*Title Change Coming Soon*

Some stories start off like a fairytale.
Some start off mediocre.
Phoebe's started with tragedies.

He was a boy raised by wealth and power.
He became a man of danger and obsession.

Her fire, her spite, her strength, her beauty. It was a trap and he fell right in. 
Consumed by need and desperation.
He’d burn the world for her.
He’d tear down empires.
Rip through Earth.
He would have her or no one else would.

***

~Phoebe
"Get away." I growled. The closer the kidnappers moved, the angrier I got. I yanked on my ties.
He grabbed my face pinching my cheeks hard and went to lean in for a kiss, but I jerked my head away quick, he wasn't prepared, his grip slipped, giving me the opening so, I slammed my forehead into his, hard.
"Ow, fuck, you cunt." he punched me twice, the first hitting me in the eye and the second was across the cheek.
My face ached.
But I won't break.
"Hand me my knife." The man said.
He began slicing up my hoodie. I screamed.
The cold air of the room crept up my exposed skin.
"You're fucking tits are nice." He licked his lips and just as his hand reached for my breast, a loud bang echoed through the room.
"Fuck what was that? Jung, go check it out." The man ordered his friend.
I screamed again. Loud and angry, I needed whoever was up there to hear me. I let all the rage out in one loud roar.
The man slapped me and then back handed me across the face. I felt dizzy after the last one. The world spun a little more, and nausea swirled in the pit of my belly.
The door is busted open and in walks a group of men and that's when I spot him.
Kim Taeyung.
He was standing in the doorway.
I was so happy to see him and then realization struck. He could see me.
My body exposed to him.
I was in a daze. I couldn't hear what was being said.
But he was standing there. He looked mad. So mad. I've never seen anyone look that enraged.
All of a sudden, a fight broke out, bats and pipes went flying. Blood splashed all of the place, like the room was getting a new paint job.
My eyes kept moving around the room at everything going on that I didn't notice Taeyung was now standing by my side and cutting off my restraints.
The man who took me charged at him. Fear ran up my spine, and I tried to untie my rope, but the rope kept moving and my hands wouldn't do what I wanted them to do.
What was going on with me? It was like I couldn't control my own body; everything was off.
I lost consciousness for a moment.

***

~Taeyung~
Phoebe was on a bed; she had rope tied around her wrists and ankles and tied to the bed posts.
Her hoodie had been cut to shreds. Her hair was disheveled and her face red and bloodied and bruised. 
Yet she didn’t look broken.
She looked like an animal ready to snap and devour a man whole.
“Who the fuck are you? What are you doing here?” a man yelled.
“Was this your brilliant idea?” I asked him. My eyes narrow, my face burning with rage. A murderous intent was pooling off me. I wanted to fucking put a bullet between his eyes right now.
“So, what if it was, what are you going to do?” He snapped back at me.
I looked at his men there was about five of them in the room, I’m assuming they were the known associates listed in Mr. Jin’s text to me.
I looked to the men with me and nodded. They spread out from behind me and moved through the room holding their weapons. Taunting them.
“Your buddies won’t be leaving this room alive, and you, I’ll be seeing you later.” The minute I took a step forward my men jumped. Blood splattering everywhere. 
“I’m going to leave my woman now.” 
“The fuck, you think you can just walk in here and take what you want?” Jeong Youngjoon charged at me with a knife. But I stepped to the side, grabbed his wrist and twisted it hard. His bone snapped and shattered. 
“That was stupid.” 
“Fuck you, I’m not scared of you.” He spit at me.
I laughed loudly. “You will be...”

We follow the first crane deeper into the bamboo, and the fog thickens. Suddenly, a massive shadow slams onto the path, a corrupted guardian spirit shaped like a tiger, its stripes glowing with cursed ink.


[{{ - SYSTEM: PHASE 1 OF THE HIDDEN LOTUS TEMPLE: - }}]


"Whoa, this thing's fuckin huge!" Jun Oh squeaks.


"Positions!" Taeyung commands. Like he's in charge.


His voice in combat is a different kind of firm, not harsh, but commanding. It's weirdly attractive and that is a problem I will address... never.


The Mourning Tiger lunges. Taeyung meets it head on, a spear spinning in a whirlwind of glowing strikes. Jun Oh's butterflies swirl around him, healing pulses sparkling. I dart between them, using my martial artist skills, low sweeps, palm strikes, bursts of violent chi.


Chapter 43 - Fried