At Your Service

Chapter 17- Wave

Carlisle was given quite a shock when he heard a few gentle knocks on his bedroom door late that night. "Carlisle?" The demon whipped himself out of bed and rushed to the door.

    "Yes, Miss Anja?" he breathed as he tossed the door open. He looked down to see Anja in her wheelchair, dressed in dark blue pyjamas.

    Anja stared for a long moment. "You cut your hair."

Carlisle blinked, touching a hand to his hair. "Yes, I did." He'd cut it into a quiffed style that was almost an undercut, though the sides were far too long in comparison to the top part, which was still longer than the sides, to fit the standard. It was how he once wore it, under a different service. He'd grown weary of its previous length and wanted to look sharp for the funeral.

Anja smiled, but there was something off about it; it almost looked like longing. "I like it."

Carlisle blinked again. "Why are you here again, my Lady?"

The witch then remembered the reason why she came here. "I can't sleep," she murmured as she looked up at him through tired eyes. She still didn't care that the demon was shirtless, but the sigil on his sternum continued to catch her eye. "May I come in?"

    Without saying anything, Carlisle opened the door wider so she could come in. She rolled herself into the bedroom, and he closed the door behind her. "My mistress looks as though she could drop dead at any moment now."

    "I feel like it," Anja sighed, a tired chuckle proceeding it. "Sleeping potions can cause reliancy, so I use them as infrequently as possible."

    "There is something that I can do," Carlisle informed her. "Would you like me to?"
    Anja chewed on her bottom lip before nodding. Carlisle nodded, too, as he walked behind her to grab the handles of her wheelchair. "I'll take you back to your room before-"

    "May I stay here?" Anja interrupted quickly.

Carlisle let go of the wheelchair and walked around to stand in front of her, looking down at her softly. "Of course, Miss Anja." He leaned down and lifted her from her chair like she weighed nothing, like it was as natural as breathing, before walking over to his bed and lying her down on the right side before walking around to the left side, getting into bed, and covering both himself and Anja. He laid himself down, propping himself up on an elbow. "I'll have it come in waves so you don't wake up disoriented." Anja nodded and watched as he pressed a thumb gently onto her forehead. She felt a sudden, intense wave of fatigue wash over her. Her eyelids grew extremely heavy to the extent that it was difficult to keep them open. "I will do the next one in a few minutes if you aren't falling asleep by then." Anja nodded.

Carlisle stared up at the canopy of his bed, not thinking of anything in particular before his thoughts wandered towards his current master. Of all of the masters he'd ever had, his current one probably had the most complex contract and reason for service. She was neither hungry for power nor wealth, as she was already plentiful with both, she wasn't using him for sex, and she wasn't wishing for the death of an enemy; these were the main reasons for a demon to serve anyone. She was the most unique, kind, and powerful of all the masters. She didn't mistreat him or any of the others and hardly ever ordered them to do anything, always asking politely. She was soft-hearted, quiet, easily pleased and entertained, self-reliant, and always cared about others, even the servants, even more so now that her parents were gone.

He scowled a little as he listened to Anja shift, then grow still for a few moments. Then, she shifted again, and he felt as though she were closer to him. He turned his head to the right to see that Anja had, indeed, shifted closer to him. She laid on her side facing him with tired eyes and a soft frown. Goosebumps rose on the soft, pale skin of her shoulder and neck, as it was quite cold in the room. He watched with the smallest of smirks as she shifted one more time so her head was lying next to his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm cold."

"I apologize; I like to sleep in the cold." Anja nodded and closed her eyes, listening to and feeling Carlisle move next to her. "I'm not a fan of the heat." Anja opened her eyes wide as she felt an arm slip underneath her head and one wrap around her lower back and tug her close enough so their torsos gently pressed together. He felt more goosebumps rise on her skin. She'd never felt so much of someone's skin against hers. Somehow, she managed not to blush. "Is that better?" he whispered.

Anja nodded against his shoulder. "I feel safe," the witch whispered back.

Carlisle rubbed one thumb back and forth over her shoulder and the other over the fabric of her top. He wore a content grin, knowing that she found safety with him. "I will give you another wave. This one should put you to sleep." Anja nodded tiredly as she snuggled a little closer, allowing the demon to better secure his arm around her as the hand on her side slid up so his thumb could brush against her forehead.

The demon simply watched her for a little bit, making sure she had fallen asleep but also enjoying watching her sleep. Though frowning, she looked at peace. Her arms were crossed in an X over her chest and pressed against his own. Their legs, despite the shortness of Anja's, threatened to intertwine. A violent wind thumped against the walls and windows. The weather would only get worse in the United Kingdom as winter approached. For now, however, they were warm.

The next morning, far too early, Carlisle woke up to see and feel Anja sleeping on the other side of the bed, her body wrapped around and cuddling a pillow whilst laying in fetal position. Even without looking at the clock, he knew it was far too early to be waking up the mistress. He grinned softly as she suddenly rolled over so she was facing him again and slightly closer to him.

Unlike his past masters, Carlisle failed to understand her. He personally didn't understand her at all. Excluding her little outburst the night she found out he was a demon, she never showed emotions like anger, annoyance, or even sorrow. She watched her parents suffer horrifically and die at the same time she suffered in the same manner, just not to as great of an extent; however, she lost her legs, a source of independence and passion, as it allowed her to dance. She had the loss of her parents and legs to grieve, but she showed none of it. Perhaps he'd come to find out it was all a performance, a façade of emotion and mental health and stability at her first appointment with the psychiatrist. He could see it: the grief, despair, and rage festering inside of her, whether she chose to feel it or not. It was only a matter of time before it manifested, and unchecked emotions can be extremely dangerous for a witch, especially for one as powerful as her.

The demon simply stared at her until it was time to wake her up. He grinned as he slid out of bed and got dressed when it was time before walking around to the other side of the bed and crouching down so his face was level with Anja's.

"Miss Anja?" he tapped her shoulder. One of the witch's eyes cracked open. "It's regrettably morning, and it's going to be a long, busy day."

Anja nodded softly and lingered under the covers for a few extra moments, remaining perfectly still, before sitting up, groaning as she went, then wincing and flinching. "Jesus Fucking Christ," she groaned quietly as she hugged her abdomen.

Carlisle frowned, sensing the astonishing amount of blood coming from her in one moment. "Is that just an accumulation from the night?"

Anja shrugged. "Uch, more or less."

The demon nodded, too. "Guests will begin arriving at noon. It's best that you get ready and have time to wake up properly and have some time for yourself before all of this happens." The butler stood up straight before picking the witch up and setting her in her wheelchair before taking her to the bathroom to get bathed.