Two Steps From Hell | Sebastian Michaelis

Her Butler, So Perfect

"Here you go, Lucifer."

Ana placed a bowl of food on the floor for the kitten. Lucifer meowed as he ran over and began eating his food. Ana smiled, stroking his fur before going into the living room.

Odette was awake and smiling at the mobile attached to her Moses basket. Ana couldn't quite believe that she was already two months old. The glowing pink of her eyes had gone and she now had big, dark red eyes just like her father.

"Aren't you sleepy, princess? It's way past your nap time."

She giggled as Odette instantly yawned. It was definitely her nap time. The easiest way Ana found to help her sleep was to hum heaven's song. Odette loved it so much and she was always so relaxed whenever she heard the tune.

Ana gently rocked the basket and eventually lulled her to sleep. Once she was asleep, Ana sat on the couch and opened her book to read. Lucifer made his way over and jumped up onto her lap to nap as well as she read her book.

That was pretty much how life was. Every two weeks, that same little boy would trek across the field to the cottage to deliver something else. Sebastian had thought of everything and had everything set to be delivered on time, whether it was coffee and chocolate, cat food or clothes, she didn't have to worry about anything. The last time the delivery came, Ana just had to ask out of curiosity.

"Comment avez-vous su quand apporter la première livraison?" she asked the boy. (How did you know when to bring the first delivery?)
"Le monsieur qui a arrangé cela a dit d'attendre jusqu'à ce que nous avons vu les lumières allumées," he explained. "Quelqu'un a vérifié tous les jours jusqu'à votre arrivée." (The gentleman who arranged this said to wait until we saw the lights on. Someone checked every day until you arrived.)
"Oh... ça doit être dur pour toi." (Oh... it must be hard for you.)
He shook his head with his usual smile. "J'aime cela. C'est mon endroit préféré pour livrer." (I love this. It's my favorite place to deliver.)
She smiled. "Vraiment?" (Really?)
"Oui! Et tu es vraiment jolie. Tu dois être un ange!" (Yes! And you are really pretty. You must be an angel!)
Her smile softened. "J'étais...mais plus maintenant." (I was...but not anymore.)
The boy thought she was joking and laughed. "Eh bien, vous en avez encore l'air. Je dois partir maintenant. On se revoit bientôt! Au revoir!" (Well, you still look like it. I have to go now. See you soon! Goodbye!)
She smiled and waved. "Au revoir."

Sebastian really had thought of everything.

***

Another month had flown by and Ana couldn't believe how fast time was going. Odette was three months old and a lot more active and aware of her surroundings. She would do some of the cutest things and make such adorable sounds as she tried to converse with her mother. Ana made the most of those adorable moments. And she knew Lucifer loved her, too. He would sit beside Odette's Moses basket whenever she was asleep as if he was protecting her.

They were their own little family.

Ana had settled Odette to sleep in her cot in the nursery before falling asleep in the living room with a book open in her lap. It had gotten quite late, just after 3am and Odette had woken up. She cried for her mother's attention but Ana was still fast asleep downstairs.

In complete silence, the front door opened and closed. Lucifer mewed quietly and purred as the stranger stroked behind his ears before making his way up the stairs to the crying baby.

The crying soon reached Ana's ears and she stirred as she woke up. She quickly got up once she realised she wasn't dreaming and grabbed the pacifier from the coffee table before making her way upstairs. However, halfway up the stairs, her heart jumped to her throat as she heard another voice.