Of Blood and Brooms - Chapter Nine
Of Blood and Brooms
Chapter Nine
The first thing he noticed, as he drifted into a conscious state, was that the warmth was slowly returning to his mind. Fingers were intertwined with his that were cool and familiar. The air smelled sweet to him, as it always did when magic was being performed. Slowly, almost as if he would rather not, he opened his eyes. As they began to focus over the figure above him, his mouth turned up in a smile. Hankyung was bent over him, a hand on either side of his head, and a look of concentration upon his face.
“I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore?” he murmured, only slightly surprised that his voice sounded slightly slurred, even to him.
“Heechul tore through all of your mental shields, not only the ones that I put up but the ones you had naturally as well and unless you would like anyone who feels like it to take a stroll through your mind, I suggest you be still,” Hankyung snapped.
“I’m not going to stop fraternizing with a vampire just because you poke at my brain,” he mumbled.
“I didn’t expect you would.”
“Then why?” He wasn’t certain why it was so important to him that he know the reason.
“I am bound by blood, magic and oath to protect and care for you. I refuse to break any of those bonds. Now hush so I can concentrate. Vampire put your mate back to sleep.”
He was warmed by the use of the word ‘mate’ so much so that he didn’t protest the lack of Minho’s name or the feel of the vampire in his mind urging him back into darkness. Fingers lightly squeezed his own in silent reassurance and he sighed, closing his eyes and letting his mind drift back into dream land.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“How permanent is what you did to Seungri?” Yesung asked lazily from where he lounged on the bed.
“Its effects are everlasting; however the spell simply broke the bond between Master and Child. It allowed me to make Minho fully mine but it will hardly keep him at bay,” Heechul snarled, staring into the fireplace where flames flickered.
“It wasn’t Minho that he was after,” Kibum said unnecessarily, since they all understood. “When he saw the witch he experienced some of the most powerful desires I have every felt.”
“This is why it is forbidden for a lesser vampire to bond with a witch,” Heechul hissed angrily. “They cannot protect that which they gain.”
“Perhaps we should cast them out,” Yesung said after a moment. “Their sacrifice is acceptable for the good of the Seethe.”
Heechul growled dangerously. “Then you would go with them.”
“He meant no harm,” Kibum said gently. “Yesung does not fully understand what it would mean.”
“I’m not naïve or born yesterday,” Yesung snapped. “I understand that it would destroy any chances you may have to tame the Death Bringer, but is he worth the existence of your Seethe. If you die to protect this witch, Taemin will die as well. He is yet too young to survive without you.”
Heechul’s gaze into the flames was harsh. “You may go whenever you feel. You are old enough to survive on your own. I do not hold you here.”
“That wasn’t what I meant.”
“Then if you are to remain here you will obey me as a Child should obey its Maker,” Heechul snarled.
“He didn’t mean any harm,” Kibum murmured gently.
“Leave me,” Heechul ordered. Silently, and quicker than he had expected, the vampires were gone from the room. It was just as well, since he didn’t have any patience to put up with his children right now, especially when it was very likely they were right.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Where did you go last night?” Jessica asked as she studied Hankyung over her bowl of cereal.
The man, who was leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in one hand and his newspaper in the other, took a moment before answering. “It is dangerous to form a relationship with a werewolf.”
Jessica scowled. Somehow this man always had a way of turning this away from himself. The few things she knew about him came from living with him and observing, he gave away nothing voluntarily and it was infuriating to say the least. “At least he knows exactly what I am and I never have to worry about him freaking out about it,” she snapped. Then, “You went to Heechul’s didn’t you. Why don’t you just stay over there? You go so much anyway.”
“As head of the only coven in the area,” he said calmly, folding the paper in half and tossing it onto the table, “it is my responsibility to keep track of the activities of the vampires.”
“Wouldn’t it also be your responsibility to keep track of the werewolves then?” she pointed out, following his logic.
His smile had a slightly dangerous edge to it. “That is what I have you for.”
She glared and stabbed her spoon into her bowl, disappointed that the cereal didn’t put up that much of a fight, “You make me sound like you whore me out for information.”
“I don’t whore you out for anything Jessica,” he said patiently, finishing his cup of coffee and placing it in the sink. “What you do with the werewolves is your choice; however I refuse to waste any resource I have. So for as long as you are still with him, you will be my eyes and ears.”
“Then why doesn’t Onew have to be your eyes and ears for the vampires?” she said crossly.
He stiffened, the calm patience draining from him. “Onew is different.”
“Because he is with a vampire?” she pressed. It was a sore subject, she knew, although she had no idea as to why, but she couldn’t help press the issue.
“Siwon cannot reach into your mind and steal your thoughts from you, or put them there,” he growled. “The only thing he can do is woo you with love.”
“No one has taken over Onew’s mind,” she argued. “The way I hear it he was head over heels for Minho long before he came here.” It was the smallest bit of information that she had finally worked out of Key.
“I’m going to work,” Hankyung snapped, not waiting for her reply as he strode from the kitchen grabbing his briefcase off the table as he went.
She watched him leave, not bothering to waste her time calling after him. He wouldn’t stop, not when she had gotten so close to something. She only wished she had any idea what it was.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Thank you for calling Safe and Secure. How can I help you?” he asked in flawless Mandarin, attempting not to look bored. A woman immediately began to respond in a nearly frantic voice and he sighed silently.
“May I please get the number of your account with us?” he asked politely, clicking the program on the computer so that it was ready to pull up her information.
He had been given the desk job, simply for the fact he could speak Mandarin fluently and any idiot could punch things into a computer. It hadn’t been his first choice for work, especially not if he was going to work at a security company, but he could hardly complain. He needed the job and working anywhere but at a desk would bring questions that he didn’t want.
As he pulled up her account and answered her frantic questions, he could hear the other men at the desks beyond his talking. “Did you get a text too?” the young man asked.
“Yes,” his neighbor replied, brandishing his phone. “Something happened last night and they don’t want us anywhere near them. What did yours say Donghae?” he asked the normally cheerful man.
“That things just aren’t working out,” he said softly. “He said he doesn’t want to see me again.”
“But you, uh, make his food for him,” the young man corrected at the last minute.
Donghae shrugged. “He probably won’t have any trouble finding someone else to make his food.”
“Tiffany is worried too,” the young man reassured him. “Jungmin and I both received texts telling us to stay away until it was declared safe.”
Jungmin shook his head, “Junsu, have you heard from Yoochun.”
“Yeah,” the man replied quietly. “He says there could be a storm brewing, which could mean anything with him.”
“I talked to Sooyoung last night,” one of the men commented. “She stopped in for a snack before going home.”
“Kyujong you are so lucky. What did she say?”
“She said that it was too dangerous for any of us to be around the house so, sorry Hyungjoon, it’s going to boring for you for a while,” Kyujong replied lightly.
“I’m going after work.”
“Hyunjoong you can’t!” Junsu exclaimed, sounding appalled.
“I certainly can. Hyoyeon won’t send me away, and neither will they send any of the rest of us away,” he said confidently.
There was a moment of silence then Donghae murmured, “Maybe I will go with you.”
“Thank you for your continued patronage and faith in our company. Have a wonderful afternoon,” Hankyung said at last, ending the call. Judging by the direction the conversations in the small office had taken, it was time for him to take a bit of a break. He rose from his chair and walked towards the break room, thankful to be putting the conversations behind him.
Hankyung had no idea how so many Pets worked at the same office building as him, or how he was unlucky enough to end up on the same floor as them. He wouldn’t be too surprised if this corporation, at least in part, belonged to Heechul. If it didn’t then the vampire certainly had friends in high places for his vampires to be able to do the hunting that they clearly did here. None of the men seemed upset either, or at least not upset about the fact that they would being fed on. As long as they were content with their situation he had no grounds on which to take action against it, but it certainly didn’t mean he had to like it.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
The knock on his door was soft, but he could tell who it was from the flavor of the emotions radiating from the man. “Come in,” he called softly, unable to outright send the human away.
“I know I’m not supposed to be here,” his Pet said the moment the door opened and he slipped inside. “But Kyujong was saying how you were all weakened and needed all the strength you could get.”
He sighed. “Then I suppose none of you heeded the warning to stay away?”
Donghae shook his head. “Sorry Kibum,” he murmured.
“Don’t be. It is our own fault for the way we treat you,” he patted the bed beside him.
“How is the way you treat us a bad thing?” he asked as he settled onto the bed beside the vampire.
“We treat you with care,” Kibum said softly. “Like lovers. Losing a Pet would upset the best of us. Normal vampires may be irritated that their typical food source is gone, but they would simply go out and find a replacement.”
Donghae swallowed thickly and shifted. Even if Kibum hadn’t been able to feel his emotions he would have been able to tell how uncomfortable the man was becoming. “You don’t act like normal vampires at all. Most of the time I think you are human.”
“That is because of Heechul, but I assure you, I am very much a vampire.”
“I know,” Donghae murmured.
“You are still frightened of me,” Kibum said with a frown, keeping himself from reaching for the man as he wanted to.
Donghae shook his head, “Not of you. Of what you are.”
“That is the same thing,” Kibum replied.
“No it isn’t,” Donghae said fiercely.
“I could make you hate me. Make you never want to come back,” Kibum told him.
“You won’t,” Donghae sounded certain.
“Why do you say that?” Kibum asked, allowing his fangs to extend and flashing them at the man, knowing that he was playing dirty. “It is within my power.”
He felt the flash of fear in the man at the sight of the fangs. “You won’t,” despite his fear, Donghae sounded certain. “You made a promise to me and you won’t break it. You’re a man of your word.”
“I haven’t been a man for a long time,” Kibum said softly, hiding his fangs again.
“You are a man. Just because you are different doesn’t mean you aren’t.”
“And you are disillusioned, but I think that is part of why I still put up with you.” He leaned forward, ignoring the involuntary flinch that Donghae’s body produced in favor of capturing the other man’s lips with his own. Donghae relaxed into the kiss, his hand settling on Kibum’s upper thigh and flexing lightly.
After a moment of kissing, Kibum let his fangs scrap against Donghae’s lower lip simply to see what would happen. Predictably, the young man stiffened in reaction to them. “Someday,” Kibum said pulling away and using his Talent to encourage the calm and positive feelings in the man, “I will feed from you without using my Talent on you first.”
Donghae sighed peacefully as Kibum gently laid him back on the bed. He leaned over the man, kissing his neck lightly before pressing his fangs against the soft skin. As they slid into the flesh he smothered the flash of fear in the man with a wave of pleasure.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Not like that,” Key said patiently, pulling the pen from Henry’s fingers and crossing out a character of carefully printed Hangeul. “It’s spelled with the character for the sound ‘ae’ and it looks like this when you compound it,” Key slowly printed the symbol on the paper, allowing Henry time to study how he was writing it. When he was finished he passed the pen back to the young man.
Henry sighed. “This is hard,” he murmured, carefully beginning to reprint his sentence under his first attempt.
“Wait until your half hour is up and it is our turn to teach Key,” Jessica told him in English from the arm chair that she was lounging in. “I am totally going to make him spell ‘hippopotamus’ today.”
Key glared at her. “I’m not giving him that hard of words.”
“It’s ok,” Henry reassured him. “I need to learn.”
“And heaven knows that you need practice on your awful Korean as well,” Key told Jessica.
“Or maybe we will work on learning ‘pneumonia’ and ‘pneumonic’,” she mused with a smile.
Henry, not looking up from his writing, stifled a laugh. “Here,” he said, laying down his pen and calling Key’s attention to the words on the page.
“Screw you,” Key told her in careful English.
“Is that an offer? If it is all have to pass, I would rather not watch Siwon try to pull your head from your shoulders with nothing but his hands,” she mused.
If Key understood her, he didn’t give any response as he turned his attention back to what Henry had written. Laughing, Jessica turned her attention back to the television that was showing the evening news. She had taken to watching it every night since she had arrived. The program usually used enough strange words that it had become something of a game to figure out their meanings from the context around them. She and Onew had played it every night after he had arrived, now she simply played it herself. It was rather boring that way, but Key was too competitive to be helpful.
“Turn that up,” Hankyung’s voice came from behind her and startled her. She had never figured out how any man could move silently and she grumbled a stream of English curses as she reached for the remote.
“- five more by this afternoon, bringing the total number of disappearances to eight. Officials are currently on the lookout for who could be causing these disappearances. So far there have not been any evidence of harm to the people who have vanished. We take you now live to the scene of the latest disappearance.”
The television cut to the image of a young woman standing outside a restaurant. Beside her was a young man who looked nervous to be there. “I’m here at the very restaurant that Kim SooMi vanished from this evening. Here with me I have an eye witness to her disappearance. Tell us sir, what was it that you saw.”
She extended her microphone to the man and he took a deep breath before speaking. “She was sitting at the table next to mine eating with her three kids. She got up from the table, I figured she was just heading to the restroom, and walked away. She never came back. Her kids waited for her for an hour before management called their father.”
“Officials,” the news woman continued, pulling the microphone back, “are still investigating whether this and the other disappearances are simply people voluntarily running away or if there is someone else involved.”
The screen cut back the main announcer seated in a studio. “If you have any information or happen to see these people please call our hotline.” A number flashed at the bottom of the screen and he repeated it twice before moving onto another story.
“I know that restaurant,” Key murmured. “There isn’t a bathroom in the way that the man was pointing.”
“No I don’t suppose there was,” Hankyung replied, his eyes still fixed on the television.
“Who could take eight people without anyone noticing?” Henry asked, worry filling his voice.
“Not who, what,” Hankyung replied.
“What do you mean?” Jessica asked slowly. She didn’t like where this was going.
“Something was hunting.”
“Werewolf?” Key asked stating the obvious.
“No,” Jessica disagreed immediately. Key frowned at her. “It’s too neat. Werewolves are excited by the hunt. There would be bodies, or at least blood.”
“She’s right,” Hankyung agreed.
“Then what?” Henry asked. There was silence as they worked through the list of possible suspects mentally.
After a moment Henry said what they were all thinking, “What sort of vampire can hunt in the day?”
“One with enough power to do anything he wants with the human mind,” Hankyung said softly. Jessica felt a shudder run through her as they sat silently in their living room. It was an awful feeling, she decided a moment later, to not feel safe in your own home.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“We are not responsible,” Heechul said crossly the moment he picked up the phone as if he knew what the conversation would bring up.
‘People are disappearing in your territory. I would love to know what you think did it,’ Hangeng countered, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“There are only two here that could do what has been done,” Heechul tried to muster patience that he did not possess. “Kibum is too wrapped up in emotional case that is his Pet to lure away any other humans and I don’t care for the ones who are dumb enough to wander to me with a single pull.”
‘How do I know you haven’t simply drained them and disposed of their bodies?’
“Yes, because stealing people in great numbers is an excellent way to keep a low profile,” he said dryly.
‘If it is not you or yours,’ Hangeng growled, ‘then who is it?’
“There is an unwelcome guest in my territory that will be disposed of shortly,” he replied smoothly, inspecting his nails for the sole purpose of keeping himself from throwing anything.
‘You had better. Otherwise this is on your head,’ Hangeng’s voice carried the unspoken threat.
“Well,” Heechul said brightly, “we both know that my head is far too pretty for that.” There was a click signaling that the witch had ended the call. “Good evening to you too,” Heechul growled slamming the handset down, ignoring the crunch of breaking that it produced from the force.
He was irritated for more reasons than one and while he understood that if there was a vampire problem, as the Master of the seethe it was his duty to deal with it, that didn’t mean he had to be glad about it. ‘Yesung. Kibum. Come to me,’ he called, projecting the command directly into the minds of his children. ‘We have an unwelcome guest to pay a visit to.’
Chapter Ten
Masterlist
AN: So I was originally planning on making you all wait until late Sunday evening when I returned home from camping... but my little sister and I decided to take a break from the cold and the swarms of misquotes to come shower in our own house. So while she is showering I'm posting for you all. lol.
Chapter Nine
The first thing he noticed, as he drifted into a conscious state, was that the warmth was slowly returning to his mind. Fingers were intertwined with his that were cool and familiar. The air smelled sweet to him, as it always did when magic was being performed. Slowly, almost as if he would rather not, he opened his eyes. As they began to focus over the figure above him, his mouth turned up in a smile. Hankyung was bent over him, a hand on either side of his head, and a look of concentration upon his face.
“I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore?” he murmured, only slightly surprised that his voice sounded slightly slurred, even to him.
“Heechul tore through all of your mental shields, not only the ones that I put up but the ones you had naturally as well and unless you would like anyone who feels like it to take a stroll through your mind, I suggest you be still,” Hankyung snapped.
“I’m not going to stop fraternizing with a vampire just because you poke at my brain,” he mumbled.
“I didn’t expect you would.”
“Then why?” He wasn’t certain why it was so important to him that he know the reason.
“I am bound by blood, magic and oath to protect and care for you. I refuse to break any of those bonds. Now hush so I can concentrate. Vampire put your mate back to sleep.”
He was warmed by the use of the word ‘mate’ so much so that he didn’t protest the lack of Minho’s name or the feel of the vampire in his mind urging him back into darkness. Fingers lightly squeezed his own in silent reassurance and he sighed, closing his eyes and letting his mind drift back into dream land.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“How permanent is what you did to Seungri?” Yesung asked lazily from where he lounged on the bed.
“Its effects are everlasting; however the spell simply broke the bond between Master and Child. It allowed me to make Minho fully mine but it will hardly keep him at bay,” Heechul snarled, staring into the fireplace where flames flickered.
“It wasn’t Minho that he was after,” Kibum said unnecessarily, since they all understood. “When he saw the witch he experienced some of the most powerful desires I have every felt.”
“This is why it is forbidden for a lesser vampire to bond with a witch,” Heechul hissed angrily. “They cannot protect that which they gain.”
“Perhaps we should cast them out,” Yesung said after a moment. “Their sacrifice is acceptable for the good of the Seethe.”
Heechul growled dangerously. “Then you would go with them.”
“He meant no harm,” Kibum said gently. “Yesung does not fully understand what it would mean.”
“I’m not naïve or born yesterday,” Yesung snapped. “I understand that it would destroy any chances you may have to tame the Death Bringer, but is he worth the existence of your Seethe. If you die to protect this witch, Taemin will die as well. He is yet too young to survive without you.”
Heechul’s gaze into the flames was harsh. “You may go whenever you feel. You are old enough to survive on your own. I do not hold you here.”
“That wasn’t what I meant.”
“Then if you are to remain here you will obey me as a Child should obey its Maker,” Heechul snarled.
“He didn’t mean any harm,” Kibum murmured gently.
“Leave me,” Heechul ordered. Silently, and quicker than he had expected, the vampires were gone from the room. It was just as well, since he didn’t have any patience to put up with his children right now, especially when it was very likely they were right.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Where did you go last night?” Jessica asked as she studied Hankyung over her bowl of cereal.
The man, who was leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in one hand and his newspaper in the other, took a moment before answering. “It is dangerous to form a relationship with a werewolf.”
Jessica scowled. Somehow this man always had a way of turning this away from himself. The few things she knew about him came from living with him and observing, he gave away nothing voluntarily and it was infuriating to say the least. “At least he knows exactly what I am and I never have to worry about him freaking out about it,” she snapped. Then, “You went to Heechul’s didn’t you. Why don’t you just stay over there? You go so much anyway.”
“As head of the only coven in the area,” he said calmly, folding the paper in half and tossing it onto the table, “it is my responsibility to keep track of the activities of the vampires.”
“Wouldn’t it also be your responsibility to keep track of the werewolves then?” she pointed out, following his logic.
His smile had a slightly dangerous edge to it. “That is what I have you for.”
She glared and stabbed her spoon into her bowl, disappointed that the cereal didn’t put up that much of a fight, “You make me sound like you whore me out for information.”
“I don’t whore you out for anything Jessica,” he said patiently, finishing his cup of coffee and placing it in the sink. “What you do with the werewolves is your choice; however I refuse to waste any resource I have. So for as long as you are still with him, you will be my eyes and ears.”
“Then why doesn’t Onew have to be your eyes and ears for the vampires?” she said crossly.
He stiffened, the calm patience draining from him. “Onew is different.”
“Because he is with a vampire?” she pressed. It was a sore subject, she knew, although she had no idea as to why, but she couldn’t help press the issue.
“Siwon cannot reach into your mind and steal your thoughts from you, or put them there,” he growled. “The only thing he can do is woo you with love.”
“No one has taken over Onew’s mind,” she argued. “The way I hear it he was head over heels for Minho long before he came here.” It was the smallest bit of information that she had finally worked out of Key.
“I’m going to work,” Hankyung snapped, not waiting for her reply as he strode from the kitchen grabbing his briefcase off the table as he went.
She watched him leave, not bothering to waste her time calling after him. He wouldn’t stop, not when she had gotten so close to something. She only wished she had any idea what it was.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Thank you for calling Safe and Secure. How can I help you?” he asked in flawless Mandarin, attempting not to look bored. A woman immediately began to respond in a nearly frantic voice and he sighed silently.
“May I please get the number of your account with us?” he asked politely, clicking the program on the computer so that it was ready to pull up her information.
He had been given the desk job, simply for the fact he could speak Mandarin fluently and any idiot could punch things into a computer. It hadn’t been his first choice for work, especially not if he was going to work at a security company, but he could hardly complain. He needed the job and working anywhere but at a desk would bring questions that he didn’t want.
As he pulled up her account and answered her frantic questions, he could hear the other men at the desks beyond his talking. “Did you get a text too?” the young man asked.
“Yes,” his neighbor replied, brandishing his phone. “Something happened last night and they don’t want us anywhere near them. What did yours say Donghae?” he asked the normally cheerful man.
“That things just aren’t working out,” he said softly. “He said he doesn’t want to see me again.”
“But you, uh, make his food for him,” the young man corrected at the last minute.
Donghae shrugged. “He probably won’t have any trouble finding someone else to make his food.”
“Tiffany is worried too,” the young man reassured him. “Jungmin and I both received texts telling us to stay away until it was declared safe.”
Jungmin shook his head, “Junsu, have you heard from Yoochun.”
“Yeah,” the man replied quietly. “He says there could be a storm brewing, which could mean anything with him.”
“I talked to Sooyoung last night,” one of the men commented. “She stopped in for a snack before going home.”
“Kyujong you are so lucky. What did she say?”
“She said that it was too dangerous for any of us to be around the house so, sorry Hyungjoon, it’s going to boring for you for a while,” Kyujong replied lightly.
“I’m going after work.”
“Hyunjoong you can’t!” Junsu exclaimed, sounding appalled.
“I certainly can. Hyoyeon won’t send me away, and neither will they send any of the rest of us away,” he said confidently.
There was a moment of silence then Donghae murmured, “Maybe I will go with you.”
“Thank you for your continued patronage and faith in our company. Have a wonderful afternoon,” Hankyung said at last, ending the call. Judging by the direction the conversations in the small office had taken, it was time for him to take a bit of a break. He rose from his chair and walked towards the break room, thankful to be putting the conversations behind him.
Hankyung had no idea how so many Pets worked at the same office building as him, or how he was unlucky enough to end up on the same floor as them. He wouldn’t be too surprised if this corporation, at least in part, belonged to Heechul. If it didn’t then the vampire certainly had friends in high places for his vampires to be able to do the hunting that they clearly did here. None of the men seemed upset either, or at least not upset about the fact that they would being fed on. As long as they were content with their situation he had no grounds on which to take action against it, but it certainly didn’t mean he had to like it.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
The knock on his door was soft, but he could tell who it was from the flavor of the emotions radiating from the man. “Come in,” he called softly, unable to outright send the human away.
“I know I’m not supposed to be here,” his Pet said the moment the door opened and he slipped inside. “But Kyujong was saying how you were all weakened and needed all the strength you could get.”
He sighed. “Then I suppose none of you heeded the warning to stay away?”
Donghae shook his head. “Sorry Kibum,” he murmured.
“Don’t be. It is our own fault for the way we treat you,” he patted the bed beside him.
“How is the way you treat us a bad thing?” he asked as he settled onto the bed beside the vampire.
“We treat you with care,” Kibum said softly. “Like lovers. Losing a Pet would upset the best of us. Normal vampires may be irritated that their typical food source is gone, but they would simply go out and find a replacement.”
Donghae swallowed thickly and shifted. Even if Kibum hadn’t been able to feel his emotions he would have been able to tell how uncomfortable the man was becoming. “You don’t act like normal vampires at all. Most of the time I think you are human.”
“That is because of Heechul, but I assure you, I am very much a vampire.”
“I know,” Donghae murmured.
“You are still frightened of me,” Kibum said with a frown, keeping himself from reaching for the man as he wanted to.
Donghae shook his head, “Not of you. Of what you are.”
“That is the same thing,” Kibum replied.
“No it isn’t,” Donghae said fiercely.
“I could make you hate me. Make you never want to come back,” Kibum told him.
“You won’t,” Donghae sounded certain.
“Why do you say that?” Kibum asked, allowing his fangs to extend and flashing them at the man, knowing that he was playing dirty. “It is within my power.”
He felt the flash of fear in the man at the sight of the fangs. “You won’t,” despite his fear, Donghae sounded certain. “You made a promise to me and you won’t break it. You’re a man of your word.”
“I haven’t been a man for a long time,” Kibum said softly, hiding his fangs again.
“You are a man. Just because you are different doesn’t mean you aren’t.”
“And you are disillusioned, but I think that is part of why I still put up with you.” He leaned forward, ignoring the involuntary flinch that Donghae’s body produced in favor of capturing the other man’s lips with his own. Donghae relaxed into the kiss, his hand settling on Kibum’s upper thigh and flexing lightly.
After a moment of kissing, Kibum let his fangs scrap against Donghae’s lower lip simply to see what would happen. Predictably, the young man stiffened in reaction to them. “Someday,” Kibum said pulling away and using his Talent to encourage the calm and positive feelings in the man, “I will feed from you without using my Talent on you first.”
Donghae sighed peacefully as Kibum gently laid him back on the bed. He leaned over the man, kissing his neck lightly before pressing his fangs against the soft skin. As they slid into the flesh he smothered the flash of fear in the man with a wave of pleasure.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“Not like that,” Key said patiently, pulling the pen from Henry’s fingers and crossing out a character of carefully printed Hangeul. “It’s spelled with the character for the sound ‘ae’ and it looks like this when you compound it,” Key slowly printed the symbol on the paper, allowing Henry time to study how he was writing it. When he was finished he passed the pen back to the young man.
Henry sighed. “This is hard,” he murmured, carefully beginning to reprint his sentence under his first attempt.
“Wait until your half hour is up and it is our turn to teach Key,” Jessica told him in English from the arm chair that she was lounging in. “I am totally going to make him spell ‘hippopotamus’ today.”
Key glared at her. “I’m not giving him that hard of words.”
“It’s ok,” Henry reassured him. “I need to learn.”
“And heaven knows that you need practice on your awful Korean as well,” Key told Jessica.
“Or maybe we will work on learning ‘pneumonia’ and ‘pneumonic’,” she mused with a smile.
Henry, not looking up from his writing, stifled a laugh. “Here,” he said, laying down his pen and calling Key’s attention to the words on the page.
“Screw you,” Key told her in careful English.
“Is that an offer? If it is all have to pass, I would rather not watch Siwon try to pull your head from your shoulders with nothing but his hands,” she mused.
If Key understood her, he didn’t give any response as he turned his attention back to what Henry had written. Laughing, Jessica turned her attention back to the television that was showing the evening news. She had taken to watching it every night since she had arrived. The program usually used enough strange words that it had become something of a game to figure out their meanings from the context around them. She and Onew had played it every night after he had arrived, now she simply played it herself. It was rather boring that way, but Key was too competitive to be helpful.
“Turn that up,” Hankyung’s voice came from behind her and startled her. She had never figured out how any man could move silently and she grumbled a stream of English curses as she reached for the remote.
“- five more by this afternoon, bringing the total number of disappearances to eight. Officials are currently on the lookout for who could be causing these disappearances. So far there have not been any evidence of harm to the people who have vanished. We take you now live to the scene of the latest disappearance.”
The television cut to the image of a young woman standing outside a restaurant. Beside her was a young man who looked nervous to be there. “I’m here at the very restaurant that Kim SooMi vanished from this evening. Here with me I have an eye witness to her disappearance. Tell us sir, what was it that you saw.”
She extended her microphone to the man and he took a deep breath before speaking. “She was sitting at the table next to mine eating with her three kids. She got up from the table, I figured she was just heading to the restroom, and walked away. She never came back. Her kids waited for her for an hour before management called their father.”
“Officials,” the news woman continued, pulling the microphone back, “are still investigating whether this and the other disappearances are simply people voluntarily running away or if there is someone else involved.”
The screen cut back the main announcer seated in a studio. “If you have any information or happen to see these people please call our hotline.” A number flashed at the bottom of the screen and he repeated it twice before moving onto another story.
“I know that restaurant,” Key murmured. “There isn’t a bathroom in the way that the man was pointing.”
“No I don’t suppose there was,” Hankyung replied, his eyes still fixed on the television.
“Who could take eight people without anyone noticing?” Henry asked, worry filling his voice.
“Not who, what,” Hankyung replied.
“What do you mean?” Jessica asked slowly. She didn’t like where this was going.
“Something was hunting.”
“Werewolf?” Key asked stating the obvious.
“No,” Jessica disagreed immediately. Key frowned at her. “It’s too neat. Werewolves are excited by the hunt. There would be bodies, or at least blood.”
“She’s right,” Hankyung agreed.
“Then what?” Henry asked. There was silence as they worked through the list of possible suspects mentally.
After a moment Henry said what they were all thinking, “What sort of vampire can hunt in the day?”
“One with enough power to do anything he wants with the human mind,” Hankyung said softly. Jessica felt a shudder run through her as they sat silently in their living room. It was an awful feeling, she decided a moment later, to not feel safe in your own home.
▪▫▪☼▪▫▪
“We are not responsible,” Heechul said crossly the moment he picked up the phone as if he knew what the conversation would bring up.
‘People are disappearing in your territory. I would love to know what you think did it,’ Hangeng countered, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“There are only two here that could do what has been done,” Heechul tried to muster patience that he did not possess. “Kibum is too wrapped up in emotional case that is his Pet to lure away any other humans and I don’t care for the ones who are dumb enough to wander to me with a single pull.”
‘How do I know you haven’t simply drained them and disposed of their bodies?’
“Yes, because stealing people in great numbers is an excellent way to keep a low profile,” he said dryly.
‘If it is not you or yours,’ Hangeng growled, ‘then who is it?’
“There is an unwelcome guest in my territory that will be disposed of shortly,” he replied smoothly, inspecting his nails for the sole purpose of keeping himself from throwing anything.
‘You had better. Otherwise this is on your head,’ Hangeng’s voice carried the unspoken threat.
“Well,” Heechul said brightly, “we both know that my head is far too pretty for that.” There was a click signaling that the witch had ended the call. “Good evening to you too,” Heechul growled slamming the handset down, ignoring the crunch of breaking that it produced from the force.
He was irritated for more reasons than one and while he understood that if there was a vampire problem, as the Master of the seethe it was his duty to deal with it, that didn’t mean he had to be glad about it. ‘Yesung. Kibum. Come to me,’ he called, projecting the command directly into the minds of his children. ‘We have an unwelcome guest to pay a visit to.’
Chapter Ten
Masterlist
AN: So I was originally planning on making you all wait until late Sunday evening when I returned home from camping... but my little sister and I decided to take a break from the cold and the swarms of misquotes to come shower in our own house. So while she is showering I'm posting for you all. lol.