The Mating Rite

Chapter Two

Author's Note:

Sorry for the delay in updating, Lieblinge. I've been a bit busy. I hope you enjoy, and I appreciate any and all comments.

Only a few moments after the human chef had departed from the room, the inquisition you'd expected began. "So, Ms. (Y/N)," Sebastian began as the two of you set about preparing dinner, "how long have you been contracted to Lady Eckstein?"

"Four years, now," you answered candidly.

He made a slight hmming sound. "Which Sin are you?"

"Greed. And yourself?"

"Wrath. I've been with my Young Master for three years," he replied.

"He's so young for his soul to be as well seasoned as it is," you remarked.

Sebastian tensed a micro-fraction. "Yes, he's a wonderful specimen, indeed."

"At ease. I have no interest in stealing your human, no matter how tasty he may be." You smirked slightly.

Sensing your honesty, Sebastian relaxed. "You understand my concerns, of course. We've recently had experience with another demon taking a liking to the Earl."

"It tried to steal him from you?" The surprise in your voice wasn't faked. While it still happened occasionally, stealing another's contract is considered taboo among demons.

"He still is," Sebastian said grimly. "I haven't been able to kill him."

"Unfortunate," you commented.

"Very much so. He's a Wrath, a spider, and he already has his own human," he added with a somewhat irked expression.

"Distasteful. If all negotiations go well and my Lady and I stay for an extended period, I will offer my services if the arachnid comes crawling about."

"That's most appreciated." Sebastian sent you a quick smile.

"May I ask your animal form?" you inquired.

"A raven, Ms. (Y/N)."

"I'm a swan."

"A very fitting form," he complimented.

The two of you continued your dance around the kitchen, preparing supper in silence for a time. The scent of food became stronger, filling the room's entirety.

When the meal was finished, Sebastian said, "I will set the table and bring out the food if you would fetch the Lord and Lady."

"Certainly," you agreed, dusting your hands on your apron.

You climbed the stairs in the foyer and sought out Earl Phantomhive's office. Finding it easily, you knocked lightly on the door.

"Enter," he called.

Opening the door, you said, "Dinner has been prepared, Earl."

"Of course; thank you. I shall be down shortly." He dismissed you with a wave.

From there, you went to the room assigned to Lady Eckstein. You woke her gently and helped her into a lake blue gown. By your hand, her hair was brushed straight and her light makeup done to perfection in such a way as to compliment her aging appearance. Nearing four decades now, it showed in faint wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, but the beauty she'd held as a younger woman was evident still.

Once in the dining room, you pulled out a chair to the left of Ciel's, which was at the head of the table. They exchanged greetings as you returned to the kitchen. Inside, you asked Sebastian, "Is there anything else I can help with?"

He replied, "Help me serve?"

You agreed, and you both walked back into the dining room, him pushing the food cart behind you. You laid out the dishes in front of your Lady as Sebastian did the same for Ciel. Sebastian introduced, with dramatics none too few, "For dinner tonight, I, with the assistance of Ms. (Y/N), have prepared a dish of baked chicken with a creamy cilantro lime sauce. To accompany it, we have roasted asparagus with almonds and asiago, as well as rich and creamy mashed potatoes. In addition, we can offer Pinot Noir or Grenache."

Each of the humans requested their wine of choice, which you then poured for them. Glasses of water were also present at both settings. They thanked you and Sebastian, and then you retreated to the corners of the room until you were needed.

While the nobles ate, they exchanged all of the socially mandated pleasantries and small talk. You kept your expression blank so as to not reveal your boredom, and you saw Sebastian doing the same. Over the course of the meal, you refilled glasses and endured their idle chatter. Once the main course was over, dessert was brought out, a rich chocolate cake, and you saw Earl Phantomhive's eyes light up with a childish glee.

After dinner, the nobles retreated to the Earl's study to discuss business. You and Sebastian washed dishes and talked about odd things that have happened during your previous contracts. The two of you straightened up the manor and dealt with the incompetence of the servants for the rest of the evening before put your contractors to bed with little fanfare.

Later, around midnight, you ran into Sebastian in the Phantomhive gardens.

"Hello, Ms. (Y/N)," he greeted.

"Sebastian," you returned. "Ihr Garten ist sehr schön." Your garden is very beautiful.

"Thank you. I am honored you think so." He moved to sit beside you on the oak wood bench.

You both sat quietly for a few minutes. The warm breeze carried the scent of the garden's many flowers and washed over you in a sweet perfume. Noises from night creatures filled the air. Eventually, you requested, "Tell me more about the spider."

Sebastian arched an eyebrow curiously but did as you asked. "His current Master calls him Claude. He is employed by an Earl by the name of Alois Trancy. Claude has subservient demons that work with him. He's arrogant and utterly infuriating. He has no honor and makes others do his work for him, then takes the credit for himself. He's a second-rate butler."

"Is that why you couldn't kill him? The other demons?"

"Partly, yes." A comfortable silence once more came over you both. You sat in the garden until the early hours of the morning when you had to wake the mortals.

The Earl and Lady were once again discussing business in the study while Sebastian and yourself were working around the manor. It was just after luncheon when you felt another demon's aura. It wasn't Sebastian's. Whereas Sebastian's was an inky maroon pool that promised to drown, this one was amber silk that clung and tangled. You quickly sought out the Phantomhive butler and found him in the kitchen staring out the window.

"You feel it as well?" he asked you.

You nodded. "Who is it?"

"Claude," he said, his lips curling as if the name left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Should we tell your master?"

He said, "Only if it becomes necessary. We should try to handle it quietly for now. Come."

While you disagreed, it was his territory, so you went with it. You followed him out into the front yard and into the forestry that surrounded the manor. You both took to the trees, tracking Claude's aura. He was coming in your direction as well, so it didn't take long for the three of you to meet in the middle.

From beneath his tailcoat, Sebastian produced...a handful of silverware?...which he then flung at Claude. Claude returned the attack with golden utensils. They fought like that for a few moments before you managed to shake away your surprise. "Only in England," you muttered as you reached into the void and produced your own weapon of choice: a double-headed scythe.

With an ease that came with years of experience, you swung the scythe at Claude, catching both males' attention. Taking advantage of Claude's surprise, you wielded your weapon masterfully, forcing Claude to jump back if he wanted to keep his head. Sebastian refocused and lashed out with butter knives.

Claude went on defensive, jumping out of the way of the combined attacks. He then launched a few forks in your direction.

You flung yourself to the right, and Sebastian took back to the trees. From the ground, you swung the scythe as Sebastian threw silverware from above.

A well-aimed gold knife embedded itself in your upper stomach, distracting you just long enough for Claude to fly through the air and tackle you to the ground, knocking your scythe from your hand. Sebastian was running to you, but Claude had a hand wrapped around your throat; Sebastian wouldn't be able to get there before Claude ripped out your throat.

Adrenaline fueling you, you summoned all of your demonic power and lashed out with your aura, pure energy and power, sending Claude soaring back and into the air. Sebastian caught some of the backlash and tumbled to the ground.

You righted yourself swiftly and retrieved your scythe. While Claude was down, you twisted the weapon in a graceful arc and sent his head rolling across the ground, arterial spray gushing up, some splashing against your face.

You stood and caught your breath for a moment. Looking down at yourself, you noticed that the surge of power had released your true form. Your grey and red maid's outfit had been dissolved and replaced with a black leather catsuit. The shoes you'd been wearing turned into high heeled stiletto boots. There was a black lace collar wrapped around your throat that had an intricate silver crescent moon hanging from it. Your skin now held an inhuman glow, and from the way the barely visible outline of your aura usually sensed rather than seen, teased the corners of your eyesight, you knew that your eyes had changed as well, irises overcoming whites and shifting orchid, and pupils turning slit in a manner similar to a cat or a reptile. Running your tongue across your teeth revealed them to be sharper, and your ears were pointier.

You turned to check on Sebastian and saw him also in his true form. His shoes were the same as yours, and he wore low slung black leather pants and no shirt. His hair was longer, about shoulder length, and his eyes were the same as yours, whiteless, orchid, and slit-pupiled. Those eyes were now staring at you with a primal hunger.

"Sebastian," you said cautiously. "Are you okay?"

A snarl was your only answer, displaying glistening fangs. Then, Sebastian suddenly released his aura onto you. Not as an attack as you'd used yours, but simply a show of his power. To show he'd be able to protect you. To show that he wanted you as his mate.