벰파이어 Problems #7

 

I waited for days. It bothered my conscience. This madam. I know she doesn’t belong in this palace, but forcing her out isn’t wise either. What good is it being her slave?

I had gone pondering telling her off –demand my father rid her away like he’s done the barbarian Yuan but there was no use. He much likely had gone under her spell –she ruled the Palace.

Being Crown Prince, the fate of a nation means nothing to a beast like her. She’ll keep feeding on me until I kill myself more so the final days are here. There’s no time… none especially since she’s grown suspicious.

My love will be put to danger if I don’t act quickly.

“Mmm… you’ve grown feelings for someone…”

“Since you love her so much, have her…have as much as you want. Of course, time can only tell when you’ll meet again.”

I can’t seem to decide upon faded realities.

Each time she gets caught, she’s yelling and screaming, she uses her hair pins as weapons –hair sweeping back and forth as the belligerent mien is throttled by pairs of guards.

If I would want her to be free it would simply mean I snap a twig and become the shadow the towns people keep hearing at night. Only that’s not my motive.

I’ve traveled miles and miles haven’t moved.

 

“Dreams that feel like memories?” Ji Jun repeats over a cup of coffee.

I’ve remained standing and since I could no longer keep to myself about the passing dreams these few hours –I tend to speak about my troubles as a train of thought. Now that Ji  Jun happened to be in the kitchen this morning, I share a common nod at him overhearing me.

My blood work corresponds with  Ji Hyun’s well –yet recovery has been rather slow which means I sleep more. I wouldn’t say they’re torturing nightmares but it makes me uneasy.

“I’m of royalty … but in every scene I’m being drank from –and there’s this woman that drinks from me threatening to take away someone dear….” My tongue burns –even my own blood I can perplexingly feel death draw from each dying breath. I’m currently clearing a way for Ji Jun to listen regretfully; for this means the situation has gone deeper.

My mouth feels dry somehow –“I end up killing myself in the end and it’s not her voice that curses me but the one dear to me while they always use these words through laughter…. As I’m in her arms dying, she instead wails – You’ll have me forever so that nothing breaks …” I trail off and fail to admit that each time the face of the one dear to me is her… Sehun’s sister.

Ji Jun collects his thoughts on the matter. “Reincarnation perhaps? I mean I used to think I was a farmer that got it big thousands of years ago while discovering a gold mine –which was why every time I find something it’s worth it and valuable.” He strongly shares then sips his coffee with a short sigh. But that doesn’t mean it’s true in his case –yet mine, a trembling curse under his breath makes it profoundly gravitas.

I send him a satisfied gaze. In a way I would like to compensate him well this time –people like him deserve to stay alive and in a way I have no desire for other humans. In which case led to Ji Jun coming to a conclusion that I either have a specific kind of blood bound to my taste buds or my thirst level depends on my ability to cause harm.

In other words, she is still the key to something.

“So if your blood was drunk from –you were not a vampire but human in these memories…” He closes his eyes to in particular think about connections –“This woman, was she the same woman haunting you now?”

Having shared him my sundry encounters, my transformation wasn’t simply by chance. I knew this and did not bother to give it more thought. I forced her away from me, attempted to kill myself and only now have the triggers gone stronger. Now these dreams, I can’t shake it off. The time in reference to this woman’s subjugation is unknown and I either want to rip them to shreds or have the do it for me.

Now knowing whom this woman that calls to me deeply –dragging me fully towards the knowledge makes me loathe myself even more.

I neither debate too much. “Exactly,” I say.  “I was never bitten –I have no memory of when the brand arrived either.” I replay the night with many doubts. It’s strange not being able to piece my anxiety together at the time; I couldn’t really breathe, then I fled home I believe.

 

It hadn’t seemed like I deserved it –I was a bargain, I was the sacrifice for a bigger purpose but in the end why have I turned into a vampire? The dreams share no future but I hadn’t seen the end either. I blinked a couple of times, giving a sigh myself seemed too natural.

What’s a stretch is that in these dreams I can pinpoint the time and place, the feelings and the timely matter. Everything should have been perfect –but in certain scenes this vampire woman is aware of my plans…

“Since you love her so much, have her…have as much as you want. Of course, time can only tell when you’ll meet again.”

 

It’s when Ji Jun could see that from his perspective –I was grieving and very likely tearing up, that he gave a valid point, “We have three cases : A kind of blood not yet tested that gives you outstanding amounts of power. Then we have a brand –could be ancient, could be you were taken and drugged for some new experiment but the last case if you are willing to hear is that if you have no clue how to die or how to live and insist some higher vampire is out for you, then face them head on. You will get more answers doing that just fine….”

“Let them come to me?” I question wholeheartedly. The air is thin, I hear him stop breathing. It’s due to how calculating my tone can be.

I raise a brow, “That will do.” I have nothing else to act on.

“However, if that means being convinced by this vampire that I drink from her, I can’t do it.” I can’t make her take part in this.

Ji Jun insists, “You care about the girl, I get it, but you just said something pretty significant –The vampire didn’t curse you, it was the human…”

At this moment I smugly approach my mind back to the moment I felt happy she hated me on our final night, but she persistently kept wanting to be by my side. There’s no ignoring she too had dreams but I no longer mean to find a connection.

I am man enough to admit, it hurt hurting her but more than most, I haven’t gotten over that face in my dreams. It scares me now –they share the same face and even now my heart is prone to respond to it.

 

A basic response is clear, “You need to see her again, and this time –I know a few of your flaws that right now can be used as your weakness.” I can sense convincing. “Baekhyun thanks to me, you won’t attack her so easily.”

It’s not working yet. I trend a knowing glare –“I threatened her to stay away from me and she hasn’t come back since. If she tells me I can drink from her –those spoken words make me inseparable. I don’t think science will play part then.”

“But you know where she is and I will handle it. Trust me, the more I know about her, the better I can help the both of you and if you never actually die who knows what you might do…”

Ji Jun continues while sliding his hand down behind his head. He knows I don’t pay much mind to his medical references. Nevertheless – he shares, “You see I test your heart rate at two different leads, one is you; the momentum is rarely over worked since attempting to kill yourself but there’s a brief time where you are literally undergoing hundreds of myocardial infractions.”

“Now, I’m going to just guesstimate are these woman’s remaining trails of blood causing you to experience a term called cardiac ischemia; her blood has blocked the branches leading to your heart which causes you to be starved of oxygen and likely hunger in this case. They’ll just hang there like dust on pollen and I would propose this is how a vampire functions.”

That was one way of looking at it. I find my hands clasping together awkwardly, “I have heart attacks every minute because I want her blood, seems accurate enough…”

 

 

“Ji Jun order Chinese like twenty minutes after ten please.” Ji Hyun combs her fingers through her hair to look over her shoulder. I’m linked to her arm forcefully while she waves her subordinate off just as he closed my door.

I stare ahead, “You’re driving is , you planned to drive for three hours?”

Ji Hyun offended unlinks and scoffs –“I’ve been driving long enough!” When I’ve already entered the passengers, I look up to the night sky and narrow my eyes –there is no moon in sight yet I know it’s out there, just like that vampire woman.

“For a good looking vampire, your mouth is venom. What kind of person were you?” She mutters off key and starts the ignition while calmly fixing shifts. I could imagine how serious she is but I’ve not known her long enough to say I remember now. Truthfully, something I was compared to versus what I was is already quite vague.

The answer to that straight to the point answer is, I was rather innocent but very curt. I never took from anyone but now begun to lose expressive values.

When I started out as this vampire, I was scared, I hated the cause for my transformation, and so I depended on that girl for too long. Turning cold because of her I’ll admit should have been done by a stronger influence that in which came quick and found no compassion.

So I sigh out then I answer, “I was normal.” My fingers presses the button to roll the window down and the solemn measures fiercely neglect what it is I run away from. I miss her blood, and the sweet honey calls ever so piercingly. I could open my mouth and taste her essence, find it but the hardest part was to ignore it.

Always has been.

It’s from a distance that my past flashes and it was because I decided to close my eyes. I sense that I wouldn’t be resting any time soon –all that was there was her maddening face filled with anguish. She was heartbroken, betrayed and for what? I never know why the damning words make my skin peel from the inside out.

I all but feel uncomfortable and stir in my seat. The wounds that heal too slowly pang me and yet I peek over my shoulder to Ji Hyun humming occasionally. She’s excited maybe –focused on the road, muttering casual talk that I don’t reply to.

After an hour, I start to think I need to demand explanations. I have no idea what it is I’ll be walking into.

“You said my brand, they can tell me about it.” I grill her side frame.

I try to frown but as she’s driving, she smells well and I’m quite hungry. So I undoubtedly my lips while sharing a ticking tongue.

“Well yes and no. The owner of the shop knows someone that used to talk about indescribable times during the dynasty era. As it relates to your brand, literally the brand is a family crest that belongs to the owner. It’s amazing how I found it…” she trails of subtly. I fail to notice a tapping finger on the wheel.

When I dully blink, I’m mentally appreciating her.

Her skills would seem up to par and from what that waitress shared, the entail I gave Ji Hyun produced quite conducive leads.

“Family crest…” I lay the base of my cheek back at the car door and vary off into the distance of street lights and highways.

 

There are numerous knocks made to the entry door. Ji Hyun huffs whilst closing in on the windows nearest to her. She peeks through and bites her lower lip. “I emailed them… they told me someone would be here.”

I don’t imply breaking in but I’m very close to it knowing that the store has an exact description of what’s on my neck. The store’s name is Urn Leagues with a Y shaped anchor in the back of its steel writing.

 I bet a bunch of people come by here. I personally and sarcastically rant.

 

“Then we’ll just have to knock harder.” I by then motion her to the side of the building where another entrance seems visible but it’s gated. My jaw clenches, she even holds me from making an attempt.

I’m kindly deterred, “Are you sure? They might call the police.”

If that’s the case, my bail would take less than forty-eight hours. That’s worth the break in.

I’ve managed to climb more likely –there’s a hefty struggle while each bar is held from my fingers. I climb meter to meter then lunge off towards the bottom and roll over back on to my feet. A wince doesn’t fail to leave my lips and I then look to find Ji Hyun thumbing up. She’s not surprised at what I’m capable of but rather signals for me to enter through the window.

As I’m going leg first, the explicit light switch and gun is ranged from across the room that even I stop breathing.

“Who the hell are you!” A woman –aging with her barely seen grey strands sets her aim automatically. I can’t help but snarl at her then lift my hands and irritably answer –“I’m here to meet the owner, no one has been answering the door you see, it’s urgent.”

“You don’t look like a knocker obviously, keep your hands up.” She glares but the ringing from the door makes her keep distance and walk cautiously whereas I put my hands down and roll my eyes, “Who’d want to steal this ?”

Morphing a displeased frown, I realize how worried Ji Hyun is when explaining to the woman why we’re and so I offer my own apology.

“Next time come by another time…” Her words turn out short and stern but as soon as her brown eyes catch the glow in mines; from where she stood, the gun fell to the ground as I followed by looking around.

The reveal of my brand has been seen.

She intently watches me and backs away before giving Ji Hyun a look I fail to catch.

“Do you know who he really is?” I know she is talking in my direction so I take step forward and listen to her heart. It’s not fazed to the slightest –this is a heartbeat that experiences informalities such a vampire breaking in.

I reply instead of Ji Hyun –“A vampire of course, the question is…how do you know about this brand?…” I give her a more clear sight. She resembles a person fixed to come clean after so long that she even sighs out heavily.

“Many vampires often come by for many reasons –none ever wielding a family crest on their body. I have my questions as well…however –it’s a brand passed down from my family for generations. We were of the Urn Bloodline.”

My eyes squint in fraction –“Urn what?”

I seem to have made her speculate in dismay. “All modern Eve Vampires recognize the Urn emblem…and you don’t?”

I fail to insist incredulously that there are more.

More like me?

“Yes, ma’am it’s because...” Ji Hyun quickly acts but then a small tug on my hand is made by her –“He was somehow turned and he’s been dealing with the urge to drink someone’s blood more than others. Can you explain that as well?”

Just because this lady has met vampires doesn’t mean she knows how to fix my problem. I send Ji Hyun this impatient look.

I intend to quip but the woman held her hand up –“All I know is that the Urn bloodline was dedicated to a specific vampire kind. They don’t have to be related to be connected…” Her eyes simmer down –in response to my slumped shoulders she finds a way to snap her fingers for attention, maybe even encouragement.

She fondles her arms, “You have grey eyes… others I’ve heard have always had red if having relation to Urn. Either that or given your bond with some other Urn blood is tempting you, you haven’t turned?” She’s unsure the longer she contemplated and circled the lines under her own eyes.

“I’m not too familiar as to why however we believe we as anchors should support any Urn drinker. We have wonderful ties with these kinds of vampire but with the ties comes trouble, trouble my great great great grandfather died over.”

“You see, the origin of my ancestors merely desired to pass the knowledge along to our children’s children –not because we were vampires but because we could at a time be in danger from the vampires that envied us…but it’s never been recorded indefinitely… which is why I mentioned an old friend. She knew my great grandfather.”

Ji Hyun gets a sense of my quietness. “You are saying that he is a special vampire that drinks from your blood line?”

I frown, “Not hers in particular but Urn blood.”

 I then sighed heavily, “What kind of measures has your family gone through to keep something like this alive but also secret? Are you proud?”

I’m given something to think about. “You don’t seem to know who you are which means I can’t convince you off the basis of what little I know over my forty-seven years of life.” The little clap assures she’s comfortable with us and makes us follow her further into the housing.

I walk beside Ji Hyun whom mutely talks to herself and pries with a question that I too want to know the answer to.

She asks, “Exactly why would my friend have your family crest on his neck though. He was human before any of this and he just wants to understand.”

“Hmm.” We watch her open the door to a more subtle space. A sofa, bookshelf and someone reading at the desk are in front of my eyes. There’s a fireplace working and keeping the home cozy, dated painting decorate its walls and ceramics are arranged among shelves and holsters.

I had given a deep clear of the throat while being mentioned.

“The crest is simply passed down from families. It belongs to all of those who have Urn inside of them. I was told long time.” The elderly woman turns her head from where she sits and gives me this raise of the brow.

“My… he is different.” She comments not so nicely.

“This here is Lady Bom. I’m Gan Soon.” We’re introduced and now find ourselves offered a seat.

The two women firstly peer back and forth from collections. Scrolls even that date back thousands of years are revealed.

I’m aware of the uptight barrier Ji Hyun has and I make her eerily tense. “Ji Hyun, do you believe in what they’re saying?”

This is something she may be considering fascinating and yet she’s not jumping on the sofa kicking her feet up saying I told you so. She’s more stoic –the mere gaze colder than normal.

“I do but I’m concerned about it being some kind of cult. I hate cults.” Her eyes are prone to narrow but I tap her knee and insist, “Well I belong to someone and nothing is changing that.”

Her words are caught. She doesn’t even blink.

Did I miss something?

As I look over, the woman named Lady Bom bows entirely to me.

“Giving the lineage of that mark I’m told is on yours neck, you are not just any vampire, Sir. Whether created or born, Eve have stayed sacred for millions of years.”

“Red Eyes are because you were filled by The Urn Blood Line created by vampires that were strongly infatuated with a strong bloodline.”

“Grey Eyes are because you gave more than you took. The Eve Blood Line Vampire shows you’ve fed off a vampire.”

 

As she stands, I sit up some and intently watch the displays. These words go to a far off place and I feel stumped. “These here scrolls are ancient, none ideally pieced together however there are five infinites in time that which proves Eve Vampire existed.”

“I can’t say much about vampires but these creatures –My, were they majestic, thoughtful but menacing.” I’m listening.

“The very first appearance of an Eve Vampyre happened thousands of years ago, set back to the early 1200’s. A vampire by the name of Yala can be dated during the vassal state of Goryeo dynasty. It’s unclear when or how however the fact that King Gonghyun’s success amongst a bellicose with the Mongolians were deemed merciful– meant only a mighty hand could have struck the Yuan down.”

Gonghyun –why does that name piss me off? I think to myself. My eyes level at the thought.

“Hmm and one thing is possible… to regular humans a Vampire could have been crop workers, maidens, farmers, palace workers or orphans. It mattered not –for Eve Vampyre weren’t a threat not until Urn Blood Line had been discovered. The Urn Blood was none other than vital aliment for the creatures that lied remiss and this was dated maybe around mid-1400’s.”

“Wait the blood line was in danger by whom?” I asked Gan Soon this and when she murmurs back, “Humans at the time.”  I keep my composer.

Lady Bom hums indeed with her hand patting the table she’s exhibiting. “This one is often confused with storylines of the boy who cried wolf. It’s a story of course –the difference in the premise is : Treasure what was said to be absolute nonetheless. There isn’t any proof that they lived among humans, but they were among them –only at the start of the Cry Moon. Cry Moons were a way to explain why Vampyre fed on humans however, you’d come to find out that it wasn’t just any human anymore that they desired.”

Apparently Gan Soon can tell the story well. “At this infinite time, a shiftiness started to happen to men and women in particular within the lands. Glowing Grey eyes lurked, shadows grew closer and none were loud enough to ensure how unsafe they really were.”

“It wasn’t until most ended up missing or turning up dead that villagers knew a wolf was suspect. But none were noticing new comers, rushed marriages or well needed handy men. Long story short – a woman called Un Ja caught the so called true lurker in the distance. While Un Ja expressed her fear –she was upfront about how lonely and exhausted she had been from running away from the hell she called life.”

“But it meant none as this lurker revealed itself –then snatched her away and fed until she passed out."

"The next morning this lurker gave up their identity and shared something that can be seen through the paintings here –two grey eyed beings on another’s wrist. Beside that being on the right is a human being given blood from the other wrist –this time their eyes red. Blood potent is blood made by the giver of pureness. Which means the connection of the Goryeo dynasty is very well connected to this and likely other stories dated back then.”

Lady Bom frowns, “Urn Blood had not existed until Gonghyun thus pinpointing its start of the Urn Blood Line. Gonghyun conquered the Yuan –unexplainably so and therefore this imperial bloodline in fact had something to do with what had begun those years ago.”

“Of course that’s not the only bloodline Urn can be dated back to – there’s just something about those two that I had to share.” I am close to ticking but while withstanding it, I am only feeling more trapped even regrettably curious.

Lady Bom clasps her hands –truth beyond measure. She’s convinced by the tales for sure. “You can’t imagine a place filled with blood thirsty monsters, not when Vampyre existed. You see, Eve Vampyre generally came from Goryeo’s dynasty, but there were others. There were even some found under highly ranked superiors all over the nations. You could say for a while they lived in peace and the insanity was bounded to what connected most Vampires to the moon. While most fed on themselves during Cry, others found the Urn Bloodline to be their only sustenance ; which makes the story of Un Ja that more compelling. Could it be that some Vampyre had no idea they were connected to these people until the Cry?”

I would like my own input on it. I’ve not only wanted to drink her blood but I’ve wanted to rip her to shreds. Though I have no knowledge I can’t seem to deny the similarities.

“Which leads me to my conclusion; here you’ll understand that eventually the very last to carry the hope for the Eve Cult were said to have been burned with metal wrapped around them;  a way to ensure that no Vampyre would seek revenge for there would be no one to trace the demise.” I gape at the statement and give a deep take of air.

“It’s a sad story really, Vampyre in this case lived in the mountains around the early 1300’s –bound to a blood line, they merely kept to themselves as dynasty days ward off, they managed to be content and live out in mysterious islands. It was only until a royal Vampyre among the Cult –some say his name was Byum, Bom or Byul fished out a woman from the land that resulted in being one of Urn Bloodline; therefore bewitched him into killing every last Urn Bloodline along with himself in the end. But that’s a bit of a stretch since Gan Soon is present.”

A soft chuckle doesn’t go far as I find myself wrapping my hands around Ji Hyun’s neck firmly. It’s been impossible to not do so when the connections have become so clear whether it be true or not. This woman beside me is one of them, one of me.

“So what do you really intend to do with me?” I bare my teeth and from there those same eyes seem to burn the lenses that masked her exceptional gaze for so long. Her eyes ever so sterling seemingly refract off mines in bemuse.

She seethes through her fierce fangs, “I’m trying to help you.” I’m told this but it’s not good enough. I’m seeing red and I feel a repulse. It just makes me growl louder. The levels of her strength this time are growing –I am the one choked rougher and to the point I’m thrown to the floor.

Ji Hyun huffs out blinking out of shock because she snaps at me. “Jesus, Baekhyun! I don’t kill my kind, stop pissing me off.” As to blow off steam her paused shout and flex of the palms shows she’s been in the game far too long.

“I’m not the enemy here… I’m just trying to scale the possible turn of events.” As if it does convincing, I sit up and growl wordlessly.

In that instant, Lady Bo raises her hands –“Please, please do not be alarmed, sir.”

I’m stuck between looking between the two –but it’s then that I can’t seem to break a strong and compelling tug.

“Something’s wrong.” Even as I get up Ji Hyun nods.

“There is something very wrong, Baekhyun.” She now tries on reversing the scroll so that I am able to see.

But as she’s placed this painted scroll on display, the swarm of bees I gravitate towards so well –is no longer. I’m unable to express this as anything else but an emptiness. Who could see in detail the dilation within my grey eyes? I felt so alone at this time –the air leaving my mouth is but a puff of smoke called soulless warranty. Not knowing exactly why this is happening, I keep to myself.

It’s all coming too fast that I back away shaking my head. I don’t want to admit that I have completely lost her.

“I’m trying to save you from that demise. My real identity isn’t what’s important, just know that I’m the head Eve Vampyre of Gan Soon’s family. I’ve been protecting the family for the last thousands years , in your case –it’s been quite some time we’ve seen each other. I’ve not drank from their bloodline since my Urn Blood died.”

My brow rose creating a silence that took the two of them hugging each other to assure the bond beyond a million stars. However Lady Bom comments, “Among the tales, these two infinites exist, but exactly where do you fit in?” Her eyes direct towards me.

“A human turned vampire –Eve Vampyre at that.”

The woman revealed to be a vampire –Ji Hyun corrected, “The correlations have reversed… I’ve lived for many years and never met someone like you, demanding to be found out. We’ve been hidden for centuries, I for one came to ensure our existence wasn’t found out but it’s now become more endearing. To be turned isn’t something that happens with our kind, we just exist.”

I’m fearing the worse. “So I was made for what purpose? All over some love triangle? A curse?” I bring up the dreams, the worries, the prices paid but there’s not much they know except for maybe Lady Bom.

Her eyes darken, “Yala. That woman whom fed from you must have been her.”

Ji Hyun brings a long gush of air. “Out of the infinite stories, all are accurate markings in time. If you are dreaming of a past, a part of my past connects with decades after but Yala… she is the one I always heard about her. She was very clingy, and the reason why Urn Blood spread out to the human races.

“She’s a mother vampire, the reason why Eve Vampyre so called exists. And if you were hers, you died too early… she wants you reborn. Simple and to the point, but she hated sharing –killed, her gravitas temper sent many to their knees willingly sometimes.”

“I can’t fight her off nor do I want to.” Ji Hyun seems to have finished with the possibilities.

These concerns are creating my humility.

“I’ve turned because of a woman who can’t give me a ing break? Then what about her? I can’t smell her anymore. She’s telling me to drink her, get stronger –what does this entail? I’m losing my mind and I…”

Ji Hyun moves her arms up to stretch bored of the bluff I’m failing to pull. “To be honest I appeared to see if you were of any danger, but now that you know your fate what’s stopping you from drinking the woman? Eve can drink from the source of Urn without precautions –it does take a toll, that meaning if a vampire let’s say I were drinking from you and you me, then Urn blood suddenly becomes your bond, I could get jealous and kill the Urn bond.”

Her eyes narrow, “Trust me, I ed up and got my Urn killed because of it.”

So I silently slump.

This insignia is treacherous.

“If I may…” Lady Bom in her own way runs a hand along my back. “You say this young lady was your Urn, you’re no longer smelling her which means you have no need to drink her. I believe the reversal was some sick way to give Yala her way. You’re a vampire, she’ll want you forever and you even though intending to end your life, can’t be selfish anymore. In this world you no longer have your way, you are no longer mortal.”

“But she’s saying get stronger… I don’t know what the she wants.”

“Poor thing.” Ji Hyun tsks while walking towards me. Now all the more intimidating, her finger leads my chin up and I face her intently. “She’s going to use you and unfortunately I can’t help now that I truly know… you’ve drank from me which in some way caused the reaction –I apologize for that but I can’t afford to die, I have to protect them –that means you have your own people to protect as well.”

I manage to huff out a laugh.

“You’re saying she’ll come for her…. To try and kill her over what? I’ve …” I’m at loss for words. When I listen out for an answer it doesn’t come to me any less than the ants come to crumbles.

“There’s never ever been reincarnations …. Especially not a human turned vampire. Yala has done something special for the both of you… unfortunately it’ll end on her terms now.”

---

               

                yala                   her