"The maid. Quick---slice her throat. Okay, we have maybe 10 minutes before the guards come. Run. Get to all corners of the house. Set the fire, get out. Kill anyone who see's you before they scream. Scatter." The quick words bounced off his tongue. His own blood thirst scared him. They…They…

They brought it on themselves.

It was their fault. If they weren't so rich this wouldn't have happened' He convinced himself, falling into madness. He smiled and grabbed his lighter. Holding it up close to his face he saw a young girl approach. She was maybe 6 or 7—he didn't have the time to tell.

"Mom…why are you up so late?"

"Mom?"

"…Dad??"

His vision blurred. Not with tears. Slash slash…a scream would attract the guards but it was too late for that. He saw smoke and knew it would happen soon. He tossed the lighter on the wall and ran. It caught fire and spread to the corners of the heavily embroidered walls. He laughed. It was an eerie sound, the laughter. As a bomb exploded and his skin peeled away, his grin held. As the last sound came out of his dyeing body a pillar came down, crushing him.

-------------------------------------------------Chapter one, Kokoro-----------------------------------------------------

She ran, out of breath already. She never liked sports. This was worse. The shouting behind her hung in her ears even as the ending screams begun. Dad was dead. Little sister was dead. Mom…don't be dead…I need you…Mom… An ember caught her hair, burning her face. If she screamed they'd get her. She needed a plan. Kokoro surveyed the situation. The carpet and wooden floors were gone, engulfed in blue flames. They had a mage with them. Chances are there was only one, as mages were expensive and hard to find. The blue flame twisted to see her. It coiled around her waist, making dark charred cloth where it met. She prayed it wouldn't burn, but as usual her luck wasn't the best. Don't scream. If they find you then it's over. On a split decision she ran out of the fire. It followed her through the halls. As she ran a loud echo rumbled the house. Light followed and the building shook. She was on the third floor. Now she was on the 1st. The collapsed bundle of fire and wood looked nothing like her home. Dust filled the small space she had fallen in. The blue flame had lost interest and was now joining the other flames. The ceiling was still there, trapping her exit. She stepped on some creaky wood and leaped back, her pupils shrinking. There, right in front of her was her mother, barley alive.

"Kokoro…go into the drawer- get a blue necklace. Not the fake .You know which one. Hurry dear…get out of this place. I won't make it. You know that. But I'll always be with you. I'll always love you."

Kokoro's throat closed up. She wanted to say "I love you too, mom. Don't leave. Don't you dare leave me." But the words didn't come. She panicked. What if her mom died right here without her saying that? She willed it to clear.

"M—mom…mom…I…I lo...I love you too mom! I always will!" She broke into sobs and fell to the ground. Her mom smiled softly and touched her face. Her hand fell to the floor and her eyes closed. Only her smile remained.

"Mom…" Kokoro stood and went to the drawer. She un-activated the lock and took the black choker. Then she ran. Out of the house and out of her old life. Once outside she saw a body standing upright and rigged, holding its arm in pain. Her first thought was fury. He was one of them. She tore across the wreckage and hit him full force, knocking him off his feet. She pounded on his chest, trying to break bones. Trying to make him suffer.

"Kokoro! Stop it!"

And she did. For gazing up at her in astonished wonder was her servant. The only one she had left.