She was breathtaking. That’s the only way I could describe it. Just, from the moment we looked at each other I felt the breath inside me give. Her eyes were watching me with a guarded look but at the same time they seemed warm somehow. Maybe it was because of their color, a rich dark brown. She had long lashes to frame them, curling just at the edges. Her lips were pressed into a hard line and her eyebrows were knitting together, emphasizing her distrust. Ink black hair flowed off her shoulders, ending just at the small of her back. It framed her face, small and round and slightly pale white in the brisk air.

Tears dotted her eyes, and a small gash dripped blood across her left cheek. She was injured everywhere. Small rips and tears made her uniform look like a mess. Blood was even soaked in some areas. As if noticing the direction of my gaze she looked down.

“What happened to you?” I asked, taking a step forward. She snapped up at my question. Sehun did too; I could feel his gaze on the side of my face. “Who did these?” I asked. Images of possible explanations flooded my mind. It made me anxious; the longer I stared at her wounds the worse they started to look.

“Well, I mean I–” She looked down at herself then back up at me, an almost baffled look on her face. “N–nothing, I mean no one.” A blatant lie. My chest tightened, even though I wasn’t sure why. Averting her gaze again she stared at the grass, folding her hands in front of her.

“You need to tell me what happened for me to help.” I spoke a bit softer this time, gently lifting one hand away from the other. The cuff of her sleeve was stained a deep red. I couldn’t see the wound, but blood was trickling down the palm of her hand, traveling through the creases and lines it had to drip off her fingers.

“Let me see.”

“Let me see.”

They both reached out at the same time, grasping my arm just above the wrist. I stared at their hands for a second, feeling the warmth they both had spread through into my skin.

“Kai.” Sehun murmured, and I snapped into the present.

“It’s just a flesh wound,” Thankfully I managed to pull my hand out beneath their grasps. “There’s no need for you both to be worried.” The response I got wasn’t from either of them.

"Just when I thought things couldn’t get anymore interesting."

I froze, my hands still in mid-air. Sehun and Kai didn’t move either, stuck next to me like statues. We all just crouched there for one long moment, not looking at each other.

No, it can’t be.  

I couldn’t have heard that voice. He should have been dead, or at the very least paralyzed. And unconscious. I bore holes into the vast expanse of trees, despair and horror rapidly creeping over me.

Hei stood upright and unmoving a couple hundred yards away. His hands were at his sides, and the expression on his face was unnerving. Without the trace of a grimace or twist of pain, his lips were slightly upturned. He was looking at me. From this far away I could tell, and a eerie feeling crawled across my skin, and dig into my flesh.

How was it possible that he was walking, talking, breathing after what just happened? I had watched him collide with that tree, seen him fall to the ground, his bones cracking with that sickening crunch. No human body should have been able to withstand the force of something like that.

Kai suddenly stood, blocking my view of the boy in front of the forest. He was tall and broad shouldered, completely covering my view.

“What’s–” I started to choke out. Sehun’s hands suddenly gripped my arms, as if anchoring me in place. When I turned to look at him his gaze was straight ahead, looking past his friend’s side.

“Don’t move.” He said tersely. A shiver of fear went through my body a second time. To say the expression on his face was dark was an understatement. Sehun didn’t look just angry, he looked dangerous.

My mind emptyed in a matter of seconds. It all just cleared away, making room for the sudden deadly swell of rage that bloomed inside my chest. I kept my expression stoic, or at least as close to it as I could. It was difficult; my internal instinct was on a rampage, frantic to rip through the figure that stood yards away. The tiny quirk of his mouth rapidly disappeared, a new cold expression filling his face. Though his hands were against his side his body was rigid, keeping still in an unnatural way. Like he wasn’t even breathing. She was right to be afraid.

Vampires were natural born killers of humans.

"Just when I was thinking things couldn’t get any better,” His eyes dragged over us, unblinking and vacant “I was supposed to get one, but now I get three." One side of his mouth upturned. “Lovely.” My blood boiled, rage seething over me. My inner wolf shrieked and howl with rage, and I was nearly seeing red. Not just from his jeering comments but from his scent. From where I crouched it filled my nostrils, arousing my senses, my wolf, and drove it into thunderous rage. Her blood was on him. The realization alone was enough to pull me close to the edges of my control. The only thing I could use to fight against that was her. Keeping her arms within my grasp made it a fraction easier. It was a reminder that she was here – battered, confused, and scared but here – I couldn’t risk her safety by losing control. Unconsciously tightening my grip I breathed, fighting for calm.

"You’re getting nothing." Kai spoke. There was a stony edge to his voice, dark and tight. “There’s been a mistake.”

“There’s been no mistake. I was…requested to be here. She’s being taken care of by me.” I twitched. He noticed, his eyes locking with mine for a moment. Under the midday sun they were dull, unable to take in even the barest hint of light.

“You aren’t needed here anymore. So leave.” Kai responded abruptly, his words cutting. A gleam suddenly appeared in the vampire’s eyes, though it wasn’t the clear white from the sun’s reflection. It was too bright, rounding the edges of his irises in a crimson red tint. The effect illuminated them slightly, though it would have been much brighter if the irises were completely claimed by the color. Still, they were unnatural, making him look wicked and wrong.

It was the only thing vampires and werewolves would ever have in common. The sign of hunger, and a lack of control.

“I don’t think I was asking for your permission.” He said slowly, warningly.

“Either way you can’t touch her.”

"This isn't your business.”

"I’ll make it mine."

“That one is mine." he seethed out, the crimson in his eyes pulsing slightly. I leaned the slightest fraction forward, in front of her body.

“Not anymore.” Kai's voice dropped. The muscles in his back shifted, tensing. Prepared to block an attack.

“So does that mean she’s yours?” A chuckle escaped the vampire’s lips, dark and cynical. "And, was that supposed to be an order?" His face tilted down, black hair covering his face from view. "Did you just order me?” He laughed again, placing a hand over his eyes. “Honestly, the stupidity of your kind is astounding.

“Do you think that you can dictate what happens here? Like you have any authority to be restricting me right now? Of course you do.” He stared at Kai for a long time, a twisted smile growing on his face. “Every single one you disgraceful Creatures making up such a disgusting race." He stalked forward. They were evenly matched, staring eye to eye. “You think you can go up against me? The two of you,” The vampire’s gaze dropped down to me. For a moment a veil of goose bumps rose on my skin. “Believe you can fight me? Kill me?”

“Why don’t we try then, see who’s the one to make it out alive.” Kai’s voice was laced with acid, and the slightest hint of dark humour. The vampire’s eyes flickered back to Kai. He inched the slightest bit closer, his voice drawing into a whisper.

“You know it isn’t going to be me, I’m already dead.” He tilted his head, a mock expression of thoughtfulness dawning over his features. “You might want to consider worrying about that color change of yours. Pretty, but might just put you in a heap of trouble.”

The girl bent down with a gasp, her arms wrapping around her stomach. I turned towards her, an instant strike of fear going through me.

“What’s wrong?” She wouldn’t respond to me, her breaths becoming short and shallow. My hands braced her shoulders, gently trying to ease her upright. “Hey–” I looked up. Kai was turned around facing the two of us, his face caught between shock and immediate concern. It was then time seemed to slow down, if only for the next couple of seconds, my mind emptying into blank sheet.

Kai’s eyes were burning, illustrious in a golden yellow color.

The vampire wasn’t behind him.

“Kai–” The word slipped off my lips, my voice strange. He whipped around, but it was no use, the vast expanse of field now quiet and empty. The vampire was gone.

"What...was that?" A hoarse voice whispered, causing us both to look down. Still within my grasp the girl extended her arm out, her fingers half pointed to the line of trees in front of us. By now the angry bruises lining her arm had swelled and become sticky with stains of blood. She didn't seem to notice, I wasn’t even sure she realized I was holding her upright. Whenever I tried to ease my grip she began to sway to one side. "What was that guy? Who...how could he possibly...” My heart began to hammer against my chest as I read the shock and disbelief off her face.

She, a human, had just witnessed an interaction between two supposedly 'mythical' creatures. Maybe it hadn’t exactly made any sense in retrospect, but it hadn’t been a normal conversation either. I whipped the guy at a tree.

I needed an explanation, fast. But my brain felt too slow to process. I couldn’t stop my gaze from drifting to Kai. He had long since bent down, holding onto her hands gingerly. Like she’d shatter if he held on too tight. A panic stricken look was on his face. He was so concerned, so was I, for a stranger. His eyes – had mine looked like that?

"What... he was saying..."

You might want to consider worrying about that color change of yours. Pretty, but it might put you in a heap of trouble

The words replayed in my head, bringing a chill to my blood. Did he know what these eyes meant? How could he when I knew absolutely nothing?

“We need to get you out of here.” Kai murmured to her. A strange feeling crept through me at the way he spoke. “Do you think you can stand?”  

She stirred slightly, making me tear my eyes away from the latter. Raising her head up the girl stared at Kai a moment, then turned to me. Her eyes were slightly glazed over, not really seeing.

“Miss?” Kai tried again. I opened my mouth to speak, struggling to find comforting words. But then I didn't have to say anything, because she was pitching back into my arms.

~~~