Chapter VI "House of Vampires"   

"How do you think I m now? How do you think I feel?" ~ Bangtan Boys 'Nevermind'

A boy, his skin was icy pale and his hair was as white as snow. His eyes were crystal clear and a little fogged, like cracked ice. He was in the middle of a field, his breathing raising due to the heat. It looked like a forest, a very heated and tropical climate of the place that was not his preference, it looked like torture to him.

He stood in the middle of the field, his breathing heavy but nothing seemed abnormal. His head snapped in a direction and his body begun to shake. It was like something horrible was approaching, like fear itself was in the way.

The boy begun to scream, his body falling onto the ground as a black cloud begun to consume the sky. He looked like he was being tortured or poisoned. The boy brought his knees against his chest and shut his eyes tightly. He let out a loud scream that was being pushed down.

Jungkook woke up in a flash. The same type of painful screech being released by his mouth. He woke up, his throat hurting as if he was the one screaming and his body aching as if he was the one in pain. It was as if he was the boy in his nightmare.

Impossible. He thought, he has never had any other nightmare since the fire that wasn’t the maze one, yet he had one now. His forehead was beading with sweat as his aching throat gasped for air.

“Be quiet.” A firm voice made him flinch, his body pushing itself away from the yell. Jungkook noticed he was in a dark room, the curtains were closed but the sun still illuminated the room slightly.

The apartment looked normal, there was nothing out of place or destroyed. Everything looked normal, except for the girl that looked at him with hungry eyes and a mouth stained with dried blood. Suddenly his neck pulsated, the aching pain rushing in all at once. He breathed heavily as he tried to ignore the throbbing pain that was coming from the bite mark on his neck.

“Where am I? Why am I here?” He spoke, the words shaking the moment they touched his lips. His eyes were quivering as his body was tense and filled with fear. The girl smiled, her eyebrows arching as she looked at him in shock.

“Your blood is special. It’s delicious and addictive, and we don’t want to let you go just yet.” Her eyes held this twinkle of satisfaction. Jungkook was a simple prey huddle in the corner, seeing its predator walking in circles around him to taunt him.

“I’m nothing special.” He felt fear consuming his entire body and the only thing that was getting through his shaking body to his brain was the idea of stalling and getting answers.

“You are special, you’re not as human as we thought you were sweetie.” The nickname was spoken with a devilish smile and with intension of striking fear into the boy’s mind. He was human though but he assumed they wouldn’t believe him. The hunger and desire in the boy’s voice told him that much.

“What does that mean for me?” He spoke, his lips barely moving to form the question as he pressed his body harder into the wall, as if he had more room to get away from them.

“You sit there, you stay quiet, you don’t protest or run away.” With every single demand that left the boys lips, he took a step closer. Each step caused his heart to pound louder and louder as his lungs found each breath harder and harder to consume. “Only let us feed on your blood, okay sweetie?” Jungkook didn’t nod. He felt his skin crawling with disgust and panic as the boy reached out and brushed his finger softly on his skin. He flinched, his yes stinging as the fear itself was making feel like crying.

“Jake, don’t play with your food.” The girl ordered, amusement coating her lips but Jungkook could sense this source of pity from her.

Jungkook felt his free will completely snatched from him with a pair of cold and pale hands. The simple act of thinking was blocked by red eyes that glowed in the dark. They took away his desire to talk, to express his thoughts and words because he no longer had those rights. He was a prey, a simple piece of food that was served and ready to be devoured.

Time flew by and it felt like a lonely eternity. There was a soft knock in the door, a gentle hand simply touching the wooden door caused the room to be silenced to the point that Jungkook could hear his own blood rushing through his body.

The boy put up his index finger, telling the girl to stay where she was. He took silent steps towards the door. Jungkook realizing he could have his chance to run away, but the girl appeared next to him. Her pure presence there showed he had no room to think, he could no longer think.

The boy pressed his ear against the door, his body leaning on the frame slightly as he tried to hear who was trying to gain access to the room. Jungkook felt his heart drop when a loud bang broke the door right out of the hinges.

“Don’t hurt the boy.” A deep and angry growl spoke as a man begun to look frantically around the room. He was tall and build. His pale skin didn’t justify how defined his muscles were.

Jungkook swallowed a lump of fear as he meet eye to eye with the man. Jungkook was caught by those familiar turquoise eyes that glimmered in the room. The man’s chest fell at ease as he saw him but the sight of Jungkook was ripped away from him as Jake tackled the man.

Jungkook felt his heart race as his breathing was becoming a little hard to control. Mina had her arm across his chest, pushing him against the corner even more as she waited to see what would happen. Determining if she should take her chances to help.

The man, he growled and shouted deeply, as if he was an animal fighting his enemy. He grabbed Jake by his shirt, and like a porcelain rag doll, he threw the boy. His body crashed against the wall but Jake didn’t waste time pouncing on the man.

Everything felt so vivid and intense, it was like Jungkook could predict what the other would do before they moved. For vampire strength, Jake wasn’t doing much damaged to the man and it all left Jungkook gasping for air.

“Come on, let’s see what you have.” Jake threw teasing and challenging words that caused the man to growl deeply. On cue, his shirt was thrown on the floor and he pounced on Jake. In the blink of an eye, a giant wolf knocked Jake off his cocky feet and onto the floor.

Jungkook’s body jumped, startled at the sudden transformation that he threw his body back. His head hitting the wall as he felt this sense of urgency that didn’t let him breath until he got out of the room.

“Mina!” Jake shouted as he had a hold on the wolf’s silver white fur but couldn’t deprive the animal off of him. At the calling, Mina pounced, her fangs in the open as she knocked the wolf off Jake’s body.

The speed of both creatures was inhumane and hard to follow. Jungkook felt like a fish out of water, not knowing what to do. His mind was in a state of shock where all he could do was stay and watch. His heart raced and he felt his body melt against the wall when Mina was thrown directly onto the corner.

Adrenaline kicked in and all he was able to do was jump out of the way, his boy hitting the floor fast and hard. His tongue throbbing as he realized that he bit down onto the organ when his face planted onto the ground.

“How about I make things a little even.” That voice, that mellow voice that soothed everything for a second came through the open doorway. The pure sight of the speaker’s blond hair was enough for Jungkook to feel his racing heart fall at ease.

“It’s going to be fine.” Junhoe spoke, noticing Jungkook was on the floor, dried blood staining his neck as fear itself was staining his body. The boy approached him, and Jungkook wanted to question why he was so sure everything was going to be fine. He was only one person, he couldn’t possibly take on a vampire.

“I can’t seem to leave the room.” Jungkook croaked, his body feeling compelled by this invisible but tangible force that prevented him from wanting to make a move for the door. Junhoe nodded, his eyes radiating that blue ocean he hasn’t seen in days, he lightly brushed Jungkook’s cheek and the latter could feel warmness and good that filled him up.

“I know, stay low, I’m not going to let them hurt you.” Junhoe spoke, his words so soft and mellow, they were everything Jungkook didn’t know he needed in that moment, assurance. Junhoe stood up, a snake, the metallic golden snake trailing behind him and slowly moving its way up his body to coil around his arm.

Jungkook didn’t know how to describe it. It looked so unrealistic and straight out of a video game. The room was still dark, sunlight was blocked from every direction but Junhoe looked radiant. Junhoe caught the attention of the room and it took less than a second for Mina to consider him her own target. Junhoe stomped forwards and the golden snake uncoiled from his arm and transformed into a sharp weapon.

“The Judge.” Mina gasped at the sight of the weapon. It was a golden triton with sharp knives as the three picks on top. Junhoe didn’t use these three knives to attack, he moved his body back slightly to use the sharper javelin staph and swung it forward.

Mina’s face was thrown to the side as her body stumbled. Blood was slightly dripping from her face but it was closing up in seconds. The wound healed quickly, but what didn’t disappear is the look of panic that took over her face.

“So a fledgling like you has lived long enough to know who I am.” There was a hint of satisfaction that overtook Junhoe’s confidence. The boy spun the tall weapon in his hand, and it only made Jungkook panic that such fighting skills were embossed in him. The boy pounced forward, the three picks of his golden triton forward as he attacked first.

Jungkook’s breathing hitched, seeing Mina using her speed to get away but Junhoe’s was just as fast. The boy was fighting on his feet, keeping up with the speed of the vampire. Jungkook didn’t know why the fear that had consumed his entire body had been flushed out the moment Junhoe walked into the room.

The apartment was long, and the fight has been going on for a few minutes. Jake was thrown by the wolf and his body crashed against Mina’s standing body. The two vampires groaned as their energy was being deteriorated. Jake’s ear was torn off, blood was dripping from the side of his face and Mina had a stab wound on her thigh that was taking longer to heal.

Jungkook felt nauseous looking at the blood, his stomach was quivering in slight fear because the part of him that was not mesmerized by Junhoe’s aura, was shaking in fear in fetus position and crying his eyes out.

“You’re The Judge, which means you’re The Shadow. This is amazing, I get to wipe out part of the Death Siders.” Jake spat, blood dripping from his mouth as he chuckled with cockiness staining his face. He looked at the wolf, his nostrils flaring as the nickname only ignited a growl that signaled the statement was correct.

“That’s what you think. I don’t need a wooden stake to kill nocturne children, so if I were you, I’d watch my mouth.” Jungkook shivered slightly at the wicked smile that begun to curve on Junhoe’s face.

“That’s impossible.” Jake spoke, his beaten up hand cracking as if he put a bone back in place. Jungkook gagged, feeling disgusted at the sight and sound of such a thing happening.

“Jake, stop. We lost already.” Mina spoke, her body limping up as she tried to take a deep breath to regain some of the energy that was lost. Her voice was out of breath and anyone could tell she was tired of the fight and will stand down.

“Bull , if we take out the wolf, he can’t kill us.” Jake spoke, his eyes sparkling as he was betting everything he had on that simple idea. Junhoe shrugged, taking a step back as if to lead on the boy that he might be right.

When Jake stood up, his black pants covered in dust and debris from being indenting the walls. He brushed off his shoulders and he took a deep breath. His eyes begun to get consumed with a crimson red color as capillaries around his eyes begun to ignite fear in Jungkook’s head.

“Final judgement, you’re dead fledgling.” Junhoe spoke. Upon hearing the said judgement, Mina mouthed a soft no and screamed as Jake pounced, teeth ready to tear the wolf apart. The scream was something so human that Jungkook was thrown back at how much fear and emotion that scream held. It was like for once, the inhumane mythological creature was human.

Jake didn’t stand a chance. Junhoe’s speed increased faster than it was before. The wolf stood there, so sure of itself that it was not going to be harmed. Jake was thrown across the room, landing near Jungkook. The boy squealed, scrambling to get back to the corner he was originally at. Tears b around his eyes as Junhoe stood there, hovering above Jake who was having a hard time recovering from that blow.

“Death Siders dude, why do you think death is in our nickname? The great thing about being one of the best light warriors at the House of Phoenix is that my weapon is poisonous to all.” He spoke, his voice filled with pity that this had to be done. Jungkook felt shivers curve his spine from fear as Junhoe brought the triton above Jake’s heart and pierced his entire body.

Jungkook let out a whimper as he shut his eyes tightly, wanting to shut them tighter as if that will erase what he saw. He could hear Mina crying, her whimpers echoing in her cupped hands as she tried to calm down. Jungkook felt tears cascading over his eyes as he brought his legs against his chest, he didn’t know why he was crying, he assumed that seeing someone get killed in front of his eyes was a major factor.

“What’s your name?” Junhoe asked, his head shooting back towards the whimpering vampire that was shaking in fear.

“Mina.” She croaked as the wolf snarled at the name. Junhoe approached the wolf and played with his fur to calm the creature down. It was an oversized wolf, it’s height on all fours reached half way up Junhoe’s torso.

“How did you get here Mina? And why did you kidnap a human like this?” He asked, his voice a little rough as he asked about Jungkook. It was like Junhoe was angrier at the fact that they abducted the boy than killed five other innocent souls.

“Back home, a dark being came. His name was Hanbin, he’s the one who told Jake and me how to get here. The blood we received wasn’t enough for our fledgling hunger so we sought this world out.” She spoke, her high pitch voice shaking a bit but settling once she realized that Junhoe didn’t have big intension in hurting her.

The wolf looked at Jungkook, whimpering a little as if he was going to cry before Junhoe patted his head and then the wolf begun to walk towards Jungkook. His heart begun to raise as tears became easier to spill, but he wasn’t afraid. That small nod of encouragement that Junhoe sent him put his heart at ease once and for all. The wolf wasn’t going to hurt him.

“The boy, Jake fed on him first. He said his blood was abnormally sweet and full of energy. It really is, it’s addictive and noting like regular human blood. He wanted more and so he decided to bring him along.” Mina spoke, burning at the pure guilt of following Jake’s death sentence plan.

She looked over at the boy. The wolf stood him up on his feet, his head nuzzling against the boy’s body as he was trying to calm the boy down. His fur dried the boy’s tears as Junhoe fell at ease that he was fine.

“His blood is special, he tastes like a humanized version of you.” She spoke, looking back at Junhoe and noting his eyes widening in shock. She nodded, reassuring him that she meant it all.

“When you bit him, how did his wound look like?” Junhoe took a step forwards, his hand strangling the staph of his weapon. Mina tried to remember how his wounds looked, she didn’t pay much attention to it because she was so thirsty for his blood.

“His blood was blackish and one of his veins had this white substance running with the blood but wouldn’t mix.” She spoke, her leg retracting as she rested her arm on her knee. Her pants were torn and covered in dirt, she looked like a wreck but she was gaining her strength back.

“Show me, compel him.” Junhoe looked pained to have said that. Mina shrugged, her body aching less and less as time passed by. She pushed her worn body off the ground and walked towards the boy.

The wolf lowered his head but peered at her sharply. He begun to growl, showing that one more step will mean he was going to attack. Jungkook looked up, feeling the threat approaching.

“You will not be harmed, just trust me and give me your hand.” She ordered, her eyes dilated as Jungkook felt his free will being taken as a daze overtook him. He stretched out his hand. And the wolf was growling more intensively and with more rage.

“Sehun, its fine.” Junhoe’s simple and dubious words were enough for Mina to be close enough to touch Jungkook. Her fangs on full show as the red capillaries begun to seep out of her skin and compliment her red beaming eyes.

She scraped his forearm open with her fangs, she had to use every last drop of her will power to stop herself from engorging her senses in that sweet scented blood. Jungkook screamed, the sound boiling from his lungs as his body sensed the pain and gave out a bit. The wolf caught the boy who was falling, his eyes shut close but running more tears down his face.

Junhoe felt his heart ache and his torso burning. Sehun whimpered slightly as he saw Junhoe falling on his knees and wrapping his hands around his torso as his throat released a pained groan. When Mina finished opening Jungkook’s arm, the screaming and the groaning stopped. The two boys were breathing heavily but Junhoe recovered faster than Jungkook.

Junhoe’s breath hitched peering at the open wound. Jungkook winced when Junhoe touched the skin. He felt his torso burning again whenever he hurt Jungkook. He threw down his weapon and once the golden triton kissed the floor, it turned back into a snake.

“Sky, wrap around his arm to stop the bleeding.” Junhoe ordered, his feet shaking as he took a step back and kept a close eye at the vampire. His hands were tinted with blood and he didn’t know how to handle the situation. The snake hissed, knowing its command and Jungkook had yet to open his eyes and see the golden snake wrapping its body above his wound tightly.

“Make him forget, make him forget everything that happened today.” Junhoe ordered, his voice shaking and take off guard as he begun to pace back and forth around the room. Mina gulped, her own fear moving her to open the boy’s eyes. They’re irritated and glimmering like glass, she felt her heart ache at seeing so much pain.

“You overslept, you were rushing to get to work when you fell. You hurt yourself on a broken bottle in the street and when you saw the blood you blanked out. That’s all you remember.” She spoke, her voice piercing through Jungkook’s thoughts.

“That’s all I remember.” He repeated, his mouth barely moving as Junhoe stepped in his side of vision. Before Jungkook woke up from the trans, he felt his eyes fall heavy, there was this smell, a scent so peculiar and precise that hugged his senses.

He was feeling sleepy at the pure whiff of that delicate and delicious smell, it was just like how Jin smelled. It had his cologne written all over and Jungkook was drowning in that smell, indulging on that familiar smell that always signaled his most favorite person, Jin.