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“Theo!” he heard Cormac cry out behind him. In a blur, Cormac slammed into the ghoul with a growl, pushing them both out of the doorway. The ghoul remained standing but its face contorted in confusion. Even more so as Cormac sliced off the creature’s hands at the wrist. Theo tumbled to the ground with a grunt, while Cormac continued to attack.
Shaking his head, he tore the severed limbs off him, as they had maintained their grip on his arms, even after being cut off. He jumped up, ready to help his brother, but smiled at finding out that Cormac had already finished off the creature.
“Thank—” Theo started to say, before screaming, “WATCH OUT!” He had caught a flash of movement behind Cormac, who was now standing in front of the open doorway.
Cormac spun around, and Theo screamed out as a small hand burst through his brother’s body and out of his back. “CORMAC!”
He jumped forward to pull his brother back, away from whatever was attacking him. Cormac sagged in his arms, letting out a groan of pain. His eyes widened as he finally saw what had done the damage…a child. A child ghoul. Barely four feet tall, the ghoul was half skeleton and half rotting flesh. Only one eyeball stared back at him.
It let out a gurgling sound, looking to be about to attack. Theo started to push his brother behind him, but Henry appeared with a loud hiss and began to shred through the thing.
Theo wasted no time watching, and instead dragged Cormac back to a corner, so there were no doors at their back, even if they were still all around them. He laid his brother down, staring at the bleeding hole in his abdomen. He could see a flash of intestines, but he smelled nothing that would suggest they’d been punctured. Though the smell of the rotting flesh all around him could be covering it up. Hands hovering, he hesitated as he tried to calm his mind enough to figure out what to do.
He pressed firmly on the wound.
Cormac cried out, and then let out a wet cough that sprayed blood onto Theo. “Sorry… Fuck, that hurts.”
“It’s…going to be fine,” Theo said, not sure what else to say. Because he wasn’t sure that it was. But how could he tell his brother that? He was older… He was supposed to protect Cormac.
He met Cormac’s gaze, noting the touch of fear there. “You…you don’t have to lie to me…”
“Shut up! You will be fine.”
Theo flinched when something small smacked into his side. He looked down, eyes widening at the sight of bandages and gauze.
“Get him wrapped up!” Min-ji yelled as she slammed her hand against the chest of a ghoul, sending it bursting into a bubbling pool of melted flesh.
“Henry, look after them,” Scarlett cried.
Theo’s shoulders sagged in relief when the vampire appeared at his side, standing there to guard them.
“Thank you…” he rasped, before snatching up the gauze. He did his best to pack the wound on both sides, to staunch the bleeding before wrapping it.
His heart dropped when Cormac’s eyes closed and his body went slack. “Cormac…” he whispered, tears filling his eyes. His heart started to race, hands shaking as he brushed his fingers over his brother’s face. He looked so young…he was young. He couldn’t…he couldn’t lose him too. Not him, not his brother. He just couldn’t. “Cormac… Cormac!”
“His heart is strong and his breathing even. Just hold him close and keep him safe, Theo,” Henry said firmly.
Theo blinked, glancing up at Henry. “He…”
“He will be fine, Theo! That is not a death wound for your kind. He can easily survive it. Just protect him!” Henry hissed before jumping into the fight again.
Taking a shuddered breath, he forcefully shoved down his panic. Pulling his brother into his arms, he sat with his back against the corner, watching the battle continue, preparing to jump in the minute they were in danger.
* * *
Min-ji slammedher hand on the chest of the ghoul in front of her, wincing as the rune on her palm once again activated, causing the ghoul to rot from the inside out. Which was a lot less rotting than normal, considering most of these things were missing a lot of flesh.
Her hands felt as if they were on fire at this point. Each time she activated the rune, it burned just a little more than the time before. But holding back was not an option. Sure, she had other attack runes that she could use. But this was the fastest way she could take them down. The safest way she could take them down…
If they weren’t careful, they all could end up dead. Maybe not Scarlett or Henry—it would take a lot to kill them. But the truth was, werewolves, while their strength was up there with zombies and vampires, they were nowhere near as indestructible. And as a witch…her spells and runes were her strength, but physically she was basically human. Not to mention, the energy she used to fuel her spells would only last so long.
Min-ji took a moment to catch her breath on noticing the doors had shut again and the ghouls, at least for now, were gone.
“This is not good,” Scarlett said as she stepped beside her. But the zombie was facing away, her eyes fixed on the brothers.
She turned to face them. Henry was leaning down checking the bandages on Cormac. Theo looked shaky. “It’s not… I tried going through the doors. There is a ward set up stopping anyone from entering. I don’t think even the ghouls can go back the way they came once they cross the barrier. And it’s like the one set up around the house. It would take hours of concentration to break.”
The zombie sighed. “Concentration that’s impossible when under attack, I’m guessing.”
