The Village

Recently arrived a letter, a stupid letter. Some villagers of the nearest town asked for some of the young Master's help, there is something wrong these days in the town people suddenly disappear and when they appear again they don't remember anything but there are spots on their necks.

As soon as this letter arrived; We left the mansion with Momo and Dave keeping the house.

The town seemed dead, trees didn't have leaves there was no grass or any small animal around any bird. I led us into the first shop; a woman with messy white hair was sitting on the chair beside the window embroidering. She did not look at us, so we approached. "Ma'am, where is the rest of the people?" The woman looked out, and her thin crumpled finger pointed to another house.

"Thank you, Madam" the Young Master bowed and grabbed my hand, going for the same door from we came just a few moments ago. "Can you release me?" I tugged my hand, but the grab did not loosen.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't like to touch others, but can you bear it? I'm afraid that you will disappear too" The Young Master said looking to the ground beaten his lips and some red in his cheeks. My heart sank, and I swallowed my next damn.

"Hmf... then... don't drop my hand... " I entangled our hands and his grab become stronger and my face hotter.

Inside the other house were a small group of villagers gathered around a short man with a bald head and white mustache and beard, Hahaha a gnome, hahaha I can't believe it. . . hahaha.

"Excuse me! were you who summoned us here?" My master asked while tugged me behind him. The men turned to us, and the shortest touched his beard.

"Yes, young master please help us... " the mand bowed to us, and the rest followed him.

"Can you explain the situation?" We sat in the armchair that was settled in front of us, the master sat, and he dragged me into his lap. What are you doing?!!!. I fight to try to escape his hands, and again he used his damned magic, aaaaaaahhh. The group looked at us for a while, disconcert was written on their face, just seeing their eyebrows, was more than enough to guess their thoughts. These Idi*ts, I neither want to be in this position.

"In the letter, I wrote that people are disappearing and reappearing but without memories and red spots on their necks... ¨ The man released a deep sigh and carried on. ¨Recently they hadn't come back anymore... neither my son" The man frowned and seemed that he was swallowing vomit, a bitter but familiar flavor.

"Something new has occurred these days besides these events? like someone new in the town" The young man inquired while playing with my hair. this child seriously! I shook my head make him lose his grip on my hair; hmf now what pretty boy? I smiled lifting my chin.

"... Yes, yes! a new lord has moved to our town; he is living in the big house on the proximities." A brat shouted out. Oh? a new Lord... maybe this will be easier than I thought.

"I see... nothing more?" I asked, but the villagers just looked at each other searching for help in others; nobody answered. Nothing else then.

"Ehem! I'll see what I could do, close all windows and doors, don't go out this night, understood?" The villagers smiled and nodded like the students that listened carefully to their teacher. Why all people look younger than me? I'm the child! how can you behave like this?

The nightfall arrived, as the young master ordered, all doors and windows were closed. Just our shadows were our company. We wandered in the streets for two hours, then we were going to the Lord's house. This is my chance to get free, while he fights I just run away, perfect.

In a heartbeat, we were already on the threshold of the house. The main door was similar to a hole same black, the unique hint of the door was a silver handle with the form of a human head with all the features of someone screaming, the eyes were the scariest they were holes but deformed as the mouth. This person must be odd. I pushed the door that opened before my touch. As I expected there weren't maidens or other servants neither candles.

"Don't go too far without me!" the young master said, grabbing my hand again. fantastic, How do I escape now? , with a sidelong stared the man owner of the other hand, even when all was dark I could discern his figure tall and righteous. then puppy any important weak that should I discover?

CLAM, the door behind us closed and the dark dragged us. My Master turned on a small fire on his left hand, and shadow ran away at that moment. "What was that?" I closed to the man behind me.

"I'm not sure, it was too fast." with the dim light he seemed different his gaze cold? strong? just different from the usual. He turned to me and nodded.

The young Master walked in the same direction that shadow went a few minutes ago following a small hallway without doors and walls decorated with dots- pattern; really who said that would be pretty to have head handles and dots for walls. At the end was another door with that horrible face, I pushed the door and a white light blinds us, this room was different from the living, the windows were tall and wide the moonlight entry easily in this room. "Why will come here there's no way to hide?" I asked, silence.

"PLEASE STOP!" Both turned to the left, a boy was sat on his knees, why shouting to us?.

"Stop what?" I moved forward, now Liam was behind me.

"Oli... don't—" Liam started, but indeed I hate shouts.

"We are here to save your small and unuseful life, and is this how you act?! YOU BRAT!" I quickly approached the child, and my body hit with a hard surface but warm, I squeezed Liam's hand, he still was behind me so.

What...?

The person that blocked my way didn't do anything neither said anything. "Get out of my way I'm going to teach him a lesson!" I pushed the body in opposition to me, after just a push Liam tugged me back to his side.

"Why are you stopping me!?" I said widening my eyes, scowling at Liam. He just smiled closing his eyes as a sort of apology.

"Calm down, the child didn't with bad intentions..." he whispered into my ear, patting my head. This honey isn't going to stop me, you know, I'm going to kill him... I guess that we have been too much time together. The young man behind me involved his arms around my waist changing my plans. "Let's talk first, ok?" The young master said putting his head on my shoulder.

A big dog, a troublemaker one. On the other side of the room, the child had approached the man that appeared in my way a few minutes ago.

"My lord why did you come out?" the child said holding the hands of the brown-skinned man with white hair and... red eyes? indeed the owner as I expected is O-D-D.

"Someone with that appearance could be human?" I asked my young Master.

"Maybe, but this time I don't think this lord is human" I swept a glance at them, me neither.

"You... were in... danger" The Lord answered to the child looking at his hands being held for the younger one, his eyebrows were frowned a bit down and his lips a bit tight. Another dog?

"But you are the one that they are searching to be guilty! I don't want to!" the child started to cry changing his holding hands for a hug, the Lord winked a few times, before returning the hug.

"Ehem! WE ARE HERE!"

"Oli... please—"I scowled to my young master making him shut his mouth, with an awkward smile.

So he changed his target. "We came to talk and discover the truth, your lord is not guilty of anything, if he didn't," Liam said moving his gaze to the pair opposite to us, good puppy. I couldn't control myself and a small grin escaped from my lips, inhaled, and exhaled profoundly trying to keep calm but I felt light and happy for who?

"Then who are you?" the child cleaned his nose and the man who was holding him cleaned the child's tears. "I'm Liam, just a wizard... and this is..." Liam started but stopped; looking at me next at them, and carried on a few times more until he returned to me finally biting his lips, what are you waiting for?

"I'm Oliver... his servant..." I looked aside avoiding Liam's gaze, filled with sparkles and that goofy smile. Please stop! Don't see me with those puppy eyes! I change the focus again "It's your turn brat! who are you?" I asked crossing my arms; changing my weight to the other leg, even with that Liam didn't change his position and kept hugging me, now humming something.

The child looked twice at his lord, then he finally opened his mouth again "This is The Lord of this house Dion Blanchet and I..." The small one moved his hand from the lord to his chest, no word came out.

"This is my bride..." The Lord answered stepping forward hiding the child behind him, why now and not before? hey hey, kid why are you blushing? oh no these two... oh...

"Why are you covering your mouth?" the child asked behind the Lord. I pulled my hand down "Ah... nothing... nothing forget it "

"Cough Cough! Could you answer a few questions?" My master interrupted. Dion nodded cuddling his 'bride'. "Do you know what happened with the villagers from the nearest town that had disappeared these last days?"

The brown-skinned one closed his eyes, "I've been drinking from them, but I always returned them neither over drunk from them..." said slowly the child widened his eyes and hit the Lord, it seemed that the child was berating him. My master released me and crossed his arms too, thinking. I feel cold . . . aaahh! stop!

"But some are still lacking" I stated, staring at the child behind him.

"I didn't return because I wanted to stay here" the child cried, even when he seemed to be a child his voice didn't suffer the typical voice-changes than my street partners, he was short and a messy hair his nose... seems familiar, is like a gnome haha...

I turned, seeing the wall behind us, also decorated with that horrible dots-paper. But besides that wall, the rest of the room was made of glass, the fireplace surprisingly wasn´t crystal, seemed to be a butterfly with white wings and some spots of blue thanks to the sky. On the fireplace was a picture half-covered with a white dusty sheet, My hand went forward ah it´s not the time for this.

My steps even when I controlled all my moves still could listen to the subtle tum of my steps as my heart, trembling. The windows were cold, it must be past midnight already. "Why you drunk from them? and why did you stop? ".

"I need blood to nourish myself..." My gaze swayed at them.

"Master!" The small one shouted, Dion, looked at him as asking him what's wrong honey?' ew.

"Then you are a vampire right?" Liam inquired, I peak at the small group behind me.

If someone had told me that those frames were made of ice I won't doubt it nor for a second. My finger surveyed the edge of the window; slowly my finger became red and my sense of cold blurred. These windows must be able to open. Then I felt a small handle almost invisible even though in the light of the full moon; a black small handle for a window with a black frame, it's not so easy to find.

"Oli what are you doing? Come back here!" Quick now or never!! I pulled the handle, finally, the barrier of ice had gone. Go! Another peek escape from me to Liam who with big eyes looked at me and his eyebrows higher than usual. You never change, ahh I told you to hide your expressions you are easy to read. I laughed while grabbing the frame of the window, I jumped.

"OLIVER WATCH OUT!"

". . . ?"

A stab crossed my head, bumping in my brain, and my ears buzzing, an infinite beep invaded them. why all is spinning? Suddenly my throat closed was grabbed and the grip stronger and stronger. My spinning eyes intercepted a white beam above me. Slowly took the form of a girl, but her strength didn't match with her weak mask.

I pushed, kicked, but it was like being underwater. I scratched her hands and tried to release my neck. The air was less, I felt weak, and bubbles of light were covering her, one of my hands surveyed the carpet of fur finding a thin and cold, but hard object. "Agh..." I grasped the stick and hit the girl.

Nothing

I'm going to die like this? I closed my eyes and dropped my hands beside my body. Inside the dark a dim light floated, laughing said "Oli! Let's eat together, what do you like to have today?" the voice deep and full of joy seemed familiar, but I don't know who's the owner.

"I want the dish that we ate last time..."

"Then what are you waiting for? come on!" the light went forward.

"Yeah..."Somehow I approached even when I couldn't feel my legs.

The light became into a man with blonde almost white hair, white-skinned as cream, and cherry lips cloaked in a blue robe "Oli!" He extended his hand towards me. Liam... You... IDIOT! I'M DYING WHY ARE YOU HERE!!

The air was going far away... SPLASH! Something warm splattered on my face and was wetting my clothes. My lungs inflated, working again as nothing. What the hell?! I can't die peacefully either?!! I sneaked a small peek, to my surprise. The girl wasn't trying to kill me anymore, because she didn´t have hands anymore. Her wrists changed into a font of blood and flesh with a small white point in the center as the main ornament. While I was seeing the blood falling in my body, someone kicked the girl a way of me.

"Oliver are you ok? Can you see me? Who am I? How many fingers do you see here?" Liam surrounded me, one of his hands supporting my head and the other in my waist, soft and warm.

"Stop, just one question at the time, you silly dog!" Liam's eyes seemed to jump and then bright as those jewels that used to steal, next tears started to walk through his face. "I'm alive what more do you want? don't cry. "I said hoarsely touching my aching throat.

"Does it hurt?" My master cried aloud. Sigh, Why were you in my last moments and now that I'm back you are the first too... I rubbed my head with Liam's arm, then he slowly patted my head whispering "Good boy..." again and again.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA ah... it was fun. Doesn't it honey?" Another voice obscured Liam's worries.

The font of blood bleeds towards the Lord. His foot in her chest. "YOU?!" Dion's eyes darkened, a gloomy air covered him.

"Who is... her?" I whispered to my master; He shook his head.

"She used to be the bride of my lord." The kid stayed beside us observing the drama going in front. A jealous one, I assume...

"What's wrong with your face? You are happy to see me. Aren't you?" The girl continued lifting her arms, trying to hug him.

"I told you last time that I don't want to see you again... " Dion's hands slowly turned fists.

"We are playing! aren't we?" The girl laughed "Our parents decided our marriage centuries ago with a wonderful purpose. Don't forget it" She sang with a wide grin on her face.

"I'M NOT YOUR PUPPET NEITHER OF THOSE MONSTERS." The strength in his feet increased, making a hole in the floor.

"Could I ask what's the background? little bride" Liam uttered to the boy.

"Bride...?" quietly the woman let fall his arms, I seemed to be again in that place, the ambient became heavier "are you cheating me...? ARE YOU CHEATING ME? "great she went even madder and is going to kill us... How Awesome!

Crack crack! her body was moving like a worm, and something wanted to come out. Dion frowned and shouted, "GET OUT OF HERE!" In two winks, I was already in Liam's arms." I..." can walk. Liam looked at my eyes and stubbornly shook. Mm... just a little. The girl's wrist blasted again becoming into white hooks, ripping Dion's flesh in all directions, protecting the thin body behind him.

"Master!" the brat cried. His 'master' stamped the girl in the fireplace, crushing the picture that I observed before. Dion pushed his bride and whispering something, run away? . . . no his lips position is different...

My master used one of his favorite tricks, and the kid run after us against his will. While the two creatures slaughtered each other, in some way they remembered me to the stray cat that fought day and night in my alley. Only that these 'cats' were bigger and their destructive power was out of that reality. We ran out of the room until the living room, and behind us an orchestra of different bumps and crashes, the place was shattering quickly. As soon as we came out the ceiling fall burying the door.

My master stopped a few meters away from the mansion, calming his breath and the child fell also trying to recover. "Who do you think is going to win?"

" My Master has to win!" the kid gasped. Another blast fished our attention; a body flew out and crushed into the tree which started to bend more and more until reaching the ground. Another figure following and before the other could do any move... the skinning began. First, the right arm left leg... and finally the head. Dion was soaked in blood from head to toe.

"And so easy?"

"Oli stop..." Liam uttered in my ear.

"Fine, fine so I guess we have our guilty right?" I finally stood up on my own.

"Do you still want to blame him? when he saved us" the brat pushed me.

"Kid don't push your luck with me" just a few centimeters were separating our faces, I could see the sweat rolling his forehead.

"Oli Stop!" At the end of those words my body stiffened, my movements were sealed. It's similar to have a rope bounding all your body, you feel it but can't do anything.

"You too? I was referring to that girl, is obvious that if it's not your master then the response must be her, who more could be?" I leaned my head observing my master who shook his head.

'It's not that, I know that you weren't talking about the Lord...' the message bounced in my mind. The kid was crying again, rubbing his cheeks cleaning the flows of water; Dion finally came to us, his body seemed to be wrapped in layers and layers of red ribbons, his hair was wet with blood too. Then he stood up behind the kid and frowned for a second.

"Why are you crying" The lord stroked the head of the little bride, now also red.

"Master... you always do the same... if you don't think of yourself, then think about me. What would be of me if you die?" The bride buried his head in the chest of his Lord.

"I'm sorry" he embraced the small body, looking to the sky.

"We can give this for finished right?" My master said aloud "Oh, but I have a request for you, My Lord." He continued." I would like to come and be part of the ceremony when you two get married" Finished smiling.

I almost could see a tail moving from side to side. The Lord smiled and nodded "Of course, Young Master I'll send you an invitation when we decide the day" Dion answered, being kicked for his bride.

I couldn't sleep again, another night awake. The next day we informed villagers about the evil had been erased and they don't have to worry anymore about that. On my way to the outside; the bald man seized my wrist "Youth, what happened with my son?" the gnome said to me. That nose is familiar... ah!

I pulled his hand off me, and my next words were hidden. "He is fine, even he's going to get married that's why he didn't come back mister," a cream voice said behind us.

"So that's how is it... that fool kid! Anyway, thanks for your help Young Master we owe you" the short man bowed to us, my Master waved his hand stopping the man's actions. And then we were free once more.

On our way back home... "Oli... Wouldn't you like to be us like that?" my master whispered rusting his cheek, avoiding my eyes.

"Like what?" I continued.

"My bride..." he said slowly while his ears changed from white to red as dawn this morning. My heart pumped faster, and I felt my face burning.

"Mm... but aren't you married already? " Finally he looked at my eyes

"What? Me? No, why?" Panicked flushed in his words and brows raised.

"Well, the first day that you brought me, Momo came to greeting you so I thought that was your son..." This time was me who avoided his gaze.

¨Hahaha no, of course not. He is just a child that was found on our property, so I´ve been taking care of him¨Liam crossed his arms, eyes narrowed, the nostalgia that's what it is.

¨I see... but why do you want that I became your bride. What is the difference? isn't good our relation master-servant?¨ I pointed.

¨Well that's true haha...ha¨ his eyes looked at the ground and his lips curled down.

I jumped a few steps ahead.

¨I don't know Master... maybe some day¨ my arms above my head trying to reach the sky.

In a breath, Liam was by my side with bright eyes and ginning at me said.

¨Then I´ll give you time, but you must answer some day¨

I nodded, If that day comes...

And that's how my heart started to change for a fool dog.