WANTED (Sequel to One Hell of a Maid)

Chapter 11: Only a Maid

The cold rain is like sharp icen needles piercing my skin. The drops fall upon the Earth like millions of small glittering icicles.
I shiver violently and sprint as fast as I can to the hill up ahead. Upon the hill sits the mansion, lights from inside glinting like a beckon.

The wind howls, I have to fight against its hard shove. I begin to clamber up the hill. My boots slip in the black mud. Even the gracefulness I earned from being a part of Siren fails me.

With every step forward I slide backwards. With grim determination I stomp my boots into the mud and trudge onward. My once light brown dress clings to my soaked body covered in mud. The hem catches on a stick and I stumble forward, my knees and palms sinking into the wet Earth.

I force myself up, slipping back a few steps before I finally manage to maintain my footing. I try to wipe my hands on my spoiled skirts but the drowned soil is like a sticky glue on my hands.

A branch from a tree stings my cheek, I wipe at the wounds. From a flash of lightning I can see blood mixing with mud on the hand I wiped with it. I nearly scream, to make it worse my long black hair whips at my face, I shove the clumps away with my dirty hands but it's no use

I attempt to continue my trek up the slippery slope, the lights up ahead get brighter as I near them. I almost laugh in relief, that is until my boot gets stuck in the mud.

Cursing under my breath I pull at my foot but it won't budge. Anger fills me like lightning. I unlace my boot and pull my foot out of it. I'll retrieve the damn thing in the morning.

My toes sink into the muck. I can feel it ooze between my toes like slime, but at that moment I couldn't care less.

With determination I continue on. Alas, nature hasn't finished having it's fun with me.

Water from on the hill suddenly spills down it like a shallow waterfall. I'm barely able to let out a squeak before the rushing water nearly pulls me to the ground, carrying me with it. Then it does.

My fingers reach out, tearing at grass to try to stop my slide.

A gloved hand shoots out towards me, without thought I take it allowing myself to be tugged to my feet. The quick moving water seems to rush faster. My feet come out from under me and I throw my hands around the nearest sturdy thing, a person. Sebastian.

Lightning crackles and the wind shrieks. The demon butler's eyes glow and flash a bright magenta. He smirks down at me, the only thing keeping me from being swept away is my arms swung around his neck.

My legs flail out behind me, I cry out. In a quick second his hands are on my waist pulling me to a standing position. Lightening flashes again, it seems like the two of us are suspended in time.

One gloved hand lifts from my waist. I cling to him, not wanting to be swept away from the current. And then that hand lifts towards our faces. He pulls the glove off with his teeth and tosses it to the ground. I watch the speck of white become tainted by the mud as it slides down the hill.

His bare hand gently caresses my cheek. A shiver goes through my body. His thumb strokes my cheek but as soon as it's there it's gone. Lightning lights up the night.

His contract hand is the hand that touched me so softly, the hand is filled with the muddy blood on my cheeks. A heavy feeling weighs me down. As if Sebastian can feel this his eyes simmer down back to their normal hue. The world that suspended us in time starts again.

Sebastian assists me with the remaining climb up the hill. We make it inside the mansion, both of our feet leaving mud tracks on the wood floor.

"Where is everyone?" I ask.

"Eating desert. I sensed you outside and went to help you, the storm is dangerous outside, Ebony. Where were you?"

"I went for a walk and got caught in the storm." I lie easily. "I was so late in coming back because I lost track of time."

Sebastian studies me for a moment and then nods. "Alright. Let me carry you to your room, one muddy set of footprints are better than two."

I hesitate and then agree.

Sebastian scoops me up in his arms and dashes up the stairs to my room. Setting me down he then races to his room, tailcoats flapping at his speed.

In only a moment he comes running back wearing all new and clean clothes. He rushes down the stairs and then in another moment he returns to the threshold of my room. All this took a mere minute.

I'm not even surprised. "Got dressed and cleaned up the dirty footprints in less than a minute?" I quirk a brow. "That's a record."

"Actually," he smirks, "I was taking my time."

Despite all the tension between us I can't help but laugh. "Of course you were."

Sebastian smiles a closed mouth and eyed grin at me, causing me to roll my turquoise eyes.

"I'm going to clean myself up. I'll be downstairs in a little while."

Sebastian nods and heads downstairs.

I shut the door to my room and fill up the tub while I strip and wash out my clothes in the sink the best I can.

When the tub is finished filling up I abandon the clothes and step into the water. As soon a I sit the water starts to become murky and by the time the first layer of dirt is off the water is black.

I drain the bath and let the bath to fill again as I continue to desperately try to scrub the mud from my clothes in the sink. Only when the clothes are cleaned to my best capability I go back in the tub, this time washing my hair and body thoroughly.

Once finished after a couple washing I wrap a towel around myself and redress in a plain beige dress. I leave my moist hair hanging in my face, brushing out all the tangles before I leave for downstairs.

Sebastian, Ciel, Catrine, and Simon all sit cozily in the parlor room.

The rich western man smiles at me and this takes me aback. The smile is uncharacteristic to his usual over-the-top, boisterous self.

A question forms on my tongue but instead of asking it I sit down and swallow it back. It's not my place to ask. I am only a maid aren't I?