The taxi drove rather fastly, in Youngjae's opinion, towards Times Square. He'd be lying if he had said he wasn't nervous - he was very nervous. Anything could happen at his trial; he could be executed for all he knows. 

"Are you alright?"

Himchan, who sat beside him, asked in a soothing tone. Youngjae merely nodded, but Himchan knew better, so he placed a caring hand on his nephew's shoulder - which in all honesty didn't comfort Youngjae because of how freezing cold his hand was.

Before long, the taxi was jammed in the middle of traffic in which Youngjae hoped would keep them there all night, but, to his displeasure, they started to gradually move. Pretty soon, the bright, luminous red words, V Bar, came into Youngjae's view and he felt a wave of anxiety flood over him. The taxi pulled out of the traffic and in front of the bar.

Himchan paid the fare and got out. "Youngjae, come on." Youngjae slowly shuffled out of the taxi, shut the door, and the yellow car zoomed off. The elder vampire, and the half vampire, entered the bar, Youngjae pulling the hood of his jacket over his head. The bar was full of vampires, full of vampires who now had their eyes on the two who had just entered - looks of unfamiliarity on their pale faces. 

The vampires stared a bit more before Youngjae pulled the hood off and shook his hair out of his face. Universal gasps were heard in the small but fancy bar before the vampires hastily went back to what they were doing, paying no heed to the vampire they knew was the Pravus. Himchan observed the place, and the dim lights prevented him from seeing the faces of each vampire. All but one, who looked very familiar. Himchan walked fastly to the figure hunched over the bar, drink in hand.

"Donggeun?"

The said man turned with a smile on his face. "Hello Himchan! And Mahlyenki Dyavol. It's so great to see two faces that I recognize!" Youngjae and Himchan gave a quizzical look to Donggeun because of what he had just called Youngjae.

"Mahlyenki Dyavol?" Youngjae asked.

"My apologies," Donggeun said, "It's Russian for 'little devil'."

"Dyavol," Himchan repeated, "Like what you had called Youngjae's father?"

"Indeed," Donggeun answered.

Before the conversation could carry on, the door behind the bar had opened, and the place fell into complete silence. Two bulky - looking vampires emerged and, without word and rather fastly, were on either side of Youngjae, grabbing his arms. They half dragged and half carried him. 

"Youngjae, wait!"

Himchan ran after them, but was stopped by one of the two vampires. "We won't harm your little nephew, must you disobey, we just might have to." Himchan looked to Youngjae who nodded in reassurance before he took a step back, and the three disappeared behind the door. 

Youngjae could barely see anything, it wasn't dark but dim, however, the vampires seemed to know where they were going. Then he saw a light at the end of the dim hallway. The light beneath a closed door, and behind that closed door, he heard agonizing screams of pain - what frightened him was the fact that the voice those screams belonged to, sounded familiar. 

Before he could do anything about that, they opened double doors and he was greeted with the luminescence of a room that looked just like a court room - well it basically was. Except there were six judge chairs instead of one. 

The vampires placed Youngjae on a stand in front of the unoccupied chairs, cuffed him to it. The room was silent, save for the ticking of the clock hung right above the chairs. Suddenly, the door opened, and out came the six Elysian Council members. Choi Junhong and Bang Yongguk amongst them. He looked different - he cut his hair. 

"Hello, young Pravus." Yongguk's deep voice still seemed to startle Youngjae who only glared at him, surprisingly feeling brave. 

"You are here on behalf of. . . You've violated a law of Elysia, and are subject to stand for your father's violations in the past."

Yongguk smiled and gestured to the members sitting beside him. 

"Why don't you tell the rest of the Council what you have done before we continue on?" 

Youngjae looked over at the other members, who had an expectant look on there faces, before looking back Yongguk, who still had that annoyingly scary smile. 

"Fine," He spoke up, "I fell in love with a human."

"Louder," Yongguk snarled.

"I fell in love with a human." He spoke loud enough for all to hear, and when they did hear, they gasped, Yongguk still smiling.

"What kind of human?"

Youngjae clenched his fists, any minute now he could easily break the chains and rip Yongguk's head off and wipe that smile off of his face. 

"A Slayer,"

"Louder,"

"A Slayer!" 

Again, the room gasped. Yongguk's smile widened and his eyes grew darker. "This particular Slayer?" On cue, the same two vampires who brought Youngjae in, came carrying and dragging in a very, very familiar face. 

"Daehyun!"

On seeing Daehyun's state, his heart plummeted and anger broiled in his blood. Daehyun's face was bruised, bloodied, and he had a busted lip. A few fingers looked as if they were broken. 

"Your violation has cost the life of your Slayer lover," Yongguk spoke. Youngjae only looked at Daehyun with a look of horror; he was binded by his hands, hunched forth on his knees, and weakly stared back at Youngjae. 

"Now," Yongguk spoke again, "we shall carry forth the punishment of this violation, and the punishment after." Yongguk nodded to one of the vampires who then pulled out a dagger, threatening to peirce the flesh of Daehyun. 

The vampires in the court room all were shouting at the same time. Most, Youngjae heard, were yelling that they should kill Daehyun. Yongguk observed the crowd and gave the signal to kill Daehyun. Daehyun closed his eyes, preparing to meet his death. Then Youngjae suddenly started seeing images played in his head from the times when he had seen his "deceased" father. Just before the dagger touched Daehyun's flesh, Youngjae spoke up, well, actually yelled.

"Wait!"

Yongguk put up his hand and the dagger stopped at least a centimeter above Daehyun's neck. Yongguk's ears perked up upon hearing Youngjae's sudden plea. 

"What is it?" Yongguk asked.

"My father," Youngjae spoke, and Yongguk's usual smile transitioned into a snarl and he glared. "Is alive." The room gasped louder this time, and Yongguk clenched his fist before sitting down and the Council members began murmuring before one of them spoke up.

"Are you sure of this, young Pravis?"

"Definitely,"

They looked at Yongguk who fumed because he knew exactly that he had to let them go. It was part of their Council regulation. If the accused vampire be alive, then he should be the one to stand before the Council and he had already done enough punishment to Daehyun by brutally beating him the whole night through. 

"Then we give you until the end of this year to find your father and bring him forth to save you and your Slayer lover." 

The Council member made his decision final, and then every vampire in the room gave their discontent by booing loudly as the six Council members exited the court room, Yongguk sending Youngjae a death glare.

The two vampires, to Youngjae's relief, dropped Daehyun and he fell to the floor as they left him there to release Youngjae of the cuffs. After he was free, every vampire exited using their vampiric speed, they were out of the room in the blink of an eye, leaving Youngjae and the very wounded Daehyun.

Youngjae ran to his human lover to rid him of the bindings that left bruising marks around his wrists, and held him gently in his arms. Daehyun groaned and his left eye was swollen shut. "Daehyun," Youngjae called out, but Daehyun only groaned.

Youngjae then tried to lift Daehyun to help him walk out, but Daehyun grasped him tightly and his face contorted in pain before he fell back down, Youngjae catching him. He examined Daehyun's legs to see that he had sprained his right ankle. He looked at Daehyun worriedly before slipping an arm around his shoulders and an arm underneath his legs. In one move, he swiftly lifted him up and carried him back out to the bar.

Daehyun's breathing started to cease when they reached the bar and Youngjae could hear his heartbeat slowing down. Panic overtook him as he burst through the door to see Himchan and Donggeun still sitting at the bar, but upon their sudden arrival, they abruptly stood up and ran to assist. 

"How bad is it?" Donggeun asked.

"I don't know," Youngjae replied, "his breathing and heartbeat are starting to cease, we need to get him to a hospital."

"Wait, Donggeun, you have healing powers, can't you use it on him?" Himchan asked Donggeun who looked at Daehyun's wounds.

"I can try," Donggeun replied, "but we've got to go somewhere that's cooler than in here." Himchan and Youngjae nodded and the three of them ran out of the bar, and into the cool night air. Then they ran to the rooftop of a building nearby. 

Youngjae laid Daehyun down, and Donggeun kneeled down next to him to put his hand where Daehyun's heart was at. His eyes and hands glowed a bright golden color, which looked like dust, and it expanded throughout Daehyun's body. However, the gold color quickly retreated back to Donggeun and his eyes stopped glowing. 

"What's wrong? What happened? Can you heal him?" Youngjae asked in a worried tone. 

Donggeun shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mahlyenki Dyavol. But he just doesn't have enough blood in his body."

"That's impossible," Youngjae argued, "He's only lost the blood that's on his face. What do you mean he doesn't have enough blood?"

Donggeun looked knowingly at Himchan who knew what he meant. 

"I mean, that he was bitten by another vampire." Donggeun said. Youngjae's eyes grew wide and he felt the anger broiling even more. He hated Yongguk. He hated Elysia. He hated being a vampire. His Daehyun had been bitten by another, not him.

"Do you know who bit him?" Youngjae menacingly asked. 

"We don't know," Himchan said, defeated, "but we really need to get him to a hospital."

Trying to get a hold of his rage, Youngjae picked up Daehyun and took off of the rooftop. Flying. He was flying, like imaginary wings were on his back. Before he knew it, he was at the front door of the hospital. 

Youngjae ran in, Daehyun clutched in his arms tightly and protectively, the doctors saw him and acted immediately. They laid him on a gurney and quickly rolled him into the emergency room. Youngjae was left to sink in his worry and anger.

~~~~~

It was utter chaos in Central Park. Vampires, Slayers, and humans littered the snowy grounds. Vampires fighting off Slayers, and the humans running to escape the evil they wouldn't understand. 

Daehyun had recognized a few fellow Slayers, and vampires he had come across meeting Youngjae. Youngjae. He wondered where he was. Daehyun ran to a baseball park nearby where the fight was also taking place. He ran to section B where he saw Youngjae. A vampire suddenly attacked Daehyun, but he was able to fend him off. Youngjae spotted him, and he stood at the bottom of the stairs Daehyun stood at the top of.

He smiled, relieved, and they started to walk towards each other, but Daehyun saw a stake flying in the air, aimed at Youngjae. He broke out into a run, and before he could touch Youngjae, everything went black.

Daehyun woke with a jerk and gasps of breath, recovering from his dream, although it felt real and more than just a dream. As quick as he opened his eyes, he shut them again. The lights in the room were bright and he had to adjust to the brightness. 

"Daehyun," He heard Jongup's voice from his side, "Daehyun, are you alright?" 

Daehyun's eyes fully adjusted and he looked to his side where the voice was to see Jongup. "Are you alright?" Jongup asked again. 

"Yeah," Daehyun spoke with a rasp voice but cleared his throat. He looked around the room. 

"Youngjae went home to get some rest," Jongup said, as if reading Daehyun's mind, "he stayed by your side the whole time you came out of surgery. Wouldn't leave."

"How long have I been out of surgery?" 

"About four or five hours. It's one in the morning now."

Daehyun nodded, and he suddenly felt a pain in his neck. His hand flew instantly to his neck. "You okay?" Jongup asked. Daehyun just brushed him off and scratched his neck, around the wound he hoped wasn't what he thought it was. "Just itches," He smiled and Jongup smiled in return. 

"Why don't you go home, Jongup. Get some rest. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Daehyun said, "besides, where am I going to go with my sprained ankle."

Jongup nodded and gave Daehyun one more smile before retrieving his jacket and exiting the room. After Jongup was gone, Daehyun grabbed his phone sitting on the bedside table, fully charged, and he went to the face camera. He held it out in front of his neck and what he saw, horrified him. He quickly put his phone back down and kept his hand over the bite mark. 

He was too busy worrying about that because he knew that bite mark didn't belong to Youngjae, that he didn't notice the presence of another person in the room.

"That's a nasty looking bite there," Daehyun's head shot up at the familiarity of the voice. 

"You're lucky it wasn't to make you a drudge. Youngjae would've been very, very disappointed," Youngjae's dad sat in the empty chair across the room and folded his legs like Youngjae did.

"What are you doing here? What if someone sees you?" Daehyun asked, obviously bothered by his presence. He's been shaken up ever since their encounter the night Youngjae was told his trial would be today.

Youngjae's dad smirked, "I'm welcomed here," He held up a hospital ID badge with his picture on it. "Besides, I have to give you your prescribed medication." 

He stood up and held a brown paper bag. He walked next to Daehyun's bed and took out his medication. "You have to take these two times a day after eating something." Daehyun nodded slowly, eyes fixed on Youngjae's dad. After he had done his business, Youngjae's dad started exiting the room. 

"If you love my son, danger will come along with it. Be careful of what you get yourself into, Slayer."

Daehyun looked back at the door, but he was gone. Loving Youngjae couldn't be that bad. Could it?

~~~~~

"Youngjae! You're home, I was so worried!" Ailee exclaimed when Youngjae walked through the door. She gave him a hug and sat him down in the living room. "Himchan came home and went straight to his study, and he hasn't come out since. Well he did say Donggeun was here and that he's staying in an apartment owned by one of his friends who's out of town. But, is there anything wrong?"

Youngjae sat there, gritting his teeth, and clenching his fists. Then he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before he could hurt Ailee. "Daehyun's in the hospital," he said. Ailee looked at him with worry. "Is he okay?" 

"His heart almost stopped and his breathing started slowing down," Youngjae realized then, that it wasn't only anger he felt, but fear. He realized that this fear, was fear to lose Daehyun. He couldn't lose him, no matter what. He felt Ailee's arms wrap around him in comfort, that's when he noticed that he was crying.

"As long as he is alive, that's all that matters, Youngjae." Youngjae sniffled and nodded against Ailee's chest before she pulled away to wipe his tears. "Now, how about I get you a warm cup of OB negative?" Youngjae smiled, realizing he was starving.

"That'd be great," Youngjae replied, and Ailee slipped into the kitchen to prepare Youngjae's drink. He stood from the couch and walked upstairs to his room where he retrieved the Lucius, and went downstairs to settle back on the couch. He observed the weapon and its symbol before a question crossed his mind. He stood and walked to the kitchen, still looking at the Lucius.

"Hey Ailee, I was wondering that-" He looked up and Junhong was there. Holding Ailee with a death hold, she was gasping for air. Youngjae forgot what he was going to ask, and he threw a blow that cause Junhong to drop her and back off, but that didn't stop him from drawing a gun on her. 

"The Lucius, Pravus," Junhong demanded. Ailee shook her head, but Youngjae simply held it up. Junhong held out his free hand and gestured for Youngjae to hand it over. He did. But before he handed it to him, he rubbed his thumb over the symbol and tossed it over to Junhong. 

Once it was in his hands, Junhong turned it over, and the ray of light shone and he cried out in pain before clutching the left side of his face. "I'll get you for this, Pravus! Just you wait!" With that, he ran out, leaving a trail of smoke. 

Youngjae ran to Ailee and helped her up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, and why did you give it to him?" 

"I can't lose you like I lost my mother."

Youngjae unexpectedly hugged Ailee before announcing that he was going to back to the hospital to look after Daehyun again. Youngjae was determined not to let his Slayer be touched by another vampire, ever. 

Ailee nodded and made sure that Youngjae drank some blood bags before leaving. 

"I'll be back later. I promise." Youngjae waved to Ailee and ran to the hospital with his vampiric speed. 

~~~~~

Junhong clutched at his face, the burning sensation blocking out everything as he ran. He'd been too immersed in the pain that he didn't realize he was standing at the top of the hospital.

"Junhong," He turned around slowly upon hearing the voice so familiar. 

"Impossible," he exclaimed, "but you're-"

"Dead?" He smirked and walked towards Junhong. "Do I look dead to you? Anyway, you have something of mine that doesn't belong to you, so I suggest you give it back so we don't have to do this the hard way."

Junhong smirked, "I'm never giving the Lucius to you,"

The man chuckled, "Bad decision. I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

The man attacked Junhong.

~~~~~

Youngjae snuck into the hospital, and into Daehyun's room. Visiting hours were over, but did that stop him? No. Daehyun was surprisingly still awake and was just lying there in his bed until he saw who had came. 

"Youngjae!"

"Ssh," Youngjae put a finger to his lips as he shut the lights off, "I snuck in." He smiled and Daehyun returned the smile. They simply stared at one another, enjoying the presence of each other. Youngjae, regardless of the scars and bruises and bandages, still thought Daehyun was handsome. Youngjae broke the staring contest when be grabbed a chair to sit by Daehyun.

"No," Daehyun suddenly said, and Youngjae gave him a quizzical look, "I want you to lay beside me." Daehyun shyly asked with pink becoming visible on his cheeks, and Youngjae broke into a soft smile before standing up and lying beside Daehyun, who had made him some space.

Arms were immediately wrapped around Youngjae, and he was pulled into a firm chest. Safe. Youngjae felt safe in Daehyun's arms. Regardless of how much he's been throuh, Daehyun can make him feel at home in his arms. 

"Look, I know I've been bitten by another vampire," Daehyun spoke up when silence fell between them and Youngjae wrapped his own arms around Daehyun. Youngjae looked at Daehyun's neck and saw the fang marks, then he buried his face deeper into the firm chest. "But, honestly, I wish it were your fangs in my neck, drinking my blood."

Youngjae looked at him, and Daehyun made eye contact with him. "I love you, Youngjae. You're a vampire, yeah, but I love you. I love you so ing much. You're the one I love. . . more than food." Daehyun smiled and Youngjae chuckled. 

"I love you so ing much too," Youngjae said, and Daehyun smiled. Youngjae's smile grew wider once he heard Daehyun's heartbeat going a mile a second, "even though you're so cheesy." Youngjae added.

"Hey, I'm not that cheesy," Daehyun argued. 

"Yes you are," Youngjae laughed. 

"Oh, so saying 'I love you so ing much' is cheesy?"

"No," Youngjae laughed again,  "because I know that's true."

"Your laugh is beautiful," Daehyun randomly said, "I'd make you laugh all day just to hear it."

"See, so cheesy," Youngjae said, and Daehyun started to tickle him, and they both couldn't contain their laughter. It was moments like these when Youngjae liked to imagine that they were just a normal couple, no vampires or Slayers, just a normal teenage couple living in New York.

It was already six in the morning when Youngjae realized that he needed to go, however, Daehyun wouldn't let him leave. 

"I have to go, Dae," Youngjae said, standing up, Daehyun pouting.

He put on his jacket and zipped it up. He looked at Daehyun's pouty face and smiled at how cute the other looked. He cupped his face and connected their lips. He pulled away after a good amount of time. "There, now quit your pouting."

Youngjae was about to walk away when Daehyun grabbed his hand and pulled him back down. Daehyun hungrily connected their lips once again, but this time, more passionate and more deep. 

Youngjae was literally on top of Daehyun when he finally found the will to pull away, and he sighed. "I really need to go," Daehyun nodded and pecked Youngjae's slightly swollen lips a few more times before he slid off of him, waved at him, and exited his room.

Youngjae snuck back out of the hospital and put his hood on to shield his face from the rising sun. Then he ran into Himchan who looked as if he'd been waiting for him.

"Himchan?"

"Youngjae! There you are! I really need to talk to you, right now."

"What is it?" Youngjae noticed the worried look on Himchan's face.

"It's about the Slayer Society," Himchan looked around to see if anyone was around then he pulled Youngjae into an alley - both for privacy and to keep away from the sun's deadly rays. "Donggeun has an undercover vampire as a Slayer, and yesterday,  he found out that," 

"That what?" Youngjae curiously asked. 

"They'll be doing a cleansing."

"Cleansing?"

"A cleansing is when all Slayers from around the world go to a specific city infested with vampires, and they kill them all."

Youngjae caught on, "Wait, they'll be doing that here in New York?" Himchan nodded. 

"They've had spies come check this place out, and Donggeun said that his friend told him there were vampires everywhere here."

"So, they'll be killing just the vampires?"

"I'm afraid not just vampires," Himchan looked around again. "Look around you, Youngjae."

Youngjae looked around to see regular day people going about their business, not looking suspicious at all.

"Anyone of these people, maybe more than one, could be a vampire or Slayer." Himchan said, and Youngjae nodded slowly. 

"You can never tell," Himchan said, and Youngjae looked around again.

"That's why they're going to kill every single person here, human or not."

Youngjae looked back at Himchan, shock and fear evident on his face. "All people?" Youngjae couldn't lose anyone he held closest to his heart. He couldn't, he wouldn't. 

"Yes, all people." 

.

××××

Hey, everyone! I'm sorry for not being able to update this for so long. I applied and got the job as a reporter for a newspaper place and my schedule is very hectic, school's been a real pain in the neck as well. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And I'd very much like to receive some feedback too! Love you all! 😙😄

~ Morosho