[SuJu - Various] Unstillbare Gier (5/?)
Pairing: SiHanChul, KyuMiMin, YeWook
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 3564
Summary: They had never known fun nights out could end them up entangled in a game far more dangerous than their imagination allowed. (Vampire AU)
Notes: Collaboration with onewhomust @ ategoto
[Part 1], [Part 2], [Part 3], [Part 4], [Part 5], [Part 6], [Part 7], [Part 8], [Part 9]
They were looking for danger, thought Leeteuk. The shadows offered them little cover to Leeteuk's sharp eyes as he tracked their movement through the alleyway. Siwon hadn't been difficult to find, even if Kyuhyun hadn't necessarily wanted to give up the information. Kibum certainly knew how to make the boy talk. It'd probably be safer for Kyuhyun if he would just accept that.
Leeteuk sped up his pace as Siwon and the other boy-- Donghae, Kyuhyun had told him-- made a quick turn, darting into another, even dark alleyway. It seemed they at least had enough brains not to travel alone now, but even together the two wouldn't fare well against even a recently turned vampire. Except Siwon had the cross across his neck, noted Leeteuk. He could feel its presence even as far away from the two as he was, a heavy weight against his mind that he couldn't block out. It was probably that cross that had managed to keep the boy safe thus far, one of the smartest ways to do so.
The sound of voices drew Leeteuk as close as he dared, pressing himself against the wall with practiced stealth.
"-- his name is Heechul, a red-head. Pretty face. Frequents a club called The Eglantine. It's nearby."
"No idea, kid," replied a gruff voice. Leeteuk chanced a glance. An old homeless man. Probably wouldn't know anything about Heechul's group then. Or Kibum's. Siwon and Donghae were just wasting their time talk to him, but that was a good thing, both for the clans involved and for Siwon and Donghae.
"Are you sure? What about a tall Chinese guy? Zhou Mi?"
The homeless man cleared his throat, thinking. "Tall, you say? I think I saw him running down here with some other boy a while ago..." The old man trailed off, considering the situation. Leeteuk unconsciously bit on his lip, drawing blood. So the man did know something. "I can't seem to remember too much right now, though."
There were rustling noises as Leeteuk watched Siwon fumble with his wallet, pressing some crumbled bills into the other man's outstretched hand. Leeteuk rolled his eyes. People taking advantage of those that were just looking for their friends. Even the humans in this world were heartless people. No different than the vampires. But it was probably for the best; maybe Siwon and Donghae would run out of money before they got too much information.
"There were two kids running around yelling about some clothes or something... I don't know anything about that kinda stuff. The shorter one called the tall guy Zhou Mi. The other one had pink hair. You could probably see it from a mile away. Don't know his name, though."
Donghae shifted, and Leeteuk could see him look uncomfortable. "Is that all? Fashion? Anything about where they were from, what they were up to?"
"Nope. Nothing else."
Siwon and Donghae thanked the man, who just shrugged them of, before continuing along the alley. Leeteuk followed the two out to a bigger street, relief washing over him. They hadn't found out anything too dire. Sungmin and Zhou Mi liked to steal clothes, but that was nothing new. And it wouldn't lead them to Kibum's group, which was the most important thing. If they found out too much, they were dead. And Leeteuk would hate to see that, the killing of innocents just because they were looking for the ones they cared about.
"They could have been buying new mafia suits..." Leeteuk heard Donghae say, and he forced himself not to laugh. The mafia? Maybe there shouldn't be any worry that these two might find something out. They didn't seem to have the brains to be able to.
"What kind of mafia member has pink hair?" snapped Siwon. Well, maybe one of them knew what they were talking about, at least. "But it gives a few more clues."
Leeteuk's eyes widened, and he picked up his pace to get into a better position to hear. What kind of clues had Siwon been able to pick up from that?
Donghae seemed equally confused with the way he asked "What?"
Siwon sighed, running a hand through his hair, as if calculating their next move. "They like fashion. One of them has pink hair-- that isn't easily forgettable. Tomorrow we can check all of the clothing stores in the area, and see what we can find out. If we can at least get another name, it'll help. Anything could be a clue at this point."
They were smart after all, thought Leeteuk. Maybe they didn't know what exactly they were looking for, and maybe they were missing the bigger picture for now, but there was the potential for them to uncover everything. Leeteuk cursed to himself. He'd have to watch them more closely now. And if necessary, interfere.
-
That really had been it. It was one thing for Kibum to contuinuously force him into things he didn't particularly want to do, but ratting out his friends and quite possibly sealing their fate was one step too far. Several steps, actually, because if his inability to resist his so-called 'Sire' led to two of his best friends killed Kyuhyun would never be able to forgive himself.
Hyukjae had explained it to him that night, the bond a vampire created with someone he sired; a bond that somehow made it almost irresistible for the childe to follow its master's wishes. It was rather disgusting to even hear about, but to have the done to himself... he had never been big on hating people, but with Kibum to keep doing that to him he was certainly getting close. Mind rape, was the most fitting description Kyuhyun had found for it, and even though the other vampire had flinched, he had offered no words of objection. It certainly explained why Hankyung had never tried to contact them, though, but Kyuhyun kept those thoughts to himself. It was better if those people did not know he was still rather attached to his flatmate.
Either way, even if he himself and Hankyung were already lost, he just had to make sure nothing happened to Siwon and Donghae. Especially since it would be his own fault.
Sneaking out of the house had not been easy. It was like Kibum had assigned his lackeys to keep watch over him while he was out or something, as if he already had his suspicions about Kyuhyun attempting to get away. He had been right about it, too. But at the same time he had severely underestimated Kyuhyun - he hadn't been at the top of his classes for nothing.
There was a time, shortly after dusk, when most of the other vampires were still asleep and he had used precisely that moment to get out. It had been risky; one wrong move and he'd have had five angry vampires on his tail - Kibum had luckily disappeared somewhere the night before - but Kyuhyun had known how to be cautious.
He had been tempted to leave some sort of taunting message on the dining table - they didn't just fail at gaming, they sucked in real life too - but that would just have alerted them to his absence quicker. Like this it was likely they thought he was just sulking and refusing to leave the room he'd been given. To show his good will, Kibum had said, and Kyuhyun had been unable to bite back a hollow laugh. First the man had killed him, then kidnapped him, made him betray his friends, and then he spoke of "good will". It was ridiculous.
A good twenty minutes later, he finally found himself back on a main street, sighing in relief. If they found him now they would only rouse suspicion by dragging him off. The only thing he had to figure out now was how to contact Siwon and Donghae. If everything was still the way it had been those two would be out searching and he did not have his cell phone to try and call them - nor did he have money to try a paid phone.
Going back to the apartment was a no-go, too; surely it was going to be watched, now that he'd been made to tell Kibum where it was.
Which left looking for them as the only other option. At least he had some experience in that, and this time he even knew the people he was looking for were still alive. Unless someone had changed his mind. In which case he was going to plot the man's bloody demise.
Lips set into a grim line he made his way off, back to the darker parts of the city. It was dangerous, yes, but not as dangerous as things were going to be for Siwon and Donghae if things went on this way.
An hour into it made Kyuhyun almost wish for one of those cursed powers they told him vampires developed over time, but then that would just mean one more step towards inhumanity. And it was bad enough as it was, what with not being able to go out in the sun or, heck, even living on normal food. The first time they had fed him blood he had almost puked it right back out - Kyuhyun dreaded the day they would make him suck it out of a real, human being. Well, hopefully that day would never come, now that he had managed to get away.
With a sigh he rounded another corner, only to find himself face-to-face with two people who absolutely and distinctly did not look like they belonged into dark alleys. And, more importantly, who had a very certain smell to them that he had almost gotten used to since the day he'd been turned.
Vampires.
Almost letting out a choked curse Kyuhyun took a step back when one of the men broke into a smile that threatened to split his face in two if he kept it up. "Sungmin, isn't that Kibum's new kid?"
If they knew about him it was probably worse than he had initially thought. Some members of that guy's clan that he hadn't met, or maybe even worse, of Heechul's clan. They were literally going to take him apart if that was the case. Kyuhyun was not going to wait around to find out. Instead, he turned to run.
He didn't even make it three steps before a hand closed around his upper arm, spinning him around to face the shorter one of the two - Sungmin, he recalled.
"I'm surprised Kibum is even letting you out on your own," the guy smiled at him, almost reassuringly, but there was an edge to it, one that made Kyuhyun want to squirm and get away before it was too late. "Our Hankyungie was rather furious when he heard you'd been taken, you know. But I'm glad, it means we get to play with your little clan."
Kyuhyun shivered. Yes, there definitely was malice hidden away in that cutesy smile, he was just lucky - or unlucky - enough to be quick on the uptake. It did not fit the guy at all. Pink clothes, pink hair - Who the fuck has pink hair?, his brain helpfully provided - and if the outer image got any cuter the guy was probably going to start glittering. Which was all kinds of ironic, considering the pop culture lately.
"I think you're scaring him." Kyuhyun's eyes darted towards the other guy, who was still wearing that absolutely infuriating gentle smile. As if he didn't want to do anything to him.
He snorted, "That's probably the point, sunshine."
Kyuhyun blinked, surprised when soft laughter sounded from the guy holding onto him, the grip on his arm loosening. What was it with these people and thinking his comments were so terribly amusing? Though he wasn't complaining, this was providing him with an opportunity to get away. Sungmin's next words made him pause before even really moving though.
"Do you want us to bring you to Hankyung?"
Well, he figured, there was that. He could try to get away and possibly be killed, or take a risk and accept that offer. In which he still might be killed, but if he meant it...? Eyes dark he searched pinkie's face, looking for the animosity he had felt earlier - but there wasn't even a trace of it.
"All right," he found himself agreeing before he had even properly finished those thoughts.
--
The apartment building had that familiar smell to it that meant he was getting close. The building had been new the last time Henry had been in town for a visit. But now its age was showing in the way the bricks were fading and the death seeping through the walls. No normal person would be able to feel that much though, Henry mused. Surely the building would have been condemned long ago if they could.
Heechul's apartment was the easiest to find, the feel of the power behind it drawing Henry forward. Maybe Heechul wasn't as old as he was, but that didn't mean that he wasn't old at all. He was certainly powerful; years of building up wisdom that were completely hidden by his pretty-boy looks and arrogant attitude. It meant people underestimated him often. Henry was certain that was the way Heechul liked it to be. It was more fun for him, at least.
He knocked on the door, lightly, before letting himself in. The knock was just in case he was interrupting anything improper, because he had done that with Heechul one too many times for comfort. The apartment wasn't much different than the last time he had seen it. A few more clothes piled here and there, and newer furniture, but it was still a mess.
"Henry!"
Ryeowook was grinning at him as he squeezed him into a tight hug that probably would have pissed off any other vampire of his high status-- but it was just Ryeowook. That was merely how he was. Henry smiled back. "Ryeowook, how are you?"
"We're great-- well, we're okay, but you know how things go," laughed Ryeowook. "How are you? What are you doing back here? It's been so long..."
A door opened somewhere in the apartment, someone's shriek breaking up his conversation with Ryeowook. "Yah! Henry! What the fuck are you doing here?"
Heechul. Henry smiled, turning to answer, but was never given the chance as Heechul grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him out of the door and at least halfway down the hall way before Henry finally pulled away. "Is there a reason you didn't want me there?" he asked a bit warily. As if he didn't already know that Heechul was up to something anyway.
"No." Heechul waved him off. "It's just been so long since I've seen you, I really felt you and I should go somewhere and get a drink," Heechul nearly cooed at him. He was obviously hiding something, and Henry already had enough of an idea what. But it was better not to push things with Heechul quite yet. Besides, Henry was never one to turn down a drink.
Which was why, some time later, Henry found himself pressed into a quiet corner booth of a nearby bar, two glasses of beer being placed on the table with a loud clink. He accepted it graciously.
"What are you doing back here?" asked Heechul, his voice much more serious than before.
Henry contemplated for a moment. "I'm not allowed to show up for a visit every now and then?" He paused to take a sip from his beer. "But I do have a reason for finding you."
"I knew it..." Heechul groaned, sitting back with an exasperated sigh.
"Something is brewing. This whole city reeks of it. A war is coming, and I know you're at the center of it."
"It's not just me! If that stupid Kibum would just quit--"
"You're both in the wrong, and you know that," Henry interrupted. "And I know that you know what a war means. Be careful. Whatever is going to happen, it's worse than what you've experienced before. A lot worse. I can feel it." He could feel it in everything. And he had years upon years of experience to tell him that these feelings were never wrong.
Heechul's eyes widened for the briefest moment as Henry spoke, but he still brushed off Henry's words. "It's nice that you're so worried about us, really, but we can hold our own, especially against Kibum's crowd."
Henry reach for his drink again with another sigh. Kibum might not be the problem here, he wanted to say. But trying to argue with Heechul was equivalent to arguing with a brick wall. He'd just have to make sure he stayed around long enough to keep an eye on things.
-
Shindong did not quite know how it had happened, but they were in deep shit. It had been around midnight when he went to Kyuhyun's room to get him - the boy needed to feed, no matter how much he detested the clan. And he did hate them, the look he had shot Kibum when he was made to tell them all about his friends had spoken volumes of it on that usually so controlled face. He would come around, Shindong had thought, not even surprised when there was no reply upon his knock at the door.
But then the room had been empty, only the slight scent of the boy lingering.
It was a shock, to say the least. Shindong knew for a fact that Kyuhyun was nowhere around the house, and if he was not in his room then that meant he had somehow managed to sneak out. Which was virtually impossible, unless he did it during the day. Also impossible, or there would be a pile of ash on their front step right now. And Kibum would have known if his childe had died - would have come straight home, most likely.
"Are you coming, or what?" Kangin's voice sounding from downstairs pulled him out of his stupor and he nearly fell in his haste to make it into the kitchen.
"He's gone."
Three sets of eyebrows were raised at that in incomprehension, making Shindong wave his arm at the stairs, "Kyuhyun. He's not in his room. Hasn't been for a good while, from the looks of it."
He grit his teeth when Kangin muttered a curse, the stricken look on Hyukjae's face mirroring his feelings rather precisely.
"Oh my god, if Kibum finds out about this, we are dead," Yesung groaned, his head hitting the table.
Of course, this had to happen when their leader was out for a couple of nights. Perfect to make it seem like they had not been paying attention and creating an opportunity for Kyuhyun to get away. If they were unlucky he would accuse them of letting him escape, even, because they felt sorry for him or something equally stupid. No, none of them would ever do that. As much as he was sorry for the boy losing everything in one blow, they had made that decision together and he doubted either of them would go back on that.
"How did he get out without any of us noticing anyway?"
The very same question plagued Shindong's mind as well. His room had been watched every waking moment, and--
Suddenly he felt like hitting his head against the wall. "Right after sunset. None of us were awake then, were we? He must have stayed up all day and just waited for the sun to set." How could they have overlooked that possibility? All of them had just readily assumed the boy would sleep through the day and by the time he woke up someone would be there to watch over him.
"As he would so eloquently put it: You are all noobs."
Shindong froze up when Kibum's voice suddenly sounded from right behind him, spinning around to face the older vampire.
"You... I didn't know you'd be back this early." If he knew this man - and Shindong knew him very well after living with him for roughly eight centuries - the smile spreading on Kibum's face was not promising pleasantries.
"I have to admit, I am a little disappointed in you. I had thought I was being very clear when I said not to let him out of your sight."
But they had, and it was Kibum's every right to be angry. Granted, usually people were not turned against their will, and had no desire to run away, so this had never been practiced before. But they had still made a beginner's mistake, and Shindong was cursing himself for it. The quickly muttered apology only made the other's smile widen, though.
"You are lucky I have a fairly good idea where he's run off to. You will come with me and retrieve him."
Of course, Shindong thought. Being the boy's sire meant they shared some bond, and even if he himself had never experienced being on the leading end, he knew it was possible to roughly sense where your childe was. That might just have saved their skin.
He doubted it would save Kyuhyun's though, once Kibum found him.
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 3564
Summary: They had never known fun nights out could end them up entangled in a game far more dangerous than their imagination allowed. (Vampire AU)
Notes: Collaboration with onewhomust @ ategoto
[Part 1], [Part 2], [Part 3], [Part 4], [Part 5], [Part 6], [Part 7], [Part 8], [Part 9]
They were looking for danger, thought Leeteuk. The shadows offered them little cover to Leeteuk's sharp eyes as he tracked their movement through the alleyway. Siwon hadn't been difficult to find, even if Kyuhyun hadn't necessarily wanted to give up the information. Kibum certainly knew how to make the boy talk. It'd probably be safer for Kyuhyun if he would just accept that.
Leeteuk sped up his pace as Siwon and the other boy-- Donghae, Kyuhyun had told him-- made a quick turn, darting into another, even dark alleyway. It seemed they at least had enough brains not to travel alone now, but even together the two wouldn't fare well against even a recently turned vampire. Except Siwon had the cross across his neck, noted Leeteuk. He could feel its presence even as far away from the two as he was, a heavy weight against his mind that he couldn't block out. It was probably that cross that had managed to keep the boy safe thus far, one of the smartest ways to do so.
The sound of voices drew Leeteuk as close as he dared, pressing himself against the wall with practiced stealth.
"-- his name is Heechul, a red-head. Pretty face. Frequents a club called The Eglantine. It's nearby."
"No idea, kid," replied a gruff voice. Leeteuk chanced a glance. An old homeless man. Probably wouldn't know anything about Heechul's group then. Or Kibum's. Siwon and Donghae were just wasting their time talk to him, but that was a good thing, both for the clans involved and for Siwon and Donghae.
"Are you sure? What about a tall Chinese guy? Zhou Mi?"
The homeless man cleared his throat, thinking. "Tall, you say? I think I saw him running down here with some other boy a while ago..." The old man trailed off, considering the situation. Leeteuk unconsciously bit on his lip, drawing blood. So the man did know something. "I can't seem to remember too much right now, though."
There were rustling noises as Leeteuk watched Siwon fumble with his wallet, pressing some crumbled bills into the other man's outstretched hand. Leeteuk rolled his eyes. People taking advantage of those that were just looking for their friends. Even the humans in this world were heartless people. No different than the vampires. But it was probably for the best; maybe Siwon and Donghae would run out of money before they got too much information.
"There were two kids running around yelling about some clothes or something... I don't know anything about that kinda stuff. The shorter one called the tall guy Zhou Mi. The other one had pink hair. You could probably see it from a mile away. Don't know his name, though."
Donghae shifted, and Leeteuk could see him look uncomfortable. "Is that all? Fashion? Anything about where they were from, what they were up to?"
"Nope. Nothing else."
Siwon and Donghae thanked the man, who just shrugged them of, before continuing along the alley. Leeteuk followed the two out to a bigger street, relief washing over him. They hadn't found out anything too dire. Sungmin and Zhou Mi liked to steal clothes, but that was nothing new. And it wouldn't lead them to Kibum's group, which was the most important thing. If they found out too much, they were dead. And Leeteuk would hate to see that, the killing of innocents just because they were looking for the ones they cared about.
"They could have been buying new mafia suits..." Leeteuk heard Donghae say, and he forced himself not to laugh. The mafia? Maybe there shouldn't be any worry that these two might find something out. They didn't seem to have the brains to be able to.
"What kind of mafia member has pink hair?" snapped Siwon. Well, maybe one of them knew what they were talking about, at least. "But it gives a few more clues."
Leeteuk's eyes widened, and he picked up his pace to get into a better position to hear. What kind of clues had Siwon been able to pick up from that?
Donghae seemed equally confused with the way he asked "What?"
Siwon sighed, running a hand through his hair, as if calculating their next move. "They like fashion. One of them has pink hair-- that isn't easily forgettable. Tomorrow we can check all of the clothing stores in the area, and see what we can find out. If we can at least get another name, it'll help. Anything could be a clue at this point."
They were smart after all, thought Leeteuk. Maybe they didn't know what exactly they were looking for, and maybe they were missing the bigger picture for now, but there was the potential for them to uncover everything. Leeteuk cursed to himself. He'd have to watch them more closely now. And if necessary, interfere.
-
That really had been it. It was one thing for Kibum to contuinuously force him into things he didn't particularly want to do, but ratting out his friends and quite possibly sealing their fate was one step too far. Several steps, actually, because if his inability to resist his so-called 'Sire' led to two of his best friends killed Kyuhyun would never be able to forgive himself.
Hyukjae had explained it to him that night, the bond a vampire created with someone he sired; a bond that somehow made it almost irresistible for the childe to follow its master's wishes. It was rather disgusting to even hear about, but to have the done to himself... he had never been big on hating people, but with Kibum to keep doing that to him he was certainly getting close. Mind rape, was the most fitting description Kyuhyun had found for it, and even though the other vampire had flinched, he had offered no words of objection. It certainly explained why Hankyung had never tried to contact them, though, but Kyuhyun kept those thoughts to himself. It was better if those people did not know he was still rather attached to his flatmate.
Either way, even if he himself and Hankyung were already lost, he just had to make sure nothing happened to Siwon and Donghae. Especially since it would be his own fault.
Sneaking out of the house had not been easy. It was like Kibum had assigned his lackeys to keep watch over him while he was out or something, as if he already had his suspicions about Kyuhyun attempting to get away. He had been right about it, too. But at the same time he had severely underestimated Kyuhyun - he hadn't been at the top of his classes for nothing.
There was a time, shortly after dusk, when most of the other vampires were still asleep and he had used precisely that moment to get out. It had been risky; one wrong move and he'd have had five angry vampires on his tail - Kibum had luckily disappeared somewhere the night before - but Kyuhyun had known how to be cautious.
He had been tempted to leave some sort of taunting message on the dining table - they didn't just fail at gaming, they sucked in real life too - but that would just have alerted them to his absence quicker. Like this it was likely they thought he was just sulking and refusing to leave the room he'd been given. To show his good will, Kibum had said, and Kyuhyun had been unable to bite back a hollow laugh. First the man had killed him, then kidnapped him, made him betray his friends, and then he spoke of "good will". It was ridiculous.
A good twenty minutes later, he finally found himself back on a main street, sighing in relief. If they found him now they would only rouse suspicion by dragging him off. The only thing he had to figure out now was how to contact Siwon and Donghae. If everything was still the way it had been those two would be out searching and he did not have his cell phone to try and call them - nor did he have money to try a paid phone.
Going back to the apartment was a no-go, too; surely it was going to be watched, now that he'd been made to tell Kibum where it was.
Which left looking for them as the only other option. At least he had some experience in that, and this time he even knew the people he was looking for were still alive. Unless someone had changed his mind. In which case he was going to plot the man's bloody demise.
Lips set into a grim line he made his way off, back to the darker parts of the city. It was dangerous, yes, but not as dangerous as things were going to be for Siwon and Donghae if things went on this way.
An hour into it made Kyuhyun almost wish for one of those cursed powers they told him vampires developed over time, but then that would just mean one more step towards inhumanity. And it was bad enough as it was, what with not being able to go out in the sun or, heck, even living on normal food. The first time they had fed him blood he had almost puked it right back out - Kyuhyun dreaded the day they would make him suck it out of a real, human being. Well, hopefully that day would never come, now that he had managed to get away.
With a sigh he rounded another corner, only to find himself face-to-face with two people who absolutely and distinctly did not look like they belonged into dark alleys. And, more importantly, who had a very certain smell to them that he had almost gotten used to since the day he'd been turned.
Vampires.
Almost letting out a choked curse Kyuhyun took a step back when one of the men broke into a smile that threatened to split his face in two if he kept it up. "Sungmin, isn't that Kibum's new kid?"
If they knew about him it was probably worse than he had initially thought. Some members of that guy's clan that he hadn't met, or maybe even worse, of Heechul's clan. They were literally going to take him apart if that was the case. Kyuhyun was not going to wait around to find out. Instead, he turned to run.
He didn't even make it three steps before a hand closed around his upper arm, spinning him around to face the shorter one of the two - Sungmin, he recalled.
"I'm surprised Kibum is even letting you out on your own," the guy smiled at him, almost reassuringly, but there was an edge to it, one that made Kyuhyun want to squirm and get away before it was too late. "Our Hankyungie was rather furious when he heard you'd been taken, you know. But I'm glad, it means we get to play with your little clan."
Kyuhyun shivered. Yes, there definitely was malice hidden away in that cutesy smile, he was just lucky - or unlucky - enough to be quick on the uptake. It did not fit the guy at all. Pink clothes, pink hair - Who the fuck has pink hair?, his brain helpfully provided - and if the outer image got any cuter the guy was probably going to start glittering. Which was all kinds of ironic, considering the pop culture lately.
"I think you're scaring him." Kyuhyun's eyes darted towards the other guy, who was still wearing that absolutely infuriating gentle smile. As if he didn't want to do anything to him.
He snorted, "That's probably the point, sunshine."
Kyuhyun blinked, surprised when soft laughter sounded from the guy holding onto him, the grip on his arm loosening. What was it with these people and thinking his comments were so terribly amusing? Though he wasn't complaining, this was providing him with an opportunity to get away. Sungmin's next words made him pause before even really moving though.
"Do you want us to bring you to Hankyung?"
Well, he figured, there was that. He could try to get away and possibly be killed, or take a risk and accept that offer. In which he still might be killed, but if he meant it...? Eyes dark he searched pinkie's face, looking for the animosity he had felt earlier - but there wasn't even a trace of it.
"All right," he found himself agreeing before he had even properly finished those thoughts.
--
The apartment building had that familiar smell to it that meant he was getting close. The building had been new the last time Henry had been in town for a visit. But now its age was showing in the way the bricks were fading and the death seeping through the walls. No normal person would be able to feel that much though, Henry mused. Surely the building would have been condemned long ago if they could.
Heechul's apartment was the easiest to find, the feel of the power behind it drawing Henry forward. Maybe Heechul wasn't as old as he was, but that didn't mean that he wasn't old at all. He was certainly powerful; years of building up wisdom that were completely hidden by his pretty-boy looks and arrogant attitude. It meant people underestimated him often. Henry was certain that was the way Heechul liked it to be. It was more fun for him, at least.
He knocked on the door, lightly, before letting himself in. The knock was just in case he was interrupting anything improper, because he had done that with Heechul one too many times for comfort. The apartment wasn't much different than the last time he had seen it. A few more clothes piled here and there, and newer furniture, but it was still a mess.
"Henry!"
Ryeowook was grinning at him as he squeezed him into a tight hug that probably would have pissed off any other vampire of his high status-- but it was just Ryeowook. That was merely how he was. Henry smiled back. "Ryeowook, how are you?"
"We're great-- well, we're okay, but you know how things go," laughed Ryeowook. "How are you? What are you doing back here? It's been so long..."
A door opened somewhere in the apartment, someone's shriek breaking up his conversation with Ryeowook. "Yah! Henry! What the fuck are you doing here?"
Heechul. Henry smiled, turning to answer, but was never given the chance as Heechul grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him out of the door and at least halfway down the hall way before Henry finally pulled away. "Is there a reason you didn't want me there?" he asked a bit warily. As if he didn't already know that Heechul was up to something anyway.
"No." Heechul waved him off. "It's just been so long since I've seen you, I really felt you and I should go somewhere and get a drink," Heechul nearly cooed at him. He was obviously hiding something, and Henry already had enough of an idea what. But it was better not to push things with Heechul quite yet. Besides, Henry was never one to turn down a drink.
Which was why, some time later, Henry found himself pressed into a quiet corner booth of a nearby bar, two glasses of beer being placed on the table with a loud clink. He accepted it graciously.
"What are you doing back here?" asked Heechul, his voice much more serious than before.
Henry contemplated for a moment. "I'm not allowed to show up for a visit every now and then?" He paused to take a sip from his beer. "But I do have a reason for finding you."
"I knew it..." Heechul groaned, sitting back with an exasperated sigh.
"Something is brewing. This whole city reeks of it. A war is coming, and I know you're at the center of it."
"It's not just me! If that stupid Kibum would just quit--"
"You're both in the wrong, and you know that," Henry interrupted. "And I know that you know what a war means. Be careful. Whatever is going to happen, it's worse than what you've experienced before. A lot worse. I can feel it." He could feel it in everything. And he had years upon years of experience to tell him that these feelings were never wrong.
Heechul's eyes widened for the briefest moment as Henry spoke, but he still brushed off Henry's words. "It's nice that you're so worried about us, really, but we can hold our own, especially against Kibum's crowd."
Henry reach for his drink again with another sigh. Kibum might not be the problem here, he wanted to say. But trying to argue with Heechul was equivalent to arguing with a brick wall. He'd just have to make sure he stayed around long enough to keep an eye on things.
-
Shindong did not quite know how it had happened, but they were in deep shit. It had been around midnight when he went to Kyuhyun's room to get him - the boy needed to feed, no matter how much he detested the clan. And he did hate them, the look he had shot Kibum when he was made to tell them all about his friends had spoken volumes of it on that usually so controlled face. He would come around, Shindong had thought, not even surprised when there was no reply upon his knock at the door.
But then the room had been empty, only the slight scent of the boy lingering.
It was a shock, to say the least. Shindong knew for a fact that Kyuhyun was nowhere around the house, and if he was not in his room then that meant he had somehow managed to sneak out. Which was virtually impossible, unless he did it during the day. Also impossible, or there would be a pile of ash on their front step right now. And Kibum would have known if his childe had died - would have come straight home, most likely.
"Are you coming, or what?" Kangin's voice sounding from downstairs pulled him out of his stupor and he nearly fell in his haste to make it into the kitchen.
"He's gone."
Three sets of eyebrows were raised at that in incomprehension, making Shindong wave his arm at the stairs, "Kyuhyun. He's not in his room. Hasn't been for a good while, from the looks of it."
He grit his teeth when Kangin muttered a curse, the stricken look on Hyukjae's face mirroring his feelings rather precisely.
"Oh my god, if Kibum finds out about this, we are dead," Yesung groaned, his head hitting the table.
Of course, this had to happen when their leader was out for a couple of nights. Perfect to make it seem like they had not been paying attention and creating an opportunity for Kyuhyun to get away. If they were unlucky he would accuse them of letting him escape, even, because they felt sorry for him or something equally stupid. No, none of them would ever do that. As much as he was sorry for the boy losing everything in one blow, they had made that decision together and he doubted either of them would go back on that.
"How did he get out without any of us noticing anyway?"
The very same question plagued Shindong's mind as well. His room had been watched every waking moment, and--
Suddenly he felt like hitting his head against the wall. "Right after sunset. None of us were awake then, were we? He must have stayed up all day and just waited for the sun to set." How could they have overlooked that possibility? All of them had just readily assumed the boy would sleep through the day and by the time he woke up someone would be there to watch over him.
"As he would so eloquently put it: You are all noobs."
Shindong froze up when Kibum's voice suddenly sounded from right behind him, spinning around to face the older vampire.
"You... I didn't know you'd be back this early." If he knew this man - and Shindong knew him very well after living with him for roughly eight centuries - the smile spreading on Kibum's face was not promising pleasantries.
"I have to admit, I am a little disappointed in you. I had thought I was being very clear when I said not to let him out of your sight."
But they had, and it was Kibum's every right to be angry. Granted, usually people were not turned against their will, and had no desire to run away, so this had never been practiced before. But they had still made a beginner's mistake, and Shindong was cursing himself for it. The quickly muttered apology only made the other's smile widen, though.
"You are lucky I have a fairly good idea where he's run off to. You will come with me and retrieve him."
Of course, Shindong thought. Being the boy's sire meant they shared some bond, and even if he himself had never experienced being on the leading end, he knew it was possible to roughly sense where your childe was. That might just have saved their skin.
He doubted it would save Kyuhyun's though, once Kibum found him.