A Demon's Toy

We were back in our room on the 23rd floor and currently I was pacing back and forth in the bedroom while Sebastian was in the kitchen cooking up some food. Even though I had argued that I wasn’t hungry, Sebastian had ignored my protests and began setting out the ingredients. While he had been busy doing that, I decided to go into the bedroom and change into something a little more comfortable. So here I was…in a pair of black and white flannel pajama pants with little white paw prints trailing up and down the leg of the pants along with a white tank top with Garfield on the chest….pacing back and forth out of my mind.

I had thrown my black hair up into a loose bun, a few of the strands coming loose to fall around my face, but I didn’t care. I was more worried about what he had meant when he said he had already made me his. I wasn’t sure if he meant it in a flirtatious way or if he meant that since I was a maid, he had technically already made me his. Whichever one it was…it was driving me insane.

“Gah!” I screamed out in frustration as I pulled at the loose strands of hair.

“Is something wrong, Miss Ember?” an amused British voice inquired from the bedroom doorway. I stopped in my tracks slowly lowering my hands. I pivoted around on my heel to face the tall, impeccably dressed demon.

“Nothing at all,” I lied. “Just wondering when the food will be ready so my stomach will stop growling.”

“I thought you weren’t hungry,” he teased folding his arms across his chest.

My pale green eyes narrowed. “That was before I smelt salmon with…” I turned my nose up toward the ceiling and sniffed the air. My heightened sense of smell picked up on the delicate scent of lemon thyme and dill. “Is that a lemon compound butter I smell?”

“Indeed. That is quite a nose you have, Miss Ember. Would you care to actually see the food and perhaps eat it?”

I shrugged trying to act nonchalant. “I suppose,” I answered brushing passed him. Sebastian’s hand flashed out and gripped my arm gently in his palm.

I glanced up at him over my shoulder and felt myself become completely drawn into his deep, swirling red gaze. For the longest time we just sat there trapped…lost…inside the endless sea of one another’s eyes. His eyes were a red pool of blood that I found myself drowning in, but never wanted to come back from. He tightened his fingers around my arm and tugged me backwards. I stumbled back a couple steps before my back bumped up against the doorframe.

Sebastian slammed his hands against the wall on either side of my head causing me to flinch at the sound. The demon butler leaned down close to me; his silken black hair shifting to fall further into his face. My breath hitched in my throat as I watched those soft, feathered strands of hair drift across his face as they constantly moved with each breath that was exhaled from his nose.

“Sebastian…” I began after having to take a deep breath in order to produce a coherent thought. “If you keep this up…the fish will get cold. I don’t know about you, but I like my fish hot.”

“Correct you are, Miss Ember,” he quietly agreed. His eyes dropped to my mouth as I slid my tongue across the edge of the bottom lip. He observed the movement through calculating eyes that were now beginning to glow a faded purple.

“Which is why I only wanted to remind you to wash your hands before dinner,” he replied, the glow of his eyes fading back into the deep red as he pushed himself away from the wall.

That had been the first time I had seen his eyes grow purple like that. I honestly wasn’t sure whether to be flattered by that hungry gaze or…slightly frightened. On wobbly legs I stumbled away from the wall towards the bathroom door, my eyes staying locked with Sebastian’s.

“Be sure to wash them quickly so the food doesn’t grow cold. I don’t want to have wasted my time for nothing,” he called out as I slipped inside the bathroom.

I quickly soaped up my hands and rinsed the suds off with lukewarm water. Grabbing the hand towel between the sinks, I dried off my hands and took a deep breath before exiting the bathroom. Sebastian was standing behind the bar that sectioned off the kitchen from the living room area. He had his hands planted firmly on the bar counter; his head hanging down making his black hair hide the look on his face.

I quietly made my way over to one of the stools that bordered the bar and took a seat wondering when he would take notice. I desperately wanted to reach out and touch his hand. The action would be mostly to comfort him, but it was also because I wanted those eyes on me again. I wanted them to glow with hunger the way they had before. Feeling at a loss as to what to do, I rested my head on the counter waiting for my food. It was true I could have said something to him, but I figured he wouldn’t look that way for no reason so I would wait patiently. Well, up until the moment my stomach decided to sound like a dying whale amongst the quiet room.

There was an amused chuckle before the clinking of a plate sounded near my head. I lifted my forehead off the counter and gazed down with longing at the salmon that sat before me. The luscious smell of lemon, dill, and the slightest hint of garlic wafted from the herb and lemon compound butter that was drizzled along the delicate crusted skin of the cooked fish.

“It smells wonderful,” I sighed picking up the three-pronged fork that laid on the edge of the porcelain white plate. I cut the side of the fork into the fish watching in mouthwatering awe as the fork sliced through like butter.

“It tastes even more wondrous than it looks,” he assured watching me as I placed the fork into my mouth. The instant the dainty piece of salmon hit my tongue, my taste buds exploded from all of the flavors that had been carried in that one bite of fish. I moaned my approval.

Suddenly, Sebastian was there by my side removing the fork from my fingers to lay it beside the plate. I whimpered at the loss before he touched two gloved fingers to my chin and turned my gaze towards him.

“Do you find great pleasure in my cooking?” he questioned gazing deep into my pale green eyes. I licked my lips and nodded looking away from those compelling red orbs. There were no words to be found that described the taste of his food. Any words of admiration would be a massive understatement and almost insulting towards the savory flavor of the salmon.

“I find great pleasure in watching you eat what I cook for you.” His voice grew deeper than normal causing me to look at him. Once more I observed in awe as those ruby irises lightened into a deep fuchsia.

As if in a trance, my fingers gradually lifted from their resting position on the counter to brush along Sebastian’s jawline. The pads of my fingers made a light trail towards the demon’s lips before Sebastian captured my hand in his own. Those eyes never once left mine. He lowered my hand away from his face and laid it gently in my lap. My eyes widened infinitesimally in shock as I watched him remove the glove from his right hand exposing the pale slender fingers with nails painted black as night.

With slight hesitation, Sebastian lifted his pale, exposed hand and hovered his fingers just centimeters over the skin of my cheek. I could feel the tiny hairs on my face stand on end yearning for those cool, slim fingers to finally touch flesh against flesh. My breaths came out short and shallow as I felt my body growing hot at the very thought of those hands, ungloved, caressing my skin with a soft touch.

My eyelids fluttered closed as I felt the coolness of his fingers lightly touch my cheekbone and skim along the smooth expanse of skin. Right before those fingers could caress along my bottom lip, the hotel phone rang causing me to jump. The purple faded from Sebastian’s eyes as his hand quickly dropped from my face and he replaced the glove over his fingers. I couldn’t help but feel slightly saddened at that fact.

Straightening his tailcoat, Sebastian glided over to the telephone and snatched it from its cradle after the third ring.

“Miss Hunt’s room,” he answered into the phone. The corners of his lips dipped into a scowl. A look that was far more familiar to be seen on the handsome butler’s face.

“Alderin, please calm down and repeat what you said using more intelligible words,” Sebastian sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. After that, all he would answer with was “mhm” and “I see”.

“That is none of your concern, Alderin. Please be sure to keep Mistress Hunt occupied for just a few more days. As long as you don’t mention it to her again things will be fine,” Sebastian finally spoke after a few minutes of silent nodding.

“Goodbye,” he said as he gently set the phone back into its cradle. He released a tired sigh, something he had been doing a lot recently. Figuring it was none of my business, I went back to eating the salmon. Even though it had grown a bit cold around the edges, the flavor itself was still remarkably breathtaking.

“Is everything okay?” I cautiously inquired as he sat down on the stool next to me.

“There’s nothing for you to worry about, I assure you. Just questions from the estate on how to better care for the mistress,” he smoothly answered.

I let out a short burst of laughter immediately covering my mouth after seeing the death look on the demon’s face.

“You’re a terrible liar, you know that?” I mentioned taking another bite of salmon happily.

“You seem to be the only one to take notice of that,” he pointed out before removing the glove from his right hand once more. I observed his actions through curious, confused eyes as he swirled the tip of his black nailed finger in the lemon butter of the salmon.

“If you’re hungry you can have so—”

I stopped midsentence when he took that buttered finger and wiped it across the tip of my nose causing my eyes to go wide from shock. This was not normal Sebastian behavior.

Upon seeing my wide eyed expression, a deep, healthy burst of laughter emitted from between the demon’s lips. I was stunned to see an actual, full blown, genuine smile on the handsome butler’s face. His face completely changed when he smiled. He went from looking like a condescending butler to a free spirited young man. The latter appearing more like a devilish god rather than just plain handsome.

An evil smile spread across my face as I picked up the little of what was left of the salmon and smashed it into his face. His laughter abruptly stopped as the flakes of salmon slid off his chin to land in his lap. He slowly trailed his tongue around the edges of his mouth licking off any remaining traces of the fish.

“You’re going to regret that,” he calmly replied.

A smile broke out across my face. “I think I already do,” I chuckled. Those red eyes flashed purple. Laughing, I jumped off my stool and sprinted towards the bedroom only to run straight into Sebastian’s arms and tackle him to the ground.

I laid there on top of Sebastian laughing over the events that just occurred. I had never expected the head butler of Hunt Estate to participate in such childish games, but it seemed we were all just little kids at heart. No matter if we were big, bad demons serving as butlers to a sadistic mistress.

My laughter abruptly died on my lips when Sebastian touched a cool hand to my face. I had nearly forgotten that he had removed one of his gloves. I vaguely wondered where it might be lying. His hand slid around to the nape of my neck and drew my face in towards his.

“Sebastian…” I whispered. I yearned for those lips to caress mine, but at the same time I was afraid that after such a thing he might return to being cold and uncaring towards me.

“Just once…” his voice was a husky timbre. “Just once I will give into my hunger.”

With that he pressed those fiery warm lips to mine causing my body to explode with an overwhelming wave of scorching heat. Swept up in the moment, I tangled my fingers in the velvet soft strands of the demon’s black locks and pressed our bodies closer together. Not commending the fact I was on top of him, Sebastian wrapped his arms around my waist and quickly rolled us over. My back was pressed against the cool marble floor of the bedroom causing chills to run down my spine colliding with the immense heat Sebastian was overflowing my body with.

I wrapped my slender legs around his hips, moaning when Sebastian gently nipped my bottom lip before moving his mouth down the column of my throat. Seeing that long length of neck of his exposed while he nibbled gently at my own throat, I took the chance I had been given and bit the area where his neck met his shoulder. I felt Sebastian’s body shake against my own seconds before my legs fell back to the ground and a rush of cold air swept across my body from his sudden absence.

I quickly sat up and gazed up at him through concerned eyes as he stood with his back to me in the doorway.

“Sebastian? I-I’m sorry if I hurt you…”

“Get some rest, Miss Ember. We have a long day ahead of us for tomorrow,” he answered closing the bedroom door behind him as he left.

Tears formed along the rims of my eyes at those words. There hadn’t even been a slight tremor in his voice at having to recover from the passionate kiss we had just shared. It was like it hadn’t even affected him even though I knew he had wanted that to happen just as badly as me.

Angrily swiping the fallen tears from my cheeks, I jumped to my feet and tossed myself onto the bed.

I stared out at the view of the city up until the moment my eyes finally surrendered to the power of sleep.