Insatiable

Chapter 8

Tick tock.

It's the only sound registering into Elijah's mind as he peers at Jimin's lifeless body. Hope said she needs peace and time to bring the hybrid back from the dead. According to her, the little kid isn't really dead.

Eleanor only made Jimin stop breathing temporarily.

"Hmm," Hope hums and then her eyes flutters open.

Elijah flinches. He parts his mouth to speak, but the witch beats him.

"He's alive,"

Indeed. Elijah can finally hear his son breathing.

"Thank fuck." 

"He'll wake up in a few minutes." Hope smiles reassuringly.

"Thanks," Sage whispers as he hands a bottle of water to Hope. She's probably exhausted after long hours of chanting magical words.

"Glad I could help," the witch grins at the ruthless vampire—making Elijah roll his eyes. Hope made the very first untouchable promise that he won't hurt Sage in exchange of aiding Jimin.

If his son's life is not on the line, Elijah would never agree. Right now, all he can think about is to beg Eleanor to kill Sage. For the second time, the ruthless vampire becomes responsible for putting the hybrid's life in danger.

The first time this happened was when Lucas fed Jimin with his blood. Elijah blames Sage for this incident as well. If he only killed the vampire slayer the first time they met, the hybrid's life wouldn't be comprised in the first place.

"D-Dad?"

Hope is true to her words. Moments later, Jimin finally opens his eyes.

"Sweetheart," Elijah quickly attends to his son's call.

Hope pulls Sage away from the room for the reason the she believes that the father and the son should talk first.

"You don't need to worry. Jimin is fine," the witch claims when the ruthless vampire tries to protest. He wants to be with his nephew too!

"Just give Elijah some time first. You owe this to him."

Sage is aware of that. He has wrong Elijah for so many times already. Jimin almost died today and yet, the first thing that came into his mind is to contact Hope and not Elijah. It's unfair. The very first untouchable should be the first one to know about what happened because Jimin is his son.

 However, the ruthless vampire believes that his brother will lose his mind the second he drops this horrible news. Sage obviously needs good news first to somewhat cover up the damage of his main point.

It worked. Elijah managed to calm his nerves when Sage talked to him via phone. He said that Jimin's in danger, but Hope can solve their problem.

Elijah instantly rushed into Hope's home after the call. Thank heavens her abode is just around Lacuna Valley. In a way, fate is still generous to them.

It's harder for Sage though. He's still in shocked when Jimin's pulse stopped. He doesn't have a choice but to go through this terrible incident alone. He had to book a flight going back to Lacuna Valley even though his mind is occupied by the thought that Jimin is dead, he also had to call Hope without knowing what exactly to say. Thankfully Hope's voice is soothing as she slowly asks Sage to tell her what just happened.

"I don't f*****g know what to do without you," Sage inhales deeply. "Literally."

Hope only beams at him.

"I told you not to worry. You have me."

It's a reassuring statement; however its effect is not as reassuring as seeing Eleanor. It's funny how whipped Sage is. That enchantress showed nothing but distaste towards him, yet he's still willing to give up everything just to be with her.

Hope is aware of this. She can see how his eyes light up when their topic is about Eleanor. Frankly, she's amazed by the billion stars in the ruthless vampire's eyes. It only showed when she told him that Ellie's alive.

"Shall we go back inside?" The witch asks after an hour passed. Jimin and Elijah are probably done talking.

The ruthless vampire hums. He also offers his hand to Hope. Grinning widely, she takes it.

Jimin's unbelievably lively in spite of the fact that he just went back from the dead.

"Uncle Sage!" See? He's even ready to jump into his uncle's arms. Unfortunately, Elijah stops his son.

"You are not allowed to go near that man, Jimin." The very first untouchable hugs his son—clearly scared to let him go.

Sage purses his lips together. He understands. He put the kid's life at stake.

"I just want to see if he's okay, brother." Sage fidgets on his fingers.

"He is." Elijah stands up and hides Jimin behind his back. "That's why we're leaving now." He looks at Hope and his eyes soften. "Thank you again for your great help,"

The witch nods.

"And you." Elijah glares at Sage. "I don't want to see your face ever again!"

The thought of being alone in this lonely world instills fear to Sage. Without thinking, he whines.

"Oh, come on, Elijah! I didn't know she still has her witch power!"

These words are the very first untouchable's breaking point.

"She killed an untouchable, Sage! How can you not think about that!?"

Before the ruthless vampire throws his rebuttal, Hope is already screaming. Her eyes go wide and her heart thumps loudly.

"Eleanor is a f*****g witch?" Hope shudders in shock and fear. She thought that Eleanor is just a normal human being who happened to be bitten by a rogue. She even believed that the only reason why Eleanor's able to temporarily kill Jimin is because it's her special gift as a preporod. Hope knows about the bloodsuckers' extraordinary abilities aside from heightened senses, immortality, and compulsion. She is aware that Elijah's power is mind reading while Sage's strength is vampire compulsion.

Elijah snorts when he switches his gaze at her.

"She's not just a witch." He quotes the word witch in the air. "She's an enchantress."

No.

It feels as though the air inside Hope's body has been punched out of her. She can't breathe.

No.

"Get out..." Her fists clench into a ball. "Get the f**k away from me!"

Her sudden change in demeanor confused the three vampires. Jimin is actually scared by Hope's outburst so his grip on his dad's shirt tightens.

"Hope—"

The witch takes a step back when Sage extends his hands to touch her shaking hand.

She shakes her head vigorously. These vampires clearly don't have any idea how daunting this situation is. Their perplexed face says it all.

"An enchantress who turned into a vampire is dangerous," Hope takes another step backward as she states what she read in the grimoire years ago.

"Her power when she was still a human doubles the moment she was bitten. She'll die but will be resurrected on the seventh day. She will bring terror to the word and no matter what you do, she will never fall down again."

Elijah engulfs his son into an embrace one more time. Hope sounds so crazy and scared that he can't help but copy her emotions as well. On the other hand, Sage remains impassive. He only waits for Hope to continue speaking. 

"Every good thing inside her turns into something bad whenever she consumes blood.  Her power is the kind of magic that doesn't need to be accompanied by spells. She can do whatever she pleases. Most of the time, it is to quench her thirst." She swallows hard. "She can kill anyone and I refuse to be the next—" She stops speaking for a while to open the door—a sign that she wants the vampires out. She cannot associate herself with them anymore. It's not fair. These vampires can survive because they have one another and her. They can turn to Hope whenever they desire since she has magic.

"Because I only have myself." She completes her sentences and then she shuts the door in the vampires' faces.

So much for helping them.