Blood & Roses

Chapter 17

June had gone awfully pale. Uni's often got that way when the soul had been sucked out of them. Lee sheathed his purity sword, dusting the demon acid off the cuff of his uniform. Ivy was inspecting the blonde uni in the corner of the room, her lips pulled down into a grim frown.

Lee and his sister exchanged a long look. He knew that look better than anything. She was dead. Another casualty by the demons. A casualty that should not have happened.

"Lester."

Lee blinked and strode to where Chase held June. She was staring into nothingness. Lee could already see Chase's soulring glimmering on her finger. He blinked. Chase hadn't even second thought giving it to her again.

"Lester, the ring isn't working," Chase growled.

Lee, snapping from his thoughts, crouched down on his knees to inspect June. He forced his hands to not shake. Shaking hands implied a shaking mind, his mother had taught him. They didn't have time for fear.

June's face looked as if she had been drowned in the red sea. Crimson coasted her hair and neck. Thin slices created lines across her cheeks. Her lips were busted. Lee's eyes trailed downwards. Her legs had taken most of the damage. Blood pumped from a bite wound on her thigh.

Lee felt his teeth slice into his lip. The soulring should be healing her.

"Lee she's losing blood."

"I know that," he snapped, brushing the back of his hand against his forehead. If the soulring wasn't accepting her it meant one of two things. Either she had part of her soul taken or she was already on the verge of death.

"We need a Slayer."
Chase rose his head, his copper eyes flashing. "You're kidding."

Lee's voice was firm. "No, I'm not." Lee glanced back to June. Her skin was fading in colour by each shallow breath she took. Lee knew the Soulring on her finger was the only thing keeping the pain away. But it would only do so much. In a matter of minutes its effect would wear off. If she didn't die from blood loss, the pain would be enough to give her a heart attack.

Chase was shaking his head. "We have to think of something else."
"We can't Chase. Look at her, she's going to die if we don't do something."

Suddenly Chase had risen from his spot. His curls stuck to the blood coating his face. "You think I don't know that?" he snarled.

Lee felt his eyes narrow. He could already see the angry tilt to his friends' lips. "Chase—" he began.

"I don't need you to patronise me Lester," Chase interrupted. He cast June a look. Lee barely understood the emotion in his eyes. "I know what both of you are thinking. If she dies, her blood is in my hands." Chase's eyes drifted to Ivy who had silently taken to Lee's side. "It's my fault she's like this. If I hadn't said what I'd said, she would be fine."
Ivy took a step forward, reaching for Chase's shoulder. "We didn't say that—"

Chase shied away, taking a step back to where June lay. "But you should be."

There was a moment of silence where Chase eyed the both of them. He looked ragged, Lee thought to himself. His hair was tousled in clotted matts. Rips lined his uniform and demon acid smeared his boots, and yet his eyes were still blazing bright as ever. Chase's gaze finally settled on Lee. His lips thinned. "Fine. Call Acacia to send a Slayer. If that's what you think is best."

Ivy glanced between the two. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Chase's answer was sharp. "No. But there aren't any options."

Lee nodded at his sister, ignoring her questioning look. Her dark eyes shone with apprehension, however she still backtracked to pull out her phone from her waistbelt.