Of Blood and Brooms - Chapter Eleven
Of Blood and Brooms
Chapter Eleven
“What proof do you have?” Kangin growled, clearly not liking the idea that Heechul had presented before them. “Solid proof must been shown before you can invoke that.”
A smile twisted on Heechul’s face, “Even you watch the news, I am sure. How long do you suppose it will be before humans begin to look to the things that go bump in the night for an explanation of the disappearances?”
“And they will find you and yours. Again no concern of ours,” Kangin growled.
“I don’t understand,” Henry whispered to Jessica as they stood silently behind Hankyung.
“The treaty was signed before you moved in,” she whispered back. “The last clause of the treaty says that if the way of life or the existence of any two groups under the treaty is threatened, then all are bound to give assistance in any way necessary.”
“You must have proof,” Hankyung said softly yet firmly.
“Very well,” Heechul snapped. He waved his hand and one of the female vampires stepped forward. Gracefully she moved to stand just in front of Heechul where she waited patiently for something.
“That is Tiffany,” Jessica whispered to him. She had taken time to learn all the names and information about just about everything in the supernatural community, something that seemed more than helpful at times. “She can create illusions so don’t be surprised,” she warned him just before Heechul began speaking again.
“Bodies have already begun to appear in the streets, dead and drained of blood with holes in their neck.” As he spoke an image floated into view just in front of them, obscuring Heechul. It was an incredibly realistic vision of an alley and a body lying just as he had described. Everything looked so real, Henry realized, that he felt as though he could actually walk forward into the alley and touch the body, not that he had any desire to do so.
“My connections are already telling me that people are beginning to cry vampire. Important people. People that could push to uncover the truth about us,” Heechul’s voice continued steady.
“Again, vampire. Your mess. Not ours,” the Alpha growled clearly fed up with all of it.
“Of course not werewolf, I wouldn’t want you to dirty your paws in vampire business. These monstrosities will most certainly be found and very probably more than one will be captured.” The image shifted to show several snarling vampires bound behind bars of silver with engraving on them. Men in what appeared to be white lab coats moved around beyond them.
“With the discovery of vampires, scientists will most certainly begin to take a look at things they have been over looking, such as the slight inconsistencies in a small percentage of blood samples they have. They may simply continue thinking it is an irregularity or they may not.” The image shifted to that of a large white wolf caged behind silver bars beside the vampires. It was curled into a tight ball in the center and its blue eyes watched the moving men in the image with a mixture of anger and despair.
“You threaten my mate,” Kangin snarled, instantly angry.
As quickly as it had appeared, the image disappeared leaving them free to see the room normally once more. Heechul, upon his large chair that Henry thought almost looked like a throne, looked more serious than he had ever seen him. “Peace wolf. I threaten nothing of yours; I only present to you the truth. You asked how this affected you and I have shown you. Two are threatened, three must answer.”
“You offer speculation,” Hankyung cut in before the Alpha could answer. “The humans may not find anything.”
“Perhaps not,” Heechul agreed. “But perhaps they will.”
There was a long pause before Hankyung finally said, “A perhaps, is not a valid enough case to invoke the last clause.” No one said anything to that, and if the vampire had felt any reaction to Hankyung’s words, his face didn’t reflect it.
“Thirty two people are gone,” Zhou mi whispered quietly. He had been standing so silently behind the werewolves that Henry had almost forgotten he was there, but now as he spoke he stepped forward. “Eight have been found dead. More people will die. More innocent people that don’t have any idea what has happened to them.” He stepped forward, moving just beyond the rest of the wolf pack that he had come with. Henry was still learning about all things supernatural, but he knew that what Zhou mi had just done, took some guts.
“I don’t know a lot of magic, and I’m not as strong as a normal werewolf,” Zhou mi’s words were so soft, but they carried a strange power with them that Henry couldn’t describe. “But if you are planning to fight whoever is causing this and stop them, then I will help no matter what some stupid treaty says.” The smallest hint of a smile turned up the corners of Heechul’s mouth.
“Zhou mi,” Kyuhyun hissed moving forward and grabbing the young man’s wrist. “You have no idea what you are agreeing to go up against.”
Zhou mi turned on him with an expression on his face that was angry yet something else at the same time. “You’re right, I might not have the slightest clue what I am going up against, but I do know that I couldn’t live with myself if I just walked away and did nothing.”
“Zhou mi it isn’t our place,” Kangin growled. “You are pack now and this is not.”
Henry felt as though he was watching an intimate family discussion that he shouldn’t be viewing as Zhou mi turned fully to face his Alpha. “People are dying Kangin. People. I know you aren’t old enough or hard enough to not care about that.”
“They are not our-”
“Who gives a fuck whose people they are?!” Zhou mi snapped, his eyes blazing. Henry could feel the tension in the room. It was a death sentence to outright challenge an Alpha yet alone with as much anger and aggression as his friend had. There was a moment where he wondered what everyone else had to be wondering, if Kangin would suddenly spring forward and put Zhou mi in his place.
Then, as a surprise to everyone, Kangin’s mouth twisted into a wicked smile. “It has been a long time since a wolf pack has hunted in Korea, perhaps it is time that they do again.” The words that he spoke had something sinister laced within them, that made Henry shudder involuntarily.
Heechul nodded, clearly satisfied, and turned his attention to Hankyung. Henry waited for the older man, as their mentor and unspoken leader of their coven to speak up but he said nothing, simply looking towards Heechul as if daring him to push for a response. Jessica was standing beside him looking forward, her face trying to keep anything from showing on it. Beyond her Key stood with his hands curled into fists at his sides.
Henry knew there were things that he didn’t understand, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew any fight would be difficult. He knew that there was a very real chance that one or more of them could die. He knew it would be dangerous. He knew that alone the wolves and Heechul’s seethe may be able to win, but he also knew that if they didn’t use their magic to help people than what was the point of having it in the first place.
He didn’t know where he found the courage to step forward so he was standing beside Hankyung instead of behind him, but he had even less idea of where he found the words to express what he wanted to. “I want to help. I might not know a lot about anything yet,” he said quietly, choosing his words in Korean carefully so as to be certain he was understood, “and I might not be very good at fighting, but my Gift is healing and maybe I can help with that.”
“Me too,” Jessica declared as she stepped up beside him. “I do know a thing or two and I’m going to help,” her words left no room for argument as she glanced towards the werewolves then back again.
“Damn it,” Key grumbled. “I guess I had better help too. Onew is going to I’m sure and he can’t brew a potion to save his life,” his friend said, although he didn’t bother to move forward. Henry glanced over at Onew who was kneeling beside a vampire, an idea that he was still adjusting too, but he was watching them with such thankfulness in his expression that it made Henry smile.
“So Death Bringer,” Heechul said softly. “Will you let your young witches go into this alone?”
Hankyung simply grunted not moving from the spot where he was standing. A moment later, although not a word more had been spoken, Heechul reclined back on his large chair with a smug smirk upon his face.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
He had been expecting a display of displeasure when they finally entered a room that had been set aside for them, so he only flinched a bit when Kangin rounded on him and slammed a fist into the wall beside his head in his anger. “Do you even realize what you have done?” the Alpha snarled.
“Yes,” Zhou mi said softly, not cowering as he instinctually wanted to. In the long run a show of fear would not only make things worse for the Alpha but very likely cause his mate to leap into action. He could feel Kyuhyun through their special bond, barely keeping himself from jumping the Alpha for the threat of violence as it was.
“This pack is not a pack of warriors! They will die!” he snarled, his eyes flashing golden. Zhou mi understood then, that what was driving the man wasn’t true anger, it was fear, a very real fear that he couldn’t protect those that he called his.
“Youngwoon,” Leeteuk murmured softly, placing a gentle hand on Kangin’s arm, “that is where you are wrong. There isn’t a wolf in this pack that doesn’t know what it means to fight for their very existence. They are better than any warriors you could ask for, they are survivors.”
Zhou mi had a feeling that if Kangin had felt it would have been acceptable for an Alpha to show any sort of weakness in front of his pack, he would have been displaying a combination of sorrow and fear. As it was his arm simply fell away from the wall beside Zhou mi and he stepped backwards. He wanted to say something, as the Quieter of the pack he felt he should be able to say something, anything to easy his Alpha’s mind, but a sharp tug on his other arm caused him to stumble sideways scattering his thoughts.
With a growl Kyuhyun pressed him against the wall, pinning him there with his body. His mate’s head fell to his shoulder, nose pressing into the soft skin of his neck. He felt the deep puffs of breath there as the werewolf simply breathed him in. Kyuhyun seemed to be doing that more and more lately. “You are going to be the death of me,” Kyuhyun rumbled, his voice rougher than normal. Zhou mi had no doubts that if he could see the eyes of the man against him they would be flecked through with gold at the very least. “I nearly just tried to kill my Alpha for seemingly threatening you, which wouldn’t have ended well by the way, and earlier I was contemplating taking a leap at Heechul for the way he was looking at you.”
“How was he looking at me?” Zhou mi asked before he could stop himself.
“Like he wanted you,” Kyuhyun growled.
“He only wants the idea of your mate,” a new voice said from near the doorway. Kyuhyun immediately snarled and spun, putting himself between Zhou mi and what could be perceived as a threat.
“Peace wolves,” the vampire said, looking carefully past them in a non challenging way. Zhou mi immediately recognized him as the vampire that Ryeowook was a Pet for, Yesung. “I mean you no harm. Heechul sent me to make certain that all is well. He wants you to know that he is giving this room and the rooms attached to you to do anything you like and that you have full run of his home. He thinks it is best if you remain in his home since he is not certain what will happen with the threat for the time being.”
“I want to speak with him without all the damn fanfare,” Kangin growled.
“It will be arranged I am certain, in the mean time would you like me to go get the remainder of your pack?” Yesung offered tiredly.
Kangin was moving forward before anyone could say anything. He pinned the vampire’s unresisting form to a nearby wall with a hand to the throat. “I will kill you,” he growled dangerously, and Zhou mi could see his body starting to shift, the beginnings of his transformation from human to wolf appearing.
“Kangin!” Leeteuk cried sharply, but his near command only seemed to push his Alpha further.
“I meant no harm,” Yesung rasped, hanging limply in the werewolf’s hold. “I was simply going to call them on the phone and ask them to come.”
A growl was his answer, and Leeteuk shifted forward slightly, as if he was readying himself to move if needed. Kangin wasn’t thinking clearly, that much Zhou mi knew. The same Alpha that would lie on the floor just so he wouldn’t be frightened would hardly freak out and try to kill him over wanting to help. Everything was simply getting to the werewolf and putting him on edge. The biggest reason that Zhou mi had offered the pack’s help wasn’t because he felt they should help, because he clearly believed that, but because he knew they needed to bring whatever was happening to an end and quickly.
The pack, just like the rest of the city was on edge and tense. Humans may simply become snappy when on edge, but the term took on a whole new meaning when it came to a pack. Just the previous night Shindong had literally thrown Eunhyuk through a wall after he made a comment about his mate. They had laughed about it afterwards but no one had missed the unusual display of aggression and that was with Kangin taking the majority of it upon himself. Zhou mi could help them by singing, but he could hardly sing forever, so he had done the only thing he thought he could, offer their help to put an end to whatever was causing the trouble.
Softly, because he wanted to calm the Alpha not cripple him, he began to hum, putting calm and peace into the notes as he had been learning to do. Kyuhyun glanced at him, tension slowly easing from his shoulders, but he didn’t move from where he stood. Kangin was panting unmoving, but the changes that had begun in his body had stopped progressing.
“Thank you,” Kangin growled, not sounding thankful in the slightest, “but we will get them ourselves.” Yesung nodded his head slightly and with apparent effort, Kangin released him. The vampire slipped out of the werewolf’s hold and moved slowly towards the door, a wise move, Zhou mi figured, since a werewolf would be likely to take any quick motions as running and instinctually have to give chase.
“I will let Heechul know they are coming,” Yesung said softly. Then he stepped through the door and closed it behind him.
When he was gone Kangin turned and looked back towards his mate. He didn’t say anything but Leeteuk moved forward and embraced him as his features eased back to fully human. “Siwon,” Kangin ordered, not looking up from where he had pressed his face to Leeteuk’s shoulder. He didn’t say anything else, but his second nodded and slipped from the room in understanding. “I’ll be glad,” Kangin growled when he was gone, “when we get to kick some vampire ass.”
No one said anything in response and Zhou mi did the only thing he could think of to help: offer his peace through song.
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Awkward hardly began to describe what it felt like to return to the building the witches called home after having been living with the vampires. It hadn’t even been that long, less than a month, since he had gone to visit with Taemin and found Minho there, but that short time already seemed like a life time. As he walked into the house, intent on picking up the last of his things since he knew he wouldn’t be living there any longer, he felt almost like a stranger.
“If you need any help let me know,” Jessica offered softly. He nodded his thanks, trying not to let it bother him that Hankyung said nothing the entire trip home nor after they arrived, save for declaring the time at which they would be leaving again.
Standing in the doorway to the bedroom he had used, he tried to figure out what he needed to bring. There was so much stuff accumulated in the small space, in such a small amount of time. He didn’t think that Hankyung would do anything with the things he had to leave behind, but he didn’t exactly want to be more of a burden than he already was. Moving to the closet he pulled out the collapsed boxes from the last time he had moved and opened them back to their original shape, sealing off one side with tape.
Clothing he decided was the most important since they had already ruined a fair number of shirts from blood that had unknowingly gotten on them. So far the rest of his wardrobe had escaped harm, but if Minho’s increased strength was any indication, he would be losing a pair of pants here and there at some point in the future. Minho had managed to tear a pair of his jeans in his fervor to get them off Jinki’s body when he had been human, so he imagined it would be even truer now.
He had packed his clothing into two large boxes and was working on sorting out which books he wanted to take with him when Key walked in the room. Without saying a word, Key moved to the book shelf and pulled off a stack of books, bringing them over for Onew’s approval. They hadn’t exactly spoken much at all lately, and Onew wasn’t certain that he completely blamed Key. They had both had a reason to develop a deep hate for vampires and his had seemly evaporated over night. That could hardly make for ease of conversation.
“You’re lucky you know,” Key said softly after several minutes of silent working. He didn’t look up from where he was packing a stack of journals safely in a box.
“What?” Onew asked, surprised as he paused with book in hand and looked up at the young man. He wasn’t certain if he had just heard wrong, or if Key had spoken wrong, but he couldn’t have heard what he thought he did.
“You’re lucky,” Key repeated, picking up another journal and tucking it away safely seemly not wanting to say more.
“For what?” Onew asked tentatively, hoping that perhaps he and Key could finally have a real conversation.
“For having a love so deep that it doesn’t matter what he is. You love him so it doesn’t matter to you. He loves you so he would never do anything, or let anyone do anything to hurt you,” Key replied, reaching for a small ceramic figurine which he began wrapping in a towel.
There was a moment of silence as Onew tried to figure out what to say to that, his fingers running over the smooth binding of the book. “I’m sorry,” he said finally.
“Sorry?” Key asked pausing and looking up at him finally. “What do you have to be sorry for?”
“I have everything that I ever wanted,” Onew replied softly.
Key paused for a moment, studying him then smiled. “You think I’m upset with you don’t you,” he murmured as if he had only just realized. “Upset because you have Minho now and you have chosen to stay with the vampires.”
“We always swore we would kill any vampire we met for what they did to Minho. We hated them together.”
“You’re an idiot,” Key grumbled, turning his attention back to the item he was wrapping in his hands and tucking it away in the box. “What kind of friend would I be if I was angry with you because you chose to spend the rest of your life with the person you love?”
“He still loves you, you know,” Onew said softly and Key stiffened.
“You don’t know that,” he said, not moving.
“I do. We’ve talked about it. It’s killing him that he can’t do anything to help you,” Onew said honestly.
There was a moment in which Key remained unmoving, and then he reached for the next fragile item and wrapped it as well. “Aren’t you breaking some kind of code by telling me that?” Key said with a hint of a grin.
Onew smiled and smoothed his hand over the cover of the book one last time before setting it in the box. “We aren’t women and the man code doesn’t detail instances like that.” Key laughed lightly at that and they feel into companionable silence as they worked.
Key was in the middle of helping him seal a box of books when Onew found the courage to ask the question that had been burning in the back of his mind. “Do you still love him?”
“How could I not?” Key answered immediately. “But that doesn’t change what he did.”
“Key,” Onew reached out and grabbed Key’s arm before he could move away. “He doesn’t understand. You never told him.”
“I never told you,” Key snapped. “Just because some stupid spell went crazy and you got to see what happened, doesn’t mean anything.”
“He doesn’t understand the way you view his leaving, Key. He left to take care of Taemin and he figured you would understand if you ever found out the truth. Taemin is like our little brother. He figured you would have done the same,” Onew told him gently.
“Well he figured wrong,” Key pulled his arm away and turned back to an empty box. They fell into silence again as they finished packing the last of the things into the last box, and taped it shut. When they had finished, they moved the boxes by the door where they could wait to be moved out to the car.
Onew was taking one last look around the room and making sure that he hadn’t forgotten anything of importance when Key spoke so softly that he nearly missed it, “I’ll always love him.”
“Then talk to him,” Onew urged.
“We’ll see,” Key agreed finally gathering one of the smaller boxes in his arms and walking out of the room with it.
Sighing, Onew completed his last circuit around the room. It was the closest he could get Key to agreeing to talk to Jonghyun and for now it would have to do. He paused at a picture hanging on the wall by the door. It had been taken by a passerby shortly after they had moved in under the careful direction of Jessica. Within the wooden flame was the image of all five of them dressed in summer clothing with arms around each other in some fashion. Even Hankyung had an arm around Onew’s shoulder and a hint of a smile on his lips. Onew’s fingers touched the glass lightly as he stared at the picture for a long moment. A part of him felt as though he was leaving behind his family.
“Take it,” a strong voice said from the doorway. “It belongs with you.” Startled Onew turned and saw Hankyung watching him from just outside the room.
“I can’t,” he said simply not wanting to elaborate. Taking it just didn’t seem right.
Hankyung shrugged. “Suit yourself but Jessica will only mail it to you.” He brushed pasted Onew, moving into the room and crossing to the last box that hadn’t been moved towards the door due to its size. Carefully Hankyung bent and then lifted the box. “Come on. We can’t be late, Heechul would have a fit,” Hankyung grumbled as he carried the box out of the room.
The older witch didn’t say anything more but Onew felt that he heard the message loud and clear. No matter what Hankyung thought of his decisions, he accepted them as something that Onew had chosen and didn’t hold that choice against him. With a grin on his face, he picked up a box and walked with it out of the house that had put him back together.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
Neither of the men representing their newest guests looked pleased to be there, but Taemin couldn’t really blame them. It hadn’t been so long since his own feelings about vampires had changed that he had forgotten what they felt like. Still Heechul had changed his mind completely, and he was fairly certain that it wasn’t the vampire that was bothering the men, but the idea of what they may have to do.
“He leaves,” Hankyung growled gruffly looking directly at Taemin.
“My house, my rules,” Heechul replied, dropping his hand to Taemin’s hair and slowly running his fingers through it. The motion was so familiar that it instantly relaxed him and he leaned his head against Heechul’s leg, closing his eyes and trusting the man to care for him.
A normal human would likely find it degrading and humiliating to constantly be sitting on the floor beside the vampire like a slave or an animal, but for him and much of the Supernatural community it was hardly strange. His position was one of honor and one that was dangerous for the Master of a seethe to display. It showed favoritism, that Taemin was a favored member of the seethe and dearly important to the Master. Yesung had explained to him that if anyone wanted to harm Heechul, they would be coming for him, due to the affection shown him. He would grow out of it eventually, but until then he planned to fully enjoy it.
Hankyung must have still appeared displeased because the rough voice of the werewolf growled, “Leave him be.”
Taemin understood why Hankyung wanted him to leave. He hadn’t developed any particular Talent, not like Yesung and Kibum had when they had been changed, but instead anyone near him seemed to have more strength and power with their own Talent. Heechul had explained to him that his Talent may very well be boosting other Talents. Perhaps someday he could learn to boost Heechul without being with him, but for now Heechul needed to be touching him to benefit from his particular skill. If Hankyung knew anything about this, he didn’t say anything further in protest.
“I don’t know much for certain about the opponent we will be facing, however I do know that he is incredibly dangerous,” Heechul began calmly. “He posses the same particular Talent that I do and will very likely have used it on my Child that he still has in his possession.” His fingers tightened in Taemin’s hair for a moment at the mention of Kibum and Taemin rubbed his fingers lightly over Heechul’s exposed ankle trying to offer comfort.
“We can assume that there is nothing that he doesn’t know if Kibum himself knew it. He has been amassing an army of broken vampires much like Minho was, and I expect he is only waiting until he has enough to ensure victory, before coming to claim what he wants,” as he spoke Heechul relaxed and ran his fingers through Taemin’s hair once more.
Taemin heard the rumble of the werewolf’s displeased growl. “I say we go and destroy this bastard before he has the chance to do any more harm.”
“That would be foolish,” Hankyung countered immediately. “To face a vampire on what he has turned into his home territory when he is half expecting it, is suicide.”
“Waiting for him to come up with even more of his monsters is just stupid,” the werewolf countered.
“Tell me wolf,” Heechul said softly, “how many of yours have ever fought a vampire? It will not be other wolves they are going against, but something faster and thirsty for your blood. These vampires will not move with human thoughts but with a vampire’s instinct. Are your wolves prepared for that?”
“Don’t tell me what my wolves can and cannot do Heechul,” the werewolf growled.
“I have no doubts that you would be just fine,” Taemin could hear the smirk in Heechul’s voice, “but the rest of yours have not had the practice. Your Quieter is soft and you know your wolves would fall trying to save him.”
“You cannot have him,” was the growl.
“This is getting us nowhere,” Hankyung said, the closest he could come to telling them to knock it off without making it an order. “Clearly the home field is the advantage. Here we can prepare for him.”
“What difference does it make where we fight? We should take the fight to him,” the werewolf snarled.
“Here we can lay spells that are more powerful because they are grounded in a location. Here we can train and learn the lay of the land. A pack is stronger in their own territory,” Hankyung said gently.
“None of this is my territory.”
“Adapt wolf, you are good at it,” Heechul purred.
There was the sound of wood scraping against wood as one of the chairs was slid roughly against the floor. If Taemin had to guess, since he was loath to open his eyes, it had been the werewolf. Suddenly he could feel the presence of the creature close to them. Fear should have bubbled in him as the proximity of the violent creature, yet pressed against his Maker’s leg, all he felt was calm.
“If anything happens to any of mine because of your foolish decisions, I will destroy what you hold dear.” He could feel the gaze of the werewolf directed at him in threat and he realized that he should feel fear, but nothing but pleasant warmth curled in his mind. He recognized the curl of Heechul there, likely keeping him calm and relaxed as to not spur the werewolf on.
“If it comes to that wolf, we will all already be dead,” Heechul said smoothly.
Taemin could feel the tension for a long moment, then his sensitive ears heard the werewolf storming from the room. ‘Very good my Child,’ Heechul’s voice purred in his mind, radiating pride for his behavior. Taemin opened himself to Heechul and allowed him to feel all that he was feeling, as Heechul had been showing him to do. It was a simple thing for him now.
‘I trust you,’ Taemin replied, projected for Heechul to hear, and he truly did. He trusted Heechul to care for him, to protect him, and to make certain that only the best happened for him. It was a soothing thought even in light of the recent circumstances.
“I am surprised Heechul,” Hankyung said, sounding more relaxed then he had a moment ago now that the werewolf was gone. “A year ago you would have killed him for even thinking of hurting your fledgling.”
“It’s Kangin,” Heechul said as if that explained everything. “If I thought he was serious he would have died, but he would sooner kill his own pack then to harm one of mine as defenseless as Taemin.”
“He is hardly defenseless,” Taemin had to agree with Hankyung’s assessment. He could feel the strength in his body, still new and mostly untapped, but it was there. “He is changing quickly,” Hankyung pointed out. It was strange that the man was being permitted to speak about things that were so close to the vampire in nature, but Heechul didn’t seem to mind. Perhaps it has something to do with the way Heechul wanted the man to trust him.
“He is,” Heechul purred, his fingers moving down the nape of Taemin’s neck and rubbing the skin there. “It is as if he was born for this.”
Hankyung snorted at that, but didn’t say anything to the contrary. “We can create a barrier, to keep him and his monsters in and anyone who may wander this way from noticing what is happening or entering the area.. Other than that my witches will be fighting or staying out of the way, I will not have them holding spells while they are defenseless,” Hankyung said firmly, returning to the matter at hand.
“Actually I was thinking,” Heechul purred using a tone that Taemin recognized as the one he used when he was trying to get his way. Taemin relaxed into the murmur of their voices, content that he was completely and utterly safe in their care.
Chapter Twelve
Masterlist
AN: This fic is beginning to make me have to remind the muses that it is supposed to be focused on SHINee.... the silly things. I still have a lot of stuff planned for this universe including the end of this arc which will probably be around eight to ten more chapters... possibly more depending on where the characters take me... now I'm going to go crawl in a hole and sleep off the rest of whatever this crap I have...
Also if you haven't stopped by the kpop_olymfics be certain to do so! We need all the votes we can get on all of the fics so please head over there and get to voting! (one of my fics will be hidden in there by the time all the posting is done) [and yes I know I keep pimping this out. lol I'm shameless.]
Chapter Eleven
“What proof do you have?” Kangin growled, clearly not liking the idea that Heechul had presented before them. “Solid proof must been shown before you can invoke that.”
A smile twisted on Heechul’s face, “Even you watch the news, I am sure. How long do you suppose it will be before humans begin to look to the things that go bump in the night for an explanation of the disappearances?”
“And they will find you and yours. Again no concern of ours,” Kangin growled.
“I don’t understand,” Henry whispered to Jessica as they stood silently behind Hankyung.
“The treaty was signed before you moved in,” she whispered back. “The last clause of the treaty says that if the way of life or the existence of any two groups under the treaty is threatened, then all are bound to give assistance in any way necessary.”
“You must have proof,” Hankyung said softly yet firmly.
“Very well,” Heechul snapped. He waved his hand and one of the female vampires stepped forward. Gracefully she moved to stand just in front of Heechul where she waited patiently for something.
“That is Tiffany,” Jessica whispered to him. She had taken time to learn all the names and information about just about everything in the supernatural community, something that seemed more than helpful at times. “She can create illusions so don’t be surprised,” she warned him just before Heechul began speaking again.
“Bodies have already begun to appear in the streets, dead and drained of blood with holes in their neck.” As he spoke an image floated into view just in front of them, obscuring Heechul. It was an incredibly realistic vision of an alley and a body lying just as he had described. Everything looked so real, Henry realized, that he felt as though he could actually walk forward into the alley and touch the body, not that he had any desire to do so.
“My connections are already telling me that people are beginning to cry vampire. Important people. People that could push to uncover the truth about us,” Heechul’s voice continued steady.
“Again, vampire. Your mess. Not ours,” the Alpha growled clearly fed up with all of it.
“Of course not werewolf, I wouldn’t want you to dirty your paws in vampire business. These monstrosities will most certainly be found and very probably more than one will be captured.” The image shifted to show several snarling vampires bound behind bars of silver with engraving on them. Men in what appeared to be white lab coats moved around beyond them.
“With the discovery of vampires, scientists will most certainly begin to take a look at things they have been over looking, such as the slight inconsistencies in a small percentage of blood samples they have. They may simply continue thinking it is an irregularity or they may not.” The image shifted to that of a large white wolf caged behind silver bars beside the vampires. It was curled into a tight ball in the center and its blue eyes watched the moving men in the image with a mixture of anger and despair.
“You threaten my mate,” Kangin snarled, instantly angry.
As quickly as it had appeared, the image disappeared leaving them free to see the room normally once more. Heechul, upon his large chair that Henry thought almost looked like a throne, looked more serious than he had ever seen him. “Peace wolf. I threaten nothing of yours; I only present to you the truth. You asked how this affected you and I have shown you. Two are threatened, three must answer.”
“You offer speculation,” Hankyung cut in before the Alpha could answer. “The humans may not find anything.”
“Perhaps not,” Heechul agreed. “But perhaps they will.”
There was a long pause before Hankyung finally said, “A perhaps, is not a valid enough case to invoke the last clause.” No one said anything to that, and if the vampire had felt any reaction to Hankyung’s words, his face didn’t reflect it.
“Thirty two people are gone,” Zhou mi whispered quietly. He had been standing so silently behind the werewolves that Henry had almost forgotten he was there, but now as he spoke he stepped forward. “Eight have been found dead. More people will die. More innocent people that don’t have any idea what has happened to them.” He stepped forward, moving just beyond the rest of the wolf pack that he had come with. Henry was still learning about all things supernatural, but he knew that what Zhou mi had just done, took some guts.
“I don’t know a lot of magic, and I’m not as strong as a normal werewolf,” Zhou mi’s words were so soft, but they carried a strange power with them that Henry couldn’t describe. “But if you are planning to fight whoever is causing this and stop them, then I will help no matter what some stupid treaty says.” The smallest hint of a smile turned up the corners of Heechul’s mouth.
“Zhou mi,” Kyuhyun hissed moving forward and grabbing the young man’s wrist. “You have no idea what you are agreeing to go up against.”
Zhou mi turned on him with an expression on his face that was angry yet something else at the same time. “You’re right, I might not have the slightest clue what I am going up against, but I do know that I couldn’t live with myself if I just walked away and did nothing.”
“Zhou mi it isn’t our place,” Kangin growled. “You are pack now and this is not.”
Henry felt as though he was watching an intimate family discussion that he shouldn’t be viewing as Zhou mi turned fully to face his Alpha. “People are dying Kangin. People. I know you aren’t old enough or hard enough to not care about that.”
“They are not our-”
“Who gives a fuck whose people they are?!” Zhou mi snapped, his eyes blazing. Henry could feel the tension in the room. It was a death sentence to outright challenge an Alpha yet alone with as much anger and aggression as his friend had. There was a moment where he wondered what everyone else had to be wondering, if Kangin would suddenly spring forward and put Zhou mi in his place.
Then, as a surprise to everyone, Kangin’s mouth twisted into a wicked smile. “It has been a long time since a wolf pack has hunted in Korea, perhaps it is time that they do again.” The words that he spoke had something sinister laced within them, that made Henry shudder involuntarily.
Heechul nodded, clearly satisfied, and turned his attention to Hankyung. Henry waited for the older man, as their mentor and unspoken leader of their coven to speak up but he said nothing, simply looking towards Heechul as if daring him to push for a response. Jessica was standing beside him looking forward, her face trying to keep anything from showing on it. Beyond her Key stood with his hands curled into fists at his sides.
Henry knew there were things that he didn’t understand, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew any fight would be difficult. He knew that there was a very real chance that one or more of them could die. He knew it would be dangerous. He knew that alone the wolves and Heechul’s seethe may be able to win, but he also knew that if they didn’t use their magic to help people than what was the point of having it in the first place.
He didn’t know where he found the courage to step forward so he was standing beside Hankyung instead of behind him, but he had even less idea of where he found the words to express what he wanted to. “I want to help. I might not know a lot about anything yet,” he said quietly, choosing his words in Korean carefully so as to be certain he was understood, “and I might not be very good at fighting, but my Gift is healing and maybe I can help with that.”
“Me too,” Jessica declared as she stepped up beside him. “I do know a thing or two and I’m going to help,” her words left no room for argument as she glanced towards the werewolves then back again.
“Damn it,” Key grumbled. “I guess I had better help too. Onew is going to I’m sure and he can’t brew a potion to save his life,” his friend said, although he didn’t bother to move forward. Henry glanced over at Onew who was kneeling beside a vampire, an idea that he was still adjusting too, but he was watching them with such thankfulness in his expression that it made Henry smile.
“So Death Bringer,” Heechul said softly. “Will you let your young witches go into this alone?”
Hankyung simply grunted not moving from the spot where he was standing. A moment later, although not a word more had been spoken, Heechul reclined back on his large chair with a smug smirk upon his face.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
He had been expecting a display of displeasure when they finally entered a room that had been set aside for them, so he only flinched a bit when Kangin rounded on him and slammed a fist into the wall beside his head in his anger. “Do you even realize what you have done?” the Alpha snarled.
“Yes,” Zhou mi said softly, not cowering as he instinctually wanted to. In the long run a show of fear would not only make things worse for the Alpha but very likely cause his mate to leap into action. He could feel Kyuhyun through their special bond, barely keeping himself from jumping the Alpha for the threat of violence as it was.
“This pack is not a pack of warriors! They will die!” he snarled, his eyes flashing golden. Zhou mi understood then, that what was driving the man wasn’t true anger, it was fear, a very real fear that he couldn’t protect those that he called his.
“Youngwoon,” Leeteuk murmured softly, placing a gentle hand on Kangin’s arm, “that is where you are wrong. There isn’t a wolf in this pack that doesn’t know what it means to fight for their very existence. They are better than any warriors you could ask for, they are survivors.”
Zhou mi had a feeling that if Kangin had felt it would have been acceptable for an Alpha to show any sort of weakness in front of his pack, he would have been displaying a combination of sorrow and fear. As it was his arm simply fell away from the wall beside Zhou mi and he stepped backwards. He wanted to say something, as the Quieter of the pack he felt he should be able to say something, anything to easy his Alpha’s mind, but a sharp tug on his other arm caused him to stumble sideways scattering his thoughts.
With a growl Kyuhyun pressed him against the wall, pinning him there with his body. His mate’s head fell to his shoulder, nose pressing into the soft skin of his neck. He felt the deep puffs of breath there as the werewolf simply breathed him in. Kyuhyun seemed to be doing that more and more lately. “You are going to be the death of me,” Kyuhyun rumbled, his voice rougher than normal. Zhou mi had no doubts that if he could see the eyes of the man against him they would be flecked through with gold at the very least. “I nearly just tried to kill my Alpha for seemingly threatening you, which wouldn’t have ended well by the way, and earlier I was contemplating taking a leap at Heechul for the way he was looking at you.”
“How was he looking at me?” Zhou mi asked before he could stop himself.
“Like he wanted you,” Kyuhyun growled.
“He only wants the idea of your mate,” a new voice said from near the doorway. Kyuhyun immediately snarled and spun, putting himself between Zhou mi and what could be perceived as a threat.
“Peace wolves,” the vampire said, looking carefully past them in a non challenging way. Zhou mi immediately recognized him as the vampire that Ryeowook was a Pet for, Yesung. “I mean you no harm. Heechul sent me to make certain that all is well. He wants you to know that he is giving this room and the rooms attached to you to do anything you like and that you have full run of his home. He thinks it is best if you remain in his home since he is not certain what will happen with the threat for the time being.”
“I want to speak with him without all the damn fanfare,” Kangin growled.
“It will be arranged I am certain, in the mean time would you like me to go get the remainder of your pack?” Yesung offered tiredly.
Kangin was moving forward before anyone could say anything. He pinned the vampire’s unresisting form to a nearby wall with a hand to the throat. “I will kill you,” he growled dangerously, and Zhou mi could see his body starting to shift, the beginnings of his transformation from human to wolf appearing.
“Kangin!” Leeteuk cried sharply, but his near command only seemed to push his Alpha further.
“I meant no harm,” Yesung rasped, hanging limply in the werewolf’s hold. “I was simply going to call them on the phone and ask them to come.”
A growl was his answer, and Leeteuk shifted forward slightly, as if he was readying himself to move if needed. Kangin wasn’t thinking clearly, that much Zhou mi knew. The same Alpha that would lie on the floor just so he wouldn’t be frightened would hardly freak out and try to kill him over wanting to help. Everything was simply getting to the werewolf and putting him on edge. The biggest reason that Zhou mi had offered the pack’s help wasn’t because he felt they should help, because he clearly believed that, but because he knew they needed to bring whatever was happening to an end and quickly.
The pack, just like the rest of the city was on edge and tense. Humans may simply become snappy when on edge, but the term took on a whole new meaning when it came to a pack. Just the previous night Shindong had literally thrown Eunhyuk through a wall after he made a comment about his mate. They had laughed about it afterwards but no one had missed the unusual display of aggression and that was with Kangin taking the majority of it upon himself. Zhou mi could help them by singing, but he could hardly sing forever, so he had done the only thing he thought he could, offer their help to put an end to whatever was causing the trouble.
Softly, because he wanted to calm the Alpha not cripple him, he began to hum, putting calm and peace into the notes as he had been learning to do. Kyuhyun glanced at him, tension slowly easing from his shoulders, but he didn’t move from where he stood. Kangin was panting unmoving, but the changes that had begun in his body had stopped progressing.
“Thank you,” Kangin growled, not sounding thankful in the slightest, “but we will get them ourselves.” Yesung nodded his head slightly and with apparent effort, Kangin released him. The vampire slipped out of the werewolf’s hold and moved slowly towards the door, a wise move, Zhou mi figured, since a werewolf would be likely to take any quick motions as running and instinctually have to give chase.
“I will let Heechul know they are coming,” Yesung said softly. Then he stepped through the door and closed it behind him.
When he was gone Kangin turned and looked back towards his mate. He didn’t say anything but Leeteuk moved forward and embraced him as his features eased back to fully human. “Siwon,” Kangin ordered, not looking up from where he had pressed his face to Leeteuk’s shoulder. He didn’t say anything else, but his second nodded and slipped from the room in understanding. “I’ll be glad,” Kangin growled when he was gone, “when we get to kick some vampire ass.”
No one said anything in response and Zhou mi did the only thing he could think of to help: offer his peace through song.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
Awkward hardly began to describe what it felt like to return to the building the witches called home after having been living with the vampires. It hadn’t even been that long, less than a month, since he had gone to visit with Taemin and found Minho there, but that short time already seemed like a life time. As he walked into the house, intent on picking up the last of his things since he knew he wouldn’t be living there any longer, he felt almost like a stranger.
“If you need any help let me know,” Jessica offered softly. He nodded his thanks, trying not to let it bother him that Hankyung said nothing the entire trip home nor after they arrived, save for declaring the time at which they would be leaving again.
Standing in the doorway to the bedroom he had used, he tried to figure out what he needed to bring. There was so much stuff accumulated in the small space, in such a small amount of time. He didn’t think that Hankyung would do anything with the things he had to leave behind, but he didn’t exactly want to be more of a burden than he already was. Moving to the closet he pulled out the collapsed boxes from the last time he had moved and opened them back to their original shape, sealing off one side with tape.
Clothing he decided was the most important since they had already ruined a fair number of shirts from blood that had unknowingly gotten on them. So far the rest of his wardrobe had escaped harm, but if Minho’s increased strength was any indication, he would be losing a pair of pants here and there at some point in the future. Minho had managed to tear a pair of his jeans in his fervor to get them off Jinki’s body when he had been human, so he imagined it would be even truer now.
He had packed his clothing into two large boxes and was working on sorting out which books he wanted to take with him when Key walked in the room. Without saying a word, Key moved to the book shelf and pulled off a stack of books, bringing them over for Onew’s approval. They hadn’t exactly spoken much at all lately, and Onew wasn’t certain that he completely blamed Key. They had both had a reason to develop a deep hate for vampires and his had seemly evaporated over night. That could hardly make for ease of conversation.
“You’re lucky you know,” Key said softly after several minutes of silent working. He didn’t look up from where he was packing a stack of journals safely in a box.
“What?” Onew asked, surprised as he paused with book in hand and looked up at the young man. He wasn’t certain if he had just heard wrong, or if Key had spoken wrong, but he couldn’t have heard what he thought he did.
“You’re lucky,” Key repeated, picking up another journal and tucking it away safely seemly not wanting to say more.
“For what?” Onew asked tentatively, hoping that perhaps he and Key could finally have a real conversation.
“For having a love so deep that it doesn’t matter what he is. You love him so it doesn’t matter to you. He loves you so he would never do anything, or let anyone do anything to hurt you,” Key replied, reaching for a small ceramic figurine which he began wrapping in a towel.
There was a moment of silence as Onew tried to figure out what to say to that, his fingers running over the smooth binding of the book. “I’m sorry,” he said finally.
“Sorry?” Key asked pausing and looking up at him finally. “What do you have to be sorry for?”
“I have everything that I ever wanted,” Onew replied softly.
Key paused for a moment, studying him then smiled. “You think I’m upset with you don’t you,” he murmured as if he had only just realized. “Upset because you have Minho now and you have chosen to stay with the vampires.”
“We always swore we would kill any vampire we met for what they did to Minho. We hated them together.”
“You’re an idiot,” Key grumbled, turning his attention back to the item he was wrapping in his hands and tucking it away in the box. “What kind of friend would I be if I was angry with you because you chose to spend the rest of your life with the person you love?”
“He still loves you, you know,” Onew said softly and Key stiffened.
“You don’t know that,” he said, not moving.
“I do. We’ve talked about it. It’s killing him that he can’t do anything to help you,” Onew said honestly.
There was a moment in which Key remained unmoving, and then he reached for the next fragile item and wrapped it as well. “Aren’t you breaking some kind of code by telling me that?” Key said with a hint of a grin.
Onew smiled and smoothed his hand over the cover of the book one last time before setting it in the box. “We aren’t women and the man code doesn’t detail instances like that.” Key laughed lightly at that and they feel into companionable silence as they worked.
Key was in the middle of helping him seal a box of books when Onew found the courage to ask the question that had been burning in the back of his mind. “Do you still love him?”
“How could I not?” Key answered immediately. “But that doesn’t change what he did.”
“Key,” Onew reached out and grabbed Key’s arm before he could move away. “He doesn’t understand. You never told him.”
“I never told you,” Key snapped. “Just because some stupid spell went crazy and you got to see what happened, doesn’t mean anything.”
“He doesn’t understand the way you view his leaving, Key. He left to take care of Taemin and he figured you would understand if you ever found out the truth. Taemin is like our little brother. He figured you would have done the same,” Onew told him gently.
“Well he figured wrong,” Key pulled his arm away and turned back to an empty box. They fell into silence again as they finished packing the last of the things into the last box, and taped it shut. When they had finished, they moved the boxes by the door where they could wait to be moved out to the car.
Onew was taking one last look around the room and making sure that he hadn’t forgotten anything of importance when Key spoke so softly that he nearly missed it, “I’ll always love him.”
“Then talk to him,” Onew urged.
“We’ll see,” Key agreed finally gathering one of the smaller boxes in his arms and walking out of the room with it.
Sighing, Onew completed his last circuit around the room. It was the closest he could get Key to agreeing to talk to Jonghyun and for now it would have to do. He paused at a picture hanging on the wall by the door. It had been taken by a passerby shortly after they had moved in under the careful direction of Jessica. Within the wooden flame was the image of all five of them dressed in summer clothing with arms around each other in some fashion. Even Hankyung had an arm around Onew’s shoulder and a hint of a smile on his lips. Onew’s fingers touched the glass lightly as he stared at the picture for a long moment. A part of him felt as though he was leaving behind his family.
“Take it,” a strong voice said from the doorway. “It belongs with you.” Startled Onew turned and saw Hankyung watching him from just outside the room.
“I can’t,” he said simply not wanting to elaborate. Taking it just didn’t seem right.
Hankyung shrugged. “Suit yourself but Jessica will only mail it to you.” He brushed pasted Onew, moving into the room and crossing to the last box that hadn’t been moved towards the door due to its size. Carefully Hankyung bent and then lifted the box. “Come on. We can’t be late, Heechul would have a fit,” Hankyung grumbled as he carried the box out of the room.
The older witch didn’t say anything more but Onew felt that he heard the message loud and clear. No matter what Hankyung thought of his decisions, he accepted them as something that Onew had chosen and didn’t hold that choice against him. With a grin on his face, he picked up a box and walked with it out of the house that had put him back together.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
Neither of the men representing their newest guests looked pleased to be there, but Taemin couldn’t really blame them. It hadn’t been so long since his own feelings about vampires had changed that he had forgotten what they felt like. Still Heechul had changed his mind completely, and he was fairly certain that it wasn’t the vampire that was bothering the men, but the idea of what they may have to do.
“He leaves,” Hankyung growled gruffly looking directly at Taemin.
“My house, my rules,” Heechul replied, dropping his hand to Taemin’s hair and slowly running his fingers through it. The motion was so familiar that it instantly relaxed him and he leaned his head against Heechul’s leg, closing his eyes and trusting the man to care for him.
A normal human would likely find it degrading and humiliating to constantly be sitting on the floor beside the vampire like a slave or an animal, but for him and much of the Supernatural community it was hardly strange. His position was one of honor and one that was dangerous for the Master of a seethe to display. It showed favoritism, that Taemin was a favored member of the seethe and dearly important to the Master. Yesung had explained to him that if anyone wanted to harm Heechul, they would be coming for him, due to the affection shown him. He would grow out of it eventually, but until then he planned to fully enjoy it.
Hankyung must have still appeared displeased because the rough voice of the werewolf growled, “Leave him be.”
Taemin understood why Hankyung wanted him to leave. He hadn’t developed any particular Talent, not like Yesung and Kibum had when they had been changed, but instead anyone near him seemed to have more strength and power with their own Talent. Heechul had explained to him that his Talent may very well be boosting other Talents. Perhaps someday he could learn to boost Heechul without being with him, but for now Heechul needed to be touching him to benefit from his particular skill. If Hankyung knew anything about this, he didn’t say anything further in protest.
“I don’t know much for certain about the opponent we will be facing, however I do know that he is incredibly dangerous,” Heechul began calmly. “He posses the same particular Talent that I do and will very likely have used it on my Child that he still has in his possession.” His fingers tightened in Taemin’s hair for a moment at the mention of Kibum and Taemin rubbed his fingers lightly over Heechul’s exposed ankle trying to offer comfort.
“We can assume that there is nothing that he doesn’t know if Kibum himself knew it. He has been amassing an army of broken vampires much like Minho was, and I expect he is only waiting until he has enough to ensure victory, before coming to claim what he wants,” as he spoke Heechul relaxed and ran his fingers through Taemin’s hair once more.
Taemin heard the rumble of the werewolf’s displeased growl. “I say we go and destroy this bastard before he has the chance to do any more harm.”
“That would be foolish,” Hankyung countered immediately. “To face a vampire on what he has turned into his home territory when he is half expecting it, is suicide.”
“Waiting for him to come up with even more of his monsters is just stupid,” the werewolf countered.
“Tell me wolf,” Heechul said softly, “how many of yours have ever fought a vampire? It will not be other wolves they are going against, but something faster and thirsty for your blood. These vampires will not move with human thoughts but with a vampire’s instinct. Are your wolves prepared for that?”
“Don’t tell me what my wolves can and cannot do Heechul,” the werewolf growled.
“I have no doubts that you would be just fine,” Taemin could hear the smirk in Heechul’s voice, “but the rest of yours have not had the practice. Your Quieter is soft and you know your wolves would fall trying to save him.”
“You cannot have him,” was the growl.
“This is getting us nowhere,” Hankyung said, the closest he could come to telling them to knock it off without making it an order. “Clearly the home field is the advantage. Here we can prepare for him.”
“What difference does it make where we fight? We should take the fight to him,” the werewolf snarled.
“Here we can lay spells that are more powerful because they are grounded in a location. Here we can train and learn the lay of the land. A pack is stronger in their own territory,” Hankyung said gently.
“None of this is my territory.”
“Adapt wolf, you are good at it,” Heechul purred.
There was the sound of wood scraping against wood as one of the chairs was slid roughly against the floor. If Taemin had to guess, since he was loath to open his eyes, it had been the werewolf. Suddenly he could feel the presence of the creature close to them. Fear should have bubbled in him as the proximity of the violent creature, yet pressed against his Maker’s leg, all he felt was calm.
“If anything happens to any of mine because of your foolish decisions, I will destroy what you hold dear.” He could feel the gaze of the werewolf directed at him in threat and he realized that he should feel fear, but nothing but pleasant warmth curled in his mind. He recognized the curl of Heechul there, likely keeping him calm and relaxed as to not spur the werewolf on.
“If it comes to that wolf, we will all already be dead,” Heechul said smoothly.
Taemin could feel the tension for a long moment, then his sensitive ears heard the werewolf storming from the room. ‘Very good my Child,’ Heechul’s voice purred in his mind, radiating pride for his behavior. Taemin opened himself to Heechul and allowed him to feel all that he was feeling, as Heechul had been showing him to do. It was a simple thing for him now.
‘I trust you,’ Taemin replied, projected for Heechul to hear, and he truly did. He trusted Heechul to care for him, to protect him, and to make certain that only the best happened for him. It was a soothing thought even in light of the recent circumstances.
“I am surprised Heechul,” Hankyung said, sounding more relaxed then he had a moment ago now that the werewolf was gone. “A year ago you would have killed him for even thinking of hurting your fledgling.”
“It’s Kangin,” Heechul said as if that explained everything. “If I thought he was serious he would have died, but he would sooner kill his own pack then to harm one of mine as defenseless as Taemin.”
“He is hardly defenseless,” Taemin had to agree with Hankyung’s assessment. He could feel the strength in his body, still new and mostly untapped, but it was there. “He is changing quickly,” Hankyung pointed out. It was strange that the man was being permitted to speak about things that were so close to the vampire in nature, but Heechul didn’t seem to mind. Perhaps it has something to do with the way Heechul wanted the man to trust him.
“He is,” Heechul purred, his fingers moving down the nape of Taemin’s neck and rubbing the skin there. “It is as if he was born for this.”
Hankyung snorted at that, but didn’t say anything to the contrary. “We can create a barrier, to keep him and his monsters in and anyone who may wander this way from noticing what is happening or entering the area.. Other than that my witches will be fighting or staying out of the way, I will not have them holding spells while they are defenseless,” Hankyung said firmly, returning to the matter at hand.
“Actually I was thinking,” Heechul purred using a tone that Taemin recognized as the one he used when he was trying to get his way. Taemin relaxed into the murmur of their voices, content that he was completely and utterly safe in their care.
Chapter Twelve
Masterlist
AN: This fic is beginning to make me have to remind the muses that it is supposed to be focused on SHINee.... the silly things. I still have a lot of stuff planned for this universe including the end of this arc which will probably be around eight to ten more chapters... possibly more depending on where the characters take me... now I'm going to go crawl in a hole and sleep off the rest of whatever this crap I have...
Also if you haven't stopped by the kpop_olymfics be certain to do so! We need all the votes we can get on all of the fics so please head over there and get to voting! (one of my fics will be hidden in there by the time all the posting is done) [and yes I know I keep pimping this out. lol I'm shameless.]