Black Butler: The Stellar Dove

14.4

  Only one man remained—one I hadn't seen—at the very foot of the steps. He approached him. I was paralyzed with fear.

"Pl—please! I—I didn't know before—Don't hurt me!" I recognized the man as my so-called fiancé. He was shaken badly, his suit sprinkled with blood.

I was then able to focus on the figure at last... and recognize him. My face paled as a pain struck my chest. And like I wasn't in my body anymore, I began walking towards them.

"But of course. I cannot kill you yet. You haven't fulfilled your purpose." He spoke with his usual polite, even voice. "Go on and spit it out."

"I—I—I'm not Serafin. I worked for—for..."

"Come now, you don't have much time left."

"I was here for Estella. I needed to—to get her out..."

"Why is that?"

"To him she's... nothing more than a rat..." He began shouting. "Just give her back! I have to get her out of here!"

The words stung me, tearing at the edges of another memory.

"Why?" He asked in a low voice that was barely audible.

"Because... she's..." There was a silence. I realized he had seen me, and was looking right at me. I gasped, freezing where I was. The man became hysterical. "Run, Estella! Get out of here! He'll kill you! He's a monster!"

The figure kicked the man in the stomach, sending him back. He began coughing, hacking up blood. The other was silent for a moment. He then sighed, and began talking in a dark tone. "I see you're not going to be of use to us much longer. I apologize for kicking you so hard before you finished. Though I don't suppose you were going to be of any help in the first place. I suppose it's time to finish you off now."

Sebastian slipped off his glove, and it was then that the answer finally hit me. I could only watch silently as Serafin was lifted into the air by Sebastian's hand. His legs dangled helplessly, his hands clasped around his neck. He gave him a final glare, and with that, a claw was sliced across his throat. Blood began pouring out immediately. The butler dropped the man to the floor.

I was now steps behind him. Sebastian turned around upon hearing me. He froze when we met eyes, the slits in his fuchsia irises widening in shock.

"Estella..." he gasped. He appeared to try to speak something more, but no sound came from his lips.

"S—Sebastian... is that... you?" That wasn't exactly what I meant to say, but he didn't seem the least bit confused by the question.

"Yes, it's me." He reached hand towards me. "It's alright..."

I clearly saw the mark—the Tetragrammaton—on his other and became too weak to support myself any longer. I fell to my knees. There was a long, deadly silence over the chilling atmosphere in the shadowy room. It was a dreadful mix.

"I... had one more guess..."

"You do," he confirmed.

I choked on the words. I didn't want to say them. I didn't want it confirmed, but it was inevitable, and they came at last. "You're a demon."

Sebastian kneeled down in front of me. I turned my head so I wouldn't have to look at his inhumanly bright eyes. "You're correct."

Tears of dread and anger and fear rose to my eyes.

"Are you afraid?" he asked softly.

It was a very stupid question to ask, but yet a hard one to answer. I was afraid, but not of him, but of him at the same time. There was no answer I could give.

My heart thudded, causing my chest to feel like it was collapsing in on itself. My hands covered the sides of my head and I shut my eyes tightly, trying to hide from something, or from the feeling one. Nothing was right anymore. I gasped when I felt myself falling forwards, then the sensation of arms wrapped around me, my fading will to struggle, everything consumed by darkness.

~~~~

Z,W_