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Blood of a Beloved

Oblivion wasn’t not a cage, for it did not have a stipulated size of its dimensions nor a lock of a sort, but rather it was...

...an impenetrable abyss.

An abyss was as small or as large as it wanted to be, tricking the fallen prisoners by engulfing them whole and enveloping them with its enigmatic surroundings. There was nothing touchable to grasp on to nor was there a sense of being saved. How could there be where every prisoner was immobile and senseless? No one could speak; the hollowness would swallow up every word. No one could see; the blackness was solid and pitch dark. No one could save themselves; there was no such possible way to be saved.

But perhaps there was a way to escape... Although it wasn’t something the prisoners themselves could do... Getting out from the inside was impossible.

But having someone from the outside rescue someone from the inside was.

An opening could be made as long as someone offered a helping hand.

In this case, the ‘helping hand’ was more of a less than subtle wake-up slap.

SLAP!

“Newborn! Hey! Get up!”

“Ungh.” Jongin blinked as a thin lance of light sliced through the abyss and glared in his eyes. He was not quite cognizant yet, his initial surroundings blurry and his senses dulled from his forced, dreamless slumber.

“Newborn, wake up or so help me—” Irritation and impatience was thickly interwoven with each grumbling word of complaint. Whoever had spoken was so grouchy, the person had trailed off incoherently in a low, barely audible growl. In the back recess of Jongin’s mind, he faintly registered that he knew who the voice above him belonged to. It was familiar but still too far away due to his torpid brain. Who had such a silky voice that could carry the undertone of a petulant child? Jongin swore that voice should’ve been more...cultured yet snippy, not petty.

The owner of the voice must’ve leaned in nearer because he sounded much closer—close enough for his drawn out hiss to sound like someone had turned the volume all the way up. “Kim Jongin, if you do not rouse in the next five seconds...” the person threatened darkly. “I will not hesitate to set you on fire in your sleep.”

“Wha?” uttered the newborn being threatened. He was slowly regaining his bearings, his hearing becoming less muffled and his vision clearing up as it focused. Sadly, his vocals were rusty, and his speech was disjointed because of his disoriented brain. He belatedly realized that he was lying down on a hard, flat surface with a squished pillow under his head and a fleece blanket draped over him.

And scowling down at him from above was Joonmyun.

The superior one looked the same as ever. In the glowing sunset-colored torchlight, his neatly combed dark brown hair had a faded burgundy tint to it. His skin was extremely pale and flawless, almost translucent like a shimmering specter. His dark, round eyes were as hard as flint, and the depths of them reminded Jongin of his black prison so bad that he flinched and quickly averted his gaze elsewhere.

But Joonmyun’s presence certainly did give Jongin the kick start he needed. in a sharp breath, he bolted upright—his forehead nearly colliding with Joonmyun’s if the latter hadn’t reared back—and blearily threw his wide-eyed gaze around. He remembered where he was now! This was his assigned dungeon room, with its smooth, unblemished stone walls and ceilings and a torch as the only source of illumination.

“Finally,” sighed the superior one in exasperated relief. He pinched the ridge of his nose. “I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to wake at all.”

“H-how long have I been asleep?” Jongin asked, expelling the entire sentence in one hasty breath.

Joonmyun held up the appropriate number of fingers. “Two weeks as promised.” He tilted his head elegantly as he peered curiously at Jongin who was rubbing at his sleep-encrusted eyes. “I am surprised, though... Jongdae had reported to me that you had constantly twitched in your sleep for the past few days. I had speculated that you would rise before the appointed time, but alas, you had stayed put.” He adopted a careful, analytical tone as he inquired, “How are you?”

Jongin groaned, severely muddled for being completely inactive for two weeks, but underneath the layer of confusion, he could feel the heap of restlessness and energy that had mounted up during his slumber. A knot of anxiousness dwelled in his chest, but the tighter tangle in his stomach clawed at him the worst.

He was starving.

“You are thirsty,” Joonmyun stated obviously, noting how pronounced the purple veins that fissured across Jongin’s chalky tan skin were. Under half-mast eyes, bloody red eyes glinted hungrily in the dimly lit dungeon. “Here.” Turning around, the older vampire grabbed something that had been set on the small wooden table behind him. With it in hand, he presented a cylindrical thermos to the uneasy newborn. “Drink,” he ordered, firmly pushing it into Jongin’s limp hands. “It’s blood.”

“But whose?” the young vampire rasped.

“None of ours,” Joonmyun supplied as Jongin reluctantly unscrewed the thermos’s cap. Jongin knew that ours referred to all of the vampires living in this castle. “And we didn’t kill anyone to get some. We have human servants who are obliged to provide us blood when we need it.” He crossed his arms and, when seeing the skeptic twist to the fledgling’s face, grudgingly added, “Yes, I know that no other blood than my son’s will be able to fully quench your bloodlust, but we have to make do right now.”

Not skeptical anymore, Jongin brought the thermos to his lips and tipped it back, gulping down all of the blood in a single shot. It was warm and partially rich, healthier than the blood he’d smelled from humans in the city, but it was nothing compared to Kyungsoo’s.

Kyungsoo.

Tensely strung up, Jongin exhaled harshly as he quietly returned the thermos to Joonmyun. He was still thirsty, undeniably so, but he was too worried about his little one to care about anything else.

“At least you didn’t attack me,” Joonmyun commented, his tone approving, but his voice drab like he was unimpressed. So hard to please, Jongin thought bitterly.

“When can I see Kyungsoo? Is he alright? Has he fed yet?” Jongin demanded rapidly, throwing the blanket back and swinging his legs off the platform so that his feet touched the ground.

The superior one held up a warning hand, blocking the other’s way. “Hold on, boy. You cannot see Kyungsoo yet, but perhaps soon if you feed more. No one has really checked up on his condition since he was...imprisoned in a hard-to-access cell. So that also means he hasn’t fed either.”

“Why?” Jongin was fuming. His fists were clenched, muscles tight and veins bulging in escalating rage. “Why neglect your son to see me first?”

“Oh, believe me, I didn’t want to. I scarcely care about you,” Joonmyun huffed disdainfully. “But considering how the situation needs to be delicately handled... You were especially needed, so I came down here to fetch you.” He grabbed another thermos full of blood from the table—Joonmyun had brought down six, so there were four more—and tossed it over. Jongin caught it halfheartedly, then guzzled it down fast, ignoring the semi-plain taste and trying to withhold his crave for a certain owl-eyed boy’s blood instead.

“What do you mean by ‘delicately handled’?” Jongin asked warily as he accepted another offered thermos.

“Because Kyungsoo needs you—desperately. So it was put forward that you’ll be the one to deal with him first,” Joonmyun explained with an opposing frown. “I objected to the idea, but my mate, Yixing, and Yifan’s, Zitao, insisted that Kyungsoo would be better off if he could immediately feed from you. It’ll calm his raging hunger and ease his mind.” He quirked a brow. “You felt it, didn’t you? His cry for you?”

Jongin winced, and it felt like the blood he’d just swallowed turned into corrosive acid as it crawled down his already burning throat. “...Yes, I did,” he croaked weakly, immense worry and stress swirling chaotically inside him as he recalled those animalistic wails and helpless, pleading calls for him as he floated there feebly in his own cage. If only those calls for him hadn’t been echoes but rather actual commands, then he would’ve woken up in a heartbeat and rushed to his beloved.

“Then hurry and drink your fill so that you’ll be able to replenish Kyungsoo and not fall weak afterward,” Joonmyun urged.

As prompted, Jongin hastily drank all of the provided thermoses of blood. Gradually his thirst subsided—if only for a little while—and a margin of his strength returned. He felt ready to go see Kyungsoo.

The revived fledgling jumped to his feet as Joonmyun beckoned at him with a languid finger.

“Then let us go,” said the superior one.

Joonmyun pushed the button that slid open the door slab of the cell and grabbed the torch from the wall. He exited through the opening, Jongin following close behind. It was a good thing that as a vampire, his muscles hadn’t gone stiff and weak during his two weeks of absolute inoperativeness, so walking was no problem just minutes after his awakening.

“Joonmyun?”

“Hm?”

“Where is Kyungsoo, anyway? If he isn’t confined in any of these cells...” Although the other didn’t glance back, Jongin gestured to the ones they were passing by as they descended to the lower levels of the underground dungeon. How far below did the ‘underground’ extend to, anyway?

There was a dark, humorless chuckle from the older vampire. Jongin eyed him suspiciously.

“You’ll see, fledgling. The type of prison cell Kyungsoo is currently kept in is quite special. Afterall, it was designed by me.”

Hearing that made Jongin shiver. Anything constructed by Joonmyun had to be unbearably awful...or downright creepy.

...

“You are one mentally insane freak of nature,” Jongin couldn’t help but to hiss spitefully when he finally saw where Kyungsoo’s prison cell was but not what it literally looked like. How could a self-proclaimed caring father stick his precious son in a suspended underwater cage? With giant heavy chains even!

Joonmyun merely harrumphed at Jongin’s seething, incredulous expression and plainly reminded the other, “I did say I designed it, so why is it so hard to believe that it wouldn’t appear...attuned to my nature?”

“Because who can honestly handle—no, survive—being locked up in that?!” Jongin jabbed an accusing finger at the vast, glistening pool of water. Beneath the mirror-like surface, he could clearly see with his enhanced vampiric sight the huge cube-shaped enclosure that appeared to be floating in the center of the pool but wasn’t because of the lengthy chains attached to its corners to the corners of the deep tank, therefore keeping it in place.

“You keep forgetting that we’re vampires,” Joonmyun intoned quietly, shooting the younger one a significant look. “My son included.”

Even so, Jongin was outraged by the mere thought of his sweet Kyungsoo being imprisoned in something as dastardly as that. He wanted to rescue the little boy right away, but the superior one had warned him (in a goading tone) that he wouldn’t be able to break into the underwater cell with him around. Jongin had been ordered to wait, but waiting was tearing him apart. He was going crazy now that the distance between him and Kyungsoo had been shortened to only several meters—his madness especially fueled by the fact that he was awake in reality and not submerged in a dreamless slumber. He was fully cognizant and overloaded with impatience. Somewhere in his soul, there was a pulsating beat, a frail tug, a tiny whisper of a call. Whatever it was, it was leading him to his beloved little one.

Jongin was literally standing on his toes by the water’s edge, b with the intense inability to wait, as Joonmyun, a few feet beside him and also close to the water, stretched out his arms and made fluid, minimal motions with his fingers. There were faint sounds of chains unlatching from where they were adhered, thin loops of water, like snakes, following the movement of the superior one’s actions as he manipulated the liquid to do his bidding. The heavy-set chains sank down to the murky floor below, and the water level of the pool abated as the large box that had been displaced in it was heaved up and shoved onto the other side, opposite to where Jongin and Joonmyun were standing.

Immediately, Jongin disappeared from the superior one’s side and was instantly circling around the box like an anxious tiger pacing in a cage. It was soft and feeble but definitely unmistakable that it was Kyungsoo’s presence he felt residing in this independent cell block. The exterior of it was opaque, dense, and sturdy, thus it was impossible to take a glimpse through it even with an absurd amount of light available to cast a shine. On the top, lengthy tubes were attached to it, cycling out air since the structure of the cube was airtight. Outlined on one side of the chamber was the shape of a circle. It had a strange-looking design to it—a system of circles within circles that served as the lock. Etched on the thin rings were numbers, meaning that a password was needed.

“Move aside, youngling.”

Joonmyun had quietly come over while Jongin had been examining the set of rings. The newborn wordlessly stepped aside as the older vampire approached the chamber with a raised hand, but then Joonmyun paused on an afterthought and instructed, “Don’t look. I have to set the password.”

“Right,” the younger vampire mumbled and reluctantly ducked his head. Ears prickling at every sound, Jongin heard Joonmyun turn the rings—three of them in all, with the outer ring being the biggest and a featureless semi-sphere dominating the center. He glanced up only when there was a resounding thud. Apparently the big half-orb had forcibly shoved itself inward, and the rings around it spun for a few seconds before halting. Then the rings followed suit, jamming themselves inward only to split apart down the middle—though the orb itself was unchanged, remaining as a whole portion on the left side—and one half popped, like a puzzle piece being taken out, as a small rush of air exited the chamber. Joonmyun laid a hand on the right-hand piece that had popped and threw a calculating sideways glance at Jongin.

“...Once you enter, I will close the door—it locks itself automatically. The lock system on the inside reflects that of the outside.” The older vampire sighed softly, and that tiny action expressed his disquietude. “I will grant you a minimal of six hours to take care of Kyungsoo. Then I will come by to release you two. Is that understood?”

Jongin nodded seriously. “I understand.”

Joonmyun’s narrowed his dark eyes at the ruby-eyed fledgling. “Try not to hurt him,” he warned, “but I have no doubt that you’ll have to exert your strength and willpower to restrain him. Bloodlust is absurdly maddening, afterall. And it doesn’t help in your case that Kyungsoo is your master.”

A shiver crawled down Jongin’s spine. He tried to ignore the uneasy feeling. “Yes, sir.”

The corner of Joonmyun’s pouty lips quirked up slightly. “Minutes ago you dared to call me a ‘mentally insane freak of nature,’ yet just now you formally addressed me as you ought to be doing.” He shook his head out of amusement. “I can’t seem to understand you, Kim Jongin.”

Jongin had no time to reply when the superior one beckoned him over. As he stepped forward, he was told to quickly enter once the door was opened so that it could be promptly closed afterward to avoid any unwanted escapes. He did just that, launching himself through when the gap was large enough, and behind him, the door was hastily shut. The lock system, which was an exact replica of the outside as Joonmyun had mentioned, spun briefly before compressing itself flat.

All was not quiet.

There was harsh breathing in the shadows that encased the interior.

Ugh, more darkness, Jongin thought distastefully, wrinkling his nose in aversion.

Darkness or not, Jongin knew those sinisterly pair of bloody red eyes glinting in the far corner belonged to his little one.

“...Kyungsoo?” he whispered tentatively, volume kept carefully low. The way Kyungsoo was huddled rigidly against the wall made him edgy, as if the small child was a bat lurking in the shadows of its cave, waiting for its chance to descend onto its prey. Footsteps light and slow, Jongin crept forward, gaze traveling up and down Kyungsoo’s body, scanning for injuries.

Kyungsoo wore the same clothes he’d returned to the castle in—a half-sleeved, button-up polo shirt and a pair of form-fitting khakis. Those articles of clothing were badly rumpled and torn up with claw marks. For some odd reason, Kyungsoo was barefoot, shoes and socks thoughtlessly kicked away. His head of silky midnight hair was a wild disarray, as if he’d stood outside during a hurricane. Warily inching closer, Jongin saw that there were no visible injuries to worry over, but the dark prominence of his violet veins, the labored heaving of his breathing, and the fierce glare of his crimson eyes only indicated that Kyungsoo was already ensnared by the choking, burning hold of bloodlust, not teetering on the edge as Jongin had hoped.

How long has Kyungsoo been enduring it? Been suffering? Was he in agony? Jongin hazily remembered what his bloodlust had been like during his awakening as a newborn and cringed violently at the leftover sensations the memories brought up. The blazing dryness in his throat... The tormenting twist of his stomach... He had attacked the moment the scent of blood had registered in his nose, so why wasn’t Kyungsoo attacking him?

“Kyungsoo?” he tried again, softly and mildly. He wasn’t sure when to be assertive, to ‘exert his strength and willpower’ as Joonmyun had strongly guessed. Kyungsoo had hardly reacted to him verbally. When he’d spoken, the little boy had trembled like a leaf and tightly clenched his eyes.

It was like...Kyungsoo was avoiding him. Ignoring him.

“...Go...away...”

Well, that only further confirmed Jongin’s suspicions.

Kyungsoo’s beautiful, musical voice was scratchy and weak like thin ice. Speaking must’ve hurt due to his inflamed throat—Jongin could only wince in sympathy, having experienced that feeling twice now, the last instance quite recent.

Approaching nearer, only about five feet away now, Jongin froze midstep when Kyungsoo let loose a furious hiss. Promptly afterward, the tiny vampire buried his face in his arms, pressing his back harder into the wall as if to brace himself. That vicious, indifferent display baffled Jongin, but he sensed that the hiss was more of a harsh warning than something wrought from actual hatred. Confusion and concern filled his chest, so he continued persistently in his advance, Kyungsoo retreating fearfully in the dark corner when he closed to distance between them and knelt down.

“Kyungsoo, what is up with you?” Jongin demanded. “Come here.”

When Jongin grabbed the skinny white wrists that stubbornly shielded a pinched up face, Kyungsoo immediately kicked up a fuss—literally. Bare feet and all, the small child jabbed at Jongin wildly and even started screaming, a wordless demand to be let go. A surge went through Jongin, the compulsive order to listen to his master yanking at his will, but he refused to bend and shook the feeling away. He managed to pluck Kyungsoo up and into his lap, encaging his little one with his strong arms against his solid build. The kicking stopped, but Kyungsoo still resisted, trying to shove the taller male away and pounding at chest with tiny, bony fists.

“Let me go! Let me go!” the child cried vehemently, his voice raspy when he raised it.

“I’m trying to help you!” Jongin said through gritted teeth. “Aren’t you thirsty?”

At the word thirsty, Kyungsoo in a sharp breath and whined pitifully low. His nose was scrunched, a sign that he was holding his breath. With a noisy swallow, he shakily squared his shoulders as Jongin curiously ran his thumb under a bright crimson eye, tracing the pronounced purple crescent there.

“No...” Kyungsoo moaned, as if ill.

Extremely worried, Jongin gnawed on his lower lip before hotly demanding, “Why? Why are you avoiding me? You’re hungry, and I’m finally here. You need to drink.” He grabbed ahold of one arm that was raised defensively and firmly cupped a drooped chin with his free hand. “Answer me, Kyungsoo!”

“C-can’t,” Kyungsoo gasped.

“You can’t or you won’t?”

Kyungsoo whimpered, biting down hard on his lip.

“Kyungsoo, tell me,” pleaded the former human.

The little vampire in his lap sniffled loudly. “I-I d-d-don’t want to,” he said woefully, close to tears now. “G-get Da...ddy...”

“No.” Jongin shook his head, his bold red eyes pinned resolutely on his mate’s pale, wispy face. “I can’t. We’re locked in here, and he already left.”

Hearing that sent Kyungsoo on the verge of sobbing, but tears were unable to come forth. However, that final push against his wrecked emotions spurred him to confess.

“I don’t wanna hurt Jonginnie!” wailed the boy. “I don’t wanna bite you!”

Jongin was so astounded by the outcry that he dropped his hold on Kyungsoo’s chin. He blinked and asked, “What do you mean?”

Kyungsoo’s feverish gaze darted here and there, anywhere but his beloved’s exposed neck. “Jonginnie...was sad...that I bit him... I...I don’t want to...see your sad face...again... You were...hurting so much...”

Jongin could feel his dead heart melting. “Oh, Kyungsoo...” he whispered, and brought his arms around his precious mate to hug him tightly. “Oh, love,” he sighed fondly as he nuzzled a mess of raven hair. Dainty white hands clutched at his shoulders desperately. “You are so sweet. Is that why...you never fed from me since I Changed?”

A silent nod against his chest answered him.

I can’t believe I didn’t notice this before, the newborn mused seriously. Before I thought it was because I needed to feed more than I gave like they’d told me, but...I never guessed part of it was also because Kyungsoo was afraid.

“I’m sorry I troubled you,” Jongin murmured, his moving lips brushing against a smooth forehead. “But you should know that I’ve gotten over that part. It’s essential that we’re intimate”—he gave Kyungsoo a reassuring squeeze—“as mates, isn’t it? And I’m not as breakable or as sensitive anymore. Remember? I made up my mind a long time ago.” He tilted his head down while Kyungsoo tilted his head up. Their gazes met softly, sweetly, and the former human smiled at the wondrous, relieved expression relayed through those large owl eyes he absolutely adored. “For you, Kyungsoo. I’m here and I’m staying for you.”

The little vampire must’ve understood his message because he uttered the words—just three easily pronounceable words—at the same time as Jongin did.

“I love you.”

Yet, those words were loaded with so much honest feelings—of love, devotion, promise, and happiness—which normally caused such a declaration to be a difficult task to ever be uttered, but here were these two, verbally professing their love like it was as simple as breathing.

“Come on,” Jongin urged gently, adjusting Kyungsoo in his lap and then hooking his finger on his collar to yank it down, freely baring his muscular throat.

The smaller vampire hesitated visibly, a conflicted expression pinched around his thin face. He had forgone trying to hold his breath, so the smell of his mate’s blood was irresistibly enticing to him, making him woozy in the head, but...

Instead of taking up Jongin’s offer, Kyungsoo wrapped his thin fingers around the other’s wrist and brought it up to his lips.

“C-can I b-bite h-here instead?” the child stammered timidly.

A frown adorned Jongin’s thick lips, for he disliked the diffident reluctance displayed despite earlier reassurances. However, his little one’s dire condition was a more pressing matter. Kyungsoo needed to feed right away.

“Fine,” he sighed with a submissive nod.

Relief flooded through Kyungsoo. No longer hesitating, he the inside of his mate’s wrist before sinking his fangs in. Jongin hardly winced, the initial pain of being suddenly punctured too quick in passing, and the slight sting afterward wasn’t so bad. As long as Kyungsoo didn’t bite any harder or tear his flesh with his fangs, it was fine.

Tasting Jongin’s blood again was a thrill to Kyungsoo. He could’ve wept when realizing how stupid it was to resist such succulent blood that was exclusive to only him. His beloved’s blood may have not been as hot as before, but it was still divine to his standards. So heavenly that it was the only thing on earth that invoked Kyungsoo to become the greediest creature that ever walked the planet.

Mine, the little vampire thought blissfully, lapping up the streaming scarlet liquid with his tongue. He’s mine.

When Kyungsoo felt a cheek rub against his temple affectionately and a pair of plush lips planting an equally affectionate kiss on his brow, he had to beam exuberantly on the inside.

Because his feelings were explicitly reciprocated.

And I’m Jonginnie’s, Kyungsoo gleefully added.

This blood he drank now belonged only to his beloved. And it would be the only blood he would drink for the rest of his eternity.

Heya, guys! Sorry for suh a long-waited update! As some of you know, I was busy with my senior year of high school (AP tests, graduation, etc), and then I got my hands full with driver's ed (yes, sadly I have yet acquired my license), playing a video game that's the reason behind my existence, and dealing with some college stuff. Oh, yeah, also the C and D keys on my laptop are funky, so I have trouble typing and spelling nowadays. Therefore, please do pardon me for writing mistakes.

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer. Honestly, I pray that my writing motivation stays, unlike the horrid writer's block I had last month. This chapter was a tad shorter than the standard 5,000 words, but only because I'm trying to plan a more fun yet informative chapter next. (I'm also brainstorming for some future Hunhan scenes, hehe.)

To those who subscribed and commented during my absence: Thank you so much! /blows kisses/ Please do stick around for future installments! If you have any questions or concerns, comment and I'll get back to you. Until then, see you! /waves happily/

Reminder: No plagiarizing! No copying! No stealing! No translating! Tell me immediately if someone has done so!

cr: to real owners