The robust, earthy night air flooded in through the deserted streets of London in a thick fog. Netting around, and blurring the windows of the many shops in town, making it impossible to see your reflection. 

I stood with crossed arms all clad in heels, a short black silk skirt with a lace garter belt that fastened to my satin stockings, and a scarlet bodice that accentuated, to say the least, my chest. I looked like a burlesque dancer. 

With an irritated look plastered across my face I glared down at Ciel, obviously unhappy about my choice of outfit. 

"Why do I have to wear this?" 

"You're masquerading around as a prostitute, what did you expect to wear? A full on dress with a layered petticoat?" Ciel retorted, despite the burnt reddish hue that flushed across his cheeks. 

"Sebastian, where did you get that outfit for her anyway?" The Earl pondered. 

"I have my ways, my Lord." The butler remarked, making my shiver all over at his mischievous tone as I thought back momentarily to the last time he saw me this scantily dressed. 

"Now get the information where this person is keeping the victims, and escape without being noticed once you have completed your task." Ciel decreed, and I nodded. 

"Fine, you two go now. I don't need to be looked after. Besides, I hear footsteps coming."

Ciel went to walk away without another word, and Sebastian followed like a shadow behind him, glancing back over at me for a second before both their figures dissipated into the darkness of the night. 

Perking my ears up I leaned against the brick wall casually, and eventually a slim, gawky, yet confident silhouetted man bounded over to me, his back against the moonlight, masking much of his countenance. 

Gazing over I saw sleaze, power, corruption, and lust glazed over his clouded, almond shaped eyes. He reeked of strong, rich alcohol laced together with the sweet scent of chloroform, catching my attention. 

"So, that's what he uses to make his victims powerless. He puts them to sleep, and that way he can freely move the people where he wants." I thought.

He was dressed in a very nicely tailored green, and tan Houndstooth suit, but it was wind-bitten, and shrouded in a light layer of dust. 

"Well, aren't you a beautiful lass. Almost like a doll, but a doll adorned in an outfit that I happen to enjoy." The man spoke in a slightly slurred, deep, and sinister voice. 

With a smug, sly gloat his hands found their way to my black lacy garter belt, and he dug his fingers into my thigh, acting as if I were just a mere toy for him to play with. 

Normally, I would punch him, and tell him off in a ruthless way, but I was bound by the convincing role that I had to play. 

So, I remained in character, putting on a ditsy, and sensual facade as I lightly slapped his hand away from the high slit of my skirt that went up to my hipbone. 

"Ah, ah. Nothings for free." I playfully purred, making him chuckle in a low, menacing way. 

"Then how 'bout I buy you then?" He cited, emptying his pants pockets, letting a bunch of money spill down onto the cobblestone ground. 

He pushed me forcefully against the red stone wall, and teasingly sucked on the nape of my neck, lightly biting at my warm skin to which I in my head mocked him for. "You call that a bite? You should feel a Vampire's."   

Though just as I was about to utter out a breathy giggle for his own pleasure I felt a damp white cloth drenched with chloroform wrap around my nose, and mouth. 

Feigning that the anesthetic had actually effected me I closed my eyes, and collapsed into his arms. 

He picked me up with ease, and somehow from what I could make out I wound up laying on the seat of some carriage, my hands now tied together with rope, and a necktie was wrapped around my mouth to keep me quiet. 

I listened as the large wooden carriage wheels bounced, and toppled over the rocks towards the gravelly roads of the outskirts of London way into the countryside, even further than Ciel's home. 

"So, you found another gem. Eh, Henry?" I heard from what I could assume was his valet, or butler. 

"Oh, no. Henry Vanguard doesn't just pick out every gem. This one here is the most perfect dame I have now." The nobleman, who's name I know knew boasted, his hands groping my tender flesh again, making me seriously want to attack him. 

Soon, the carriage abruptly halted in place, the horses galloping now silent, and I peeked open one eye, noticing that I was now in front of Henry's stately, all be it pretentious mansion. 

His valet carried me down into the deepest, darkest part of his manor, into the basement where I automatically heard the wails, and whimpers of dozens of people. 

All of the other women, and children were crying, and screaming that they wanted to be let out. 

A total of ten individual metal cages, the ones that were usually used for storing the wild animals in circus's, were all sprawled out in the basement filled with victims, making me internally sick with fury. 

I was about to most likely be thrown like a sack of potatoes into one of the cells, but then I heard Henry yell stop at the valet who's arms I was in. 

"Be careful with her. She's going to get me the most money." The twisted noble demanded, and with that I was merely lowered onto the ice cold metal floor before the door slammed shut loudly, and they walked off back up into the main floors of the manor. 

My piercing blue orbs flew open once they were gone, and I immediately saw the one other woman, and boy who were in the same cage as I, their faces sunken. Frail, and almost green looking due to lack of nourishment, sunlight, and sufficient amount of water. 

Everyone in the basement looked almost on the verge of death, their hopeless expressions aglow in the faint orange flicker from the flaming torches on the stone walls. 

The soot covered boy who was in the same cage as me was cradling a photograph, a picture of a woman in the image, which was most likely his mother. 

With ease I ripped off the rope that was bound around my wrists, and tore off the necktie that was getting torn from my fangs. 

I scooted over to the lad, and hunkered down to his level. 

"Are you alright? Its scary here, isn't it?" I spoke in a hushed tone, earning a single nod from the mud caked over little boy who's ashy blonde hair was overgrown, and greasy. 

He sobbed into his grubby palms, and I extended my hand out to hold him, but then I hesitated, and retracted my arm back to my side. I thought back on what Sebastian said long ago about how animals, and children could sense the darkness around me, and if I were to hug him I might make him feel even worse. 

"You'll be saved soon, okay? Then you can go back home." I reassured, desperately wanting to do much more than my absent words would allow. 

"We won't get outta here." I heard the other woman who was also in the same cage as me croak out. Her accent a bit stiff, and slurred, like she couldn't talk really well. 

The woman who looked to be about nineteen was beaten down, seemingly bitter, and covered in multiple scars from previous mysterious accidents in her past. Her face was chiseled with all the hardships that she undoubtedly has had to endure her whole life, and she looked like she had long ago given up on the word hope. 

"May I ask why Henry Vanguard is doing this? Surely he must possess a great deal amount of money judging by his grand, ostentatious estate." 

The grungy woman nodded at my comment. 

"He be one of the wealthiest blokes around, but he's sick with greed too." 

"Will he just sell all of us here once he's finished collecting enough prospects?" I inquired. 

"Yeah, his big auction will be tomorrow night. It be a great affair amongst a bunch of other filthy nobles. Though he likes to have his fun with the women here too. He picks a new one to spend the night with every night. You be probably the next one since you certainly be the bell of the ball here." She stated, but I wasn't even caught off guard by that detail since I was more interested in the little boy who was still weeping uncontrollably. 

"What is that boys story? How long has he been here? He seems to be the most dejected out of everyone here." 

"Don't know much 'bout him," She began. "But, he's been here long before anyone else even caught wind of the fact that there's been disappearances going around. I reckon that boys been here at least a year. Way before the rest of us lot." 

With a sullen expression I went back over to the boy, my heart twinging at the thought of him being cooped up in a cell for so long. 

Crouching down beside him again I stared down at the photo of his mother. 

"How did you get here?" 

"Don't know." The boy mumbled in between sniffs. 

"Where are you from then?" 

"London." 

"What's your name?" I asked. 

"Fredrick." The lad responded. 

"I'm Elsbeth, and it'll be okay." I assured just before the infamous Henry Vanguard returned, and with a confident stride he made his way over to the particular cage I was locked inside of. 

"How did you untie yourself, beautiful? Well, no matter. Come, and entertain me." The Lord barked with a vile, gluttonous tone laced with lechery. 

With a single brass key he opened up the cells metal door, and dragged me out by my forearm before slamming the cage shut again, the titanium hitting titanium "pang!" echoing throughout the entire basement. 

In truth, I actually wouldn't mind killing him, even though he was a human, and I loathed killing people. But, my blood boiled inside of me when I thought of how much pain, and sorrow all of the people here have had to suffer because of him. 

"Let's have some fun together, shall we?" Henry hungrily swallowed, his all too quick fingers unlacing the front of my scarlet bodice, and his sloppy lips collided with the start of my cleavage. 

My back was vehemently pressed against the metal bars of the cage behind me, making me whimper in pain. The scars that were still stitched across my back from the Great Fire of London so long ago still present, and it hurt if someone even pressed against them with the pads of their fingers. 

But, the metal bars were much more agonizing than fingers digging into my back, and I couldn't help but have my whimper turn into a muffled scream, only turning Henry on more. 

He attacked me ravishingly, and was about to rip off the scanty clothes that still covered a bit of my body off, but then suddenly all of the flaming torches went out in the blink of an eye, making the basement turn completely pitch black. 

Appearing behind Henry I recognized the gleaming red eyes, knowing all too well who had just arrived. 

Crow feathers fell to the ground, and with a shrill shriek Henry took his hands off me, and collapsed, fainting out of such fear, and terror at the sight of Sebastian in his full on angered Demon form. 

I, who was the only one who could see in the darkness stared at Sebastian in confusion, a bit startled by his sudden presence. 

"What are you doing here? You coming wasn't apart of the plan." I versed, but Sebastian, who had morphed back into his butler form gazed at me with furious, possessive, and raging magenta hues that glimmered like a candle. 

He looked as though Henry had just violated something that he thought was his, and his alone. A look that was a bit surprising to me. 

"You've gotten all of the information you need, yes? So, there's no need for you to stay here any longer." 

"Wait." I halted, grabbing the key to the cage out from Henry's pocket, the wicked Lord still knocked out cold. 

Opening up the cell that I was formally in I took a hold of Fredrick's hand, and then told the rest of the captured victims that they'd be rescued soon. 

Sebastian, and I fled the estate, and we began to walk along the rolling green hills. 

I carried Fredrick in my arms, and smiled at the sight of him sleeping peacefully now. 

"Why did you take that boy?" Sebastian questioned, peering over at the tattered little lad. 

"Because I want him to be with his mother. I couldn't bring myself to leave him even if it was just for another day before we rescued the others." I answered. 

"That weak heart of yours will only get you hurt." Sebastian spoke as if he already knew something that I didn't as we headed towards London.