Alois, though he normally would have been put out by Ciel's threats and made a few of his own, could hear clearly how the other's voice caught when he spoke; Ciel was obviously very worried and upset. As such, he refrained from giving him the response he usually gave to such rude people. Audibly sighing, he rested the back of his head on Claude's broad shoulder. "I certainly haven't seen him, not since the last time I saw you," he told him, being as serious as he ever was, which was not very often at all. "Why are you so worried? He is a demon, after all. There's not much that could hurt him in this realm..."
Reaching up, Ciel ripped off his eye patch, walking briskly over to where Claude stood with Alois in his arms. Allowing both of them to see the clearly diminished pentacle in his eye as he tossed the patch onto the floor, he looked up at them both, anger still burning within him. "I ordered him to come to me when I could not find him anywhere in my mansion," he explained, his voice still taut with suppressed emotion. "He never came and though humans could not hurt him, other demons can. The Shinigami have no reason to come after Sebastian. My duties as the Queen's Watchdog often overlap with their cases, after all... The only conclusion left is that a demon got to him and your butler is the only one around for miles that carries a grudge against Sebastian."
Claude knew instantly why the contract mark was faint; it was because Sebastian's energy was limited right now. Ciel really was a bright boy to think things through like this, though he was incorrect in assuming that Alois had Sebastian brought here or that he had fought with the other demon. That was usually the case, but not this time, not with Sebastian having been in heat. Remaining silent but a little longer, he finally realized that he was going to have diffuse the situation. His master was, for once, completely innocent, though Claude had no intention of taking blame at this time. All he had to do was tell both of them what had happened- with Timber and Canterbury- and they would draw their own conclusions. That way, it wouldn't really be a lie.
It wasn't that he was ashamed of what had happened between himself and Sebastian, either. Claude simply did not know what would happen after this, or, in fact, if they would ever come together again during another mating time right now. As such, he felt it would too forward for him to proclaim Sebastian as his mate to their masters. Humans had strange reactions to same-sex couples in their own race, after all. Demons had no qualms about it at all, especially considering that there were those males, like Sebastian, who could bear a child fathered by another male demon. They were quite rare, though; Sebastian was the first one that Claude had ever met.
Clearing his throat, Claude looked at both Alois, then Ciel. "Your Highness," he murmured quietly, "There was something I was going to discuss with you later, but I think perhaps I had best do so now, with both you and the young earl since he has traveled all the way here." Looking very serious, he braced himself when both turned to face him.
Alois' pale blue eyes widened slowly, wondering what Claude had to tell him that he hadn't told him before now. Vexed a little at the idea that he was keeping secrets, he sulked a little, though it faded when he saw the look Claude had. He'd never seen him look so serious before now; it was kind of strange, actually.
"Does this 'something' involve Sebastian?" Ciel demanded instantly, turning his fury on Claude. Giving him a sharp look, his eyes, a much darker shade of blue than Alois', narrowed, almost as much of a visual contrast to the blonde boy as their appearances were.
"Yes, it does," Claude affirmed instantly, meeting both of their looks, still perfectly calm despite their different reactions to his words. "But I think we had best have this conversation in private, if you both don't mind. It is quite a serious matter and not something I think should be spread about too much. I wasn't going to say anything about it to anyone else, honestly, but because you cared enough to come looking for him, I believe you have earned the right to know the truth."
