Sebastian hissed as the creature swiped at him with its talons. It looked like a bird, an oversized bird with the face of a snake and the arms and legs of a man. It was covered in a smattering of feathers and scales, in no particular order.
It held Kat pinned to the floor with one of clawed feet as it tried to remove Sebastian’s head from his shoulders with one of its clawed hands. Tiny droplets of blood dripped through the green fabric of the gown as she remained unconscious.
He was truly happy that he had said that when he did. Otherwise she might not have tripped over her feet and the creature may have caused a lot more damage than it did.
“Sebastian, take care of that monster now, before the people here realize that it is real.” He heard his master’s voice from across the room. The Earl may have spoken softly but Sebastian could easily hear him.
A small inclination of his head was all he gave to show he had heard the command.
The beast hissed and raked its claws down Kat’s back, drawing her back into the world of the conscious with a cry of pain. The creatures twisted lips barked out a harsh laugh, “More than I could have dreamed, more than I could have dream, this revenge is sweet. She is mine!” It screamed.
That voice… “Pestilence…”
The Apocolyptian demon turned its ugly head towards Sebastian, a cruel gleam in his eyes, “Ahh, the little one, do you think you can beat me?” It laughed, its voice coming out as a vicious caw, “You have already lost, I have marked her as mine, you can’t touch her and neither can that da-” He was cut off by a kick to the throat that left him gagging, and forced him to step off of Kat’s back.
Kat glared hatefully at the demon. “You own nothing. I am my own person.”
Pestilence hissed at her, its ugly face began to drip with a brown slime, “You are wrong human. I am one of the four Riders of the Apocalypse, any human here I wish to kill is mine.”
“Try again.” Kat ripped the bottom of the gown off with her hands, leaving enough to cover her legs up to her knees. A wicked looking pistol gleamed in its holster on her calf. She hauled it up and fired, the force behind the weapon was enough to make the demon step back, but nowhere near enough to kill him.
Angry Pestilence attacked wildly, his claws cutting in every direction. Sebastian darted in, carrying Kat out of the path of the berserk monster. “We need a better plan than firing at it. I don’t think that that will be enough to finish it.”
She nodded, the light in her eyes telling him she was frantically trying to find an answer to that dilemma herself. He carried her out of the way of another attack as she thought.
“Okay, I have an idea. I cant exactly say its my best but…its all I can think of. Sebastian I need you to get every one out of the house.”
There was an odd note in her voice, he glanced down at her, “Kat…what are you planning?”
She smiled weakly at him, “To get rid of this guy, but I need everyone out of here to do it.”
Kat watched out of the corner of her eye as Sebastian herded the ball’s patrons out of the manor. Surprisingly enough Pestilence merely waited, his scale and feathered tail twitching with impatience.
“You know what I’m planning.” She accused.
“Of course I do, human. I’m the one that opened the pipe after all.”
Her eyes narrowed, “Why?”
He laughed, “I know that you would do anything to save your friends. Even…that. I should tell you though that it won’t work, I’m an apocalyptical demon, far more powerful than you would believe. Should I open the pipe even more for you? As it is now, there is no way that you could start the explosion from here. Even with your pistol.”
“Do as you please.”
There was a terrible screech as the metal piping in the walls of the kitchen tore loose, scattering the clear gas throughout the house. Making Kat’s eyes tear up from the strong fumes. “How fast can you fly, injured?”
“Fast enough.”
“Really?” Her eyes cold, she pointed her pistol at the demon, “Do you think Rhose will get here before or after you escape? This’ll be a large signal fire after all.”
Panic flared in Pestilence’s eyes, “What? NO!”
Kat fired and her world erupted into an inferno.
The explosion shattered the windows of the house an instant before the concussion of the blast pushed the walls of the manor apart.
Sebastian watched the flames flicker, dancing back and forth, their meaning not surfacing until he realized tears were streaming down his face. “Kat!” He screamed, leaving the Earl and the other nobles to dive into the wreckage and raging fire.
The heat bit into his skin as he pushed the fallen beams out of his path.
Where is she? She has to be here. She has to be!
A heavy timber had fallen across the entryway to the ballroom, blocking his entrance. Even from here he could see the green of Kat’s dress being licked away by the hungry flames. A trapped pestilence thrashed madly against a net of rubble that had pinned him to the floor. I have to get through…I have to!
Pestilence paused in his thrashing for a moment, meeting Sebastian’s gaze. The terrible eyes were mad, driven insane by fear. He laughed, “She is Mine, Butler! Live without her!” An unseen force knocked him backwards into the foyer as a second explosion rocked the ballroom.
No…the flames danced around him. Not heeding them Sebastian knelt, mutely staring at nothing. Why would she do such a thing? Why would she leave him? Tears continued to stream down his face as images of her smiling and teasing him played through his mind. Why did she leave him?
There was a boom, an explosion of power and the dancing flames were pushed back. Without even looking Sebastian knew it was Rhose. Only he could give off this kind of dark energy.
“Where is she?”
Sebastian remained silent. What could he say?
Rhose paused beside him, the butler could feel the murderous intent emitting from the powerful being. “If you wish to kill me, I don’t care.” Even the thought of him breaking the contract with the Earl was not enough to make him care at the moment. Everything was numb, his muscles were rubber, his mind mush, and his heart…his heart was still.
“I will not kill you.” With that he left Sebastian in the still smoldering foyer to search the rubble of the ballroom. Sebastian stared, disinterestedly, after him. Wanting to warn him of what he might find or might not find, but no words would come forth.
There was a scream of agony from the ball room, a man’s high pitched cry that sent Goosebumps down his arms. Pestilence…Rhose must have found what was left of him…good…let him burn.
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HA HA Ulterior motives....leaving at a cliffhanger for this week, but the last chapters will be posted next week. I AM STRESSING THE POINT THATTHIS IS NOT THE END! Thanks to Everyone for reading! I really appreciate all the support i have recieved. And as soon Kat and Sebastian story is complete Rhose's Special will be posted. Chapter 34: A mysterious woman, a Watchdog, and a butler. Sound familiar at all?
Once more thanks for reading!
-Shadowquill