage of the confusion in the girl's voice. He raced towards
her and dodged a bullet fired from Sarah's gun. He struck with a quick hand but
Cordelia was able to block it with a metal rod she carried like a weapon.
"What's going on here?" She demanded as the two traded quick blows. Every
chance Sebastian had to land a fatal blow he was interrupted by Sarah's gun.
"My master, the great Earl Phantomhive, came to investigate a matter for the
queen." Sebastian explained as he rushed forward to land a hit on the girl's
open side. A bullet blew through his arm as he followed through hoping to catch
both girls off guard. Cordelia managed to block the hit and was pushed back by
the force.
"Investigation? Phantomhive?" She tried to take it in. "How does that warrant
the destruction of the only place in London that would take girls like us in?"
"My master must have deemed this place too dangerous to continue." Sebastian
ran towards the girl but transferred to sliding as if coming in for a home run
in baseball. He managed to sweep her off her feet. Cordelia fell down and
screamed in pain. Sarah fired off a few shots at the man hoping to give her
friend time to recover. With her focus on Sebastian, Mey-Rin spun around and
fired off a shot from her riffle before the girl could react. Sarah fell off
the carriage. Her lifeless body splashed into the muddy snow as blood stained
the fresh white flakes that fell. The soft orange light of morning laid in the
girl's blonde hair. It's as if she were melting into the sunrise itself. The
pink reflected off her lifeless eyes as the sun rose.
"You can't take this from me! This place is my home! These people are my
family!" Cordelia screamed out as tears tore down her red face. She watched
Sarah's corpse bleed out on the ground. "Nooooo!" She screeched. Sebastian
walked up behind her and rested his hands on her slumped shoulders. She dropped
her metal bar and fell to her knees as she whaled. He stooped down and rested
on one knee behind her.
His hands slid up her neck past salty tears that fell down her cheeks. They
rested on either side of her head before quickly snapping it. The loud crack
that accompanied it echoed through the forest. A group of birds flew panicked
out of their trees and far away from the manor. Cordelia dropped to the rubble,
no longer screaming or crying.
"Baldroy..." Finnian whispered as he watched Sebastian dispatch the girl.
"Yeah. I know." The chef replied. They two men watched their future play in
front of them. As servants of the Phantomhive family they had only one way out,
which was to die as a Phantomhive servant. Baldroy's hands grasped the master
closer in his grip. He needed a reminder that the day this would happen to them
was far off. Finnian felt soft tears drip down his cheeks and speckle the dusty
debris of the manor below his feet. It was too much for him to see his past and
future all in the same day. The smaller blond reserved himself to the fate
though. He'd rather die for the boy who gave him freedom and family, than to
have perished in the lab.
Mey-Rin stopped the carriage as close to the four men as she could. The maid
opened the doors and stared at what had become of her master. "Ciel's not doing
so well, is he?" She said placing her glasses back on her face. She couldn't
bare to look at the cut covered boy in front of her. Baldroy shook his head as
he entered the cabin. He placed Ciel on the seat and laid him down carefully.
"Mey-Rin, can you help me watch over the master on the ride? You know some
first-aid." The red head looked over at Sebastian who climbed into the front of
the carriage to drive. She got into the cabin with Baldroy. Finnian closed the
door behind her, choosing to ride up front with the butler. The whole ride back
was a quite and uncomfortable one.
***** Rewritten Deals *****
Chapter Summary
     What will Ciel do now that his contract seal is gone and his butler
     appears to be at fault for his demise?
Ciel woke up in his own bed surrounded by plush pillows, soft sheets, and
Tanaka sitting next to the bed. The grey haired butler looked over as the
master stirred from his slumber. "Master Ciel, how are you feeling?" He
inquired as he stood up and started to tend to the boy.
"Horribly." Ciel said almost confused. He reached up to run a hand through his
hair and stopped when he noticed all the scratches on his arms. He was covered
in bandages and most of the cuts from the glass still marked his body. He
stared at his arms and slowly moved his gaze to the rest of his body. The Earl
threw his sheets off him to examine himself more. His whole body was marked
with bruises, covered in bandages, and scratches. "Huh?"
"Master Ciel, do you mean you have forgotten?" Tanaka asked as he pulled out
the boy's clothes for the day. "You were rescued from a mission gone wrong."
Tanaka bowed down and started to slip on the boy's shorts. Ciel stood up and
felt a horrid pain throughout his body. He crumpled over and held on to the
butler for support long enough for the clothes to slide up his legs and be
fastened in place. He collapsed back into the bed and groaned in pain. The
butler simply started to slide on the boy's socks and clasp them into place as
his master rested.
He placed an arm over his eyes and thought back. "We infiltrated the manor on
her majesty's orders." He thought harder. Ciel jerked up as he realized he
failed to complete his task. "I was captured, and drugged." He recounted as a
cold sweat covered his body. "Finnian and Baldroy picked me up."
Tanaka took off the Earl's night shirt and grabbed for a wet wash cloth that
sat on the bedside table. He rung it out and patted the boy down. He washed off
the sweat and placed a fresh shirt on him. "You've been out since you arrived
home last night. Baldroy and Mey-Rin did their best to administer first aid in
the carriage." Ciel looked over his bandages. He could see they were much
sloppier than whenever Sebastian patched him up.
Ciel turned his head to look around at the room. The fireplace was stoked and
kept the whole room warm. The bedside table was covered with medical supplies,
a bottle of pills, and the cloth in the bowl of warm water. His gaze wandered
over to the large mirror on the wall. His face fell in shock as he looked at
his reflection. His hand reached up to the bandaged up eye that he kept hidden
behind an eye patch. Just the light touch of his fingers caressing the fresh
bandages sent a shiver of pain through the boy. A small patch of blood stained
the white gauze.
The Earl jumped up and clambered over to the mirror. His scratches and bruises
stung but couldn't keep him from his disbelief. His hands rested on the mirror
as he took in the bleeding bandages. "My eye." His voice wavered as he spoke.
"Regrettable. The chef said that it was taken from you." Tanaka painfully
watched the boy take in the tragedy.
"se...SEBASTIAN!" He whaled as loud as he could. His voice rang throughout the
estate. "Sebastian!" He screamed again in panic.
"Master Ciel, if I may." Tanaka spoke up. "Sebastian has been away from the
mansion since the lot of you arrived home last night. None of us have heard
from him since." Ciel's face twisted up in confusion, anger, and resentment.
How dare his servant leave him alone. How dare Sebastian not take
accountability for ignoring his call.
"Leave me." Ciel said as he regained his composure. The loss of a servant
shouldn't work him up like this, even if it was his demon.
"As you wish, master." Tanaka bowed and walked out of the room leaving Ciel
alone. The young boy felt the bandage around his head. He slowly unraveled it
and looked upon what used to be his contract seal. Blood and some clear liquid
dripped from the open hole. He shook as he took in the vision. It was really
gone. He had already gotten used to only using one eye, but this what entirely
new. The boy grabbed some gauze off the table and pushed it into the hole and
put his eye patch on over it. The patch sat crooked on his face and the knot
was tied horribly.
Ciel walked through the mansion trying to cool off his head. The long hallways
and large staircases strained him as his body sang out it's pain. He started to
limp down the stairs, gripping the banister trying to stay upright. Sebastian
walked in through the front entrance as Ciel made his way down the last set of
steps. The Earl stopped and tried to stand as tall and menacing as possible. "I
heard you had ran away."
Sebastian gave a little bow with his hand over his heart and trained his red
eyes on the boy as he talked. "No, Lord Phantomhive. I was merely tying up the
loose ends of the case since you were resting. All the troublesome parliament
members have been taken care of. I even returned to the manor and disposed of
their bodies before anyone else had the chance to snoop around." He walked up
to the Earl and showed him some papers he had tucked under his arms. It was the
names, occupations, and short reports on all the members on parliament.
Ciel reached out and smacked the butler across the face. "A butler should be
wiser than to leave without seeking permission from their master." Sebastian's
gloved hand reached up and caressed his offended cheek. A demonic smile crossed
his lips.
"My apologies, Lord Phantomhive. It shall not happen again." The demon tucked
his papers under his arm again and straightened himself. "Shall we dress your
eye properly before you appear before your other servants? It's not acceptable
for an Earl to be caught unruly."
Ciel lifted his chin up and closed his eye, waiting for Sebastian to tidy him.
The eyepatch slid off the boy's face and caressed his pale skin as it fell into
the butler's hand. Tender fingers picked out the wadded up gauze. "I thought
so." Sebastian mused. Ciel opened his good eye to look at the tall man in front
of him. Sebastian slid off the white glove on his left hand. The back of it was
bare skin, as if the contract never existed. "With the loss of your eye, our
contract is voided."
"Make another deal with me." Ciel instructed. "You job is not done."
Sebastian's eyebrows went up as if the suggestion was nothing more than cute.
"I'm free from you. I know how you treat me." Ciel's lips twitched as a
disapproving frown tried to play on his face. "However," Sebastian's ungloved
hand caressed Ciel's cheek and rested below the bandage. "I'd be a fool to give
up such a well prepared meal. Even now, having stewed in demise and torture,
you still stand proud."
"Stop fooling around and make the contact." Ciel demanded. His icy blue eye
stared at the demon in front of him as his red eyes glistened with hunger.
"Shall I take your other eye?" Sebastian asked. His pale hand ran up the boy's
face and covered Ciel's good eye. "Maybe I'll mark your chest and give you less
command over me." The butler walked up the stairs and behind the boy. His hand
traveled down the Earl's face and rested on his chest. He stooped down until
his lips were virtually pressed against the boy's ear. "Maybe I should mark
your porcelain face."
"The nape of my neck." Ciel suggested. "Burn your contract into me. Mar my skin
and make sure it's deep. I don't want to come upon this issue again." The Earl
said confidently. He stood tall and ridged just as a noble should.
Sebastian kneeled down on one knee and bowed his head. "Yes, my lord." He stood
up tall and brushed the boy's hair away from the nape of his neck. His ungloved
hand pressed against the Earl's warm skin. A bright purple light lit up the
skin on the back of the butler's hand. Ciel could feel his skin tear and burn.
Slowly parts of the symbol started to appear on the boy's skin. Dark purple
lights burst from deep under his skin causing blood to poor down his back. The
seal sat fresh on his neck. Sebastian's copy colored the back of his hand as if
it were always there.
Ciel felt weak from the pain and the blood loss. He stumbled forward and felt
himself fall through the air. Sebastian had caught him in his arms and held the
boy's shoulders steady. "Not trying to be gentle to me, huh?" He joked as he
tried to stand again. The searing pain on the back of his neck only added to
the overall discomfort he was in.
"Master, you shouldn't be out of bed in your condition." Sebastian mentioned.
The small teen shivered and clung to him. The Earl's legs were wobbling and
couldn't support him. Blood trickled from both his eye socket and his seal.
Sweat dotted his skin. He groaned a bit but couldn't retaliate.
"I-I think it's the drugs." His head swam. Memories of his torture surfaced.
The liquid he had to drink and the state it left him felt much like just now.
His sight blurred before the teen fell limp in his butler's arms. "I swear, if
it's another sleeping drug I'll..." Ciel's words slurred and his sentence
stretched as he attempted to talk. The boy lost consciousness in his butler's
arms.
***** Blood and Lust *****
Chapter Summary
     Anyone else remember that this was supposed to be a M/M slash fic?
     Cause that's what's going to happen from now on. Starting in this
     chapter. If you were in it for the plot and don't want to read
     graphic sex than go ahead and stop here. If you don't want to read
     gay sex and you're curious about how the story ends, message me. I'll
     fill you in on all the non-sex stuff. If you're willing to keep
     reading, I'm hoping to end the story soon. Preferably before the new
     year rolls in.
     WARNING: Graphic gay sex
"Master?" Sebastian held the boy up in his hands. Ciel's body was limp and
covered in sweat. The copper smell of his blood hung in the air. A small groan
resounded from the boy as his weak arms moved up the butler's chest. His small
pale fingers tangled in the man's tail coat.
Ciel lifted his head. Sweat covered his skin. His blue eye looked up to the
taller man in a silent plea. "I feel hot." He nearly whispered. His body shook
as he tried to dig his nails deeper into the butler's coat. The boy tried hard
to stay standing this time. A dull pain and a sharp fear crossed the boy's
mind.
"Forgive my touch." Sebastian said as he scooped the young lord up. One hand
supported the boy's back as the other cradled his short legs. The boy gave a
small grunt as he was lifted up and carried away. His tiny hands stayed glued
to the man's dark uniform. Ciel lifted his head as his deep blue eye stared up
at the perfect face above him. Pale hands ventured from the man's coat to his
neck. Weak arms wrapped around the demon's neck. The boy held his butler in a
hug. His body pressed closer to the other's. "Feeling affectionate in your ill
state?" Sebastian teased.
"Shut up." Ciel bit out. He closed his eyes and let the warmth of the demon's
body seep through his clothes. "Just bare with it." He said as if asking for
permission. The demon stayed quite as they made their way through the mansion.
The butler pushed open the elaborate wooden door leading to a sparkling white
bathroom. Without putting his master down, he filled the bath with hot water.
As the steam filled the room he shifted Ciel.
"I'll have to wash you up proper before putting you back to bed. You're not
well enough to argue nor work." The butler kneeled down and placed Ciel's feet
on the cold tile floor. The boy resentfully let go of his butler's neck. He
stood proud as his blue eye looked up at Sebastian. He stayed still as the man
worked off his fresh clothes. The fancy suit fell to the tile floor around his
ankles as he was undressed.
As nimble fingers worked on the button of his shorts, Ciel reached up and
rested his small hand on the butler's. "Don't." Ciel said. Sebastian looked up
at the boy's face in puzzlement.
"You can't wash up with your clothes on."
Ciel closed his eyes and bit his lip. His pale cheeks puffed out a little from
the action. He opened his eyes just barely. His long eyelashes blurred his eye
from the world as he stared down at the butler's legs. This was the most
vulnerable the demon had ever seen his master. "I can't." His voice wavered as
he said it.
"I've attended to you for nearly three years now. I've seen every scar and mark
on your body." Sebastian reasoned. "There's no need to feel so embarrassed
around a servant." His fingers continued to unlatch the button. The boy's
shorts fell down and pooled on the floor around him. His pale body stood bare
for the demon to view.
Ciel scrunched his eyes closed and twisted his face in fear and anxiety. His
body tensed as he felt the fabric fall from him. Between his legs was a
prominent boner.
"My, I can't say I've seen this before though." Sebastian said as he stared
down at the boy. He hid a smirk behind his hands before going over to the bath
and turning the faucet off. His ungloved hand tested the water, making sure it
wasn't too hot.
The teen opened his eyes in surprise that the demon hadn't said more or reacted
to it differently. It was business as usual. "That's it?" He said, unable to
keep the statement in his thoughts. He turned his head and looked at the butler
who was waiting for him at the tub.
"Were you expecting me to leave you alone so you could tend to it?" He asked as
his eyebrows raised. "I fear I can't leave you be. In your condition you need
to be watched thoroughly. I can't have you passing out in the bath and
drowning. What kind of a butler would I be if I allowed that?" He smiled and
cocked his head to the side a bit.
"What!? I can't bathe alone?" Ciel retorted suddenly flustered beyond belief.
His face lit up bright red. Ciel's hands turned to fists as he tried to contain
himself. A shiver ran up his spine as he felt mortification well up inside him.
"I can put a blindfold on if you'd prefer." Sebastian suggested.
Ciel felt the sweat prickle his skin as a dizzy spell washed over him. He sat
himself on the side of the tub and held his head in his hands. A groan fell
from his mouth as he felt ill again. His erection twitched in the steamy air. A
smirk crossed his lips and his eyes narrowed. Through the fog of his mind he
said, "Fine, then serve me."
"You must not be well. I'm already taking care of you."
"Not like that. Either get out so I can take care of myself, or do it
yourself." Ciel was certain that would force the butler out. With how much of a
womanizer he could be, he'd never consider it.
"If it will resolve the issue in a timely matter and get you back in bed..."
Sebastian let his sentence trail off. He walked in front of the teen and
stooped down between his legs. A gloved hand gently grasped the boy's shaft and
started to rub it. His fingers started at the boy's base and ran up and down
his length. The stimulation caught the boy off guard. He opened his mouth in
surprise and started to say something, but all that came out was a small gasp.
Lust filled the boy's mind as he watched his butler get him off. The friction
felt better than any time he had done it himself. Skilled hands put pressure on
all the right places. Breathing became harder in the steamy room. The friction
built up inside Ciel.
Sebastian's hand guided further up on the teen's shaft as he worked. His thumb
pressed on the underside of his tip and he put extra pressure there. His hand
sped up as the boy's legs tensed and twitched. Up until this point the butler
kept an eye on what he was doing. As Ciel let soft moans escape his lips,
Sebastian looked up at him. Bright red eyes locked on to the boy's sky blue
one.
The boy's face grew surprised by the sudden shift in his butler's gaze. He let
out a loud moan as the friction on his erection grew to be too much. His
muscles tensed and he came. His hot cum spilled out over the man's hand and a
small bit splashed onto Sebastian's face. It streaked across the left side of
his face, forcing him to close his eye as it dripped down.
Ciel panted as he came off the high of an orgasm. His head spun from the sick
feeling he had and the pleasure that ran through him. Sebastian stood up and
grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket. He quickly wiped off the mess on his
face and continued on with his job.
"Now we can get you cleaned up with no issues." He helped Ciel into the hot
water and tended to the teen.
The earl wasn't all there while he bathed. His head buzzed and his eyes blurred
everything around him. His body shook from what he presumed to be drugs and
blood loss. There were patches of dried blood on his neck, back, face, and a
bit on the side of his neck. He might have passed out for a second or two in
the bath, but he wasn't too sure.
Sebastian had made quick work of it and scrubbed the boy's pale skin clean just
like the china he prepared for dinner every night. The blood came off Ciel's
skin easily and the sweat had loosened all the dirt from the day before. He
chose to take extra time to clean the boy's open wounds to be sure they
wouldn't get infected. His master seemed to be completely limp, though still
breathing and conscious.
The water was cloudy red by the end of the bath. Sebastian helped Ciel out of
the tub and dried him off. He placed the boy, wrapped in the towel, on a chair
in the room as he went off to grab a fresh night shirt. The Earl's blue eye had
fell upon the dirty water as he spaced out.
Memories of his time in the cellar surfaced while the water stilled itself. The
red copper color mesmerized the boy. He felt himself become numb to the world
around him. The steam in the bathroom seemed to be replaced by the cold stones.
Ciel felt pressure around his wrists, as if he were bound once again.
"Master?" Sebastian asked since the teen didn't respond to him entering the
room or when he put the shirt on him. A blank stare lifted from the now
draining tub up to the demon's face. His soft blue eye seemed dazed and far
away. "It's time to retire to the bedroom."
***** Diagnosis *****
Chapter Summary
     Warning: Sexual activities ahead.
     Also THE PLOT THICKENS but like not really cause this plot is thinner
     than the paper it was drafted on. After this chapter the story kinda
     just looses it's plot and becomes random updates with more sex. I'm
     planning on EVENTUALLY making a second series to come after this one,
     but I probably won't even start that one until after the new year. Oh
     YEAH! Happy holidays for those of you looking forward to them. Hope
     they're grand. -Sammy
Several days had passed since the Earl had arrived home in poor shape from
infiltrating the manor. He had slowly adjusted to daily life once more. The
bruises had faded and the scratches were healing slowly. He proudly walked
among his mansion without fainting. The daily eye dressing was new, but quickly
just became part of the routine.
He sat in his study one night pouring over 3rd quarter proposals and the
consumer data from the Americas. His tired blue eye skimmed the cursive words
on the papers. The sun was setting behind him, lighting his study up in pinks
and dull oranges. The silence created a boredom that he couldn't shake. Even
the servants were being rather competent lately.
The door to the study swung open and slammed into the wall. A familiar voice
rang out, "Oh my. The Earl is already up doing his boring work." Lau smiled as
he and Ran Mao entered the room. Behind them was a slightly peeved butler.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion, my lord. Our guests seem to have forgotten to
announce themselves... again." Sebastian relayed.
"That's fine, I was the one who sent for him." Ciel said as he placed the
reports down on his desk and stood up. He stretched his arms and walked towards
the Chinese businessman.
"That's right." Lau produced an opened letter marked with the Phantomhive
family crest in wax. He smiled over his shoulder at the butler before
continuing. "I couldn't believe that the Earl himself had invited me to the
manor. You are right to turn to me at this time though, my lord." He placed the
envelope back into his shirt and walked towards Ciel. He stooped down and came
face to face with the boy. "So, why was I requested?"
Ciel felt himself falter as the man spoke. "Lau, you...!" The boy shouted as he
lost his composure. He felt his nails bite into his skin as he balled up his
fists in frustration. He whipped his head to the side and stared at a nearby
bookshelf. "I should have expected as much from you." He muttered to himself as
he tried to contain himself.
"Sebastian, close the door." Ciel said as he relaxed and looked back over at
the group in his office. "This is to stay between those of us present." Lau
cocked his head to the side as he smiled and watched the Earl's face go from
caught-off-guard to serious.
"Oh my, what has happened that the Earl is wanting to bend my ear about?"
"I've found myself on the wrong end of a needle and I was hoping you could
identify the drug that I was given." Ciel started to take off his jacket and
rolled up his sleeve. A puncture mark stood red and puffed up on his arm. "It's
been nearly a week since I was injected and it hasn't so much as healed."
"I know of many drugs on my docks, but even I can't figure out what was given
to you by a puncture wound." He shrugged and wiggled a bit in a childish I-
don't-know kind of way. "Maybe if the Earl could be more descriptive of the
drug."
The boy walked over to a chair in his office and sat down. The two visitors
took up a couch across from him. Ciel chewed on his bottom lip as he recalled
the cellar. It wasn't as if the experience hadn't haunted his every night
since, but this time he was trying to remember the drug.
"It was clear and tasteless. It burned my throat though."
"An injection burned your throat?" Lau asked confused by the statement.
"It was mixed in with some water at first so I could drink it. Or maybe just to
delude it." Lau sat back and relaxed into the couch. He could already tell this
was going to be a bit of a story. Ran Mao leaned on him and cuddled close. She
couldn't make out most of what the Earl was saying, but it seemed to interest
Lau. "I was injected with the drug itself, undiluted, later on."
"What effect did it have on you?" The Chinese man wondered aloud.
"My body felt hot. I was tired a lot. I remember having a hard time moving. It
was like wading through cold water."
"How long did it last?"
"The worst of it seemed to be around a day. I still feel hot and have a clouded
mind here and there."
"One last request, my lord. May I examine you?"
"Wha?" Ciel jumped a bit as he looked at the man across from him. He couldn't
afford for his demon's contract or the mark on his back to be seen.
"Fret not, I won't undress you unless you enjoy that kind of thing."
"I bloody well don't!" Ciel bit as he jumped up and got in the man's face.
Lau placed a hand on the angry boy's forehead. Ciel was taken aback by the
gesture and found himself confused and frozen in place. A second hand joined it
and pulled the boy's eye lid down to examine the blue pearl in it's socket. Lau
hummed to himself as he forced his examination onto the boy. Both hands pulled
the boy's mouth open as he looked it over. "Et uff ah..."
Ciel pushed himself away from the man who had overstepped his boundaries. "Get
off of me!" He shouted again. This time his pronunciation wan't muffled by
fingers. Lau stood up and grabbed the boy from behind. One arm laced around the
small boy and held him to the man and the other grabbed his wrist.
"Pardon me, Earl, but we're almost done." Ciel's face went red as he glared at
the man holding on to him. Sebastian placed a hand on the man's arm and gave
him a much colder glare.
"I do believe guests should know their place. Please refrain from soiling my
master with the same hands you use to peddle your drugs."
"I was only checking the Earl's pulse." Lau offered as he motioned over to the
fingers pressed against Ciel's wrist. He let the boy go and stood back as Ciel
fell into Sebastian's protective grasp.
Ciel was angry, frustrated, and annoyed with how his guest was acting. He had
never know Lau to be so hands on or inappropriate towards him. With the
frustration though, came the familiar feeling of heat throughout his body.
Another sensation came with it, one that the Earl didn't wish anyone else to
know about.
"From what you've told me and what I've seen there's a few drugs it could have
been. Only thing is none of those should have lasted this long." The man
quirked his head to the side and stared at the boy. "Well, there is one, but
it's rather new to the market.
"What is it?" Ciel asked as he sat himself in his chain and crossed his legs.
"Since ancient times there have aphrodisiacs. They're named after the Greek
goddess of love and beauty. These are known to help couples to enhance their
time together. In other words, my Earl, they provoke feelings of lust towards
another and heighten sexual arousal." Ciel felt his face loose it's glare and
drop a bit. "More recently, there has been a drug on the market that works as
one while making the user loose the ability to more or even fall unconscious."
"An aphrodisiac producing unfavorable side effects?" Sebastian wondered as he
listened in.
"Unlike a aphrodisiac, these are not taken on purpose. These are often forced
upon women who don't suspect anything. I believe they're known as rohypnol or
on the streets they're roofies."
"Roofies?" Ciel mused as he took everything in.
"I've heard about them lately around my drug den. A lot of men are on the look
out for the drug. Some sick men exist in this world of ours, my lord. Including
someone with a taste for little boys." Lau joked.
"Shut it!" Ciel bit out.
"In all seriousness, I haven't heard much of it, but I know that it doesn't
commonly last more than a few hours to a day."
Ciel stood up and walked over to Sebastian. He whispered a few words to the
butler before turning to the Chinese businessman. "Thank you for that. I think
I shall retire to my chambers for the evening. My butler will see you out."
"Too cruel, my lord. All this way and no tea." Lau pouted as he saw himself out
of the room. Ran Mao followed close behind.
 
Ciel shut his bedroom door behind him and listened as Sebastian escorted his
guests out. His brow furrowed in worry as he took in what he was just told. The
boy leaned against the wall and felt his body burn hotter and hotter. Venturous
fingers dropped to his pants and undid the buttons. His shorts slid down his
legs and pooled around his ankles and shoes. His dick stood up in arousal.
The Earl wrapped an hand around himself and started to pump it. He grit is
teeth as he continued to replay Lau's words in his head. A forced aphrodisiac.
Ciel bit his bottom lip as he stroked himself even faster. Did that mean he
would continue to get like this for weeks, or even months?
The boy let out a moan and hunched over a bit. The friction was building up and
he could feel the pleasure bubble in his lower stomach. His free hand balled
into a fist against the wall he leaned on. Sweat dotted his forehead as he
continued his movements. His head spun in worry and pleasure at the same time.
Somehow the fret he felt didn't take away from the lust he harbored.
Ciel's legs started to shake as he sped up. His hand caressed the head of his
member and gripped tighter. He closed his eyes tight and arched his back. The
teen let out a long moan as he felt the release. The Earl panted and tried to
catch is breath. He was thankful that there was a wall behind him keeping him
up afterwards. The teen opened his eyes and saw white cum splattered on the
floor in front of him and a bit trickling down his satisfied length.
"Ah, damn." He cursed as his blue eye saw a pair of black flats in front of
him. He followed the legs up and looked Sebastian in the face.
"Is this why you asked me to come to your chambers after seeing your guests
out?" The butler pulled out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and stooped
down. He started to clean the teen off.
"I...!" Ciel started before trying to regain himself once again. He closed his
eye and grunted trying to collect his thoughts. "Actually, we never gave
specific guidelines to our new contract." He started. The teen opened his eye
and looked down at the man who was now dressing him.
"Were you wanting to reestablish your rules, or add more?" Sebastian pondered.
He used the same cloth to clean the cum off the floor. He mentally noted that
he'd have to come back and do a better job with proper supplies.
"You must protect me and never betray me. Obey my orders unconditionally. Never
lie to me. Those are the rules of our last contract." Ciel listed.
Sebastian stood up and bowed with a hand over his heart. "I have upheld those
rules and will continue to do so. This is our contract."
"Additionally," Ciel continued. "I expect you to service me until this drug has
passed. That is an order and a contract rule." In the last few days the lust
had continued to come and go throughout the day. The Earl had found himself
ducking into nearby rooms and pleasuring himself. He hated to admit it, but he
couldn't satisfy the need as well as his butler's hand had.
"My lord?" Sebastian asked, taken aback by the request.
"It was your fault for failing to protect me. Take responsibility." The teen
stood tall and stared at the man who was still hunched over in his bow. "As
long as I suffer, so shall you."
"Twisted as usual, aren't you?" Sebastian smirked and nodded. "I agree to your
new contract. In return I will get your soul when our deal ends."
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!