Title: Baby, Let’s Fly
Author:
vaguelynormalRating: NC-17
Pairing: Yunho/changmin
Warnings: mild violence and a bit of rough sex.
Summary: Changmin acquires an unexpected pet.
A/N: Because vamp!fic is some kind of rite of passage xD
Changmin makes his way quietly through the dirty and dust covered passageways. The building is old, derelict and widely regarded as abandoned, pale daylight shining through the wooden planks boarding the windows. As he moves deeper into the building, the rooms become cleaner, almost extravagant with thick velvet curtains and plush rugs. Changmin supposes the vampires he’s been tracking keep to these rooms and such decadence is usually indicative of old and powerful clans. His steps lighten across the floors as he makes his way towards a form lying on a large bed, not wanting to alert them of his presence until that moment before he fires his gun loaded with silver. The cloaking charms he has invoked leave him barely detectable to vampire senses unless he steps directly within eyesight and he’d like to use it to his best advantage.
He raises his gun level with the form on the bed when the man arches up, writhing on the sheets in a sticky, sweaty mess. There’s an expanse of tan skin, the man wearing thin, cotton sleep pants and when his face turns toward Changmin he can tell the man is feverish, his pupils blown wide. The man’s eyes rove over Changmin’s body and then roll back into his head as he writhes on the bed, back arching and limbs twisting in pain. Changmin takes in the heated skin and recognises the symptoms as the turn. This man is in the infancy of vampirism and he wonders why the clan has left one of their own alone in such a weak state.
Changmin hears movement in distant rooms and takes a final glance at the handsome young vampire before he decides to settle matters with the more pressing dangers. Firing off at a practically harmless and incapacitated vampire is only going to send the others running in, ruining the element of surprise. It’s almost too easy to eliminate the first few he runs across, quietly pulling the stake from his jacket and taking them out one by one. When he pushes open a door with his boot to find five vampires, it becomes a little trickier. He swiftly decapitates two before one has latched onto his back, trying to pull his tall frame down. He draws and fires, hitting his mark as another vampire falls to the ground and backs against a wall, slamming the man on his back with force into the wall until he’s free. Changmin turns and shoots the man now on the floor as two more vampires run into the room.
He makes quick work to discard his empty gun for the loaded pistol in his belt, firing three rounds into the man closest. His skin catches in the trigger mechanism, briefly pinching before warm blood trickles into his palm, making his grip slick and he hisses. He dodges an attack from a thin woman, grabbing her by the hair and running his blade straight under her chin, severing the spinal cord as her body falls away beneath her, crumpling lifelessly. The remaining vampire lunges at him, eyes burning with fury and Changmin rolls to retrieve the pistol, firing it shakily with his left hand, hitting the man in the shoulder and eventually the heart.
Changmin makes quick work of decapitating the rest of the bodies before dousing the room with a generous amount of gasoline and setting it aflame. He quickly checks all the other rooms as he hears windows combusting behind him but finds no other survivors. It’s suspicious to find such a small clan but Changmin has no time to ponder over it. Flames lick at his boots as he makes a split decision to double back, entering the room with the newly turned vampire. The man is still on the bed, undoubtedly too weak and wracked with pain to notice anything around him, toned chest heaving as sweat pools at his neck. Changmin turns the man’s face towards him by the chin and there is a brief moment of lucidity clearing the vampire’s eyes before his tongue peeks out and begins to suckle Changmin’s bloodied hand contentedly.
‘You’re practically a baby,’ Changmin snipes as the man licks his hand clean, writhing temporarily paused to concentrate on the task.
Changmin raises his gun, hand still gripping the vampire’s chin when their eyes meet- the vampire’s gaze full of lust tinged innocence and Changmin can’t bring himself to shoot. There’s the sound of more windows blowing out, glass shattering loudly and Changmin cannot for the life of him justify why he decides to sling the feverish vampire over his shoulder and make his escape from the burning building.
The man is growing heavier by the second as Changmin busies himself with the locks on his front door. Warm hands grip at his shirt, skimming over his lower back before he throws the vampire down on the couch. The man bounces up but barely raises his eyelids, falling back on the cushions and into slumber. Changmin brushes away locks on the vampire’s forehead, pausing to gauge the creature’s temperature. It’s still burning like lava under his skin and he pulls his hand away, goose bumps running over his arms before he shrugs off his jacket as he walks into the bedroom. He considers tying his guest down but comforts himself with the fact that few are strong enough to survive the turn and if the man even wakes up again Changmin can easily overpower him. He undresses and pulls the covers back, sliding between the cool sheets and letting exhaustion sweep over him.
He wakes suddenly, a heavy weight on his lower body and regrets his decision to leave the vampire unbound. Blunt teeth scrape over his collarbone and he almost laughs at how pathetic the fledgling vampire is. The man bites at his skin, teeth still underdeveloped and instincts poor as he nips too far from any vital arteries. Changmin tolerates it for all of five seconds before he rolls them over, quickly cuffing the vampire’s hands to the radiator near the bed with the steel restraints he always seems to have handy. He pulls a knife from behind his pillow when the man shifts as far as he can onto the mattress, arms stretched taut and using his legs to try and pull Changmin closer.
Changmin presses it against the flesh of his neck, ‘Stay still,’ he orders.
The vampire doesn’t, lust clouding his eyes as he tries to frot against Changmin, his thigh hooks over Changmin’s waist, oblivious to the blade at his throat. Changmin feels himself growing hard at the persistent rutting against his crotch and tries to quell his arousal. He knows vampires to be deeply hedonistic creatures, focused on pleasures of the body and the man is deeply lost in the overwhelming feverous urges. He’s sure it’s all part of the fun for vampires to select attractive prey, turn them and then reap the benefits as their subjects beg and writhe for them. Changmin takes a little mercy on the fledgling, deep down he knows that there’s little to calm the fever other than blood and sex and whilst he’s not willing to give one, he can provide a little of the other. He withdraws the knife, swiping over the tip of his finger before offering it to the man.
The vampire clamps down on the digit, his teeth gradually sharpening. The suction and image send heat straight to Changmin’s groin but it really is just like placating a small child. The man’s eyes slip closed, satisfied by the few drops of blood flowing over his tongue and he’s asleep in a matter of seconds, still lightly suckling on Changmin’s finger. Changmin mentally berates himself as he wipes his hand dry on the sheets. It won’t be long before the vampire is stronger than him, they’re not exactly pet material either and he’s almost frightened by the way his hands don’t seem to respond to his brain’s instinct to reach for his gun and shoot the sleeping man. In his experience, vampires are blood thirsty, reckless, violent and soulless but he could have sworn for a moment he saw the fledgling’s eyes clear and glimpsed shame and fear there. He rolls over, still clutching the well-worn handle of his knife, trying to ignore his erection and fall asleep.
Looking after the vampire proves to be more trouble than Changmin originally anticipated. When free from his bindings, the man constantly attempts to attack Changmin. There’s no real menace there, no desire to kill- yet, Changmin thinks- just the primal urge to feed, to satisfy. Changmin’s growing tired of having a fully-grown male jump on his back, dull teeth nipping at his shoulders to no avail. He’s left with numerous marks on his body, all looking suspiciously like love bites and a smaller wallet thanks to the vampire’s taste for raw steak. Changmin’s only ever really read about the varying stages of the turn, normally preferring to annihilate anyone even suspected of being a potential bloodsucker but it’s extremely interesting to watch the fledgling develop. He’s taken to referring to the vampire as baby in his head due to the man’s inability to focus on anything other than immediate gratification and incapacity to communicate his desires in ways other than whining and launching himself at Changmin.
When Changmin’s tackled for the eighth time into the floor that week after returning home and removing the locks and protective charms from the door he feels his patience snapping. He’s reaching for his gun when the vampire lets out an incredibly loud whimper of pain from his position on top of him. He panics for a moment and considers the man hasn’t survived the worst of the turn when he feels the creature’s hard length pressing against him. He rolls his eyes, pushing the other to the floor and standing up to close the door. He’s considered just letting the vampire run free, no longer his responsibility but he knows despite appearances, soon the man will be far more dangerous than he seems. He locks the door, murmuring a few blessings, hands pressed against the wood as the seal goes back up, cloaking their location from anything or anyone that may hold a grudge and come looking for him.
He kneels, admiring the handsome face close up. The vampire is panting, chest heaving with physical exertion and Changmin can’t help but reach out, his hand tracing the sharp jaw line. He’s surprised to see tears rolling down the man’s face.
‘What’s wrong, baby?’ He murmurs, swiping his thumbs over smooth cheeks.
The vampire meets his gaze for a moment and it’s fuelled with raw emotion. For a brief instant Changmin thinks he sees the intelligent, strong human the man used to be trapped beneath the surface but then it’s gone and his arms are full of the lean body he’s beginning to become far too familiar with, flattening him to the ground and frotting against him. The vampire seems to be insatiable with lust and Changmin curses briefly that the baby can’t seem to learn to just masturbate and leave him alone. Lips press against his chest and he snaps back to reality, glancing down to see the man looking up on him, his kiss still pressed against the exposed skin peering through his shirt. Changmin wonders why the vampire places a kiss on his skin, seemingly almost hesitating when suddenly sharp fangs pierce into the flesh above his heart. They withdraw almost immediately and the fledgling’s tongue slips out to lap at the blood bubbling out of the shallow wound, Changmin realising the kiss was the vampire’s way of showing his appreciation and seeking permission to take his fill. It brings to mind options Changmin’s never considered before, of vampires being considerate creatures capable of control but he’s quickly hit with the comprehension that the baby is growing faster, sharper and more dangerous with each passing day.
The wound closes quickly, the vampire’s saliva aiding the healing process of the open flesh. The wet tongue continues to lick though, his path expanding and Changmin decides it’s time to push the fledgling away. He’s taken more than Changmin’s truly comfortable with and he was beginning to notice how tight his pants were becoming. Changmin stands and moves to the kitchen, pulling out two steaks and throwing them both in a frying pan. He barely lets one touch the heat before he throws it to the vampire he knows is lurking around the corner, probably preparing another sneak attack. The creature catches it deftly; sinking his teeth into the slightly warmed raw meat, blood smearing over his chin as he wrestles with the gristle like an overgrown puppy. Changmin’s not sure if it’s sick he finds the act slightly endearing.
A week passes and Changmin has to restrain the baby more often. The vampire’s become more adept with his attempts at seduction, almost tearing Changmin’s pants off with his sharp nails. Whilst it seems Changmin can settle the fledgling’s cravings for blood and flesh, nothing seems to quell the desire for sex and physical contact. He binds the vampire in the bathroom at night only to be kept awake by the constant whimper, not at ease without Changmin’s warm body at least resting beside his own tightly bound one. Increasingly the man tears through his shackles, almost leaking gas into the apartment when Changmin leaves him chained to the plumbing in the basement. Changmin’s been reading up everything he was sure he already knew about vampires, even books penned by the creatures himself but nothing gives him any hint of how to handle the fledgling.
Changmin knows he’s not as heartless as he’d like to think. Push comes to shove, Changmin could kill the baby but as long as it remains considerably docile if ridiculously annoying at times, he can’t bring himself to do it. He does however know someone who will.
Junsu arrives a few days after Changmin sends him a message requesting his help. He’s nervous about showing the baby to his friend, Junsu’s always been the most righteous demon hunter he knows, dutifully following the path of God. He knows Junsu won’t approve of what he’s done, Changmin can’t justify his actions either but he’s not sure he won’t regret disposing of the vampire who has been his sole companion the past few weeks. They make their descent to the basement, Changmin refusing to enlighten Junsu about the situation, choosing instead to slide back the heavy deadbolt and let the door swing open. They both step into the dark room and Changmin immediately makes out Yunho’s shape, crouching amongst the shredded bedding he’d been given and deemed fit to destroy with his newly strengthened nails.
Junsu gasps beside him, reaching for the cross around his neck and then quickly drawing his gun. He has barely time to raise it however, when the vampire’s eyes flash red and he dashes forward before being yanked back violently by the chains hooked to his wrists and neck. Changmin pushes the barrel of the gun aside, not wanting Junsu to fire and the fledgling makes another run for it, this time snapping the chains, bouncing off the balls of his feet before tackling Junsu straight in the chest. They go down in a tumbled mess and Changmin is prepared to fire when he realises that the vampire is not really attacking but rather rubbing himself against Junsu’s squirming form. Slightly surprised, Changmin pulls the baby off Junsu and the vampire chooses to wrap himself around his leg instead, hands coming up to claw at his thigh.
Junsu scrambles to his feet, cursing loudly and aiming his gun, ‘What the fuck is going on, Changmin?’
He looks furious and Changmin can’t blame him, he sinks his hand into the baby’s soft locks whilst he tries to think of an adequate explanation.
‘This is baby,’ Changmin pets at the vampire’s head. ‘I found him in a nest- he was just turning. For some reason, I couldn’t kill him.’
‘I’m sure I’ve got some methods that would work,’ Junsu scowls furiously as Changmin gasps when the vampire sinks fangs into his thigh, missing the main artery, as he always seems to.
‘I don’t mean it like that,’ Changmin says, watching contemplatively as the fledgling traces the drops running down his leg like it’s an amusing game of cat and mouse, occasionally sucking at the wet material of his pants. ‘I mean I didn’t want to.’
Junsu looks disgusted at the vampire’s actions, hand still tightly wrapped around the gun. He’s known Changmin long enough to see that something is drastically different in his friend. The anti-social, demon-hating boy he knew is letting this creature live with him- live off him.
‘He’s got you under his gaze,’ Junsu accuses, ready to shoot the man controlling his friend’s mind.
‘No, he doesn’t,’ Changmin snaps, ‘He’s just a baby, he doesn’t even know how to.’
‘Changmin, this is disgusting. It can’t be your pet, it will rip your throat out given half the chance,’ Junsu holds his barrel mere inches from the man gazing up at him innocently.
‘He’s had plenty of chances,’ Changmin reasons, ‘Baby wouldn’t do that, it’s like he only ever takes a tiny amount anyway. I called you because he seems more focused on sex than blood anyway.’
‘Oh well, maybe you should have the talk with it, Changmin,’ Junsu says scathingly, ‘It’ll be a nice precursor to your bloody dismemberment.’
‘Will you help me or not?’ Changmin asks bluntly, watching the baby curl between their feet.
‘I’m not going to sleep with it!’ Junsu admonishes loudly, startling the vampire.
‘I’m not asking you to!’ Changmin yells, ‘I need help to reinforce the chains, you know more charms than I do!’
Junsu seems to cool off slightly, still glancing warily at the fledgling. ‘Fine. It’s your funeral.’
To Changmin’s relief, the baby is a lot more malleable and docile as they manoeuvre him back to the shackles on the back wall. He flinches slightly at the sound of the chains rattling but he doesn’t resist, holding still even when Junsu grabs roughly at the metal band around his neck. Changmin thinks he looks scared but very trusting when they meet eyes and he turns to whispers chants over the steel cuffs. He turns sharply when he hears a gurgling sound, thinking Junsu might be strangling the vampire when he realises Junsu is frozen in shock a good foot from touching the man.
‘What did you say?’ Junsu leans in an inch closer, eyes impossibly wide.
The fledgling gurgles again, throat croaking as he stammers out, ‘Y-Yunho.’
‘What?’ Changmin and Junsu both lean in even closer, eyes trained on the vampire’s full lips.
‘Not It,’ He croaks, ‘Yunho.’
The intelligence slips, lucidity disappearing as the vampire returns to running his nails over the blanket, admiring the holes he makes and Changmin and Junsu stand there dumbfounded as comprehension settles in.
‘He has a name,’ Changmin says, voice full of awe, ‘and he remembers it.’
‘He can talk,’ Junsu adds, his tone wondrous.
‘Idiot, we knew vampires can talk,’ Changmin scolds, lifting the chains and starting his seals and charms over again.
Yunho had a mind somewhere beneath all the blood lust and memories of a human life. It felt like more information than Changmin had ever found in any of his books and it seemed Junsu thought the same.
As the weeks pass, Yunho becomes stronger but remains stuck in a childish vampire state. Junsu remains highly sceptical of any developments to the vampire’s psyche but he does help Changmin move to an abandoned warehouse, sedating the fledgling to the best of his ability as they shift deeper underground, beneath the small building. The walls are of the securest metal and concrete, the doors reinforced, the rooms all too bunker-like but it pleases Changmin greatly, reassured that Yunho would have to make plenty of noise breaking his way through the many doors and barriers. They work together, deep in the bowels of the bleak building, raising the usual protective spells. Changmin collars Yunho with a charm-toughened collar, securing it a long chain in the furthest room. He knows the vampire can snap through it easily enough but it’s more of a test to see if the creature wants to.
Changmin makes continuous attempts at communicating with Yunho, however the vampire is still far too preoccupied with instant gratification, latching onto Changmin as soon as he’s within reach, alternating between animalistic rutting and biting, sometimes both. It seems to be a precarious balance of feeding Yunho exactly the right amount- too little sending the vampire stir crazy and insatiable and too much overly satisfying, the baby lulled into a deep sleep. The vampire always grows hard when he bathes him, running a damp cloth over Yunho’s tan skin and trying not to let the touch linger. He considers just giving the creature what it wants, knows a part of him wants the toned thighs wrapped around him, longs for Yunho’s sharp nails clawing into his back as he fucks the vampire hard and fast. Changmin knows giving in to such urges would lead to a plethora of issues, a downward spiral of no return, so he resists, quelling his desires by brutally slaying every demon he comes across.
He’s gone for days sometimes, in the thrill of the hunt and his mind barely has time to focus on anything other than his imminent victory. When he returns it’s always worse; Yunho having trashed his way through his bedroom door, even managing to break a barrier or two and the vampire is always near desperate, violent and destructive with hunger and lust. It becomes a vicious cycle as Changmin, in his effort to dissolve his desire for Yunho, merely increases the creature’s advances tenfold.
He’s been chasing a vampire for a week solid before he finally returns home, pain spiking up his leg from where the demon had attacked him before it’s demise. Changmin grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and downs it, leaning heavily against the wall when he hears loud scraping noises. Making his way through the first barricade, the hunter draws his pistol. The vampire is clearly agitated and Changmin’s taking no chances- he doesn't have enough blood to give tonight and any meat stored in the warehouse has gone rancid by now. There’s a sharp clang of metal from the passageway to his left and he turns slowly, quieting his steps as he pushes the bunker door that’s swinging off its hinges outwards. Changmin barely makes it two steps into the room before he’s tackled to the ground, claws digging into his chest and his gun scattering across the room. Yunho’s eyes glow, pupils blown and irises reddened as he stares down at Changmin. The hunter feels guilty for reducing the vampire to this state and then gasps as the creature straddling him rocks his hips, firm ass brushing against his crotch. The nails embedded in his chest withdraw only to tear his shirt off, the vampire’s mouth lowering to bite over a pectoral. Changmin shoves Yunho off before he can sink fangs in, he’s too weak himself for this and he drags himself into a sitting position, propping himself up against the wall for support. The baby crawls towards him and Changmin worries he’s not going to be able to defend himself from an attack when the mask seems to slip.
‘Please,’ Yunho pants, his eyes desperate, panicked and maybe a little embarrassed. ‘Need…Changmin.’
Changmin’s more than surprised by the development, even more shocked at how much he loves hear his name breathed out by the vampire that he doesn’t move when Yunho rips at the cloth of his pants, shredding them from his hips until he’s exposed. The fledgling descends, licking at the wound on his thighs, sucking gently at the torn flesh and swiping his tongue over and over until the gash begins to mend, new skin, shiny and pink, forming where the large cut was. Then suddenly the tongue laves at his cock, the head slipping past Yunho’s plump lips, his mouth warm with what Changmin can only assess to be his own blood. A quick glance proves to be both potent and disappointing; the intelligence had gone from the vampire’s eyes but the sight of his thick shaft stretching the baby’s pretty mouth open has him crying out, head banging against the wall. The vampire’s suction is incredible and it takes all of his restraint not to come right then. In the back of his mind he knows he should push the fledgling off but then Yunho’s tongue slides under the crown and he rests his hand in the vampire’s soft hair, closing his eyes. It’s not long before he’s thrusting up, holding Yunho’s head in the perfect position through the grip in his locks. He’s thankful the vampire no longer needs to really breathe as he presses impossibly deeper, Yunho’s lips against his pelvis. It only takes a few harsh sucks and teeth brushing against the underside of his cock before he’s coming, letting out a groan as he releases into the vampire’s mouth.
Yunho drinks him down before cleaning him up diligently, licking his skin thoroughly. Through his satiated haze Changmin realises he should return the favour, leaning forward to slip his hand inside Yunho’s pants. He barely wraps his hand around the vampire’s erection when the creature is coming, slumping forward on top of Changmin, seemingly unconscious. As he feels exhaustion weighing down his bones, Changmin considers the remorse he’ll feel later before pushing it aside in favour of sleep.
The following weeks pass a little more smoothly. Changmin’s embarrassment slightly eased by the docility the vampire now shows. He still jumps at Changmin but often because his body temperature has sunk too low in the dank confinements of the warehouse. It frightens Changmin a little, Yunho is cold like the dead and it’s the first time he’s really acknowledged that the vampire is no longer a living, breathing human. A fact that is further solidified when Changmin discovers Yunho hunting rats in the bowels of the underground bunkers.
Junsu provides him with several books acquired through shady dealings that a highly principled Junsu isn't prone to making. They offer little new insight and Changmin considers abducting a developed vampire merely to satisfy his constant questions. Such an act would most certainly result in death however, Changmin knows the enforced restraints cannot withhold Yunho any longer- for the most part it seems that the vampire merely allows himself to be bound, casually breaking free whenever it suits him. It worries him to no end how often he wakes to find the vampire in his bed, remnants of shackles on his wrists and neck, body frozen even as he ruts against him.
The calm lasts barely a few more days after Changmin first discovers the concrete of Yunho’s room torn away, a deterioration the hunter knows is the work of sharp nails and inhuman strength. Steadily, Yunho’s condition seems to become worse. Suddenly prone to anger and then insatiable passion, jumping into Changmin’s arms only to withdraw, hissing in pain. The vampire collapses often, falling to his side as though imbalanced and curling in upon himself. It frightens the hunter immensely to see sharp pain clearing the vampire’s eyes, finally traces of the human’s intelligence appearing.
‘Please,’ Yunho whimpers from the cold floor, his lip bloody and bitten through, nails carving dents in the cement.
‘What is it, baby?’ Changmin worries, placing a soothing hand on the vampire’s shoulder, only to pull away quickly when Yunho flinches in pain.
‘Enough, please,’ Yunho begs, his body spasms before he loses consciousness.
Changmin doesn’t understand what the vampire is pleading for. It panics him to think of the fledging wanting a merciful death. It frightens him more to realise he might not be able to bring himself to do it. Changmin can do little else but run out of the warehouse, tracking Junsu to a seedy bar demons frequently haunted and dragging him back home, begging the shorter hunter to help ease Yunho’s suffering.
Upon returning they find the vampire still on the floor but bleeding profusely, claw marks over his shoulders and arms. The blood is cold when Changmin kneels in a puddle beside Yunho, pulling the vampire into an upright position. The baby stirs, recognition sparking in the man’s eyes before Changmin’s being pinned down on the floor. The weight of the vampire on his chest is all too brief, a gunshot ringing out loudly, echoing through the bunker and stifling all Changmin’s senses.
He rises in shock to see Yunho’s side blasted open, sharp fragments embedded in the exposed and bloody flesh and he turns to see Junsu with his smoking gun still raised. More concerning is that Yunho has yet to move, to even let out a groan of his survival.
‘Junsu, what the fuck are you doing?!’ Changmin tries to ignore the way his voice snaps when he yells, concentrating on rolling Yunho onto his back.
‘He was attacking you,’ Junsu defends, ‘he was,’ the hunter sounds a little less confident, the last part coming out in a whisper.
‘He’s always done that!’ Changmin is close to crying, fear and desperation setting in, ‘He always says hello like that.’
Junsu kneels, tossing his gun aside and inspecting the vampire’s body, ‘It was only rock salt, he might be okay.’ Junsu looks ashen white, ‘It wasn’t silver, Changmin, I promise.’
Changmin is pulling clumps of the hardened salt from Yunho’s flesh, the ruptured skin showing no sign of healing like it normally would. He panics further, drawing a blade from his boot and slicing his palm open, pressing the wound against the vampire’s slackened mouth.
‘He’s not waking up,’ Changmin’s tone is desperate, ‘why isn’t he drinking?’
‘Demons don’t die easily,’ Junsu points out but both the hunters restrain from acknowledging that Yunho is clearly underdeveloped and sickly already.
‘Junsu, he won’t swallow, why won’t he heal?’ Changmin rocks back and forth, his bloody palm smearing crimson over Yunho’s cheek. Junsu thinks the strong hunter looks like a grieving lover.
‘I’ll clean the wound,’ Junsu moves closer, hands reaching for the vampire when Changmin pushes him away, leaving a bloodied handprint on Junsu’s chest.
‘Just leave,’ Changmin says quietly, cradling Yunho in his arms, clenching his fist to allow fat drops to drip into the vampire’s mouth.
Changmin doesn’t know how many hours have passed but Yunho still makes no improvement. It’s abnormally quiet and he realises absently that Junsu really did leave. He ponders briefly about how ridiculous it is to be looking for signs of life in a creature with all the traits of the dead. His own wound has congealed, Yunho’s side raw and pink, darker in places where the blood has turned. Changmin is so preoccupied with just holding the vampire; it’s the calmest he’s ever seen Yunho, smoothing the man’s hair down, that he doesn’t notice shadows creeping into the room until they speak.
‘I think it’s best you don’t cuddle your victims, human,’ A low voice says, strangely without an echo in the sparse room.
Changmin startles, quickly glancing around to take in half a dozen men in the room.
‘You have stolen one of our own,’ The man continues. ‘It will be a merciful death if you relinquish him peacefully. He is not meant for your kind.’ The vampire looks distastefully at the shredded bedding and chains in the corner of the room.
Another figure steps forward, this vampire slighter but clearly enraged, ‘How dare you take him? You have tortured our littlest one!’
The vampire is about to attack Changmin when the first demon places a firm hand on the slender man’s shoulder. Changmin almost snorts at the idea of someone bigger than the vampire himself being called ‘littlest one’ but he does not understand the ways of the vampire families and the last months have made it clear Yunho very much has the mentality of a small child.
‘You killed a lot of our clan,’ The soft voice of the first vampire rationalises, ‘We are understandably upset, though Yoochun, like many of us, is more offended by your abduction of our newest childe.’
Cold hands dig at his arms until he is lifted forcibly from the ground and thrown on the floor some meters away. He’s almost too shocked to defend himself, he’s been outnumbered before but his body is numb to his commands and he wonders if he’s been put under a demon’s spell.
‘How did you find us?’ He croaks out.
‘We are connected. I suppose a human couldn’t fathom the level of connection and shared awareness experienced by our clans, but deep at the root of Yunho’s being is a little of each of our blood,’ The vampire gestures at the other figures in the room. ‘We feel his pain and no charms could disguise this mistreatment from us.’
The vampire named Yoochun is letting his own blood fall into the open wound of Yunho’s side and Changmin gasps when the skin begins to mend. ‘I didn’t hurt him, he’s a baby, I couldn’t…’ Changmin cannot tear his eyes away from Yunho’s raw, pink skin where the gaping flesh once was.
‘You tortured him,’ Yoochun glares accusingly at Changmin. ‘Can I tear him apart now, Jaejoong?’ He asks the other vampire.
‘I don’t see why not,’ Jaejoong sounds amused.
Changmin backs against the wall as Yoochun advances, he’s without his weapons, magic and exhausted from the emotional turmoil. ‘I didn’t hurt him, I never hurt him. That shot was an accident.’
‘You deprived Yunho of proper nourishment, we have requirements pathetic humans cannot satisfy,’ Yoochun spits out scathingly.
The vampire has an iron grip on Changmin’s neck in seconds, nails piercing into the skin as he struggles futilely against Yoochun. There’s pure hatred in the vampire’s eyes and the judgment burns deep into Changmin until he’s unsure of his own innocence. Yoochun’s expression flickers briefly to confusion and just as Changmin’s about to lose consciousness, the vampire glances down, eyes widening in shock and releasing the hunter who drops to the floor. It’s there on the cold cement Changmin notices Yunho, the fledgling weakly tugging at the material of the vampire’s shirt.
‘You’re okay,’ Changmin croaks out, voice raspy and Yunho beams, flinging himself onto the hunter’s lap.
Changmin squeezes his arms around Yunho as tight as he can, despite his protesting muscles. The vampire feels warm in his hold, nuzzling into Changmin’s neck and the hunter can feel his warm tongue trailing over his favourite spot. The other vampires in the room seem stunned by the procession of events, their baby like an affectionate pet in its owner’s arms. Changmin lets out a muted gasp when Yunho sinks fangs shallowly into his shoulder, lapping at the blood and playing with the drops, pushing them up the side of Changmin’s neck with his tongue. Changmin remains fairly passive, exhausted but thrilled to have Yunho alive and well, wrapping arms around the fledgling’s waist.
‘It seems our puppy, has a pet of his own,’ Jaejoong muses, ‘but it won’t do. You have risked too much taking him away from us, you are not strong enough or suitable to complete the bond.’
Jaejoong steps forward and traces his fingertips over Yunho’s bare back. Yunho shudders and whimpers in Changmin’s lap, his hands dig into the hunter’s arms as he slumps over in pain.
‘What are you doing?!’ Changmin asks, alarmed.
‘You have delayed his growth long enough,’ Jaejoong accuses, ‘His pain is your fault, you shall share it and the weaker of you will die for it.’
Another tall figure of a vampire brushes a hand over his eyes and it feels as if a light has been switched on, everything is illuminated and then sharp, sharp pain overwhelms him. It seems to threaten to burst and rupture beneath his shoulders, his spine splintering, broken bone digging into flesh and his head pounds. If it is a glimpse of all Yunho has been feeling, it is too much, Changmin thinks, his world fading to black as his body is lanced with agony.
Part II Comments disabled in this part, but enabled in the next.