Chapter 4

"Stop it, Ivory."

"What?" I shakily asked. "What are you talking about?" Dark glanced at Catalina, who didn't notice. "I'll do the furniture." Catalina smiled.

"Dark told me before he didn't like being anyone's master." Catalina giggled. "Oh…and…at school, I know someone who told me he liked you. He came from a very incredible family, although not as high-status as the Darthtires. I blinked.

"Who is that?"

"I'll tell you…since…we probably won't meet him again." Catalina stopped smiling for a second. "His name is Allen Kelschen. He's a year higher than you. You know him, don't you?" Catalina asked. I thought about it.

"No, I actually don't." Allen? How can he like me if I didn't know him at all? Is this some kind of joke?

"You don't? He acted like he knew you. Is he a stalker? He told me he liked you ever since you sang 'Hell" in school." I blinked. That was a year, 5 months, 3 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes, and 48 seconds ago. "Ever since, he'd see you in the hallways and stuff, and he'd always check the exam board and see your name in the second place." I flinched. I hate the words "second place" as much as I hate onions and garlic. "He said he seen you preform "Vampire and the Demon". He was all like, 'that was so awesome. Ivory as the vampire and Dark as the demon was great!"

"Whatever, I'll never see him again, nor have I ever met him in the first place." I said, and stood up. "I have to get to work, don't bother timing. Just be quiet and leave me be." I don't know why, but I'm suddenly irritated. Catalina must have sensed that, because she did shut up. She would have kept on rambling. Allen, I feel that this person is fishy.

I went on building chairs, tables, and shelves. I even built a place where they could set up a fire. Although it's just an ash hole outside of the cabin, but I thought it was pretty cool. At last, it was already night time. I was taking my time though.

"W-why is it that you are so annoyed?" Catalina broke the hours of silence. I turned. Of course I'm annoyed! She knows I hate it when cowardly people say they like me before even telling me! From the sounds of it, that guy is a jerk, so why the heck is Catalina trying to get me to like him too? All this is so annoying, plus this situation…how can Catalina act this way?!

"Why?" I turned, unaware that I was almost glaring. "Why, you ask?" I saw Catalina flinch. It's funny that Catalina is scared of a maid like me. "How can you act like nothing happened? I just…you're so relaxed yet I…" I couldn't bring myself to go one with that sentence.

"I was trying to sooth the atmosphere." Catalina replied. You guys are all so stressed…I thought I should help up a little bit. I looked up. Catalina was smiling.

"Oh…really?" I said, and kept on working. "That's good then, thanks." I shouldn't act like this. I must be nicer. Tonight might be the last night I spend with Dark and Catalina. "I was just grumpy, that's all." I saw Catalina smile in the corner of my eyes.

"Ivory, I'm done." Dark said. He hasn't said anything in a long time. "What about you? How's your shelf?" I nodded a sign that it was going well. Somehow Dark is my only concern. He doesn't know my plan, does he?

"I do." Huh? I stared at Dark. "I'm doing well." I exhaled. What is he doing? Word tricks? Geez, this is scaring me.

"Oh, that's great…" Dark, he didn't pry into my memories did he? If he did, I should have felt it, right? I should have, since every time Dark tried, I did. But that was because he didn't use all his power to, no. He was using only a little at that time. This time, did he really try?

"You're worrying too much." Dark said. "It's written all over your face. I wanted to confirm it, so I did." I jumped. So he did go into my memories?! "I wanted to confirm rather you're worrying or not. It seems like you are."

"S-so you knew?"

"Knew what?" Dark blinked. I stared. It seems as though he didn't know. "I was the one who told Catalina to act natural."

"Oh…it was you?"

"Don't get so mad at her. I asked her because I'm not good at conversations." Dark signed. "If you're thinking of running away, Ivory," I stared. "Don't even think about it. I know I can't command you, so don't make me break into your thoughts." It seems like he hadn't yet. If I act natural, he shouldn't notice.

"Fine, I did think about it." I admitted. "Is it such a bad thing? It's worth a thought." Dark's narrowed his eyes.

"Okay. I got your message." Dark turned around, grabbed Catalina's wrist, and dragged her away from the cabin. Is he leaving me here? If that's the case, this was easier to get away from than I thought. I thought he would command me to stay or something, since he had done that before. I guess this time he wanted to protect Catalina more.

"Looks like the shelf is done," I said to no one in particular. "I'm pretty sure, for some reason, they would come back here. Well, I wish them good luck." I stood up. "Bye, you guys. I love you all." With that, I ran into the other side of the woods, opposite of where Dark is headed.

I've been running for a while by now. I probably covered 14 miles. That's far enough; I don't think Dark and Catalina can find me. I settled down in a tree. Night is coming soon; my powers are fullest at night. All monsters are strongest at night. That rule was decided, but just 3 centuries ago, a group of monsters decided to sleep during the night like humans do, when they were supposed to sleep during the day. Soon, every other Youkai followed.

"Ugh, I'm so tired. First I had to build the cabin, then I had to run almost right afterwards…I wish there's some blood to drink…" I said to myself, and closed my eyes.

"Sure, you can have some." I jerked awake. I turned around immediately. Dark was there, sitting on a branch a few feet away from me, while Catalina is behind him, shivering from the height.

"Wh-what?" My voice cracked. "W-why are you here?"

"Oh, we've been following you for quite a while, we just hid our presence." Dark explained. "I knew your plans a long time ago. I broke into your mind ever since you were at the lake." I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

"I didn't know anything…until Dark told me, that is." Catalina whispered.

"I revoke the contract I made with the Darthtire family." I said. "I no longer solve you." Dark stared.

"Alright, I'll see about it." Catalina gasped as Dark spoke. "Repeat your lines."

"Wait!" Catalina protested. "Ivory will not listen to your orders if you revoke the contract!" I stared, and closed my eyes. I inhaled. This has to be done, because then he has no choice but to let me go.

"I, Ivory Starlitta, request Master Dark Darthtire, to revoke my contract with the Darthtire family to serve for life." I said. "I, from this day and on forever, will be free of the Darthtire household, and will not listen to any of your commands. Do you, Master Dark Darthtire, accept this?"

"No! Stop! Dark! You can't! Ivory could be killed! Evon is going to kill her or torture or use her!" Catalina started cry. I just stared at Dark, begging him. Release me. I need to be free. Then they won't be hurt because of me.

"No, and I will not accept this. Perhaps try another time, when I am in the mood of releasing you. From now on, you must ask Catalina Darthtire, or the two other Darthtire masters to release your contract." Dark closed his eyes. "That's my decision."

I can hardly breathe. What did he just do?

"And I, Catalina Darthtire, will never release you from your contact. Never." I stared.

"Why? I betrayed you…" I whispered. This is unbelievable. What the heck is this?

"You wanted to save us. But we don't need it. Catalina is stronger than you in a battle of magic. You know that." I breathed. I know, I know! But I don't want her hurt at all. I didn't want Evon to even tough her and Dark too. I don't want him hurting him. I'm their guardian. I am the one, who gets hurt first, and until I'm defeated my masters shouldn't have to raise their hands.

"You are wrong." Dark replied. "You don't have to get hurt first. We are protecting each other. Catalina, you don't get it do you? Our parents viewed you as their own child, sending you to a special school for only nobles…" Dark breathed like he was holding his breath for more than 12 minutes.

"Your parents bought me to be a maid." I said. "I only stayed at that school, because they wanted me to be smart enough to look after you."

"Ivory-san!" Catalina tried. "I looked up to you. I thought you were strong." More softly, she said, "You aren't that strong, aren't you? You're mind right now, I feel chaos." Unstable, I felt my foot slip from the tree. I felt myself falling, fast. "Ivory!" Catalina's scream woke me up. I turned and landed up before I fell on my butt.

"Ah…oww…" I sprained my foot. I'm so stupid. I tried to get up so that Catalina and Dark won't notice, but I can't even move my legs. "Uhh…" Catalina jumped down, stumbling, but definitely not spraining her foot. Dark did the same, except he was perfect and graceful. I gave up. "I sprained…my foot." I whispered, blushing.

"Oh, we've got to treat it right away!" I stared at my foot.

"Leave it."

"What? Why?" Catalina asked. I glared.

"Just leave it, dammit!" I screamed as tears streamed down my face. "Leave me alone!" I forced myself to stand up, withstanding the pain, and walked away from them. I can't stand this. What is this? What is happening?

That night, I slept by the tree stomp, curled up. Dark was leaning against it, apparently close to me to keep an eye on me. When we woke up, though, it was me who vanished.

It was Catalina.