Author's Corner

Thanks again for all the reviews! It really makes my day reading them so I thought I'd give you another chapter a little bit earlier :)

EIGHTH BLOOD

Chapter 23: To the grave

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Octavia's heart felt like it was going to burst. The crone's screams had followed her through the passage, reminding her of how close she'd been to death.

The city above was in chaos. The human prisoners had taken one look at the hundreds of demons in the plaza and fled. In their panic, they knocked over stalls and shoved past innocent vendors. Even the youkai that had been held captive inside the mountain were causing a scene. They seemed to be under the impression that the city had been aware of their suffering and done nothing to stop it. Octavia tried to explain that that wasn't the case, but no one would listen to her. The realisation that Sesshoumaru had put his life in danger for nothing made her feel sick.

Her eyes strayed to the opening in the rock.

I can't fight them and protect you at the same time.

It wasn't much safer up here. Besides, what if something happened to him? Rin and the others would be heartbroken, and she'd never be able to forgive herself if he died on her watch.

"Oh, what the hell?" she said, clambering into the passage.

Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her because it wasn't as dark as it had been before. It took her longer than it should have to realise that the crystal in the Reikon Blade was glowing faintly. She pulled it out of its sheath and used it like a torch. Everything the light touched gained a purple tint. Her breathing hastened as a pained whimper drifted up from the bottom of the passage.

The light from the Reikon Blade shone brighter. Gripping the hilt, she ran the rest of the way, slipping a few times on the slick rock beneath her feet. Once she arrived at the bottom, she peered into the grotto and immediately saw Sesshoumaru. An ominous red light swirled around his body like flames, locking him in place. The sounds he was making were animalistic and unhinged.

The origin of the light was a rope that was being wielded by a woman she'd never seen before. She was wearing a yellow martial arts uniform with a strange crest on her back. It was an image of three faceless figures with their arms in the air, seemingly giving praise to a lone spiral. Octavia's eyes widened as she was suddenly hit with a strong sense of déjà vu. She couldn't remember when or where, but she'd seen that crest before.

The Reikon Blade rattled in her hand as the woman pulled on the rope, drawing another whine from Sesshoumaru's throat. Octavia shoved the restless dagger back into its sheath and reached for the Sword of the Firebird, but paused before her fingers made contact with its hilt. Only draw your weapon when it is time to strike. She lowered her hand and let her arms hang uselessly by her sides. She tried not to think about what would happen if she wasn't fast enough.

She entered the grotto quietly and strolled towards the horde of enemies on the other side of the podium. The ogres smelled her instantly and whirled around to stop her, but the woman raised her free hand and shook her head. The ogres exchanged cautious glances. The crones seemed equally unsure, but none of them made any move to attack Octavia as she joined them on the podium.

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and met her gaze. Although he didn't speak, she knew exactly what he was trying to say. Run, his eyes commanded her. Run before they do the same to you.

The woman studied her from head to toe. "A Daiyoukai and a hatchling?" she pondered aloud. "Interesting. I can't say I'm surprised, though. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened."

Octavia wasn't brave enough to look away from the woman's dark brown eyes. "Let him go."

"Or what?"

Sesshoumaru's expression was frantic. Octavia's heart thundered as the rope pulsed and made him clench his teeth in an effort to hold in another whine.

The woman sauntered over to him and leaned down to chuckle in his ear. "Isn't this funny?" she asked. "Your whore has come to save you. How does it feel to be the damsel in distress for once?"

He was in too much pain to answer.

Octavia yanked her sword out of its sheath and pointed it at the woman's chest. The youkai surrounding her lunged forwards in response, but the woman stopped them again by lifting her hand and saying, "Don't touch her. You should never underestimate a hatchling. They're stronger than they look. Plus, we don't know how skilled she is at using her powers."

The ogres grunted in confusion, whilst the crones bared their teeth, desperate to taste human flesh.

The woman sighed. "I should've known better than to accept the help of beasts like you. Oh well. It's a shame about your business, but we have plenty of other options. I think we'll try a brothel next. They're bound to have what we're looking for, and their owners are much more civilised."

Octavia watched as the red light around Sesshoumaru expanded to fill the cavern. The youkai screamed as they were subsequently electrocuted. After the light retreated so that it was only covering Sesshoumaru, Octavia saw that the ogres and the crones were all dead.

"Why did you do that?" she asked timidly.

"They were monsters," replied the woman. "They deserved to die."

"But they were helping you!"

The woman laughed. "You beast lovers are all the same. The only reason they never fought me was because they knew I'd win. That's how it works in this world. The weak obey the strong. Your friend here is a prime example of that. There are a few exceptions, of course, but most lesser demons know not to pick fights with Daiyoukai."

Octavia knit her eyebrows. "Who are you?"

"My name is Asuka. I'm the Iwa Faction's second-in-command. Our mission is to purge this world of monsters." Octavia's hands trembled around her sword's hilt as Asuka curled a piece of Sesshoumaru's hair with her finger. "Now it's your turn," she said. "Who are you?"

Octavia bit her tongue. Lie, implored her subconscious. You've read enough fairy stories to know how this goes. Always remember the golden rule: never tell the bad guy your name.

Asuka's eyes narrowed. "I won't ask again. Tell me who you are."

"Hana," she answered quickly. "My name's Hana. Like banana."

The memory had snuck up on her and stabbed her in the back.

Octavia had met Hana Thompson at a house party whilst she was still in school. They became fast friends over their unorthodox first names—everyone always mistakenly pronounced Hana's name with a hard 'A' when it was actually more like an 'ar' sound, and Octavia had endured enough bad puns to last her a lifetime. She'd heard it all, from the eight-sided shape to the make of Czech-manufactured car with the same name as her. Needless to say, she hadn't been a huge Škoda fan back in her younger years. In fact, she'd vowed never to drive one, purely out of defiance.

It also didn't help that Hana had been killed by one. They'd been in Warren's silver BMW when the other car had come flying around a corner and completely obliterated the side that Hana had been on. Miraculously, Octavia and Warren escaped with minor injuries, but Hana wasn't so lucky.

More like mashed banana, now eh? Warren had chuckled after hearing the news. He'd never liked her, but Octavia had expected him to mourn her at least a little bit. Fortunately – for Octavia, not him – nobody except his parents and his siblings had any qualms about her lengthening his stay at the hospital. Those punches had done him good.

"Hana," repeated Asuka. "That means flower, right? Hametsuhana would fit you better."

Ruined flower.

Octavia's eyes shone with hatred.

Asuka smirked and pulled the rope tighter. Sesshoumaru growled as crimson volts danced across his skin. Octavia's breathing hastened and she instinctively moved closer. "Stop!" she shouted. "Please! Just let him go. He's in no state to fight you. Hell, neither am I. I don't know what you think I am, but I do know I'm not strong enough to beat you."

Asuka sighed gently. "I want to believe you, but unfortunately, I know the truth. Unlike you, I have no magic. This rope isn't even mine. It was given to me by my master. Without it, I'd have been killed instantly. So, no, I won't be releasing him any time soon. He's my insurance."

Octavia's skin bubbled and burned. Asuka's smile faltered as the discarded Bakusaiga stirred to life by her feet, glowing with neon green light. Her eyes bulged as the sword pulsed suddenly, sending a growing ring of youki outwards like a ripple on a pond. Octavia's eyes filled with purple, and she could feel her teeth slowly lengthening and becoming pointed inside her mouth.

That's it, cooed the voice she'd heard yesterday. Can you hear the sword calling out to you? It understands what you do not. Now use the power it senses to save the Daiyoukai's life.

Octavia grinned, flashing her jagged teeth.

Asuka gasped as an eerie purple light enveloped both of Octavia's hands and curled around her fingers. Her right eye twitched, boring into Asuka's, who screamed as Octavia threw a ball of energy at her stomach, which launched her backwards into a wall. The rope slipped out of her grasp and the red light coming from within it faded, putting an end to Sesshoumaru's suffering. He panted heavily before opening his eyes and meeting Octavia's from across the podium. She ignored him and glided over to where Asuka was lying on the ground, cradling her broken arm.

"Impossible," she hissed. "No wonder you didn't have a clue what I was talking about. You're not a hatchling at all. You're the one he—"

Octavia lifted her foot and dug the heel into Asuka's chest. The woman's breathing turned harsh, and she struggled beneath her, but the pressure on her chest was too much. She couldn't breathe. Octavia could see that, yet she continued to grind her heel downwards like a corkscrew.

Kill her and the power will be yours forever.

"Stop!" wheezed Asuka. "Please . . ."

Her eyes were wide with terror, making her look younger than she actually was. She couldn't be much older than Octavia, but right now, she seemed as young and innocent as Rin. Perhaps that was why Octavia removed her foot and backed away. Her eyes still resembled amethysts, but the light coming from her palms had dimmed considerably, and the voice in her head was gone.

Asuka coughed and clutched her aching chest. Tears rained down her cheeks as she pushed herself up with her elbows. "I don't understand," she whispered. "Why did it have to be you? What did I do to deserve this? I didn't know. If I had, I would never have . . . He'll hate me for this."

"Who will?" asked Octavia. Without the voice whispering ideas in her ear, she felt like herself again. She still didn't recognise it.

Asuka sniffed. "Don't play dumb with me. You mean the world to him. He'll never forgive me after he finds out what I've done. He might even kill me. It would be perfectly justified." Her face hardened as she added softly, "Unless I bring you back with me."

Whilst they'd been talking, Sesshoumaru had managed to crawl over to the Bakusaiga and pick it up. He then used the last of his strength to hurl it towards Asuka, who dodged it and pulled out a throwing knife. Octavia's reflexes weren't fast enough to stop Asuka from tossing it in his direction. The knife hit its target and struck Sesshoumaru in the shoulder, where it stayed even after he fell onto his back. Octavia sprinted onto the podium as a second knife sailed through the air and embedded itself in his chest, dangerously close to his heart. She covered his body with her own before Asuka could throw a third and felt how weak his pulse was compared to hers.

"Go away," she snarled, hearing footsteps behind her. "Don't fucking touch him. I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm staying right here. If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill me, too."

The footsteps stopped. Suspicious, Octavia peered over her shoulder and saw that Asuka was just staring at her. The woman's hands were empty; however, her expression was anything but. "What's wrong with you?" she asked eventually. "Don't you want to go home?"

Octavia bared her teeth, which hadn't yet shrunk back to normal, and said, "I haven't got a home."

Asuka's lips parted in realisation. "So that's why you don't know. What a shame. My master will be heartbroken when I tell him."

"Tell him what?"

Asuka removed her ring and rubbed it between her thumb and forefinger. Octavia watched as it grew to the size of a bracelet, then a belt, then finally a small paddling pool. It hovered in the air in front of Asuka, spinning wildly. "Be careful, Hana," she said. "Regardless of their intentions, you can't trust youkai. Especially not those that have evolved to look human."

The ring was bigger than her now, and Octavia couldn't see through it anymore. Looking at it made her feel dizzy. She hadn't closed her eyes for long, yet when she reopened them, both the ring and Asuka were gone.

Octavia's legs trembled. She was still straddling Sesshoumaru, who'd ceased moving beneath her entirely. Panicking, she pressed an ear to his chest and listened for a heartbeat. It was still there, but it was frighteningly slow. She lifted her head and studied his face, which was deathly pale and dripping with sweat. She wiped his brow with her sleeve and flinched at the series of laboured breaths that escaped from his throat.

"Sesshoumaru?" she asked quietly, stroking his clammy jaw. "Are you sleeping?"

No response.

She swallowed thickly. "It's time to wake up. Can you hear me? I said it's time to wake up . . ."

Her hands and arms were covered in blood. The kosode she'd bought him was similarly soaked. She couldn't peel it open without disturbing the two knives in his abdomen. Although they were essentially acting as plugs, the wounds wouldn't heal unless she pulled them out. There was also the rope to untie. Thankfully, it was no longer active, but Octavia still took her time undoing the knot, just in case it flared to life again. Once that was done, she unravelled it from around his waist and chucked it across the grotto, grateful to be rid of it.

Her fingers hovered over the knife in his shoulder, trembling violently. There's no way I can do this, she thought, giving in to desperation. He wasn't dead yet, but if she messed up, it could kill him.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called again. Her voice sounded hard and brittle. Reaching her wits' end, she gave him a firm yet gentle shake. "Sesshoumaru . . . Don't be dying. Please—"

He woke with a start and coughed. The weight on her chest lifted as his eyelids fluttered open, revealing fields of shimmering gold underneath. The first thing they saw was her face, which was flecked with dirt and blood. Instead of recoiling away in disgust, the mask melted under the scrutiny of her emerald gaze.

"Octavia?" he rasped, robbing her of breath.

Her eyes widened massively. Since when did he call her by her name?

"Why are you crying?"

A tear rolled down the side of her nose and landed on his cheek. She laughed and brushed it away with her thumb. Her hand lingered there afterwards, tracing the two faded stripes. She felt his pulse quicken even through all the layers of fabric between them and smiled, relieved that it was no longer faint and weak. What she didn't know, however, was that a Daiyoukai's pulse was naturally slower than a human's and therefore wasn't supposed to be that fast.

"I should get help," she said, lowering her hand from his face.

He captured her wrist and shook his head. "Don't," he growled.

"I have to. Unless you want to die? Because you will if I don't find someone who can treat you ASAP. Now let go."

He didn't.

"Is your pride really more important to you than your life?"

His grip on her wrist tightened. "Octavia, please."

Her tears were falling faster now. "I'm not just gonna sit here and watch you die. You can't ask me to. I won't do it. I won't . . . Why do you have to make everything so difficult?"

"Can't you s-see it?"

"See what?"

"The ceiling is g-getting lower."

She craned her head to check, but it looked fine to her. "No, it's not."

"It is. Look again."

"You're hallucinating." She bracketed his face with her hands, forcing him to look away from the ceiling and at her instead. "If you won't let anyone else help you, at least let me. I won't think you're weak. Just tell me how to save you. Please. I don't want you to die."

"I would be v-very alarmed if you wanted me to die."

"Shut the fuck up."

He chuckled. However, in his current state, it sounded more like he was choking. "Very well," he croaked. "I shall a-allow you to assist me."

"How generous of you."

Another wheeze.

"So, what do I do?"

"Aoi ha are flowers that g-grow only in the dark. Blue petals and orange thorns. Water m-makes them glow. Find one and grind it into a p-paste upon your return. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Follow the sound of running water to its source, get the flower, find my way back through a maze of tunnels. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Your c-confidence is inspiring."

A smile tugged at her lips. "You'd better not be dead when I get back."

"I shall try not to be."

She climbed off him and wiped her bloody hands on the ground. Sesshoumaru's eyes followed her every move, as if he couldn't stomach not seeing her for more than a few seconds.

He really is delirious.

"Octavia?" he whispered softly. She shuffled closer and took the hand he'd extended. His fingers slotted into the spaces between hers and he squeezed so tightly that her skin turned white. She positioned her ear over his mouth and listened intently. "Speak of these events to no one," he breathed. "Ever. Do I m-make myself clear?"

She laughed breathlessly. "Don't worry. I'll take it to the grave."

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Author's Corner

Just to clarify, aoi ha aren't real flowers, either. Thanks for reading!