Short Stories

Mansion AU

Characters are Cassie, Lynx, Salem, and Flame
Wolfie owns Lynx and Salem
Abi owns Cassie
I own Flame
Enjoy!

Flame POV:
Time passes faster in this realm. It always has. Though it’s better than Earth. Since few people live here there’s no need for a front or discrimination, at least for me. Other servants tend to their duties and keep to themselves, mostly. Lynx is always too busy to speak. Cass, I hate to admit it, but she has saved me from our master more times than I can count. Our master, Salem…is interesting to say the least. I finish my early morning duties and go to wake Salem up. I catch Lynx and Cass talking and listen in for a moment.

Lynx POV:
I stop to talk to Cass, since she’s the only sane one here. Being the newest of us all she asks some questions about Salem. Common ones like ‘Why can Flame annoy him’ or ‘What’s he like when he’s angry’. I shrug them off with simple answers.
“Salem has a weakspot for Flame, making him the one person who can actually annoy him. So Flame tends to him as best he can for a human.” I look over my list of duties, “If Salem disappeared, he’d probably be free from this place...maybe even all of us.” I shake my head, “Not important though, I need to get my work done, I advise you do as well.”
   
    Cass POV:
I sigh, I had my chores done late last night, since Flame weirdly give me the easiest tasks. Speaking of the redhead, I spot him and wave. He waves back with a plastered smile. I keep getting a sinking feeling about today, unsure of why but keeping my head up. I walk up to him and try to strike up a conversation.
“Hey, Flame! How have you been doing?” I smile, he takes a second to respond, somewhat robotically.
“Fine, yourself?” 
“Pretty good! I got everything done, what should I do now?” I kind of hope he has nothing in mind and to my luck, he doesn’t.
“Take a break, just stay near the mansion.” He bows and walks off. Presumably to wake up Salem.

Third POV:
As Flame approaches the room, he takes note of the mess from last night’s entertaining event. A large party of all the headmasters, they had brought some of their servants to help with the meals, so the place was in disarray. Events like this often leave Salem in a poor mood, this was no exception. Flame walks in to Salem eating leftover sweets, which often makes him quick to snap. He presses a button to call Cass, just in case things get out of hand, but unsure of when she’ll arrive, he wordlessly walks to Salem, picking up the plate and throwing it away.
Salem’s eye glow red, as his demon side peeks from his usually calm front. Two eyes turn to six as fire surrounds him. Flame keeps a blank face, to hide his fear, he normally angers him, but never to this point. Salem’s demonic voice rings out.
“Face. The. Wall.” His voice almost unrecognizable. Flame knew his fear was justified, but he refuses to show it. He turns to the wall, his blank face overpowering the terror building up slowly. Cass gets to the door, hearing loud cracks and weak murmurs of pain, echo throughut the hall. She looks in, finding Flame on his knees, his suit torn. His back with several bloody lines slowly dripping down his back and legs, being absorbed by the fabric. Flame sees her and silently pleads for her to stay out of sight. She nods and hides behind the door, peeking through the small crack in it. One more loud crack can be heard, then footsteps. Salem storms off to the washroom, to the side of his room.

Cass POV:
I run in and help Flame up, putting his arm across my neck and picking him up. I help him walk down to the servant’s quarters. He doesn’t speak, I quickly sit him down on a stool and remove his suit jacket and undershirt. The lashes are deep, in his back, for a moment I swear I can see bone. I hug him and quickly clean his wounds, anger boiling. 
“Why would he do this?! Much more to the person who takes care of him!” I shout furiously. I grab some bandages and tightly wrap them around him, the blood seeping into the cloth. Flame doesn’t respond, his face is blank, eyes a dull blue. “Flame, come on! Speak or move, just do something.” I lightly shake him. He looks at me and pulls me into a hug, his body shaking, I swear I can hear him sobbing. I hold him tightly, putting aside the shock and the fury. 
“It’ll be alright, Flame. I promise.” I whisper as his sobs go silent. He stands, shakily and wipes his face. His voice is weak and dry.
“Thank you, Cass. I should get back to work now.” He bows, wincing and puts his blank face back on as he puts on shirt and suit top. I try to stop him but before I can get the words out, he’s gone. I look in his office, and grab his gun. “Demon or not. No one hurts my friends.” I feel a darkness take over as I hide the gun and walk out.

~A few hours later~
Cass POV:
    I get in place, I found a nice cliffside to sit on. Near enough for the gun to hit, but far enough to not be seen. I grin as Salem walks outside to his balcony. He just made my job ten times easier. I aim the gun, cursing the aiming laser. 
“Let’s hope you don’t come back. It’d be nice to have your head as a throphy.” I whisper and fire.
That’s when I see Flame.

Flame POV: 
    I wobbily walk as I carry Salem’s food tray up to him. My back aches and my legs are still slightly bleeding, much less now thankfully. I haven’t seen Cass since the incident and I was hoping I could get her at the door just in case. I walk into the room and spot Salem on the balcony, much worse, I see a small red dot steadying itself on his figure. I drop the tray and instinctively run to his aid. The pain burns as I feel blood dripping down my back once more. I hear a loud bang. I get in the way, lightly pushing Salem out of it. He grabs onto me, to not fall. I feel the bullet pierce my shoulder and I collapse onto Salem, he catches me, realizing what had just happened and seeing the wound. I can barely recognize my voice, I gasp a bit for breath.
“Are you,” I wince, the pain only increasing, “ Alright?” Everything hurts and I blackout.

Third POV:
    Salem holds Flame’s limp body, checking his pulse profusly, he hugs him close. Cass looks at the damage and drops the gun. Yet, it was still just another day at the mansion.

Salem:
    I wake up with a jolt and look for Flame, finding him beside me. I hug him tightly, waking him up. His voice is groggy as he mumbles. 
“Honey, what’s wrong?”