Out beneath the setting sun

Something wicked your way comes

JaeJoong knew without a doubt in his mind that it was dangerous to be outside of the village's gates while the sun was setting. He knew it was worse to be a good two miles away from the village when darkness rose. He knew he shouldn't have been there. No, he didn't just KNOW he wasn't supposed to be there. He promised he WOULDN'T be there... But a twenty four year old man can't be expected to protect and savour all of his promises, now can he? 

 

But now it was time for him to head home. He'd probably get yelled at for not being back before sunset... But he wasn't trying to start trouble! On the contrary, he was trying to avoid it. He'd always believed that fighting didn't solve a damn thing. There were a few men, however, in his village that did not feel the same way. They wanted to prove themselves superior... And what better way than beating up the head of the village's son? JaeJoong had always been praised for his skills in hunting and fishing. He could outrun the rastest of deer. 

 

Yet his humanity was what the villagers hated. He did not believe in taking more than what was needed. "Why waste good meat when it can leave and come back to feed us twice as much after all of our left overs have rotted?" He'd said one too many times. No one understood how well off they were. They didn't need more than what he brought back, and he knew this.

 

But the selfish villagers did not.

 

Not only was JaeJoong strong and skilled, he was also extremely smart. He thought, as the villagers had said, like the animals he hunted. He always knew precisely where to find the animals he hunted -rarely taking more than two men with him to capture the feast. 

 

And he was handsome. He was essentially the perfect man for any maiden who desired him... But many who were jealous as he refused to take a wife until he was sure the village was prospering greatly, began to spread rumors.

 

Witch.

 

Devil.

 

Demon.

 

You're in witts with the devil! They couldn't imagine how true their words would become.

 

Those were the kinds of things said about him. That's why he was running. The rumors had only gotten worse lately. 

 

JaeJoong sat on the river bank, drawing in the mud with a stick. Sure, he should get home... but what would be the point? No one there felt they needed him anymore. He'd already caught the month's worth of rations. 

 

He looked up at the sky and sighed, watching stars twinkle above his head. Huffing out a sigh, he pushed himself to stand. The walk back to the village was a long one and he'd have to be up at dawn to help his father in the feild. 

 

He was lucky to still be able to see the path before him. Had it not been for the full moon, he surely would've been lost for ever!

 

In the dark watching, waiting

They can sense you hesitating.

JaeJoong stopped and glanced back, certain he'd heard a twig snap. A small breeze blew the limbs of trees into each other so the rustling sound and the chirping of crickets filled the night. He rubbed his arms and continued to walk. 

 

Oh would he be happy to get home and curl up beneath his blankets and furs! It was chilling out tonight. How could he have possibly thought this to be a good idea?

 

He huddled in on himself as he continued to walk. Soon enough, the sounds of the forest began to die down and become peaceful. 

 

He hummed to himself a long forgotten tune, but continued on anyways, never suspecting a thing. It was all simply too easy.

 

They lurk and stalk you as their prey

He glanced about as suddenly the rapid sound of footsteps crunching the leaves was all that was audible. Glancing about, he quickened his pace.

 

There were stories about these woods, about what had happened to those who had been unfortunate enough to walk through them alone at night. He didn't want to be one of these people. 

 

Then he noticed, just up ahead, a figure stumbling out of the trees and onto his path. It fell to the ground and the heavy panting could've been heard from miles around.

 

"Help!" The figure called, staggering to its feet and swaying, then coughing and collapsing again. 

 

JaeJoong jogged forwards a bit, catching up. This man was in need of help. He could even be a villager from his own home. Who was he to turn him away?

 

"Sir!" He called, reaching down to grab the stranger's arm and help him to his feet. "Are you alright?"

 

"G-get out," The other heaved. He looked up at JaeJoong with wide eyes. The man was confused as to why this stranger had light hair. Of course he'd heard talk of men and women of foreign lands coming to nearby villages along the river, but were these foreigners really so strange as to have such funny colored hair? "M-must leave!" The other heaved.

 

"Sir, calm down." JaeJoong announced, straightening the stranger, a male about his age and size by the looks of him.

 

"H-have to leave. We have to get out of here. They're out!" He shouted, wretching his arm from JaeJoong's grip. 

 

JaeJoong, however, caught the stranger's arm. "Who's out?"

 

"The beasts! They're hunting now! I was foolish to stay in the woods after dark. We have to get out of here before they find us!" He said, his breathing coming faster as they heard more cracking twigs and rustling leaves. Absolute terror befell the stranger's face. "We have to go now!" He shouted.

 

JaeJoong had no qualm with that. He grabbed the stranger's sleeve and the two took off running down the dirt path. Stick to the path, JaeJoong thought, it will lead us to safety. This path leads directly to the village...

 

Two miles away.

 

Live amoungst you each passing day.

 

The stranger gasped for breath as they ran, completely blind as to where they were going. Running into the moon, JaeJoong tried to keep his breathing steady. He could make it home. He could make it to safety. 

 

Or so he thought, that is until the stranger collapsed beside him. 

 

"C'mon!" He shouted, reaching for the other's arm. He was stopped by the sudden snarl that seemed to escape his companion's mouth. The other looked up at him in fear, scrambling to his feet again and they turned to leave.

 

Predators under call of moonlight

with growing strength, a horrid sight.

Through the haze of leaves, they were visible. Moving blurs that darted into his periphreal and then left once again. 

 

Then they jumped onto the path, large creatures with eyes that gleamed like rubies in the moonlight.

 

They growled and snarled at him, enlongated fangs dripping in crimson. He stepped back and bumped into the stranger that clutched his arm tight in both hands, hiding. 

 

One of the large beasts, still hidden in shadow. The only thing he could see was their dripping canines and glowing eyes.

 

Jaws to snap and crunch your bones

and eyes to peirce your filthy soul

Teeth of crimson , stained for now

hear them approaching with each howl.

Suddenly one raised their face, assumably, to the moon and gave a long wolf-like howl. JaeJoong stepped back and tripped over his companion a little as the shorter cowered behind him. "Oh ... we've done it now." The other hissed under his breath. 

 

JaeJoong glanced back, ready to sprint back the way he'd come, until he saw he had walked directly into their trap.

 

One of the beasts was behind them, growling and howling as well. There was a set of glowing eyes in either direction. He looked at them in utter shock, jaw unhinged. 

 

He watched them watching him... The worst was yet to come.

 

Something else was on its way.

 

Spiked with terror, there's no escape

Still you stare, your mouth agape.

Quickly now, your heart is racing

the beast is near -teasing, pacing.

He heard the howls being returned by one lone voice. One more creature. That was all they were waiting for.

 

He looked around, trying to find any way -any way at all!- to get out of this. 

 

Try to run and try to scream

tell yourself its all a dream

That was until he heard it. He heard soft footsteps, slowly making thier way up behind him on the path. 

 

And the faintest sound of laughter directly behind him. He turned to see the stranger stepping back and being patted on the head by another tall figure, this one a few cenimeters taller than himself. 

 

"Good job, Henry."

 

The smaller grinned, revealing his sharp canines, indenting his bottom lip and those small orbs of crimson that began to glow in the night. "As the omega, its good to have a little recognition, Alpha Leeteuk."

 

The man known as Leeteuk came forwards to inspect their catch. He reached a hand up to the petrified human and took in his sharp features. "Hmmm... He looks too thin to eat..." He announced. Then he suddenly grinned and circled him, taking a look at almost every aspect of the man. "But maybe he's good enough to join us... You look strong... What's your name?" He asked.

 

"J-JaeJoong."

 

"He's trembling, Kyu!" A voice laughed giddily. "Look how cute he is!"

 

There was a low growl followed by the snapping of jaws and a small yelp. JaeJoong looked back to see the two creatures -shaped more like men now that they'd stepped closer- next to each other. One had his arm around the other and both stared hard -one looking as if he were angry and the other biting his lip as if he could ravish his friend on the spot. 

 

Leeteuk grabbed JaeJoong's face again and forced them to share a gaze, eye to eye. "Tell me, human. If you were given the choice between death and life as one of us, which would you choose?" 

 

"That depends... What are you?"

 

One of the guys from behind him giggled again, "We're demons. Couldn't you tell?"

 

JaeJoong gulped. "That's what I thought..."

 

The one beside the man who'd spoke pulled them up to inspect him as well. The darker haired one gave his shoulder a sniff and then leaned over his shoulder to see his face. "He's make a nice addition. I've seen him hunting here from time to time. He's good without a weapon."

 

"Good observations, Kyuhyun." Leeteuk announced, brushing his short brown hair out of his eyes. "We could use some more protection from the humans... They're always after us even when we don't do anything. All we ask is for you humans to keep out of our woods at night, but do you listen? You're lucky its a full moon!"

 

"Why do you-"

 

"No one gave you permission to speak, human." Kyuhyun growled. "I take it back. He lacks discipline." 

 

"Discipline is something that is learned, Kyu! Give him a chance. Please, Teukie?" The man with Kyuhyun asked, looking at the alpha. 

 

"Sungmin is right, Kyuhyun... Let's let him decide what he wants. Ask any questions you have now, human. I'll answer them without letting Kyuhyun, here, rip your throat out."  In honesty, Leeteuk was a kind leader, but strict. He kept his little ragtag pack in line where it was needed. Kyuhyun understood his power as beta, Sungmin understood his roll as mate to the beta, Henry knew his place as omega, and the entire pack knew Leeteuk's authority over them. 

 

He didn't get to be leader for nothing. He was strong and powerful. He knew his limits and he was caring of his pack. He took the roll of leader to a knew extreme when it came to protecting s. 

 

"Why am I lucky its a full moon?" JaeJoong asked carefully.

 

Another stepped forwards from the shadows, one with a square jaw. "On any other night, we can not control our territorial urges. We protect our land at all costs... and sometimes that cost is the life of another. It is our land and we have to keep it that way..."

 

"Or else villagers like you come and take over." Kyuhyun growled in his ear. Henry gave a small whine, pouting. "They take our trees and burn them to make little houses and then they take our prey and blame us when they miss a villager... And then they send the hunters after us. We can't help it, really! Its like killing a bear for eating its dinner!"

 

"That's so unfair to you..." JaeJoong mutter sympathetically. 

 

Leeteuk nodded. "Donghae lost his brother to the hunters..." He motioned to the man with the square jaw who seemed to tense at the mentioning. 

 

JaeJoong sighed, "I'm sorry..."

 

"Time's up. Do you want to be like us or do you want to die, human?" Kyuhyun asked impatiently. 

 

"Calm down, Kyu... He probably has more questions." Sungmin announced, tapping his mate's arm. 

 

"My village... If I am like you, could I return?" JaeJoong asked softly.

 

Recall the faces, family

loved ones you'll no longer see

The rest of the group looked sympathetic. "I would not advise it for a long time... You'll need to learn how to control yourself. After that, I would not be opposed to it.... If you earn my trust, that is."

 

JaeJoong looked at them all, taking in their faces. They looked so normal, all so human... "Does it hurt... being like you?"

 

Henry whined a bit and another came from the shadows to put their arms around the omega. "Shush..." He whispered to him and his hair softly. 

 

It was known that even though Kyuhyun was the youngest, Henry -being the last to be turned-was the most sensetive. "It hurts for a little while... but then they become your family. They make the hurt stop."

 

JaeJoong swallowed and looked at them. Leeteuk smiled reassuringly. "There are many times of demons and our kind is very... discreet. We can still walk with humans, as you can see... but for the first month or so, it will hurt to be in the sunlight." 

 

"I... I will be like you, but only if you leave my village alone."

 

"We can not garuntee this." Sungmin announced, holding his arm. "We do not go into villages unless nessicary, but if a human comes our way at night and not under a full moon..."

 

"I understand..."

 

"Come on, JaeJoong. Don't you wish to be like us? We live much longer and our powers are limitless. Be like us." Leeteuk smiled. 

 

"You know you want it," Sungmin whispered to him, grinning from ear to ear. Henry even nodded, "Please... We need protection."

 

JaeJoong swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'll do it."

 

Leeteuk's smile darkened, but not noticaby so. "Eunhyun, Ryeowook... Hold him still."

 

The one who'd been comforting Henry and the one who'd stood in the dark with Donghae finally came into view and grabbed his arms, holding them out. 

 

Leetuek tilted JaeJoong's head back and each of the demons surrounded him. Henry and Donghae held his wrists. Sungmin and Kyuhyun each got his forearms. The two meant to hold him, had his shoulders... And this left Leeteuk his exposed neck. 

 

Their eyes glowing red, their fangs prolonging to a sharp point, they growled a bit. Leeteuk ran his finges comfortingly down the side of his neck. "Don't worry... You won't feel it for long."

 

Then they all sunk their teeth into his body, venom flowing from their fangs and into his veins. He gritted his teeth, looking up at the moon before screaming in agony...

 

And that was the last any of the villagers heard of JaeJoong...

When the creature comes -with eyes of red

I now pronounce you man -and dead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bansha's note: Ok, so this is kind of pointless and dumb, but oh well! This is my weekly one-shot and it was posted well before midnight. Eh... Opinions? This was more for me than you, anyways. XD