His Maid, Her Butler

You rushed down the hall as fast as you could, making sure no one saw you. The door slammed shut as you pressed against it, falling to the floor in a heap. Your mind spun; you had seventy-two hours to finish your life the way it was. Looking around, you saw your room was still in the exact same way you had left it. Heaving a sigh, you pushed yourself off the floor and dropped your book onto the bed. A creaking noise sounded behind you; as you turned to see what it was, you were tackled.

“Orea!” cried a man’s voice in delight.

The breath was knocked out of you as you hit the ground, he on top of you. Your vision came back and you saw Undertaker smiling down at you. “Where have you been, you silly girl? I was left all alone last night at the café.”

Shaking your head, you sat up on your elbows. “I am sorry, I was…busy.”

Undertaker scrutinized you. “You are never late for anything, and if you are, you always let someone know. That did not happen last night.” His face came closer. “What happened?”

You tried to slink away, but he had you pinned under his legs. “Nothing, I was just busy and the time got away from me.”

Pushing you onto your back again, he placed his face right against yours. “You smell different; I know something happened, and you better tell me.”

You trembled at his force; sighing, you gave in after seeing no other option. “I was sought out as a mate.” You stared back at him hard. “Are you happy now?”

Undertaker froze; his grip became tighter on your arm and his knees dug into your legs. “You were what?”

“I was bound as a mate,” you repeated. “I do not like the idea one bit, but it is done.”

“To whom?” he asked, his voice shaky.

You didn’t respond for a time, finding a way to say it without him overreacting. “A demon,” you said in a small voice.

He grasped your arms tighter, making you yelp. He was angry, and it hurt you to see he was. “Why did one of those monsters have to contract itself to you!” In an instant, he was on his feet and his scythe in his hands. Without warning, he swung, destroying the dresser across from you.

“Undertaker!” you called out, scared. “What are you doing, stop that!”

He glared at the mess, his face stone stiff. Sliding your arms around him, you buried your face in his back. “I told you I was not happy either, but I cannot undo what is done,” you mumbled.

The muscles in his back moved as he clenched and unclenched his hands on the scythe. Bowing his head, his hair covered his face. “Why did one have to choose you?” Pushing you off, he made for the door.

“Undertaker, please, wait!” You reached out to him, but he brushed you off.

With a sound of hurt in his voice, he replied, “It should have been me.”

You stood there, stunned. Without turning back, Undertaker left and you were alone. You thought about what he had just said; had you heard right? ‘It should have been me.’ Sitting down on your bed, you cried. Everything was wrong; you were a respected Reaper, a loving friend, and now that was lost, all because of a demon. You stared furiously into the mirror that hung on the wall. Picking up the book that lay beside you, you threw it at the mirror, shattering it terribly.

“My life of friends may be ruined, but he cannot take my position away from me. I will continue to be the Head of the Reapers whether he approves or not.” Grabbing a bag, you stuffed it with a few pairs of clothes and your Records book. You looked around your room, remembering the days spent there. A picture of your parents sat on the nightstand; picking it up, your eyes filled with tears.

It had been a century since your parents had passed away. You had not known your father very well, for your mother had raised you. You were one of two children; you had a twin brother who knew nothing about you, but you knew about him. He was a wild one, and loved to make mischief. You sighed and placed the picture back on the nightstand. Taking one last look around you headed out the door and ran into Undertaker.

“Oof!” You reached out a hand to steady yourself.

Undertaker grabbed you by your arm and pulled you into his arms, enfolding you in his embrace. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in your ear.

You were shocked to find him back, but you accepted him, hugging him fiercely. “I thought you were mad at me?”

Undertaker hugged you tighter. “I cannot stay mad at you, but I am still mad at that vile demon.”

You choked out a chuckle. “I am glad to hear that.”

He hesitated then asked, “I want you to stay with me,” he insisted.

You shook your head. “I am to mate with him in three days.”

“Who cares, not me anyway.” He giggled in your ear.

You pushed yourself away a little so you could see his face. “But what would others say?”

Undertaker grinned slyly. “Who says they will find out?”

You rested your head against his chest and thought over his proposal. Three days to have with your friend personally. Reaching up on tiptoe, you wrapped your arms around his neck. “Then let’s go away. Just the two of us, three days, and happy memories.”

Undertaker grinned like a mad man. Entombing you in his arms, he hugged you happily. “That is exactly what I wanted to hear.”

“Where shall we go?” you asked, looking around your room. “Do you have a place in mind?”

“A perfect place.” Picking you up in his arms, he left your room and carried you off to your destination.

Paris, France; that is where he took you. Stepping out of the portal, you gasped at the scenery. You were surrounded by a field of beautiful flowers. “Undertaker…it’s lovely.”

He nuzzled your neck. “As are you.”

Something about that made you feel bad, but you ignored it. Undertaker took you to a little cabin hidden back into a wooded area. “Why did you never tell me about this place?” you asked, baffled.

“It was always a surprise,” he chuckled. “Well, it was meant to be on better circumstances, but I say this will do.”

You couldn’t help but laugh as he set you down inside. “And why is that?”

Without warning, Undertaker swung you around to face him and he kissed you. Caught completely off guard, you stood there, frozen. He was smiling like a fool as his eyes met yours, glittering.

“What did you do that for?” You felt even worse now.

“I want you to be mine for these next three days,” said Undertaker, pulling you tightly into his arms and caressing you.

You didn’t want to tell him no, seeing as that would make him fall to pieces, but there was a tightness in your chest. Thinking carefully, you replied, “I will stay with you these next three days, but please promise me nothing more of this will happen.”

Undertaker looked at you confused. “What do you mean by this?”

Placing your forehead on his chest, you listened as his heart beat wildly. “No more kisses, nothing...nothing beyond any of that either, please.”

It hurt as you said it and the way he tensed, you knew it had hit him hard. Pulling you against himself, he kissed the top of your head. “Alright then, I will abide to your rules. But,” There was a grin in his voice. “I get to kiss the bride once more before she leaves.”

Looking up, you glared at him. “You wouldn’t,” you said, playfully punching him.

“Wouldn’t I?” He laughed at your pathetic hit.

Taking your hand, he led you around the area, showing you the sights. It was a truly beautiful place; bright green Evergreens, yellow, pink and white flowers, so much that you couldn’t believe it was real. You wondered if Michaelis would do things like this for you. Undertaker showed you everything; once he was through with that, he took you into the town. It was large, but he maneuvered through easily. He took you to a small restaurant, a little tea shop on the square and made you sit outside on one of the delicately crafted chairs. A waiter appeared as soon as Undertaker took his seat.

“Bonjour, voici une liste de nos specialities?” he asked, handing you a menu card.

Undertaker scooted closer and leaned in to read it with you. “What do you say looks good? The rose tea with red velvet cake, or the lemon custard and fresh mint tea?”

You studied the menu closely. Everything was so rich, and expensive, you felt bad for him bringing you here. “Choosing,” you replied, running a finger along the card, “I think I am going to pick the orange pie and spice tea.”

Undertaker nodded approvingly. “The epice et orange pie, veuillez,” he told the waiter.

“Excellente monsieur de choix,” he answered.

Leaving with your order, he left the two of you alone. It was a sunny day with clear skies and a cool breeze blowing. Undertaker took your hand in his and rubbed it gently. “What shall we do after this?”

You thought it over carefully. Glancing over at his smiling face, you removed his glasses and took his hair out of its ponytail. You giggled at him. “You look better like that.” Reaching over, you took a few areas of hair and even braided several strands. Undertaker sat as still as possible as you worked. Finishing, you tousled his bangs. “There, that’s even better.”

Undertaker admired himself in the window; he nodded approvingly. “I do look nice, I think I will wear it this way from now on.”

You laughed at his remark. “Is that a good thing?”

The two of you laughed together; you were interrupted by the waiter returning with your food.

“Ici, vous etes, profitez de,” he said, placing the items in front of you.

“Merci,” you replied in thanks.

Undertaker poked at the pie, watching as the goo in the center oozed out. “Um, is it supposed to look like this?”

You laughed and nodded. “Yes, it is.” You took a bite, grinning.

The food was delicious; it made you relax after the excitement of moments before, though you still had a haunting feeling of dread. The two of you sat there for a long time, content to just be. Thoughts of what was to come passed through your head occasionally and you shook them out. You did not want to think of that torment; a softening was occurring within you that you had no way of describing. A small dog found its way to you and began trying to climb into your lap; awing at it, you picked it up and petted it.

Reaching across the table, Undertaker tried to pet it, but it almost got away with biting a finger off. Undertaker recoiled, holding his hand. “He doesn’t seem to like me very well, now does he.”

You laughed, coddling the animal. “He only thinks you look a bit frightening.”

The dog licked your face and yipped happily. Undertaker frowned, but there was a grin shadowed in the corner of his mouth. The dog’s owner eventually found their way to you and you returned the dog, whimpering as it had to be detached from you. Undertaker swept you away after the restaurant and took you to a pond close to the cabin; weeping willows bowed over it and soft moss grew on the rocks. Sunlight peeked in and made it look hazy, as if in a dream, for which you thought you were in.

You poked Undertaker. “Is this real; if so, pinch me.”

Undertaker laughed and threw his arms around you. “No, it is real, but I will gladly pinch you.”

You wriggled out of his hold; that wasn’t the smart thing to do for you fell into the pond. Undertaker barreled out in laughter. You glared at him as you floated in the water; hatching an idea you snuck up onto shore and splashed a large amount of water in Undertaker’s direction.

“Ah!” screamed Undertaker.

He was soaked; he glared at you, unapproving. “What was that all about?” he asked, pealing off his coat and shoes.

“I thought you deserved it for letting me fall,” you replied, swimming towards the center of the pond.

Removing the rest of his outer accessories, he slipped into the water and swam towards you, making you squeal and swim away. It made no use; he caught up to you and grabbed you, pulling you under. You clung to him tightly; Reapers did not have to breathe all of the time, and this was one of those times that it was savior. You tried to hit him and missed by a long shot. He grinned devilishly at you, his hair floating around him. As the two of you stared at each other, you were breath taken looking at him. His silver hair floated softly around him and his eyes were gleaming. The water made his fetchers look like they were a watercolor, soft and delicate; he was very handsome. He wouldn’t let go of you, entranced in you as much as you were in him. His face came closer and closer and your eyes closed. They flew open at the last minute, his lips grazing yours; pushing yourself away, you swam to the top. Undertaker followed behind you.

“I’m sorry,” said Undertaker, surfacing. “I forgot.” His face fell.

Sympathizing, you wrapped your arms around his neck. “It is alright, but do remember what I told you.”

Nodding, Undertaker hugged you and swam back to shore. He was dripping as he came out and his clothes clung to him. You adverted your eyes quickly, knowing if you didn’t you would not be able to take them off of him. He noticed and laughed, running a hand through his hair so that he could get it out of his eyes.

“Admiring me, are you?” he joked, putting his glasses on.

You blushed fiercely. “N-no, I was not.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, waving a hand at you. “You really wanted to look.”

You were as red as could be. He laughed as you swam to shore and pulled yourself out. You slipped on the bank and Undertaker caught you. There was a pass between the two of you again, but you pushed yourself away and walked back towards the cabin.

“I am going to go change,” you said, walking faster.

“Orea, wait a moment.” Undertaker went after you; you walked faster. “Orea, wait!”

You stopped and turned, facing him. “What?” you said sternly.

Catching up, he took hold of your shoulders, a look you couldn’t exactly decipher in his eyes. “I am sorry, but I cannot hold back my feelings for you. I love you very much, Orea, and I do not want to let you go. I wish I could kill that demon, but I am unable to do so.” He stared at you pleadingly. “Please, Orea, be mine just for these next three days. I promise then that I will never bring it up again.”

You stared at the ground. There was that feeling that you couldn’t shake, but you ignored it and stared squarely at Undertaker. “Alright, but you must keep your promise.”

Undertaker beamed and hugged you tightly to himself. “Thank-you, Orea,” he whispered in your ear. “You do not understand how happy this makes me.”

He picked you up and carried you back to the cabin. The two of you were dripping wet, but you didn’t care; daylight was pouring in through the open windows, but you didn’t care. Undertaker took you straight to the back and placed you gently on the edge of the bed. You sat there, heart pounding, as you waited for him to do something. He kissed the top of your head; peeling it off, he threw his wet shirt onto the floor and pushed you back slowly. Bringing his mouth to yours, he kissed you tenderly, sweetly, lovingly, making your heart beat faster and making you lose your breath. He teased around by breathing on your neck and twitching as if he were going to move, making you stutter and blush redder. Undertaker went for the rest; that little voice in your head returned and now it wouldn’t stop. You tried to push it away as Undertaker was caressing your collarbone, but it was no use. It told you to run away, to get away from this man who was with you. It sounded hurt, as if it had feelings you had been unaware of. Undertaker found his way to you and brought his lips back to yours before anything; you pushed him off as his body came near yours.

“I’m sorry,” you said shakily, rolling over and covering yourself with the blanket, though you still were fully clothed, “but I cannot do this. I believe the marking has made me his with no acception.”

You could not see Undertaker’s face, but he moved away from you and went to the window. “Why? Why are you going to let that vile creature take you over?” He sounded like a wounded puppy. Turning back around to you he yelled, “You are a Reaper, Orea! Not a demon’s dish!”

Tears sprang to your eyes. “I am sorry, but I cannot help it. A bond is unbreakable.”

Undertaker growled; there was a crash from across the room, he had tossed a vase at the wall. “Then I am leaving.” He made for the door and opened it, almost ripping it off of its hinges. “I will not be seeing you again.”

You laid there, tears streaming down your face. You had hurt him, all because of the marking. Your best friend was lost to you and you had nowhere to go, nowhere else to run to. The thought came across that you could go back to where Michaelis was, but you were not to see him for another two days. Everything was falling apart before your eyes and you could not mend it. You lay there, thinking through what was about to transpire and you shuddered. You did not want to go through with it, but you had to. A deal was a deal. Sliding out of bed, you found your pack and changed into dry clothes. It was quiet without Undertaker there; he wasn’t coming back though and you knew it. You were left in this place till your time was up, like a prisoner awaiting execution. The sun was setting and you could see it through the window, a beautiful scene of yellows, oranges and pinks. Peering out, you set your mouth in a firm line.

“Night of the first day.”

The days went by quicker than you thought. You took walks through the woods each day and saw all of the sights that could be seen. As the time came near for you to find Michaelis, you could hardly bring yourself to leave the cabin. It was a sanctuary for you, a place that had kept you safe from him; but now it was time to seal your deal. Opening the portal, you entered and exited in Italy, a block from the church Michaelis had instructed you to meet him at. You made your way quickly; he was already there, waiting for you.

“So you did come back to me after all.” He wrapped his arms around you and held you close. “I was beginning to think you had run off.”

You shook your head. “A deal is a deal.”

He chuckled. “If you wish to put it that way.”

Pushing yourself away so you could see him, you stared at him sternly. “You told me you would tell me of our contract when I returned. I am back now, so spill.”

Michaelis grinned slyly. “You are a Reaper, a collector of souls. I am demon; I devour the very souls you long to capture. Now with me making you my mate, I cannot go and make your life harder than it already is-” You rolled your eyes. “so I have laid out that we make a pact with the collection of souls. What if I asked you if I could have the souls you deem unfit for life beyond?”

You jumped at his proposal. It wasn’t at all bad, for they would be going to his domain anyway. You nodded in agreement. “I agree to your terms.”

Grinning devilishly, he took your hand and placed the other on the door of the church. “Then let us unite.”

You followed him in; it was a small church, but there were renovations being done; it was to be a massive building once it was finished. Leading you to the front, Michaelis left you there and entered a room to his left. He returned with a priest and the ceremony began.

“Today we are here in the witness of God to join this man, and this woman in holy matrimony.” Opening his Bible, he read a rather long passage. It was of love, and to cherish the sacredness of marriage. Michaelis and you stared at each other; you could not tear your eyes away, you were entranced with him. Finishing the reading, the priest placed a hand on top of your joined ones. He turned to Michaelis. “Michaelis, do you vow to love this woman as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“Yes,” answered Michaelis, smiling at you. Reaching into his pocket, he slipped a ring onto your finger.

Your heart pounded and your face was as red as a beat as the priest turned to you. “Orea, do you vow to love this man as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

You nodded. “Yes.”

Removing his hand, the priest raised it above himself. “You have declared your consent before the Lord and myself. May the Lord in His goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with His blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide. Amen.”

Pulling you to himself, Michaelis lifted you into his arms and kissed you. It had a spark, a life to itself. You kissed him back not wanting him to let go. The priest left quietly, chuckling at the sight of the two of you.
Michaelis’ eyes were glowing as he placed you back on your feet. “Let us make way for home.”

The two of you walked back from the church together, hand in hand. It felt strange that you were now married to a demon, of all people. The walk was silent, which made you happy, giving you more time to prepare for what was waiting. As the house came into sight, Michaelis grabbed you and swung you up into his arms. You were taken aback by his move, but you didn’t argue. He carried you like that until you were well inside where he placed you gingerly on the bed.

Your cheeks were burning and your heart was pounding; you stared up at Michaelis innocently. He grinned, and in a flash, he was on top of you, smothering you with his own body heat.

“Our contract starts here,” he whispered in your ear.

You cooperated with him as he began to shed your layers of clothing. As he was pealing yours away, you decided to give him the same treatment. He liked it; Michaelis moved ever so slightly this way and that as you undid his shirt.

“Hold still,” you mumbled, fumbling with a button.

“Now where is the fun in that?” Reaching for the last button, his shirt fell completely open, exposing a set of finely shaped abs.

You moaned as he laid himself on top of you, his full weight crushing you under him. Wrapping his arms around your torso, he began his journey. Your heart beat wildly as you lay there, it was hard to breathe. You felt as Michaelis played around; it gave you goose-bumps. He settled on an area on the inside of your thigh; the next thing you knew a sharp pain shot through you from that spot. You let out a strangled cry as you tried to hold it in. He continued to press his hand on the area, a feeling of knives being driven into your leg.

“Are-are you done, nuhg, yet?” you asked after having endured several minutes worth of the pain.

Looking up at you, eyes glowing red, he stopped and ran a hand along your cheek. “With this part, yes, but there is still another.”

You groaned and your body shook. Michaelis noticed and wrapped you in his arms. They were warm; you could feel his own heart beating within his chest; it beat uncontrollably. He held you till you stopped shaking then he entwined his leg in yours. A burning sensation followed.

“Ah!” You grasped his arm tightly, the pain flooding the very depth of your soul.

Michaelis pressed his body closer, even though the two of you were as close as you could get; he enfolded you within him, the pain intensifying. You could feel his body shaking as well, as it had the same effect on him. He would not let go, nor could he; the pain that was being given was that of the contract seal imbedding itself in the two of you. It felt like hours, but the pain eventually receded.

Resting your head on his chest as he flipped onto his back, you stroked it gently. “I did not know seals were that painful,” you said softly.

Michaelis rubbed your back. “It always is. This one was different though; it bound us to each other permanently, inside and out, unlike contracts that are only a symbol on the outside.”

It was quiet now; nothing was all that was heard. Your mind raced until you broke the silence.

Taking hold of his shoulder, you scooted on top of Michaelis. “Hello there,” you giggled, resting your head on his chest, eyes level with his.

He stared back, his eyes glowing red; before you had a moment to utter another word, he was on top of you and his mouth was pressed firmly against yours. He invaded; you wrapped your arms around his neck and retuned his invites.

Morning came quickly, the sun peaking through the curtains. You didn’t move from your side of the bed, tracing your fingers against Michaelis’ face. Demons never slept, but the bonding of the seal had taken a heavy toll on him and he had passed out in the middle of the night. You giggled; there was a feeling within you that was different from the way you had felt those three days before. You no longer hated demons, there was an actuality that they could live amongst others and thrive, not just pillage for the sake of another meal. The thought of being a mate didn’t scare you either. They could have a heart, though it seemed strange. Michaelis stirred and rolled over; his hair clung to his face as he turned his back to you, still asleep. A quiet laugh escaped your lips and you reached over to brush it out of his mouth. His hair was soft, like a baby’s; you played with it for a time, entertaining yourself with braiding some of it, making you giggle even more. After a while you realized he wasn’t going to wake up any time soon so you crawled out of bed quietly and grabbed the first shirt that you saw on the floor. It was his, but you slipped it on anyway, it reaching to mid-thigh. As you buttoned it up, you noticed a discoloration on the inside of you leg; looking at it closely, you realized it was the seal Michaelis had placed on you that night. You traced it with you finger; it was a scythe within a five-point star, a pentagram. The runes for ‘bond’ and ‘soul’ were etched in on either side of the scythe. Touching it, even lightly, made you hiss. It hurt, like a knife actually had pierced you, though it had only been his nails. It was healed now, all traces of being cut gone.

You wrapped an arm around yourself and breathed in deeply. ‘I am bound now to a demon, the mortal enemy of a Reaper. I must not let anyone find out at the Branch, or panic will surely arise.’

You did not hear the rustling behind you and were taken off guard as Michaelis wrapped his muscular arms around your small waist. “And where were you off to?” he asked, caressing your neck with a kiss.

“I was going to go see about making some breakfast,” you replied, reaching an arm back and tousling his hair.

He groaned and held onto you tighter. “Are you sure you need a meal?”

In response, your stomach growled. “As sure as ever.”

Michaelis still didn’t let you go; instead, he dragged you back onto the bed and nuzzled his nose against yours. “Another few minutes more, that’s all I ask right now.”

You sighed, rolling your eyes. “If it will please you.”

He smiled mischievously. “It does.”

It was two hours later before you were released and allowed food. Your stomach was cramped in pain from the lack of it. Falling into a chair, you wrapped your arms around your waist tightly.

“It is fine, I will have you a plate of food in no time,” said Michaelis, pulling out a frying pan.

“Good,” you answered, “because I believe I am dying of starvation at this moment.”

Michaelis burst out in laughter. “I doubt that.”

You were not in a mood anymore to be laughing. You glared at his back as he cooked bacon in the pan. As he cooked, your mind ran over what he had told you the day before about the contract agreement. ‘I am to allow him the souls unfit for the afterlife. It is not a bad price for him mating me.’

Michaelis finished with the food as you sat staring off into space. “All done, a nice mix of eggs, bacon, bread and butter.” He placed the plate in front of you and you snapped back to life, digging in.

He sat across from you, not saying a word. It got very quiet in the room, making you stop and sit, staring back at him. “Is something the matter?” you asked.

He shook his head; cocking it to the side, he looked very attractive with a look that darkened and a mischievous smile. “No, nothing is wrong. I was only admiring you.”

You rolled your eyes, taking a sip of your coffee. He continued to watch you, his face unchanging. It started to get on your nerves; standing, you took your plate to the sink and went to the bedroom so you could find your shoes. Your clothes had been returned to you, clean, and you decided to go out. Finishing your preparations, you made your way for the door, trying to ignore Michaelis, though you deep down did not want to. Opening the door, you got one foot out before his hands came out of nowhere and wrapped themselves securely around your waist.

“Where are you going?” he asked, whispering in your ear.

You frowned. “I was going to head back to headquarters.”

Michaelis chuckled and nipped at your ear. “Then bring me with you.” He wouldn’t let you go.

You did not want to bring him there; it was a sanctuary for Reapers and Reapers alone. But you knew you couldn’t get alone time, so you agreed. “Fine, but you must stay hidden.”

“As you wish,” he said, releasing you and bowing humbly.

Nodding in agreement, you took him by the hand and led him to a back alley. With a few words you opened a portal to the Reaper’s sanctuary. Looking back at him you stated, “When we arrive, I will be heading straight to my room. You will stay there. I have a few things of business to take care of.”

Michaelis eyed you. “Alright, but remember I will be waiting.”

You rolled your eyes at his lewdness. “I know you will.” Taking his hand, you opened a portal and went on your way.