Comforting Darkness

Chapter 10: The Tutor, Exposed

Selina closed the kitchen door tightly and then opened the upper window for the cool night air to enter the room freely. With fear in her eyes she approached a picnic basket sitting on the counter, slightly lifted the cover and a horrible odour attacked her nostrils, threatening to spread in the kitchen, if she did not shut it immediately.

"Oh goodness!! How is it possible to ruin fresh ingredients? Bard... one day you'll find yourself behind bars accused for poisoning."

Tomorrow was the big day of Ciel's school tournament and the Phantomhive staff would rise early for the trip to Weston school; everyone would go except poor Snake, who unfortunately drew the lot to stay behind and safeguard the manor. Since the whole event would last all day and they would have a picnic, Bard, as the Phantomhive chef, took it upon himself to cook... and he did cook... that stinking thing in the basket.

"Okay, good thing I kept some of the ingredients, let's see if I can make something similar." The woman said and began preparations.

She pulled her hair in a tight, high ponytail and rolled up her sleeves after putting on an apron. She washed her hands and then began working as silently as she could so that no one would wake up and find her in the kitchen in the middle of the night. She was quite tired and knew she had a long day ahead of her, but could never let that nightmare of a food be served to Lady Elizabeth and Prince Soma, in case he joined them, although he was in an opposite team and house in the tournament and school respectively.

She still laughed remembering Sebastian's description of Soma's very 'discreet' entrance in the school and how loudly he called and waved after Ciel, even though the young Earl asked him specifically to not do any of these or show any sign of familiarity between them, because then the whole plan of Soma being there as Ciel's spy inside the Red House would be out in the open and therefore useless. It seemed that the Indian boy was too excited to see his 'brother' after some time and all logic fled from his mind; thankfully, everyone was too dazzled by Soma's demonstration of wealth, to notice the new student of Blue House ignoring the newcomer's happy screams and leaving the scene pretending not to know that Prince.

She was working while trying to picture all this and a happy smile had spread on her lips; she was so focused that failed to sense the familiar presence, nor heard the light footsteps coming closer, not until the deep voice of the demon butler pulled her out of her fantasy and made her jump startled.

"What are you doing in the middle of the night?" Sebastian asked and with his fingers caught the kitchen knife that was flung towards him, aiming for his throat. "Thank you for the warm welcome."

"Oh sorry, I'm so sorry... but you startled me." Selina said trying to control her breath and beating heart. She abandoned the half cut piece of meat and quickly hid her hands behind her back. "Well... actually I was about to cook an edible version of what Bard made for the tournament picnic tomorrow. I... I know it's late but they are all asleep and I won't get caught by Bard; I don't want to hurt his feelings, he was too proud for what he made." Selina was talking fast, in a failed attempt to cover her nervousness as she was backing away from the counter and Sebastian, walking towards her in a really slow, lethal, predatory way.

"Show me your hands." He ordered approaching and looking at her with his cold, even threatening red eyes; he left the knife on the counter and continued towards the woman, who was now retreating with a wild look in her eyes, the look of a trapped animal.

"My... my hands? What about them? They are just dirty from cutting the meat, nothing of interest." She said trying to show she was cool but failed majorly.

Sebastian was not in the mood for that kind of games and so, without warning, he dashed towards her, grabbed and slammed her on the wall as he pulled her hands from behind her back, pinned them on the wall above her head and caged her legs with his own in a way that she would not be able to kick him or slam her knee in his private area. Selina did not have time to act or say anything; the only sounds she made were those of struggle as for a while she was trying to release herself from the demon, but soon realised he had not moved an inch and so she admitted temporary defeat.