Mute retreated to one of the rooms in the Trancy Manor as the Costume Ball continued. Her hand pressed against her bleeding shoulder. She was hissing in pain. "That hurt!" She yelled while ripping the golden silverware out of her shoulder. She yelped before whimpering at the sheer agony.

"Mute!" Miko appeared in the room in her fox form. She rushed to her companions' side and saw the blood on the floor. "That vile demon... I'll kill him." Her eyes began to glow.

"Don't." Mute sighed as her wound began to heal.

"You're bleeding! You never bled red before... What happened?"

"I don't know... That's why I left as soon as I could. I needed to recover. I left Ciel and Sebastian behind, knowing the circumstances at the hand. I was able to mend with the melody that was playing with my songs. It won't be long until it dies down."

"I noticed that the melody, too. It came from a demonic instrument. Looks like we're not the only beings lurking in these parts." Miko glanced to the side. "What do you want to do now?"

Mute stood up and straightened her outfit as she replied, "I'm heading back to the ball. The commotion between Ciel and Alois should be over with by now. Which means they returned to being 'civilized' beings to keep their reputations." She couldn't help but sigh at the end of her sentence.

"And what about the demons?"

"They'll do the same. They'll only act out of their Master's orders."

"Not with you in the mix, I do not doubt." Miko crossed her arms over her chest. "But, since the ball is coming to an end, we might as well leave a good impression for ourselves, mm?~" She turned into her fox form and hopped onto Mute's shoulder. Mute shrugged in return before heading down to the ballroom. 

When returning to the event Miko hopped down from Mute's shoulders to linger around while Mute tucked herself into a corner and crossed her arms while waiting for the rest of the event to come to an end. It was only but a moment when she dozed off. "My Lady, may I have this dance?" Mute opened her eyes to see Sebastian standing in front of her with his hand held out to her. She gave him a dull expression before gradually taking his hand. 

Sebastian guided her to the dancefloor and held her close, his hand around her waist and her chest pressed up against his. Mute couldn't help but yawn as she allowed the demon to guide her movements. Too exhausted to argue nor reject this time.

"How is your wound?" Sebastian whispered softly. Mute stared up at him before answering with a sigh, 

"It's healed. I'm exhausted." 

"I can see that. You've used too much of your energy. I'm sorry..." 

"For what?" 

"You had gotten yourself injured right before me, and I should have prevented it when I saw Claude coming. I never predicted he would attack you." His last sentence was laced with hate. Mute getting injured in front of him replayed in his hand, and it only angered him further. 

"You had to protect Master. I was making sure the triplets couldn't advance any further towards us. I was too distracted with my own music, not even I could realize Claude was nearby... Don't worry about it." 

"I will not." Sebastian pulled her closer to him, tightening his grip. "Do not dare think for a second I am going to let you walk away harmed. Not when it happened right in front of me. You bled. You got hurt. I will not allow to see a sight like that. Ever again." 

"Sebastian." Mute tried to pull herself away, but Sebastian's grip was firm. 

"You belong to me, and I will go through hell and high waters to make sure not a damn thing happens to you. Not by the angel. And not by Claude." Sebastian whispered before lowering his head and sinking his teeth into Mute's neck. 

A faint gasp escaped her lips before biting down on her lip to prevent any other noises from slipping out. "Right here!?" She cried out. "Somebody could be watching!" Her body soon relaxed when she felt a wave of pleasure coursing through her body, causing a groan to escape her throat. 'What is he...doing?..' Her eyes glanced over to a spot in the room to see Claude looking right at the two of them. "What if somebody stops and stares?" She tried to pull herself away again. 

Sebastian's chest rumbled with laughter before pulling away and licking his lips. "And if they were, then they will admire the mark I left on you. I think it suits you well." He cupped her cheek and drew her face closer to his where their noses were just centimeters apart. "I will return shortly. There is something I must take care of." He leaned down again and gave the hickey he gave a long kiss, causing Mute to blush and shut her eyes. 

The music stopped and the two creatures bowed to each other, thanking each other for the dance before parting way. "Where is he off to now if his master is here?" Miko hopped up on Mute's shoulders, still in her fox form. 

"He's going to take care of some things." Mute replied while keeping her hand over her neck to hide the hickey. "Whatever it is, once this party is over, we can head home." 

"The other one is following him." Miko points out, seeing the two butlers exit the room. "Curious to find out?" 

"Not this time. If I go anywhere near those two, it'll be a fight to the death over me, and thinking about it is already giving me a headache..."Mute sighed and held her head from the migraine already approaching. 'I also need to know more about this mate stuff if he's going to keep rubbing it in my face...' 

"You look more tired than usual tonight. Let's head home early then. You can do your little research and snooping around another time. Come." Miko turned human and supported Mute when noticing her body beginning to sway. Miko gently took Mute's hand into hers and escorted her friend out of the manor.

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Meanwhile, Sebastian and Claude were outside somewhere near the docks, not too far away from the mansion. They stood across from each other in silence. "To think I would witness the woman's power up close. So powerful, yet fragile." Claude thought out loud. 

"And yet you went as far as into injuring her." Sebastian glared. "First you tampered with my Young Master's soul, and now you have injured my mate." 

"Your mate?" Claude turned and chuckled with a sadistic smirk. "And still she flees from you. That woman is something extraordinary and you have the right to be calling her your mate? How hysterical. You haven't gone as far to even claim her!" 

"And you won't ever get the chance to taste her." Sebastian teased back with a smirk. Pushing the smart remark to the side, "What are your plans with her? You know very little about her power or anything about her." 

"She is aware of my contract with my Master. What else could she know?" 

"What do you plan to do, Claude?" Sebastian glared. 

"To know everything there is to know about that Fallen Angel and once I do, I will make her mine." Claude's eyes widen at the end of his sentence, filled with desire and possession. And it was enough to get Sebastian to a boiling point.

"Just try and take her from me." 

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Mute's eyes snapped open and groaned when her sleep was disturbed. Her forehead was covered with beads of sweat. It was still night out and the cool air was blowing into her room with the window wide open. Her and Miko had returned home, and it was the middle of the night. Only a couple of hours before sunrise. Miko was in her bedroom soundly asleep. 

Mute got out of bed and walked over to the open window to enjoy the view of the night sky. She was dressed in a black silky night gown and knee-high black socks. She stared at the starry sky with the same emotionless expression she wore, but with her mind wandering. Mute looked back at the doorway of her room before leaping out the window, her clothes transforming into her dress attire and soaring into the night. Eventually, she returned to the Phantomhive Manor. 

She appeared in Sebastian's room to find it completely empty. During the night hours he was never in his room, and Mute didn't have the energy to go searching for him inside a big mansion. But with a cold shiver running down her spine, and the room temperature suddenly dropping, she didn't have to look for him. Mute turned around to see Sebastian standing right behind her. But his eyes were not glowing their demonic color this time. 

"And what brings you here at this very late hour, Milady?" He questioned with a monotone voice. 

"How come you are never in your room when I need to discuss something with you?" She questioned back tiredly. 

"Demons do not require slumber like most mortals and other creatures. It seems as if you have much homework to do on demons, Milady." He smirked while cupping her cheek. He leaned down and nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "What needs to be discussed that could not wait at a later time?" 

Mute inhaled deeply at his touch while closing her eyes. "What did you do?" Her eyes snapped open with a glare, and a different color. "Your recently bled blood." She pointed out. 

"So quickly to catch onto things. You're so clever." Sebastian pulled away but held her chin in his hand. 

"What did you do Sebastian? Do not have me ask for a 3rd time..." 

"Claude and I have come to an agreement. Is that what is concerning you?" 

"Not the only thing. What is your vendetta against Claude? You've been purposely getting on his bad side for a reaction. How is any of that amusing to you? I thought we had an understanding what you are not supposed to do." 

"There has been a change of schedule, Milady. But it is for your only safety, as my mate." 

"Enough with that!" She swatted his hand to release her chin. "I am not your mate, nor did I agree to be your mate. If you wish to torment Claude in this love quarrel of yours, then I do not want any part of it when I have a goal of my own, which is that boy." 

"We discussed this before. You still don't know how it works, do you? Poor little thing." Sebastian smirked. Mute glared once more and grabbed Sebastian by the throat, digging her nails into his flesh in the process. 

"I am not playing any games here. I told you to not interfere, and you keep denying that. Whatever game you have planned with Claude, it ends. Mate or not, I will never be yours, Sebastian. And I will prove it to you." Her other hand turned black as she said this. Just as she was about to strike, Sebastian grabbed her wrist and used his other hand to tightly grab her throat and pin her to the bed. 

Mut grunted from the fast movements. Her eyes remained closed as Sebastian had her pinned. He held both of her wrists pinned above her head while his other hand kept firmly pressed around her throat. "You belong to me, Mute, whether you like it or not. I've told you this before and you still wish to push that thought out of your head. I have been patient with you. Far too patient." 

'What is he going to do? I shouldn't have provoked him!' Mute whimpered with her thoughts. She began to struggle yet it was in vain. She squirmed, kicked her feet, but Sebastian wouldn't budge. Her attempts were weak. 

"Look at me." He ordered. Mute's eyes remained closed. When she disobeyed, he tightened his grip on her throat, causing her to gasp for air. "Look. At. Me... Now." He whispered the last word, his hot breath hitting the shell of her ear. Mute took in a gulp before slowly opening her eyes to see Sebastian's glowing demonic ones. "There we are. Those beautiful features. And would you look at that? You're already becoming so heated. " 

Her cheeks were red, and her nipples were hard, peeking right through her dress for Sebastian to see. Her eyes were no longer the different yellow ones from before when she was protecting Ciel from the triplets. They were back to their lifeless gray ones.

Sebastian leaned down, allowing the weight in his waist to separate her legs, and gave her neck a long lick before attacking the hickey he had left on her neck with his teeth. Mute couldn't help but moan out. 

Sebastian fondled with her breasts as he continued to give the hickey on her neck more attention, making sure to leave a bruise behind. Mute whimpered, moaned, and squirmed from the attention he was giving her. She didn't want to give in, even though she was getting aroused. 

"So much resistance, but you know deep down you can't deny it. You can try to push the thought of being my mate out of your head as much as you like, but you won't ever be able to defy me. You never have in the first place." With one fast motion, Sebastian flipped Mute onto her stomach, on her hands and knees, and grabbed a hold of her throat again and continued to play with her breasts with her other hand. Mute moaned out but quickly covered her mouth. "From the moment you and I crossed paths, our fates were sealed. And I cannot be anymore honored than I already am to be with a beautiful creature like yourself." He whispered into her ear before biting the shell f it. 

Mute gasped and groan with pleasure. As much as she wanted to call him out and tell him how wrong he was, she was too lost in the pleasure coursing through her body. Just like at the ball when Sebastian had bitten her and left his hickey. "Sebas..." She couldn't finish her sentence as another moan escaped her lips with Sebastian's hand now on her waist, caressing her sides tenderly. 

"What is it, Darling?~" He purred against her ear with a wicked smirk. "What is it that you want to tell me?" 

"Sto..." She breathed out a moan. 

"Hmmm?~" He chuckled. Sebastian continued to caress her sides as his other hand was now softly her chin. Mute's eyes closed again as her hands gripped the bedsheets and pillows to prevent anymore noises from leaving her mouth. "You've never been tenderly cared for. I can understand why resist so much. Especially all you have experienced. Never the right, and proper attention you deserve." 

"Ah!~" Mute arched her back when Sebastian attacked the hickey once more while pinching her nipple. This earned a soft laughter from the demon as Mute pressed her back against his chest, now sitting on her knees. 

"Oh, you're so worked up to even think. When was the last time somebody has attended to your needs like this? Not for their own pleasure. For you?" 

'When?...' Was all Mute could respond with in her head. Her eyelids became heavy and her body was finally giving into Sebastian's touch. No longer finding the energy to resist him. 

"You're so tired, my dear. Rest. Let yourself retire for the remainder for the night. And allow me to take care of you~" 

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