My feet skid to a stop right in front of the open door, my eyes careful and observing as I peer inside.
One man.
A silent sigh rocks my lips when I see that he is a big, burly man who looks like he can easily rip me into pieces. But I have the element of surprise—
Until our eyes meet.
We both stand there, staring at each other like we were looking at a three-headed monster instead of just a person.
I snap out.
The metal feels cold in my fingers as I lunge in, swinging the makeshift weapon with as much strength as I can muster. It thankfully hits home directly on the side of his head, and I watch him crumple to the ground.
My breath comes fast.
I can't believe that actually worked.
The room is dark, but I can catch a few flickering monitors hung up against the walls. It shows the view of the bloodstained arena— and I swallow tears when I see V's familiar figure crash into the other.
His chest is red.
Seeing him only strengthens my resolve as I look around the room, trying to find anything to help him and the others.
Then something catches my eye.
Levers. Dark, huge ones, labeled Light Control.
My breath catches when I realize what that means— pulling them down could result in the loss of electricity throughout this entire structure.
And therefore could give the vampires a huge advantage over the humans, since they could see perfectly well in the darkness as well as daylight.
There are a total of three, each labeled with some sector of the compound— all bolded in red and important colors.
I don't even give them a look as I pull down the first lever, feeling the change in the air as the electric currents cut off with a soft vibration. The next results in the same, and I hear the alarmed shouts of the guards outside.
Last one.
As I grip the last lever, clammy hands close over my shoulders and tear my hands away from the switch. A shocked scream escapes my lips as I slam onto the ground, my fingers scrabbling for the metal bar I'd dropped.
Damn it.
I should've made sure he was out cold.
The man curses loudly as he faces me, not even bothering to flip the switches back up. That tells me that once they were down, they couldn't come back up.
That tells me that the lights will stay out.
"Who the hell are you!" The man yells as I scramble up to my feet, wielding the pole in front of me like a sword. "Do you have any idea what you just did?"
Since I hadn't pulled down the last switch, the light in the small room still seems to be on. But I can hear the chaotic screams outside as the spectators rush like panicked animals in the darkness— where their sight has been stripped away.
And sometimes, that can be the most frightening thing in the world.
"Yeah," I say, my lips curving into a light smile.
"I fucked you up."
The man's eyes go bright with rage as he lunges at me, a mass of muscle and strength as he lets out a horrible scream of fury.
I hurl the metal leg straight at his face.
He bats it away, although his face twist into a pained wince. The sharp corner must've cut a gash into his hand— I can see the blood streaming before it smashes into my side.
Pain rocks my vision as I collapse to the right, eyes blurring with tears from the heavy blow. The wind is knocked out of my chest as I bite down on my tongue, trying not to scream.
His fingers wrap around my neck, and my eyes go wide as I feel my body levitate from the ground. My feet scramble for anything solid as I kick at his chest, air leaving me in panicked puffs of breath.
He reaches for the metal bar that lay abandoned on the ground, grip still suffocating as I claw at his wrist.
I can't breathe.
"Time for me to fuck you up, girl."
Then he drives the sharp side of the bar through my side, and I let loose the most agonizing scream. The lights blur in a wave of pain and terror as he releases my neck, watching me slam onto the floor.
Blood roars in my ears as I curl my pale hand around the steel, breath escaping me in short, stiff gasps. I can feel the blood escape me like water from a broken dam— pouring out heavy and fast.
The pain is too much.
Then a feral roar pierces the air, and I immediately recognize the owner of the voice through the heavy clouds of red and black.
Jungkook.
A terrified scream follows the roar as my vampire puts an end to the man's life, claws flashing and silver sparkling with that tinge of blue I'd always loved.
I don't know if I'll see the color again.
"Elle," He whimpers as urgent hands wrap around my body, pressing me against warmth. A soft wave of relief lasts for a blissful moment before the crimson pain turns everything black and white.
He's crying?
I can see his stunning eyes sparkle with tears, set in a face ashen with worry and frustration. It's clear that he's torn between the blood drenching his hands, of what actions he should take to bring me back.
But there's nothing he can do.
It's too late to stop the waterfall of blood cascading out of my side, every second ticking down to its last. Yoongi is too far to reach— and I'm too weak to teleport. Even if he got me there, Yoongi couldn't do anything without equipment with such a serious wound.
There's nothing, and he knows.
"Everyone...." I say weakly, praying for him to understand. It was too tiring to even shape a single letter on my heavy, thick tongue— like something was blocking the words from coming out.
"They're all okay," He whispers, looking utterly broken as he notices the two switches. "The light turning off gave us a huge advantage— you might've saved Jin hyung tonight, Elle."
A soft smile ghosts on my lips when I hear that, but the expression on Jungkook's pained face grows even darker.
"But you've put yourself in his place."
He can't even get himself to look at my wound, still dripping blood without any signs of stopping. Time was running out— it was undeniable that I would die today.
"You're going to die," He whispers, and I purse my lips. I didn't want to lie to him when I already knew that was going to happen as well.
Something hardens in his eyes.
"You will die today,"
"But you will be alive."
My eyes widen at his words as his meaning dawns in realization. He lets out a bitter laugh as his fangs grow to the largest I'd ever seen, almost reaching his chin.
"Do you think I'll let you go this easily?" He asks, gripping my shoulders. His eyes burn the color of the moon in the darkest night, and I find myself marveling when I should be deathly fearful.
"I will never let you go, when I 've just found you."
His voice speaks volumes more than the words, and I can hear the apology in his tone as he sets me down on the cold floor.
"I'm sorry."
"No," I say quickly, my clammy hand over his. "None of this is your fault, okay? And whatever is going to happen next also isn't. You're saving me, not the other way around."
"Save your breath." He advises, pressing a finger to my lips. He tugs the shoulder of my shirt down, and I shiver slightly at the brief cold.
"I love you."
My lips curve into a smile under his finger, and my whisper is soft.
But he hears me anyway.
"I love you."
And then he sinks his fangs into the exposed shoulder.