Tangled Web (A Black Butler Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"This place gives me the creeps," Grell complained as we snuck through an alleyway, trying to find the latest killer.

"Grell, shut up. No wonder Will was so willing to give you to me," I said as I turned to him as annoyed as Will was when he worked with Grell.

"Don't bring Will into this," he snapped. Then he added, "the wonderful sadist."

I haven't gotten used to that. Since a few days ago when Grell signed on as my personal servant, like Paula was for Lizzie, he's been nothing but a pain in the neck. First it was his obsession with dying whenever he screwed up on something. Then it was trying to tell Lizzie and I apart. Now, he was speaking his mind at the wrongest times. I was ready to reap his soul myself...if he had one.

"Selena," Grell inquired as we walked out of the dim light the lamps gave and into the darkness where I was relying on Grell the most. It was our first killer assignment. The other times was making sure no one who worked the Underworld was causing any trouble. The only one I was suspicious about was a Chinese man by the name of Lau. For some reason, he reminded me of a snake or a rat that should never be trusted.

"Ran-Mao, look at the girl coming into my humble shop," he said as I walked in. "Welcome, Lady Midford."

At least he didn't call me Lizzie, I thought as I walked up to him. The place smelled awful but I had to let him know I was in charge now.

"You must be Lau," I said as I stopped in front of him. I had to keep a calm demeanor. I knew Grell was too busy checking out the store patrons than paying attention to what was said.

"I am," he said with a faint smile. "This is Ran-Mao."

The girl that was on his lap reminded me of a conning cat. Her kimono was short and hardly reached the middle of her thighs. He had bells at her ankle. I wondered if she was part cat.

"You must know, if you run this shop, that-"

"Earl Phantomhive is dead?" Lau caught me slightly off guard. I knew the news hit the city but I didn't know he was know that's what I was going to say. "Yes, I knew him all too well. I paid him protection fees."

"Then you know I am the new guardian of the Underworld for Queen Victoria," I said.

Lau paused and stared at me. I turned from him, hoping Grell would snap out of it long enough to know to follow me.

"Welcome, Lady Midford," he said. "Do I owe you the payments now?"

"Do what you please," I said. Then I turned from him and added, "Call me Selena. I'd rather not hear the Midford name."

Just before I closed the door to his shop after I turned and walked from him, I heard Lau say to his pet, "My, she must've known Earl Phantomhive, she has a reaper with her."

I smiled slightly as I shut his door. Ciel had a demon for protection; I have a reaper. Maybe Ciel and I were never that different.

"Selena," Grell pleaded, "remind me of what we are doing."

"Following orders from the Queen of England. Someone is murdering and it's my job to stop whoever it is," I said, trying to be vague enough to string him along. I didn't want to tell him that everyone, including Queen Victoria, thought the missing boys were dead since no one has seen them since they disappeared. It reminded me of when Lizzie went missing. However, even if Ciel was alive and I was doing this, I could never use him as bait. I would have used Alois with no problems. "Besides, Will contracted you to me. In other words, do whatever I say."