= Chapter VIII =

The end of a Tail 

Without you a part of me's missing

Just to make you my own I will fight

“I don't understand what you mean.”

Jinki didn’t dare to get closer to her since he was sure that as soon as he tried to do it Hyejin would step back again.

“I am human but I am in part not human.”

Hyejin bit her lower lip recollecting the conversation she had with the old gardener before “Earth Gods…” Could it be?

Jinki widened his eyes surprised “How do you know about that?” He stepped towards her unconsciously, his eyes slowly getting back to its original color and she winced stepping back until her back hit the wall. She could not escape anymore and when he tried to raise his hand to try and calm her down she flinched making him withdraw it.

It was better to try and explain everything before he tried to touch her.

“The old gardener at the palace told me some things, some nonsense, it can't be true.” She shook her head slowly, her eyes moving around the room and ending on his.

“It's not a nonsense.”

“It really can't be true. It just can't…”

It was as if she was begging him to tell her that it wasn't. Jinki truly wished he could say it and not be a lie, that he was indeed normal and creatures like him didn't exist.

“I need to show you something.” he said calmly trying to hide how nervous he was and make her relax too “But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone and that you won't freak out!”

Hyejin swallowed hard. One of the things the old gardener told her about was that creatures like that could be dangerous.

Whatever Jinki was going to show her could be dangerous. He did ask her to keep it a secret.

She stared at him, her eyes moving from his eyes down his nose and ending at his lips. He was always so gentle to her, he cared about her so he wouldn't hurt her but...What did she truly knew about him after all?

“Will you guarantee my safety?” She mumbled and he stared at her astonished.

“What?” She wasn't sure if he was offended or hurt.

“T-the gardener said that...he said that it can be dangerous, people…being like that. That they can be dangerous.”

Jinki sighed, his face distressed. “What else did he tell you?”

“That Earth Gods are creatures that feed from humans.” She stepped away from the wall “They are vampires of emotions!”

“He called them vampires?” Jinki smiled bitterly “It’s not really like that. It can be worse sometimes.” His expression darkened and Hyejin realized that she rarely saw him like that. The Jinki she knew was always smiling. “Earth Gods are worse than vampires sometimes. They can not only drink your blood but also eat your flesh, use you in every way, absorb all of you until you're nothing.” Hyejin didn't dare to breathe and Jinki seemed to notice her scared expression and his voice became gentle again “But they can also be very similar to humans and not hurt them. Not everyone is the same, right? And I am one of the good ones!”

She didn't answer and he continued “Let me explain.”

Hyejin nodded even though she was certain he would still explain without her consent.

“But first let's sit.” He looked around and then grabbed her arm. Hyejin stared at his hand grabbing her but didn't pull it away “Come with me, please?”

His voice while making the request and his defeated expression made her follow him without question and he pulled her to her bedroom. Hyejin was pushed slightly in the direction of the bed where she sat, but he didn't sit beside her, instead he stood in front of her, nervously rubbing his neck as if he was trying to decide where to start.

“We feed from human emotions and fluids. What make people alive, like blood, tears and even fluids. We also feed from a person when it's happy or sad, or having pleasure or in fear….” Hyejin wasn't even blinking and Jinki his lips nervous “Maybe I should just show you first.”

“Show me?” She widened her eyes when he moved his hands to pull at his sweater. “Are you getting ? Now?”

He shook his head biting his lower lip nervously “Maybe I should just do it with clothes or…” he seemed in so much pain that it confused Hyejin even further “Aish.”

She flinched with his outburst and he took a deep breath and smiled weakly at her “Whatever happens promise me that you won't freak out ok? Or kick me out without letting me explain first. Also trust me. I’ll keep you safe.”

Hyejin nodded watching his every move, her mind blank since she didn't even dare to imagine what he would show her.

Jinki stepped back, giving himself more space and then spoke “I'm not a vampire but I am an Earth God. We aren't truly vampires in the way people see vampires but we do have an animal side.”

She frowned but didn't say anything so he sighed and said nothing. Actually he did nothing, he stood motionless in front of her and for a while nothing happened and Hyejin thought he was making fun of her until his eyes changed colors and became that pearlescent blue again.

He seemed to be gathering energy, maybe he was tired? She stopped wondering because after a few seconds her lips parted and she watched what was happening in front of her in shook.

Jinki’s body started to modify. She would never believe it if someone told her but it was happening in front of her.

His ears become pointy and white fur started to grow on them, his nose become almost cat like and whiskers popped up from his cheeks, his lips changed too into thin pink ones. He spread his arms on each side of him as if he wanted her to see and his fingers shortened and cat like paws showed up instead of his hands. The worst part that made her cover was when he shrinked and suddenly disappeared in front of her. His empty clothes in the middle of the room where the only sign that he was there.

“J-Jinki…” She barely could speak, her voice coming out strained. She knew. Deep down she knew, even before a white with black stripes cat came out from the middle of the clothes.

“Meow.” The cat said sitting over Jinki’s shirt raising his paw slightly as if he was apologizing, his sad blue eyes on her.

“Onew...no...Oh God.” She looked away, embarrassed, ashamed that she was tricked like that. All that time she was loving, taking care, acting like a fool confessing things to a cat that was in fact a man she was developing a crush on.

That couldn't be happening!

Before Hyejin had time to react, the cat’s eyes shined brightly and the process was reversed. He grew up in size, whiskers started to disappear, ears became human and fur became skin again.

A man - Jinki- was sitting over his clothes looking at her with sad pearlescent blue eyes, his hands covering his crotch.

Hyejin stared at his body her cheeks tinged with red, her eyes widened in horror and Jinki quickly pulled his clothes to cover himself.

She turned ninety degrees to the right, facing the wall but not daring to turn her back to him and Jinki got dressed as quickly as he could observing her profile.

She didn't spoke or move but her expression was gravely and he knew he was in trouble.

That break also gave her time to think and he could hear her heart beating fast, a raw sickening taste coming from her emotions.

“I’m dressed.” He said as soon as he was finished and slowly she looked back at him. “I'm sorry.”

Sorry wasn't a word good enough to describe how much he regretted hurting her.

“You are Onew.”

“Yes. I am Jinki and I am also Onew.” Was that taste in his tongue? Pain? Disappointment? Anger?

“I am a Earth God. I can change shape to a cat. Actually I am a tiger and Onew is my tiger name but I often change to a cat instead because…” he stopped talking realizing that she wasn't even paying much attention to what he was saying, her wet eyes on her lap.

“I never wanted to hurt you.” He moved to sit on the bed but kept his distance from her afraid she would hit him or worse run away.

“You deceived me.”

Jinki eyed her curled hands into fists over her lap and swallowed hard. He only wanted to grab her hand and tell her that he would make up for everything. “I couldn't tell you who I was. That night you saw me…” She flinched realizing finally what she saw that night in the palace “I lived there and you saw me and then you got hurt so I was worried. I was by you when Minho arrived and I wanted to know if you were ok. Then it was a misunderstanding after misunderstanding and you ended up adopting me.” He shook his head “No. I wanted to be beside you so I let myself stay by your side. I wanted you to know me.” She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes but looked away again, her passiveness worrying him. He wished she screamed at him instead. “I'm sorry I pretended to be normal. I'm really sorry but I did it because I wanted you to know me before you judged me for being... different.”

Still nothing.

“All my life I feared that the ones I cared about would see me as a monster. I was truly scared that in your eyes I would be like one.”

Hyejin didn't answer and instead stood up as if she made a final decision. She grabbed a pillow from her bed and threw it at him making Jinki stand up quickly grabbing it when it hit his chest. He did well protecting his body with it, since she was burning in anger, that he was feeding from, and managed to grab a few more objects from over her bed and bedside table to throw at him.

“GET OUT!” Jinki raised the pillow so that the book, the music box and water bottle she threw at him wouldn't hit him and the pillow instead.

“Hyejin please….”

“YOU ARE A LIAR!” She cried in anger “I almost slept with you!”

Jinki lowered the pillow slowly. He deserved it. He truly deserved that so he didn't move making her even more frustrated.

Hyejin looked at her empty bedside table and grabbed the only object remaining, her precious moon lamp.

Jinki widened his eyes “No don't do that. You love that!”

She hesitated biting her lower lip, tears falling down her cheeks.

He was right, she truly loved that stupid lamp. He knew her and it hurt her even more.

Jinki or Onew or whatever his name was knew all about her, he knew about her relationship with her mother and step brother, he knew her daily habits and the things she liked, her fears and feelings and he probably even saw her . There wasn't anything about her he probably didn't know and yet she knew nothing about him. All along she was left in the dark believing the half truths he told her. She wasn't even sure if they were half truths.

“It's special for you. Don't break it.” Jinki grabbed the water bottle from the floor and offered it to her “Use this instead. Hit me with it. I won't move.”

She choked on her tears frustrated and hugged the lamp moon against her, crying noisily.

“I'm so sorry.” Jinki was devastated and he had no idea what to do. Hyejin gave up on hurting him and was now crying like a little girl not even acknowledging his presence in the room. “I never wanted to deceive you or anyone. I was born this way.” She did not react to his words and he wasn't sure if she was hearing him “I'm like the moon. I don't belong anywhere. I didn't choose to be like this.” He felt like crying too. “For once in my life I wanted someone to like me for who I am inside and not judge me because of this curse.”

Hyejin sat on the bed crying still holding the moon against her as if she was hoping for it to illuminate her way out of that too.

Jinki placed the water bottle over the bedside table and turned to her.

“I know you might not believe me but I do love you.”

“You can't.” She raised her eyes to him “You are a cat.”

“A tiger actually…” he smiled softly at her. Glad she wasn't screaming anymore or ignoring him “But I am also human.”

“You're not human!” She said exasperated hitting him where it hurt the most.

“I am. Not entirely but I am.” He crouched in front of her looking deep into her eyes trying to make her understand what he meant “Only a human would be able to feel what I am feeling right now for you. Only a human can love like this, so yes I am a human.”

She sniffed, her nose red and Jinki fought the urge to hug her. He wanted to do it so badly like he did before when she was crying.

“Leave, please.” The request broke his heart but he didn't say anything. “I want you to leave.”

Hyejin never thought she would ever ask that to someone she loved and yet she was doing it now and Jinki seemed to understand what that request meant to her because he stood up and walked to the door of the bedroom where he hesitated.

“I will be back after you calm down.”

Hyejin stared into nothingness a barely eaten sandwich in her hand. Her coat was falling down her shoulder and even though the days were getting colder she wasn't noticing anything, her mind elsewhere.

The night before she learned that the man she was falling in love with - she would never admit it to anyone - was in fact a cat.

No, it's not a joke. In fact her whole life could be a very well written joke.

He father disappeared when she was little, her mother acted as if she didn't even exist, all her relationships never went far and she had a crush on a man for a long time where he never noticed her until the moment she started falling for another that was in fact a cat.

Hyejin smiled sadly “Damn I'm pathetic.”

“Unnie did you say anything? Are you ok?” Hyejin noticed Jiwoo for the first time.“You seem sick.”

She didn't sleep the whole night and spent it crying and she truly felt awful besides having puffy red eyes. No wonder Jiwoo thought she was sick.

“I think I could sell the story of my life to a drama writer.”

“Unnie?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking.” Hyejin bit her sandwich again and Jiwoo fixed her coat.

“You need to take care of yourself. I'm going out for a while, want me to buy you something from outside?”

“No, thank you.” There wasn't anything she truly wanted besides all that she learned the night before to be a lie.

Jiwoo left her and Hyejin sighed noticing it again.

Jinki, no! Onew was being very obvious all day. She spotted him as a cat moving around the palace for several times. He followed her around in cat form, watched her from afar and was now on the other side of the path, under the damn tree where they kissed, watching her, his tail moving slowly, his blue eyes on her.

“Go away!” She said eyeing the cat with anger “I don't want to talk with you nor see you!”

Yet Onew didn't move and sat instead observing her.

Hyejin grabbed a small pebble from the ground and raised her hand with it ready to throw it at him “Aren't you going to leave?”

Onew didn't move and she groaned frustrated standing up and walking away.

The cat followed after her so she walked faster and faster until she was running away from him.

Even though Hyejin started running down the path as if she was being chased by a wild animal, Onew didn't stop running after her, and of course he was way faster than her.

“Please stop following me!” Hyejin cried frustrated turning to see the white cat just beside her. She stopped in the middle of the path panting, facing him “Stop following him or I'll call animal control!”

“Hyejin?” Minho interrupted the cat-woman moment and stared at both curiously “What are you doing here with your cat?”

“He doesn't leave me alone!” She complained and Minho blinked his eyes confused looking at the cat.

“I thought he was your cat.”

“He isn't anymore!” She said angrily.

“Are you abandoning him?” Minho asked incredulous and Hyejin followed his gaze to the cat. Onew’s big innocent cat eyes were on her and she groaned.

Damn him!

“No. I'm just not talking with him!”

“Ok…” Minho chuckled finding that whole scene weird and yet cute.

“My break is ending, I need to get back to work.” Hyejin announced but before she could walk Minho stopped her.

“There is this play I want to see. Maybe we can go together.”

Hyejin felt her cheeks burn and she was sure Onew’s eyes were on her waiting for her answer too. Minho wanted to go on a date with her, he wanted to be with her and he cared for her, and he was human. He couldn't change into an animal and he didn't lie to her once.

“I know that you still didn't decide what you want to do and I don't want to force you to anything but do you want to go with me?” Minho asked.

Hyejin’s eyes flickered to Onew that was watching and then back to Minho.

To truly love someone you need to know about that person, what that person likes, what she hates, that person dreams and what makes that person tick. She used to believe she knew some of those things about Jinki and yet she didn't. But she did about Minho and maybe if she spent time with him, her feelings for him would come back.

“I would love to.” She forced a smile and Minho smiled back.

“Take care of yourself. You look exhausted.”

“I will.”

Minho walked away and Hyejin moved her eyes to the ground. Onew wasn't there.

She turned around searching for the cat and yet he was nowhere to be seen.

There was one thing she truly knew about him and it wasn't a lie.

Jinki was an expert when it came to leaving her.

The monster scratched the door for what seemed like hours. Hyejin didn't dare to move or even open her eyes, curled into a ball.

It seemed like the door would crack soon and she prayed for her mother or dad to come save her but no one came.

After a while the noise subsided and silence was the only thing that remained.

Hyejin slowly opened her eyes but was only greeted by darkness. She could see in the dark now and placed a hand on the door counting to ten slowly like her father taught her before she pushed the door open.

Nothing was outside so she carefully climbed down from the closet.

“Daddy?”

No one answered so she left the bedroom and entered the small living room almost sliding on the floor.

Something wet her sailor moon socks, something that wasn't water, something red.

Hyejin widened her eyes eyeing the small pool of blood on the floor.

“D-daddy?” her heart was beating so fast that it was almost painful.

No one answered but she wasn't alone in the room.

A huge creature was on the other side.

Hyejin blinked her eyes trying to understand what she was seeing.

It wasn't really an animal but it wasn't human either. Its fur was grey and it was slowly disappearing giving way to skin, the animal ears were also becoming curved like human ears and the paws became legs and arms. A man was in front of her in all fours looking fierce, blood falling down its mouth and chin, dropping to the floor.

What scared her the most were the blue eyes not moving from her.

Hyejin couldn't move, petrified with fear, but she opened to scream.

Before she did, someone wrapped an arm around her and she saw her feet being elevated from the ground, her pink now stained with red blood socks was the last thing she saw.

Hyejin darted up in her bed screaming, sweat wetting her pajama’s shirt and her face.

She panted cleaning her forehead and the light beside her bed.

Her nightmares were getting worse ever since what happened with Jinki and now she was dreaming with that every night. Hyejin wasn't sure if it was her subconscious adding Jinki’s transformation to her dreams and all that was her mind’s doing or if it was truly something from her past that she remembered thanks to Jinki.

She was never that scared. If that memory was real, then someone might have died that day, then that creature crossed her path and was real.

Heijin grabbed a water bottle from over her bedside table and drank it in big gulps.

If Jinki was with her she wouldn't have those dreams again. She felt safe in his arms before, before all that happened.

Now he wasn't much different from the scary monster of her dream.

Minho smiled widely when he saw Hyejin come down the stairs that lead to her apartment. She looked beautiful with a black short sleeve dress. The top was covered with lace and ended with a small bow on her waist, the skirt had blue flowers that matched her high heels. She stopped at the end of the stairs smiling weakly at him and Minho opened the door of his car for her.

He couldn't stop smiling, even though he knew that she wasn't as excited and him. He wasn't naive, he knew that she didn't feel well lately and he did notice that Jinki wasn't picking her up from work either. They probably had a fight and that was one of the reasons she accepted his invitation.

Even if things didn't work out between them, Minho wanted Hyejin to be happy so he didn't mind taking her out even if she had another man on her mind. At least he could try and distract her from what was hurting her.

“You look very beautiful.”

“Thank you. I tried really hard to.”

Minho shook his head as if she was saying a nonsense “You don't have to try hard to look pretty.”

Like a prince he offered her his hand and Hyejin placed hers in his and was ready to enter the carriage that in this case was his car, when Jinki showed up.

She immediately took her hand away, the involuntary gesture being noticed by Minho.

Jinki’s eyes lingered on Minho’s now empty hand and then moved to Hyejin.

She looked at him petrified as if she couldn't breathe and Minho watched both curiously.

If Hyejin looked sick those last days, Jinki looked like he was going to fall very soon.

His skin was pale - even under the street light, Minho could see it - he got thinner as if he wasn't eating much anymore, his eyes seemed to lost some of its sparkle, his hair was a mess and he was wearing an old black t shirt and simple jeans. He looked like Minho’s unemployed friend that he helped sometimes by lending money.

If the situation was different Minho would have asked Jinki if he needed help but he could read the mood perfectly and didn't dare to interfere. Jinki’s eyes were solely on Hyejin and he was the only one on her mind at the moment.

They were in their own world, a world where Minho was being completely ignored and maybe it was best that way since the situation seemed bad.

“I know it seems like I came to stop this date.” Jinki said glancing briefly at Minho before looking at Hyejin again “But I didn't. I came to speak with Hyejin.”

“I don't want to talk with you!” She said clutching her hands together.

Pain crossed Jinki’s features “You don’t miss me?” He bit his lower lip “I dare you to say that you don't miss me, not even a little bit!”

Hyejin looked away upset, her cheeks red. “Can you stop following me?!” She closed her eyes raising her voice “At work, everywhere I go…You keep following me!”

Minho stared at Jinki wondering if that was true. “I don't want to interrupt but...I need to ask you to stop following her, I mean…”

Jinki completely ignored him “I love you!” The urgency in his voice, the pain was so much that Hyejin seemed to vacillate “I love you and you love me! I know you do!” His eyes moved to her chest as if he could see her heart beating there “I can taste it. I can hear it…I feel it!” He moved his hands frustrated. “You can't lie to me!”

“I’m scared!” She almost screamed desperate “That's why it beats so fast. You are mistaken! I don't love you!”

“You are lying!” He accused her “Please you have to think this through please!”

“I'M NOT!” She screamed losing her temper covering her ears to not hear him anymore “I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT THIS! YOU ARE A MONSTER!”

As soon as the words left it was as if silence fell over the whole street.

Minho watched the expression on Jinki’s face change. His frustration seemed to dissipate with the urgency of his feelings and he stared blankly at Hyejin. She wasn't better, in fact she seemed to be worse than him, the horror in her eyes. She regretted what she said but it was too late now.

Jinki’s eyes fell to the ground and for a few seconds Minho thought he would cry as if he was little kid being offended in the playground but he didn't, he looked up his eyes drifting briefly to him and then back to Hyejin. There was no emotion in his eyes.

“Right...well that settles things perfectly.” he the corner of his mouth “Now I know perfectly what my role in this fairytale is.”

That didn't seem to make any sense to Minho but it did to Hyejin that widened her eyes.

“I'm sorry!” She blurted out ”I didn't mean it like that, you know what I meant…”

“I know what you mean perfectly.” he nodded his head mechanically “This is your decision and I will respect it. I'm not going to bother you anymore. It's a happy ending as soon as the monster leaves.” He chuckled dejected his painfully blank eyes on Hyejin “Goodbye.”

Minho swallowed hard wondering why he wasn't happy with that situation when he just got rid of a possible suitor for the girl he liked and he realized why as soon as he looked at her.

Hyejin was crying silently as if she was the one that was called a monster, her eyes following Jinki that was now walking away. She bit her lower lip before starting sobbing and Minho moved his fingers on the door of his car that he was holding all that time without even noticing.

Hyejin crouched on the floor crying loudly now and Minho slowly closed the door.

“You can follow after him.” He said in a whisper “You can say you are sorry.”

He wasn't giving up on her but he didn’t want to be a complete either. Jinki was good to him before and he was repaying the gesture. He was after all the one who told him to go after Hyejin if he truly wanted to.

“Hyejin?”

She didn't answer still crying, her shoulders shaking and Minho sighed pulling her up gently and against his chest where she sobbed noisily because of another man.

He patted her back softly sadly eyeing the tickets for the play over his seat.

Guess he wasn't seeing that play after all.

It was morning already and soon the palace would be filled with people, either staff coming to work or visitors.

Hyejin would arrive to and Jinki meant what he said. He was leaving her for good. She made her decision so he would respect it. That meant not following her around anymore, it meant not seeing her anymore it meant cutting ties with her forever.

He cleaned his cheek sniffing and blinked his wet eyes before standing up.

Humans weren't supposed to step on the grass but he did so many times before as a cat and that night he did it as human. He felt like he had the right to be selfish on the last day at the palace. It was his home for a few months and he truly was happy there. He met Hyejin there, he fell in love for the first time there and he dreamed that he would be able to change his destiny.

Jinki inhaled the cold air and then took off his clothes until he was completely . He folded them carefully and placed it over a bench. Someone would find it and throw it away or give away to charity. He didn't care, he didn't need it anymore.

He closed his eyes and after a while he turned back into a cat meowing in pain.

He wasn't feeding for a while and he felt weak. His body hurt every time he turned and as soon as he arrived back home he needed to feed. Fortunately his parents always had blood.

As a cat Jinki sat over the grass again and watched the blue skies.

The first time he turned, it also hurt very much. It was as if someone was ripping his skin open. Even his teeth hurt and the worst part of it all was the look in his parents face when they saw him.

The first time a tiger god changes is supposed to be a big event, moreover when you are the first born of the clan chief. Important members were invited, the whole family waited in anticipation and even Jinki - that was scared that he wasn't able to change - was excited.

His fears of not being able to change was silly compared to the cruel truth that in fact his fur was white, that he wasn't normal like others.

Jinki could remember clearly how his mother shivered a small whimper leaving her lips, how his father looked horrified as horrified as Hyejin when he changed in front of her. Every other person on the room looked at him as if he was an anomaly and Jinki turned his head and stared at the mirror wall behind him.

The eyes that looked back at him were in fact the eyes of a tiger and he looked healthy beautiful fur but in the wrong color.

Jinki heard so many stories about his ancestors and he had to learn about it from the elders of the clan but he never heard about any white tiger. He had no idea what it meant but for sure it was not a good thing.

He wasn't wrong.

Jinki was doomed since the start to not fit anywhere. In the eyes of his clan he was a monster, a bad omen. In the eyes of humans, including Hyejin, he was also a monster, a curse.

What to do when you don't fit anywhere?! When you don't have a purpose?!

He was like the moon, but at least the moon was loved and admired by humans.

Onew sighed and then walked out of the grass slowly. Why be in a rush to do something he didn't want to?

A familiar scent made Jinki hesitate and he saw an old friend coming in his direction.

The old gardener also stopped observing Onew. “Time to go home?”

Jinki meowed softly in an answer.

“I’m sorry that things didn't work out for you.” The man said “But you know, I know, we both do. Sometimes we can't beat our own destiny.”

But that was the core of the problem.

What was in fact Jinki’s destiny?

Jinki didn't have many things hidden in Hyejin’s building rooftop so it was easy for him to grab his backpack and come down from it.

He avoided the time she was home since it was better to not see her anymore but his heart was his weakness and he saw himself come down the path that lead to their kissing spot, knowing quite well that there was a chance that she would pass by it at the same time and they would meet there like they did so many times before.

He smelled Hyejin even before he saw her and hesitated, walking slower until he saw her.

She was staring at her feet and the ground in front of her until she realized someone was closeby. As soon as she looked at him she stopped, frozen, wondering what his intentions were.

For a brief moment Jinki hoped that she would come to him and kiss him like they did before but she didn't and he swallowed hard, pushing down his pain and started walking down the road passing by her without a word as if they were only two strangers.

It was probably meant to be like that all along. If he didn't cross her path, right now she would be dating Minho and she would be happier.

However Jinki wasn't able to walk much further, his senses warning him to danger. There was a distinctive smell, a smell his kind hated and Jinki turned around, his eyes falling on Hyejin that was oblivious to any danger.

Maybe the danger was directed at him and not her. However Taemin did warn him about it, about being around Hyejin and leaving his smell on her. It was true that they didn't see each for days and he didn't touch her but he did touch her clothes when he did the laundry and even if his smell wasn't on her it would probably still linger on her clothes.

He couldn't walk away now and leave her alone but he also couldn't follow her and make whatever was targeting him hurt her. So he stayed in full alert watching her steps.

Everything was calm and silent and after a while Hyejin stopped and turned around. They were far away but he could see her looking back at him, probably wondering why he wasn't leaving their kissing spot.

Jinki didn't make any sign that he knew her and tried to look away and act casual and that's when he saw it.

The big creature came out from the shadows and Hyejin screamed backing away from it, her back hitting the railing.

Jinki watched the whole scene in horror but not as much as Hyejin.

The creature of her nightmares was there alive. It looked like a big gray wolf with its mouth open, big sharp teeth coming out from it while it salivated furiously. The fur on his back was raised and whatever that creature was it was ready to attack her and she was sure she didn't stand a chance. She had nowhere to run since it would catch her easily.

Hyejin was terrified and her legs failed making her fall to the ground helplessly. She completely forgot about Jinki and only noticed his presence when he ran in front of her, positioning himself protectively between her and the creature.

“Who are you? How dare you break the peace agreement?”

The creature growled dangerously at him, it's blue eyes similar to Jinki’s sparkling. Whatever it said to Jinki it wasn't good.

“You better leave.” He warned the creature with a soft voice and yet it made Hyejin shiver in fear. That Jinki in front of her wasn’t once again the one that she used to know. “You know who I am right? You know who my father is? If you dare to touch her you will have problems!”

The creature stepped closer not seeming scared of Jinki’s words and he stepped back too, throwing his backpack on the floor.

“As soon as he is distracted you run.” He told her not even looking at her and Hyejin saw in horror how his body started to change.

At first she thought he was going to turn into a cat and it confused her because what would a cat do against a wolf, however he didn't and soon clothes got ripped and a big white tiger was in front of her looking fiercely at the wolf.

Jinki told her to run and yet Hyejin didn't move watching them walk around each other growling before the big wolf jumped over the tiger.

She screamed because that wasn't only a tiger, that was Jinki and the wolf was biting his back with his big teeth.

The tiger cried turning with his tummy up and throwing the wolf away with his paws. Clearly Jinki wasn't used to fight and Hyejin watched the whole fight fearing for his safety, her heart pounding violently.

Jinki was fast to recover and bit the wolf's neck making him howl. The strong sound seemed to attract some attention and Hyejin heard someone cry in the night “There is a wolf and tiger fighting...Call the police...OH MY GOD!”

Hyejin grabbed the railing standing up and she tried to find who screamed but the street was deserted. She couldn't blame the person, if she was the one in their place she would have ran too.

Once she looked back to the fight Jinki was no longer biting the wolf and it was instead over Jinki biting his side, making him lay on the ground helpless under it. The wolf was bleeding for the neck but still it moved away with his bloody mouth still growling.

Hyejin covered her wet eyes remembering her dream. This time she knew who was the owner of that blood and her chest hurt deeply.

It didn't matter, the creature was coming for her now and soon she wouldn't feel anything.

She could only hear her heart thumping wildly, her heavy breathing and Jinki’s one. At least he was still alive and maybe the creature would leave after dealing with her.

Nothing happened and slowly she uncovered her eyes. The creature left and Hyejin crawled on the ground closer to the tiger. She hesitantly touched its tummy her hand coming bloody.

“Oh Jinki...please…”

The creature’s eyes moved to her and she whimpered because the blue light wasn't there anymore, instead it was Jinki’s pure human eyes looking back at her.

“Are you ok? You need to go back to being a human before someone comes. You need medical care.”

He didn’t answer and didn't change back, slowly his eyes closed and Hyejin realized that he has lost his consciousness.

“No...Oh no!” She moved her hands over his fur not knowing what to do. He wasn't a human he was only a tiger and…

Slowly his body started to change and in the place of a bloody tiger a hurt human appeared.

Hyejin sobbed covering with one hand and the big wound on his back with the other.

“You are bleeding so much….”

“Hyejin?” Minho’s voice made her look up and relief washed over her.

“Minho I need your help!” The poor guy looked at her and Jinki in panic. He came to visit her and instead he found her with bloody hands besides a Jinki.

“What happened? Why is he ? Were you attacked? Are you hurt?”

“I'm fine! Just help me take him to my place.”

“Your place?” Minho crouched beside Jinki picking up his clothes from the floor and widening his eyes when he saw all of them ripped “He needs to go to a hospital!”

Hyejin grabbed Jinki’s backpack to search for clothes inside it but he had nothing. “No. he can't go to an hospital. No one can see him like this. Please Minho...please!”

He sighed giving in to her desperate pleas and went to his car to grab a blanket. He wrapped it around Jinki and then grabbed him in his arms carrying him to the backseat of his car. Hyejin followed after him desperately holding Jinki’s head and helping him.

“Hyejin what is happening?” Minho asked once he closed the door of the back seat and opened the one to the driver's seat. She climbed on the seat beside him, her cheeks dirty with blood and tears.

“You won't believe me but Jinki just saved my life!”

Hyejin placed the wet towel over Jinki’s forehead and watched him tiredly. Everything was quiet now and she was the only one beside Jinki that was lying on her bed only wearing a pair of pants that Minho had in his car. His torso was wrapped in white bandages and once in awhile he would whimper, his fever not coming down.

With Minho’s help Hyejin brought him to her place. They cleaned his wounds but they wouldn't stop bleeding, huge bite marks making Minho frown incredulous. Hyejin didn't know how to explain to him what happened but he didn't ask her anything. Instead he called an old friend that was a doctor and he came to tend to Jinki’s wounds. He left already with Minho that told Hyejin to call him if Jinki’s fever wasn't going down.

Hours passed and nothing and she wondered if she should call Minho or ask for someone more experienced - the old gardener - to help, after all Jinki wasn't a human like them.

Hyejin covered her face desperate, watching Jinki from between her fingers. She was going to lose him if he didn't get better and she couldn't imagine it. A life without him was not an option.

She was in love. She was deeply and irrefutably in love with him.

Yes, he wasn't a normal person, yes he meant trouble but still she loved him and she would do anything to save him.

She was too small and weak when her father left home but this time she was no longer and she was going to do anything to keep Jinki from leaving her.

“You need to come back to me.” She whispered uncovering her eyes and touching his pale cheek instead. “I'm sorry I called you a monster. You aren't one at all.” She blinked her tired eyes that lately seemed to be always wet with tears “I was so furious with you not because of who you are but because you lied to me.” It was her honest feelings and Hyejin sighed because Jinki didn't even blink with her words.

“Tell me what I have to do to make you feel better. There must be some kind of medicine or something that makes you feel better.”

Nothing.

Hyejin leaned forward to kiss his forehead when she noticed him move his nose as if he was sniffing her. It was true that Jinki always said she smelled nice and he seemed to enjoy smelling her and now she realized that maybe he was smelling her blood instead. She did learn from the gardener that creatures like him liked body fluids and he also told her that day he revealed his true form to her. He probably needed that to get stronger.

Hyejin raised her arm and placed her wrist close to Jinki’s nose. He moved slightly and opened his mouth as if he was waiting for her to pour her blood in his mouth.

“You are hungry for energy right?”

She took her arm away hugging it against her chest. She was insane but she was truly pondering feeding him her blood. Hyejin did watch several vampires movies before and sometimes the heroin feed the vampire she loved by giving her wrist for him to bit so maybe she could also do it.

It seemed unreal how she placed her wrist next to his lips and more surreal when he it hesitantly, his eyes moving and opening slightly.

“It's ok…” she said shivering in fear of what would happen next and yet not taking her arm away “As long as you feel better you can do it.”

Jinki her wrist making her whimper with the hot contact of his tongue. She was always so sensitive to his touch. Even though it was sensual how he kissed and the skin of her wrist it soon became scary when he grabbed her arm firmly before he opened his mouth and bit her.

Hyejin cried in pain trying to take her arm away but he grabbed it firmly her blood, acting like a famished cat.

The pain subsided a little and Hyejin relaxed blushing because that intimate scary contact made her feel funny inside, maybe a little aroused. He her blood for a while drinking it hungrily, his tongue and lips on her skin making her feel too warm, until he opened his eyes again.

It was working and Hyejin smiled relieved to see him look at her, tears of pain in her eyes. Even though his expression was blank and he seemed to be in a daze, he was at least awake.

Jinki choked on her blood and pulled her arm away turning on the bed, hurting his side and screaming in pain.

“Stop moving you are hurt!” she grabbed him by his shoulders leaning over him and Jinki stopped, his eyes falling on her arm, on the blood dripping from the bite he gave her.

“No…” He mumbled pulling her arm to his and Hyejin gasped waiting for the pain thinking he was going to feed again but he didn't. Instead he kissed her wrist, her skin with his tongue thoroughly until she cried, not tolerating that pleasuring and painful situation anymore. How could his tongue touching her skin make her burn in desire like that? How could such a scary painful experience make her aroused?

After a while he seemed satisfied and released her arm and Hyejin looked at it surprised. The wound was closed now and besides some small marks of his teeth the cut was gone. There was only a small sensation in it, the pain gone.

“How did you do this?” She asked turning to Jinki but he was already panting heavily again as if he just used all the energy she just gave to him to cure her, a pained expression on his face.

“I don't want your blood.” He said in a weak voice. ”I'm not a monster.”

Hyejin groaned moving over the bed, sitting by his side on it “I don't care. If this is what you need to feel better than take it.”

“No!” He said stubbornly looking away and Hyejin grabbed the wet towel that has fallen from his head and placed it over his forehead again.

“You still have a fever. You need more energy. If you are not taking my blood then…”

Hyejin swallowed hard her eyes moving down Jinki’s hurt chest to his pants.

He followed her gaze, his feverish eyes on her waiting.

Big emotions, pleasure, he mentioned something about fluids also. If her blood wasn’t enough then she needed to try something else. She had no idea how it truly worked, if he was the one that had to have pleasure or her but it didn't matter, she would try.

“...I can give you that.”

He whimpered not saying anything and Hyejin started touching him over his pants.

Jinki tried to speak but she kissed him instead, so insistently that he started kissing her passionately back, his hands moving to her neck, fingers touching her skin possessively.

Hyejin realized that Jinki wasn't entirely in control of his body. Maybe that change from tiger to human when he was hurt was too forced and he was still acting like his tiger self even if his human side was still there.

Hyejin wrist where he bit her was burning as if the mark he left on her body recognized his touch on her but she didn't care. Instead she touched his lower body over his pants carefully and hesitantly, since she was inexperienced, but Jinki seemed to enjoy it groaning in pleasure.

Hyejin pressed her hand against his crotch marveled with the hard body she could feel under it. She kissed him again her shaking fingers ing his pants - she wanted to touch him under it, to make her body and his burn and offer that energy to him so that he could get better.

“Jinki.” She mumbled against his lips, her passionate eyes on his.

He raised his fingers to touch her cheek, blinking his eyes briefly when she managed to slip her hand under his pants, touching since he was not wearing any underwear. Hyejin's cheeks became pink and she leaned against his touch, her fingers exploring his manhood. She never once touched someone like that and Jinki knew. He also knew what she was feeling, he could smell her blood and her aroused body. He could also hear her heart beating fast and feel her skin react to his touch.

He was burning in fever and love, fighting his animal side and his heart so he wouldn't react to her caresses and take her fiercely almost desperate because not only his heart needed it but also his body claimed that medicine she was offering.

He didn't want her first time to be like that though. He hated how he loved drinking her blood, how he still could taste it in his mouth and how he wanted more.

She said he wasn't a monster - yes he heard her - and yet he was acting like one, using her to get better, using her like his kind used humans.

“Jinki...look at me.” He opened his eyes again a soft moan escaping his lips because her inexperienced hands were ing him, her lips kissing his neck sweetly. “Is it working? Does it feel good?”

Feel good? Was she crazy? It felt wonderful to be touched by her.

He clenched his teeth moving his hands to her thighs and then turned her abruptly making her fall beside him in bed, before he leaned over her.

His torso hurt like hell but he didn’t move, grabbing her wrists over her head so that she couldn't touch him anymore and was defenseless under him.

Hyejin didn't blink her eyes staring back at him while he smelled her like a wild animal trying to decide if she was safe to eat.

No fear came from her, only that sweet taste he loved and Jinki’s expression softened, his animal side being defeated by his human one.

She parted her lips, her voice coming from far away even though she was next to him. “You can take me...I-I don't mind.”

He did. He was fighting his feelings and hunger.

Jinki closed his feverish eyes losing his strength to fight.

Aaaaah I'm sorry for the ending...

I cut some scenes. It will be on the next chapter that I will write after In trouble with you.

Also I'm sorry that it took a while for me to update.

Things are getting more steamy and dangerous now and Hyejin knows about Jinki's identity.

Minho got involved too...and the creatures from Hyejin's dream are back.

Tell me what you think ~