Chapter Seventeen First Taste

 

 

  My legs wouldn't move and I was pretty sure my hip and right arm was broken. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth and I hiccuped, causing my chest to burn painfully. Definitely some cracked ribs... Dear God, what had just happened?! I screamed as I was suddenly dragged upright, held up so that my dangling feet couldn't reach the ground. Opening my blearily eyes I screamed again as I came face to face with the man with blazing red eyes and fanged teeth who had been standing above me. He chuckled at my terror and his grip on my arms tightened, something sharp pricking my skin.   "This your meal tonight?" He asked of Myungsoo, his voice gluttonal through his protruding fangs.   "Let her go!" Myungsoo's voice warned from behind me.   "Ah ah ah." The Demon tsked. "One more move, Myungsoo, and I snap her pretty little neck."    I gasped at the threat and winced from the pain it caused me. The monsters eyes flickered back to mine in delight at my pain and he sneered.   "You humans are so fragile." He murmured.   I barely had time to gasp as suddenly one of his hands released me and slashed across my neck and down one shoulder, tearing half of my shirt. I screamed out at the pain, my voice hoarse and the sound only seemed to make him laugh harder. Dropping me to the floor, he smirked as I flopped like a rag doll, my head striking the ground with a defending crack that vibrated through my whole skull and down my aching spine. My broken bones were sending my body into a numb acceptance that left me shivering uncontrollably and my bleeding head feeling woozy.   "Hana!" I heard Myungsoo's voice shout, but I was too far gone.   The darkness was pulling at me, urging me to join it. My tired, abused body was unable to take anymore, my mind a fuzzy mess of jumbled truths and hallucinations. I could see Dara, rushing towards us with blazing eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. Then there was JiYong, holding her back and looking on, his expression a mixture of regret and anger. The last thing I could hear was the sound of vicious growls, howls of pain and the distinct, sickening sound of tearing flesh. I wanted to see, wanted to know who was winning, but I wasn't strong enough.   With one last shuddering breath, I fell into the waiting darkness.     

 

"Her hand moved!" A sweet voice penetrated my comforting darkness.

Dara? I called out, searching the never ending void. I couldn't see anything.

"Hana? Hana can you hear me?" She cried. 

I ran faster, getting nowhere yet unable to stay. Dara's voice was distressed, she needed me. Where was she?

"Hana! Please Hana, wake up!" She begged.

I'm trying! I cried. Where are you? Again, no reply. 

I stopped running and curled up, my body trembling. Alone. I was alone in this darkness. I couldn't get out.

"She'll wake when she's ready." That voice.

Myungsoo!

My heart lurched as the memory of him filled my thoughts. Where was he? I felt a tug, as though my body was trying to lead me somewhere. Standing up I followed faintly, the pull leading me through the darkness and then... I screamed as I suddenly plummeted down, my body free falling into the nothingness. 

 

 

"Look! Her hand moved again!" 

Dara... I cracked open an eye, the sudden bright light almost blinding me. Quickly I shut it again.

"She's waking up! Oh Hana!" Dara cried, her voice breaking.

I tried to open my eye again, this time squinting until I accustomed to the brightness. I peeked around as I worked on getting my other eye open, and found myself in Dara's familiar room. Dajavu, I thought. Haven't I been in this situation before?

"Hana honey?" Dara's face appeared in my vision, her face lined with worry. 

"Da... Ra?" I croaked out, wincing at the pain. 

"Oh Hana." She sniffed, suddenly breaking into tears. "I didn't think you'd pull through." 

"She almost didn't." A quiet voice spoke, the sound of it causing my heart rate to pick up and my eyes to search desperately for the source of it. 

"Myungsoo?" I whispered, catching sight of him in the far corner, half of his face hidden by the shadows of the room.

His face caused my breath to falter as his eyes scanned over me, his expression unreadable. It was then I realised only one lamp was lit - the one beside my bed. 

"You look like you've seen a ghost." He remarked idly.

"W