Playing With The Puppet Master

5

I had stayed here for a few months now and no matter how many of those damned lycan I killed, there were always backups to replace them. It was as if they were breeding! I growled as I stabbed the dirt with my shovel. Today was a garden day, so at least there was a little break. The work was menial and tedious sometimes, but it gave me a moment not to think. Lady Donna also stole me for half of a day during the week now specifically to read books with her in the downstairs library. This part of the job was rather relaxing compared to the lycan hunts. I wiped the sweat from my brow as the autumn breeze pushed against me in an attempt to help cool the sweat. I shook against it. Adrien shivered alongside me in her elongated trench coat.

"God, that wind is killer!" Adrien hissed. "Wanna call it early today? I'd rather help out in the kitchen."

"You mean staring at Jordan until she kicks you out of said kitchen?"

"Precisely!" Adrien said with a charming snap of her fingers. Her smile widened as she stared toward the manor. "Besides, her and I haven't been able to see each other as much lately. I think it would be nice."

"Why haven't you two been together much?"

"This is always the hardest time of the year. I need to prep the gardens for next year and clean out the dead leaves from around the area. Make leaf piles for Angie and her doll pals to jump in. Believe it or not, it keeps me out till pretty late. I'm genuinely surprised we are even getting done this early on a fall day."

"Well winter will be here really soon, that's for sure."

"And with that, my time will be spent inside doing only god knows what. Mabel sends me on the weirdest tasks."

"Like?" Adrien groaned as memories swarmed to mind. That can't be good.

"Like she once sent me out to collect-,"

"Hey! Are you two busy?" The two of us shot to attention at the chef that hung from the doorway.

"What do you need love?" Adrien asked. Her own shovel casted aside.

"I need two people to go to Duke! We need our grocery order earlier than normal. Can you two go? Better than trying to pry Mabel from Lady Donna." The two of us shrugged as I laid my shovel aside in the dirt.

"Since you're so cute, I think we can do that for you." Adrien's flirt burned Jordan's cheeks as she shook her head. She faded back inside. Adrien's grin made me smile. Jordan walked out moments later with a freshly made list. She hands it to Adrien and kisses her cheek.

"You are the death of me," Jordan joked as she pinched Adrien's cheek. Her attention turned to me. "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"What? You don't trust me?" Adrien feigned offense.

"I'll make sure she stays out of trouble," I assured Jordan. The chef nodded and turned to go back into the manor. Adrien chuckled as she shook her head and stared down at the list.

"Alright, lets head to the Duke."

"Wait, wait! Let me grab my gun! I can pick at lycan on the way." Adrien only nodded and waved me away. I ran back into the manor and toward the servant's little section. I unlocked the door to my room. I grabbed for the Beretta. When I walked back out of the room and locked the door, I turned around and Angie floated in front of me. My soul left my body for a moment. Damn the doll was quieter than an assassin when she wanted to be. "Hi Angie."

"Where ya going?" The doll's curiosity peaked as motioned a porcelain hand to the gun.

"To see the Duke."