Unruly Servant

Unruly Servant (chapter 23)

Chapter Twenty-Three

    “That infuriating demon!”

     I growled lowly, digging my heels into the poor beast below me. Around me the english countryside blurred into an indecipherable mass. Under the cloak of night everything held a somewhat sinister edge, but nothing mattered to me more than the thought of decapitating that handsome head right off of that damned butler’s shoulders.

    How dare he leave me out of this! How dare he think himself so superior that he may order me about in any way he pleased! Oh, he would get it. Every inch of the punishment coming his way would be wholly deserved. I would make him wish he never even thought about using our blood contract to his advantage. With every ounce of power I contained, I would torture him right into the next life and then bring him right back out of hell to repeat the process all over again. It would certainly be one hell of an eternity for him.

    The great Devil himself would shudder in terror at my fury.

    “Oh just you wait, Sebastian,” I chuckled dryly to myself. “Oh just you wait.”

    Before me to Phantomhive mansion materialized out of the darkness, looming before me like a fortress of power. Its blackened windows and gray stone walls looked carnivorous and hungry by the light of the moon, beckoning me to come closer so that it may swallow my being whole. I laughed at the thought, my mind could certainly twist even the most innocent of things into something horrid when I was furious.

    I yanked the reins back, pulling my stead to a brisk halt before the first steps to the entrance. Beneath me the horse shuddered, its head bowing towards the ground as it snorted for breath. I grimaced at the white flecks of foam around the bit and the dark stains of sweat splotching the poor bay’s glossy coat. It would have done me well to have considered the beast’s stamina while I raced here from London.

    Dismounting from my position astride, I rushed up the steps with my skirts in hand. There was no need to consider the animal wondering off, it certainly was too exhausted for such activity. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it laid down right there with the tack and all. A small amount of pity welled up in my chest, it was all my doing that the animal was in such a state, but Sebastian had made it sound urgent that I get here.

    ... And my anger might have played a small role in my carelessness of the horse’s state.

    Before the doors of the mansion, I slammed my fist against it. Someone would have to be up in the master’s absences. The servants might be daft, but they knew of their master’s occupation under the Queen. They’d have to have some consideration that he might show up late at night if something were to come up in a case that lead him back here. It certainly couldn’t be uncommon.

    The sound of rushing feet rung clearly from the other side and I took a step back expecting the door to swing open any minute. Instead there was a pause just behind the wooden entrance and a distinctive click. Before I was able to place the familiarity of the sound, the door swung open and I found my face well acquainted with the barrel of a gun.

    “Pardon me, I had no idea I was that unwelcome,” I muttered as I took a step aside and out of range.

    At the sound of my voice the barrel lowered and I was able to see just who was behind the weapon. Bard’s gruff face stuck out like a sore thumb against the blackness of the mansion’s backdrop. He looked slightly startled to see me standing before him, but as soon as he was able to discern it was me the gun was dropped level with his side.

    “What are you doin’ here, Tessa?” Bard asked, scratching his head in confusion at the sight of me standing on the front steps in the dead of the night.