Hospital For Souls (M i c h a e l i s) [Kuroshitsuji 3]{Completed}

Chapter XX (i) : 'Be My Salvation.'

Hold me close, don't let go.

Watch me...

Hold me close, don't let go.

Watch me...

Hold me close, don't let go.

Watch me burn...

In this Hospital for Souls.

"Will she know me?"

Gregory Violet was something that I knew was probably a very rare emotion, for him – he was nervous. Incredibly so. Wringing his hands together, black nails digging into the flesh, opening cuts in some places. He was a complete mess, anyway, but I couldn't help but wince – it looked painful, what he was doing to himself. So I grabbed his right hand, pulling it away. He stared at me as though I were a diseased whore, and tugged his fingers from my grip.

Okay, that hurt a little. "She has never stopped speaking about you. Don't be ridiculous, of course she will know you. Look. I will go inside, fetch her from her chambers down into the drawing room. Give you some time to build up your courage. And Gregory Violet, I swear by all that is unholy that if you coward out and leave that room, I know a few people who are very eager to rip you apart with their bare hands."

Violet simply shrugged. "Don't be stupid."

Well, he didn't ask for much. I sat back in the carriage, crossing my legs – it was now rolling over the bumpy, cobblestoned pavement, jolting nearly every ten seconds. But I had become much more accustomed to the frightful journeys – in fact, I confess that I rather enjoyed travelling in such a fashion.

Ciel was the next to speak – he had been quiet for quite some time, scribbling a letter to Her Majesty the Queen on a piece of expensive looking parchment paper, leaning on my copy of Dorian Grey. But now, his dark blue eye was fixed on me, inquisitive.

"I trust you will tell no one of what transpired here today, or anything of the last few months?"

"You can be certain, sir." I nodded respectfully. "I would be committed if I tried."

"Of course. And I owe you for your services – a moment, please." He reached deep into his jacket pocket, drawing out a chequebook and flipping it open, sharpening his pen nib on the windowsill before jotting down my name and a considerable sum of money beside it.

"I cannot possibly accept that, my Lord," I mumbled when he presented me with it, staring down at the figure with wide eyes. "It is far too much."

"Ridiculous. Your services and wit have been invaluable to the solving of this case." He waved it away, when I tried to give it back to him. "You can either take the check or return to whoring yourself out in exchange for a place to sleep. Your choice."

I tucked the slip of paper into the edge of my corset, muttering something darkly under my breath – and that certainly made the pair of men in the back of the carriage blush!

Sebastian, as per usual, was controlling the horses. Once the hansom coach rolled to a stop outside of the manor, I stood, brushing past Ciel and Violet and opening the door myself for once. It gave me a wonderful sense of authority as I hopped out onto the gravel – Ciel, murmuring something about a lady with no manners, clambered out after me. Violet grabbed for my hand when I motioned to climb the marble stairs.

"You'll bring her down?"

"Yes! Oh, come on, would you – and be quiet, or you'll disturb the poor woman." Something was beating weakly against his wrist – it was... a pulse. The actual pulse of a dead man. Unbelievable. Something warm began to spread through the cellars of my chest as I swanned through the double doors – Finny had seen us coming a mile off and had opened up the grand locks that were most likely chained shut for days upon days. His eyes widened considerably when he saw who I was dragging behind me, but he said nothing – instead, choosing to go outside and assist Sebastian with the trunks.