A Demons Mate

Queens Butlers

Serena sat in one of the chairs opposite the queen's butlers, next to Ciel. After breakfast, the Earl had invited them into the salon to discuss his newest orders. Sebastian stood quietly behind his master as Earl Grey seemed to take pleasure in making the other lord wait for the letter in his possession.

"I have to admit, Lord Phantomhive, I'm not sure that this is a good case for you. After the incident with Baron Kelvin, this made be a bit much." The other lord's cold smile was still firmly in place.

The red head got up and stood behind Ciel's chair.

"Lord Phantomhive is the best at what he does. Something that the Queen understands as well, or you wouldn't be here. I'm more than certain that the Earl can handle it."

Earl Grey blinked in surprise before his smile came back. Standing, he came to Serena and held out a hand. When she gave him her own, he brought her fingers to his lips, pulling her out of her seat.

"I forgot to introduce myself. Earl Charles Grey, at your service."

"Serena Walton."

He smiled at Ciel while still holding the red head's hand "I see the rumors about your engagement are true. Congratulations. She's definitely an upgrade from that loud girl always trailing after you."

"Actually, Miss Serena is a guest of my master. Nothing more." Sebastian came to hover at her side and noticed the slight easing in her shoulders.

"Even better." Grey's fingers moved to her wrist and pulled the red head closer. Green eyes widened at being trapped. Ciel jumped from his seat at the murderous expression on his butler's face, expecting to see the other Earl torn to pieces by Sebastian. Instead, Serena placed a hand on the demon's chest to hold him back.

It wasn't needed. Phipps had pulled the other man away and smoothly stepped between them.

"I must apologize for my friend. In the presence of such a lady, he seems to have forgotten to introduce me." The man bowed over Serena's hand while ignoring his partner glaring at his back. "Charles Phipps, my lady."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

Phipps turned back. "I think that we should finish briefing Lord Phantomhive and return. Before her majesty starts to worry at our absence."

Grey pouted but returned to his seat. Everyone else let out a deep breath as the dangerous atmosphere disappeared.

"Now then, it has come to her majesty's attention that a number of teenage boys have gone missing from London lately." Phipps sat down again by his partner noticing how Sebastian had placed himself firmly between the Phantom and red head. "Several of the lower titles have reported that their sons came to London for schooling or business for the family and have disappeared. Each family receives one letter after the young men have not returned on the expected date and then nothing more. Every one of the letters reads the same. They have met friends in London and will be extending their stay for a few days."

"They could very well have gotten caught up in the more seedy sides of London life." Ciel set down his cup to look over the letter from the Queen once more.

"That was what we thought at first. However, the men have completely disappeared. There is no trace of any of them at their lodgings and their friends say that the young men returned home as scheduled as far as they knew. Then yesterday, we received a report that the son of the Duke of Richmond has disappeared as well. The family received the same letter as all the others."

"Very well, I will look into it and report to her majesty if the men can be found."

"Then we will take our leave." Phipps stood and waited for Grey. The other man still watched Serena as if fixated on something. "Good day, Lord Phantomhive."

"Sebastian will show you out."

Ciel let out a breath as the door shut behind the three and saw Serena do the same.

"What an ass!"

The Earl rubbed his forehead and nodded at her assessment. "Grey is smart although lacking in manners. Thankfully, Phipps excels in both areas. I think that the Queen keeps him around to reign Grey in. With the way he keeps provoking Sebastian, I think he is also short on common sense."

"Yeah, I was really afraid that I was going to be holding an unattached arm for a minute there." She rubbed the red mark that was left behind on her wrist by the Earl.

"That may have been what Grey was after from the start. How were you able to hold Sebastian back?"

"I don't know." She shook her head. "I just told him to stop and he did."

"But you didn't say anything."

"Yes, I did. I said don't and he said as you wish."

"Serena, I was standing right here. Neither of you said anything."