Deeper Than the Knife

Chapter 28- The Hell Storm Part 1

The flames engulfed the walls on either side of Yukino. Yukino had her eyes shut tight, her sword and arms raised to protect herself from the fire that never hit her. An arc about five feet on each side of her was free of any fire. A spiral of fire danced across my finger.

Jack turned to look at me in total shock, as did Yukino. I was pretty shocked too, I'd only done something like that once before.

"When did you learn to do that!" Jack's surprise had quickly turned to anger. He aimed his katana at me and growled, I guess he was still in touch with his wolf side.

I didn't have an answer for him. Yukino snapped out of her shock and swung her sword at Jack's head. He didn't even turn to look, he just raised his sword to counter Yukino's attack.

The ice around Yukino's blade melted when it crashed against Jack's sword.

I snapped out of my own shock and fear and threw my chain and sickle at him. Jack, of course, just dodged by pushing Yukino backwards and moved out of the way. I pulled on the chain, forcing it back. Jack saw that coming so he simply grabbed the chain and threw it over his shoulder, sending me flying.

Yukino screamed my name, but before she could move, Jack swiftly turned around and his fist slammed into her stomach. I couldn't see what happened next since my back collided with a wall. The wall, mind you, was made of paper and was on fire, so I went straight through it. I landed on the hallway floor, the faint scent of blood mixed with the smell of burning wood and I seriously hoped that scent of blood was coming from me and not Yukino.

Getting up was kind of easy, staying up was tricky. I estimated I had at least a few broken ribs and probably some internal bleeding. Not something you want to have in a fight. I ran back into the room, ignoring the pain, and saw that Yukino had drawn her second katana. 

Yukino had blood on her, like she'd coughed it up. Jack had torn clothes but no injuries, which pissed me off. I racked my brain to come up with a plan to beat him, but Jack never gabe me enough time to form any thoughts besides, survive.

The moment I was in the room, Jack ran at me and did a round house kick. I barely managed to put my guard up, the force was strong enough that it ended up pushing me side wards.

Yukino ran behind him and swung one of her swords. As Jack went to dodge it, I threw my chain and sickle at him and the chain wrapped around him, holding him in place.

I grinned, because I thought we had gotten him. But Jack looked unimpressed, he ducked, and the sword sliced thin air. He jumped up and slammed his whole body into Yukino, then he turned around and kicked me in the chest.

I dropped my chain and sickle as I stumbled backwards, it felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Jack released himself from the chain.

"That can't be the best you've got." He said. He took a step closer to me, I stood my ground. I refused to give into my fear. "I expected so much more from you." He shook his head as though I was his student who failed miserably.

He raised his katana. "I might have let you live if-" he was cut off when a throwing star struck him in the shoulder. 

Before either of us could react, another struck him in the hand. Jack dropped his sword to reveal the throwing star had gone through his hand. I used this chance to grab the end of my chain and sickle and pull. The curved blade caught Jacks ankle, and when I pulled once more, the blade cut the skin and raised his foot into the air. I shoved myself against him, and we fell to the floor.

I placed my knee on his chest, grabbed a knife and put it to his throat. I knew Yukino was beside me, ice was encasing Jack's body.

"Where is Yarah?" I demanded.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Jacks lips. "You sure you don't want to kill me now? You'll never get a change like this again."

My anger and fear started to consume me, I punched Jack in the face. "Answer me!" 

Despite his bruised, and probably broken, nose, Jack just laughed. "You had a chance, and you wasted it."

"Shut up!" Yukino stabbed one of her katana's into Jacks arm, ice spread from the sword to Jack.

Jack started to laugh more, like a crazed, evil laugh. I realized far too late what he was going to do. It was over in an instant, I didn't even see what happened. My knife was jammed into my stomach, my hand still held onto the handle. Blood seeped through my finger tips, my blood.

Jack had gotten out from under me somehow, and was towering over me. I don't know what I was thinking, but I pulled the knife out of my stomach and let it drop to the floor. The blood gushed out of my wound, but that didn't matter to me. I couldn't find Yukino. I needed to find her, she meant everything, and I needed to find her.  

"Look how far you've fallen, Charlotte." Jack said. "You disgust me."

He kicked me. Hard. I was sent aback, somehow rolling across the floor, gaining dozens of cuts from the stupid floor. I ended up lying on my bleeding stomach, my whole body felt as heavy as lead, all I could manage was turning my head. 

And there I saw her, Yukino, lying on her back, her eyes screwed shit and covered in blood. Blood was pooling beneath her and I had no clue if she was even breathing.

Fear took over, I'm pretty sure I screamed. My Yukino, she couldn't be dead, I needed her. 

I needed my wife, and she might be dead.