Chapter 2

She'd just finished a delivery on the fourteenth floor, a box of ramen and other various snacky foods and was on her way to finish her last five deliveries when the elevator gave a jolt. It's lights flickering as it came to a sudden dead stop.

Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach. "Oh come on, not now!" She quickly pushed off the wall of the elevator and peered at the old decrepit buttons. Most of them had been worn down so much that the numbers were faded leaving behind nothing but shiny metal. Narrowing her eyes she found the emergency service one and pressed it.

The small black LCD screen remained black as the sound of ringing echoed in the small metal box.

No answer.

Swearing under her breath she pressed the button again and again hoping that while Eng- Buk was busy that he would get some kind of alert that the elevator had gone down.

It was on the fifth try that she decided to just give up and pushed away from the button panel to dig out her cell phone. Relief filled her as she saw the screen come to life, three bars of service showing. Given the kind of day she was having she half expected to be in an area of no service.

Quickly dialing the number for the fire department she was floored to get a busy signal. "The fuck?" The curse word tumbled from her lips, a habit picked up from her dear hanyou friend. Hanging up she tried again only to get the exact same result. Scowling she decided to try her uncle, at the very least she could let him know what was going on so he could let their customers know she would be running behind.

It rang only four times before a loud high pitch ring screeched directly into her ear. The sudden loud noise made her jerk as her phone fell from her hands to clatter on the dirty tiled floor. Hissing she shook her head to get the high pitched tone out of her head. Glaring down at the discarded mobile device. She bent over to pick it up, glaring darkly at it as she snapped it shut.

She didn't know what the hell was going on, just that whatever it was, it set her on edge. Her rarely used miko ki began to stir to life just under her skin. Flaring her senses she shivered as it pulsed and ached like a muscle that had been neglected for far to long.

She could feel the many human auras around her, some of them tainted with sickness. It was like something she had never felt before, it felt twisted, dark, yet at the same time...

Human.

Furrowing her black brows she weighed her options, she could just sit here and wait, the dark sickly auras running over her skin, making her shiver with something she couldn't name.

Fear?

Adrenaline?

Anticipation?

She couldn't pinpoint it, just that it was a feeling she hadnt had in a year or so.

Or.

She could get off her ass and do something.

Deciding to go with the later she shoved her phone back in her pocket and eyed the emergency exit door in the ceiling. If she could stand on the mail cart she should be able to pry it open. From there she could use the fire escape ladder to get to the nearest floor.

Assuming this run down place was up to code and even had emergency exit ladders...if not she mused she could shimmy up or down the cables that held the elevator in place. She knew she wasn't in as good of shape as she had been while traveling in the past but she was still capable of doing at least that much.

She hoped...

"Well, let's get this show on the road." Locking the wheels of the cart in place she climbed on top of it and began to push on the trap door, it barely moved. Gritting her teeth she added more force behind it and with a low creaking groan the rusty metal gave and she was able to pop it open. Her arms were shaking by the time she pulled herself into the elevator shaft, her eyes barely adjusting to the dim light. Crouching on the balls of her feet she dug out her phone and turned on the flash light.

Using its bright beam she peered into the darkness looking for a ladder, thanking every god she knew of when she spotted one. Sure the rungs looked rusty and worn but honestly it was better than having to try and shimmy her way up or down metal cables.

Glancing up and then down she realized it would be easier for her to go down and pry open the doors to the fourteenth floor. Memorizing where each rung was, she shoved her phone into her shirt, making it so the flashlight shone brightly in front of her cutting through the thick darkness that surrounded her.

Carefully she moved down the rusty ladder and paused at the firmly shut elevator doors, she secured one arm through the rungs and with a wince began to pry them open, ignoring the way the metal bit into her skin. Huffing and puffing she inched the large metal doors open, sweat dripping down her face as it taxed her aching body. After fifteen minutes of struggling they slowly inched open, her arms were burning as she pulled herself up a bit to sit on the cold tile of the fourteenth floor.

Her chest was rapidly rising and falling with her labored breathing, okay, she really was out of shape. After this she vowed to start up exercising again. She laid there loving the feel of the cold tile seeping through her sweat drenched clothes.

"You okay?" The voice was a low mumble and had she still been breathing as hard as she had been moments ago she would have missed it.

She turned her gaze to look at the speaker, not at all moving from her position on the floor. There above her stood a tall lanky male, he was dressed in sweatpants and an oversized hoodie and t-shirt that hung off his narrow shoulders. Said shoulders were stooped as he gazed down at her, the handle of a broken broom clutched in his lightly trembling hands as he peered down at her in curiosity.

He looked to be a year or so younger than her, his skin sickly pale, pasty almost, his eyes a dark brown that were highlighted by the dark circles under them.

Arching a fine raven eyebrow at him she forced herself into a sitting position, frowning as he seemed to flinch back, as if expecting her to lash out at him. Giving him a small reassuring smile she gave a small groan as she rolled to her feet and swayed a bit on them. "Uh yeah, just tired. So...why are you walking around with a broken broom?" The way he held it in front of him, like a shield between the two of them, made it obvious to her that he had dealt with some form of trauma when it came to those around him and it made her sad.

He had the look and feel of a beaten down dog.

"Ah, uh have you seen a strange woman walking around..." His voice was still just as low and she mused that it was probably just how he talked. Deciding to answer him before he wound himself up even more she shook her head, her unruly locks shifting with the motion, straining against the thick elastic band that held in place.

"Nope, not unless I somehow missed her in the elevator shaft." She gave a small smile hoping to lighten the mood, he merely stared at her, his dark brown eyes glassy with fear and suspicion. "So, did the power go out or something?" It didn't look like it, the dim flickering lights above them were still on and yet the elevator had frozen in its spot. Maybe it was an isolated black out?

She had no doubt the building was old and that it was possible for the power stitch controlling the elevators to have blown while the rest of the fuses were left unaffected. Such was the folly of such old buildings.

Hyun-Su shook his head, his gaze not meeting hers, instead it darted around looking for any sign of the woman...no, the monster who had just moments before been trying to break into his apartment. He was nervous, scared and wanted nothing more than to get back to the safety of his room.

Yet the small woman across from him merely rocked on her feet and it was then that he realized she had asked him a question. "Uh, um not that I know of. Anyway I should get going, just be sure to be careful. There's a weird lady walking around...I think she's dangerous..." Why he cared about her well being he didn't know, the last time he had held out a hand in friendship it had not only been slapped away but hand be stomped on so thoroughly that it was left broken and bleeding just like the rest of him.

Letting out a small sigh Kagome could only nod her head, she was hard pressed to not give into old habits and try to pry deeper. Instead she let her aura run over his, soothing it a bit before she pulled it back in, frowning when she realized she felt a tingle of that same sickness she had felt in the security guard.

"Yeah, well thanks for the heads up. Enjoy your day!" With that she made to move towards the stairwell, ready to hoof it down the stairs to the security guard's office, and was mildly surprised to see the door yanked open. Blinking her gaze slid over the tall figure looming in the doorway, he easily towered over her small five foot frame. His body was well muscled and the scars that littered his face combined with the deep scowl on his lips shouted 'leave me alone'.

She merely gave him a small smile and moved to shimmy past him. "Cuse me..." She'd barely made it into the stairwell when she heard his low gruff voice bark at the timid male she had left behind. She closed her eyes, willing herself to let it go, it wasn't her business, yet as the solemn boy's aura fluctuated with fear and anxiety she could only bite her lip and curse her caring, and curious nature.

She spun on her heel ready to intervene yet paused as she watched the younger males eyes roll back in his head. He fell like a sack of potatoes at the older man's feet and she was quick to kneel down next to his prone form, a small frown on her face as she turned to face the older male.

He merely scowled and held up his hands in a peaceful manner. "What? I didn't even touch the kid yet, but do you by any chance know what the hell is going on?" He pointed behind her and she turned her head to follow his gaze. There was blood splattered all over the hallway as well as ripped open bags of ramen.

Ramen she had delivered not even twenty minutes before.

The resident had not answered when she had knocked as per requested on the delivery sheet she just left the box there despite being able to hear the low murmuring of a TV. This young man must be the resident of that apartment and something, something dramatic, had happened between the time she had made her delivery and now.

How the hell had she missed that?

Damn she really was getting to placid in this new modern life of hers. Pulling her eyes from what many would deem a crime scene she could only shrug her shoulders.

She'd seen worse, been part of and the cause of much worse.

"No idea, I just escaped the broken down elevator and he was just standing there. He did say something about a woman, said she was dangerous. I guess I can see why..." She trailed off turning her gaze up to meet the gruff males own eyes.

Sang-wook could only narrow his eyes at the young woman, while she was wearing the uniform of the company that made frequent delivery to their complex he had never seen her before and he knew that if he had seen her before he would have remembered.

It was often that those of Asian descent had any eye color other than brown, without some form of cosmetic assistance, and her natural bright blue eyes were fixed on him. Oddly enough there wasn't a hint of fear or accusation in them but confusion and concern.

Not just that but it was easy to tell her concern wasn't just for the boy she was fretting over but himself as well. Letting out a low huff, the weight of her stare making him uneasy, he turned to leave yet paused as she called out to him.

"Hey! Wait, I know we just met but you at least help me get him back to his apartment?" Her voice was pleading and he could only grit his teeth wishing he had a lit cigarette between them but no, smoking wasn't allowed anywhere in the building except outside of it or on the rooftop. While he wasn't one to follow the rules he really hated when the building manager or the daycare head barked at him when he tried to light up anywhere but the designated smoking areas.

"Please?" Her voice had lowered a bit, a small wobble in it and he was hard pressed to not let out a deep annoyed sigh. Turning on his heel he easily grabbed the fainted males arm and threw it over his shoulder. His gait was quick and curt as his long legs brought him into the males apartment and roughly discarded him on the unmade mattress on the floor.

Task done he turned to get on with his day, he had to get back to his job so that he could finally move on. Already his meager belongings were packed and ready to go, his last months rent as well as an intent to move in the deposit box of the building manager. He couldn't wait to get out of this shit hole and away from the reason he had been forced to take up residence here.

"Ah, thanks-" She was cut off by the loud sound of banging, repetitive and relentless, the sound echoing from the propped open doors of the stairwell. "The fuck is that?" The words tumbled from her lips made his eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. Of all the things to fall from her lips he would not have expected it to be such foul words.

Amusement colored him as he arched an eyebrow at her making her cheeks dust with a light pink. "Might be the 'dangerous' woman the kid was talking about. You stay here." With that he was already out the door, shutting it behind him as he made his way towards the sound of the banging. Why he was going out of his way to do so he didn't know but there was something inside of him demanding he investigate, and he was a man who always listened to his gut.

Kagome huffed after him, knowing he had no way of knowing that she was glaring after his broad shoulders. Stay here he says, she didn't even know the male whose room she had been left alone with. Even so she did not sense any ill intent from him, just a genuine curiosity and concern for her well being, so she mused just this once she would obey his order.

A feat he should be proud of, it wasn't often that she listened to the orders of others that were barked at her like she was a dog. Rolling her eyes at the situation she had found herself in she moved to check on the male who had for all intents and purposes tossed on his own bed like a rag doll. She grunted as she rolled him over onto his back and frowned at the sight of his flushed cheeks, sweat was dripping down his brow as his chest rattled with quick rapid breaths.

He had a fever, and a severe one at that, for it to come on so quickly and aggressively was not normal.

Rolling up the sleeves off her work jumper she glanced around the meagerly furnished apartment and shook her head. She really didn't want to go rummaging through his stuff without asking but she had to bring down his fever. Standing she moved to what she assumed was the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth as well as a basin of cool water. Returning to his side she dabbed at the sweat on his face before rinsing it off in the cool water, ringing it out and placing the still damp rag on his forehead.

She blinked as she felt her powers stir under her skin, as if begging to be used. She hadn't felt them stir, not like this, in so many years that it was an almost forgein feeling. For them to bubble up like this...twice in one day and in the same place...

Deciding to give into the urge she let her powers spark to life, a pale pink light escaping her skin to run over his form. She blinked as her powers seemed to crackle, a small stinging shock making her jerk back as he let out a low whimpering groan but otherwise did not stir.

That was odd...she pulled on them again and could only blink as the same thing happened.

What?

She knew he was human, she felt nothing but human from him yet her powers...they were reacting to him like he was a demon yet on a much lower scale. She knew running her aura over his didn't cause any abnormal reaction so she decided to let it seep from her and wrap around his, feeling and digging around, trying to find a reason for the unusual reaction.

It was then that she found it, that deep swirling of what she had assumed to be sickness. It wasn't malicious so much as just...dark?

Wrong?

Twisted?

She really couldn't pinpoint a single specific word to call it and it was vexing.

What was even odder was that it felt wholly and entirely human, almost as if it was humanity in its most basic, purest form.

"Just what the fuck is going on around here?" Her words were whispered as she sat on the floor next to the bed that held the sleeping male, her back leaning against it as she let her gaze drift to the ceiling the sound of the banging going silent.

Moments later the screaming began.

She was hard pressed to not bolt into action, her hero complex coming back full force. It took every bit of her self discipline to fight it back down, she couldn't just run out there, she had no idea what the fuck was going on...plus there was no way she could just leave this defenseless young man on his own. It was obvious due to the lack of furnishing and family photos that he was on his own.

Whether by choice or not she could not in good consciousness just leave him behind. No, she would stay here and keep guard, even though every fiber in her being was demanding she run out there fists and powers blazing.

Hopefully the gruff male who had left would return and with him he would bring answers.