Chapter 2 The past

Ivan kept looking around nervously as if he was watching for something. I cleared my throat "I should warn you I don't live alone."

Ivan turned to give me a creepy smile "I thought that you were a lone elf da."

"I am but I have a family."

Ivan's grin grew "Matvey you seem a little young to …"

"n-no I-I mean I live with my brother, papa and dad."

Ivan raised an eyebrow "you said that there were no elves living with you da."

"There aren't I live with other mystics" I looked around to see my house in the distance "you will see soon we are almost there eh."

Ivan looked toward my house he still seemed a bit worried but he seemed to have calmed down a little. Looking closer I could see a white unicorn standing outside and Kuma waiting for me by the front door.

Ivan stopped when he saw the unicorn "I thought that unicorns left this forest with elves being that humans almost hunted them to extinction da."

I stopped to look at his stunned expression "Oh horny" I shrugged "he is dad's friend horny lives with us."

Ivan nodded and continued following me to Kuma. I took to basket from Kuma's mouth and picked him up "who" he said pointing to Ivan. Giggling softly "that's Ivan Kuma he will be living with us for a little while."

Kuma shifted in my arms "oh." Ivan started to smile creepily again "he talked is that normal da?"

"Um yes Kuma is my magic familiar he helps me with spells and other stuff I made him when I was younger by accident but I am happy that Kuma was created he is my best friend."

Ivan smile grew "ok Matvey are now you are going to let me in now da?"

I turned to the door and opened it to let him in. Papa flew to me with a smile on his face but when he looked at Ivan his smile faded a little "Matthew who is this?"

"This is Ivan I met him while I was gathering food and papa can he stay here he has no place to stay." Papa looked him up and down and shook his head "Mathew we have no room for him to stay in."

I handed that basket of food to papa "he could stay with me in my room."

"WHAT!" a loud voice was herd from around the corner. Alfred came running and pulled me away from Ivan "Mattie he is a werewolf I can smell it on him."

I pushed Alfred away from me "I know that he is not going to be in your room anyway he will be in my room plus I can take care of myself thank you."

Papa sighed lightly "ok Mathew he can stay only if he helps gather food to." Papa turned to Ivan "sorry about all that welcome and make yourself at home."

Ivan pulled off his long winter boots and jacket but he kept his long scarf on. It seemed a little strange that he wore winter clothing in early fall. I fallowed papa into the living room were dad was sitting in his chair holding his wizards staff in one hand and a bag in the other.

Dad smiled when Alfred and I sat down across from him. Papa guided Ivan into the living room and whispered something into dad's ear. Dad nodded and cleared his throat "it is good to see everyone."

Papa reached down and kissed dad on the cheek. Dad blushed glancing over at Ivan his blush darkened "not in front of guests you perverted French succubus."

Papa giggled and started to rub dad's chest "but you have been away for so long."

Dad grabbed papa's arms "not with guests over you bloody French wanker."

As papa and dad started to fight I gazed at Ivan who seemed to be enjoying the fight but it was hard to tell if his smile was real or not. I stood up and gestured for Ivan to follow me.

"So Matvey lives with a human da. I thought that elves did not like humans."

I sighed "it's a long story and I don't want to talk about it."

Ivan's smile grew "you will tell me da."

I could feel a dark aura growing around him making it colder and harder to breath. 'Oh Maple' what have I gotten myself into this time. I swallowed hard "fine I will tell you later tonight just please stop killing me with your aura."

Ivan nodded his approval "I think I am going to like you Matvey."

I shivered this is going to be a long night.

-0-

Papa kissed me on the forehead "goodnight Matthew" he turned to watch Ivan walk into my room "please yell if you need anything."

Kuma walked up to me and pawed at my leg "who?"

Smiling I picked up the bear and started toward my room "Matthew."

Kuma yawned "oh."

"Mattie don't do it" Sighing I turned to see Alfred holding a silver pendent in front of him.

"I'll be fine Al he won't be staying with me forever."

Alfred walked up to me and pushed the pendent into my hands "it won't take forever for him to turn you into a snack."

I looked down at the pendent in my hands it had the symbol of a wolf howling on the front. Dad used it when he went out at night to discourage the werewolves that come by our house for time to time. A small light formed around the pendent as the light became brighter the pendent faded.

"Mattie what are you doing?"

The pendent disappeared as the light faded away "I put it back where it belongs."

Alfred started shaking me violently "NO MATTIE HE"S GOING TO KILL YOU!"

I threw up a hand and Alfred flew across the room landing hard on the floor "goodnight Alfred."

I turned and entered my room slamming the door "siblings can be a lot of trouble da."

I squeaked and spun around to see Ivan giggling at my reaction to his voice. He was laying on the bed I had made for him he was wearing nothing but a pair of pants and a scarf. I could feel my face warm up with a blush as my eyes trailed up and down his strong chest.

Ivan's smile grew as I moved to my bed and put Kuma down. I picked up my red pyjamas and turned to Ivan my voice almost failing me "could you turn around for a second please."

Ivan nodded and turned around as I pulled off my clothes and put my red nightwear "you can turn around now."

Ivan looked me up and down "you look so cute I could just eat you up da."

I swallowed hard maybe I should have kept that pendent after all. I climbed into bed "good night Ivan."

Ivan frowned "Matvey you said you were going to tell me about how you ended up being here."

I sat up and held Kuma close "ok I will tell you but only if you promise not to eat me."

Ivan giggled with pleaser "no promise of that Matvey you just look so tasty."

I sighed "umm… alright fourteen years ago I woke in a lot of pain, fires were burning all around me."

"One question Matvey how old are you?"

"I'm eighteen now please don't interrupt me or I will just go to sleep right now."

Ivan closed his mouth and waited for me to continue the story like a child would "alright… I could hear screams and the sound of a fight. I tried to move but I was pinned under a tree branch and I was injured. I kept on struggling to try to free myself but a human came he held a sward in one hand and the head of an elf in the other. I screamed for help and just before the human made the killing blow Alfred jumped onto the humans back and bit into the man's neck. Alfred ripped of a large part of his neck off killing the man instantly. Alfred saw me and pulled the branch off of me the tree above me was ablaze Alfred picked me up before more branches fell. He ran with me leaving the blazing battle field."

Ivan nodded in understanding "do you have any other memories before that?"

I shook my head "no I think the branch fell on my head and gave me a concussion and amnesia."

"Did the loud moth vampire tell you why he was in that battle?"

"Well… I did ask but all he tells me is that a hero goes were he is needed."

Ivan tilted his head "what about his parents da?"

I sighed "he refuses to talk about them to anyone."

Ivan grinned "what about your papa and dad how did they get together they seem like an odd pair da?"

"I asked papa the same question and all papa told me was that it was love at first sight. I think that papa only likes him because he always plays 'hard to get'."

"How did you end up with them anyway?"

"Three days after Alfred found me I became sick from my injuries." I sighed "he never was a very good healer. Anyway I was running a fever and he was panicking when papa flew past and spotted us he flew down to get a closer look. Alfred attacked him but papa countered is attack that sent Alfred tumbling head over heels into a tree. Papa saw how bad I was and called dad over to help after dad healed me papa kind of adopted us."

Ivan nodded "so you just warmed up to them just like that?"

I shrugged "papa, dad and Alfred did save my life. Umm… just a question but do you have siblings?"

Ivan smiled and nodded "Da I have a big sister and a little sister but I don't want to talk about her too much or…"

I held up a hand to stop him "did you hear that?"

Ivan shook his head "Het I did not, what did you hear Matvey?"

"It sounded like someone scratching a window."

Ivan tilted his head "Het I did not hear anything."

I looked at my window and squinted I could make out a pair of dark blue eyes. I started shaking "I-I-Ivan what's that?"

A smiled showed in the dark window "I found you brother."