Tainted Blood

Chapter 14

Caleb had gone ahead of them unable to wait any longer. He froze at the abandoned factory where Stark had said they were hiding out. He attempted to think of a plan to kill the condemned for what they were attempting to do against Lillie. Caleb would've killed Loki for poisoning Lillie, but Lillie seemed to be desperate to help him. Loki had also sold his soul to Lillie and wasn't a threat to Lillie anymore.

He tussled his hair with a hand looking frustrated. He was never good with making elaborate plans.

"UGH! SCREW IT! I'll just walk in and do whatever I feel like."

Loki walked alongside Lillie feeling less than himself. He felt sick and was barely able to concentrate on where he was going taking everything he had to stand upright. Lillie stopped abruptly causing Loki to nearly crash into her.

"Koji?"

Koji was blocking the path standing there with a blank expression on his face.

"The reaper said you were a Hellraine. Is that really what you are?" Koji questioned. Lillie gave him a troubled look before trying to go around him.

"Koji… there's someone I need to save from some… people," Lillie exclaimed pausing to think about how she should refer to the condemned. She couldn't very well come out and say that.

Koji had a tortured expression over his face as he grabbed her wrist.

"Tell me you aren't the Hellraine," Koji said in a pleading tone causing Lillie to stop and observe his expression. He seemed conflicted, miserable, troubled, and upset. Lillie didn't know how to answer but she didn't want to lie either.

"I don't think you're stupid to not have figured out I'm not entirely human," Lillie said not entirely answering Koji's question. Loki was staring suspiciously at Koji with his piercing silver eye. He was waiting for Koji to attack Lillie at any moment and he would be ready to defend.

"It looks like my family is after you… and they sent me to kill you," Koji stated in a stern tone. Lillie took a step back from him. Suddenly something grabbed her from the ground. Lillie looked down to see a rotting hand had smashed open the pavement. She turned back to Koji to see him taking off the lock on the chain around his neck. Lillie kicked the zombie's hand off her foot.

"Your family?" Lillie questioned looking confused. Zombies began coming out of the ground around them. Loki had a calm, cool expression as he kicked a zombie back, who had appeared too close to him. The zombie was flung back into another one causing them to fall into pieces.

Lillie was staring in shock at Koji unable to comprehend the fact he was trying to kill her. Two males and a female suddenly surrounded them. One of them had dyed purple hair while the other looked rather sinister as he licked his lips.

"Hellraine, today's your death," the sinister-looking male, Byron, proclaimed as he raced at her unsheathing a sword he had on the side of his belt. He attempted to behead her with a horizontal slash but Loki appeared behind him slashing a blade that had come out from under his sleeves seconds before reaching Byron's neck.

Byron quickly whirled around to block the blade in time. However, another male with dyed purple hair came at Lillie with his curved blades, but before he reached her a zombie lunged at him tackling him to the ground. The male kicked the zombie back turning to look at Koji.

"Are you betraying us, Koji," the male cried at Koji. Koji closed his eyes inhaling loudly before directing his eyes at him.

"I can't do this," he said under his breath as Miyabi joined soon after clapping his hands over Koji's left shoulder showing him support.

"I've got your back Koji," Miyabi stated.

Koji directed his eyes at Lillie.

"My grandma is the one that wants you dead. She can deal with it herself. I'm through playing her games. I don't always want to be her little puppet," Koji exclaimed as he looked down at the ground," Go…You have someone to save… so go…"

Lillie gapped looking hesitant staring at him for a long moment," You look like you're going to do something stupid…"

Koji had a sad smile over his face.

"This is really going to get me thrown into that place…"

Lillie's heart dropped at that statement before she looked around as the zombies attacked Byron, the female, and the purple haired individual. The zombies were being shattered everywhere.

Whatever place Koji was referring to it obviously wasn't a happy one. Anyone would be able to see through those haunted eyes. Lillie bit her lower lip.

"How long can Zero last?" Lillie questioned towards Loki.

"As long as no one tries to get into his mind… To my knowledge no one else but me can… Then again I don't know everyone's abilities," Loki answered in eerily calm tone. Lillie had a conflicted look in her eyes trying to figure out what to do... Did she have to pick between Zero and Koji? She couldn't leave Koji. She had a feeling he had no idea how to fight and it seemed he only had one ally with him. The others were pretty capable as fighters. But Zero... was alone... However, Zero was unpredictable... the type to bid his time... Was he doing the same this time?

"…Koji… whatever this place is… I'm not letting you get landed in there," Lillie said sternly causing Koji to be slightly taken aback. Loki seemed to be holding his head as the air around him seem to grow dark and sinister. He could feel a darkness rising inside him.

Loki couldn't stop himself any longer. He had disappeared and appeared like an apparition between Koden, Byron, and the purple haired male as a handleless blade appeared from underneath his sleeve.

A man in his early twenties walked into the room where Zero was kept. Zero hadn't moved from his position against the wall with chains still keep him there. The man had a sneer on his face as he stared at Zero.

Adrian had been condemned into Hell about 900 hundred years ago for the heinous crimes he had committed. He had taken down demigods, and numerous supernatural beings for the sheer feeling of blood on his hands. However, he ended up being caught, killed, and then thrown in the depths of Hell to suffer an eternal punishment.

Now that he was out he had no intentions of going back. If the mysterious figure held true to his word he would be free.

Adrian bent down in front of Zero. He hadn't used these mind abilities in a long time and if he screwed up the guy before him that could lead them to the Hellraine would be dead. Then again… would it really matter? This time… the condemned would lead an attack on the Hellraine and she would be dead. What use would Zero be then?

He put a hand over Zero's head as he began to sift through the thoughts on the surface. He was surprised to find Zero wasn't screaming or asking for help. There were random demonic words being spoken that didn't make any sense whatsoever. Then there was the location of where the Hellraine was. When Adrian attempted to pull out, he couldn't. Someone was keeping him from pulling away from Zero's mind. It was attempting to trap his conscious in here.

Adrian's eyes widened when he suddenly felt himself being pulled into Zero's mind and Adrian collapsed to the ground.

This is my last chance... Was the last thing Adrian heard as Zero's eyes snapped open.

The girl, Ruby, had dragged Stark inside one of the many rooms that was in the abandoned factory. She observed him for a long moment before smiling.

"He is quite handsome."

Ruby leaned in towards Stark unable to resist herself reaching out to touch him. Suddenly, Stark's eyes had snapped open sitting up and grabbed her wrist and had her in chokehold with a quick motion. A bad boy smirk began to cast over his lips.

"I know I am quite good looking," Stark said arrogantly in her ear, and added in a dark, sardonic tone," It looks like I got caught by one of the condemned... They really think... that I was under control. Sebastian is an idiot. Who does he think I am?"

Ruby's eyes widened in fear as she attempted to pull away from him but he held her tight in his grip. Stark was in a foul mood. He didn't like being captured and he was taken down by some stupid flute, which added to his rising temper.

"I know that the person who freed me won't follow with his end of the deal... and I know who is behind everything... so I'd be useful to you right?" Ruby questioned quickly. What she had said seem to pique Stark's interest as his grip around her neck loosened slightly. She seemed to exhale with a bit of relief.

"You should maybe elaborate a little more," Stark said in a dark manner as a bad boy smirk slowly cast over his face. Ruby swallowed hard.

"It has something to do with... the dark god... The dark god's minions... His comrades or whatever," Ruby exclaimed. Stark shoved her away from him.

"Do you still want to keep me here because Sebastian told you to? Or can I just leave since you've pretty much attempted to form an alliance with me?"

Author's Note:

Oooh... Stark making deals with the enemy. Good looks I guess gets him places somehow... Lol...

Hopefully everyone enjoys this chapter! Thanks for the reviews Tori, Saria and booklover1498!