Tainted Blood

Chapter 36

A forest clearing looked to be empty cleared of the bushes and trees. It was only an illusion to the average onlookers that would happen into the area. Behind the illusionary veil, a majestic, beautiful temple stood in this clearing with its Japanese décor. Demons surrounded the temple guarding it from intruders, who saw through the illusion.

Within the temple, a large, muscular male by the name of Wrath was sitting in a relaxed manner on a platform to look like a throne. He was currently in hiding hoping no one would be able to recognize his true identity. The higher-ranking demons would not be happy to find out why he wasn't guarding the Gate.

Two males, who seemed to have been in a fight with their clothes torn and random cuts lining their body, were bowing before him as they shoved Seth forward. Seth turned to one of the males on his left, who had orange-yellow eyes and looked to be around seventeen. This male had his ashen brown hair tied into a ponytail.

"Alexis, I will skin you alive when you aren't under Wrath's control. Then you'll regret this," Seth said in a dark, threatening manner towards the male. A dark haze seemed to pass through Alexis' eyes. Alexis seemed to flinch at the threat a part of him knowing Seth would follow through with it.

Wrath slowly stood up from where he sat. In a quick blur, he had grabbed Seth by the neck and slammed Seth against the wall.

"You shouldn't be focused on Alexis," Wrath snarled at him and slammed Seth's head into the wall hard," You made a mess of everything! You didn't even bother telling me about finding the Hellraine! Did you think it wasn't important?"

Seth bit his lower lip.

"I took the risk of freeing Zero. He's with the Hellraine so you could be able to find him if you track him. I'm already in trouble by Kilian knowing I freed Zero and released the condemned," Seth exclaimed in an anxious manner. Wrath clenched his teeth at him.

"You useless bastard," Wrath growled angrily as he stabbed his hand into Seth's stomach twisting it causing Seth to gasp. Wrath pulled out his hand roughly as Seth collapsed onto the ground holding his stomach in pain.

"How do we proceed, sir?" Alexis questioned. Wrath turned to Alexis with a sinister smirk casting over his lips.

"We'll capture the Hellraine and then we will deal with that hunter family," Wrath answered as he turned to the other male," Liam, find the Hellraine. Do not leave anyone alive except for the Hellraine."

Lillie swallowed hard as she saw the red skies overhead of her. She was standing on the island again surrounded by that haunting black water.

"I'm... dreaming about this again..." Lillie trailed off. Then she felt a presence beside her causing her to snap her attention to it. She swallowed hard when she met a mirror of herself standing there. However, this version of her seemed to be surrounded by a thin mist of shadow entities and there was a rather wicked smile over her face.

"Hello," it greeted. Lillie slowly took a step back staring at herself with a weary expression.

"Who are you? What are you?" Lillie questioned cautiously. The shadow her blinked at her for a moment as if she was staring at the dumbest thing in existence.

"I'm you... silly. You awoke me... You... in a way freed me," the shadow her replied. There was something sinister about the way she spoke causing Lillie to take another step back.

"What do you mean?"

"When you called to me... You really didn't think that pocketknife could contain me for long... You underestimate what we can do... Gullible you," she said in an intimidating tone causing Lillie to bite her lower lip," You called to me. Saved that insolent little human. Truthfully you should have let it die."

"I wouldn't let that happen," Lillie snapped.

"Do you know what I am? I'm the thing you keep running away from... The one thing that can keep you alive... and... well... It's too bad. Now we're a separate part of us..." the shadow her spoke in a slow, devious manner as she closed the distance. Lillie glared at her.

"What do you want from me then?" she questioned her voice shaking.

The shadow her stared at her for a long moment before a wry, wicked smirk appeared over her face.

"One day... The next time when you decide you need me... I'm going to swallow you up... and I'll succeed."

Lillie woke up in cold sweat to find herself at home resting on the living room couch. She frowned remembering she had gone to school and some fifteen year old boy tried to kill her calling her a Hellraine. In order to defend Camila she had used… her powers.

Lillie quickly sat up at the realization but it had been a mistake as her vision began to blur.

"Demons… Hell… are going to come for me," Lillie said under her breath.

"Aren't you being a little paranoid," a calm, cool voice questioned causing Lillie's attention to divert to the voice. Loki was sitting against the couch on the floor drinking a bottle of water.

"Whoever freed you wanted you and five others to kill me," Lillie retorted and then a thought came to her," That means a higher demon does know where I am."

"He won't tell others unless his subordinates tell... Then again there were a lot of demons around the school today… like they were waiting for something to happen," Loki exclaimed. Then he frowned seeing Lillie's eyes widen at what he had just said.

"I'm going to die!" Lillie screamed and then realized they might not kill her," OR IT COULD BE WORSE! Then I rather die, but I don't want to diiiiiiie!" Loki winced.

"Will people quit screaming in my ear? I'm going to be deaf soon," Loki muttered. Lillie had fallen to the floor and hugged Loki's arm tightly," My arm is going numb…"

"I'm so confused..." Lillie trailed off suddenly feeling dizzy.

She didn't feel too good. She felt woozy. Her entire body was almost drained and screamed for the only source that would make her better. Lillie rested on Loki's shoulder for a long moment.

"Lill, don't you still carry the pocketknife with you?" Loki inquired in a calm, cool tone. Suddenly something connected in Lillie.

"How was I able to use my powers to save Camila? The pocketknife... drains it," Lillie exclaimed. Loki frowned.

"You shouldn't be carrying it in the first place, Lill. It wasn't meant to be wielded by a demon or any supernatural," Loki said icily. Lillie bit her lower lip.

"What was I suppose to do? It was the one thing that could hide me from being found out by Hell," Lillie cried.

"The thing about hiding is... sooner or later you'll be found."

Lillie looked at him.

"Can't you just tell me everything is going to be alright?"

"Oh, it's going to be alright... all sunshine and gummy bears. Like your amazing dream about your grand adventure with Mr Bear to find the Juice Mountain," Loki exclaimed sarcastically. Lillie glared at him.

"You snuck a peek at my dream," she cried shaking an accusatory finger at him. Loki just smirked at her.

"Mr Bear was in trouble and he had to be saved from the evil juice demon," Loki said rolling his eye causing Lillie to groan at him.

"I hate you!" Lillie pouted.

"Love you too," Loki said with a wry, patronizing smirk. He furrowed his brow towards the front yard. Then seconds later he had tackled Lillie to the floor as a throwing axe came at them. It missed becoming embedded into the wall. Loki had quickly regained his composure as he looked at a male who had oddly glowing green eyes that were rimmed with a dark red color and had messy, long raven black hair that almost seemed like feathers.

"So you must be the Hellraine… with a bound demon at her beck and call," the male remarked snidely towards Lillie. Loki glared at him.

"I'm at no ones beck and call," Loki said icily. His tone alone seemed to chill the air. The male chuckled deep in his throat.

"That tattoo on your right hand says differently."

Zero was caught off guard as a male came at him with a mace in hand and swung it. He quickly rolled to the floor to avoid it.

With quick reflexes, the male pushed off of the floor for Zero slamming the mace at Zero. However, an invisible force seemed to knock the male back to the other side of the room. The male had bounced back up and raced at Zero. Zero was still sitting on the floor keeping himself up leaning on his elbow. He could hear the others fighting from somewhere within the room and a fight going on outside.

"So you have friends too," Zero mumbled under his breath. The male was about to bring down the mace on him, but then the air around Zero became heavy causing the male to face plant into the ground. Zero was unable to hold it for long as he quickly grabbed a glass on the nightstand and broke it into pieces.

The male felt the air become normal again causing him to quickly get up and bring down the mace on Zero. However, the broken pieces of glass began to rise from the floor and fly into him at his face. Zero quickly tripped the male to the floor and used the heel of his foot to slam into the male's stomach. The male grimaced as Zero had a hand around his neck. The male could feel his energy leaving him as Zero closed his eyes looking healthier.

"Thank you for your energy! Now… tell me why you're attacking."

Koji was sitting on the bed in one of the many rooms in Lillie's home. He had snapped to attention when he heard something downstairs. However, before he could check what was happening, he heard the window creak open on its hinges. He turned towards the window to be surprised to see who it was.

Kazu had climbed through the window as he managed a small smirk at Koji.

"My big brother… I found you, which wasn't hard considering you only have a handful of places to go. Oh, and look at you… all emo like always," Kazu remarked in contempt, and continued," You should really stay that way. It looks good on you."

Koji frowned.

"Did you come here to kill me?" Koji questioned in suspicion. Kazu gave a small chuckle.

"Me? I found other ways to make you suffer. Why would I want to kill you? Plus… you're still… good to keep around, Koji," Kazu said smugly. Koji gave him an arched stare.

"Then… why did you come here?"

"That I should clear up a bit of misunderstanding. Grandma didn't get anyone to kill me but your new best friend did," Kazu said smugly and continued," Stark came and killed me."

Koji swallowed hard as he got up from his bed to confront Kazu and bit his lower lip. His mismatched eyes flickered angrily at his twin.

"You must hate me that much to ruin the last of the relationships that I cared about, Kazu. Why couldn't you just stay dead?"

Koji looked like he had regretted it once he had said it and looked somewhat shocked at the fact he could say that to Kazu. No matter what his brother had done, it was still his brother.

Kazu arched a brow at him and feigned a hurt expression.

"Oh wow… being in confinement must've snapped something inside you," Kazu said. In a quick motion, he hit Koji across the face causing him to collapse to the ground. Kazu gave a smug look at the unconscious Koji," How cruel to wish your only brother eternal death."

Caleb stood in the middle of the game room with dual axe in hand and a long sword at his feet. He'd been training for most of the day and he was more alert than usual.

"This stupid house is just too big," Caleb muttered under his breath. He stalked out of the game room looking slightly annoyed.

Riku was holding his skateboard under his arm looking around the hallway.

"You can sense them can't you?" Riku questioned with his sparkling smile. Caleb scowled.

"Why do I always end up stuck with you, Brat?" he questioned deep in his throat.

A saber came swinging at Riku from behind just as he ducked just in time. The saber missed him. Caleb had grabbed an arrow flying towards him.

Two males had confronted them. One was holding a saber and had messy light brown hair. The second male was holding a bow and arrows he carried in a pouch on his back. He had distinct cat-like eyes.

A whip hit Caleb in the back causing him to wince in pain slightly before turning slowly to glare sinisterly at a woman with a smirk over her smug face. She had her waist length hair in a ponytail.

"I'm guessing these are the rats that's been wondering around the house," Caleb snarled darkly. Caleb heard a commotion downstairs and attempted to go back towards the stairs to check it out but an arrow whizzed past him barely grazing him causing him to stop dead in his tracks.

The male with the bow and arrow leaped in front of Caleb pointing an arrow at him.

"You can't go," he said simply," The Hellraine… will be brought to Wrath."

A black haze past through the male's dark green eyes causing Caleb to furrow his brows. The male let go of the string on his bow as the arrow flew at Caleb. It cut Caleb's cheek causing to him to glare at the male.

"You're fucking dead," he cried in a malicious manner before swinging a punch at him. The whip wrapped around Caleb's arm as a saber was brought down behind him. Caleb sidestepped and pulled his arm causing the woman to trip forward. The saber hit the whip instead and Caleb used his other fist to punch the male across the face hard.

"You almost lost an arm," Riku said in an innocent tone. He had been standing there with a sparkling smile looking entertained by Caleb's fighting.

Caleb dodged the combined attacks of the female and the male with the saber, who had recovered from the punch, to attempt to kick Riku in the face. Riku ducked out of its range.

"Don't tell me standing there is what you call help," Caleb snarled in a dangerous tone at Riku. Riku blinked at Caleb.

"I thought you were doing fine by yourself."