The Blood of Winter
The Blood of WinterSlowly pushing the door open, a young woman peeked out through the gap, making sure that the coast was clear. She had managed to sneak past the guards and the doors were the only thing keeping her from the outside. Seeing that the roads were empty, she quickly slipped through the gaps, soundlessly closing the door behind her. Swiftly, she walked through the town, pulling her cloak tightly around herself as she walked towards the end of the kingdom and into the woods nearby.
"Will you be attending the ball? I heard that we will finally meet Princess Jihyo."
Alerted by the approaching voices, Jihyo's mind quickly went to work, looking for a escape route. She had to get out. Spotting a nearby alley, she slipped in, keeping in the shadows in an effort to avoid getting caught. Holding her breath, she watched with wide eyes as the men passed. "Of course I am, who wouldn't want to see this mysterious princess?" a potbellied man spoke in a loud voice, "There must be a reason why they kept her hidden for so long."
Stumbling and swinging from side to side, the men walked past, evidently drunk. "She can't be that hideous now, can she? I mean, there's no other reason for them to hide her for so long," the skinny one spoke before both bellowed out in laughter. The princess could only roll her eyes as she waited for the men to leave. The nerve of some people, she thought before continuing her journey, doing her best to keep a low profile and making sure that she was not followed.
Soon enough, she reached the edge of town. Lighting up her lantern, she walked straight into the red and yellow forest. Swerving around the trees and ducking under its branches, she made her way to the clearing in the centre of the woods where a lake was located, its surroundings covered in flowers with the colours of the rainbow. Upon reaching her destination, the young princess smiled and removed her cloak, finally free of the constraints of her royal life. However, the silence she savoured would soon be disturbed.
"You know," a voice spoke breaking her out of her thoughts, "it's pretty dangerous for a girl as beautiful as yourself to be in the woods alone at night, don't you think?" Surprised by the sudden visitor, Jihyo got to her feet, wary of the approaching figure. "I could say the same for you," she replied warily as she gazed at the newcomer, taking in her appearance.
A girl, no older than she was, dressed in black with her equally dark hair flowing down past her shoulders. Her face was exquisite with perfectly sculpted features, high cheekbones, a sharp nose and a pair of doe-like eyes. Most strikingly however, were her ruby red lips, stark against her pale skin. "Touchè. But as you can see," the girl said as she smiled, revealing a pair of pearly white fangs glistening in the moonlight, "I'm a bit different."
Eyes wide open, Jihyo stepped back as the vampire drew closer. Her people has had a long history with these creatures; for centuries they had been enemies and that had led into a full-scale war. Now, they had come to some sort of a ceasefire and it's been a while since humans have last seen these nocturnal creatures. Except now, Jihyo thought as she gazed at the girl's fangs. She would rather not wind up as the vampire's next meal.
"Stay back. I'm warning you," she glared at the approaching figure, slowly raising her hands in front of her. The vampire merely chuckled, creeping closer with each step. However, a sudden burst of white wiped the grin right off the creature's face as she quickly ducked to avoid the incoming blast. Within a split second, the young princess found herself trapped between the oak tree behind her and the vampire's looming figure, arms pinned above her head, her lips releasing a groan from the sudden impact.
"Looks like I'm not the only one with secrets," the vampire said with a grin, gazing behind her shoulder to see the spot where once stood encased in ice. Turning her gaze back to her prisoner, she stared straight into the girl's eyes, glowing golden irises meeting a frightened dark pair. She drew closer, closing the gap between her lips and Jihyo's neck. The princess squeezed her eyes shut and turned away, her body trembling in fear of what was to come. But, the vampire merely sighed and rested her head against the shorter girl's shoulder.
"I'm not going to hurt you," she whispered softly, releasing her grip on the princess's arms to wrap her arms around the smaller girl's waist, much to the surprise of the young girl. Lifting her head to stare into the other girl's eyes, the vampire's lips stretched into a small grin as she softly introduced herself to the girl in her arms. "I'm Tzuyu. What's your name?"
The princess hesitated, her identity at risk. But something drew her to trust the lady in front of her and before she knew it, the name left her lips, surprising Tzuyu. "Jihyo? As in the princess, Jihyo?" Slowly nodding, Jihyo turning her gaze to the ground by her feet, face flushed. Not only has she revealed her identity, her abilities had also been exposed. The vampire now had the leverage needed to turn the kingdom against her.
"My lady," Tzuyu whispered in a low voice as she tilted the princess's face upwards to face her, "your secret is safe with me." "Both of them," she stated again, motioning to the still frozen patch of grass behind them. Stunned, Jihyo could only splutter out a soft "Why?" in response. Releasing her grip on Jihyo's smaller body, Tzuyu placed a soft kiss on the back of the girl's hand before she walked off as she spoke. "Why not? It was a pleasure meeting you, Jihyo. I hope we can meet again soon."
Thus, that was the start to an unlikely bond between supposed enemies.
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A few nights later, Jihyo found herself navigating through the woods once again. She couldn't help but feel drawn to the beautiful vampire she had met all those nights ago. So with a lantern in hand and a cloak wrapped around her somewhat petite figure, she walked until she found herself by the lake once again.
Looking around, she frowned in disappointment when she realised that there was no sign of the beautiful vampire she was looking for. Jihyo sighed and took a seat on a nearby stump. I knew I was being too hopeful, she thought, feeling a hint of sadness in her heart. Staring out at the expanse of the lake ahead, a sudden idea popped into the young princess's head.
Dipping her toes into the clear waters, she took a deep breath and focused; picturing a frozen body of water. She could feel the temperature in the air drop and the liquid below solidifying, freezing. Jihyo smiled when she succeeded, the ice glowing, reflecting the moonlight above. Gingerly, she took a step forward, placing one foot onto the ice and then another; hoping that the frozen surface wouldn't crack below her.
Pushing forward, she closed her eyes, letting her body move on its own. Jihyo gracefully glided across the ice, arms raised for balance. It's been years since she's last skated, but she had always loved the feeling of the cold wind blowing across her face as she slid across the frozen waters. Twisting and spinning like an expert (which she was not), she was in her element and knew she would miss the freedom when the time came. The feeling of being watched however, stopped her in her tracks as she opened her eyes to gaze at the spying figure.
"Don't let me stop you," Tzuyu grinned as she stepped onto the ice and effortlessly moved towards the young princes, coming to a halt in front of her. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, extending her hand out to invite the other girl. Jihyo took the hand, feeling the cold skin against her warmer one. She let the vampire lead her, guiding her as they skated together in an intricate dance.
"You're good at this," Jihyo complimented Tzuyu as they skated together. "I've had time to learn," Tzuyu replied as she twirled the smaller girl, "you're not too bad yourself." Jihyo blushed; compliments were rare for her and hearing it from someone as attractive as Tzuyu, only flustered her even more. This caused her to lose her focus and her footing, slipping on the slippery surface.
Jihyo fell forward, closing her eyes as she braced for the impact with the icy surface. However, the pain ever came and she could feel a pair of arms holding her up. Opening her eyes, she found herself gazing into the vampire's golden ones. Jihyo's heart fluttered and so did Tzuyu's. Time froze as they held onto each other. She let her eyes wander to the girl's lips and she could feel the latter do the same.
The tension between them broke as Tzuyu cleared . "We're moving a bit too fast, don't you think?" Tzuyu teased causing Jihyo to turn bright red and look away as she mumbled a soft thanks. She could hear the the vampire chuckle as she helped the princess back to her feet, hands clutching hers to guide her back to the bank.
Taking a seat next to each other, they sat in silence, savouring the other's presence. They soon sensed dawn approaching and stood up to go their separate ways."Thank you for the company tonight," Jihyo mumbled, still embarrassed over the events that had occurred. Tzuyu gave her a dimpled smile in reply, causing Jihyo's heart to flutter once more. "Quick question though," Tzuyu asked and Jihyo turned to her with questioning eyes.
"How are we supposed to unfreeze the lake?"
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Nights passed and the visits became more and more frequent. Undeniably, the attraction between the two females had also grown stronger than ever.
"My father plans for me to find a suitor to wed during the upcoming ball," Jihyo spoke as she rested her body against Tzuyu's, "most favourably a lord or one of the princes from a nearby kingdom." Tzuyu simply hummed in response, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl. "And what are you planning to do?"
"As the heir to the kingdom, I have to do what's best for my people," Jihyo stated, turning around to face Tzuyu. "But this means that I won't be able to visit you after the ball," she stated as she stared at her hands, unable to bring herself to look at the vampire's face. I won't be able to see you ever again. Tzuyu placed her fingers under Jihyo's chin, lifting her head up so that they're face to face.
"Tell me, is that what you want? Will that make you happy?"
Was that what she really wanted? Sure, it was her duty to keep the kingdom safe and a marriage would guarantee the foreign kingdom's alliance; but at the cost of her freedom and happiness. Was she really willing to sacrifice everything for the people who have only seen her as a soulless puppet and never a genuine person? "No," she sighed with shoulders slouched, "but I don't have much of a choice."
"Then what is it that you actually desire?"
Jihyo gave the question some thought, before answering. "To be accepted for what I am," producing snow with a flick of her wrist, "and to actually be loved for once. Besides, who would ever want to love a monster like me." Tzuyu could see the sadness written across the girl's face and she somehow felt pity for the girl who never knew what it was like to be live for herself, what it's like to be happy.
From Jihyo's expression, she could imagine the girl living everyday surrounded by people who were afraid of her, following a fixed routine that never took her feelings into consideration, careful of every movement in fear of her secrets being revealed. She couldn't help herself as her lips curled into a smile. Somehow they were more alike than she thought.
"What's so funny?" Jihyo asked curious of what could have caused the vampire to smile like that. Tzuyusimply shook her head and answered, "If you're a monster, then I must be the devil himself." The princess could only raise an eyebrow at the comment. "That's what your people think of vampires, isn't it? That we're cold-blooded killers with no sense of mercy."
"Well, a 'cold-blooded killer' like you has been kinder to me than any human being that I have ever met," Jihyo muttered, averting her gaze as a blush creeped onto her cheeks. "That's because we're not all that different. Besides, I don't see any reason to not like a girl as beautiful as yourself," Tzuyu purred, her eyes locking onto Jihyo's. She could see the lust written in the princess's eyes mirroring her own; and without a second thought, Tzuyu moved forward, closing the gap between them as their lips met.
This is wrong, Jihyo thought. Kissing a vampire — the enemy of her people was bad enough, but two girls falling so deeply for each other; she would be damned if anyone were to find out. But, as she felt Tzuyu pull her closer, her body melted like putty and she wrapped her arms tightly around the vampire's neck, relishing the feeling of Tzuyu's lips against hers.
"Run away with me," Tzuyu whispered as they pulled away. However, her hopes were dimmed once she saw the reluctance in Jihyo's dark eyes.
"I'm sorry."And Jihyo ran off, knowing that she's lost more than her first kiss that night.
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However, not all secrets could be kept forever.
The night before the ball soon came, and Jihyo found herself by the lake again for what seemed like the last time. Why she was there, she didn't know. Maybe it was to apologise or maybe it was because of the pangs of longing she felt in her heart. But as she arrived, there was already someone there waiting for her — and it was definitely not the person she was hoping for.
"What's a lady as beautiful as yourself doing alone in the woods?" The man's voice was smooth, almost alluring. With his dark hair slicked back and sharp features, the man before her could have passed himself of as the man of many women's fantasy. The scene unfolding in front of her however, was not. A body — a child's, laid by the man's feet, drained of blood and life. He stood, brushing dust off his suit but Jihyo's eyes could only see the fangs behind the man's bloodstained lips.
Jihyo backed away slowly when he advanced towards her. She felt the storm brewing and she took aim. Sending forth a blast of ice, catching the man by surprise. The princess then bolted for the clearing in the woods as the the blast made impact. Holding up the edges of her dress, Jihyo sprinted through the woods, ducking under branches and jumping over protruding roots. To makes things worse, the sky decided to open up at that moment, sending rain pouring down and leaving the ground muddy.
She slipped and in an instant, found herself on the ground, the vampire's large figure looming over her. He grasped her by the neck, lifting her up and off her feet. She choked, struggling to breathe as she looked at the deranged expression on the man's face, half frozen in ice. "Do you really think some ice can hurt me?" he growled as he tightened his grip on her neck.
"Why are you here, Tzuyu?" the man spoke without turning back. Jihyo's sight was blurry, fading from the lack of oxygen but she could barely make out the familiar silhouette behind the imposing man. Tzuyu stared at the scene, an expressionless look on her face before she quietly spoke, "I'm sorry brother but I can't let you hurt her."
With that the girl lunged forward and with superhuman strength pulled the man off Jihyo, tackling him to the ground as Jihyo crumpled to the ground, struggling to breathe. "What are you doing!" he roared, using his strength to shove the girl off himself. Tzuyu groaned as her back made impact with the trunk of one of the many trees, sending the tree crashing.
"How dare you attack me," he roared, stomping on the girl's chest. Sounds of breaking bones filled the air as Tzuyu hissed in pain. "First, you refuse to kill and now you just had to fall in love with a pathetic human," he spoke, sending another kick to the girl's ribs. "You will always be a disappointment." His words were like venom and it hurt the young vampire, who watched as he aimed to kill her.
Jihyo stayed in her spot, still wheezing as she watch the scene unfurl with wide eyes. He's going to kill her. Unable to sit back anymore, she caught Tzuyu's eye to warn her then sent a blast of ice at the man once more, distracting him and causing him to leap backwards to avoid the blast. Instantly, Tzuyu sprang up, hands grabbing the man's head then tearing it off with all her strength to decapitate him. "I'm sorry," she muttered as she let go of the head. Jihyo could only wince at the sight.
Tzuyu approached Jihyo, hobbling painfully to her side. "Are you alright?" she asked reaching out to the other girl but pulled away when she saw Jihyo flinch. "Are you afraid of me?" Hearing the hurt in Tzuyu's voice, Jihyo shook her head and threw her arms around the vampire's neck, clutching tightly onto her body in fear of the girl leaving her side.
"Thank you," she sobbed, burying her face into the crook of Tzuyu's neck. The vampire returned the hug, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist, holding her close. Moments later when she had calmed, Jihyo glanced upwards, her eyes meeting Tzuyu's; but the other girl simply turned away. "We have to get rid of the body," Tzuyu said as she pulled away. "Right," Jihyo agreed, slightly hurt by the vampire's response.
Thankfully, the rain had halted and the two got to work, grabbing branches and hoping that the dampness won't stop them from burning. Setting the branches aflame, they stood side by side and watched in silence as the body turned to ash, a slight tension hung in the air. Unable to withstand the awkwardness, Jihyo broke the silence. "Tzuyu, about the other night, I —"
"You should leave," Tzuyu stated, cutting her off mid-sentence. "The others will be here at any moment." Jihyo opened to protest, but remained silent after noting the paranoid expression on Tzuyu's normally expressionless face. "We'll talk about us next time. Now, Go!" Jihyo could only nod before running off, tears rolling down her cheeks as she knew that she may never return here.
There may never be a next time.
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Eventually came the day of the ball.
Dressed in an exquisite white gown, embroidered with white flowers and feathers along with a necklace of pearls; Jihyo was clearly the belle of the ball. Th dress accentuated her curves and her hair pulled back in an intricate braid, framed her face perfectly. Men left and right were left gawking as she strutted down the hall, awestruck by the hidden princess's apparent beauty. She could even see the drunk men from all those nights ago, stunned by the princess's beauty.
In all honesty, Jihyo hated the attention she was receiving. It made her feel like a doll put up on display. Every move she had to be elegant and poise; she had to be the epitome of perfection, from the way she walked to the way she spoke. She could feel her father's eyes on her, watching her every move like a hawk, ensuring that she made no mistake. It was suffocating but after all, she couldn't scare away her suitors, could she.
Waltzing and conversing all through the night, the princess soon found herself needing an escape from the confines of the ballroom. She eventually found her chance after complaining about feeling a little 'lightheaded'. The King gave her permission to get some fresh air and she immediately scurried outside, heading towards the castle gardens. Taking a seat by one of the benches, she took in the silence, only to be interrupted once again. "And I thought balls were supposed to be fun?"
"Tzuyu?" she whispered in surprise while looking around for any spying eyes, "what are you doing here? "The vampire was clad in a black lace dress, a slit ran up the skirt, exposing the pale white skin of the girl's thigh. She was breathtaking as usual and Jihyo could feel her face heating up.
"Go warn your people. They're coming." Tzuyu's tone was hushed, eyes continuously scanning the area. "Who?" Jihyo asked as she shot right up, looking out for anyone suspicious."The vampires; they're out for blood." Jihyo could feel her blood run cold, terrified of what was to come. She quickly thanked the vampire and prepared to warn the guards.
"Good job Tzuyu, you found one," a man walked in, thwarting her plans. A cruel smirk formed on his lips as his eyes studied their new victim. "The princess no less." One by one vampires began to pour in, blocking any means of escape for the princess. "Your kind killed our heir. It's only fair if we took their princess in return." The man's voice was cold and authoritative, he was clearly their leader and the vampires cheered in agreement with his statement. Jihyo could feel her heartbeat hasten, aware of what they planned to do.
Tzuyu however, would not let that happen. "Stand down My Lord, this one is mine," she declared. Her face was void of any expressions and her gaze was steely yet Jihyo could catch a slight falter in her voice. And she wasn't the only one. While the vampires followed orders, the man gauged and questioned Tzuyu's odd reaction, noting how tensed the girl was and how she appeared to be protecting the human. Everything clicked and her finally understood.
"So you're the traitor we've been hearing of," he growled, eliciting confused looks from the others and prompting Tzuyu to push Jihyo protectively behind her. "A human couldn't have defeated your brother on their own. You helped them, went against your family and killed your own brother," he added and the rest gasped in understanding, glaring at Tzuyu in disdain for what she had done.
"I never wanted to be what I am," she retorted in anger, "You took me away from my real family and turned me into this," she paused to motion at her fangs, "and you still have the decency to call yourself my father." The man merely scoffed and pounced, aiming for Jihyo. Tzuyu pulled her out of the way but the damage had been done. Sharp nails grazed the skin of Jihyo's cheek, drawing blood.
Jihyo could feel blood trickling down her cheeks and stiffened as she saw the golden eyes turn to her. The vampires all turned to her with eyes of a predator but stayed in place as the leader signalled them to. Tzuyu however, was at war with herself. The smell of Jihyo's blood triggered her bloodlust. Part of her wanted to protect Jihyo but her instincts told her otherwise. "You can't deny what you are Tzuyu," he said, smirking at Tzuyu's shattering resistance, "no matter how much you hate it, you are one of us."
Unable to hold back, Tzuyu pinned Jihyo to the ground, fangs dangerously close to her neck. Jihyo struggled from under Tzuyu, doing her best to get the vampire off of herself. Her eyes met Tzuyu's and she knew that this wasn't the girl that she had grown to love. "Tzuyu, please don't—" she whimpered, gasping as the fangs pierced her skin. Pain seared through her veins as she felt her life being out of her body. The vampires cheered in glee.
The commotion however, had attracted a crowd; as guest from the ballroom ran out to inspect the scene. Upon seeing the people, the vampires attacked, the defenceless became their victims while the guards struggled to fend them off. Chaos reigned in the courtyard. Blood, both human and vampire was shed, painting the gardens a deep crimson.
On the verge of passing out, Jihyo gave up on fighting, allowing Tzuyu to drain her. She could feel her power stirring up in an attempt to defend herself but she held it in, afraid of hurting those around her. However, once she saw the vampires approach a group of terrified children, she panicked. A flurry of ice and snow filled the area, shielding the people and harming the enemies. Even Tzuyu was blown back and away from her. The surviving vampires fled, surprised at the sudden turn of events.
Finally gaining her senses, Tzuyu's eyes widened in disbelief of what she had done. "Jihyo, I'm sorry," she stammered, staring at her bloodstained hands. "Go. I'll be fine," Jihyo whimpered softly. Tzuyu was reluctant but as the guards began closing in on the both of them, she could only nod before bolting towards the woods, worrying for the safety of her lover.
A witch. She's a witch, Jihyo could only listen to their whispers as she slipped into the darkness of her own mind.
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Waking up bound was something Jihyo had dreaded ever since the first manifestation of her powers. She has had nightmares of it growing up but she had never expected for it to happen like this.
She could still remember the first time her power manifested. The screams of the servants as they witnessed her snow covered room; the anger on her father's face when he saw his daughter happily creating snowflakes from the tips of her fingers. She had received a beating that day and her father had even threatened her saying that if he ever saw her use her powers again, he would personally order for her to be punished for performing witchcraft. From then on she lived in fear, a child no more than ten, trapped within the confines of her own bedroom while the village children laughed and played.
Reaching adulthood, she finally took her opportunity to escape the castle. At least once, she had thought, hoping to have a small silver of freedom. But she just had to meet the alluring vampire that was Tzuyu. The one being that had actually showed her a shred of kindness, someone who actually loved her and worried for her. Jihyo still wonders what her life would be like if she had ran away with Tzuyu that fateful night.
Drained and in both physical and mental pain, Jihyo pulled her knees to her chest. As much as she wanted to cry, she couldn't out of fear that the guards standing guard outside would hear her. They've mocked her enough and as much as she hated them, she didn't want to accidentally release her powers or harm another again.
As time went by, the four walls seemed to close in on her, making her feel smaller and smaller by the second. The guards eventually left her alone, distracted by shouting in a dungeon further down the hall. This gave Jihyo some time to collect herself but an odd flapping sound then caught her attention. Scanning the room for the source, she soon found it.
A bat?
The creature flew to a stop in front of her, cocking its head as it stared into the eyes of the young woman. Jihyo stared at the bat, perplexed until she noticed the familiar of golden irises that stared back, the same ones that she had first seen in the woods all those nights ago. "Tzuyu? Is that you?" Jihyo whispered to avoid being overheard, watching as the bat reverted back into its more familiar humanoid form.
"Hi," Tzuyu greeted softly, shuffling awkwardly in place and Jihyo broke down, sobbing violently, prompting Tzuyu to pull her into her arms. She pressed a kiss on the whimpering girl's forehead, tightening her grip on the girl and letting her nuzzle closer. Tzuyu wiped away the tears from Jihyo's face when she pulled away, giving the girl a small smile which faltered as her gaze lingered on the marks on her neck.
"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself," Jihyo assured, noticing the guilt written all over Tzuyu's face; but Tzuyu refuted it immediately, her voice cracking slightly. "I almost killed you, Jihyo." Jihyo reached out, trying her best to cup Tzuyu's cheeks with her chain-bound hands. "It was bound to happen anyways. Stop blaming yourself." Pecking the vampire's lips, then resting her forehead against Tzuyu's.
They stayed like that, savouring each other's presence until the laughter of approaching guards filled the halls, signalling that it was time for the vampire to leave. "I'll find a way to save you," Tzuyu promised as she reverted back into her bat form and flew off before the guard arrived.
And Jihyo secretly hoped that she would .
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"BURN HER AT THE STAKE!"
Those were the chants of her people at her trial. Believed to be a witch, they were ready to persecute her despite her efforts to protect them that night. Now here she stood; bound to a stake surrounded by dried branches ready to be lit aflame. She turned her eyes to her parents, her mother turned away refusing to meet her eyes while her father glared, his gaze cold and uncaring.
They waited for dawn to arrive, wanting to see her go off in flames as the sun rose. A sight that would be, the guards had said as they mocked her. The guards took turns tossing fuel onto the branches then her executioner grabbed a torch, ready to set her ablaze. Her sentence was then read out to the public and the man began lowering the torch. Jihyo shut her eyes in acceptance on the fate that would befall her.
A sudden gush of wind however, smothered the flames before they could light the branches and forced the people to shield their eyes. Upon opening them, Jihyo found herself gazing at the back of her lover, standing protectively between her and those who condemned her. "I promised that I would save you," Tzuyu smirked as she noticed the stunned look on Jihyo's face. "And I'm not breaking that promise today."
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" The King roared as he scowled at the scene. Tzuyu sneered, her fangs on display for the people to see, sending the crowds into hysteria. The sounds of the villagers screams and the unsheathing of swords caught Jihyo's ears. The soldiers attacked the vampire but were no match against her sheer strength and superhuman reflexes. The battle raged on and most of the soldiers now laid in bloody heaps.
As the remaining soldiers fought off the vampire, the King jumped up onto the platform, sword drawn as he approached the bound female. "Watch as your people fall left and right Jihyo and remember that this is all your fault," he growled when Jihyo struggled against her constraints, trying to break out. Raising his sword, he ed it into his daughter's chest.
"You're no daughter of mine. You're just a monster."
She felt the sword slide in, the blade piercing through her flesh sending a flash of pain throughout her small body. Jihyo gazed up and straight into the man's eyes, tearing up as her father's eyes bored into hers, merciless and unsympathetic. "I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance," he hissed, pulling out the blade now coated in blood.
"NO!" A voice cried out as the scene played out. In anger, Tzuyu mowed down the men who stood in her way, leaving a trail of blood and flesh in her wake as she made her way towards the man whom had hurt her lover. Grabbing the King by the throat, she lifted him off the ground, watching him struggle and turn blue from asphyxiation. "Jihyo is not a monster. You are," she spat out, scoffing at the fearful look in his eyes before crushing the man's windpipe and tossing him aside.
Pain, betrayal, that was all Jihyo felt. She could feel the storm brewing around her, growing larger and larger as her agony grew. Winds picked up, the sound roaring against her ears. The temperature of the surroundings dropped drastically and a blizzard began to surround the town driving the people into a panic as some began to collapse from the cold.
"Tzuyu?" Hearing Jihyo's soft whimpers, Tzuyu ran to her side, forcing herself to ignore the stench of blood that assaulted her senses. Tearing away the ropes of the smaller girl's body, she watched as emotions flew across Jihyo's face. "Jihyo, calm down," Tzuyu pleaded, not wanting the girl to do something she would regret. But, she could feel the cold catching up to her too, winds distancing her from Jihyo and soon passed out.
All she remembered was a flash of white and the frightened faces of the people as she out.
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Tzuyu stirred awake with a dull ache in her head. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she received the shock of her life as she observed the frozen wasteland that was once a cheery town. The roads were buried under layers of snow, icicles hung from the roofs of buildings and worse of all — the townspeople, both adults and children, were frozen solid, statues of ice with faces carved in horror.
She sprang up, instantly looking for her lover amongst the snow, spotting her crumpled body by a blood-red patch of snow. Tzuyu immediately dashed over, pulling Jihyo onto her lap, hands cupping the girl's pale cheeks. "Let me turn you, Jihyo. Then we can run away together," Tzuyu said as she pulled down the collar of Jihyo's dress, exposing the girl's pale neck. "No. Don't save me, Tzuyu. Please let me die."
The vampires eyes widened at the request, heart aching. "Why?" she spluttered as she held onto her dying lover, brushing away the stray hairs from her face. "Their faces," she mumbled as she remembered the looks on the frozen villagers, "they'll haunt my dreams forever. I don't want to live with the guilt." Tzuyu hesitated before nodding, unwillingly accepting Jihyo's decision.
"Can you take me away from here? There are too many bad memories here." Tzuyu complied, picking Jihyo up in her arms, holding her body close to her chest, and ran as fast as she could to the spot where they first met, the place was apparently left untouched by Jihyo's powers. She laid her lover's body on the ground, head resting against her lap. She Jihyo's hair as they spent their last seconds together on Earth,
Tiny snowflakes fell from the sky but this time it wasn't a result of Jihyo's powers. "It's snowing," Jihyo could only whisper weakly and Tzuyu nodded, smiling sadly, fingers intertwining with Jihyo's as they gazed at the snow. The first snow fell, eliciting a smile of content from the dying female as she breathed her last in the arms of her lover, finally free of the pains and burdens of her life on Earth.
If vampires could cry, Tzuyu was sure that she would have been a blubbering mess, crying so hard anyone watching would feel their heart break. But she couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to. "I love you Jihyo," she croaked out. Her heart ached and she realised she had never told the girl how much she loved her. She merely stared at the body of her lover, eyes shining with sadness and finally she made up her mind as well.
Let's die together Jihyo, Tzuyu thought as the sun began to rise. Pulling Jihyo's body against her own, Tzuyu placed a chaste kiss against the girl's pale lips before shutting her eyes. As the rays of sunlight appeared beyond the horizon, the vampire felt her body catch fire, lighting both bodies aflame.
To dust they returned, only ashes remaining as they burnt but alas their souls were finally free.
A/N: So here's the story. I hope you guys liked it and that it was up to your expectations. Anyways, thank you for reading the story. Leave any comments (both negative or poitive) below. See you guys in my next story. Socially-awkward author out.
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