BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 241

Shakranim's description makes sense. The black particles that had leaped from his body since he had been on the carriage were clearly a sign of danger, just like now. This black fog wanted to protect her. William gritted his teeth in anger. How dare a human try to frame me!

Jose gripped the talisman tightly and was exclaiming hastily in front of Shakranim, "You are bound to obey the owner of this ring. In the name of the all-time powerful God, I command you to return to Shakran and dwell in hell until the end of the world. May God rebuke you! May—"

Jose didn't finish his words. William had come forward, broke the man's hand and retook his necklace. "Little bastard!" jose almost dodged. He grabbed the man's leg and stomped, broke one of his shins, enjoying the screams of Jose's pain. The sound of cracked bones sounded like broken stones, bouncing on the walls of the tax office. "I shouldn't believe you! I shouldn't trust humans!"

He slammed Jose to the ground with his head first, letting him lie there for a while. Now the important thing is Shakranim. The devil is his. The devil gave his teacher. No one else should be able to break their bond. "Shakrani!" he cried out loudly, starting to realize why Jose's first order was to ask for a name. Name is the key to identity. Names are sacred. By knowing the name of the demon, Jose had the power to rule it, especially with Solomon's talisman in hand. "Shakranim, return! I order you to come back!"

William had just thought of using the name of God as Jose did, but Shakranim's hunting faded and disappeared. Loss feels like a living vine in William. It was like losing half of his soul. He knew that the command given could not be withdrawn. Shakranim will dwell in hell until the end of time, at Jose's request.

It was strange to feel the loss of a demon, but that was what William felt now. His body parts were like they were cut off and thrown away from him. Although the dark clouds above them still continued to spew out the sheldbolis, everything still felt different now.

There was a sound of people breathing behind him. William turned to teach Jose a lesson, but the man went out shouting, "NOW!!"

Then William felt it again, the feeling of a metal bullet pressing against his body, bursting through the fiber of the mantle, piercing through the skin, making it look like it was being blasted from the inside.

His body fell down. The sound of an explosion seethed from the South, forcing it to remain on the ground. The red color floating in his eyes, everywhere, danced in a strange speck that he had never seen before. The scent of rust and iron spread in the air, filling his nasal cavity. William realized that from the beginning this was what Jose wanted to achieve. The man wanted to separate him from Shakranim, eliminate the demon in hopes of killing him.

Goddamnit!

***

Lady Chantall shoots once again. On target. The strange monster fell after its skull was blown up by bullets. What kind of creature is that? They fell from the sky? It's apocalypse? Am I still in a dream? Lady Chantall swore in her heart, condemning a fate that would not allow her to grieve for a moment. While keeping an eye on the shooting range, his eyes intermittently glanced at Marco's body. He groped and put Marco between the car and himself to protect, also covering the body with a coat from Simon.

Lady Chantall pointed her revolver muzzle around. His fingers were frozen and his wrists were so sore that he wasn't sure he would be able to shoot for much longer.

"Where are the police patrolling when needed?" Lady Chantall swore in the language of the Scots, shooting one creature that reached the walls of Bjork and banged on one of the windows of the house. From a distance there were also gunshots. On it a strange black blob whirled over Bjork, echoing the long squealing and clumsy sounds that established the fur of Rome. I didn't have time to protect everyone, he thought, but still shot one more creature who was breaking down the door of the house. Lady Chantall wants to cry again remembering what exactly she came here for.

He must figure out a way to get Marco's body into the car and take him away from Bjork. I can take her body to the motel outside Bjork and bury her in the morning. If tomorrow morning is still there, his mind while shooting back at the approaching creature. Lady Chantall shuddered at it. The monster was shaped like a human, but its body only consisted of a skull coated in thin skin. The place where there should be eye sockets closed smooth with facial skin. His teeth were yellow, untidy, and fanged. The creature can stick to the wall and creep and jump like a squirrel.

One jumped at him. Lady Chantall shoots. The creature's head broke in the air. His body fell in a loud jolt backwards. The contents of his skull were only black liquid like tar.

The revolver's getting hot. The air was full of the smell of gunpowder that splashed the smell of bacin, the last scent came from the carcasses of cursed creatures around it.

After making sure that the surroundings were safe, Lady Chantall turned to pull Marco into the car, but what she saw made her jerk startled and let out a hiccup-like sound from the throat.

Marco wakes.

The man sat in the stone paving, one hand gripping the body of the car as it coughed. He spat out black blood onto the surface of the road then rubbed his lips with the back of his hand. His black eyes lifted, looking at Lady Chantall who was still buying in shock.

"Marco?" weak whispers. There was a burst of excitement that made Lady Chantall feel dizzy. He galloped over, touching Marco's warm cheeks, neck, and chest that were now throbbing. "I know you're alive!" He laughed and cried at the same time. Throat hurts. Hot eyes. But all of that makes him happy. "I prayed over and over again!"

Marco rose to his feet, sweeping his gaze around like assessing the situation, then felt his body and looked relieved to find the gun tucked behind his waist still there. "Can you drive?" he asked while looking in the car. His hands prepared the gun, making sure it was ready to fire.

Lady Chantall nodded quickly, her hands receiving Marco's outstretched coat and wearing it. "I drove it here! I'm looking for you!"

Can you drive? Lady Chantall thought in wonder. But he got into the car obediently and started the engine. "Just calm down." He scratched his nose and wiped away tears. "We're close, just a little forward."

Marco nodded. He pulled out his pocket watch from his pocket and stared at the ticking needle from behind the glass. They drove speeding. Lady Chantall braked a few times as they nearly crashed into the skull creature.

"Crashew!" exclaim Marco.

"Aye aye, Captain!" Lady Chantall laughs. If it's a dream, I don't want to wake up, he thought cheerfully. Stuck in a nightmare where he bumps into many semi-human beings is not a problem for him as long as there is Marco there. Just so the man lives and talks to him. Things always look better and safer if Marco is there. The guy seems to always be in control of the situation, making it okay.

"I love you!" it was loud when it hit one creature.

"Who? Me or the monster you hit?"

Lady Chantall chuckles at hearing Marco still acting as annoying as ever. "Of course you are, honey! I prayed wholeheartedly earlier, I hope you come back even for a minute!"

Marco smiled, but gave no response. That's enough, ' thought Lady Chantall. That smile is enough.

***

The firing squad emerged from the mouth of the forest where they were hiding, getting closer and closer while continuing to change positions with the next layer, just as the Argent workers had done before.

As soon as the firing squad ran out of ammunition, they pulled out the swords and bayonets from the rifles and continued walking. Clearwater and Marsh lead them across the bridge. The footsteps of those people filled the darkness of Bjork.

"Jose!" The first one crossed. The man immediately ran over to his nephew, followed by Clearwater and Marsh in quick succession.

Jose's still stuck on the ground, unable to get up. Legs hurt. Hands too. Can I heal myself? While thinking that, the tail of his eyes caught a terrible thing.

Sir William is not dead.

The man rose up in an odd motion as if someone was pulling a thread from his head and pulling it up. "Give me strength" he murmured heavily.

Nay! Jose wanted to shout alerting everyone, but it was too late.

In a single glance by Sir William, they all turned into pieces of ash, shattered apart easily and were blown away by the wind, leaving the clink of a weapon that fell to the ground.

"Uncle!" Jose shouted and squirmed on the ground to get up. His hands were shaking violently. Something bubbled hot in his body, making him dizzy as if he had just been hit with a sledgehammer. "Luke! Oh!!"

No one answered. Everything was gone, even the previous Gerald was able to survive. Sir William is stronger, Jose realizes.

"Well, Argent. That one was a surprise." Sir William approached while patting his torn coat. The golden necklace of Solomon's Ring had returned to his hand. "So you're trying to trick a con man? You can't really raise Arabella?"

Question after question was thrown making Jose's head thump in a strong pulse. It felt as if there were cold hands all over his body, gripping his heart, sending electric shakes to his head.

***