Another week passes by with ease. Well, mostly. I do my best not to act too awkward around Daehyun, but since he keeps teasing me, I can’t help but feel a little embarrassed. Why does he have to tease me so? It just isn’t fair. If only he knew what I really felt about him.

  Today, Daehyun, Zelo, and I are heading to the bank. I honestly just need to get away from the mansion for a bit especially after what I did that one night when I was alone in my room. In the dark. Thinking about Daehyun with my pan- Never mind. I don't want to think about it.

  I meet Daehyun in the dining room. He's just finished his glass and remains sitting as I enter and sit in my usual spot. As always, he watches me as I eat without a word. It's so weird, but I ignore him.

  “Do all humans eat pig-like like you?” He asks.

  I glare. Why does he pay attention to the way I eat? “I'm not that messy.”

  “No, but the way you eat is like you haven't eaten for days. You're devouring everything in one gulp.”

  “No I'm not.” I know he's exaggerating, but I can't help but be offended. “I'm used to eating quickly. As an ex-vampire slayer, we had little time to rest when we're assigned a mission, so we had to eat quickly. Not only that, but even when I lived outside the Dome, I didn't eat such good food like this.”

  “Luca or your family didn't cook for you?”

  I freeze. “Luca didn't cook food like this and I wasn't really around my parents ever since I moved out.”

  “Oh. I'm sorry.” Daehyun chews on his bottom lip and rubs a thumb on the glass.

  “It's fine. I didn't really tell you that much about my life.” I take one last bite and rub my hands together. “Alright. I'm done. Let's head out. I'm really curious about what Jongup will tell me today.” I'm a 100% sure he'll be talking about his bank neighbor.

  We head outside where Zelo is already waiting for us. He opens the carriage and let's us go in.

  I step inside first, followed by Daehyun and the door shutting behind.

  The carriage moves. The sound of hooves clacking and the wheels turning echoes within this tiny space. The air feels hot. I just don't know if it's just me or if it really is stuffy in here. I've ridden this thing long enough to know that it's me feeling this way. We hit a bump,  causing me to rise from my seat and land roughly on my . Is this going to be another silent carriage ride?

  “So you really aren't going to sleep next to me?”

  He's still on about that? It's been two weeks already! “Why do you keep insisting?” He better have a good reason or else I really will consider not sleeping next to him, ever.

  Daehyun shrugs. “I guess you can say it was nice. I've never felt something so warm lying next to me. When I was little, my uncle would lay next to me when I had a nightmare and stayed until the next Night. Ever since he disappeared, I missed that feeling. When you were next to me, it made me think, ‘So this is what my uncle was feeling when he comforted me.’ It not only helps the victim, but also the caretaker.”

  I blush. He really needs to stop being so honest in situations like these. “I guess.”

  “Did you not feel that way when you were next to Luca?”

  Of course. I can still clearly remember his strong arms around me, engulfing me with that peppermint scent. I fiddle with my fingers. There's so many things that remind me of Luca, but I need to move on. “Of course I did, but it's a different feeling because we were in love.”

  He tilts his head. “I loved my uncle, so what's the difference?”

  He really doesn't know much about love, huh? “Well, there's different forms of love. The way you loved your uncle is different from the way I loved Luca. It's complicated, honestly. Love in general is complicated. You really don't have a choice on who you fall in love with.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, sometimes the heart wants different things from your mind. For example, you love your uncle, but you wouldn't go around holding his hand or going out on a date.”

  “Then, how can you tell you're in love with someone, someone who's not family?”

  Why all the sudden questions? This is not an easy subject to explain. Even scientist have a hard time explaining love. “Uhm. With the person you love, you just want to always be next to them. Sometimes you want to deny it, but you always end up finding yourself being with that person. You also get this fuzzy feeling inside when you see that person and sometimes feel compelled to get to know them further.”

  “What kind of fuzzy feelings?”

  “Well.” This is getting way too complicated. He's asking these things to the wrong person! “You feel happy just by seeing them. They don't always have to do something extravagant to make your heart beat quickly. And you notice small things about them that other people skip over. I don't know.” Can we please drop the subject? I'm getting sweaty from all these nerves.

  “I see.” He rubs his chin. “If that's the case, then-” The carriage stops and so does he. Daehyun shoots up and his head swivels with a troubled look on his face. “There's something wrong,” he mutters, “I feel hostile pheromones coming from the bank.” He doesn't wait for Zelo to come and open the door for us.

  Just as he steps out of the carriage, a loud boom resounds and the ground shakes. I hear screams coming from all directions. I jump out and am mortified by the scene before us. A portion of the bank is blown up. Humans and vampires scramble out of the bank, a few climbing out the crumbling walls. Some are covered in soot and blood. A few dead bodies lie where the explosion took place. Upon further inspection, it was a mix of humans and vampires. Some are bankers.

  “Jongup.” I rush into the Bank. Daehyun calls out to me, but I don't stop as I'm determined to check if my friend is still alive. The explosion took place on the opposite side of his station, but that doesn't mean he could be injured.

  As I burst through the doors, another explosion occurs on the back side of the Bank where we keep our stocks. The sound causes my ears to ring. I groan in pain and falter, but I continue my way through. I have to make sure Jongup is safe.

  Bankers rush out of the Bank, but none are Jongup. Did he manage to get out before I started looking for him or did he get injured? I keep my eyes out. Suddenly, I see the girl who works next to him, trying to run towards the entrance. I grab her arm.

  She resists.

  “Where Jongup?” I yell to grab her attention.

  “Who?”

  “6245. Where is he?”

  She shrugs her shoulders. “I don't know. Last time I checked he was on the roof with a vampire with blue hair.”

  I release her. The roof? Why would he be on the roof with a vampire with blue hair? Wait. Blue hair? I only know one vampire with blue hair.

  I run to the rooftop. The only way to get there was through the back where the vaults are. My mind is racing as possible scenarios pop into my mind. What if Jongup is in grave danger? What if he’s on the verge of dying? What if he’s actually dead?

  My pace quickens with the thought. He can’t be dead.

  As I reach the top of the stairwell, I burst through the doors. The Night sky is a shade of red as flames burst from the bombs. Vampires and humans are still screaming and scrambling about. I think I even hear Zelo shouting orders to at least get things organized. In front of me, I spot the vampire with blue hair, gripping onto the collar of Jongup’s shirt with his only hand. Jongup hangs from the side of the building. His eyes are closed and his body is unmoving. There are contusions along his face and arm as if there was a struggle.

  Something awakens in me - something I have not felt in so long. Anger fills my blood and a familiar sensation courses through me. My mind goes blank, but my body move faster than I can process. The vampire with blue hair has his back towards me. I run up to him with quick feet and pull him back to the ground, bring Jongup with him.

  Upon further inspection, Jongup’s breathing is shallow, but at least I know he’s alive.

  “Well I’ll be damned. Look who I’ve encountered today. I thought you no longer worked at the Bank?” The blue haired vampire mocks as he stands. He glances from me to Jongup. “Is this one of your friends?”

  I glare at him and clench my fist. I am no longer the same person he met before. This time, I’m not running away, not when he hurt someone I care about. “Were you the one who caused this?”

  “Am I?”

  “Don’t screw with me!” My blood is boiling now. I raise my fists. I just want to kill this guy for harming Jongup.

  “You think you can defeat a vampire like me? Last time, you were lucky because that damn Jung came and save you, but where is he now? I don’t see him anywhere.” He shields his eyes with his remaining hand and scouts the area as if Daehyun will show up any second. He laughs mockingly.

  I rush towards him and throw a punch. It feels so weird. It’s been so long since I have fought someone.

  He evades my punch and jabs me in the stomach.

  I double over and stumble. I’m definitely rusty when it comes to fist fight. Now, if I had a gun, the tables will turn.

  He laughs hysterically - his fangs clearly showing and his eyes reflecting the crimson flames. His nails grow sharp and long. “Damn Jung Daehyun for taking one of my arm," he mutters. Then outloud, "You think you’re a match with me? A vampire? All you humans are pathetic. You say you killed a man, but how? Did you come up from behind and stabbed him to death? Did you shoot him at a distance? Is that how you humans do it? When you’re up against a vampire, it’s so much different. We have keen senses. If you truly want to defeat someone like us, don’t use cowardly tactics such as those.”

  “Shut the up.” I continue throwing punches, which he blocks successfully and counters with his own attack. However, the longer our fight went, the more my mind blurs and everything appears to go in slow motion. The blood in my veins mix in and I feel stronger than ever. I throw an uppercut and knock him over.

  He gets up with his pheromones raging. “You damn human! You’re persistent!” He hisses and lunges forward.

  I side-step and punch him again, this time, dropping him to his knees. I kick his chest, bringing him to the ground and press my foot where his heart should be. Leaning over, I mutter in a dark tone, “Were you the one who caused this?”

  He smirks and spits. It doesn’t reach me, but just the gesture makes me strike him in the face. His head knocks hard on the concrete floor.

  I lift him with the collar of his shirt. “Answer me!” This feeling. I have not felt this anger in so long.

  “What if I did? What are you going to do about it?”

  I look at Jongup who is still unconscious. What am I going to do about it? I have no authority here.

  “You know, that boy was of great use to us,” the vampire comments, “If it weren't for him, then this operation wouldn't be successful.”

  “What operation?”

  He simply grins.

  I punch him again. “What operation?”

  He raises himself up. An evil smirk comes across his face and his eyes are blood-red. “The rise of the Night Creatures is coming. Where are your prison guards now?”

  Something snaps in me. I don't know if it's the way he looks at me, mockingly. I don't know if it's his words. I don't know if it was fear for the notion he just stated. I punch him and punch him and punch him. Not once did I hesitate. My vision gets blurry and my mind goes blank. I hear nothing around me and feel nothing but my fist hitting his face.

  Something buzzes in my ear, but I don't pay attention. My emotions take over. Soon, I can't even recognize the face below me. Me being a hunter returns. The indifferent, stoic slayer returns and doesn't seem to want to leave.

  “-op. Stop! Youngjae!” Strong, but trembling arms wrap around my waist.

  I freeze and look over my shoulder. Everything crashes just then. Here is Jung Daehyun, holding me with his eyes closed and cheeks on my back. Tears flow down his face, wetting my shirt. “Stop. Please, stop,” he pleads with a shaky voice. “This isn't the Youngjae I know.”

  My heart shatters. What have I done? I release the vampire with blue hair. This was the me I'm supposed to leave behind. This is why I left my old life. I don't want to see that pain that Daehyun is showing me right now.

  “Daehyun,” I call softly.

  He squeezes me harder.

  I pry his arms off and turn around. Grabbing his cheeks, I force him to look into my eyes. “Daehyun.” What have I done?

  His eyes widen and the tears continue to flow. He shakes his head. “This is not the Youngjae I know,” he repeats.

  The sound of sirens resound throughout the whole area. Men and women wearing all white approaches the building, carrying guns and having masks that cover their faces. I watch from the rooftop as the crowd parts like the sea, allowing the guards to enter the building.

  The blue haired vampire laughs. It starts off slow to maniacal.  “So it takes them approximately 10 minutes to show up. That’s just enough time.”

  I turn to him. “Enough time for what?” Even with that battered face, he still has the guts to grin.

  A few guards burst through the door, pointing their guns at us. Daehyun and I raise our arms while they drag the blue haired vampire. They must have seen everything through the cameras as they don’t touch us. One pair of guards bring in a stretcher and lay the still unconscious Jongup there.

  “Where are you taking him?” I ask one of the guards next to me.

  “The hospital. We need to tend his wounds and question him.”

  “He did nothing wrong. He was controlled by that guy’s pheromones,” I point out, hoping to clear Jongup’s name. “He’s always been weak with pheromones.”

  The guard says nothing.

  The whole time the vampire is being dragged by the guards, he keeps his eyes on me with that same smirk on his lips. As he reaches the door, I hear him yell, “Be prepared, human. Something bigger will come.” His laugh echoes in my ears.

  I get up, only to drop to one knee as the adrenaline is leaving me. Every part of my body is slowly starting to hurt. What does he mean by that? I want to yell at him, but before I can do so, the guards take him pass the door and down the stairwell.

  Two guards stay behind to check our wounds. They keep their distance with Daehyun, but it didn’t matter because there are no marks on him. Then, they turn to me and offer to take me to the nearest clinic to tend some of the injuries I have. I kindly refuse since this really isn’t anything. The bruises should go away within a week or two. As for some of the cuts I received, those should disappear within the week.

  They are hesitant at first, but I persist. Instead, they us down and out the building that way they can close it off.

  Zelo comes running after us, worry all over his face. He approaches me first and grabs my arm, seeing all the wounds. “Youngjae, what happened?”

  I brush him off, not wanting him to be involved. What happened back there was the old me coming back to haunt me. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just go back that way I can take care of this.” I make my way to the carriage where Zelo parked a few buildings over.

  I notice Daehyun following when he should be back there to at least check the damage. “Shouldn’t you be staying?”

  “You’re injured. I should take care of you. Anyways, my father will be the one handling the situation since he’s still currently the owner of the Bank.”

  “But still, you will be inheriting the business and they will become your employees.”

  Daehyun shakes his head. “I’m more worried about you.”

  You shouldn’t be. I try to protest, but the look in his eyes make me hold back. Those eyes will not give up - Daehyun will not give up. With those eyes, no matter how many times I refuse, he also won’t listen. We’re both stubborn, so that means one of us has to give in.

  I continue my way to the carriage and climb in.

  Daehyun follows.

  Zelo steers the horses back to the mansion.

  Once we return, Daehyun immediately orders Zelo, “Bring me a bowl of water, a towel, and bandages. I’ll take Youngjae to his room and tend to his wounds.”

  Zelo bows and heads to the kitchen where he will get mostly what he needs.

  Daehyun and I walk to my room. My feet are heavy and my whole body feels sore. Part of my arm I can’t move due to the overuse. I’m also starting to feel a sting where the cuts are.

  I sit on the edge of my bed as Daehyun lights a candle and pulls back the curtain to let some light through. He comes up to me, kneels, and takes off his gloves, setting them on the bedside table. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the handkerchief from long ago. The rose is clearly visible. Just why does he have something like that?

  He reaches out and wipes the sweat forming on the temples of my forehead. Slowly, his hand goes down my cheek to my neck. I take the back of his hand and squeeze tightly. Why? Why are all these simple gestures so captivating? 

  Daehyun pulls away and places the handkerchief right next to his gloves.

  Zelo enters, bringing the items Daehyun requested.

  “Thank you, Zelo. I can handle things from here.”

  Zelo bows and exits the room.

  Daehyun wets the towel and wrings it. Carefully, he dabs it on my wounds, washing away the excess blood. I flinch every time he touches a sore spot, and each time, he mutters, “I'm sorry.”

  I simply watch as he does this. There is nothing I can say to him.

  As he finishes, he places the towel next to the bowl. He doesn't grab the bandages. Instead, he takes my hand and looks me dead in the eyes. “What happened back there?” His hands are trembling as he holds mine.

  I squeeze him. “I'm sorry. I don't know what took over me.”

  Again, his eyes glisten from the tears. It hurts to see him like this. I never want to make him cry, but here I am, being the cause of his tears.

  “I was scared,” he utters, “The Youngjae I saw was not the one I knew. That Youngjae was monstrous, possibly more terrifying than Himchan or even my own father.” He shivers. “When I saw you, I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. I constantly called out your name, but you didn’t hear me. I thought I had lost you. That is until I threw myself on you. I was so scared,” he repeats.

  “I’m sorry.” This is all I can say. I didn’t want him to see that side of me. I really did try suppressing it, but seeing Jongup like that, I snapped. Releasing his hands, I reach over and grab the back of his neck, pulling him close to me on my chest. With my other hand, I rub his back. “I promise I won’t do that again.” His tears are my weakness. I know that now.

  He lets me hold him. “You better not do that ever again.”

  “I won’t.”

  Daehyun nuzzles his nose on my neck, tickling me.

  I can’t help but snort.

  He raises his head, clearly annoyed. “What?”

  “Sorry. It tickled.”

  He pouts. “Way to ruin the mood.”

  My eyes widen and my cheeks turn a shade of pink. “I’m not always ruining the mood! You’re the one who usually ruins the mood by teasing me! You’re always saying strange things, making me feel embarrassed.”

  Daehyun laughs and pinches my nose. “Now that’s the Youngjae I know."

  Why does something so small make such a big impact on me? He really needs to stop teasing me this way.

  He grabs the bandages and says, nonchalantly, “Take off your shirt.”

  “What?”

  “Take off your shirt, so I can wrap the bandages over your wounds. I didn’t even check if you had anything on your torso.”

  I don’t know if Daehyun can tell, but I feel like I’m turning into a tomato. Me? Take off my shirt in front of Daehyun? I can’t! “I can do it myself.” There's no way I'm letting him see me half . In fact, I'm pretty sure Daehyun's body looks a lot better than mine.

  “You always say that. It’s not like you have anything to hide. I already saw something when you showed me your scar.”

  Yeah, but that wasn’t much. “I-”

  “If you won’t do it, I’ll do it.” His hand brushes the hem of my shirt.

  I move away and slap his hand away. “Alright, alright. I’ll do it.” Damnit. Why do I have to do this with him around? I pull my shirt over my head and throw it next to me. My eyes scan everywhere but Daehyun’s face. The only reason I know how he’s near me is by that peppermint scent.

  Something cold touches my stomach where my scar is. When I check, it’s not the wet towel, but Daehyun’s cold fingers. My muscles tense up and my breathing gets ragged. Please, don’t touch me like that.

  “It’s so weird touching a human’s skin,” Daehyun comments. “With gloves on, I never realize how warm your bodies are.”

  Well, mine is extra warm because of your touch.

  He replaces his hand with the towel to clean off any dirt or grime from the fight. The whole time he’s doing this, my body trembles and something bubbles within me. I want him to be done already. 

  Just as I think things can get worse, he pulls away and begins wrapping my wounds, getting close to me each time he makes his way towards my back. I can’t help, but take deep breaths as his fingers gently brush against my arm or my thighs. Everything Jung Daehyun does is enchanting me.

  As he wraps my stomach, a few times his face is close to me, but I do my best to drop my head. I can’t look at him. No, Youngjae. I can’t look at him. If I do, who knows what will happen next.

  He makes his last round and is about to lean away, but I find him staying in one position for a long time. Out of curiosity and confusion, I raise my head, only to regret it. Daehyun’s face is centimeters in front of mine. His deep brown eyes gaze into me and the warmth of his breath blows against my lips. His hands rest on either side of my thighs, propping himself up. I find myself captivated by him. The beauty mark under his eye is prominent up close and his skin is clear and unmarked compared to his hands.

  Just how did I get involved by someone like him? He’s definitely out of my league.

  I don’t know what takes over me. It might be the Moonlight coming from the window, the way the events played out, or the gaze that Daehyun is giving me right now. But I lean forward, close my eyes, and press my lips against his.

Author's Note:

  s about to go down >.< Thanks for reading!

With Love,

LokiCraze123