Sebastian's Mate (Book 1)

Act One: The Bloody Mess

"Yes, my young master, it is a beautiful day to take a turn around the gardens and, a uniquely clever way of removing yourself from your lessons."

"Stop trying to be clever Sebastian, it doesn't suit you and I believe that it was your idea."

"Yes." Sebastian scanned the gardens ahead of them as they left the shelter of the manor. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen, and he was rarely wrong. His hand instinctively went to his jacket pocket. Patting it he smiled and whispered, "it never hurts to be prepared."

"What was that Sebastian?"

"Nothing my Lord, just intoning to myself."

Ciel rolled his eyes. "That is the first sign of madness you know!"

"We are far beyond that, my young master."

They continued in silence, Sebastian just half a step behind his master. He was ill at ease. Something was coming but he couldn't put his finger on it, and he did so like to have his fingers involved.

Movement at the edge of his vision caught his attention. Sensing approaching danger, Sebastian leapt in the direction of the movement just as a figure appeared from the trees and collapsed to the ground. A second figure followed as Sebastian drew closer. He saw the second figure fall, clutching frantically at a knife that protruded from its neck. It collapsed to the floor just as Sebastian reached it. It was male, human, and already dead. Sebastian could smell the early signs of decay, even as blood still spurted from the wound and dripped onto the grass below. With no heart pumping to push the blood, the spurt soon turned to a dribble and blood began to pool around the body, seeping into the ground.

Sebastian moved over to the farther body. As he bent down, he could see that it was a girl, a young woman. She had multiple wounds across her body and blood slicked to her hair and clothes. She had no right to be alive given the gaping gash across her throat, yet she was breathing. Her breath was shallow and ragged, but she was breathing none the less. No human could have survived such an onslaught.

The feeling of unease that Sebastian had felt earlier only increased as he looked at the blood-soaked mess in front of him. But there was something else, something he yet again, could not put his finger on.

Ciel reached Sebastian just as he scooped the girl up into his arms.

"This one is still alive my Lord."

"What happened?" Demanded Ciel.

"I don't know, the other one was inconsiderate enough to die before I could ask."

Ciel's stone-like expression told Sebastian that his comment hadn't been appreciated.

"The only way we will know is if this one lives."

"Let's get her back to the manor and call for the doctor."

Sebastian set off for the house, moving as fast as he could without leaving the now running and panting Ciel behind.

As he moved, Sebastian stated, "while I am loathe to disagree with you, young master, I fear a doctor would be of little help in this case."

Ciel wanted Sebastian to explain himself but the words wouldn't form. All his energy and oxygen were focused on keeping his lungs and legs working.

As they reached the manor, Sebastian left Ciel to catch his breath while he took the still unconscious form to one of the spare bedrooms. As he moved, he shouted for towels, water, and dressings to be brought.

He placed the bundle of ripped flesh carefully on the bed as Mey-Rin appeared at the door. He moved swiftly to grasp the bundle from her and usher her from the room. The maid was flighty enough as it was, and he did not need to be dealing with hysterics now.

Sebastian remained troubled as blood continued to flow from the major wounds at her neck and abdomen. He surveyed the sight in front of him in more detail as he began to remove the shredded remains of her clothes to get to her wounds. The roundness of her breasts and the curve of her hip confirmed to him that she was around 18 years old, just a few years older than his master, yet the feelings that stirred in him. How could the bloodied, unconscious mess in front of him cause such a response?

Sebastian had just removed the last of the tattered material and started to clean her wounds when Ciel, still red and panting, appeared at the door. Ciel turned a deeper shade of scarlet at the sight of the naked girl on the bed. He found himself unable to speak or to look away.

Sensing his master's unease, Sebastian spoke as he worked. "I am sorry my young master but there was no time for the niceties of covers and permissions. I need to see the extent of the damage if I am ever going to save her."

Ciel managed to drag his gaze away just in time to see Sebastian pluck a needle and thread from thin air. He watched as Sebastian set to work, stitching the worst of the wounds, his hands working so quickly that the movements were barely perceptible.

As Sebastian finished and covered the girl with a sheet, Ciel finally found his voice. "What did you mean, a doctor would not help?"

"Young master, just one of those wounds was enough to kill a mere human, yet here she is, just a slip of a girl, and still warm and breathing."

"I don't understand, are you saying she's not human?"

"Not entirely, young master."

"You are being deliberately cryptic again Sebastian."

"I will not know any more until she wakes, if she wakes."

Ciel had never seen Sebastian like this before. There was a look in his eyes that he didn't recognize.

Sebastian's mind was clouded, and he didn't like it. There was something so familiar about the girl. Something that made him want to protect her, to hold her and not let her go, but he could not place her or the reason why she provoked such feelings in him. Shaking his head, he brought himself back into the present. He needed to assess the danger all of this held to his young master.