Free Bloodguilty by K.M. Penemue

like talking; he raised his shoulders high and adjusted his pack. Casimir could hear glass quietly clanking together.
    When they drew near the lake, Casimir saw Inaho's glowing eyes before he saw the rest of her. "Is Garnet still alive?" he whispered in a voice too soft for a human to hear, but he assumed her ears would pick up the words.
    I think so, but they're eating him. Drinking him? They're drinking his blood out of glasses . She yawned, and her pink tongue lolled out. I'll go in first. Let me have a knife.
    Casimir took his Bowie knife from his bag and placed the hilt gently between her teeth. "What are you going to do?"
    Oh, you'll see. Don't worry. Just make sure you go and greet the yuki-onna, all right ? Before Casimir could respond, she darted away, through the long grass, until she neared the house and jumped into an open window.
    "All right," Casimir said, more to himself than to Mikki. "I don't know what she's doing in there—" he paused then, hearing yells of surprise, "—but let's try to take advantage of whatever chaos she's making. Stay outside."
    "Are you out of your fucking—?!"
    "Listen," Casimir interrupted. "I need you to watch my back. I'm going to send your brother out as soon as I can. If any of the vampires get out, I need you to take care of them with that gun."
    "What the hell am I supposed to do if they kill you?" was Mikki's tense response.
    "... If your brother's dead, then burn the whole thing down. If he's alive, get him out, then burn it down. They'll come after you and the Jewel Box. Take care of yourself, and of Garnet." Casimir turned away but stopped when Mikki touched his shoulder.
    "Hey," he said, hesitating before continuing with, "be careful, okay? I'm gonna want to see you again."
    Casimir smiled. "I'll try," he said and moved slowly towards the house. The screams had stopped, and at the nearest window, he could see one of the men that had dragged him was dead on the floor. Jared was looking around frantically, the chain keeping Garnet attached to the table wrapped around his fist. He was still alive.
    When Jared looked away, Casimir climbed into the window, landing as quietly as he could on the floor. He could see his knife under the snow maiden's cage, and he crawled for it, trying to keep low to the floor so Jared wouldn't see him.
    He had forgotten about Lilin—up until the instant she stomped on his injured shoulder. He cried out and tried to roll away, but a foot to the side stopped him. Casimir let her drag him to his feet, then he drove a fist into her throat with enough force to collapse a human windpipe.
    Gasping, Lilin staggered back. Casimir dropped to the floor, fumbling with the gun in his pocket. This time, he was able to get four shots off before she fell on him, dripping blood. She slammed his head against the glass prison, cracks spidering out from around his head before she pounced on him, pouring blood. She had her hands around his throat and squeezed, pulling up as if she could pull his skull from his neck.
    Groping blindly, Casimir felt the knife cut into him when he closed his hand around it. He threw up an arm to block the next punch, despite it shattering bone and making him drop his gun, and brought the other up to slash Lilin's face.
    She was panting now, entire body streaked in red. Lilin was weakening with loss of blood, but she would still be able to overpower him easily. He only had one chance; when she dropped on him again, knees landing on his chest, Casimir brought the knife up. It cracked through her ribs and buried into her heart.
    Lilin cried out and fell back, pawing at the knife. Her hand fell limp, and her body followed, eyes rolling back in her head.
    Wheezing, Casimir used his uninjured arm to pull himself up. He heard a cracking sounds seconds before pain ripped through his chest, making him fall back against the cage. He coughed, tasting copper, and saw movement; Jared was walking towards him with a gun in his hand.
    "I know that's not