A/N: Hi! So... Yes, I have this now. I actually had most of it a while ago... *shrug* Much of the credit for the first bit of conversation goes to Paxloria, who suggested something similar. *smile*

Title: Creatures of the Night

Author: liketolaugh

Rating: T

Pairings: Ciel/Lizzy

Genre: Friendship/Drama

Warnings: Mangling of canon... again

Summary: Ciel surrounds himself with them. While Ciel's older and younger personalities battle for dominance within him, he investigates the destruction of many places, all of which are home to supernatural creatures.

Disclaimer: Sadly, Black Butler is not mine.

Ricardo, the very vampire Ciel had met years ago, rattled his chains weakly, surprise vibrating off of him in tired little waves. "Ciel, what are you doing in this place?" he rasped.

Ciel gave him a quick once-over, blue eye sparking in some irritation and some worry, and then replied dryly, "Well, it appears that I am saving you again."

Sebastian glanced from Ciel, to Ricardo, to Ciel again. "My lord?" he questioned, quite rightly confused.

Ciel looked up at him, causing shadows to dance across his face. He chuckled lightly. "Ah, of course. Sebastian, this is Ricardo." A slight smirk, filled with a little mirth, stretched across his face. "We met about a year before you and I did, when he stumbled upon Lizzy and I, so thirsty he appeared near to death." He tilted his head and smiled. "It appears that he has reached that state again."

Sebastian, catching the subtext with the ease of long practice, smirked at Ciel. "Young Master, might I remind you how we met, and of our experiences since?"

The smile disappeared and Ciel scowled at Sebastian. "I am not helpless, Sebastian."

Sebastian's smirk widened, amusement pouring off of him. "Of course not, my lord."

Ciel let out a huff and whirled on Ricardo, studying him with discerning, dissimilar eyes. Finally, he decided,

"You need blood."

Ricardo gave him a slightly wary look. "Is that to be taken as an offer?" he asked cautiously.

Behind Ciel, Sebastian's eyes flashed red, and a disapproving frown marred his face. Catching Ricardo's eye, his own narrowed in warning, the expression far more menacing than it had any right to be.

Demons, after all, were stronger than vampires, and Ciel was his.

Fear flashed in Ricardo's eyes, faster than the human eye could see, but then his gaze slid back to Ciel, who looked almost thoughtful. Ciel's eyes flashed between Ricardo and Sebastian (and Ricardo wondered if he, against all odds, had somehow been privy to the silent exchange) and then settled again on the vampire.

After a moment, Ciel replied, "Yes." And he stepped forward.

"My lord," warned Sebastian.

"Silence, Sebastian."

Ricardo glanced at the displeased demon butler. "I will be careful," he promised.

"That is what you said last time," Ciel grouched.

Ricardo smiled wanly, then took Ciel's wrist in one slightly shaking hand. But his brow furrowed slightly despite his hunger (and he was glad that he was old enough – and a poor enough hunter – to be able to resist the call of blood when he wished to) and he glanced up again.

Ciel scowled at him. "I am not nine anymore, Ricardo. I can lose a little blood." He could feel the bouncing eagerness, why was the damn vampire hesitating? He was wasting time, time that Ciel really couldn't be bothered with.

A slight smirk twisted Ricardo's mouth. "That," he drawled, "is what you said last time."

But without another moment's hesitation, he pressed his mouth to Ciel's wrist and bit down, drawing in the blood that spilled forth with relish.

Sebastian hissed and didn't look away, red eyes on Ricardo, glinting in warning. But Ricardo no longer cared, lured by the call of blood, all his attention focused on the pale wrist before him.

Behind them, the reapers were muttering to each other and to the vampires, and Ciel listened as the replies of the vampires began to grow excited, anticipatory. He frowned and turned his head to look over his shoulder.

The reapers were holding vials of something red. After a brief, very brief, moment, Ciel realized that it was blood. Each vial seemed to be holding much more than it appeared capable of, and, Ciel noticed, one was being given to each vampire, and they sucked at it greedily – much as Ricardo was doing to his wrist at that moment.

It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

But Ciel was trying not to think about that, so he continued to watch, and pondered. It seemed, to him, to be a bit odd, but after a moment, it dawned on him.

If the Dead Man's Blood legend was nothing but a myth, reapers were actually in the perfect position to provide blood for a vampire, with the amount they surely came across in their line of work.

And indeed, as each vampire finished their little vial, they visibly strengthened before Ciel's eyes. Soon, the sounds of shattering chains began to echo in the basement as they grew strong enough to break free. The reapers started to busy themselves keeping the vampires from all charging out at once, eager as they were to escape now that they were healthy.

Ciel, on the other hand, was starting to feel a little dizzy…

"Vampire," Sebastian barked suddenly. Ciel looked over at him, swaying a little, and was nearly knocked over by the sharp snap of anger. Ciel's expression was dazed, his eyes a little too wide, and the anger spiked. "Cease your leeching at once."

Ah, Ciel thought dazedly. Sebastian did not like vampires at all.

Ricardo, who, Ciel noted, looked far healthier than any of the others despite having received about the same amount of blood, looked up at the boy and released him abruptly, feeling guilty. Ciel, not expecting that and already off-balance, tipped backward. Sebastian caught and steadied him easily, giving Ricardo a dark look.

Ricardo returned it with an apologetic one and broke his chains with ease, moving to lean over Ciel with some concern. He reached out, long fingers brushing Ciel's head delicately, beside his softly glowing contract. "You have gotten yourself into much trouble, child," he said quietly.

Ciel deliberately turned his head from the pale hand and pulled himself from Sebastian's grasp. "I'm fine," he muttered mutinously, and then, irate, "Don't call me 'child'."

Ricardo drew back. "But of course."

He didn't quite believe it.

Sebastian leaned down to murmur in Ciel's ear, concern battering softly at Ciel. "Are you quite certain you're alright, my lord?"

Ciel didn't meet Sebastian's gaze when he repeated, "I'm fine."

Sebastian didn't believe him either. He knew Ciel far too well for that.

And that, of course, was why Ciel found himself being lifted through the air and settled into the crook of one of Sebastian's arms, held tight against the man's side. Without thinking, he flung his arms around Sebastian's neck, tightening his grip and shutting his eyes tightly as a new rush of pounding dizziness, worse this time, crashed over him.

Even so, he couldn't fail to notice the twin jolts of surprise on either side of him.

By the time he once again opened his eyes, though, both expressions had been wiped clean, Sebastian's a bit better than Ricardo's.

"I'm fine," Ciel repeated, as though it would make a difference.

Yay! I like this one, I think. However - I like Ricardo. If you think he's too prominent, let me know. I'm going to tone it down best I can, but I'm probably going to slip up. Still, he will by no means be replacing Sebastian in any capacity. (that pisses me and Sebastian off) So... please review!