{ My fingers laced together, and I made a little prison... and I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me. }
- Lorde

〰〰〰〰

Sebastian's seduction never fails. And finding such a flamboyant fellow within such a mass of corruption like the back streets of London is never hard. Our plan is set for us to ride into London (never letting Finny catch on), then silently walk deep in to the bowels of the city. Sebastian, as he put it, will then 'stiff our suspect out' and subsequently 'lure' Grell to him in only the most professional manner... of course.

The carriage we're sitting in rocks back and forth... jolts here and there. But it's almost peaceful, in a way... for I know that our destination finally has a purpose; whether that purpose is meaningful to me, or not. There is a loaded gun tucked securely in my coat pocket, for reapers are the only supernatural beings who can be killed by such a thing... much like how they are also the only things whom can kill a demon. Not they they are particularly prone to letting teenage boys shoot them with a pistol. Sebastian sits across from me, his gaze unbelievably hot on my face and neck. And I hope upon hope that I am not flushed as red as a ripened tomato. I tell myself not to think about how much I want him... need him... crave him. But I know that whether or not I am blushing or not, he can tell indefinitely that I am thinking about him.

I sigh, trying to take my mind off how handsome Sebastian's features are. I gaze out of the small side window. I ask myself why I care so much about pleasing Victoria and the royal family. I haven't had a case in so long, I feel as though it is of no significance... as if nothing will ever matter again, unless there is either a loaded gun or Sebastian's soft, soft lips pressed against my neck. And perhaps he is the one holding the gun. I wouldn't be surprised or disappointed, after all. I got myself into this mess. I bestowed my life to a creature filled with all of the things I seek to destroy... and I wouldn't have it any other way. See... the thoughts I constantly have of him are unrelenting. The carriage stops.

"We're here, young master!"

I hear Finny call from the driver's seat. I wait for Sebastian to get out and offer me a hand before taking it and exiting as well. It takes a moment or two for my eyes to adjust to the daylight now flooding in around me, and in that moment of blindness I find myself wondering that, if, perhaps Sebastian knew of my temporary inability to see, if he would take the chance and end me right there. But maybe he would stand by to make sure nobody else would. I find it hard to tell with him.

"When should I be coming back for you, then?"

"Six o'clock, I should say."

"Very well, mister Sebastian!"

He rides off. I turn to Sebastian.

"I can already smell him. Allow me, my lord."

He lifts me up, swiftly carrying me away to a side street before jumping and taking us high upon the rooftops of London.

"He's quite close, now."

Sebastian mutters over the sound of wind clashing around our eardrums. The icy blasts feel like they come from the tooth of the saber himself, blinding me with his immeasurable fury.

"Ah... right below."

He spots the read-headed one quickly, nothing short of a small feat on his part. Mr. Sutcliffe is strolling calmly down an alleyway, his scythe of choice in hand... that is, until he looks up.

"Ah! Bassy! What fun to see you here... have you finally warmed up to me?"

He calls, smiling his disturbing smile.

"It's quite rude to refuse a lady, after all."

"You, I am afraid, are no lady... Grell Sutcliffe."

"Oh, how I love it when you talk sexy!"

We swoop down to land a few feet from his smirking face, and Sebastian's grip seems to tighten around me. The air grows thicker as the wind kicks up, sending a shiver down my spine and making me huddle closer to him. The gusts send Grell's hair in to a flurry of long, crimson tendrils; whipping around his face like a winter storm.

"I'm afraid there is no time for games. We're here on important business."

I pipe up. Sebastian steps closer to him, his aura quickly becoming dark and aggressive.

"Oh, really, now?"

The reaper replies, tapping the heel of his boot on the pavement.

I nod, wriggling out of Sebastian's firm hold on me.

"I know that you are, in fact, responsible for the recent murder cases around London. If you plead guilty now, Sebastian might just spare you... if not, I will not hesitate to have you taken care of immediately."

"Whoops! You caught me! You never cease to impress me, little one... though you know best out of anyone how I never give up that easily!"

He says, giggling,

"And of course... no duel with my Bassy can ever be taken as a threat."

He grins at Sebastian, now... his pearly, sharp teeth glowing in the cloudy autumn air.

"I'm afraid I shall have to ask you to stay out of this and seek shelter nearby whilst I exterminate this vermin, master."

Sebastian suggests, keeping his blood-lust filled eyes firmly tracked on Grell, just as a tiger would hunt it's prey. His animalistic nature hones in on his target and his entire being seems to glow with a hellfire as hot as any.

But before I can respond, or even take a step away from the two supernatural beings in front of me, I hear Grell's chainsaw rev up loudly and suddenly. And it feels like everything is speeding up, the adrenaline flooding my veins.

"How pathetic! How can such a talented demon as yourself allow such a useless creature to rule over you so indefinitely?"

"He hardly rules over me... don't you know? We are bound; body and soul.. for eternity. He is ultimately slave to me just as much as I am now to him. What's pathetic is you, I dare say; preying on the souls of those quoted useless creatures."

Sebastian retorts quickly, scowling... though his eyes are glowing ever fiercer... and his being is buzzing ever louder.

I feel suddenly like everything is out of my control... as if our bond might break if he only got angry enough. The little humanity he has in his eyes seems so fragile and ever weakening... and my instincts tell me to back away. Leave. Run. Now. But instead, I step even closer... wondering if I am deceived in the sense that Sebastian will protect me. But then he looks at me, and it seems like he is telling me there's something terribly off. His eyes are smoldering with something too complicated for me to fathom, and so I back away. I feel the electricity in the air cracking and growing... moving like ice.

And I do not know if he is telling me to hide because he doesn't want to taint his meal, or if he is protecting me. Though he surely has no heart. He is something inhuman and I struggle not to remind myself of this disturbing reality... for as soon as I do my world is warped into something brutal and disgraceful.

"Come and get it, Sebastian!"

Sings Grell, as he leaps high into the air, wielding his scythe. And the , he thrusts it towards me.

I barely have time to react as I mutter a surprised gasp. Sebastian quickly jumps in front of me, an anger I've almost never seen before boiling in his eyes... almost. He grunts slightly as he catches the blade between his hands. Suddenly, Grell drops the saw, pulling out two scissors. He laughs like a mad-man, almost jumping with joy as he rears at my demon. Sebastian lands a hit to his face and he stumbles backwards, spitting blood as his nose begins to bleed profusely. Then he smiles, and the crimson-colored life-force flooding his mouth runs over his teeth and tongue, turning his entire mouth a retched shade of red.

Sebastian scowls and makes a 'tsk' sound, throwing the blade he holds aside.

"Filthy."

My back hits the damp brick of the building behind me. I take a deep breath, observing everything that's happening in front of me with the eye of an eagle. My ears pick up even slight trembling of feet right before they lunge at each other, Sebastian pushing Grell to the ground. Grell cries out; in pain or in pleasure, and his hands are held above his head... still holding he red-handled scissors in between his pale fingers. Sebastian takes the chance to expertly foul the reaper's stomach with another harsh blow. This time, though, the breathe is knocked right out of the redhead's lungs... and I hear this violent expelling of carbon dioxide as it rushes through the air like a river flowing through grass.

Then suddenly, he's on top of Sebastian. And they flip again. And again. It looks like they're dancing a sort of hellish waltz... limbs tangling on the ground like vines growing and splitting up a wall.

"Sebastian."

I breathe out, noting how (almost) graceful they look; two creatures of corruption, essentially fighting to the death.

"Sebastian..."

And suddenly, Grell is on top, straddling my butler. Grell wields the shining, sinful steel-bladed scissors above his head as Sebastian grips his forearms, holding him back. Blood is dripping from his mouth, nearly dripping onto Sebastian's face. Sebastian quickly snatches one of the pairs of scissors... his strike fast, yet precise and languid like a snake. Grell has no time to fight him off, just as expected. Sebastian plunges the blade into the reaper's side, grunting and snarling as he does so. Grell gasps, almost a sigh of relief. Sebastian wrestles him to the ground, throwing the blade off to the side and it disappears to the right of them. But the wanton reaper keeps glancing to his left. And he keeps glancing. Keeps glancing. And I realize why; the scissors Sebastian discarded lay mere feet away from where he is now pinned... right next to the scythe.

And everything slows... seems to be moving through water as Grell hastily pushes Sebastian off of him, scrambling towards the weapons. His movements are desperate... adrenaline fueled and ugly. He grabs the scissors. How could Sebastian make such a careless mistake? How dare he risk leaving me? I've never seen anyone or anything overpower this servant of mine... never, ever have I seen him fail. Not once. And I think... what if this is the end?

"Sebastian!"

And now I'm screaming his name instead of whispering it... the urge to reach out to him is too strong as the disgusting reaper in front of me stabs the scissors into Sebastian's palms, pinning them into the pavement as he nearly gets away. He gasps. I do, too. And I start running... scrambling towards them in order to grasp the chainsaw before Grell can... but I'm too late. He revs the death-bringer up, the sound deafening.

And he plunges it into Sebastian's chest.

How dare he risk leaving me... he gasps.

He gasps.