Prologue

"Lady Melody, Lady Raven!" A familiar male voice called as my sister and I played out in the family garden as the warm spring sun shined over head giving the atmosphere a careless feel to the day. Peaking over the hedge of a rose bush our eyes met those of a tall slender man with long black hair and piercing unnatural crystal dark blue eyes dressed in that of a white and cream colored butler attire .

We watched as his eyes scanned the garden for us from the door that led out to the garden and giggled together when he called for us again. Climbing off the bench we watched from the two of us ran over to him. "Yes Demetri?" we said in unison as he looked upon us in silence for a moment before answering.

"Your mother and father are leaving on a last minuet business meeting,"

"What, why?" We asked again with a frown looking up at the tall man.

"Never mind why, you two should say your goodbyes before they leave," he answered pushing us inside. Once inside the two of us took off running to the front of the manor where our parents were just about to get in to the carriage. "MAMA! PAPA!" I called as I ran up and hugged my dads leg, Melody followed not to long after, "Please don't leave us. You promised you'd stay home and play with us today!"

Looking down, our father looked at us with a sad smile as we pulled away and looked up to him with sad eyes. A sigh slipped from between his lips before kneeling down and pulling us close r to him.

"I'm sorry girls, but your mother and I have to- This is a very important meeting to us because it can make or break our futures here at the manor. "

"but dada, you and mama promised to play with us today, cant you reschedule?"

"Yea, cant you?"

Our father shook his head in utter disappointment. "I'm sorry girls, but we cant. " Our heads dropped at his reply.

It never failed, no matter what happened, our parents had always but business before everything else. Its not that they didn't love us. In fact it was the complete opposite of that, they did love us and everything they did for us was to insure we had a bright future, and Melody and I knew that ; It's just sometimes we felt as if the family company was more important to them than we were. Then again we were four so we didn't know better than to think more about where our parents mind were in the matter.

"But dada-" melody began to say before being sharply cut off by our father. "no buts girls- " he stated then paused a moment before he looked to the sky with his thinking face then looked down and smiled at the two of us. "But, Ill tell you girls what. Your mother and I will be back by tomorrow morning. I promise that we will cancel all our appointment and spend the day with u . Alright?"

Our eyes lit up with happiness and our sad expressions faded away, "REALLY DADDY!" we chimed . Standing he nodded smiling and ruffled our hair.

"yes, really. Now we must be on our way."

"Yes, please be good for Demetri girls. He'll be watching you while we're away," Our mother finally decided to spoke up with her usual calm quiet voice. Leaning down she kissed our

foreheads before getting in to the carriage, our father followed in after and Melody and I stood there watching as the carriage drove away.

It wasn't to long after that a storm rolled in.

"Ah!" I screamed as thunder boomed shaking the very foundation of the family manor. I laid beneath my bed cowering as my hands covered my ears trying to lessen the loud sound of thunder outside. Shaking , I continued to move further under my bed till I was pressed against the wall in the fetal positions as the storm ranged on outside. Tears stung my face as the shuffling of sheets were heard. "Raven?" a soft voice called as I opened my puffy red eyes to see my twin sister melody hunched over staring at me with tiered eyes, "Is everything alright?" she asked looking at me with concern.

I blink a few times at her and nod slowly, "Y-yes, I'm f-fine melody…." I tell her before thunder boomed again and I let out a wail of complete fear and clutched my knees pulling them even closer to my chest.

I listened as my sister sighed knowing deep down I was scared. "Everything's alright Raven, there's nothing to be scared of , its just a loud noise nothing bad. Especially since I'm here." She tried reassuring me as she got on her stomach and pet my hair like our mother did when I was scared. With a shaky sigh I slowly crawled out from beneath my bed and joined my sister on the floor. Ignoring the roaring thunder outside.

After awhile, the two of us crawled back into bed and slept for another few hours before we were awakened by the soft voice of our family butler, Demetri Vetis.

"What is it Demetri? Is mama and papa back yet?" Melody said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and climbed out of bed. Outside, rain still poured down like those of weeping angel s

but day had broken lighting the once black sky and making it gray. Finally the thunder had ceased so I was free to go about my day like always instead of cowering in fear.

"No-" he started his eyes upon the two of us like that of a hungry vulture, to me it was almost unbearable but I wasn't to worried about it. "There's been a accident, the carriage your mother and father were in- it went over a bridge. Neither survived. " He continued , I could see in his face that he regretted telling us of the horrible news for both our faces were immediately washed over with sadness and tears started to flow down our faces staining our cheeks a light red.

Melody and I weren't naive children like most our age were. When someone said "Neither survived," we knew it meant that they were dead and that we would never see our parents again.

"I'm sorry girls, " He said , his voice softened again as he pulled the two of us closer to him and held us close. Our tears staining his nice white tail coat . There was a bit of silence as the two of us cried before Demetri had decided to speak up once more. "I also fear that I must leave-"

"Leave?" Melody cried wrapping her arms around Demetri even tighter than before

"No you cant, did we do something bad to make you want to leave?" I replied after following.

"Please don't leave us Demetri," we said, our voices in sync.

"No- you two have done nothing wrong, but I cant stay. The contract I had with your father is up and I must return to where I belong."

"NO! don't go, you're all we have left."

"Please don't leave us Demetri," a slight chuckle slipped from Demetri's lips. As he pulled us closer to him and held us tight as we continued to cry, mourning the loss of both our parents. It was almost as if he didn't want to leave us- like he'd grown fawned of me and melody and wanted to stay free of his will. With a sigh Demetri pulled away and turned his back from us.

"I must go now girls, your aunt and uncle will be here soon to take you in. Please take care-" He said low before starting to walk away. "NO!" Melody screamed reaching out and grabbing hold of Demetri's tail coat.

"I'll make a contract with you if it'll make you stay!" she finished, Demetri and I stood there speechless for a moment."M-Melody?" I whispered my eyes now red and puffy from crying.

"I cant let you do that- you're only four- You wouldn't understand the terms of our contract."

"Please Demetri, you're like family- we don't want to live with aunty and uncle..they're mean to us. If making a contract is what it takes to make you stay then I'll do it. I maybe four, but I'm smart. I promise ill understand." Melody told him. I stood there in silence watching the two . It was almost like watching a silent movie. Demetri leaned down again whispered something in melody's ear , then melody nodded with agreement and explained to him what she wished for most and before I knew what happened Melody was forever binded to Demetri till she lie upon her death bed.

"Per our contract- I shall forever be in your debt till our contract ends and then- and only then shall your soul belong to me."

-Demetri Vetis