A Dragon's Shadow (m); Jeon Jungkook

Chapter 30

I sneer at the orange-haired man standing a few feet away.

Leo Barrick. The boy who started it all when making my life a living hell. Shadow beast. He started the name and it spread to everyone in Yndril. The infamous shadow beast who had killed so many people (at least that's the tale they spun in the rumors).

"We need assistance," is all I say. Not bothering to give any greetings or offer any explanations to Jungkook whose eyes linger between the two of us.

He walks in front of the counter now, spreading his body to cover most of it.

"Why would I do anything to help a fucking monster who doesn't-"Before he can finish his sentence, Jungkook's hand is gripped underneath his jaw, his thumb and finger pinched into his cheeks.

"Ah. . ." Leo groans as I watch a bit of steam rising from the contact from Jungkook's fingers.

"You're a grown man. Show some respect," that's all he says before letting go of him and stepping back. I gasp at the dark spots left behind on both sides. It looks as if someone took a burning stick and pressed it into his skin.

My eyes move to Jungkook, and when he looks back at me, I give him a look that's supposed to say "We'll talk about this when we get out of here," but Jungkook doesn't show any sign of acknowledgment, but my mind is malfunctioning at the memories of my father leaving burn marks on others. But there can't be any way that the two are connected, right?

The warehouse. His eyes were golden in the warehouse. No. it couldn't be a coincidence that my father and Jungkook possess the same powers. Did my father mention

"You're both crazy," there's a bit of a shiver in Leo's voice, and I can't say that I blame him, but Jungkook's own words pop up. "People are only afraid of what they don't understand." I try to keep those words in my mind running over and over, willing to grant him grace for whatever power he possesses as he did for me.

"The faster you help us, the faster these crazies will be out of here," Jungkook's voice is back to being a bit more cheery, a bit more charming. Leo winces touching the skin around the burns.

"What do you want? Hurry up," his body only covers half of the space he took up before, his arms stiff by his side.

Jungkook pulls out the nail he was able to snag and shows it off to Leo.

"You made this. Who asked you to make it?" Leo's switch from me to Jungkook, to the nail, back to me, back to the nail.

"I wouldn't be so confident that I'm the right person to bring this to," he's still touching the skin on his face, but wears a smug look on his face. "I've never made something like this in my life," his words spray spit and I have to contain the head signals telling me to punch this man and kill him when he's on the ground. I'm sure he'd love to have a taste of what he and his friends gave me almost daily.

Instead, I roll my eyes and move to the cauldron, dragging it over with every muscle in my body, settling it in front of him.

"You made this," I point to the D.S. engravings, "and these are a perfect match for those letters on the nail," I walk back over to the two. Leo's a bit more hesitant now, caught off guard by the cauldron. "We're not going to get into why you lied, because I don't care. We just need to know who requested them and where they're at."

"A woman. . . She came in here and asked to have at least ten made about three nights ago," he explained. I wave my hand to signal for him to keep going. "That's it. That's all I know."

"Write it," Jungkook interjects.

"What?" Leo squints his eyes at the vested man.

"Write it. You must have a paper of some kind," I'm confused by this tactic but follow along. I move back to the front door and rip the piece of paper stuck to the glass. I walk back spreading it on the counter that Leo was leaning on only a few moments ago.

"Grab a quill," I instruct. Leo rolls his eyes and moves behind the counter, moving a pen placed next to what I assume is a ledger.

"What exactly would you like me to write?" Leo's body is relaxed on the counter, the quill resting over the paper, some dripping onto the 'l' in 'Blacksmith'.

"Write "I am certain that I don't know the woman's name, where she came from, or anything regarding the group she's involved in," and make sure it is in exactly those words," his voice is demanding now in contrast to his more flamboyant and riding the wind tone. I watch carefully as Leo writes the letters, mostly legible.

"This is the most ridiculous -" he mutters as he continues to paste the letters down.

"The crazies are getting impatient," Jungkook coughs. Leo's jaw ticks and quickly finishes it off, the letters squished together under 'Blacksmith' in wet ink. Jungkook quickly takes the paper, then glances at Leo and I. I raise an eyebrow, a silent question.

"I'd like some privacy," he clears his throat and moves behind a shelf of hung tools. Must be his golden eye trick again. I try to peek around the shelf, but my eyes connect with his and I'm met with a raised brow and a hand motion to go back to where I was. I want to argue, but trust he'll communicate with me later.

I hang onto the cauldron and move my eyes around the shop so as not to make eye contact with the large man behind the counter.

"Who knew there were more freaks like you out there?" He scoffs and I fight not to mock his voice out loud.

"At least there are others that enjoy my companionship," I take a finger and drag it across a wooden shelf, my finger picking up a clump of dust, "Can you say the same?" I gesture to the empty shop. He huffs.

"It's called protecting myself from the same beasts wandering around out there like the two of you," he stands now, his height towering. I glance at him, planning my route of action.

I leap onto the counter and swing on his neck to wrap both of my legs around his waist from behind him, my dagger already held to his throat.

"Now I know you're here," I whisper, "Once we're done, I'll go home and tell all my little beast friends about a man in an abandoned shop in Yndril who doesn't think the world can touch him," I can feel his quiet huffing on my arm, and grit my teeth. 'I could even tell them he's dead, waiting for someone to find him but no one. Ever. Will," I push the dagger even further, a small hole forming in his skin from the tip.

"Vivi!" Jungkook's voice breaks me out of the trance, it's then that I smell the traces of burning. "Don't kill him, but hold him," he places a corner of the paper onto the counter, a corner of it singed. "He's lying."