Hello, if you're reading this than you're viewing my best piece of fanfiction yet!

... at least I think it's fanfiction. This story starts, quite literally in an alternate dimension, and the Kuroshitsuji character won't be showing up for a while. I'll give you one hint though. The first one to appear... will have the letter 'e' in his/her name.

...

HAHAHA as if that's a very good hint. To find out who it is, go to chapter three. I do promise you though, this will eventually go into the Kuroshitsuji universe. This is kinda more of a prologue to a second story I'll write, maybe a third. If you look closely, or maybe not, you'll see resemblances between some of the characters...

Or, if you're really impatient, go to chapter four.

It was the dripping that woke her up. Disturbed when a drop of water fell onto her face, the girl's eyes slit open, but then quickly went wide as she realized her surroundings.

"Well shit." She groaned, as she rolled her head forward from its previously tilted back state. A single eye darted around, trying to analyze her surroundings; the other one was covered with hair. "I wasn't exactly expecting this."

For one thing, her head hurt like Hell. Judging by the trickling feeling by her right temple and her obstructed vision, when she let herself (let herself, mind you!) get knocked unconscious, they must have hit her quite hard on the head. She'd probably been unconscious for a while; as she moved her neck, she could feel the stickiness in her hair, and knew that a lot of it was probably stained red.

She was tied up, too, making her head one of the only things she could move. Whoever knocked her out (she had a good feeling she knew who/what it was) had also used cuffs to bind her to a wall, one made of stone slick with water. After looking around a bit, she realized her lack a vision was attributed to not only the blood clouding her good eye, but also the fact that there was little light to begin with. She was in a stone dungeon, with no sight, no key, and barely any idea of how she got there.

Face it: if she didn't figure anything out soon, she was fucked.

And then the door swung open and light flooded through her prison, framing a single elegant figure. Dressed in rich robes and swirling what looked like dark red wine in a fine crystal glass. Leaning against the frame, he (at least the girl thought it was a 'he'; his hair was rather long) had an air of being laid back and nonchalant, as if knocking out and kidnapping a person was the most normal thing to do in the world. If the girl's suspicions were right, it most likely was.

The predator purred as he sauntered towards his victim. "Ah, so you're awake. "I have to say, it's not every day we have someone like you falling into our web, trussed up for slaughter." He smirked as one of his hands wound though her bloodied locks, caressing her face. Said face didn't respond, glaring daggers at him with one brown eye. "'The Grim Reaper'… You smell delicious." He leaned in, as if to confirm his words, fangs bared in a grin. With him so much closer, she could see his features much more clearly. Dark, glossy hair fell to his shoulders. Porcelain skin, even paler than hers, glowed in the light that emanated from the lit torches behind him. And finally, shining eyes with slit pupils gazed at her, half lidded with laziness and contentedness, a striking shade of red.

A vampire.

One of the ones she'd been sent to kill. So that was how she had ended up here.

Not liking the vampire's creepy 'I'm gonna eat you and there's nothing you can do about it' attitude, and taking advantage of his close proximity, the girl raised one of her free legs and kicked him, connecting her leg with his jaw. Hissing in retaliation, the hand in her hair suddenly gripped it tight as her head was brought hard against the wall behind her. She grunted, but still refused to speak, despite the pain that was gnawing at her head being multiplied tenfold.

"You…!" He suddenly snarled, raising a hand as if to slash at her face.

"Stop, Lucifer." Said a voice behind him, this time coming from another vampire with blond, swept back hair. "We have to leave her intact for the rest of us. It's time to bring her into the main room, anyways."

The one named Lucifer suddenly relaxed and replaced his anger with another grin, more sadistic than the last one. "Right. Let's take her there, shall we?"

Unlocking the manacles that held her up, Lucifer let the girl fall, having been drained of strength over that last few hours. With a snicker, he roughly grabbed her by the shoulders, making sure to dig in his claws, and started to drag her out of the room. Biting back a hiss of pain, the girl concentrated on examining her surroundings. Her thoughts ran wild as her gaze flicked back and forth.

Since the village traveled to its current location, people have gone missing only to be found later with their bodies drained of blood and their corpses discarded in the nearby mountains. There were no signs of said victims being anywhere in the village from the time of their disappearance to the point where their dead bodies were found.

This place could be where they were taken. There are stone walls that aren't made of brick, torches for light… I could be underground, or perhaps in a network of tunnels inside the mountains. There were caves sighted… Tapestries and other displays of finery indicate that this must have been a hideout for a while. Vampires that steal innocents from nearby places of civilization… yes, that would fit.

So. These are definitely my targets.

The girl's suspicions were confirmed when she was brought to a room to see the silhouette of an oversized birdcage covered in cloth. More people, probably all vampires, lounged on seats and drank red liquid from glasses. It was like an underground auction she'd once seen in a seer's vision, only no one bothered to conceal their faces with masks. Why would they? They had no reason to hide their identity, and the only humans who'd see their faces would supposedly die soon after.

Supposedly.

The second vampire had started addressing a large audience while Lucifer used yet more chains to hold her to a chair. As he sealed her to her fate, Lucifer whispered threats into her ear, attempting to strike fear into her heart.

His voice floated smoothly into her ear. "We're going to kill you, you know." He snarled with malicious glee. "No, we'll slaughter you. As soon as you're let out of this cage, every one of us is going to latch onto you and you'll feel the life slipping out you. You're going to scream and scream and it'll sound lovely. It won't end until your blood is gone and you stop breathing because one of us tore your lungs out, isn't that nice."

Idiot. You haven't noticed I've already stopped breathing.

"Enjoy your last moments." The vampire finished as he put the lock on the chain and tucked the key away. He grasped the metal links and gave a harsh tug. "I know I will."

As soon as Lucifer left, the girl immediately exhaled, feeling the chains loosen ever so slightly around her. There were reasons why she'd survived this long living the kind of life she did. One of them was that her captors, when it came to leaving her incapacitated, were really, really stupid. They never realize that the longer the chain they use to hold her, the more slack she could get from it. They never notice when she holds her breath, so that when she exhales she's given more room to work with. And of course they never bother to check on her afterwards, leaving her completely free to escape.

That is what I've spent the last few years perfecting. She contemplated as she slipped out of her bonds, flipping from her chair so she could jump high enough to grasp the bars of the cage. Swinging back and forth, the girl took in a deep breath and disappeared.

Escape magic. Not quite as good as the real thing, but… close enough.

Outside of the cage, the blond vampire had finished up his speech. She wasn't sure what it was about; she hadn't been listening. "And finally, it is my pleasure to present to you, The Grim Reaper."

Lucifer whipped off the cloth covering the cage and paled slightly as others tensed visibly.

'The Grim Reaper?' With capitals? I didn't know I was so famous. They're making a rather big deal out of this, aren't they?

Of course, everyone else in the room wasn't staring at her. Instead, they were gawking at the empty cage.

Then again, I suppose they don't know how this works.

Focusing on her right hand, the girl watched as a scythe formed in her hand. Made of pitch black metal, it blended in with the shadows she was hiding in. It didn't reflect any light; such was the nature of her job; forever hidden behind the shadows.

There's no witty banter.

Peeking out from above, she perched from on top of the rafter, preparing to jump.

There's no epic fighting moves and catchphrases.

The girl jumped, aiming for the dark-haired vampire that had tried tormenting her earlier.

I just find you…

Her scythe flashed, and Lucifer turned, discovering the threat much too late.

And kill you.

…

Pandemoniumwas the perfect word to describe what happened next. After Lucifer's horrible death, every vampire in the room (which meant everyone but her) turned against the girl with the obvious conclusion that the she had to die.

One threw herself at her, claws outstretch, expecting to be able to tear her to shreds with complete ease. The creature was sadly mistaken when, in response, the scythe flashed, promptly slicing him in two. Yet another climbed up the cage the girl was now precariously balanced on top of, intending to drag the reaper down, only to have the midnight colored blade she was wielding plunge into his head. Sinking into the flesh of his face, the vampire was killed instantly. A third one managed to jump out of her from behind, lethally sharp fangs sinking into her arm, like a knife sliding into butter. Ignoring the burst of pain that blossomed from the wound, the girl grabbed the attacker by her long hair, and, with a grunt of enormous effort, sent her flying into a chandelier. As she and the crystal laden contraption fell to the ground, the figures underneath it were pierced, crushed, and splintered by the various parts of the decoration. Shrill shrieks were screamed, blood oozed from the mess, and finally nothing but silent corpses lay beneath the shattered shards of glass.

The reaper, still hanging onto the top of the birdcage, swung her scythe, beheading those who dared to get near her. Much to the surprise of the vampires, those who went down, stayed down, their dead bodies falling to the ground below.

Scoffing at the monsters below her, the girl thought to herself, they think because of what they are, they're invincible. That they are immortal gods. What rubbish.

Vampires were nothing more than glorified humans, trading blood for food and water as sustenance, and their humanity for superior physical power. Yet with these powers come the constant craving for blood, which, when left untended, weakens vampires and leaves them crazed by their own thirst. True, they were immortal and immune to aging past a certain point, but only until one took their life with blade or fire, especially when the head was targeted. It was an act the girl often found herself indulging in.

Of course. That was her job: executing the wicked to protect the innocent.

Some of her enemies realized that this battle was impossible for them to win, and attempted to withdraw. However, with shrieks of frustration and fear, they realized that their hunted had become the hunter, as she launched herself off the cage and soon pursued them, swinging her weapon in wide arcs. Upwards, downwards, in wide circles. Head after head fell and body after body fell with a resounding thump.

She gave them no mercy. Why should she have? They deserved none. These vampires had terrorized neighboring towns and populations, stealing innocents in the night, torturing them by day, and, in the end, only ending their misery through a death filled with fear and the agony of feeling their lives slip away, out of their control. Thus, for their crimes, these monsters were granted similar deaths. That was how she worked. If you deserve to die, you will die. There were no acts of leniency, no exceptions.

Never.

At last, the girl's movement slowed, and she settled down to view the carnage around her. While her clothes suffered rips and shreds, the body parts of others littered the room, dripping blood. She, too, was covered in the dark red liquid, and some of it was probably hers as well. Doors, no doubt leading in and out of the room, were spaced evenly along the walls. She would have to use one of them to find a way out. One of them was ajar, probably disturbed by the battle. There were bodies around it, too. Some were in pathetic crawling positions, as if trying to reach safety even when they were already dead. The gore around her, and the lack of movement from anything in the room told her that her job was done. The sharp, intense pain throbbing in her head, arm, and various other places told her she had to find a way back home, fast. Or at least, back to Kain, who could always be counted on to patch her up.

My arm… I'm seriously not in good shape, I should be more careful. She chastised herself. Tch, and I ruined my clothing too.

…no, focus, focus! You'll die if you don't get of here soon! It's time to leave. Now where's the bloody exit?

Trudging towards the slightly open door, the girl staggered through, leaving a trail of blood behind her. She'd have to hurry to find a way out of here if she wanted to get out at all. Wandering the silent halls, a glimmer of silvery grayish light caught her eye. Head turning slowly, she saw a corridor that quite literally had a light at the very end.

Yes!

The girl began walking towards the light, intent on getting out as soon as possible. Halfway through however, a blade whizzed past her, grazing her ear.

She spun around.

No! Damn it all!

"Trying to escape are you?" The man in front of her stood with a face of stone, clutching several other blades between the fingers of one hand. His other had been cut off. Although clearly injured, the last vampire still had enough strength to stand, albeit in a hunched over stance. He must have slipped away earlier, hiding in the shadows until it was ideal for him to strike.

What a cowardly way to battle. Still, I suppose it's my fault. I must have been extremely careless; this thing shouldn't even be alive. Damn, I'm too injured to deal with him now… I'll have to come back and take care of him before he raises another horde of monsters to do his bidding.

The girl didn't smirk back, or shoot a taunting glare at her attacker, but rather set her face in a cold glare. "Try me."

Then she turned tail and ran as fast as she could.

Behind her, she could make out the sound of feet slamming against rock, and knew her opponent was pursuing her, racing her to the end of the tunnel. She also heard the whistling sound of several other daggers being launched at her. Listening intently to the noise, the girl attempted to gauge the position of each blade, and leaped jumped left and right accordingly to dodge them. To her surprise, even in her semi-lucid state she was able to elude each one with ease.

"Ahahaha." She laughed feebly to herself. The combination of her returning adrenaline, loss of blood, and the numbness now crawling from her feet up her legs was making her giddy. "Run, run, fast as you can… you can't catch me, I'm… in such deep shit now." The girl groaned as she skidded to a halt, her boots grinding against the stone below.

The academy, the streets filled with shops, the homes of the rich and poor. They were all there. It was definitely Center's End. Her current goal. Her home.

She'd just so happened to be looking at it from the edge of a cliff.

The vampire laughed and the reaper turned back around to stare at him. They were both on their last legs, but he'd be damned if he wasn't taking that bitch with him... raising his arms one last time, he threw his last dagger, aiming straight and true for the reaper's heart.

The blade flew straight at her, but never buried itself into her flesh, and instead glanced off shining black metal. It didn't come from the reaper's scythe, since it lay uselessly in her now immobilized-by-pain arm, but from two masses of black feathers that had suddenly appeared, flapping slowing and wrapping around the girl who stared at them wildly.

Wings. I have wings…

And so she did.

…Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it! Not again! What the fuck's going on? This shouldn't be happening! THIS SHOULDN'T BE-

Her thought were interrupted when with a roar, the vampire gave one last ditch effort to slay her and leaped at her, claws directed at her throat.

Automatically pulling her wings back, she thrust her scythe so the vampire's head came between her and the blade, and planted her foot against his chest, pushing hard. With one last feral scream, the monster's body was decapitated, and fell to the floor.

The girl, meanwhile, found herself tipping over the rocky edge she'd been precariously standing on earlier. Leaning back had unbalanced her and she was now falling to her doom. Her wings were heavier than she had thought, and this underestimation seemed to have sealed her fate.

Shiiiit. Didn't I just sprout wings? Fly!

Tumbling through the air, the girl panicked, and flapped her wings in an effort to steady her fall. By luck, she succeeded in flipping onto her stomach, her wings stretched out at the right moment to catch the air flowing beneath her. Calming the imminent threat of hyperventilation threatening to overcome her, the reaper took deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling.

Okay, focus. Leaning to the left makes you curve to the left. Leaning to the right curves right. Warm air rises. Flap when you need to. Find Kain's shop. Aim for the door. Land feet first…

Before her concentration broke, the girl managed to land in front of the familiar wood door. Falling with a thump against it, she felt the scythe and wings melt away, and her consciousness slipping…

Just seconds later, a slender man with black, shaggy hair and dark eyes opened the door. He was still in his suit, and was about to close up shop when he had heard the thump. "Oh dear." He said, spotting the innate body at his feet. "You've gotten yourself beaten up again, Evangeline."

Picking up the body and holding her tenderly, Kain carried Evangeline inside.

I'd originally planned this to be a story of my creation entirely... but when I looked at the characters and went 'wtf this is too similar to Kuroshitsuji and I've only started reading it' and Grell and the others started to pop into my head, I decided to turn it into a fanfiction story.

Like it? This story has my longest chapters yet and I've already written five of them.