Darker Blood

Chapter fifty-five

I bolted back to my room, preparing for her to attack me the second I stepped inside. I saw Jungkook rolling on the ground onto his side, bubbling burns all over his face and arms, and Taehyung on top of Umai, holding a thick metal rod from my dresser against her throat while her glowing hands were latched into his side, spreading more fire. Tears of pain were rolling down his face but he did not make a sound, pressing the rod harder against her, and everything else but him disappeared. He was my creation, my child, mine. I couldn't stand to see him so hurt.

"Taehyung!"

His head shot up to see me, a surprised look on his face, and it worked to Umai's advantage as she threw him off her in a single movement. He tumbled on the ground, screaming out in pain as his skin contorted with her cursed burns, and I couldn't control the rage souring from inside my soul.

I lunged at her, claws drawn and hissing, scratching every place I could get to. Her hands clung to my chest, and I yelled out to Jungkook to help me. He ran up behind the demon, hands locked on each side of her face, and I collapsed in pain. I couldn't do it, the fire burnt everything; my body, my spirit, my energy. I faintly saw Taehyung near me, on all fours trying to get up, most of his burns barely healed.

I mentally cheered for Jungkook through hazy vision, watching him kick Umai to her knees while his searing hands were still locked around her neck.

Where the fuck are Hoseok and Jin!?

"Now, Tae!" Jungkook yelled. Somehow he'd managed to get to his feet, skin bruised and blistered everywhere I could see.

"Stay down," He warned me, and with gentle hands, he shoved me away. I rolled on the floor for a little, eventually banging my head on my door, but spun my head around just in time to see his hands right next to Umai's chest, a bright light forming from between his hands, before it exploded and everything went white.

I tried to blink away the brightness that stunned my vision, looking for Jungkook and Taehyung, and of course that demon. I saw two bodies sprawled onto the floor, but neither looked like they belonged to a girl.

Heels clicked slowly along the floor and I panicked, blinking furiously, silently praying I could see clearly again.

She sighed. "Silly boy, Taehyung. You used fire to extinguish a being of fire. Your attempt to be the hero only healed me. So," she crouched and I strained my eyes until I could see her, and there she was, picking up Taehyung around the neck with one hand, holding him far above her head. "I guess I'd better kill you first."

"Don't you dare!" I screeched, forcing my aching joints to support me as I stood. I glanced at Jungkook who was wheezing on the floor, too weak from the blast to move at all.

She smiled mercilessly, dropping him onto the floor, and I winced as I felt a twinge of his pain. His eyes were closed, hair and eyelashes bright white, skin pale and splattered with his own blood.

I walked towards her, fists clenched, and she chuckled like she was watching a toddler trying to act tough. My hands started to grow cold as I focused on gathering the ice, ready to cause real damage.

I lunged forward, attempting to strike her in the stomach, but she jumped backwards out of the way, retaliating by backhanding my face with her claws.  I coughed, one of my eyes smothered with black blood, refusing to give up so easily. My eyes flickered to Jungkook again, as he was slowly trying to get up, eyes sewn closed.

"On the dresser!" I shouted, staring at the demon as she just stood there smirking, all her bruises washing over and vanishing from sight and I cursed; nothing was healing, and my strength was dwindling.

She paid no mind to Jungkook as he slid towards the dresser, leaning heavily against the wall, eyes still shut. Instead, she focussed on me.

Her arm swung up towards my face and I blocked it with my forearm, only to be kicked to the side by her leg against my knee. My claws scraped against the ground as I refused to fall completely, diving up to my feet immediately.

"What's wrong, Jiminie? I never thought you'd let a girl beat you. Or, perhaps you're too weak."

I grit my bloodied teeth. "Don't bet on it."

She scowled, swinging her leg up to kick my face and I ducked, roaring out in pain as her sharp stiletto heel punctured through my thigh, pinning it to the ground. She smiled, pinning it even further into the floor.

Umai tutted, relaxing her entire upper body. "This was almost fun."

I dug my claws into the joint of her knee and she screeched, trying to pull her heel away. I clawed my way up her body, holding around her stomach with the last bit of fire I had left in me.

"Stop!" She yelled, trying to burn my hands away, but I refused to move.

I dug my freezing nails in further, determined to keep her still as Jungkook reached for the cursed blade on my dresser, limping forward with a murderous look in his eyes. He snarled as he dived forward, slashing her neck with a single movement. She hardly reacted and writhed around my grasp, dirty brown blood flowing down her front onto my fingers. And Jungkook clearly knew that.

His hand became a blur as he slashed every part of her he could get, before finally plunging the faintly glowing blade right into her racing heart.

Then the door creaked and all our eyes stared at the girl in the doorway who screamed and ran towards her sister.

"Wait, Inori, you can't be here!" Jungkook screamed out, hand still lodged in her ribcage.

But it was too late.

Umai screamed as her pitiful life finally ended, skin wafting off her body in tiny flakes before the explosion shook the room.