CHAPTER 13

LIFE OR DEATH

It had quickly turned into a staring contest between the six Darklings. One group stood their ground and was calm, the other not so much. Tripping over their own feet as they backed away.

"We thought they were rumors." The leader gasped. "Darklings living among humans in peace. That is not what you were created to do."

"Our creation is of our own make." Onew said stepping closer to them. "We don't follow your simple rules."

"Our rules are for our survival. We were meant to wipe them out!" It was the first time Micky rose his voice.

"Well sue us if we actually like the humans. They are more than pests to us." Eunhyuk said running a finger along one of the shelves and dusting off the dirt.

"You're traitors to our kind. Heechul said if we ever ran into you to not hesitate and kill you." Hero informed clenching his fists. His nails cut into his palms sending the smell of rotting corpse into the air. The regular smell of Darkling blood.

Jessica and Jonghyun covered their noses and mouths. If even a scent seeped into them, they would be goners.

"Stay back!" Onew ordered of them. "Do not get too close."

They both nodded, saving their voices for when they were safe.

U-know turned to look at Minho who had his own hand covering his mouth and nose. "Don't think because you have Darklings on your side that that's going to be enough."

"You shouldn't threaten when your shaking in your boots." Onew said lunging at U-know and slamming him against the wall, pinning him. He brought his fists up and slammed it against U-knows cheek. The punch was powerful, something even a normal Darkling couldn't withstand. "We will fight for the future of this world, even if it is against our own kind!"

Punch after punch U-know took it, but he was only buying time, building up his strength. He clenched his fist and brought it against Onew's chest, sending him flying to the other end of the room.

U-know slowly floated to the ground, straightening his jacket.

"Like I said. Even if he has Darklings on his side that's not enough to stop us." U-know rejoined the others. "If you want to live as a Nightling, then you will die as one."

#

Minho kept his mouth shut and tried not to breath as he watched Hero fling his sister against one of the shelves and Max punch his brother in the gut, but not without suffering a blow to the ribs by Jonghyun.

His brother was never much for staying hit. It wasn't his style.

He thought, this was his chance. He could get Taemin out of here while the others distracted the Darklings. As long as Taemin was out of harms way he'd be able to come back and help.

Minho crawled over to Taemin still holding his breath. The smell of Darkling blood wasn't out of the room yet.

Taemin laid on the ground. His face held a smile of complete joy when he saw Minho's face above his. He laid his hand on Minho's cheek and caressed it softly. Minho enjoyed the warmth. What was only a day being away from Taemin felt like a century. He never wanted to feel that way again.

"I thought you didn't love me anymore." A tear streamed down the corner of Taemin's eyes.

Minho laid his hand on top of Taemin's. "I'd die a thousand deaths than stop loving you."

Taemin let out a weak laugh. He was in pain. His entire body throbbing. Soon his breathing became labored and his body temperature began to drop.

"Will you always love me?"

"Until the end of time, Taeminnie."

"Taeminnie?" His smile never seemed to die down although his body began to deteriorate. "I like that."

Minho raised Taemin's head, the blood seeping from the back never ending.

"If I were to die today, would you forget me?" Minho closed his eyes, containing his tears that were beginning to form.

"Not even if the council came and stripped me of my memories. You will always be with me." Minho laid Taemin's head back down.

#

Key stammered to his feet.

"You need to take it easy, you don't have the strength to go up against Darklings." Donghae said, grabbing onto his arm and trying to sit him down.

Key pulled his arm out of Donghae's grip and leaned against the wall. "They don't stand a chance without my help."

Without giving it a second thought Donghae dropped his collar to reveal the bone. He slit his skin, the blood pooling at the cut.

"What are you doing?" Key said backing away from the scent.

"Even Darklings need to feed to gain their strength." He grabbed onto the back of Key's neck. "Nightling blood is what you need, is it not?"

"I will not feed on my friend."

"Just call it survival." Donghae pulled Key's head into the cut, determined to make him drink.

With Nightling blood he'd be able to boost up his strength. That way his powers would be in full affect and he'd be able to hold off the Darklings while the council came to retrieve them.

So Key stopped fighting and fed.

#

Onew honestly thought he was done for while U-know held him by the neck a few feet off the floor, directly in the path of sunlight. He reached for Onew's pendant.

"Let's see how long it takes you to burn." He was ready to pull it off when a screeching invaded his brain.

He released Onew to grab onto his head. It was unbearable, the sound of nails against chalk playing in his head.

Onew looked around. The other Darklings fell to their knees as well. All of them, he figured, suffering the same pain.

Standing at the doorway, his hands out in front of him was Key. His eyes glowed an amber as he channeled all of his strength focusing on only the evil Darklings in the room and not on Eunhyuk and Onew.

That was the beauty of having Key as an allie. He had the appearance of a Darkling but all the powers of a witch.

"I've got them. These bastards aren't going anywhere." Key cursed weakening with every minute he held them in his grasp.

Jessica and Jonghyun ran to their brothers aide. They had suffered some bruises and cuts that were already healing. The watchers were still rather weak to slow their healing process.

#

"I love you, Minho." Minho felt as if these were Taemins last words.

"I...I." Minho couldn't speak. He didn't want this to be the last time he would be saying those three words to Taemin.

"Turn him." One of the watchers suggested.

"I can't. It's against the law." Minho wished it wasn't. It would be a whole lot easier for them.

"We were meant to protect him. To ensure that he didn't die before his time." The other added.

"This is his destiny. His time is now. You mustn't miss this window. You're going to need him for the war that's coming." The woman told slowly regaining her power. "He's to be one of the most powerful Nightlings to ever walk our world."

Minho went back and forth between the Watchers and Taemin. He could feel Taemin's life slip away and so he made his choice.

He bent down to Taemin.

"Stop!" His sister yelled, drawing his attention. "If you do this, you wont just be sent into exile. The council will kill you."

"I'd rather lose my life than let Taemin lose his."

Jonghyun smiled. "Now that's my brother."

Minho bent down to Taemin, puncturing his fangs into his lips then doing the same to Taemin's. He kissed him, one final human kiss, allowing their bloods to mix. A white shadow engulfed Taemin as he brought his hands up to Minho and wrapped them around his neck.

Transitioning into a Nightling was fairly painless.

Taemin's eyes glowed through his eyelids. The light wrapping around his body, healing it. It was almost over. His back arched as his body got used to the change.

#

Key fell to his knees. His power was almost drained.

Max crawled to Key, seeing an opening and he took it. He kicked Key, breaking his concentration.

"No!" Onew ran to Key. He didn't want him to undergo any more pain.

U-know and his comrades rose to their feet. They had it with their parlor tricks and wanted to finish it once and for all.

Darkling blood on Darkling blood. That was the fastest and most surest way to kill a Darkling. And U-know was planning to do exactly that. He was going to bleed on them until he saw every last bit of their non-existent souls escape from their bodies. They weren't going to lose. They weren't going to be trapped again. Freedom was their only motivation for victory.

He cut into his palm and squeezed. He stood above Onew and slit his arm. The blood was only an inch from falling when the four of them were grabbed from behind and thrown in separate directions.

"You will not harm my family." Taemin held them down. All he hoped for was a life with Minho. Just a happy life. One that they could spend together now that he was one of them.