"Minjun" Arioch said in a soft voice, he was sitting in the dark when Minjun walked into his office.
Arioch was sitting with this decision for a while, and in his gut, he knew he had to make it. Minjun watched his boss inhale and exhale. The darkness had grown since Marv had been missing, Minjun would catch Arioch staring into the garden or lingering after a cup of blood. But sitting in the darkroom was different and unnerving.
"I need you to do something for me after all this is over," Arioch grunted in pain and pushed a box towards Minjun.
Minjun opened the box and gasped, taking a step back, "No" Arioch ignored him. His eyes were on the gun.
"I need you to burn my body after," Arioch spoke as if they weren't talking about killing him.
The gun had a long barrel with no cases, a long African blackwood with a cross engraved on the handle, and an air vessel sat above the hammer. Minjun didn't want to touch it, let alone use it, especially on Arioch.
"I can't," Minjun Whimpered but Arioch just stared at him.
"You will" Arioch stood, grabbing his cheddar
"Don't mention this to Marv or Nandi" Minjun just nodded, grabbing the gun and left.
….
Marv sat with her head against the steering, tears still running down her face, and cocked a gun in her hand. It had been weeks since she had seen the gothic manor with its lush green hedges, but she was determined that it would be the last time. She wiped the tears from her face and made sure her gun was ready before climbing out of her car and moving towards the mansion.
Her eyes were dead, her face was puffy, and her lips were dry. She spent half of the night reliving old memories and the other half drinking to forget. She stepped onto the veranda, not bothering to hide her scent or sneak into the house. Opening the door, she discovered Minjun bringing a box into the living room as Arioch descended the stairs.
Something distracted him until he caught her scent. "What's that smell?" he asked Minjun, who struggled. "It smells like honey, tropical fruits, coconut water, and deep hot spice." His eyes caught Marv's eyes.
Marv raised the gun and shot him in the middle of his chest. Arioch fell back stiff, Minjun frozen in place, watching his boss fall, and in a deep rage voice, Marv screamed, "KILL ME!!" her voice was raw from crying and not speaking in days. "DRAIN THE LIFE OUT OF ME, SO THERE IS NO WAY I CAN MAKE IT BACK!!," she screamed.
Minjun stood watching the interaction but Arioch just stood, stumbling to his feet "This is not gonna change my feelings on this" he watched the viscous blood wet his maroon kurta, turning it black.
Marv grunted and aimed the gun at him again. "Do you not get angry? Do you not crave revenge?" she hissed, but Arioch just stared at her with pity in his eyes. "HURT ME, KILL ME, PLEASE!!!" she shouted.
Arioch stood and walked towards her. "I don't get angry anymore"
Marv turned to Minjun and pointed the gun at him. "What about him? Huh?" she nudged the gun into his skull.
"He won't die, and neither will I. Did you think this through?" Arioch gasped and shook his head. But the blood kept flowing down his chest. "What's this" he muttered, falling to his knees.
Marv shook her head while a sadistic smile pulled at her lips. "Did you think that I would come unprepared? Why would I kill the only person who can help me?" she explained. "That bullet in your chest will clasp on your flesh. Causing your body to heal slower around the bullet or not at all'' Marv aimed her gun at Minjuin's head again "Now, Kill me or this ends up in his head" Arioch's eyes blurred and his hands were shaking "ANSWER ME" Marv shouted nudging the gun against Minjuin's temple.
Nandi appeared behind Marv, grabbed and pushed her against the wall with both her arms above her head "Woah there princess" Nandi pushed herself against Marv, subtly taking the gun away "Calm down" Marv tried to push her off but Nandi stared her down which almost made Marv break to piece.
"Let me go," she whimpered, defeated, while Nandi's eyes turned to pity.
"Not yet," she said in the softest voice, but all Marv did was slip onto the black marble floor.
With her head lowered, she whispered, "I just don't want to be here anymore," tears dripping down her face.
Nandi kneeled down before the weeping mortal and touched her tears. "it's OK." Nandi wiped her tears and rubbed her back. "You are so weak?" she said, more to herself than the shaking woman before her.
"We have a proposition for you?" Arioch gasped, the pain still shooting through his chest.
Marv looks at Arioch with disbelief. "why would I accept your proposition?" she exhaled, wiping her tears "you won't give me what I want" she stood her feet, stumbling towards him.
"Do this for me and I will," he growled, grabbing his chest.
Nandi moved between "wait" she raised towards Arioch. "I know I was behind this for the sake of the clan, but she doesn't need death, she needs help" Marv just stared at her.
Minjun spoke in a soft whisper, "I agree with Nandi. You can't do this"
Arioch just stared at Marv for a second. "if she is willing to save my clan, then I grant her wish"
"What do I need to do?" Marv asked with desperation in her eyes.