[CONTENTID1]Ixora[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]Chapter Eighteen[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

The moon had risen by the time Baekhyun and Yoonhee returned home. She had been sleeping during the car ride, but when they arrived, she woke up and helped Baekhyun carry their bags inside the clan’s mansion. While Baekhyun was hogged by Sehun and Chanyeol, Yoonhee opted to spend the evening in the living room. She carried a book under her arm, planning to end the day with a relaxing novel. When she entered, the sofa was occupied by Yerin and Junmyeon.

“Oh, hello! I didn’t want to disturb you,” Yoonhee blurted and was about to turn back, but Yerin stopped her.

“Wait!” she called, her eyes blazing with curiosity. “Tell me what happened during the trip! I want to know everything! Every single juicy detail, okay? And don’t leave out Baekhyun’s reaction to the y negligee!”

Yoonhee would never forget Junmyeon’s spooked face at the idea of listening to that. He groaned, got up quickly, and fled the room, shutting the door behind him. Yerin snorted, rolling her eyes. “He’ll miss the fun part.”

Yoonhee laughed and sat down with her friend, putting her book on the coffee table. She doubted she would need it now. “Where should I start?” she put her finger on her lips, remembering what had happened during the first day. “Baekhyun was pretty thirsty.”

“Thirsty?!” Yerin cackled loudly.

“No! No, no. Not that kind of thirsty,” Yoonhee stammered. “Well, maybe a little.” She flushed. He had been very touchy that first day… and the second too. “He drank my blood often. I think he had trouble holding back.”

“Did you seduce him?” Yerin giggled.

“No?”

“You probably did without noticing, like the oblivious girl you are,” Yerin smirked. “Did he like the negligee?”

She gulped, remembering his hungry stare and how desired it had made her feel. Like he was about to devour her. “He liked it,” she confirmed. “And he suddenly got thirsty when I wore it.”

“Thirsty again?” Yerin snickered, slapping her thigh. “You must have made the poor man lose his mind. I can only imagine his exasperation. Ah, this is too funny.”

“We also kissed,” Yoonhee said nonchalantly and Yerin’s jaw dropped.

“Kissed?! Are you serious?” the vampire swooned. “I’ve been waiting for this since day one! You know what? Why don’t we celebrate this new development?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“There’s this nightclub called Insomnia our clan frequents. Visiting is always worth it. Let’s go there tomorrow! How does a double date with Myeon and I sound?”

“Amazing!”

“Good! Please leave your styling and outfit to me. I want to make Baekhyun speechless when he sees you,”  Yerin said. She looked like a villain when she rubbed her hands and laughed. Yoonhee inwardly wondered whether her friend’s plan would succeed…

Baekhyun and Junmyeon agreed to the women’s double date idea. The following evening, Yerin shooed Baekhyun away from Yoonhee’s room, but he was stubborn.

“Why the do I have to leave, huh?” he snapped. “She’s my soulmate!”

“Because this is a women thing,” Yerin growled. “You will get to see her for the rest of the night, but now she is mine!”

“Please, Baekhyun,” Yoonhee chimed in. “It’s just for a moment.”

His glare swept from Yerin to her and softened a tad. “Fine… but only because it’s you.” He cursed under his breath and left, walking off towards Chanyeol’s room.

“What a clingy soulmate you have,” Yerin laughed. “I think he might get jelly tonight when we’re at the club because you will look delicious and catch everyone’s attention.”

“Um… are you sure that’s a good thing though?”

“Of course, it’s all part of my plan. Now please take a look at the dresses I brought! These should fit you.”

She laid out three different dresses on Yoonhee’s bed, each pretty and y in its own way. One was dark blue, one black, and the last dark red.

“Which do you want?” Yerin asked.

“The blue one is my favorite.” It had short sleeves and an alluring cut that would accentuate her curves. The shimmering fabric reached the middle of her thighs and Yoonhee liked its shade. It reminded her of the night sky.

“Good choice! Put it on and in the meantime, I’ll get the shoes and the make-up.”

Yerin left so fast, Yoonhee only saw a blur. Shaking her head, she wondered why the vampire was so excited about dressing her up. She almost felt like a doll at this point. Yoonhee put the dress on and stood in front of her large mirror, surprised at what she saw. She had rarely worn dresses like this in the past, and she liked the way it looked. The shade of the fabric shifted every time Yoonhee moved, beautifully reflecting the light. Excitement sparked in her, and she wondered what Baehyun would say if he saw her wearing this. It was hard to tell—her ex hadn’t allowed her to wear revealing clothes, but Baekhyun wasn’t like him.

“Girl, you look stunning!” Yerin smiled when she returned, handing her a pair of black high heels. “Let’s finish your make-up and then you’ll wrap Baekhyun around your little finger.”

The vampire used a curling iron to style Yoonhee’s dark hair and painted her lips in a sensual burgundy color that suited the dress. Her eyes were framed with charcoal eyeliner and dramatic eyeshadow. When Yoonhee glanced at the mirror, she could have sworn she was looking at Snow White instead of herself.

“Damn, you’re hot,” Yerin grinned. “Baekhyun will drool when he sees you.”

Yoonhee smiled amusedly at the idea and followed Yerin to the foyer of the mansion. She had to get used to her heels first since she normally didn’t wear tall ones like these.

When she laid eyes on Baekhyun, her heart jumped—his devilishly handsome appearance wouldn’t let her breathe tonight. The black leather pants he wore hugged him tightly in all the right places, emphasizing his strong thighs and wide hips. His black dress shirt wasn’t fully buttoned up which allowed her to see the outline of his muscular chest. Yoonhee couldn’t stop staring at his broad shoulders—until she noticed something else. An elegant silver chain connected his lip piercing with his earring. It glinted enticingly, drawing attention to his full bottom lip. His fang dug into it, and when she met his ruby eyes, he was watching her intently.  

A grin curved his lips, showing his canines. “You look good enough to eat, petal.”

“Y-You too,” she managed to say, not caring how lame she sounded. She was too stunned to come up with a better answer.

“Thank you,” he smirked and gently took her hand, setting off the warm magic sparks of their bond. “I can’t let you out of my sight tonight.”

Yoonhee blushed, and Yerin shared an amused glance with Junmyeon. “What a flirt,” she giggled. “Unbelievable.”

Baekhyun led Yoonhee outside to his car and opened the passenger door for her. She thanked him and sat down while Junmyeon and Yerin took the seats in the back. Baekhyun some music in the car, and they had a great time together before they even arrived at the club, singing along to the songs.

The club wasn’t far from their home, so they reached it within half an hour. Yoonhee was curious about it, never having been there before. She hadn’t partied often in the past years in general—her ex had refused to accompany her, but he also hadn’t allowed her to go without him. She would enjoy her deserved freedom to the fullest.

When the car pulled into the parking lot, Yoonhee heard the booming bass of the music inside the building and saw a long line of humans waiting in front of it. It was hard to make out in the darkness, but it seemed like the entire façade was painted in black. Glowing red letters spelling Insomnia embellished it. There were no windows, just a large entrance door allowing a glimpse into the club.

Baekhyun turned the car’s engine off and the group got out. Yoonhee shivered a little when a cool wind swept over the area. She wanted to get inside as soon as possible, but the line was incredibly long. It seemed like the bouncers were thorough. Baekhyun wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked, shielding her from the wind until they reached the entrance. To her bewilderment, the three vampires didn’t care about the line at all. They steered towards the VIP entrance.

One of the bouncers was a vampire and took a short glance at Junmyeon’s ID before he let them pass. They entered a large and fancy hall with a dancefloor and a bar, as well as a second level that overlooked everything like a balcony. Yoonhee sensed the auras of several other vampires in the vicinity, as well as some werewolves and even a gumiho. This club accepted them all—as long as they behaved, presumably. She was glad she had thought ahead, bringing her protective charms in her purse. They would hide her magic for the time being. She had no intentions of drawing unnecessary attention to herself. Then again, her three vampiric companions already did that… Countless curious gazes had latched on to them, belonging to humans and vampires alike. The latter made Yoonhee wonder how well-known their clan was in this area of Seoul.

The music was so loud she barely heard Baekhyun when he asked if she wanted a drink. She nodded, and they headed to the bar where they ordered drinks for themselves. One round to start off the night—after that, they mingled with the dancing crowd. The atmosphere overwhelmed her at first since she wasn’t used to any of this, but she forgot about her reluctance when she felt Baekhyun’s palm on the small of her back.

The rhythm of the music surged, and as she met Baekhyun’s shimmering blue eyes, a smirk curved his lips. He s his arms around her, moving his body to the music. She gravitated towards him like she was his moon, complementing his fluid movements. He caught her bright gaze and leaned in to capture her lips. She responded to the kiss with vigor, her chest colliding with his. A familiar heat swelled within her and slowly devoured her. The longer their kiss held on, the more this feeling thrived—she couldn’t get enough of it. His tongue traced the seam of her burgundy lips while his hands caressed her curves, causing her to moan softly. She felt him smirk into the kiss, allowing him to explore with his tongue. His lip ring dug into her skin, fangs dragging over its softness without hurting her. Their touch elicited a shudder of excitement. The world seemed to revolve solely around them—they didn’t notice the dancing bodies surrounding them. It was just him, her, and the music.

Yoonhee took a deep breath after their lips parted, entranced by his beauty. His eyes were like rubies, reflecting the colorful flashing lights. Something dark shone within their depths. This was not the first time she saw it, and she was tempted to find out what it meant.

Baekhyun cocked his head, showing her a sly grin. He abruptly pushed her closer to him, and she yelped, putting her hands on his chest. His pecs under her fingers felt hard and defined. She couldn’t suppress the urge to let her hands wander, to explore his body for the very first time. The alcohol in her system paired with the wild music and