Of Flesh, Fur, and Fang - Chapter Seventeen
Of Flesh, Fur, and Fang
Chapter Seventeen
Not for the first time, Kyuhyun was thankful for the strength of his common sense. It kept him from doing something highly foolish, like shifting to his wolf form before he had fully assessed the situation. He knew, of course, his mate was safe, unsettled but safe. Still he couldn’t deny that his Beast had the right idea, that they would be much more lethal if they were in their form with four legs instead of two. Kyuhyun reassured himself that he was plenty lethal just as he was, but he quickened his pace nevertheless.
Zhou mi was waiting for him the moment he rounded the corner, and was in his arms before Kyuhyun could slow himself down. If he was surprised, Zhou mi didn’t show it, instead giving into Kyuhyun’s instant press of lips and the hands that wandered over his body checking for wounds. When the Beast was satisfied that their mate was both safe and whole, Kyuhyun was finally able to revel in the calm emanating from his mate.
“What happened?” Kyuhyun asked, surprised that his own voice came out so human sounding when only a moment before he had been certain speech wouldn’t have been an option.
“Two Fae, we think,” Zhou mi replied.
Kyuhyun inhaled deeply taking in the scents in the air. “I smell vampire, Sunny, and another Fae.”
“There was a vampire here,” Jonghyun said evenly, his voice lacking any sort of passion that could set Kyuhyun off one way or another and the wolf was impressed. The child smelled of vampires but clearly wasn’t one himself, so it must have been a trick he had developed to survive in their world. “He was a friend of mine. He was taken by the Fae I believe you call Sunny. Then another called Sungmin appeared and tried to take your mate.”
Kyuhyun’s hackles rose at that and a growl slipped from his throat. Immediately Jonghyun averted his eyes and tilted his head, exposing his neck in submission. The actions, coupled with a squeeze of Zhou mi’s hand in his, soothed his Beast enough that he was able to get it back under control for the time being.
“What would a Fae want with a vampire?” Onew asked. Kyuhyun could hear the underlying tones of fear in his voice and for some reason that pulled at his Beast’s protective instincts.
“Who knows why Sunny does anything she does,” Kyuhyun growled. He had never particularly cared for Fae in the first place and this was hardly endearing them to him anymore.
“I’m surprised Heechul isn’t here yet,” Jonghyun said in the same even tone.
Kyuhyun’s brain did a few short calculations and didn’t like what it came up with. “We need to go,” he told Zhou mi. “Kangin summoned his wolves through the pack bonds. If I’m right, he will need my strength.”
“Need your strength for what?” Jonghyun asked.
“None of your business,” Kyuhyun growled, finally losing his patience with the teenager. “Come Zhou mi.” He knew there was a hint of power in the words that a normal wolf would obey and he wasn’t truly surprised when Zhou mi pulled his hand free of Kyuhyun’s hold.
“No. What is going on Kyuhyun?” Zhou mi asked.
“Pack business isn’t shared with outsiders,” Kyuhyun snarled.
“It’s the vampires isn’t it,” Onew asked softly. “They blame the wolves for taking Taemin.”
“What?” Zhou mi asked shocked.
“Heechul will tear them apart to get Taemin back. It will be a blood bath,” Jonghyun muttered.
Kyuhyun growled at the implications, “Not if we tear him apart first.”
Jonghyun’s eyes flashed then, the submissiveness in his form gone. “For what wolf? For trying to protect something that your Fae took?”
“She doesn’t belong to us,” Kyuhyun returned his voice rising with violence.
“Stop it,” Zhou mi snapped, his hand rising and settling firmly on Kyuhyun’s shoulder. “Just stop. No one is killing anyone tonight.”
“Heechul might like you but he won’t stop just because you say so,” Jonghyun cautioned.
“I’ll find a way,” Zhou mi muttered, then he turned and his form seemed to ripple. A moment later there was a large cat standing where Zhou mi had been, pulling the remains of clothing off with his teeth and claws. The moment he was free he took off at a run toward where Kyuhyun could feel the pack bonds pulling.
He spared the teens one last glance before turning and taking off after his mate at a flat out run that only something supernatural would be capable of. From behind him he could just make out the echoed words of Onew’s shaky voice. “Henry, call Hankyung and Key.”
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Zhou mi could feel them, feel their anger, and he ran towards it. His mate was fast, but he was faster and he didn’t have a minute to waste. None of the wolves had taken on their wolf form yet, but they were close, he could tell that much from the little he could feel of them. He willed his legs to move faster, the need to get there in time driving him forward. What good were his abilities if he couldn’t do anything useful with them?
Although it only took moments to reach them, it felt like hours before Zhou mi crested the hill and streaked down to the field. Along either side were the vampires and werewolves, like some sort of opposing sports team. Except for the fact that the sport they were going to be playing would have nothing to do with getting a little ball anywhere. Jessica was standing behind Siwon, who appeared to be on the edge, and she was yelling something about the treaty. It seemed that her words were falling on deaf ears if the hostility between the two groups were anything to go by. A powerful leap placed Zhou mi firmly between the werewolves and the small collection of vampires, two of which he recognized as Heechul and Yesung.
“Zhou mi,” Kangin growled, a command of power in his voice. “You cannot be here. Leave.”
Zhou mi would do no such thing but he needed his mouth in order to say that. Just as he was about to shift to his human form, a second large black cat sprang into the field. The moment its massive paws touched the ground, the fur seemed to melt away until and man was left crouched where the cat had been, gripping a silver stake in each hand.
“There will be no violation of the treaty tonight,” he said lowly.
Heechul snarled, clearly unhappy with his interference. “They took something of mine! That violates your precious treaty already, Hankyung!”
“We did no such thing!” Kangin snarled back.
“What proof do you have?” Hankyung countered, although it was unclear whom his question was directed to.
“He is my fledgling; we are bound as the Alpha is bound to his pack. I know he has been taken and I know by whom!” Heechul snapped.
“You know nothing you pompous bloodsucker,” Kangin countered. “Clearly you aren’t as connected to him as you think, since we don’t have him!”
Zhou mi thought for a moment to use his abilities to calm things, however he had seen the consequences of that once and the last thing he wanted to do was to leave the pack helpless before vampires. Still this shouting back and forth was hardly helping.
“Are you two quite done screaming at each other yet?” a voice from the fringes of their lineups commented dryly. Zhou mi turned to focus on what appeared to be a simple teenager but his scent rolled off him in waves of power. There beside him, translucent and looking cross, stood Key.
“You have no place here Fae!” Heechul snarled.
“My place is where I chose it vampire, and I would appreciate it if you would keep your mind out of mine,” the teenager snapped.
A stunned look passed across Heechul’s face before he composed himself. “Yoochun,” he murmured softly.
A vampire stepped forward and lifted his hand. There was a moment when everyone gathered watched with an expectation for what was to happen, but nothing did. The teenager rolled his eyes. “Do your homework vampire. None of your abilities work unless I allow them. That includes werewolf shape shifting. However, I can trigger them at my whim. It does seem like you have some interesting abilities among you,” the teenager smirked in a dangerous way.
“Changmin,” Key’s form said with warning in his voice, and the Fae sighed.
“All right, all right,” Changmin relented. “I am told there is one who can settle this matter with the proof that was requested, Quieter will you kindly shift back. I require your mouth.”
Zhou mi wasn’t certain that shifting was in his best interest yet his Beast seemed not only certain they would be fine in their human form but assured him that Kyuhyun in his wolf form was watching from just over the hill. Zhou mi nodded his head in a feline version of a nod and reversed the change.
“Excellent,” Changmin said off handedly as if he was discussing the weather and not trying to advert a potential supernatural war. “Now vampire what is it that you think they took?”
“I know-“ Heechul started to growl and Changmin held up a hand, pinching his fingers together cutting of Heechul’s statement in mid word.
“You don’t need to breathe vampire. I can take that from you too if you refuse to cooperate. Now I will ask you again. What are you missing and nothing more?” As Changmin finished his statement he opened his hand again and Heechul took a breath.
The vampire’s eyes were narrowed in anger but he growled out, “Taemin, my fledgling.”
“Very good,” Changmin said with a smile, clearly amused by how things were going. “Now Quieter, you wouldn’t happen to know where his fledgling has been relocated to?”
Before Zhou mi could speak Heechul snarled and made to lunge forward, “You took-“ yet again his air was cut off with a pinch of Changmin’s fingers, and Hankyung steeped smoothly between Zhou mi and the enraged vampire keeping one of the silver stakes between them.
“Not your turn to speak vampire,” Changmin said offhandedly. Kangin growled and took a step forward. “And don’t you start,” Changmin cautioned. “I cannot take your breath but I can lock your Beast leaving you little more than a man.”
Zhou mi observed fear flash in Kangin’s eyes, replaced instantly by a glowing anger and he took a step closer to the wolves, trying his best to project calm. “It’s okay Kangin,” he said softly, gently. “I think I know what happened to Taemin,” Zhou mi offered.
Changmin paused as if waiting for farther outbursts and his face fell marginally when there were none. “Yes Quieter, what information do you possess?”
“Sunny, another Fae took him, or at least something that smelled like her. All I know for certain is that a Fae by the name of Sungmin tried to grab me but he failed. He implied that he knew who had taken Taemin,” Zhou mi informed him, his voice taking on speed as he progressed in his tale. He could feel the anger rolling off the Alpha and he took a few steps closer until he could reach out and place his hand on Kangin’s chest.
Somehow, for one of the first times he could remember, an Alpha was on the edge of control and he wasn’t scared by it, not even in the slightest bit. His Beast rumbled in pleasure within him, seemingly content to allow him the freedom to handle the situation. At his touch the growl in Kangin’s throat died but the tension did not.
“Ah so Sungmin was involved. Lee Sungmin Shadow Painter, will you come forth? I wish to have a word,” Changmin said lazily.
There was a moment where nothing happened, save for a low warning noise from the wolves, then a small wisp of what looked like a shadow bubbled forth a few feet from Changmin. It was quickly joined by another and another until an entire orb was taking shape in the field. All at once there was a hiss and the shadows fell away leaving the same man that Zhou mi had seen earlier, wearing a cross look on his face.
“Honestly Changmin you could have just called. You didn’t need to summon me,” Sungmin muttered.
Changmin rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t even your true name. Don’t act like you are so put out.”
“Close enough,” Sungmin said then he shrugged. “Now what can I do for you?” Zhou mi wasn’t certain, since he didn’t have a lot of practice interacting with Fae, but he could almost believe that Sungmin was frightened by the presence of Changmin.
“The vampire seems to have misplaced something of his and the Quieter seems to think that you know its location,” Changmin said causally.
“You are going to have to be a bit more specific,” Sungmin replied. Changmin narrowed his eyes briefly and the small piece of shadow that was sliding around Sungmin’s fingers disappeared abruptly. The Fae’s eyes widened and he cleared his throat. “You know now that you mention it, I do happen to know something. Sunny made off with him I believe.”
“Thank you, please stay,” Changmin said, and Sungmin made no move to do anything contrary to the command. “Sunny Light Wearer, will you come forth please?”
There was a bright flash and suddenly Sunny was standing beside Changmin. “Well since you asked me so nicely,” she said with a smile. “Changmin it has been too long,” she told him pleasantly but made no move to get closer.
“I’m sure it has been. Sunny I hear that you have something of the vampires,” Changmin told her.
“I have a lot of things from a lot of people,” she said sweetly.
Beside Changmin Key cleared his throat and Changmin sighed. “I grow tired of this game,” Changmin flicked his fingers in Sungmin’s direction and the shadows rose up threateningly. Sungmin’s eyes widened as he took a step forward, but clearly the shadows that raced towards Sunny and encased her in a loose mesh cage were not under his control. “Do you or do you not possess the one called Taemin?”
Sunny glanced at the shadows wearily and when they began to tighten she exclaimed, “I do!”
The shadows stilled and Changmin glanced to Key. “Why?” the translucent form of Key asked.
She looked as if she wasn’t certain she wanted to answer, but the shadows pulsed once more and words poured from her mouth. “To get at Sungmin, probably the same reason why he tried to take Zhou mi.”
There was a snarl from on the hill and a large grey wolf with a white blaze on his forehead came bounding down. “Kyuhyun!” Zhou mi exclaimed, certain that anything the werewolf would try to do would end up fatal for someone.
On instinct he leapt, knowing through their bond the path his mate would take to get to the threat. In mid-leap, fur rippled over his body, so that when he collided with Kyuhyun’s moving mass he was fully in his feline form. The impact sent them tumbling. There was shouting, from whom, Zhou mi couldn’t be certain, all he knew was that he needed to stop his mate who was snarling and fighting to shake him off without hurting him.
‘Don’t!’ Zhou mi screamed through their bond. ‘They will kill you!’ The response he received was an incoherent one of anger and possession.
“Enough wolf,” he heard, Changmin say. In the next moment, Kyuhyun was beneath him fully human and screaming in pain.
Panicked, Zhou mi reversed the change and gathered Kyuhyun, who would not quit screaming to him. “Kyuhyun,” he murmured, “It’s ok. You’re ok,” he murmured trying to remain calm and use the abilities he had. “What did you do!” he snarled, his eyes flashing purple as his head snapped up at the Fae.
“I sealed his Beast until we are finished here,” Changmin said casually.
“Fix it,” Hankyung growled, surprising nearly everyone there.
Changmin rolled his eyes, “When I am finished. Sunny produce Taemin,” he ordered.
“Shh, it’s ok. He is still there. I can feel him,” Zhou mi cooed to Kyuhyun in his arms. The man was clutching at him and doing his best to bite off pained screams into whimpers. Zhou mi could feel through their bond, the agony that Kyuhyun was in, more than likely from the instantaneous forced changed and the binding of his Beast. He could feel that half of his mate, caged tightly and found himself furious about it. “It’s ok,” Zhou mi, said softly, stroking Kyuhyun’s hair, and he began to sing. He didn’t care how dangerous it was for the rest of the wolves, Kyuhyun needed the peace his music could bring.
Zhou mi was so caught up in his song that he was surprised he noticed the bright flash depositing the fledgling back into their reality. Heechul was there an instant later gathering the young unconscious one into his arms.
“Is that what you had lost and is he in proper order?” Changmin asked.
“Yes,” Heechul snarled. “If he hadn’t been so well fed before this evening he would have been killed.” He turned his gaze on the Fae who was still in the cage with violence evident in his motions.
“Not my problem,” Changmin muttered. “Be gone both of you.” With a wave of his hand both of the Fae disappeared and any evidence that they had ever been with them. Then he turned, facing the form of the teenager beside him. “Does this fulfill my debt to you?”
Key exchanged looks with Hankyung and then nodded. “Your debt to me and mine is paid in full.”
“Very well,” Changmin murmured, and a second later he was gone.
Kyuhyun, in Zhou mi’s arms, released a pained animalistic noise and Zhou mi had just enough time to scramble backwards before his arms were full of shifting werewolf. It took Kyuhyun far less time to complete the change then normal and he surged to his feet releasing a growl that would frighten even the fiercest creature.
“Is he in his own mind?” Hankyung asked, keeping a weapon between them.
Zhou mi could feel that very little of Kyuhyun was present in the wolf at the moment. It was something he should be frightened of but he knew it didn’t really matter. Kyuhyun was his mate, every bit of him. He shifted closer and buried his fingers in the fur on Kyuhyun’s muscled shoulder. “He’s fine as long as people leave him alone,” Zhou mi told him and it was the truth, probably. Kangin, when he glanced behind him, looked apprehensive, but offered him a short nod. “His Alpha can handle any further issues.”
“Zhou mi,” Heechul, said stiffly from within his group of vampires. “I owe you a great debt, for returning to me what is mine. Name it and it is yours.”
Zhou mi swallowed as he turned over in his mind what could happen in the future. “All I ask is that you treat the wolves the same way you have treated me and do not hold this incident for which they have no responsibility for, against them.”
“I do not owe them anything,” Heechul said crossly.
“You owe them the same courtesy as me,” Zhou mi countered with more bravado then he felt. “They are my pack.” Immediately he could feel happiness coming from his mate and from the wolves gathered around him at his announcement. Moments before he hadn’t been certain that was his choice, but now that he had said it, it seemed somehow right.
“Very well,” Heechul acknowledged. “I will not hold this against your pack. You have my word.” A second later he was gone, melding into the shadows, his vampires disappearing with him.
Hankyung relaxed visibly with the disappearance of one half of the threat of violence gone. “Possibly not my best plan,” Key muttered.
“Gee really? You think?” Jessica snapped, shoving past Siwon to stomp up to him. “What were you thinking summoning a Fae to summon two more?”
“Well how else did you want to get the vampires’ dumb fledgling from the Fae without it being a blood bath? Do you really think the vampires would have listened to us? We are lunch. Not intellectuals,” Key snapped.
“Oh easy for you to say,” Jessica countered. “You weren’t actually here, just your astral projection so no harm could come to you.”
“Oh please you’re just pissed because you couldn’t do a thing,” Key returned.
“Enough,” Hankyung ordered lowly and Jessica bit off her next retort. “I trust that this wolf won’t become a problem,” he directed towards Kangin with a gesture towards Kyuhyun.
Kyuhyun growled and snapped his massive jaws at the hunter before Kangin could answer. Zhou mi hit him lightly on the side and the massive head turned towards him as if challenging him to try and do something about it. “He will be fine,” Kangin told him, clearly recognizing the exchange for what it was.
“It will be your responsibility if he is not then,” Hankyung said with a nod. “We are going,” he directed towards Jessica and Key.”
Key nodded and disappeared. Jessica looked cross as Hankyung shifted to the form of a panther and moved closer to her. “Fine,” she agreed after a moment. “Siwon give me a call will you.”
“I will,” he promised clearly restraining himself from going to her.
She reached out and touched Hankyung with her fingertips and then sighed. “Not my preferred way of travel,” she muttered. Then her body began to shift until she was standing beside Hankyung as an identical black panther. She paused for a moment, offering Siwon one last look before she turned and bounded off with Hankyung right behind her.
The moment they left it felt like the rest of the tension in the area fell away. Eunhyuk laughed and promptly flopped onto his back on the grass. Yoona and Taeyeon rolled their eyes as a moment later Shindong pounced and began an impromptu wrestling match.
“You did very well, Zhou mi,” Leeteuk told him, smiling as he approached.
The wolf beside him, who was beginning to feel more and more like Kyuhyun with every passing moment, rumbled in agreement. “I didn’t do anything,” Zhou mi said with a shake of his head.
“You’re right,” Kangin said with a grin. “And that is the beauty of it. Through your calm, we can all find calm. Zhou mi you don’t have to do anything, you just have to be. Especially in situations like that one.”
“The danger,” Leeteuk picked up for him, “is that if you feel at all threatened or frightened we will rise up to protect you instinctively, but as long as you feel calm and in control, we are as well.”
“Not only did you keep your moronic mate from killing himself,” Kangin said, offering Kyuhyun a punch to the shoulder which the wolf retaliated with a playful snap of his jaws in the Alpha’s direction. “But you kept all of us from doing something stupid that would have resulted in a lot of blood.”
“Oh,” Zhou mi said, not certain what else to say.
“Yes oh,” Leeteuk replied with a smile. Then he paused as if trying to figure out how to phrase things. “Zhou mi, were you serious when you said that this was your pack? If not, you need to clarify that now.”
Kyuhyun growled, clearly unhappy with the implications, and Zhou mi absently smoothed his fur. “No I was serious when I said it. I want this to be my pack,” the more he said it, the more certain he was of it.
“Well then,” Leeteuk said with a smile that was bright enough to blink. “Welcome to our messed up little family.”
Zhou mi laughed and accepted the hug from both the Alpha and his mate, ignoring the half hearted growls of protest from his own mate as he did so. “Thanks,” he murmured, not certain what else to say.
“And I think,” Kangin said with a grin. “That our first order of business should be to find you some pants.”
Amid the chuckles and Kyuhyun’s humorous rumbles, Zhou mi blushed and remembered that this was why he didn’t change in front of people. His clothes never came with him.
Chapter Eighteen
Masterlist
AN: So this doesn't seem as epic as the rest of my fic and I'm still not certain I like it, however it is what happened and three weeks of writing didn't change the events any. I think mainly I am feeling strange about it because it isn't an epic battle or anything. I hope I didn't let anyone down with this. Let me know what you all think of it.
And because it is still Christmas in my timezone. Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you had a fabulous time with your friends and family, or even by yourself on this joyous day.
Chapter Seventeen
Not for the first time, Kyuhyun was thankful for the strength of his common sense. It kept him from doing something highly foolish, like shifting to his wolf form before he had fully assessed the situation. He knew, of course, his mate was safe, unsettled but safe. Still he couldn’t deny that his Beast had the right idea, that they would be much more lethal if they were in their form with four legs instead of two. Kyuhyun reassured himself that he was plenty lethal just as he was, but he quickened his pace nevertheless.
Zhou mi was waiting for him the moment he rounded the corner, and was in his arms before Kyuhyun could slow himself down. If he was surprised, Zhou mi didn’t show it, instead giving into Kyuhyun’s instant press of lips and the hands that wandered over his body checking for wounds. When the Beast was satisfied that their mate was both safe and whole, Kyuhyun was finally able to revel in the calm emanating from his mate.
“What happened?” Kyuhyun asked, surprised that his own voice came out so human sounding when only a moment before he had been certain speech wouldn’t have been an option.
“Two Fae, we think,” Zhou mi replied.
Kyuhyun inhaled deeply taking in the scents in the air. “I smell vampire, Sunny, and another Fae.”
“There was a vampire here,” Jonghyun said evenly, his voice lacking any sort of passion that could set Kyuhyun off one way or another and the wolf was impressed. The child smelled of vampires but clearly wasn’t one himself, so it must have been a trick he had developed to survive in their world. “He was a friend of mine. He was taken by the Fae I believe you call Sunny. Then another called Sungmin appeared and tried to take your mate.”
Kyuhyun’s hackles rose at that and a growl slipped from his throat. Immediately Jonghyun averted his eyes and tilted his head, exposing his neck in submission. The actions, coupled with a squeeze of Zhou mi’s hand in his, soothed his Beast enough that he was able to get it back under control for the time being.
“What would a Fae want with a vampire?” Onew asked. Kyuhyun could hear the underlying tones of fear in his voice and for some reason that pulled at his Beast’s protective instincts.
“Who knows why Sunny does anything she does,” Kyuhyun growled. He had never particularly cared for Fae in the first place and this was hardly endearing them to him anymore.
“I’m surprised Heechul isn’t here yet,” Jonghyun said in the same even tone.
Kyuhyun’s brain did a few short calculations and didn’t like what it came up with. “We need to go,” he told Zhou mi. “Kangin summoned his wolves through the pack bonds. If I’m right, he will need my strength.”
“Need your strength for what?” Jonghyun asked.
“None of your business,” Kyuhyun growled, finally losing his patience with the teenager. “Come Zhou mi.” He knew there was a hint of power in the words that a normal wolf would obey and he wasn’t truly surprised when Zhou mi pulled his hand free of Kyuhyun’s hold.
“No. What is going on Kyuhyun?” Zhou mi asked.
“Pack business isn’t shared with outsiders,” Kyuhyun snarled.
“It’s the vampires isn’t it,” Onew asked softly. “They blame the wolves for taking Taemin.”
“What?” Zhou mi asked shocked.
“Heechul will tear them apart to get Taemin back. It will be a blood bath,” Jonghyun muttered.
Kyuhyun growled at the implications, “Not if we tear him apart first.”
Jonghyun’s eyes flashed then, the submissiveness in his form gone. “For what wolf? For trying to protect something that your Fae took?”
“She doesn’t belong to us,” Kyuhyun returned his voice rising with violence.
“Stop it,” Zhou mi snapped, his hand rising and settling firmly on Kyuhyun’s shoulder. “Just stop. No one is killing anyone tonight.”
“Heechul might like you but he won’t stop just because you say so,” Jonghyun cautioned.
“I’ll find a way,” Zhou mi muttered, then he turned and his form seemed to ripple. A moment later there was a large cat standing where Zhou mi had been, pulling the remains of clothing off with his teeth and claws. The moment he was free he took off at a run toward where Kyuhyun could feel the pack bonds pulling.
He spared the teens one last glance before turning and taking off after his mate at a flat out run that only something supernatural would be capable of. From behind him he could just make out the echoed words of Onew’s shaky voice. “Henry, call Hankyung and Key.”
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Zhou mi could feel them, feel their anger, and he ran towards it. His mate was fast, but he was faster and he didn’t have a minute to waste. None of the wolves had taken on their wolf form yet, but they were close, he could tell that much from the little he could feel of them. He willed his legs to move faster, the need to get there in time driving him forward. What good were his abilities if he couldn’t do anything useful with them?
Although it only took moments to reach them, it felt like hours before Zhou mi crested the hill and streaked down to the field. Along either side were the vampires and werewolves, like some sort of opposing sports team. Except for the fact that the sport they were going to be playing would have nothing to do with getting a little ball anywhere. Jessica was standing behind Siwon, who appeared to be on the edge, and she was yelling something about the treaty. It seemed that her words were falling on deaf ears if the hostility between the two groups were anything to go by. A powerful leap placed Zhou mi firmly between the werewolves and the small collection of vampires, two of which he recognized as Heechul and Yesung.
“Zhou mi,” Kangin growled, a command of power in his voice. “You cannot be here. Leave.”
Zhou mi would do no such thing but he needed his mouth in order to say that. Just as he was about to shift to his human form, a second large black cat sprang into the field. The moment its massive paws touched the ground, the fur seemed to melt away until and man was left crouched where the cat had been, gripping a silver stake in each hand.
“There will be no violation of the treaty tonight,” he said lowly.
Heechul snarled, clearly unhappy with his interference. “They took something of mine! That violates your precious treaty already, Hankyung!”
“We did no such thing!” Kangin snarled back.
“What proof do you have?” Hankyung countered, although it was unclear whom his question was directed to.
“He is my fledgling; we are bound as the Alpha is bound to his pack. I know he has been taken and I know by whom!” Heechul snapped.
“You know nothing you pompous bloodsucker,” Kangin countered. “Clearly you aren’t as connected to him as you think, since we don’t have him!”
Zhou mi thought for a moment to use his abilities to calm things, however he had seen the consequences of that once and the last thing he wanted to do was to leave the pack helpless before vampires. Still this shouting back and forth was hardly helping.
“Are you two quite done screaming at each other yet?” a voice from the fringes of their lineups commented dryly. Zhou mi turned to focus on what appeared to be a simple teenager but his scent rolled off him in waves of power. There beside him, translucent and looking cross, stood Key.
“You have no place here Fae!” Heechul snarled.
“My place is where I chose it vampire, and I would appreciate it if you would keep your mind out of mine,” the teenager snapped.
A stunned look passed across Heechul’s face before he composed himself. “Yoochun,” he murmured softly.
A vampire stepped forward and lifted his hand. There was a moment when everyone gathered watched with an expectation for what was to happen, but nothing did. The teenager rolled his eyes. “Do your homework vampire. None of your abilities work unless I allow them. That includes werewolf shape shifting. However, I can trigger them at my whim. It does seem like you have some interesting abilities among you,” the teenager smirked in a dangerous way.
“Changmin,” Key’s form said with warning in his voice, and the Fae sighed.
“All right, all right,” Changmin relented. “I am told there is one who can settle this matter with the proof that was requested, Quieter will you kindly shift back. I require your mouth.”
Zhou mi wasn’t certain that shifting was in his best interest yet his Beast seemed not only certain they would be fine in their human form but assured him that Kyuhyun in his wolf form was watching from just over the hill. Zhou mi nodded his head in a feline version of a nod and reversed the change.
“Excellent,” Changmin said off handedly as if he was discussing the weather and not trying to advert a potential supernatural war. “Now vampire what is it that you think they took?”
“I know-“ Heechul started to growl and Changmin held up a hand, pinching his fingers together cutting of Heechul’s statement in mid word.
“You don’t need to breathe vampire. I can take that from you too if you refuse to cooperate. Now I will ask you again. What are you missing and nothing more?” As Changmin finished his statement he opened his hand again and Heechul took a breath.
The vampire’s eyes were narrowed in anger but he growled out, “Taemin, my fledgling.”
“Very good,” Changmin said with a smile, clearly amused by how things were going. “Now Quieter, you wouldn’t happen to know where his fledgling has been relocated to?”
Before Zhou mi could speak Heechul snarled and made to lunge forward, “You took-“ yet again his air was cut off with a pinch of Changmin’s fingers, and Hankyung steeped smoothly between Zhou mi and the enraged vampire keeping one of the silver stakes between them.
“Not your turn to speak vampire,” Changmin said offhandedly. Kangin growled and took a step forward. “And don’t you start,” Changmin cautioned. “I cannot take your breath but I can lock your Beast leaving you little more than a man.”
Zhou mi observed fear flash in Kangin’s eyes, replaced instantly by a glowing anger and he took a step closer to the wolves, trying his best to project calm. “It’s okay Kangin,” he said softly, gently. “I think I know what happened to Taemin,” Zhou mi offered.
Changmin paused as if waiting for farther outbursts and his face fell marginally when there were none. “Yes Quieter, what information do you possess?”
“Sunny, another Fae took him, or at least something that smelled like her. All I know for certain is that a Fae by the name of Sungmin tried to grab me but he failed. He implied that he knew who had taken Taemin,” Zhou mi informed him, his voice taking on speed as he progressed in his tale. He could feel the anger rolling off the Alpha and he took a few steps closer until he could reach out and place his hand on Kangin’s chest.
Somehow, for one of the first times he could remember, an Alpha was on the edge of control and he wasn’t scared by it, not even in the slightest bit. His Beast rumbled in pleasure within him, seemingly content to allow him the freedom to handle the situation. At his touch the growl in Kangin’s throat died but the tension did not.
“Ah so Sungmin was involved. Lee Sungmin Shadow Painter, will you come forth? I wish to have a word,” Changmin said lazily.
There was a moment where nothing happened, save for a low warning noise from the wolves, then a small wisp of what looked like a shadow bubbled forth a few feet from Changmin. It was quickly joined by another and another until an entire orb was taking shape in the field. All at once there was a hiss and the shadows fell away leaving the same man that Zhou mi had seen earlier, wearing a cross look on his face.
“Honestly Changmin you could have just called. You didn’t need to summon me,” Sungmin muttered.
Changmin rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t even your true name. Don’t act like you are so put out.”
“Close enough,” Sungmin said then he shrugged. “Now what can I do for you?” Zhou mi wasn’t certain, since he didn’t have a lot of practice interacting with Fae, but he could almost believe that Sungmin was frightened by the presence of Changmin.
“The vampire seems to have misplaced something of his and the Quieter seems to think that you know its location,” Changmin said causally.
“You are going to have to be a bit more specific,” Sungmin replied. Changmin narrowed his eyes briefly and the small piece of shadow that was sliding around Sungmin’s fingers disappeared abruptly. The Fae’s eyes widened and he cleared his throat. “You know now that you mention it, I do happen to know something. Sunny made off with him I believe.”
“Thank you, please stay,” Changmin said, and Sungmin made no move to do anything contrary to the command. “Sunny Light Wearer, will you come forth please?”
There was a bright flash and suddenly Sunny was standing beside Changmin. “Well since you asked me so nicely,” she said with a smile. “Changmin it has been too long,” she told him pleasantly but made no move to get closer.
“I’m sure it has been. Sunny I hear that you have something of the vampires,” Changmin told her.
“I have a lot of things from a lot of people,” she said sweetly.
Beside Changmin Key cleared his throat and Changmin sighed. “I grow tired of this game,” Changmin flicked his fingers in Sungmin’s direction and the shadows rose up threateningly. Sungmin’s eyes widened as he took a step forward, but clearly the shadows that raced towards Sunny and encased her in a loose mesh cage were not under his control. “Do you or do you not possess the one called Taemin?”
Sunny glanced at the shadows wearily and when they began to tighten she exclaimed, “I do!”
The shadows stilled and Changmin glanced to Key. “Why?” the translucent form of Key asked.
She looked as if she wasn’t certain she wanted to answer, but the shadows pulsed once more and words poured from her mouth. “To get at Sungmin, probably the same reason why he tried to take Zhou mi.”
There was a snarl from on the hill and a large grey wolf with a white blaze on his forehead came bounding down. “Kyuhyun!” Zhou mi exclaimed, certain that anything the werewolf would try to do would end up fatal for someone.
On instinct he leapt, knowing through their bond the path his mate would take to get to the threat. In mid-leap, fur rippled over his body, so that when he collided with Kyuhyun’s moving mass he was fully in his feline form. The impact sent them tumbling. There was shouting, from whom, Zhou mi couldn’t be certain, all he knew was that he needed to stop his mate who was snarling and fighting to shake him off without hurting him.
‘Don’t!’ Zhou mi screamed through their bond. ‘They will kill you!’ The response he received was an incoherent one of anger and possession.
“Enough wolf,” he heard, Changmin say. In the next moment, Kyuhyun was beneath him fully human and screaming in pain.
Panicked, Zhou mi reversed the change and gathered Kyuhyun, who would not quit screaming to him. “Kyuhyun,” he murmured, “It’s ok. You’re ok,” he murmured trying to remain calm and use the abilities he had. “What did you do!” he snarled, his eyes flashing purple as his head snapped up at the Fae.
“I sealed his Beast until we are finished here,” Changmin said casually.
“Fix it,” Hankyung growled, surprising nearly everyone there.
Changmin rolled his eyes, “When I am finished. Sunny produce Taemin,” he ordered.
“Shh, it’s ok. He is still there. I can feel him,” Zhou mi cooed to Kyuhyun in his arms. The man was clutching at him and doing his best to bite off pained screams into whimpers. Zhou mi could feel through their bond, the agony that Kyuhyun was in, more than likely from the instantaneous forced changed and the binding of his Beast. He could feel that half of his mate, caged tightly and found himself furious about it. “It’s ok,” Zhou mi, said softly, stroking Kyuhyun’s hair, and he began to sing. He didn’t care how dangerous it was for the rest of the wolves, Kyuhyun needed the peace his music could bring.
Zhou mi was so caught up in his song that he was surprised he noticed the bright flash depositing the fledgling back into their reality. Heechul was there an instant later gathering the young unconscious one into his arms.
“Is that what you had lost and is he in proper order?” Changmin asked.
“Yes,” Heechul snarled. “If he hadn’t been so well fed before this evening he would have been killed.” He turned his gaze on the Fae who was still in the cage with violence evident in his motions.
“Not my problem,” Changmin muttered. “Be gone both of you.” With a wave of his hand both of the Fae disappeared and any evidence that they had ever been with them. Then he turned, facing the form of the teenager beside him. “Does this fulfill my debt to you?”
Key exchanged looks with Hankyung and then nodded. “Your debt to me and mine is paid in full.”
“Very well,” Changmin murmured, and a second later he was gone.
Kyuhyun, in Zhou mi’s arms, released a pained animalistic noise and Zhou mi had just enough time to scramble backwards before his arms were full of shifting werewolf. It took Kyuhyun far less time to complete the change then normal and he surged to his feet releasing a growl that would frighten even the fiercest creature.
“Is he in his own mind?” Hankyung asked, keeping a weapon between them.
Zhou mi could feel that very little of Kyuhyun was present in the wolf at the moment. It was something he should be frightened of but he knew it didn’t really matter. Kyuhyun was his mate, every bit of him. He shifted closer and buried his fingers in the fur on Kyuhyun’s muscled shoulder. “He’s fine as long as people leave him alone,” Zhou mi told him and it was the truth, probably. Kangin, when he glanced behind him, looked apprehensive, but offered him a short nod. “His Alpha can handle any further issues.”
“Zhou mi,” Heechul, said stiffly from within his group of vampires. “I owe you a great debt, for returning to me what is mine. Name it and it is yours.”
Zhou mi swallowed as he turned over in his mind what could happen in the future. “All I ask is that you treat the wolves the same way you have treated me and do not hold this incident for which they have no responsibility for, against them.”
“I do not owe them anything,” Heechul said crossly.
“You owe them the same courtesy as me,” Zhou mi countered with more bravado then he felt. “They are my pack.” Immediately he could feel happiness coming from his mate and from the wolves gathered around him at his announcement. Moments before he hadn’t been certain that was his choice, but now that he had said it, it seemed somehow right.
“Very well,” Heechul acknowledged. “I will not hold this against your pack. You have my word.” A second later he was gone, melding into the shadows, his vampires disappearing with him.
Hankyung relaxed visibly with the disappearance of one half of the threat of violence gone. “Possibly not my best plan,” Key muttered.
“Gee really? You think?” Jessica snapped, shoving past Siwon to stomp up to him. “What were you thinking summoning a Fae to summon two more?”
“Well how else did you want to get the vampires’ dumb fledgling from the Fae without it being a blood bath? Do you really think the vampires would have listened to us? We are lunch. Not intellectuals,” Key snapped.
“Oh easy for you to say,” Jessica countered. “You weren’t actually here, just your astral projection so no harm could come to you.”
“Oh please you’re just pissed because you couldn’t do a thing,” Key returned.
“Enough,” Hankyung ordered lowly and Jessica bit off her next retort. “I trust that this wolf won’t become a problem,” he directed towards Kangin with a gesture towards Kyuhyun.
Kyuhyun growled and snapped his massive jaws at the hunter before Kangin could answer. Zhou mi hit him lightly on the side and the massive head turned towards him as if challenging him to try and do something about it. “He will be fine,” Kangin told him, clearly recognizing the exchange for what it was.
“It will be your responsibility if he is not then,” Hankyung said with a nod. “We are going,” he directed towards Jessica and Key.”
Key nodded and disappeared. Jessica looked cross as Hankyung shifted to the form of a panther and moved closer to her. “Fine,” she agreed after a moment. “Siwon give me a call will you.”
“I will,” he promised clearly restraining himself from going to her.
She reached out and touched Hankyung with her fingertips and then sighed. “Not my preferred way of travel,” she muttered. Then her body began to shift until she was standing beside Hankyung as an identical black panther. She paused for a moment, offering Siwon one last look before she turned and bounded off with Hankyung right behind her.
The moment they left it felt like the rest of the tension in the area fell away. Eunhyuk laughed and promptly flopped onto his back on the grass. Yoona and Taeyeon rolled their eyes as a moment later Shindong pounced and began an impromptu wrestling match.
“You did very well, Zhou mi,” Leeteuk told him, smiling as he approached.
The wolf beside him, who was beginning to feel more and more like Kyuhyun with every passing moment, rumbled in agreement. “I didn’t do anything,” Zhou mi said with a shake of his head.
“You’re right,” Kangin said with a grin. “And that is the beauty of it. Through your calm, we can all find calm. Zhou mi you don’t have to do anything, you just have to be. Especially in situations like that one.”
“The danger,” Leeteuk picked up for him, “is that if you feel at all threatened or frightened we will rise up to protect you instinctively, but as long as you feel calm and in control, we are as well.”
“Not only did you keep your moronic mate from killing himself,” Kangin said, offering Kyuhyun a punch to the shoulder which the wolf retaliated with a playful snap of his jaws in the Alpha’s direction. “But you kept all of us from doing something stupid that would have resulted in a lot of blood.”
“Oh,” Zhou mi said, not certain what else to say.
“Yes oh,” Leeteuk replied with a smile. Then he paused as if trying to figure out how to phrase things. “Zhou mi, were you serious when you said that this was your pack? If not, you need to clarify that now.”
Kyuhyun growled, clearly unhappy with the implications, and Zhou mi absently smoothed his fur. “No I was serious when I said it. I want this to be my pack,” the more he said it, the more certain he was of it.
“Well then,” Leeteuk said with a smile that was bright enough to blink. “Welcome to our messed up little family.”
Zhou mi laughed and accepted the hug from both the Alpha and his mate, ignoring the half hearted growls of protest from his own mate as he did so. “Thanks,” he murmured, not certain what else to say.
“And I think,” Kangin said with a grin. “That our first order of business should be to find you some pants.”
Amid the chuckles and Kyuhyun’s humorous rumbles, Zhou mi blushed and remembered that this was why he didn’t change in front of people. His clothes never came with him.
Chapter Eighteen
Masterlist
AN: So this doesn't seem as epic as the rest of my fic and I'm still not certain I like it, however it is what happened and three weeks of writing didn't change the events any. I think mainly I am feeling strange about it because it isn't an epic battle or anything. I hope I didn't let anyone down with this. Let me know what you all think of it.
And because it is still Christmas in my timezone. Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you had a fabulous time with your friends and family, or even by yourself on this joyous day.