The darkness surrounded me. As if I was drowning in an ocean, I couldn’t breathe. The only thing I could hear was nothing. My thoughts floating before me in empty space like crows mocking me in a haunting nightmare.

---

Ravi’s POV

I entered a shattered city, more shattered than the rest. I felt their eyes on me, a being much more superior to them would surely attract their attention. I found a man a few miles away and feasted on him, so their lives would be spared today. There was something off about this place. It had powerful energy, as if all hopelessness was not lost. I catch a scent. Something strong, with power, something like me. Jongin perhaps.

Narrator’s POV

There was a girl with striking raven black hair looking outside her window. She couldn’t take her eyes off the man that radiated such an intense energy. Only one word registered in her mind. Vampire. She moved back, forcing her eyes away from him. She wandered through the cold house, searching for any presence. “Jaerin.” She turned, her grandmother sat in the wooden chair that once used to be the study. Now nothing was left but tattered books whose pages were used to make the fires that did very little to keep them warm at night. “Do you feel it also?” The girl nodded, not trusting her voice. There was only one thing in this world she was afraid of. Throw any challenge at her and she would conquer it with confidence, but everyone has a weakness, and vampires were hers. “This one is strong. Much stronger than the one that lives in this town.”

“What do you mean?” It was the first thing Jaerin had said in days. She didn’t like to speak. She didn’t like noises. They nagged at her, whatever they were.

“You can’t feel him? Well, he might be gone. His presence intensified then disappeared. I cant get a feel of him anymore. Maybe he’s gone, but this one… this one is strong.”

“So what is it?! One leaves and one comes to take his place?? Why can’t they all just leave?! Why can’t it go back to the way it was before?” She was screaming now. The silence that followed her made her feel small compared to her words. The woman on the chair didn’t seem the least bit surprised. “You know full well that there is only one way to get rid of them.” Jaerin looked down, unconsciously escaping her fears. She headed out of the room but looked back at the window once more. She no longer felt a presence. She didn’t feel anything.

~~

Jongin’s POV

How long have I been here? Forced to reflect on the past I wouldn’t mind erasing? Memories, clips, figments of things I once knew moved past me. From my normal childhood, to my shaky, yet rebellious adolescence, and finally my eighteenth birthday. The day everything about me changed. How I looked. How I felt. My very existence. The day my heart stopped beating, the day the beast I see in the mirror awakened within me.

Suddenly everything fades away. The colors blur in front of me. I see faint hints of blues, some reds, even some purples are added to the mix, until my eyes adjust and I see the gray ashes that surround me. The broken wood and chipped marble near the dormant fireplace. The rat that scurries into its hole. I try to get up. My legs are shaky, my arms barely able to hold me up as I push up off the floor. My black jeans dampened with a warm liquid, and it doesn’t take long for me to realize I have somehow managed to cut myself. The glass laying near me probably the culprit. However, this cut is long and deliberate. I look to my hands to find them cut as well. I realize that I have done this to myself and quickly begin to clean up the mess I have created. My skin will heal itself shortly.

I pick up the glass and throw it into the bin so the ajeossi doesn’t hurt himself. I put the lamp back on the rotted wooden desk and place the flipped chair in its right position.

I look around, I haven’t done much but it will suffice. Without much thought, but sudden exhaustion I move toward the wall and find myself floating yet again in and out of consciousness. I feel myself falling. I feel the way my left cheek hits the cold, hard floor. After such a long time… I feel tired. In the distance I hear the old man’s rough words, “Jonginah~ What’s happening to you?” I don’t even try to respond. My head hurts, my body hurts, everything hurts. The darkness overtakes me once again.

---

I wake up to a feeling of something cold resting on my head. I try to sit up but the pain that strikes my skull is far too intense and I lye back down. The only light in the room comes from a single candle and as I shift my gaze I find the ajeossi looking at me. I look away not being able to handle the look of concern. “It’s about time you awoke.” I don’t say anything. I feel numb. His feet shuffle on the dirty floor until he is standing over me. “I know you can hear me.”

“You’ve never told me your name.” Honestly, I don’t know why I chose to say those words, but the way his eyes grow only momentarily in surprise pleases me.

“Why so suddenly--”

“What is your name?” This time the words sound harsh even to me, but he doesn’t flinch.

“Lee Taehyun, but I prefer if you continued to call me ajeossi.”

“Why?”

“Just like you, I would prefer not to form such strong bonds with anyone.” I look at him, he was a tough man, but his eyes revealed his every emotion. He was telling me the truth but the distant look in his eyes hinted that there was something more.

Just kill him already.

Finally. The voice is back.

“Who are you?”

You should already know. Kill the man. Look at him. His posture, his small frame, the man is useless. Destroy him, surely you’d be doing him a favor. The voice fades with the last words. I look to Taehyun. Sooner or later I won’t be able to control myself. I will hurt the both of us. “It’s time I go.”

“What do you mean?” His eyes snap to me quickly, but he doesn’t say anything more. I can tell he's waiting for me to say it was just a joke. To give some indication of just being a little too tired, but the truth is I've been thinking of this for a while.

Six months. I have been here six months. The days in this city dragged on with despair and an utter feeling on nothingness. Not a single smile has been shown, no sincerity has been felt. Things are quiet, so I stayed. Now, it’s time I move on. Time I find something worth doing. Maybe discover exactly who is taking control of my body so suddenly. To discover who this oh-so-mysterious voice is. I will leave tonight.

~~~

The clock strikes 1:00AM. I grab the only working pen from the desk drawer and a piece of notepad paper.

            Ajeossi,

                        Don’t stress yourself too much. Maybe while I am away, I’ll discover a new part of myself. You see something different in me, and perhaps now I’ll find out what that is. I will work toward the world that you hope to see. Please know, I appreciate everything you have done for me. No one else would have hidden me like you have. I don’t know when I’ll return, but I will somehow find a way to make you proud of me.

            Stay safe,

-Jongin.

I leave with only the cloths on my back. Stepping out, I face a harsh wind and I catch a scent of something strong. Instantly, I am on alert. This thing isn’t human, but it feels me also. I can tell by the sudden way its energy stays radiating in a single place. Could they have found me? 

I take off running. I run past the patrol police with machine guns placed ready at hand. I ignore their yells of protest, telling me I have three seconds to get on the ground. I don’t need three seconds. I pump my legs faster, dodging their bullets with ease and jump over the barbed wire fence that keeps the people locked in there like animals. Without looking back, I run into the dark, heavy-lidded woods. Sirens blare and I stop knowing that they won’t find me.

I wonder through the dead trees in a random pattern. Now that I’ve escaped, what do I do? Where do I go? Where do I begin? I freeze. I hear the crunching of branches and then chuckling.

“My, my Jongin, how we have grown.” I turn, looking for the source of the noise. I know this time that it’s not in my head. I turn continuously in circles, but I can’t find anything. I can’t sense anything. “Poor Jongin. Doesn’t know how strong his powers are. If only you’d stayed with the coven…”

“Who are you?” I keep my voice steady. The chuckling returns and out steps a familiar face from the trees. If it were anyone else, I would have had a chance. “Ravi...”

“How kind of you to remember me after all these years.” He wears a smile, but his words are anything but genuine.

“Why are you here?”

“I’ve come to take you back to my master.” This time I laugh and his smile falters.

“Don’t you think that’s kind of sad? You were his best friend when you both were younger, but now you’re forced to call him ‘master’?” He talks an involuntarily step towards me but stops himself.  

“It is an honor for me.” He quickly composes himself. “So shall we be on our way?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I practically spit the words. His smile turns into a full menacing grin

“I was hoping you’d say that.” His fangs extract in less than a second and his eyes turn the deepest shade of red I have ever seen. He lunges for me, but suddenly he’s on the floor screaming in agony. My feet stay planted in place, I know I should run but I can’t. My feet won’t move.

I feel a gust of wind blow past me and I’m grabbed by the wrist. I’m no longer standing in place. Instead I’m being led farther into the forest and soon Ravi’s screams fade into nothingness. We stop and I’m faced with a figure in a black cloak, the hood hides its owner. I find myself staring at a crossbow aimed for the area directly between my eyes.

“Who are you?” I ask, my strong voice surprises me and the person steps back. The crossbow is still aimed at my head. The person doesn’t answer.

“Why didn’t you go with him?” I’m surprised to find the voice is female.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“And you’re not in the position to make demands.” I smirk at the response.

“He intends to take me back to the place I escaped a long time ago.”

“Why did you escape?” The question doesn’t surprise me.

“I didn’t necessarily agree with the way they did things. “

“And that other man’s master?”

“My half-brother.” She lowers her bow and removes the hood. What I see is the first human thing to take my breath away. She is pretty, but that’s not what I’m interested in. Her eyes are a direct reflection of her soul. The purest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s damaged, but strong. She’s soft, but her soul radiates fire and energy. What it would be like to kill her.

“You’re half-brother is the vampire king?”

“How did you know?”

“That other man wears the king’s royal crest. He called him master, I figured the rest.” I can only nod. “I’ll help you.” Those words catch me off guard.

“What?”

“If you can get me to their coven, I’ll offer you protection against that man. I didn’t kill him, the poison will paralyze him for a few hours, but it won’t kill him. I missed his heart.” She seems disappointed with herself.

“Why do you need to go to the coven?”

“To kill your brother.”

“It’s not that simple.” I laugh at her simple mindedness. Does she really think it will be that easy?

“Then help me.” I think about this. If I help her I will be protected, but on the other hand then I’ll have to face him. Maybe it’s time for a family reunion.

“Alright.” She extends her hand and I take it. I can feel her heart beat and it nearly drives me crazy. I drop it instantly. “I still don’t know who you are.”

“Kim Jaerin. I’m a vampire hunter.” Great.  

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