The Queen's New Pet (A Black Butler Fanfic)

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The next morning when she was woken up Maria was surprised with a not-so-pleasant discovery. When Sebastian poured her medicine for her, she found herself looking at the bottle longingly.

She wanted to grab the bottle and down it all in a few gulps.

Instead she simply took the spoonful given to her.

Yet another surprise to Maria was her feelings toward the medicine. Yesterday she was horrified to find that it was composed of human souls, but as soon as she saw it this morning she wanted it. Badly.

What is wrong with me? She wondered despairingly, because no answer would be coming anytime soon unless Sebastian caught William.

Speaking of William...

Ever since he visited her in the night two nights ago, and due to Maria's sudden leap in her transformation, she could feel him lurking. He was always watching her somehow. It was very creepy and sent shivers up her spine. But she could not worry about that now, for today was the day that Ciel Phantomhive was going to another ball. He was dragging Maria along as well, just because he didn't want to go alone.

"We both know how well the last one went!" Maria argued tenaciously.

"Maria, you cannot stay in Phantomhive manor for the rest of your life!" Ciel countered back, which caused an awkward silence between the two. They both were thinking the same thing: How long was Maria's existence going to last?

"At least get out once in a while before..." Ciel finally spoke quietly, and reluctantly Maria promised to go.

So there Maria was, dressed in a fine silk purple gown with her brown hair curled into perfect ringlets, thanks to Sebastian.

She pouted all the way to the ball, still not liking the idea of her going among other people, who had souls. What if something happened? Everything could go wrong in a single move.

As Sebastian helped her out of the coach, he swiftly bent and whispered at in inhuman speed into her ear, "If you begin to act up, Lady Maria, I will be there to stop you. Go, and have fun."

Maria was horrified to discover that she understood every word he had said, even when he wasn't talking at the regular human speed.

Ciel looked at them suspiciously as he exited the coach behind her, but didn't question it.

The three entered the hall the dance was being held in and politely greeted every important person that came to talk to them. Soon Maria was swept up in a dance by some important young man, and many more dances ensued with many different men.

Suddenly she found herself dancing with no one other than Ciel, who looked a bit flustered. After a minute of dancing in silence Maria spoke.

"You're a terrible dancer."

"S-Shut up!" Ciel turned even more red as he nearly stepped on her foot again. It looked like he had to really focus in order to talk and dance at the same time. She let him concentrate for another minute before speaking again.

"When I... reawaken as a demon, please don't hate me. And if you do, then please just grant me an hour so that I could leave-"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Ciel suddenly stopped dancing, staring at her in disbelief. "Do you want to leave the manor?"

"N-no! It's just... I feel as if you may hate the new demon-Maria, so if you need me to leave then I will."

"Okay, for starters: I will never hate you. It isn't your fault that you are being turned into a bloody demon! You will still be Maria."

He said the last sentence with a hint of hesitancy, Maria noticed it. Ciel continued.

"Second: Where would you go? With no one there for you to help you, you'd end up homeless and starving."

Maria had to admit that he made sense, but still... "But, in case I am not... myself..." That's when she felt it.

"You will be- Where are you going?!"

"Ladies room." Maria replied bluntly, already heading towards that direction.

"Wait! I'm not done talking!" She could sense him following her. She had to get away, to seek what she suddenly wanted.

She allowed herself to speed up as she slipped through the crowd, easily losing Ciel. She sensed the object of her fixation leaving the building.

No! Maria reached an open, empty hallway and started to run, kicking off her shoes first. Her hair flew behind her as she ran and she reached the end of the hallway in mere seconds. Not even pausing to consider that she had just ran at an inhuman speed she burst through the doors, startling a few nobles going for a nightly stroll.

"Miss?" One questioned curiously, but Maria ignored him and followed the object. The soul. It was hers, it had to be and it was going to be.

She ran through the streets, eyes no doubt glowing a bright pink as she hunted. Jumping impossibly high, she landed on the roof of a building then ran over the roofs, quickly gaining on the soul.

Suddenly it stopped in one spot, and Maria caught up to it and peered over the side of the building, looking at the innocent person below her. It was a man, talking with another man. Not even seeing the other man, Maria prepared to pounce. Just as she was about to jump in for the kill a gloved hand clamped over her mouth as she was pulled back against a firm chest of someone. No, something.

Another demon.

"Sorry, but that's not how it works, Kitten." A low voice whispered seductively into her ear. Maria ignored the voice and struggled pointlessly, snarling into the hand covering her mouth.

She sensed her prize walking away now. No, no! She fought more desperately, but it was still pointless. She knew now what she had to do, and that was to destroy the one that stopped her hunt.

She went completely limp, and after a moment longer the arms reluctantly let her go. Immediately she turned around with inhuman speed and shoved the chest she had just been held captive against. Her element of surprise managed to push the demon back a few yards and as he moved back she moved away, running as fast as she could.

She got a few buildings away before he caught her again.

"You are a sassy little Kitten, hm?" The voice purred again into her ear. Maria struggled - albeit pointlessly - again, and finally she heard him sigh in impatience.

"Well, seeing as your little fit isn't going to end soon... sleep well, Maria."

Finally Maria snarled, her humanity returning just enough for her to speak.

"Sebastian, don"t you dare-"

He pressed his fingers into a specific spot of her neck and she fell limply into his arms. With another sigh he picked her up and started to head back to the manor, where no doubt Ciel would be waiting.

As soon as Ciel had ran up to him at the ball panting something about Maria abruptly leaving, Sebastian had quite practically thrown him into the carriage and had a different driver take him home while Sebastian pursued Maria's half-turned demon side.

Luckily, he had made it in time. A few seconds later and that man would have been demon fodder, and the other one would have been a witness that would have had to been dealt with. Permanently.

"Such a troublesome little one you are." He spoke to the unconscious girl, softly brushing her curled ringlets out of her face. He still couldn't understand why he had a weird fixation with this plain yet lively girl, and he wouldn't likely find out soon.

That's when the voice of someone he had grown to hate spoke in the darkness.

"Will you please unhand my Lady? It is impolite to touch something that isn't yours." William hissed.