Page 82 of Gumiho Kiss
She hissed.Did he think a little fire was going to keep her out?She reached inside herself, drawing on as much power as she could until she hit it.That wall.The one she’d fought over and over, the one that had kept her from defeating Hyun Soo in their first fight.
She examined it more closely, determining what it was.It wasn’t weakness—no, it was something much worse than that.
Fear.Fear that the humans would harm her once they learned the truth of what she was.Gumiho.Monster.Other.
“What do we do now?”Min Joon asked from her side.
Chin Sun looked at her friend.A bloody cut marred his cheek, and several bruises were forming along his neck and face.But he peered at her steadily, with all the confidence in the world.Despite knowing what she was.
Or maybe, just maybe, because of it.A human couldn’t win this fight.The goblin was simply too strong.But perhaps a gumiho could.
Sang Mi’s voice brushed at her thoughts.“It’s time you were true to yourself, Unni.”
Chin Sun felt something inside herself snap, and suddenly, she knew what she needed to do.“Stand back, Min Joon.”She took a deep breath and stepped up to the flames.
She shifted into fox form and leaped through, howling as fur and flesh began to burn.
But the power she’d been unable to access before flowed freely now, allowing her to tap into a well deeper than she’d ever imagined.Wasthiswhat it was to be gumiho?This overwhelming strength that seemed almost infinite?She felt her wounds knitting themselves back together, repairing themselves in seconds.
When she opened her eyes, the fire had died away and there stood the goblin, shaking his head even as blood continued to gush from his abdomen.“H-how ...?”
Chin Sun returned to human form and gripped his hanbok, lifting him into the air.She drew back her arm, ready to end this, but he whimpered.“Wait.”
She paused, heat roaring through her veins.“Why should I?”
Sweat beaded on the goblin’s forehead, but then his eyes locked on something behind her.His lips twitched.“Because if you don’t, you won’t have time to save him.”
Chin Sun followed his line of sight.In the distance stood Hyun Soo and Dol Sam.Hyun Soo’s weapon lay on the ground while Dol Sam’s hovered in the air, aimed for Hyun Soo’s torso.
Chin Sun’s heart shattered like glass.
Even at her top speed, there was no way she could cross that distance before Dol Sam’s blade struck its target.No way to stop what was about to happen.Unless?—
Chin Sun sprinted across the mountain, shifting into fox form as she ran.Her body slammed into Dol Sam’s, knocking him to the ground.She landed on his stomach with a groan, relieved to find him unconscious.She pushed herself up and turned to Hyun Soo.
His eyes widened as they took her in, first with shock, then with something that made Chin Sun’s insides go cold.A burst of breath flew from his lips, and he collapsed, Dol Sam’s sword lodged in his chest.
Chapter30
The Revelation
Chin Sun returned to human form in an instant.She rolled Hyun Soo over onto his back.His eyes were slightly open but unfocused, as if he were already far away from here.The blade had pierced deep into the left side of his chest.There wasn’t much blood yet, but she knew as soon as she pulled the sword out, he would?—
She ground her teeth, fighting against the panic gnawing at her insides.He would be fine.He had to be.“Hyun Soo?”
The bodyguard dragged his eyes to hers, a relieved smile stretching over his face.“Chin Sun,” he wheezed, “you’re here.I was so worried ...when you disappeared....So worried that something had happened to you.”
“Shhh, don’t talk,” she cooed, cradling the back of his head.The rain had stopped several minutes ago, but it had been enough to turn the dirt beneath them into slick mud.A thin layer of it coated Hyun Soo’s clothes, spreading to Chin Sun’s as she held him.
“Where did you go?I thought”—he gasped, the sound sending icicles through Chin Sun’s heart—“I thought I saw a goblin.Did ...did it hurt you?”
Chin Sun shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes.This stupid man, worrying about her when he was the one who was dying.Why did he have to be so frustrating!
“I’m fine.I’m completely fine,” she choked out.
Hyun Soo’s eyelids fluttered.“Good.That’s good.”He started to drift off, then jerked, eyes widening.“I saw a gumiho.Did you see it, too?”
Chin Sun held back the sob climbing up her throat.“Yeh, I saw it.”She paused.“What did you think of it?Was it frightening?”
