Of Blood and Brooms - Chapter Two
Of Blood and Brooms
Chapter Two
“Now we wait,” Heechul declared as he settled into the chair in the sitting room.
That is not an option,” Hankyung disagreed highly aware of Key who was standing stiffly beside him. “He is in your command. Order him to give me Onew.”
“Taemin, Jonghyun, take Key back to my quarters will you? Give him something to drink,” Heechul said in a way that left no room for argument.
“Go,” Hankyung murmured to Key. He knew what Heechul was trying to do. The more people that were in the room the more chance for unpredictability there was.
Mutely Key shuffled forward and allowed Taemin to guide him out of the room with Jonghyun behind them. Hankyung watched him go, before turning his attention to Heechul again. “Force him to release my witch or I will,” Hankyung growled.
Heechul sighed. “I would love to but the best I can promise you is that he won’t kill him.”
Hankyung’s eyes narrowed, “I know that the head of the seethe may control his vampires completely. Make him release Onew.”
“Minho isn’t my vampire,” Heechul said casually.
“He lives in your seethe,” Hankyung growled anger rising in him. Vampires simply would not allow others that were not their own or very dear friends to live with them, they were too territorial to bear it, and Hankyung had more than enough of Heechul’s verbal games.
“But I didn’t make him,” Heechul said flippantly. “He was a gift. A crazed gift, but I could hardly refuse it. That would have been rude.”
“You have been keeping a crazed vampire here?” Hankyung growled fighting the urge to turn and walk right back into the room and take care of the problem. Vampires themselves were bad enough, but they simply couldn’t risk killing a lot of people and blowing their cover. A crazed vampire had no such restraint and typically more strength because of it, making it a double danger.
“It is my seethe,” Heechul said with sudden authority. “I may do what I wish inside of it. He has killed no one and this is the first time he has acted without permission. Don’t get your fur ruffled. He won’t kill your witch.”
“Funny, I thought that was what vampires did with their food,” Hankyung snarled.
Heechul laughed. “A vampire who was only concerned with eating would have simply continued or killed Onew when we entered. What he was doing was protecting Onew. From us.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
Key followed them numbly as he was led through the halls to a room that he had never been to before. It was a simple bedroom, but judging by the clutter, decorations on the walls, and school books, it was the room of a teenager. Taemin led him to the bed and he sat as he watched Jonghyun move to the small refrigerator in the corner and remove a bottle of water from it.
“Here, drink,” he said gently placing the bottle in Key’s hands. “You are in shock.”
Key gripped it, noting absently the tremble in his fingers as he turned things over in his mind. Two years. For two years they had thought that Minho had been dead, killed by vampires. For two years he had fueled a hate against them so deep in his mind that the reappearance of Taemin hadn’t been enough to dispel it. For two years he had watched Onew suffer in silence. Two years.
“How long?” he asked his voice coming out as a hoarse whisper that didn’t sound like his own. “How long have you known.”
“Almost two years,” Jonghyun said softly.
“The whole time,” Key whispered.
“The vampire that turned him thought it was funny to let him feed from us,” Jonghyun replied.
“Do you know what losing Minho did to him?” Key muttered as if he hadn’t heard Jonghyun. “No one calls him Jinki anymore. He doesn’t let them. Do you know what he has been through?”
“I’m sorry,” Jonghyun whispered.
The words, unlike anything else, seemed to break through the shock Key was feeling and he surged to his feet, throwing the bottle from his hand. “You’re sorry!?! You abandon and betrayed us and you are sorry!?”
Jonghyun appeared as if he was trying to contain whatever he wanted to say but lost the battle a moment later. “Don’t give me that shit Key, this isn’t about Onew, this is about you! It’s always about you!”
“Like hell it is! You didn’t see what he went through!” Key snarled.
“And you didn’t see what we went through! Do you know what it is like to see the shell of a dear friend savagely tear at another? He nearly tore Taemin to shreds and the vampire thought it was funny! He laughed while Taemin screamed and Minho didn’t have a clue! Do you even care what we went through?!” Jonghyun yelled back.
“You chose them! You choose the ones that killed Minho and broke Jinki! You chose them!”
“Heechul saved Taemin’s life!”
“By making him one of them?!”
“It was the only way!” Jonghyun said hotly.
“It would have been better to let him die!” Key didn’t see the fist coming that connected with his cheek and sent him reeling and stumbling back where he fell onto the bed.
Jonghyun leapt after him, catching his collar and using it to jerk him up. “Who the fuck are you?” he hissed darkly. “You aren’t the Kibum I know.”
“You mean I’m not the Kibum you left,” Key countered, glaring up at him stubbornly.
“Damn it Kibum,” Jonghyun growled, then just as quickly as he had punched him he leaned down and pressed their lips together. Key beat at his shoulder once weakly, before his other arm came up and hooked behind Jonghyun’s neck trying to pull him closer. “It was the hardest thing I had to do to leave you,” Jonghyun murmured against his lips as he pulled back enough just so they could talk. “Taemin needed someone and I was the only one who knew, the only one who would understand.”
A million responses flew through Key’s mind and he had no idea which was the right one to say or the right one to do. The only thing he did know, was that at the moment all he could think about was the teen above him. Using the arm behind Jonghyun’s neck, he pulled him down and melded their lips together again.
From his spot near the door Taemin watched with an amused smile.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
At six years old he already had a clear definition of right and wrong. Helping others was the right thing to do. Pushing others down and hurting them was the wrong thing to do. Then laughing about it and walking away was worse.
He wasn’t a big boy, not by anyone’s standards, but he could do what was right and help those that needed it. “Are you ok?” he asked as he stopped in front of a kid a year or two younger than him. “It isn’t nice that they pushed you down.”
“Yeah,” the kid replied, not making eye contact as he looked after the ones who had bullied him with a calm determination.
“I’m Jinki,” the six year old said, offering his hand.
“Minho,” was the response as he accepted the help to get to his feet.
Jinki nodded, repeating the name several times in his mind so he hopefully wouldn’t forget it. Once Minho was standing, Jinki glanced over his form to make certain he was alright and noticed the blood welling up on his right knee cap. “You’re bleeding!” he exclaimed. Minho looked down as if he hadn’t noticed and Jinki watched his jaw set in a determined way. “My mommy can magically fix all hurts,” Jinki declared. “Come on.”
Minho didn’t protest as he was pulled along by the hand through the playground to the benches where a few mothers were gathered and chatting. Jinki’s mother smiled as soon as she saw him and waved. “Jinki who is this?” she asked sweetly as he presented his new found friend.
“This is Minho. He has a hurt. Can you heal it with your special words please?” Jinki asked.
“Well we’ll see what we can do,” his mother said with a smile as she rose from the bench and pulled a wipe out of her bag. “Hi Minho,” she said as she crouched to his eye level. “Where is your mommy?”
“We live there,” Minho said pointing to a collection of houses beside the park.
“And she lets you come to the park alone?” Jinki’s mother asked.
Minho shrugged. “She works.”
“Well then Minho, would you like me to clean up that knee for you so you can go play?” she asked.
Minho simply shrugged again. Jinki’s mother smiled. “Hurt be gone, hurt good bye, leave this little one, and don’t make him cry,” she said in a sing song voice, then she blew lightly over his knee. When she was finished she lifted the wipe and gently wiped away the blood until clean unbroken skin was visible again.
“There,” she said. “Not so bad after all. Why don’t you boys go play and then we can get some lunch before we take your friend home.”
“Thanks mom,” Jinki declared with a smile hugging her around her neck before releasing her and grinning at Minho. “I’ll race you to the swings!” The younger boy smiled and without answering, turned and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him in that direction. “Hey!” Jinki exclaimed, “I didn’t say go!”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Mom I’m home!” Jinki called as he dumped his school bag full of his second grade books on the couch.
“I’m in the kitchen!” she called out. “It’s safe.”
Jinki grinned and looked back at the smaller boy that had followed him in the door. “She says that to let me know she is working on dinner not a potion. You have to be careful not to disturb a witch while brewing a potion.” The boy nodded as if he was absorbing all of the information very rapidly. “Come on,” Jinki said brightly padding off towards the kitchen.
“Jinki,” his mother greeted him as soon as she saw him and then looked curiously at the boy following him. “Who is this?”
“This is Kibum. He’s in first grade. I think he is a witch too,” Jinki informed her. He turned to look at the boy and then whispered as if she couldn’t hear him. “Show her.”
Kibum nodded. For a moment it was as if nothing happened and then suddenly his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed in a little pile of limbs. A second later a translucent version of himself was standing beside Jinki, looking somewhat frightened.
“Oh goodness,” his mother said somewhat shocked. “I would say that he could be a witch. I believe what you are doing right now is called astral projection. There are ways to do it so it is a little nicer to leave your body.” She crouched down in front of him. “Kibum, honey, do you know how to get back into your body?” The transparent form of Kibum closed his eyes and disappeared. A moment later his body stirred on the floor.
“Much better,” she said shifting her attention to him. “Is one of your parents a witch or maybe a relative?” Kibum shrugged.
“He’s adopted mom,” Jinki said as if that explained everything and to her it did.
“Well then. Kibum you are going to have to learn about your powers. What you can do isn’t a bad thing and you will be able to do some very good stuff for very good things, but I don’t want you doing that without me there any more right now. Until you learn more about it, it isn’t safe. Do you understand?”
Kibum offered her a nod and she smiled. “Good then. Why don’t you boys hop up to the table and I’ll get you a snack.”
Jinki grinned and lead the way to the table where he and Kibum both climbed into separate chairs. “You are so lucky Kibum. I don’t know what my power is yet. My mom says that I am a witch and I will have one eventually. Everyone in her family has been witches.”
“Here you go Jinki,” his mother said placing a small plate of vegetables in front of him. “I hope you don’t mind vegetables Kibum,” she said offering him the same.
“Key,” he murmured, the first words she had heard him speak. “I like to be called Key and I don’t mind.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“This is Jonghyun,” Key said gesturing to the boy. “He is in my class. I figured that you always have Minho over so I could bring a friend too.”
“Nice to meet you Jonghyun,” Jinki said politely, bowing and Jonghyun bowed in return.
“Now we can really play some soccer. Two on two,” Minho said with a grin, dribbling a ball with his feet.
“I need to study,” Jinki whined.
“Oh come on its just one test,” Key said trying to swipe the ball from Minho and failing miserably.
“It determines if I gradate from elementary or not!” Jinki protested.
“You’ll graduate just because they want to get rid of you,” Minho joked.
“Hey not funny!” Jinki argued trying not to smile. Jonghyun laughed.
“I have cookies!” Jinki’s mother declared as she walked into the room carrying a plate.
“And this is why you are my favorite mom on the block,” Key declared.
“I had better be,” she agreed setting them down in the center of the table. “Let me go get the milk.”
“Yes!” Key exclaimed snatching one. Jinki sighed.
“Give up,” Minho said with a grin, then leaned closer. “I’ll chase them all out for you later so you can work.”
Jinki smiled at him, “Alright,” he said closing his book finally. “Thanks.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“What could be so important that you had to drag me out to the playground in the middle of the night in my pajamas?” Jonghyun said irritably.
“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea,” Jinki whispered to Key.
“Shut up we are doing this,” Key hissed back. Minho simply watched both of them with a curious look on his face.
“But-”
“We are witches,” Key declared without preamble.
“Witches?” Jonghyun asked incredulously. “Like in the kind with warts and broomsticks.”
Key glared. “Do I look like I have warts to you?”
“No, but witches aren’t real,” Jonghyun argued.
“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Key snapped. He suddenly dropped to the ground settling in a cross legged position of meditation with his hands on his knees. His eyes drifted closed and a moment later he slumped forward. “Believe me now?” he asked from directly behind Jonghyun.
Wide eyed the boy spun to see the translucent form of Key hovering behind him and he looked frantically between Key’s physical form and the projection. “How? What?”
“It’s called Astral Projection and you owe me a new pair of pajama pants for making me sit on the damp ground and showing it to you,” Key snapped.
Jinki turned away from them and looked towards Minho who was simply smiling amused. “Say something,” he said biting at his lip. Rejection from his best friend was probably the worst thing that could every happen to him, but the silence was worse.
“Is this what you have been fretting about for the last two weeks?” Minho asked. “Telling me?” As usual he saw straight to the heart of whatever was going on with Jinki, whether he wanted him to or not.
“Yeah,” Jinki admitted since there really was no use hiding it.
“I already knew you dork,” Minho said ruffling his hair affectionately.
“What, how?” Jinki asked surprised.
“Your mom healed me with magic when I was four and that stuff tends to run in the family,” Minho said with a shrug.
“You remember that?”Jinki asked, stunned.
“I don’t forget much,” Minho said with a smirk.
“Oh,” Jinki said dumbly.
“Yeah, oh.”
“Well,” he said after a moment. “What do you think of it?”
“You being a witch?” Minho asked and Jinki nodded. “It’s pretty cool.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
It was like trying to drag himself through half dried mud. He knew that he was awake but he couldn’t open his eyes no matter how hard he tried. It made him feel like he was trapped in perpetual darkness with no idea how long he had been there or how to get out. He was aware of very few things, but he could feel the fire of pain along the side of his neck.
As soon as he acknowledged it, it flared up even brighter and he could suddenly hear the distinct sound of someone whimpering. Then there was a soothing warmth at his neck, as if trying to ease his pain and a word from the same voice in his mind, ‘Sleep.’ He didn’t know if the voice was a figment of his imagination but if it was he would gladly stay there for as long as he could since he never thought to be able to hear it again. Onew didn’t fight its pressure and let it push him back down into slumber, where he continued to dream.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Haven’t managed to talk him down yet?” Taemin asked with a smile as he entered the room and crossed to Heechul.
Heechul grinned and shifted an arm, inviting him onto his lap with a gesture. Taking the invitation immediately the fledgling climbed onto its master’s lap and settled contently as a toddler would with its mother. Heechul’s arms rose to surround him, one hand drifting over his back slowly. “Where is Key?”
“Sleeping,” Taemin answered.
“And Jonghyun?”
“Sleeping.”
“You didn’t do anything did you?” Heechul’s tone was amused.
“Nope they did it all. They yelled. Then Jonghyun punched Key. Then he kissed him. Then they kissed some more and fell asleep,” Taemin said as if he was proud. Hankyung sighed.
“Ah so our little Jonghyun doesn’t have to pine away anymore,” Heechul chuckled.
“If Key doesn’t kill him on reflex when he wakes up,” Taemin agreed. “Onew?”
“Still sleeping. He woke up about a hour ago, but fell back asleep fairly quickly.”
“Can I go try to talk to Minho?” Taemin asked hopefully.
“I would prefer if you didn’t. I don’t like having to put you back together when he is through with you,” Heechul replied.
“Excuse me?” Hankyung asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Oh relax, it wasn’t here. It was across the country before Minho was mine,” Heechul said flippantly. “Why don’t you run along and finish your studies. You have an exam tomorrow,” Heechul swatted Taemin lightly on the backside.
“We can’t postpone it on account of guests?” Taemin asked hopefully.
“No,” Heechul answered. “Go,” he said sternly then he ruffled the fledgling’s hair affectionately.
“Fine,” Taemin murmured, standing and slumping off like prisoner being sentenced.
Hankyung watched him go before he stood. “I am through with this waiting. I am going to go kill your vampire, get my witch, and go home.”
“Tell me,” Heechul said calmly from where he was still sitting. “In all your years of killing vampires, Death Bringer, how many have you killed and retrieved their victims in a living state?” Heechul’s smirk told him that he already knew the answer and Hankyung snarled before sinking back down on the couch to wait.
Chapter Three
Masterlist
AN: Yep here is chapter two... already... *looks at SHINee muses* I see what you are doing here I am onto your secret evil plan...... I already have chapter three almost done...
Chapter Two
“Now we wait,” Heechul declared as he settled into the chair in the sitting room.
That is not an option,” Hankyung disagreed highly aware of Key who was standing stiffly beside him. “He is in your command. Order him to give me Onew.”
“Taemin, Jonghyun, take Key back to my quarters will you? Give him something to drink,” Heechul said in a way that left no room for argument.
“Go,” Hankyung murmured to Key. He knew what Heechul was trying to do. The more people that were in the room the more chance for unpredictability there was.
Mutely Key shuffled forward and allowed Taemin to guide him out of the room with Jonghyun behind them. Hankyung watched him go, before turning his attention to Heechul again. “Force him to release my witch or I will,” Hankyung growled.
Heechul sighed. “I would love to but the best I can promise you is that he won’t kill him.”
Hankyung’s eyes narrowed, “I know that the head of the seethe may control his vampires completely. Make him release Onew.”
“Minho isn’t my vampire,” Heechul said casually.
“He lives in your seethe,” Hankyung growled anger rising in him. Vampires simply would not allow others that were not their own or very dear friends to live with them, they were too territorial to bear it, and Hankyung had more than enough of Heechul’s verbal games.
“But I didn’t make him,” Heechul said flippantly. “He was a gift. A crazed gift, but I could hardly refuse it. That would have been rude.”
“You have been keeping a crazed vampire here?” Hankyung growled fighting the urge to turn and walk right back into the room and take care of the problem. Vampires themselves were bad enough, but they simply couldn’t risk killing a lot of people and blowing their cover. A crazed vampire had no such restraint and typically more strength because of it, making it a double danger.
“It is my seethe,” Heechul said with sudden authority. “I may do what I wish inside of it. He has killed no one and this is the first time he has acted without permission. Don’t get your fur ruffled. He won’t kill your witch.”
“Funny, I thought that was what vampires did with their food,” Hankyung snarled.
Heechul laughed. “A vampire who was only concerned with eating would have simply continued or killed Onew when we entered. What he was doing was protecting Onew. From us.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
Key followed them numbly as he was led through the halls to a room that he had never been to before. It was a simple bedroom, but judging by the clutter, decorations on the walls, and school books, it was the room of a teenager. Taemin led him to the bed and he sat as he watched Jonghyun move to the small refrigerator in the corner and remove a bottle of water from it.
“Here, drink,” he said gently placing the bottle in Key’s hands. “You are in shock.”
Key gripped it, noting absently the tremble in his fingers as he turned things over in his mind. Two years. For two years they had thought that Minho had been dead, killed by vampires. For two years he had fueled a hate against them so deep in his mind that the reappearance of Taemin hadn’t been enough to dispel it. For two years he had watched Onew suffer in silence. Two years.
“How long?” he asked his voice coming out as a hoarse whisper that didn’t sound like his own. “How long have you known.”
“Almost two years,” Jonghyun said softly.
“The whole time,” Key whispered.
“The vampire that turned him thought it was funny to let him feed from us,” Jonghyun replied.
“Do you know what losing Minho did to him?” Key muttered as if he hadn’t heard Jonghyun. “No one calls him Jinki anymore. He doesn’t let them. Do you know what he has been through?”
“I’m sorry,” Jonghyun whispered.
The words, unlike anything else, seemed to break through the shock Key was feeling and he surged to his feet, throwing the bottle from his hand. “You’re sorry!?! You abandon and betrayed us and you are sorry!?”
Jonghyun appeared as if he was trying to contain whatever he wanted to say but lost the battle a moment later. “Don’t give me that shit Key, this isn’t about Onew, this is about you! It’s always about you!”
“Like hell it is! You didn’t see what he went through!” Key snarled.
“And you didn’t see what we went through! Do you know what it is like to see the shell of a dear friend savagely tear at another? He nearly tore Taemin to shreds and the vampire thought it was funny! He laughed while Taemin screamed and Minho didn’t have a clue! Do you even care what we went through?!” Jonghyun yelled back.
“You chose them! You choose the ones that killed Minho and broke Jinki! You chose them!”
“Heechul saved Taemin’s life!”
“By making him one of them?!”
“It was the only way!” Jonghyun said hotly.
“It would have been better to let him die!” Key didn’t see the fist coming that connected with his cheek and sent him reeling and stumbling back where he fell onto the bed.
Jonghyun leapt after him, catching his collar and using it to jerk him up. “Who the fuck are you?” he hissed darkly. “You aren’t the Kibum I know.”
“You mean I’m not the Kibum you left,” Key countered, glaring up at him stubbornly.
“Damn it Kibum,” Jonghyun growled, then just as quickly as he had punched him he leaned down and pressed their lips together. Key beat at his shoulder once weakly, before his other arm came up and hooked behind Jonghyun’s neck trying to pull him closer. “It was the hardest thing I had to do to leave you,” Jonghyun murmured against his lips as he pulled back enough just so they could talk. “Taemin needed someone and I was the only one who knew, the only one who would understand.”
A million responses flew through Key’s mind and he had no idea which was the right one to say or the right one to do. The only thing he did know, was that at the moment all he could think about was the teen above him. Using the arm behind Jonghyun’s neck, he pulled him down and melded their lips together again.
From his spot near the door Taemin watched with an amused smile.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
At six years old he already had a clear definition of right and wrong. Helping others was the right thing to do. Pushing others down and hurting them was the wrong thing to do. Then laughing about it and walking away was worse.
He wasn’t a big boy, not by anyone’s standards, but he could do what was right and help those that needed it. “Are you ok?” he asked as he stopped in front of a kid a year or two younger than him. “It isn’t nice that they pushed you down.”
“Yeah,” the kid replied, not making eye contact as he looked after the ones who had bullied him with a calm determination.
“I’m Jinki,” the six year old said, offering his hand.
“Minho,” was the response as he accepted the help to get to his feet.
Jinki nodded, repeating the name several times in his mind so he hopefully wouldn’t forget it. Once Minho was standing, Jinki glanced over his form to make certain he was alright and noticed the blood welling up on his right knee cap. “You’re bleeding!” he exclaimed. Minho looked down as if he hadn’t noticed and Jinki watched his jaw set in a determined way. “My mommy can magically fix all hurts,” Jinki declared. “Come on.”
Minho didn’t protest as he was pulled along by the hand through the playground to the benches where a few mothers were gathered and chatting. Jinki’s mother smiled as soon as she saw him and waved. “Jinki who is this?” she asked sweetly as he presented his new found friend.
“This is Minho. He has a hurt. Can you heal it with your special words please?” Jinki asked.
“Well we’ll see what we can do,” his mother said with a smile as she rose from the bench and pulled a wipe out of her bag. “Hi Minho,” she said as she crouched to his eye level. “Where is your mommy?”
“We live there,” Minho said pointing to a collection of houses beside the park.
“And she lets you come to the park alone?” Jinki’s mother asked.
Minho shrugged. “She works.”
“Well then Minho, would you like me to clean up that knee for you so you can go play?” she asked.
Minho simply shrugged again. Jinki’s mother smiled. “Hurt be gone, hurt good bye, leave this little one, and don’t make him cry,” she said in a sing song voice, then she blew lightly over his knee. When she was finished she lifted the wipe and gently wiped away the blood until clean unbroken skin was visible again.
“There,” she said. “Not so bad after all. Why don’t you boys go play and then we can get some lunch before we take your friend home.”
“Thanks mom,” Jinki declared with a smile hugging her around her neck before releasing her and grinning at Minho. “I’ll race you to the swings!” The younger boy smiled and without answering, turned and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him in that direction. “Hey!” Jinki exclaimed, “I didn’t say go!”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Mom I’m home!” Jinki called as he dumped his school bag full of his second grade books on the couch.
“I’m in the kitchen!” she called out. “It’s safe.”
Jinki grinned and looked back at the smaller boy that had followed him in the door. “She says that to let me know she is working on dinner not a potion. You have to be careful not to disturb a witch while brewing a potion.” The boy nodded as if he was absorbing all of the information very rapidly. “Come on,” Jinki said brightly padding off towards the kitchen.
“Jinki,” his mother greeted him as soon as she saw him and then looked curiously at the boy following him. “Who is this?”
“This is Kibum. He’s in first grade. I think he is a witch too,” Jinki informed her. He turned to look at the boy and then whispered as if she couldn’t hear him. “Show her.”
Kibum nodded. For a moment it was as if nothing happened and then suddenly his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed in a little pile of limbs. A second later a translucent version of himself was standing beside Jinki, looking somewhat frightened.
“Oh goodness,” his mother said somewhat shocked. “I would say that he could be a witch. I believe what you are doing right now is called astral projection. There are ways to do it so it is a little nicer to leave your body.” She crouched down in front of him. “Kibum, honey, do you know how to get back into your body?” The transparent form of Kibum closed his eyes and disappeared. A moment later his body stirred on the floor.
“Much better,” she said shifting her attention to him. “Is one of your parents a witch or maybe a relative?” Kibum shrugged.
“He’s adopted mom,” Jinki said as if that explained everything and to her it did.
“Well then. Kibum you are going to have to learn about your powers. What you can do isn’t a bad thing and you will be able to do some very good stuff for very good things, but I don’t want you doing that without me there any more right now. Until you learn more about it, it isn’t safe. Do you understand?”
Kibum offered her a nod and she smiled. “Good then. Why don’t you boys hop up to the table and I’ll get you a snack.”
Jinki grinned and lead the way to the table where he and Kibum both climbed into separate chairs. “You are so lucky Kibum. I don’t know what my power is yet. My mom says that I am a witch and I will have one eventually. Everyone in her family has been witches.”
“Here you go Jinki,” his mother said placing a small plate of vegetables in front of him. “I hope you don’t mind vegetables Kibum,” she said offering him the same.
“Key,” he murmured, the first words she had heard him speak. “I like to be called Key and I don’t mind.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“This is Jonghyun,” Key said gesturing to the boy. “He is in my class. I figured that you always have Minho over so I could bring a friend too.”
“Nice to meet you Jonghyun,” Jinki said politely, bowing and Jonghyun bowed in return.
“Now we can really play some soccer. Two on two,” Minho said with a grin, dribbling a ball with his feet.
“I need to study,” Jinki whined.
“Oh come on its just one test,” Key said trying to swipe the ball from Minho and failing miserably.
“It determines if I gradate from elementary or not!” Jinki protested.
“You’ll graduate just because they want to get rid of you,” Minho joked.
“Hey not funny!” Jinki argued trying not to smile. Jonghyun laughed.
“I have cookies!” Jinki’s mother declared as she walked into the room carrying a plate.
“And this is why you are my favorite mom on the block,” Key declared.
“I had better be,” she agreed setting them down in the center of the table. “Let me go get the milk.”
“Yes!” Key exclaimed snatching one. Jinki sighed.
“Give up,” Minho said with a grin, then leaned closer. “I’ll chase them all out for you later so you can work.”
Jinki smiled at him, “Alright,” he said closing his book finally. “Thanks.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“What could be so important that you had to drag me out to the playground in the middle of the night in my pajamas?” Jonghyun said irritably.
“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea,” Jinki whispered to Key.
“Shut up we are doing this,” Key hissed back. Minho simply watched both of them with a curious look on his face.
“But-”
“We are witches,” Key declared without preamble.
“Witches?” Jonghyun asked incredulously. “Like in the kind with warts and broomsticks.”
Key glared. “Do I look like I have warts to you?”
“No, but witches aren’t real,” Jonghyun argued.
“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Key snapped. He suddenly dropped to the ground settling in a cross legged position of meditation with his hands on his knees. His eyes drifted closed and a moment later he slumped forward. “Believe me now?” he asked from directly behind Jonghyun.
Wide eyed the boy spun to see the translucent form of Key hovering behind him and he looked frantically between Key’s physical form and the projection. “How? What?”
“It’s called Astral Projection and you owe me a new pair of pajama pants for making me sit on the damp ground and showing it to you,” Key snapped.
Jinki turned away from them and looked towards Minho who was simply smiling amused. “Say something,” he said biting at his lip. Rejection from his best friend was probably the worst thing that could every happen to him, but the silence was worse.
“Is this what you have been fretting about for the last two weeks?” Minho asked. “Telling me?” As usual he saw straight to the heart of whatever was going on with Jinki, whether he wanted him to or not.
“Yeah,” Jinki admitted since there really was no use hiding it.
“I already knew you dork,” Minho said ruffling his hair affectionately.
“What, how?” Jinki asked surprised.
“Your mom healed me with magic when I was four and that stuff tends to run in the family,” Minho said with a shrug.
“You remember that?”Jinki asked, stunned.
“I don’t forget much,” Minho said with a smirk.
“Oh,” Jinki said dumbly.
“Yeah, oh.”
“Well,” he said after a moment. “What do you think of it?”
“You being a witch?” Minho asked and Jinki nodded. “It’s pretty cool.”
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
It was like trying to drag himself through half dried mud. He knew that he was awake but he couldn’t open his eyes no matter how hard he tried. It made him feel like he was trapped in perpetual darkness with no idea how long he had been there or how to get out. He was aware of very few things, but he could feel the fire of pain along the side of his neck.
As soon as he acknowledged it, it flared up even brighter and he could suddenly hear the distinct sound of someone whimpering. Then there was a soothing warmth at his neck, as if trying to ease his pain and a word from the same voice in his mind, ‘Sleep.’ He didn’t know if the voice was a figment of his imagination but if it was he would gladly stay there for as long as he could since he never thought to be able to hear it again. Onew didn’t fight its pressure and let it push him back down into slumber, where he continued to dream.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Haven’t managed to talk him down yet?” Taemin asked with a smile as he entered the room and crossed to Heechul.
Heechul grinned and shifted an arm, inviting him onto his lap with a gesture. Taking the invitation immediately the fledgling climbed onto its master’s lap and settled contently as a toddler would with its mother. Heechul’s arms rose to surround him, one hand drifting over his back slowly. “Where is Key?”
“Sleeping,” Taemin answered.
“And Jonghyun?”
“Sleeping.”
“You didn’t do anything did you?” Heechul’s tone was amused.
“Nope they did it all. They yelled. Then Jonghyun punched Key. Then he kissed him. Then they kissed some more and fell asleep,” Taemin said as if he was proud. Hankyung sighed.
“Ah so our little Jonghyun doesn’t have to pine away anymore,” Heechul chuckled.
“If Key doesn’t kill him on reflex when he wakes up,” Taemin agreed. “Onew?”
“Still sleeping. He woke up about a hour ago, but fell back asleep fairly quickly.”
“Can I go try to talk to Minho?” Taemin asked hopefully.
“I would prefer if you didn’t. I don’t like having to put you back together when he is through with you,” Heechul replied.
“Excuse me?” Hankyung asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Oh relax, it wasn’t here. It was across the country before Minho was mine,” Heechul said flippantly. “Why don’t you run along and finish your studies. You have an exam tomorrow,” Heechul swatted Taemin lightly on the backside.
“We can’t postpone it on account of guests?” Taemin asked hopefully.
“No,” Heechul answered. “Go,” he said sternly then he ruffled the fledgling’s hair affectionately.
“Fine,” Taemin murmured, standing and slumping off like prisoner being sentenced.
Hankyung watched him go before he stood. “I am through with this waiting. I am going to go kill your vampire, get my witch, and go home.”
“Tell me,” Heechul said calmly from where he was still sitting. “In all your years of killing vampires, Death Bringer, how many have you killed and retrieved their victims in a living state?” Heechul’s smirk told him that he already knew the answer and Hankyung snarled before sinking back down on the couch to wait.
Chapter Three
Masterlist
AN: Yep here is chapter two... already... *looks at SHINee muses* I see what you are doing here I am onto your secret evil plan...... I already have chapter three almost done...