Yuri on Ice: Vampire AU

Chapter 32

The excruciating pain lasted almost three minutes before it subsided. Georgi was still shaking on the ground. Despite the other's cruel tendencies, Emile couldn't help but pity him a little. He was still only a fledgling, after all. Whatever pain Emile and Seung Gil had felt had to have been far worse for him.
JJ, on the other hand, hadn't been affected nearly as bad. He'd even managed to stay on his feet.
Emile tried to catch his breath. He saw Seung Gil shakily rising, but wasn't confident he would be able to stand. He stayed on the ground as JJ turned, a cold, terrifying anger in his eyes. He walked towards Georgi first, kicking the still prone fledgling.
Suddenly, there was a slight movement in his arms. Emile felt a twinge of panic as Sara started to stir.
"For God's sake, stay down," he hissed desperately in her ear as JJ snarled at Georgi to get up. Sara inhaled sharply, but to his surprise, she complied, staying limp in his arms.
JJ hauled Georgi to his feet. The fledgling's face was wet with tears and red with shame. Emile winced. In the past, JJ might have reassured the fledgling. He knew full well that fledglings weren't as strong as full vampires.
But now... Either JJ had gone mad with blood lust, or he had never been who they all thought he was. He was no longer charming and someone who would protect them. He was cruel and merciless. His strength was no longer alluring, but terrifying.
JJ snapped at the fledgling, and Georgi cowered. Emile braced himself, knowing far worse was coming for him and Seung Gil as soon as JJ realized Yuri was missing.
Sure enough, once he felt Georgi had been chastised enough, JJ turned towards them. His eyes shot around the roof, narrowing when he only saw his two underlings.
"Where," he said, voice dangerously quiet, "did he go."
Emile made a show of looking around, and letting his eyes widen in shock. Seung Gil had obviously noticed the humans' absence at some point, and hadn't thought that far ahead. He winced and JJ turned on him.
"Seung Gil?" JJ asked lightly. The casual tone was sending chills of terror down Emile's back. He could feel the power radiating off of the older vampire. Even Seung Gil, who had never displayed any emotion in Emile's presence, looked nervous. He tried to explain himself to JJ.
"I didn't see where they went. I just noticed they were gone-" he was cut off by a sharp kick to the stomach.
"Emile?" JJ asked, turning to him. Emile swallowed.
"I couldn't see anything because of the spell," he said regretfully, managing to look ashamed. "But they must have taken the door, right? And they're still I jured so they can't have gone far." JJ's face was a stone mask. Emile had avoided a kick, but he got the feeling it was only because he didn't want to waste too much time.
"Yuri won't be able to hide for long," JJ said silkily, eyes drifting towards a spot of fresh blood in front of the door. Emile wondered why he didn't just follow his senses, before he realized he couldn't sense the humans either. The witch must have done something. When he saw the predatory gleam in JJ's eye, he silently hoped the spell would last long enough for Yuri and Guang Hong to escape.
"Kill her," JJ said, gesturing to Sara. Emile froze, a protest on his lips.
"Seung, if he won't do it, take care of it," JJ said before Emile could say anything. He could feel Sara's heartbeat speeding up.
"As soon as you're done, go take care of the witch. I don't care what you do to the fledgling or the traitor, but kill the witch. She's a problem."
They had their orders, and JJ stalked off.
Seung Gil turned towards Emile, who glared at him.
"Georgi, go on ahead," Seung Gil said coldly. "Don't engage until one of us gets there."
The fledgling hesitated, then vanished.
"Emile," Seung Gil said firmly. "We have our orders. She is useless. Don't fall prey to petty human emotions."
"I won't kill her," Emile hissed, standing, still holding Sara. Seung Gil growled, eyes burning.
"You really think JJ will allow her to live? If we don't kill her, he will, and then we will suffer for disobeying. He may even kill us. You would trade our lives for her already doomed one?" Seung Gil asked, face blank.
"Listen to yourself!" Emile snapped. "'We will suffer for disobeying'? Has your opinion of yourself fallen so low that you'll follow a tyrant like JJ knowing he won't ever respect us? Either he's gone insane, or he was a cruel monster to begin with!"
Seung Gil was silent for a long moment.
"You're suggesting treason," he said quietly, a dangerous look in his eyes.
"He's not a goddamn king!" Emile burst with a snarl. "This was a partnership. He's used his power to make it into a dictatorship. I won't follow someone like that, strength or no."
Seung Gil shifted into a fighting stance. Emile set Sara down.
"Get back," he advised her quietly. "This is about to get ugly." She looked between the two of them nervously, and moved aside.
"That is where you and I differ, Emile. You joined JJ expecting a partnership. I entered offering my service. Regardless of how cruel he may be, I am bound to him by oath. My honor will not waver, especially not for a doomed human."
Emile steeled himself. He managed a wry grin as he uttered the most clichéd line possible.
"If you want her, you'll have to go through me."
"Then I will," Seung Gil promised.
They each stood eerily still, ready to strike at the first sign of weakness from the other. The world seemed to hold it's breath as the two predators faced off.
Then, with a single twitch of a finger, the battle had begun.