A Demons Mate

I promise....

It wasn't long after his story, that Sebastian excused himself. Serena had simply nodded when he left the room, he wasn't really seeing her anyway. The demon had been unable to settle after he had told her his past and she hadn't really been able to process what he told her with his constant pacing and the frustration rolling off him. It was pure exhaustion that pulled her down to the pillow and let the red head slip into an uneasy sleep.

Her dreams were filled with images she didn't understand. Places that she had never been or seen. They finally stopped outside a large city that Serena knew she had never visited. A crowd was approaching a set of large gates and she had no choice but to move with them. The girl didn't understand the words that were spoken around her but the mood was happy. Some kind of celebration. The people seemed to pay no mind to her at all. As though, she wasn't even there.

The crowd pushed through the gates and Serena could see the stone buildings of the city as they passed. It was the same as any other, merchants still hawked their wares, people still chatted with others. But there was a feeling ancient in their buildings, in the food the vendors were selling. The crowds were thicker inside the city walls and she was constantly shuffled, pushed and squashed between people that didn't see or didn't acknowledge her.

Finally, the narrow streets opened to a large square. Looking up, Serena gasped at the building before her. Pale stone and jeweled tiles reflected the sun's light. Spires of the same stone reached for the clouds, capped with more glittering gems. There were no gates or fencing surrounding the building. It gave off a sense of welcome even though she was certain that you were not meant to enter.

The people cheered as the massive doors opened. Parents lifted small children on their shoulders and teens climbed onto the tops of vendor's stalls to get a better look at the women that were coming out in pairs from the building.

A woman appeared in the doorway, alone, and the crowd roared. She was small. Shorter than Serena and gave off an air of delicate. She was dressed in white. The same pure color of the hair that fell to the woman's knees. Gold bangles shimmered from her wrists as she raised her hands to quiet the crowd. She found that she couldn't turn her attention from the other woman. Again, Serena could not understand what was being said but the people around her only grew more excited. When her gaze finally left the woman, the red head was shocked at what she saw.

He was standing behind the woman, just to side to be able to see the crowd. His hair was long, pulled up in a high pony tail to keep it out of the way. The uniform he wore was dark, shades of black and gray. Heavy boots came up to his knees and she could see the glint of a knife hidden in one. What could only be described as gauntlets covered his hands, one resting on the large sword at his side. The man looked over the crowd, constantly scanning for threats. Icy Blue eyes caught the shocked girl in the midst of all the cheering people and narrowed in suspicion.

"Sebastian?"

Sebastian?"

Serena jerked out of her vision to see the demon in question in front of her. The tailcoat and gloves had made a reappearance, completing his unruffled look. He sat on the edge of the bed, his hand on her cheek.

"You called for me?"

She sat up, taking the hand in hers and pulling the glove off. Her fingers ran over the contract mark on his pale skin and held his nails up for her inspection.

"You were tan."

The hand jerked out of hers.

"And your eyes were blue."

"It is morning and we need to return you to your room, before the rest of the house wakes." Sebastian stood and turned away from her.

"I saw you when you were human, didn't I?" The red head slid out of the bed.

"I do not know what you saw."

"Bullshit!" Serena watched as he turned back, surprise on his face. "There was a square and people and a woman with white hair. You were standing behind her and watching the crowd. The woman was Armana."

"Yes." His lips pursed before he finally explained. "I left myself open and I apologize."

"So, when you're upset, I can see things in your mind?"

He didn't want to answer, but knew that she wouldn't let it go. "Yes. Now, you need to be back upstairs. Lady Francis and Lady Elizabeth are already awake and using the ballroom for early morning practice. I need to wake the other servants and finish breakfast before it is time to wake my master."

"Ciel." She thought back to the night before. "Exactly how are you going to wake Ciel?"

"Oh, I thought that having one of his limbs ripped off might be a nice change."

"Sebastian!"

"He touched my mate! After he had already said that he wouldn't."

"You are not to harm Ciel." She wagged a finger in his face. "I told you that I would take the blame for that and I thought that we were over it."

The demon growled at her.

"Promise that you will not hurt Ciel in any way."

"I promise."

"You promise what?" Serena crossed her arms as she glared at him.

"Serena."

"Say the words and mean them. I'd like to think that I've learned a little something after all this time."

Sebastian growled a little more but bowed. "I promise that I will cause no physical harm to my master."

"Thank you." She smiled and held out her arms while he eyed her suspiciously. "I'm trying to be nice."

The demon moved slowly into her arms and she stood on her tip toes to kiss him quickly.

"Good morning."

The red head felt his arms moved jerkily and then the electric touch of skin as his hands slid along her jaw, into her hair before pulling her into another, deeper, kiss. When he finally let go, Serena realized her hands were fisted in his coat.

"Good morning, my mate." His eyes were swirling as he smirked at her dazed expression.

The girl held a hand to her lips. "You know, I'm beginning to think that touch thing isn't very fair."

He laughed, a finger still running along her jawline. Serena slid her own over his and pulled it away to look at it. "So, why are you so pale now?"

Sebastian jerked his hand back and put his gloves on again.

"Honestly, you're like a dog with a bone." His voice didn't hide his irritation or his disgust with the comparison. He found a finger in his face again.

"Did you just call me a dog?"

He felt her anger rising and taking the chance of a peaceful morning with it. "Being damned means being denied the light of God. All demons are pale as the sun's warmth never reaches them. I could stand in the Sahara for months and I would still be as pale as I am now."

"Interesting."

Sebastian put a hand under her knees to lift the girl against him. "I will carry you to your room so that we can get through the halls without anyone seeing you."

"You got some kind of magic invisibility cloak under that tailcoat?"

"Close your eyes."

She did and felt the wind rush over her. When Serena looked again, Sebastian was lowering her to the carpet in her room.

"I forgot about that."

"You still have about a half an hour before Mei-Rin comes to help you dress. Is there anything that you need?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Then I will see at breakfast." Sebastian started to walk out but stopped when she called him.

"There is something else that I should probably tell you."

"What is that, my mate?"

She fidgeted before finally looking up. "I have a dog at home. Well, Tao is staying with my mother until I get back from Japan, but you know what I mean."

He sneered and went out the door.

"Oh, you would love her!"