Switchblade - 22
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"You can calm down," Jiyong sits on the end of the bed, crossing one leg over the other. He looks unusually straight for someone sitting on something as comfortable as this mattress. That 'straight' posture might be accentuated by his crisp clothing, a contrast with his somewhat tossled hairstyle. "I can say this time that there won't be any attempts to kill you," Jiyong's smile is wide. "This place is something like a sanctuary for vampires that The Council doesn't like, as well as their bondeds."
Taemin doesn't care. He climbs out of the bed, stepping away from it without taking his eyes off of Jiyong. "But where is my switchblade?"
"Was it in your bag? Sayu brought that along with us," Taeil informs him.
"No, I.." Taemin's gaze drops from Jiyong, his eyes growing wet as he thinks back on the boy taking hold of his switchblade, "I lost it."
"You'll have to buy a new one soon," Jiyong leans back on his elbows, grinning at Taemin, "Thanks to you, everyone is learning you can kill or weaken a vampire with silver. It's about to become very difficult to find."
"I don't want a new one," Taemin says, sitting down on the bed once again. He suddenly feels heavy.
"Hmm," Jiyong switches his attention over to Taeil, looking sideways at him with a grin, "Care for some fresh blood?"
Taeil is staring at Taemin, waiting for direction. It's strange for a vampire to do such a thing, but Taemin doesn't have the energy to even consider that. He can't be bothered with the issue of his bonded right now. It's not sadness or grieving, he realizes. His weapon did mean a lot to him. His grandfather left it to him at a young age and he'd been told to take care of it. He had, he thought, and even if he did continuously lose it it seemed like it always came back to him. Perhaps it was the one thing that was always there for him. Now it's gone, but he's not sad. He's worried.
That switchblade kept coming back, just as he kept surviving. Maybe those things were connected. Somehow, Taemin strongly feels that they were.
"Yeah," Taeil says finally, swallowing his candy, "I do."
Jiyong stands quick and leads Taeil over to the door. It's open and the two are halfway out before Taemin realizes what's happening, "Wait.."
The two pause.
"What do you mean fresh blood?"
"This is our kingdom!" Jiyong throws a door open, exposing the outdoors. Jiyong steps out first, babbling on, "The sun has just set and our freedom renewed."
Taemin steps out just ahead of Taeil, looking around the area. It's not one building at all, but a small town. He notices immediately the huge fence that surrounds it as well.
"They say this place will be a dome one day," Taeil says quietly to Taemin, "So there's never any sun."
"Paradise," Jiyong says with a grin, turning towards the two. "Are you interested in that blood or not?" He steps backwards down a short stack of stairs. Taemin and Taeil follow, and Jiyong turns to lead the way to a house straight across. "Keep your bonded in check, my friend, this place may raise some alarm."
Jiyong hops up these steps and flings open yet another door. He stands to the side of it, gesturing for Taemin and Taeil to go in first.
They do, and Taemin is alarmed just as suggested. When Jiyong said fresh blood, he meant fresh blood, but this place doesn't at all live up to the violent picture in Taemin's head. Tired humans move around a large kitchen like area, some cooking breakfast, some eating breakfast, and others calmly sitting at a table while a tall man sticks them with a syringe, taking blood from their arms.
"We have exactly 31 humans now that Sayu and Taemin have joined us," Jiyong says, moving into the place behind Taeil. "That means that there's something like three humans for every vampire that lives at this place."
Taemin blinks, turning fully to Jiyong, "There's that few vampires here?"
"If this place wasn't very secret, it wouldn't be very safe," Jiyong pats Taemin's head. "Now, we don't always get to have it fresh, but we like to treat our guests well."
"But that means," Taemin looks stumped, "Then you're.. not killing anyone?"
"Not here at least. We have mouths to feed," Jiyong takes Taemin by his shoulder, "Now, you can feel good about leaving my man Taeil here? You've lost some blood, so~ you should rest."
Taemin jerks his shoulder from Jiyong's grip. "Maybe I'm hungry."
"I'll say," a sweet looking woman passing by, stops in front of them. Her hair is long and red and she wears a short silky emerald night gown that could pass for evening wear if you didn't look twice. She looks over Taemin with some concern that he finds nearly unsettling, "You look like you're about to die. "
Taemin lifts a hand to his face, wondering if he can possibly look so bad. He can't say that he feels good, anyway..
"I'm about to make breakfast for myself," she tells him in a warm voice, "Can I make a little extra for you?"
She's certainly older than him, he can tell, but he's never had a young woman -- on second thought, Taemin has simply never had a woman cook for him, not even IU - if IU can be counted as a woman anyway.
Somehow the idea makes him more uncomfortable than happy. "No thanks," Taemin says with forced manners as he takes a step back. She did absolutely nothing wrong, but he's in no mood to be confronted with unusual things this morning - or rather, this night.
When she gives him a long concerned look, Taemin looks at Jiyong, "I feel like I should go back to sleep after all." He only glances at Taeil again before he turns back to the door, "Later."
"I didn't mean any offense," he can hear the woman say softly, and Jiyong assures her, "You were perfectly lovely, Bomi."
Taemin cringes. He was probably rude. He'd like to think that means he's not being himself. What he needs isn't food. He needs vampire blood.
"Taemin," Taeil's soft voice calls his attention behind him. Taemin turns to see the vampire stepping quickly closer to him. "Are you okay?"
"There's a lot on my mind," Taemin answers quietly, "You should eat."
"I will. Then I'll come straight back to you. Do you want me to bring food?"
"No, you don't have to do that."
"You're hungry," Taeil quickly says, frowning. "I'm bringing you food. Now go lay down."
Before Taemin can possibly object, Taeil turns away, rushing back towards that kitchen.
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NOTE!!! I haven't mentioned it so far, but my friend mirror_angel is writing a really great AU series right now, in which Jonghyun is bonded to Sayu. Definitely check it out here. You should find it addicting.
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