Baekhyun couldn’t sense anything when he woke up. None of his senses worked. His sight, his hearing, his touch, his smell, and his taste. His brain couldn’t register anything. His immortal sense, which was always working, was dysfunctional. It was like he was a big empty shell. Blank.

 

This must be a dream. I am dreaming.

 

Baekhyun willed himself to calm down for a few minutes, maybe hours, he didn’t know. A sense of relief washed over him when his most sensitive sense, hearing, came back to him. He heard explosion. Boom… boom… boom…. He was panicked for a while until he realized it was the sound of his own heartbeats. At least now he knew he was alive.

 

It didn’t take long before his other senses were back one by one. His smell, now he was breathing normally and smelled nothing particular other than dampness. And dampness never meant good.

 

The next sense was his taste. Somehow, the tang taste of blood in his mouth didn’t surprise him at all. He began to guess what had happened to him, and he had a bad feeling that his guess was probably right.

 

His sense of touch came next. He was lying on his stomach, on something concrete and cold. He tried to move his body. Not a chance. He couldn’t move his fingers even the slightest. This was bad news. A fae like him--scratch that--any immortal beings, relied on their move the most. Fast movement was their virtue. If Baekhyun couldn’t move, he was as good as dead.

 

His sense of sight came back hours later when he finally could move both of his lids open. Except, he still couldn’t see anything. It was either he had lost his sight, or he was inside a room with no single hint of light.

 

Now he was completely screwed. His power was totally useless with no source of light.

 

His immortal sense was the last to come back. He tried to roam his sense outside the space he was in. He could sense that he was inside of a locked cell under a jail compound. If he wanted to escape, he needed to climb up through a hole five meters above his head. He could feel the jail was filled with other immortal beings just like him; there were vampires, werewolves, demons, valkyries, witches, even sorcerers. He was the only fae here, though. But it was apparent that this jail was ruled by ghouls as their presence was the strongest.

 

Baekhyun mentally gasped. Now he remembered.

 

Hundreds of ghouls attacked his fae compound, injuring hundreds of his race. Baekhyun had desperately tried to protect his compound. But he was the only fae warrior who was off rotation that night. He was alone in protecting his compound. His comrades were somehow out of reach, leaving Baekhyun to face the ghouls only with his arrows and his useless light power. He can’t even use his white arrow because it would destroy his troops.

 

Baekhyun remembered the ghouls stabbed him multiple times until he couldn’t stand on his feet anymore. But none of them tried to eat his flesh--they didn’t even bite him--which was weird because ghouls always bite and eat the flesh of their enemies if they wanted them to fall down.

 

Baekhyun remembered he was in and out of consciousness when he arrived here and once again being tortured by the ghouls. They beat him, slashed him, stabbed him, skinned him, but did nothing to him with their ultimate ability; their bites. They were the most feared torture device in the immortal world as their saliva contained deadliest poison that could make the victim of their bites feel agony beyond reality.

 

Now Baekhyun knew why he lost all his senses when he woke up. He had been dead because of the torture.

 

At times like these, Baekhyun felt grateful that immortal beings couldn’t be killed unless their heads were completely cut off. Other causes of death would result on being resurrected no matter how bad the injury was. That was why immortals could be tortured endlessly and died repeatedly. Which probably what would happen to Baekhyun in the near future if he didn’t escape this jail quickly. Who knew when the ghouls will use their bites on him. Baekhyun shivered on the thought as he desperately tried to move his fingers once again.

 

It moved!

 

But almost right after, he heard the metal sound. The hole into his cell was opened and he felt the presence of ghouls. There were four of them. Baekhyun could see a glint of light from outside the hole but, before he could even blink, the hole was closed, enclosing him once again with darkness. The difference was now he got companies.

 

“You’re ready to play again, Baekhyun?” One of them said.

 

Baekhyun itched to throw a snarky remark back at them but he still couldn’t find his voice. Well, at least, when they tortured him this time, Baekhyun wouldn’t wake the whole jail compound with his screams of pain.

 

 

#

 

 

“The team patrolling this evening are Jongin, Kyungsoo, Minseok, Chanyeol, and me.”

 

Chanyeol jerked his head up when he heard his name was called by Junmyeon. He was too busy squeezing his eyes shut, trying to tame down the pain in his chest that had been slowly but surely killing him for the past month. He shook his head to get rid of the dizziness that started to crawl into. He didn’t need another addition of pain tonight. Chest pain was enough.

 

“You’re alright, Chanyeol?” Junmyeon asked him from across their meeting table. The team leader’s hard face was softened with worry.

 

Chanyeol rubbed his face harshly. “I’m okay.”

 

“Your chest is hurting again, isn’t it?” Junmyeon asked again.

 

Now the whole team was looking at Chanyeol. And Chanyeol looked back at his team, a group of elite vampire warrior, the strongest and well-trained beings. He hated to see the worried expression on their faces. He wanted to tell them to lighten up, that his chest pain was nothing. It wasn’t like he would be dead anyway. His heart wasn’t even beating, courtesy of him still had not found his mate. But if he was in their position, that one of the warriors was clearly in pain, he would hate to be told that it was nothing. They, the warriors, were bonded after all. The connection between all of them was strong. He appreciated their care for him, but he didn’t want them to worry about him.

 

“Do you want me to check on you again, Chanyeol?” Now Yixing, Junmyeon’s second in command as well as the warriors’ healer, was the one who talked. His healing power was a gift to the warriors, never failed to amaze the entire race. That was why when Chanyeol came to him and Yixing found nothing wrong with him, the healer had been so down for not being able to heal him.

 

“No, it’s okay, Yixing. Really, guys, there’s nothing to worry about.”

 

Their expressions began to relax. One by one, they looked back at Junmyeon, ready to listen to another prep before this evening’s patrol.

 

Chanyeol closed his eyes in relief. Thank God he was on rotation tonight. He had been off for three days due to his chest pain, and he had itched to do some action. He missed being in the field and slashed some ghouls’ throats with his blade. Besides, their team only consisted of eight males. The Warrior couldn’t afford to lose even one person in this critical time of their world.

 

His gaze roamed around the room to look at his team. Junmyeon, their leader, had led the vampire warriors for more than a hundred year, even before Chanyeol joined the group. Yixing, the kindest warrior here, had healing gift that made people think he couldn’t fight but he was really terrifying in the field. Jongin, he joined the Warrior the latest--around fifty years ago--but he was physically the strongest of them all. Sehun was the youngest. They were all around four hundred years old, while Sehun was just turned three hundreds a few months ago. Jongdae was another gifted warrior in the group other than Yixing. He could electrocute anything he touched by his will, making him easily the most feared vampire warrior. Kyungsoo and Minseok were the blessing additions to the team. They were not vampires, but they were vampire’s mates. As long as they had the capabilities on par with the warriors, they could join the team. Kyungsoo was a witch and he was Jongin’s mate, while Minseok was Jongdae's mate and was a demon. The couples were also the only people in the room who had heartbeats and were breathing.

 

Vampire beings wouldn’t be able to breathe, or had their hearts beating, if they hadn’t found their mate. Such an odd occurrence, but Jongdae once told him that when it happened, his whole world changed.

 

And then there was Chanyeol. He was recruited by the Warrior a hundred years ago. Since he joined the team, he was known as the Warrior’s most skillful and strongest next to Jongin. He was the Warrior’s killing machine--the most powerful warrior--but he had been the weakest of them all for this past month because of his chest pain. The chest that not even bore a beating heart. He was mateless, alright, but it wasn’t like he was in a hurry to find his mate. For him, mate could be his doom.

 

“It seems like the ghouls are on the move again,” Kyungsoo opened the discussion. Everyone put their attention on him. “I just got the news that one of my kind was taken again two days ago. She has illusion power.”

 

“And we just got a report that Haejin, the vampire that has the power of mind-reading was taken too last night,” Junmyeon added.

 

Chanyeol clicked his tongue. “, they really take only the gifted ones.”

 

Junmyeon nodded. “That was why I just issued a warning for absolute isolation for the gifted. They couldn’t leave the compound. That applies to Yixing and Jongdae, too. Both of you are off rotation until indefinite time.”

 

“What?” Jongdae’s voice scalded an octave higher. “You did not just say that.”

 

“You can’t do this, Junmyeon. We ran out of people here.” Yixing didn’t try to hide his dissatisfaction too. His expression was furious.

 

Junmyeon groaned. “Just look at the list on the papers that all of you have. We lost 3 vampires, 4 witches, 1 fae, 2 demons, 3 werewolves, 4 valkyries, and 2 sorcerers in one goddamn month. Every faction, each of us, gone. Poof. To god knows where. We can’t afford to lose any other. So god help me, both of you, shut up.”

 

Chanyeol bit the inside of his cheek to avoid saying anything and knew that he wasn't the only one doing that. Their leader was losing his mind, they all were. This situation was so messed up and none of them knew what to do.

 

Not only vampire’s, but other races’ warriors were out in the field every day and night to save their world, risking their lives every day not only to the ghouls but also to human exposures. This can’t go on forever. Whatever the ghouls were up to, they had to stop them.

 

“We’ll go out in an hour and try Kyungsoo’s stone tonight. Does anybody still have anything to say?” Junmyeon said after he calmed himself down.

 

All the warriors shook their heads, including Chanyeol. He could see in everyone's eyes that they just wanted to go in the field as soon as possible to put an end to this.

 

 

#

 

 

Chanyeol opened the metal door to his collection of weapons. Every size and type of daggers and swords, every kind of guns, arrows, silver chains. He took his favorite weapon, daggers, and put it into the sheath latched on his sword belt around his waist.

 

He was walking to his bed to retrieve his leather jacket when he felt the pain in his chest again. He immediately staggered and almost fell onto his knees.

 

“Ah, .” Chanyeol growled, clutching the center of his chest, and kept walking toward his bed.

 

Can he patrol in this condition? He wasn’t sure but he had no choice. He wasn’t going to stay inside his house doing nothing while three people of his faction gone missing. He just got to it up.

 

As he tried to calm himself, his eyes fell onto the stack of papers that Junmyeon had given to the team at the meeting before. With his free hand, he reached out to the bedside table and took the papers.

 

Looking at the face of the missing people motivated him even more. He made sure to look at every face of the missing immortals, engraving them to his brain so he could remember them when he fought some ghouls tonight.

 

One of the photos of the missing beings caught his eyes. A male with short jet black hair and pointy ears. A fae. A very beautiful fae. He was the only fae that had gone missing. His name was Baekhyun and his gift was light, whatever that meant.

 

Chanyeol remembered that the fae’s abduction was different from the others’. Other races were abducted when they were roaming around outside their compound. While this fae was abducted through an attack in his compound, resulting even worse casualties than the others' abduction.

 

So, whatever that gift of light was, it was clear that the ghouls really wanted it.

 

Chanyeol looked at the face of the beautiful fae once more. He just realized that his chest pain had gone.

 

 

#

 

 

As Chanyeol, Junmyeon, Jongin with Kyungsoo in his arms traced out of the compound and materialized in the middle of the dark, foggy dark alley, Chanyeol started to feel a pump of adrenaline he had been missing the last three days. Here he was belong, in the field, with his fellow warriors.

 

From the distance, Chanyeol could hear the loud sound of bass from the bar he usually visited. His sharp hearing also caught laughs, giggles, screams of amusement, girl fights, honking cars, coughs, sniffles, people kissing. Nothing out of ordinary.

 

In the human world, at least.

 

Walking down the dark alley toward the busy main road, the warriors cloaked haze--some kind of a mist to make them invisible from the mortal’s eyes--around them.

 

“They’re near,” Junmyeon said as he led the way.

 

“Yeah, I could sense them as well.” Chanyeol hissed lowly and bared his fangs.

 

“Remember, we should at least let one of them live. Kyungsoo, you brought the stone, right?” Junmyeon turned to Kyungsoo.

 

Kyungsoo answered him with showing the stone that bore a strong repellent spell. The stone glowed in his hand. The witch had worked on the stone for a week and now it was time to test his work.

 

All this time, the reason all warriors couldn’t track where the ghouls kept the missing immortals was not because ghouls were incredibly strong. If anything, ghouls were in fact much weaker than vampires. In the mission to find the abductees, the warriors decided that they wouldn’t kill the ghouls. They would only injured them, then tortured them until they gave the location of the abductees. But every time they were a second from being defeated, the gold necklaces around their neck were activated and their necks exploded, cutting off their heads.

 

Everyone suspected that the gold necklaces were under a strong spell of a witch or sorcerer. Nobody knew. That was why Kyungsoo had been trying to make the repellent stone. The witch said that the stone only should touch the necklace, then the spell from the necklace will dissipate. Hopefully, Kyungsoo’s repellent spell was strong enough to stop the ghouls from their suicide mission.

 

Chanyeol drew his double dagger from his belt. “Let’s get this over with.”

 

Chanyeol went along the big road and casted a glance to every corner, checking if they had good distance with the humans. They can’t afford any mortal casualties and witnesses. When he was sure that it was clear, Chanyeol hurried his steps, not really care if his warrior brothers followed him or not. He followed his instinct to where the ghouls were.

 

Two blocks later, they stopped running. They knew their enemy was close by, but they could also tell that the ghouls were not alone. There was another immortal with them. A female demon.

 

When they rounded the next corner following the scent of blood of the demon, they found the ghouls and the demon in a small dark alley.

 

Chanyeol’s blood immediately run cold as the moonlight fell over a gruesome scene in front of him. The ghouls were twisting their swords to the demon’s stomach. Her face was battered until it was barely recognizable.

 

“Son of a ,” Chanyeol hissed, tightening his grip to his blade.

 

The ghouls sensed them and looked over their shoulders. The motherers had the gut to smile at them. And that was what set Chanyeol off. Chanyeol was all business when he leaped forward at the same time as one of the ghouls ran toward him. Chanyeol could feel Kyungsoo follow him close behind. He glanced toward the witch and nodded at him, signaling that he remembered their strategy; Chanyeol, Jongin, and Junmyeon will fight the ghouls, while Kyungsoo would take the business of repelling the spelled gold necklace.

 

Chanyeol didn’t stop running until they met the ghoul in the middle; two trucks crashed into each other in full speed. Chanyeol took the advantage of his big body and gave the first punch, right into the ghoul’s jaw. A burst of blood splattered onto the pavement. The ghoul was momentarily dazed and Chanyeol didn’t wait for a second before he grabbed the back of the ghoul’s jacket and threw him to the solid wall, blowing his opponent even more of head damage.

 

“Don’t kill him, Chanyeol.” Chanyeol heard Junmyeon not far away from him. He must be fighting the other ghoul along with Jongin.

 

The ghoul in front of him must have been understood of what Junmyeon meant by that sentence because now his hand was touching something on his neck. Chanyeol grinned and surged forward again. The ghoul screamed in pain when Chanyeol grabbed his neck and pushed him up against the wall. Without hesitation, he kicked both of the ghoul’s legs, shattering his joint so he couldn’t run from him. But the ghoul still moved around like crazy, trying to free himself from Chanyeol’s hold.

 

“Stupid, ghoul. You can’t get away from me.” Chanyeol smiled, baring his fangs while looking at the ghoul’s neck. “I’m stronger than you although I haven’t fed in a while now.”

 

“No, don’t bite me,” the ghoul screamed in panic.

 

Chanyeol cocked his eyebrows. “Nah, you’re more useful alive than dead.” Chanyeol glanced at his back. “Kyungsoo.”

 

Kyungsoo, who was just watching him fighting from behind him for a while, finally approached them. Seeing the witch, the ghoul evidently became more frantic. Obviously, he was scared of what Kyungsoo had for him.

 

With his silent steps, Kyungsoo took position beside Chanyeol. His face was right beside Chanyeol’s straining biceps, trying to keep the ghoul still until Kyungsoo could repel the necklace with his stone. Keeping his gaze on the ghoul, Chanyeol could sense both Jongin and Junmyeon had joined them too now. The other ghoul must have been dead.

 

“No, no, no,” the ghoul howled into the night as he saw Kyungsoo reached him with the repellent stone in his hand.

 

Just inches before the stone touched the necklace, Kyungsoo tensed. The witch narrowed his eyes.

 

Chanyeol looked at Jongin’s mate. “What? What’s wrong, Kyungsoo?”

 

“The collar’s dripping with a sorcerer’s spell. A very strong and… dark one,” the witch murmured.

 

Jongin’s hand grabbed Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “But your spell’s stronger,” he said.

 

Kyungsoo’s eyes flickered with confidence all of a sudden. As if Jongin’s reassurance was all he needed to fight the world. For a moment, Chanyeol envied them.

 

Now without hesitation, Kyungsoo moved his hand and pressed the stone to the collar.

 

The collar that had slowed their mission for the past month dropped to the ground. And the ghoul in Chanyeol's hand growled even louder, as if this scenario was much worse than death.

 

Chanyeol gripped the ghoul’s neck tighter. “Let’s head back.”

 

Surge of power behind him vanished not a second longer. His team had traced out of the alley back to the compound, leaving him alone with the struggling ghoul.

 

Chanyeol gave him a squeeze before leaning closer to the ghoul’s ear. “Best watch your attitude in the vampire’s lair,” he said before finally dematerialized, bringing the ghoul with him.

 

 

#

 

 

“He hasn’t said anything?” Chanyeol said as he entered the empty room where they held captive the ghoul they brought in two hours ago.

 

When they arrived at the compound, Chanyeol had retreated to his house for a while, letting the other warriors to take care of the ghoul. He told them that he wanted to change his clothes since his combat attire was covered with blood. But the real reason was because his chest started hurting again and he didn’t want the ghoul to witness him with any weaknesses. Not that his brothers bought his excuse. They knew Chanyeol was lying.

 

Now that the pain in his chest once again diminished, he came back and was ready to join the party with his brothers. The dim room was filled with the warriors as well as their mates, with the ghoul kneeling in the middle of the room. From the last time Chanyeol saw him when he literally handed him to Jongin, the ghoul’s current condition was much worse. He was bleeding all over. The warriors had tortured him good. Too bad Chanyeol had not witnessed it firsthand.

 

“He’s a tough ,” the youngest of them all, Sehun, said as he sheathed his dagger back into his belt. He looked at Chanyeol with no expression. “Jongdae had electrocuted him for one hour but he’s still not speaking.”

 

Nodding, Chanyeol looked back at the ghoul. “Luhan?”

 

“On the way,” Sehun answered.

 

Luhan was the Warrior’s go-to-sorcerer. The pretty sorcerer had power that could help them in this kind of situation. His command power would make the ghoul do anything that Luhan command him to do. Thank God Luhan had not been kidnapped like the other gifted immortals.

 

Chanyeol relaxed for a bit, knowing that Luhan will finish all of this on his own. He didn’t need to draw his dagger at all to make the ghoul speak. Somehow, Chanyeol didn’t have any will to do some torturing after his fit of chest pain earlier.

 

Taking his place beside Sehun, who also visibly looked bored, Chanyeol crossed his hands over his chest as he watched Jongdae find a new part of the ghoul's body to be electrocuted by his touch. But Jongdae didn’t have much time to play this time, since the sorcerer that the warriors had been waiting for came into the room.

 

“Sorry, I took long. Traffic was a tonight,” the pretty sorcerer, Luhan, chirped right after he closed the metal door.

 

Chanyeol gave him a smile. He always liked the sorcerer. He was a great man and excellent at his job. The Warrior wasn’t always took allies, except for mates, but Luhan was their absolute exception.

 

Luhan joined the circle in the middle, greeted them one by one before he finally looked at the captive. He narrowed his eyes. “You said his necklace was lathered by sorcery power?” Luhan talked to Kyungsoo.

 

The witch nodded. He digged his pocket and handed the necklace to Luhan. “I might be wrong but I’m 100% sure it wasn’t a witch spell.”

 

Luhan stared at the necklace on his hand. “No, you’re right. This is definitely sorcery power. Mind if I take this with me?” he said this to Junmyeon. “I’ll make sure to find out about this.”

 

“Take it,” Junmyeon replied. “We can’t do anything about it anyway.”

 

Luhan shook his head in remorse. “Dammit. Can’t believe one of my kind is behind all of this.”

 

“We still don’t know,” Chanyeol stepped forward. “He or she was probably forced by the ghoul.”

 

Though Chanyeol wasn’t sure himself. Ghoul race was known for being unproblematic for over a century. They were more like a faction that stayed hidden. Therefore, now that they started something so big on their own against all immortal factions was really uncalled for. Not that sorcerer faction was more problematic or anything, but if this sick abduction was led by a sorcerer, Chanyeol honestly wouldn't be surprised, because this wouldn’t be the first time.

 

“Let’s not point fingers on anyone right now and just make a good use of this ghoul before us,” Yixing said.

 

“Good idea.” Luhan nodded and went closer to the ghoul, trading his position with Jongdae. He stood right in front of the ghoul whose head lolled back due to exhaustion. “You guys tortured him good,” he said before he leaned down and yanked forward the ghoul’s head, making him face the sorcerer.

 

As soon as the ghoul recognized the person in front of him, his eyes widened in panic, knowing that this was the end of his vow of silent as no one in either immortal or mortal world could escape from Luhan’s command if he willed it to happen.

 

With a voice that made even Chanyeol shudder, Luhan muttered, “You’ll answer everything that I and the Warrior ask of you.”

 

Chanyeol watched the pupils of the ghoul become narrower and that was how they knew Luhan’s command had done the job. Goddamn sorcerer had the most desirable power in the whole immortal world.

 

Luhan turned around to face the Warrior. He grinned smugly, “He’s ready for your leisure, vampires.” Then he stood together with the Warrior.

 

Chanyeol raised his eyebrows at Junmyeon, willing him to be the first one to throw the question.

 

Junmyeon cleared his throat, “Should we call other factions’ warrior?”

 

Chanyeol understood where Junmyeon came from with his hesitation to continue. The elites from other factions probably would want to take part on interrogating the bastard. But the clock was ticking. They had no time.

 

“We can’t waste any more time, Junmyeon. Other immortals could be abducted right at this second,” Chanyeol reasoned.

 

Making sense of the tight situation, Junmyeon nodded. “Okay. First question, do the ghouls work in their own accord?”

 

“No,” the ghoul answered immediately.

 

“Who is your sire?” Junmyeon asked again.

 

“A sorcerer.”

 

Chanyeol felt Luhan tense.

 

“Who is he?” Luhan threw the question with gritted teeth.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Luhan narrowed his eyes. “How can you not know?”

 

“We only take orders from his voice inside our head. Said that if we did not do as he said, he would destroy our whole race. He took us as his soldiers.”

 

Jongdae cursed lowly. “Motherer went inside their head to give command and forced them to wear exploding necklace.”

 

The Warrior and Luhan looked at each other. This was certainly big news for the immortal world.

 

Chanyeol averted his gaze from his brothers and took a long breath. “Alright, I’m assuming you also don’t know what the sorcerer’s intention is in doing this?”

 

“No.”

 

The important questions were left unanswered. This interrogation was going nowhere at this point, so Chanyeol asked the last question that he was sure the ghoul would know.

 

“Where are all abductees being held?”

 

“Inside a cabin in the middle of Dark Forest. 30 KM north from the border.”

 

“I’m on it,” said Yixing as he took out his tablet and worked on it.

 

“Every abductee is being held there?” Luhan asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

Chanyeol nodded. “Okay. We need to go right now before the sun rise. Junmyeon, now is the time for you to make contact to other factions.”

 

“Right. Get ready and we'll meet in ten minutes at the garage,” Junmyeon said as he pulled out his phone and quickly excused himself to make some calls.

 

“I got the location,” Yixing yelled, then he turned to Luhan. “Luhan, we can’t thank you enough.”

 

The sorcerer shook his head. “Don’t mention it. I need to be back to my compound to deliver this ty news. Be careful out there,” he said, then he ran out of the room.

 

Chanyeol and the other warriors followed him out of the room to prepare themselves for their rescue mission. They were ready in seven and gathered at the garage, completely armed. They would need to go by car tonight since they couldn’t trace to a place that they never visited.

 

Junmyeon took place in front of his team. “I’ve informed other factions and they are on their way too. We all go, except Yixing who would be ready at the clinic in case any of you were injured. Remember, if you got injured badly, trace back here right away. Our mission is to attack every ghoul that comes into our way and rescue as many abductees as possible. Are we clear?”

 

The Warrior roared a 'yes’ at the same time and knew that it was their cue to disembark.

 

Chanyeol went into his Mercedes with Sehun and Junmyeon, while he could see Jongin, Kyungsoo, Jongdae, and Minseok will ride their Range Rover.

 

And once again, Chanyeol went into the night.

 

 

#

 

 

Chanyeol stomped his feet on the solid ground and looked around the Dark Forest. He and the Warrior had stopped merely 10 KM away from their destination, the ghouls’ cabin. They can’t risk to drive until the cabin, it would give away the element of surprise to the enemies.

 

He took a deep breath. Even from a far, he could scent various beings, packed in one particular place that he and his brothers headed to.

 

“We need to go fast.” Chanyeol drew his dagger. And without saying goodbye to his brothers, he dashed into the forest. Not alone, of course. He knew the others were following him close behind.

 

It didn’t take them five minutes to cover the last 10 KM until the cabin came into sight. Just as Chanyeol imagined, the ghoul’s cabin was a large metallic house. The ghouls had not bothered to cloak the cabin with mist or something. A dumb move from their side.

 

“Chanyeol, Jongin, Kyungsoo, go together. The rest of you come with me,” Junmyeon commanded in whisper.

 

And with that, they all charged into the cabin with Jongin leading them. His extraordinary strength succeeded in making the metal door dent and it didn’t take more than two kicks to completely bring it down.

 

In an instant, it rained havoc inside the cabin. Battles. Everywhere. The vampire warriors were obviously lost in number, but their strength were a hundred times stronger than the ghouls. They were Warrior, after all. While the ghouls were all just civilians, puppets to guard the cabin.

 

Chanyeol fought side by side with Jongin and Kyungsoo. He slashed with his right hand while his left hand was busy firing his small gun. The ghouls attacked in wave, but it was nothing that he couldn’t handle. When it was too slow to kill with his gun, he threw it away and opted to use daggers with both hands and slashed the ghouls while he kept on moving forward toward the jail area.

 

With a speed like bullets, Chanyeol finished the ghouls in front of him and ran to where all the beings were kept.

 

Good lord.

 

Ghouls were sick torturer. The beings were all kept behind thick glasses. Each cell held two to three beings, all beaten up unconscious, blood covered their bodies as well as on the walls that kept them.

 

He tried to slam his body against the glass. It didn’t crack at all, of course. There was another force protecting the glass. Turned out the ghouls weren’t that stupid like Chanyeol thought.

 

How to bloody crash down this glass.

 

“Chanyeol, over here,” Kyungsoo yelled from somewhere.

 

Chanyeol followed Jongin’s mate’s voice and found him with Jongin in a room that look a lot like a control room. A bunch of screens that showed the hallways, cells, and rooms were in front of them, as well as buttons that Chanyeol would never understand what their purposes were.

 

“We don’t have time for this,” Chanyeol raked his hand through his hair. “Just push every button, Kyungsoo.”

 

Kyungsoo shook his head. “We can’t risk it,” he said then turned to Jongin. “Guard the door. I need to use my magic to find the right button. Chanyeol, you standby at one of the cells. Yell to me if it opens.”

 

“Roger that,” Chanyeol responded as he dashed out of the control room. In the jail area, it was still clear of ghouls. Clearly, Junmyeon and the others had done their job right. “Come on, Kyungsoo, come on,” he chanted while standing in front of a cell that evidently held a demon and werewolf.

 

As if Kyungsoo heard his pleading, suddenly the glass in front of him shattered to the ground. Chanyeol took a step back and grinned with triumphant.

 

God bless witch’s power.

 

“You did it, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol informed the witch, yelling and running inside the cell at the same time.

 

As he tried to maneuver the big unconscious demon on his shoulder, he heard the shattering glass sound all around the hallway. There was a big commotion outside. That was when Chanyeol knew Kyungsoo had succeeded freeing all the abductees.

 

With the demon on his right shoulder and the werewolf on his left, Chanyeol grunted with force as he started to run out of the cell and immediately traced outside the cabin. Laying down the two creatures on the grass, he saw Jongin and Sehun were also doing the same thing. And he saw Jongdae and Junmyeon just materialized, each also bringing two beings on their shoulders. Outside the cabin, Chanyeol could still hear the chaos inside.

 

“Chanyeol,” Jongin came to him, touching his shoulder. “Kyungsoo’s still inside. He tried to save the sole fae. The fae is kept in different cell and he’s specifically guarded by more ghouls.”

 

Chanyeol nodded. “Okay. Hey, Jongdae,” he called out the gifted warrior. “You come with us. Jongin, trace us to this fae’s cell.”

 

Three seconds later, Chanyeol, Jongin, and Jongdae had joined Kyungsoo who was fighting with one of the ghouls who was obviously guarding a cell. Except Chanyeol couldn’t see any cell in this area.

 

Slicing the neck of the ghoul that lunged for him, Chanyeol yelled to Kyungsoo, “I don’t see any cells here.”

 

Still struggling with the ghoul in his hold, Kyungsoo pointed at a hole with metal door on the floor. “He’s in there.”

 

“.” Two ghouls jumped at Chanyeol at the same time, throwing him off balance for a few seconds. “Jongin, opened the hole.”

 

“A little busy here,” Jongin yelled back as he, too, tried to fight one of the ghouls.

 

Why are there so many ghouls guarding this cell?

 

“Leave him,” Chanyeol growled, tearing the head of the ghoul off from its body. “You and Jongdae save that ing fae.”

 

When finally Jongin and Jongdae were freed from any ghouls, Chanyeol could see the help starting to come. Three demons came to help them, one of them was familiar, it was Kris, a demon warrior.

 

With the help of three demons, Jongin and Jongdae could open the hole without disturbance.

 

“There’s a room inside,” Jongin said. “Dark as .”

 

“Just jump.” Chanyeol yelled. “Light the room with your electricity, Jongdae.”

 

The two warriors didn’t need more orders as both of them jumped through the hole. Now Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were left with three demons. They didn’t kill all the ghouls. Just injured them enough and piled them up together.

 

“Other abductees have been rescued?” Chanyeol asked Kris as he sheathed his daggers.

 

Kris nodded, joining him and Kyungsoo. “All are save and out of the cabin. Only this fae left.”

 

“He must’ve been special. He got different cell with a dozen of ghouls guarding him,” Kyungsoo told them. The witch had some deep scratches on his face. Jongin would be furious seeing his mate hurt.

 

Chanyeol shrugged. “Let’s take out the fae and go out of this place.”

 

Just as Chanyeol finished what he said, Jongin and Jongdae traced in front of them, with a being on their hold.

 

Chanyeol heard gasps from the others. He was tensed when he saw the fae that Jongin and Jongdae brought.

 

“Sweet… Jesus….” Chanyeol mumbled, still unable to move forward.

 

Before him, the fae was in the worst possible condition. Out of all the injured abductees that Chanyeol saw here, the fae definitely had it three times worse. Such a frail body, they tortured this being mercilessly.

 

Chanyeol froze on his feet while the others rushed over to see the fae. He somehow still can’t move, rage building inside him. Without knowing the reason, he wanted to roar in fury.

 

How could they hurt him like this?

 

The fae’s face was bloodied and full of scratches, but Chanyeol could see how beautiful he was. He was still as beautiful as the picture in the paper that Chanyeol read a few hours ago in his room. The one who made Chanyeol’s chest eased when he looked at it.

 

Mine.

 

The thought had come out of nowhere that it staggered him. His chest felt like it was filled with sand and for a moment he can’t focus on any sight other than the fae’s face.

 

When he began to get a hold of himself, he started to approach the others who were surrounding the fae, pressing the crazy need to shove everyone away so he would be the only one tending him.

 

Chanyeol stopped his steps when suddenly there was a big explosion. . The explosion made his body swing. But the others seemed not affected by it. “Do you guys not hear that?”

 

Jongdae whipped his head around. The gifted vampire suddeny looked at him with incredulous eyes. “Holy .”

 

The explosion kept coming and suddenly, the need to get the injured fae away from here was critical. He felt an urgent need to save him.

 

“My God, Chanyeol…” Kyungsoo now was also looking at him. In fact, all of them were looking at him with the same look. They were all looking at his chest.

 

Another explosion. Boom… boom… boom…

 

“Chanyeol…” Kyungsoo trailed off. The witch swallowed. “Chanyeol, your heart beats. And you’re breathing.”

 

What?

 

Chanyeol looked down at his chest and saw it heave up and down. He breathed? And the sound of explosion? It was the sound of his heart beating for the first time ever.

 

Mine.

 

This fae is my mate?

 

Thunderstruck, Chanyeol nearly stumbled. He didn’t have time to mull over the fact that his body just got alive after four hundred years of being practically dead, or the fact that he now had a mate. His instinct took over, prowling inside him to protect what was his. With a snap, he shoved the others away and unintentionally snatched the fae from Jongdae and Jongin’s hold with force.

 

“Easy, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo hissed, and Chanyeol replied him with a growl, showing his fangs.

 

All of them got up, putting the distance between them and Chanyeol. They understood. A vampire in his prime found his mate in the worst kind of state. No one would be stupid enough to come between them.

 

After making sure that none of them would get closer, Chanyeol put his attention back to the fae… his mate.

 

After four hundred years, he found his other half.

 

Absently, he heard Kyungsoo call Junmyeon and the others to come to find them here and Chanyeol couldn’t care less. He was crazed.

 

He brought the frail being to his chest, holding him gently despite the roared fury inside of him. He never felt the need of vengeance this strong before.

 

Must protect my mate.

 

But first, he needed to remember the name of the pretty fae in his hands. He was sure he read his name on the paper. But damn him, he forgot.

 

“What’s his name?” he asked to no one in particular.

 

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae was the one who answered.

 

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol muttered. “Baekhyun.”

 

“Chanyeol, you need to trace him back to our compound. He’s severely injured. Let Yixing tend him,” Junmyeon said, the leader and other warriors had come to this area at Kyungsoo’s call.

 

Junmyeon was right. His mate was badly injured. With this kind of injury, it was a miracle that the fae didn’t die.

 

Then, it clicked.

 

The fae did die. Repeatedly.

 

The chest pain that Chanyeol experienced for the past four weeks was his deepest instinct telling him that his mate was in danger somewhere in the world, injured, tortured… to death. Every time his chest was experiencing unbearable pain, it was his mate being dead. When his chest pain eased, it was his mate coming back to life… only to be dead the next day. How many times he had chest pain? Over twenty times. He had chest pain not just one hour ago. His mate… had been dead one hour ago.

 

Suddenly seeing red, Chanyeol threw his head back and howled in pure rage. He laid down Baekhyun on the floor and lunged toward the pile of unconscious ghouls in the corner of the room.

 

In an instant, he felt he was being held back. It took almost all the vampire warriors with the help of three demons to stop him to tear apart all the heads of the ghouls.

 

“Must kill them all,” Chanyeol roared.

 

“This is not the right time, Chanyeol,” Junmyeon hissed on his ear. “I promise you, I swear to god you’ll have your revenge on them. But now, the fae needs you. He needs you.”

 

The need to protect his mate was stronger than the need to kill. Chanyeol stopped his resistance and turned around, back to the fae. He pulled the Baekhyun to his chest once again, cradling him with such care, afraid that he would worsen his injury.

 

“Tell Yixing I’m gonna be there. I want him to completely ready for Baekhyun,” Chanyeol told Junmyeon, then his focus was back to his mate in his hands. He cupped the delicate, bloodied face, caressed it gently. “Baekhyun, can you hear me?”

 

Like a freaking miracle, the fae stirred and opened his eyes slightly. Chanyeol shuddered when he saw his mesmerizing green eyes. God bless faes with their green eyes.

 

“Baekhyun,” he swallowed, feeling his voice getting thicker. “I’m gonna take you away from here. I’ll take care of you.”

 

Baekhyun blinked slowly. “Who…”

 

“I’m…” Your mate. “I’m a vampire warrior. I’ll bring you to our compound to heal you, okay?”

 

Chanyeol could see that Baekhyun wanted to ask more. But he had no strength left to say anything so he just nodded.

 

“Yixing’s ready for him, Chanyeol,” Junmyeon said.

 

Chanyeol nodded, then looked at Baekhyun again. “I’m gonna trace you now. It only takes a few seconds,” he informed him. He didn't know if Baekhyun had experienced tracing with vampires. But based on stories that he heard from other races that tried to trace with vampires, they experienced mild nausea. With Baekhyun’s condition, he probably would get it worse.

 

But he could tell that his mate was brave. Without hesitation, the fae nodded and said in a low voice, “Take me away from here.”

 

 

#

 

 

When Baekhyun opened his eyes again after he felt a massive wave of nausea, he found himself being laid down on a cold steel. It must be a steel table, exam table. He looked around him, making sure about his location. He was in an exam room, dim lighting, with cabinets all around him, filled with medicine bottles.

 

The sound of someone talking tore his gaze away from the cabinets. He saw two males. One was unfamiliar, the other one was a vampire warrior that brought him here. His savior.

 

He tried to speak, wanting their--especially his savior’s--attention. He needed to know what had happened. He could only muster a whimper, but it was enough to make the warrior turned to him in an instant and immediately walked toward him.

 

The tenderness at the warrior’s eyes as he leaned down to him made Baekhyun calm. He could feel that he was safe with him. This warrior would protect him.

 

“How are you feeling, Baekhyun?” The warrior asked him.

 

He just realized that he just heard the roughest voice that he had ever heard. This warrior was evidently in pain, but he was trying to hide it.

 

Well, Baekhyun wasn’t someone who liked to hide how he was feeling. So he answered truthfully. “Not… okay.”

 

Now the warrior’s face grimaced, “Yixing here will tend you. You’re in good hands.”

 

Baekhyun nodded. “Don’t… go.”

 

The warrior’s eyes softened, and he smiled. “Not going anywhere, lamb.”

 

Such a reassuring words. And those words were all he needed before he fell unconscious once again.

 

 

#

 

 

Chanyeol didn’t want anyone other than him to be close enough to Baekhyun. But on some level, he realized he needed to trust the healer. Yes, immortal beings could heal on their own. But Baekhyun's injuries had been so severed it would take a week for him to heal, and agonizingly too. With Yixing’s power, his mate would heal in a day at most.

 

“Don’t hurt him, Yixing,” Chanyeol croaked. Damn, his voice had not returned to its normal tone since he found Baekhyun. It felt like he had a big rock in his throat.

 

The healer smiled at him, almost professionally. “I’ll take care of your mate. You sure you’re strong enough to see me heal him?”

 

No. He knew he wouldn't. He knew it firsthand that the process of healing with Yixing was by no mean painless. With Baekhyun's kind of injuries, the fae would have one hell of a time in here. But at least it would be short-lived.

 

Swallowing the bile in his throat, Chanyeol nodded. “I’m staying.” Like he wanted to be anywhere else right now.

 

“Okay. Then I need your help to hold him down. Can’t have him struggling. Push his shoulders as strong as you can.”

 

“Alright.” Chanyeol did as Yixing had asked, crossing the table and positioning himself at the head side of it. He held down Baekhyun’s broad shoulders.

 

“Ready?” Yixing asked, his hand glowing. Chanyeol nodded, and the healer vampire pressed his glowing hands to Baekhyun’s stomach.

 

It didn’t even take five seconds before Baekhyun shot his eyes open, shrieking and screaming in pain. Chanyeol gave a reply with a growl from his chest. He put his forehead on Baekhyun’s, and shushed him. His eyes pricked with tears when he saw Baekhyun’s green ones well with tears.

 

“Hurry up, Yixing,” Chanyeol gritted his teeth. He’d been fighting his own pain too. The familiar chest pain came back to him. His instinct gave bodily reaction to his mate’s pain. “Sshh… Baekhyun, be at ease. Please.”

 

Except Baekhyun kept screaming. For a full ten minutes, Chanyeol had experienced pain like never before.

 

Yixing pulled his glowing hands back, sweat dotted his forehead. “The worst has passed.”

 

Chanyeol let out a sigh of relief. Baekhyun had also stopped screaming, merely letting out a sob once in a while for now. Already, his injuries seemed better.

 

Chanyeol brushed his cheek to Baekhyun's. “My brave lamb. You’re doing so well.”

 

Baekhyun sobbed. “Enough… please…”

 

His chest pain was back again. “Just a little bit more, Baekhyun. I promise. Hold on for me.”

 

Yixing’s hands were back again, but the healer had been honest when he said the worst had passed. Baekhyun merely grimaced now.

 

“There you go.” Chanyeol brushed Baekhyun's damp hair on his forehead. “Not so bad, isn’t it?”

 

“Distract him, Chanyeol,” Yixing urged him.

 

“Okay. Uhmm… are you a warrior, Baekhyun?”

 

His mate met his stare. “Yes. You’re looking at… the best archer in… immortal world.”

 

His mate was a proud male. And didn’t that made Chanyeol want to howl with proud, too. Even though he never saw him shoot, somehow Chanyeol knew his mate had told the truth.

 

“How old are you?”

 

“Three... hundreds.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrowed. His mate had gone around the world without his protection for three hundred years. And look at where they were right now. Their first meeting was him saving Baekhyun from a freaking one month of torture.

 

Sensing his turmoil, Baekhyun drew back to look at him better. “Why are you so kind to me?” Baekhyun threw a shocking question at him. His wet green eyes were filled with pain as well as curiosity.

 

How to answer that. “I’m… Because I want to protect you.”

 

“Am I your… mate?”

 

Another shocking question. He hadn't confessed to Baekhyun that he was his mate because he was afraid it would be too hard for him to handle in his condition. But his behavior toward him must be a blatant giveaway. No other being would protect someone so fiercely more than a vampire protecting his mate.

 

“Yes,” Chanyeol answered steadily. “You’re my mate.”

 

Baekhyun closed his eyes, then opened them again. “Knew it since I was born that I’m a vampire mate. Some gifted witch told me.”

 

Chanyeol hadn’t expected it at all. So his mate had known he would have a vampire mate all his life. The thought unexpectedly brought something primal in him. He liked the fact that all his life Baekhyun knew that he somehow belonged to someone, and that someone was him.

 

“Hate… vampires,” Baekhyun mumbled.

 

Chanyeol smiled. Well, vampires were definitely not the most liked beings in the immortal world. “You’ll like me.”

 

“Not gonna... happen.”

 

So his mate was a stubborn . Chanyeol liked him already. “Then I’ll spend eternity to make it happen.”

 

Baekhyun didn’t reply, instead he closed his eyes. And this time they didn’t open again. Alarmed, Chanyeol shot upright. “Yixing.”

 

“It's okay. He’s just sleeping.”

 

Letting out a pent up breath, Chanyeol sagged and once again put his forehead on Baekhyun's. “Jesus Christ…”

 

“Can’t believe you’ve found your mate,” Yixing said. His hands still hovered above Baekhyun's stomach.

 

“Me neither.” Chanyeol shook his head. “Imagine my shock finding him in this condition.”

 

Yixing must've seen his wary and worried eyes because now the healer was reassuring him. “He’s gonna be okay, Chanyeol. He’s strong.”

 

“Yeah. I can’t lose him when I just found him, Yixing. After four hundred years… goddamn.”

 

“Well, you won’t. He’s treated by the best healer in the immortal world.” Yixing smiled then pulled his hands away from Baekhyun's belly, then they stopped glowing. “There. For now, I think this is enough. Let him heal on his own. After his injuries close up, we’ll clean him.”

 

“Thank you, Yixing. I owe you one.”

 

“Don’t mention it. I’ll leave you two alone. And I won't let the others enter here.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

After Yixing left, Chanyeol pulled up a chair and sat beside the exam table. Looking at his injured mate, he could already see some injuries were starting to heal. He was still pale, but his color was back slowly. His skin also wasn’t as cold as before.

 

Chanyeol shuddered out a breath, his vision gone blurry. Seeing his new-found mate on the edge of death had taking a huge toll on him. Fear and fury. The need to kill and to protect. All of them jumbled as one at the same time. He never felt like this since he knew about his mother's murder, and his father's suicide.

 

He looked at Baekhyun's beautiful face and had the urge to touch it, so he did, at the same time catching the tears rolling down his little mate’s cheeks.

 

Chanyeol had a mate now. He had someone to protect. He had someone to die for.

 

His mate, his doom.

 

 

#

 

 

It had been a full twenty four hours since he found Baekhyun, and Chanyeol's hands hadn’t stopped trembling.

 

If Yixing didn’t force him to leave Baekhyun’s side at the clinic to take a shower and change his combat attire, Chanyeol must’ve been still sitting dead, not moving, beside Baekhyun's bed. He and Yixing had moved Baekhyun from the steel exam table to a more comfortable bed, changed his clothes, and washed him with warm damp towel. His physical damages were evidently better, but it was clear that his body was still not strong enough for him to wake up.

 

It only took Chanyeol five minutes in total to shower and change clothes in his house, then he traced back to the clinic at the Warrior's compound. At least now he wore clean clothes and his skin wasn’t laced by ghouls’ blood.

 

“How is he?” Chanyeol asked when he saw Yixing, standing beside Baekhyun's bed. The healer had come to the room from time to time to check on the fae.

 

“Stable,” Yixing said after he examined his patient. “I believe he’ll wake up soon.”

 

Chanyeol bit his lips, then nodded. Vampires and other immortals' regeneration must be different. Because if this was a vampire’s case, Baekhyun should've been waking up around six hours ago. Except his injuries were worse than what Chanyeol had ever experienced himself.

 

Your mate was tortured and been dead for more than twenty times in a span of four weeks. You think he’ll wake up only after a brief nap?

 

Chanyeol was aware that his hands were hurting. Glancing down, he saw that they were cranked into fists and his nails were digging into his flesh. He shook his head, trying to temper down his emotion.

 

“You okay?” Yixing asked, and Chanyeol nodded. “Junmyeon wanted to see you. We need to talk about this and nothing good will happen if we postpone the meeting any longer.”

 

Chanyeol walked toward Baekhyun's bed. His stare locked onto his mate. “If he wanted to talk, we talk here. I don’t want to leave his side.”

 

Understanding where he was coming from, Yixing smiled and traced out of the room without saying anything else. He came back with Junmyeon and the other warriors a minute later. This was the first time he saw his brothers other than Yixing since this whole ordeal.

 

Even if it physically hurt him to leave Baekhyun's side, Chanyeol walked toward his brothers, putting a good distance between them and Baekhyun. So his mate wouldn't be disturbed in his rest, yet Chanyeol could still see him.

 

“He looked better,” Junmyeon said, trying to lighten up the mood. Clearly, they could see Chanyeol was in desperate need to be cheered up.

 

He hadn’t looked into the mirror since he went out for the first mission last night. He bet he looked like hell from the stress he mounted up.

 

Chanyeol crossed his hands over his chest. “Just get to the point.”

 

Junmyeon sighed. “The fae warriors are here.”

 

“What?”

 

“They’re here for Baekhyun.”

 

“Hell no,” Chanyeol bit out.

 

Junmyeon nodded. “I knew you’ll oppose him going back with them.”

 

“Not a ing chance.” Chanyeol’s eyes were black with rage. “Did they seriously have the gut to take him back after they let the ghouls kidnap him? Baekhyun will decide if he wants to stay here or goes back when he wakes up. For now, he’s not leaving this compound.”

 

“I agree. He’s safe here with us. With you.” To Sehun, Junmyeon said, “Could you tell the faes that we’re keeping Baekhyun here?” After the youngest vampire traced away, the leader shifted his expression to a more serious demeanor. “Now to the next pressing matter. Other abducted beings that we saved last night have woken up. We had conducted some interrogation to them and they pretty much said something similar. They were tortured, yes. But never to the point of death. And Baekhyun..."

 

"Had died multiple times,” Chanyeol finished his leader’s sentence. “That's why I had chest pain for a whole month. It had been... my instinct telling me he was in danger."

"And he had different cell," Junmyeon added grimly.

Chanyeol rubbed his face, his stress building up. "Any chance it was because of his power? Power of light. It means he can't be exposed to light, right? Or else he'll be able to use it."

Now it was Kyungsoo who spoke up. "It doesn't add up. Other beings are also gifted, but they can't use their power because it was tempered down by the sorcerer’s magic in the cell. Why wouldn't they do that too to Baekhyun?"

That was a new information for Chanyeol. Why did they treat him differently?

"We need to ask him as soon as he wakes up,” Junmyeon said at the same time Sehun dematerialized into the room. The youngest warrior had something on his hand.

 

“I explained our condition to them. Surprisingly, they agreed without a fight,” Sehun sneered. “And they asked me to give this to Baekhyun.”

 

Even without seeing the things, Chanyeol could sense that the things were Baekhyun's. They were Baekhyun's weapon, a bow and quiver with arrows. The weapon brimmed with Baekhyun’s presence and power. It must’ve been left at the fae’s compound when he was kidnapped.

Just like toward his owner, Chanyeol was drawn to it. He stepped forward to take the specialty weapon of fae kind, when he suddenly heard a scream behind him. And in an instant, the clinic room was filled with blinding light.
 

 

#
 

 

A sudden jolt of power, his power, woke Baekhyun from his sleep. He opened his eyes and found a direct light blasted onto his eyes. He didn't flinch when he saw the blaring light. He felt an utter relief. He can use his power again, finally.

Then his other senses awakened. He stiffened when he sensed other immortals in his cell--this was his cell...right? Except it looked nothing like a cell, it looked like...a hospital. He tried to heighten his sense. There were no ghouls inside his cell. They were vampires, multiple of them, with a demon and a witch.

In a moment of panic, he abruptly sat up, which probably the stupidest thing to do in his poor condition. An invisible giant definitely sat on his stomach. Gritting his teeth, he screamed in pain. Along with it, also came a burst of light, from his body, darting across the room.

Instantly, there was commotion in the room. People started running toward him, making Baekhyun grew more panic.

"No, no, no," his voice breaking, his body trembling. Please not another torture. He can't handle it again. Not anymore.

Suddenly his line of vision was filled with something bright. Not white like his own light. This was yellow...no, it was almost orange, like the color of sunset. So warm, so calming.

His sudden panic was broken. His body stopped trembling as he let himself drown in those... eyes? He began to realize the hands that cradled his face, the warm body that pressed onto his, and the familiar face that made him his light back, making the room once again dim.

Whoever this man was, Baekhyun was sure he wasn't here to hurt him. Not now. Not ever.

The man nodded, as if asking him if he were good. Baekhyun nodded back.

"Who... Where..." Baekhyun still couldn't find his normal voice.

The man on top of him drew back then looked over his shoulders. "Everyone out. Out, right now," he barked.

And in a second, Baekhyun could feel everyone was gone. Except this man.

Baekhyun gave out a couple of sobs, and the man's attention was back to him. "Hey, lamb," he said, his voice thick. This man certainly had one of the deepest honeyed-voices that Baekhyun ever heard. "You don't remember me?"

Baekhyun blinked, and a drop of tears slipped out of his eye. "I'm... I don't know. Where am I?"

The man flashed him a pained expression but he managed to hide it in a split second. "You're in vampire compound, Baekhyun. You're safe, you're not with them anymore."

I’m... safe?

No more torture. No more pain. No more...death.

He tried to rise once again but he still felt really heavy. Groaning, he laid back again. "Oh, ."

"Still hurt?" The man asked, his expression was laced with worry.

Baekhyun bit back a moan. "Like a motherer. But I can manage."

"I can call Yixing if you want."

"Yixing? Who..."

Hazy memories arose, of him being saved by vampires, taken to a clinic--here--then he was being treated by a healer with a magic hand--that Yixing?--and memory of this man holding him, gently, him, rocking him, murmuring his name, saying that he did well, his deep voice and strong gaze had been his rock to go through the healing.

Baekhyun gasped. "You're the one who saved me." It wasn't a question. He remembered this man clearly now.

Good lord, this man was his mate.

Oh, hell. , , .

As if sensing his panic, the man's lips curled. He was beautiful. Too beautiful. His rough profile clearly indicated that he was a warrior. His eyes were the color of sunset, ordinary vampire's eyes. He wore a fit black t-shirt, and underneath that shirt must've been... a magnificent body.

What the hell am I thinking?

Baekhyun shook his head, trying to erase the image from his mind and slow his heartbeats down. No way in hell he would let this man know what he was thinking. Like every immortal, vampires can sense anything, can hear anything.

 

Speaking of heartbeat, Baekhyun can't help but looking down the vampire's chest. The sound of heartbeat from inside him was so loud. The rise and fall of his chest clearly showed that he was breathing.

 

Baekhyun did that? He made this vampire breathe and his heart beat?

Baekhyun cleared his throat. "Uhh... Can you help me get up?"

Chanyeol's brows crooked. "I don't think you should. Let me get Yixing so he can examine you first."

"No," he grabbed the vampire's hand. "Don't call anyone else, please."

The vampire stared at him, like he himself trying to examine him and deciding what he should do. After a moment, he nodded. "Okay. Do you need anything?"

Now it was Baekhyun's turn to observe him. The vampire's demeanor had been relax. His tone and heartbeat were normal. Baekhyun's sense had caught nothing suspicious from him.

Since he wasn't answering, the man asked again. "You hungry? Cold? Any--"

"What's your name?" Baekhyun cut him off.

Just then, Baekhyun sensed emotion coming from the vampire. Happiness. "I'm Chanyeol."

God, this male was happy only because Baekhyun wanted to know his name.

"And uhm..." Baekhyun swallowed. "You're really my mate?"

The vampire parted his lips, but he said nothing. He looked really hesitant but finally spoke. “Yes, the moment I landed my eyes on you, my heart beat immediately and I breathed.”

 

“For the first time ever?”

 

“For the first time in my entire life.”

Baekhyun sighed. How to say this without hurting this male's heart.

"When I was a kid, I already knew that I'm a vampire mate," Baekhyun said, and Chanyeol nodded, urging him to go on. "My parents brought a witch friend home, and that witch was gifted, he could see the future. For three hundred years of my life, I was known as the only fae that was a vampire's mate, you know?"

Chanyeol shook his head slightly. "I... don't know."

"I spent my life trying to avoid every vampire, afraid that my mate would find me."

"Why are you afraid?" Chanyeol asked. His tone sounded curious, not offended whatsoever.

Baekhyun looked at the vampire. "What do you expect from me, Chanyeol? This whole matehood thing..." He exhaled. "Faes don't have mates. I mean, eternal mate, fated mate, whatever your kinds call it. We choose our own mate. So this is..." He trailed off.

How could his life come to this? Kidnapped and tortured by ghouls, then found his vampire mate. Did he just discuss a matter of eternal matehood to his mate? Good god.
 

His words seemed to give the vampire a pause. Because now he was quiet, yet his amber eyes fixed on Baekhyun's green ones. His gaze was searching him, trying to find an answer that Baekhyun too didn't know.

This vampire was intense. He was huge physically, yes. Baekhyun wasn't small but this creature certainly dwarfed him. They didn't need to stand side by side for Baekhyun to know that they were at least ten centimeters apart. And those muscles? Baekhyun was proud with his hard and toned muscles, but this male's put his to shame. But his body wasn't what made him intense. It was the way he look, breathe, stand, talk, and feel. He did all of that intensely. And him, Baekhyun actually liked it. So much for not wanting a vampire mate.

"Listen," Chanyeol cleared his throat. He broke his gaze for a while then go back. "I'm not gonna expect anything from you." He slid his hand to take Baekhyun's in his, and the contact made Baekhyun shiver. "Except for you to let me protect you."

It gave Baekhyun's heart a squeeze. Goddamn him and his weak heart.

Wait. "What do you mean protect me? I'm safe now."

Chanyeol's demeanor changed in a heartbeat. One second, his beautiful eyes were warm like a sunset, and the next second they blazed like fire.

"Chanyeol? Am I still in danger?"
 

#
 

The thought of his mate not being safe was enough to make him mental. Trying hard to not scare the fae, Chanyeol closed his eyes. He planted the image of them talking intimately for the past ten minutes to calm him. He shuddered a breath and opened his eyes when he was sure he could control his emotion.

 

But he was immediately shaken again when he could sense fear coming from his mate.

 

“You’re not.” Chanyeol squeezed the fae’s hand. “Not when I can help it.”

 

He wasn’t saying that just to reassure his mate. He meant it. He’ll protect him more than his own life.

 

“You don’t have to protect me, Chanyeol.”

 

“Okay, stop right there.” Chanyeol held up his hand. “You’re wrong. I have to protect you, I need to. And before you say you could protect yourself, I know damn well you could. You’re a warrior with a gifted power. You might be stronger than me even. But I won’t take any chance of you getting hurt again.”

 

Baekhyun shook his head at first, like he was hearing nonsense. But finally he nodded. Probably to avoid argument. “Okay.” He seemed like wanting to say more, but opted out to stay quiet. Instead, the fae started to move, getting up. Except he was having trouble with it.

 

Switch to nursery mode, Chanyeol immediately lent him a hand, helping him to get up. It was apparent that Baekhyun was still hurting; he was hissing as he pulled his body up. When he finally sat properly, he panted.

 

The fae jabbed his hand through his hair. “I need to go home.”

 

“Are you kidding? You have trouble getting up and you want to go?”

 

“I can’t stay here forever.”

 

“You can.” And you will. “It’ll be easier for me to protect you.”

 

“For god’s sake,” Baekhyun threw his head back. Chanyeol thought he was upset, but turned out the fae was smiling, amused. “Are all vampires like this? So overbearing?”

 

Chanyeol’s lips curled up, following his mate. “You have no idea.”

 

Baekhyun laughed, clearly he didn’t have any intention to argue. He was visibly tired from only sitting up. “Whatever, vampire.”

 

“You need to rest,” Chanyeol brushed Baekhyun's black hair from his forehead. And the act made the fae sigh in contentment.

 

“I think so. I felt like a house was being tied onto my body.”

 

“Unless you want me to call Yixing, you need to sleep.”

 

Baekhyun quickly shook his head. “No. I don’t want anybody in here.”

 

Except me. My mate didn’t want me but at least he trusts me enough for me to be here.

 

And didn’t that just make him feel like a mountain.
 

“Alright, then tell me how to make you heal faster. Do you… do faes eat?”

 

Vampires will heal rapidly if they fed directly from vein. But Chanyeol knew nothing about other kinds.

 

“We eat normal food,” Baekhyun answered and grinned at Chanyeol, as if knowing what he had been thinking. “Like any other beings except vampire. And it could only relieve our hunger, not to heal.”

 

My mate thinks he’s a smart-, huh?

 

Chanyeol could feel himself smiling too. “You don’t want my healer, your diet can’t heal you. The more reason you need to sleep, lamb.”

 

Then Baekhyun did something that made Chanyeol freeze. Did he just… pout?

 

“I don’t want to sleep,” he whined. “But my lids are heavy as .”

 

That was Chanyeol cue to come to him. His hands went around his shoulders and helped the fae lie down. “Sleep. And we could talk more after that.”

 

As Baekhyun seemed comfortable lying down, the fae looked up at Chanyeol. “You won’t go anywhere?”

 

No hesitation. “I’ll be here.”

 

Anywhere you go, I follow.

 

Then Baekhyun closed his eyes.

 

 

#

 

 

Baekhyun knew that he had slept for at least half a day when he was finally awake once again. Because already, he felt so much better. No longer there were a house or giant sitting on his stomach.

 

Also, it only took him a couple of seconds this time when he tried to sense his surroundings. He was still at the same room and bed the last time he fell asleep. And there was still only a single being with him.

 

Chanyeol with his brawny build filled his line of vision a second later. His astoundingly handsome face became such a nice view for him to wake up to.

 

The vampire smiled, showing his shortened fangs. Baekhyun inwardly sighed, he still can’t comprehend that he had met his mate.

 

“How are you feeling?” Chanyeol asked. “Your color’s already coming back.”

 

“I feel like I’m coming back too,” Baekhyun said. “Can you help me up?”

 

Baekhyun could tell that Chanyeol was adamant with the idea. The vampire was still worried about him, but in the end he nodded.

 

My need is the most important thing for him.

 

“Hold on to me, lamb,” Chanyeol said. He put his hand on Baekhyun's back, and Baekhyun clutched on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

 

The vampire pulled him up with ease, and in an instant Baekhyun was sitting up. Chanyeol’s scent filled his nose, sandalwood and fresh after-shaved. He must’ve had showered before coming here to see him.

 

“How is it?” Chanyeol asked, his expression concerned.

 

“Much better.” Baekhyun peered at his hands and under his johnny gown. His injuries were mere pink lines now. “I’m feeling great actually.”

 

“You wanna try to stand up?” The vampire asked again.

 

“Yes, please,” Baekhyun gave him a smile, wanting him to know that he appreciated his thoughtfulness.

 

Chanyeol smiled back at him. “Come on, let’s have you back on your feet.”

 

Baekhyun swung his feet to the side of the bed and let it dangle. Chanyeol stood in front of him, ready to hold him up if he couldn’t bear the weight of his body. As he looked at his bare feet, Baekhyun murmured, “Please working, feet.”

 

Then his feet touched the floor. After so long, he was finally going vertical. And surprisingly his dead feet could hold him up just fine. Damn, Chanyeol’s friend was one hell of a healer. Without him, he bet it would take him months to stand up.

 

“I feel like I’m seeing my new-born standing up for the first time,” Chanyeol said, his face lighten up. “So glad you’re better now, lamb.”

 

Well, Baekhyun was beyond glad too. It was just standing up, but he felt like he could do anything now, back to his normal daily life. Not just lying unconscious between life and death.

 

Baekhyun swallowed the bile in his throat. “I’m going to try walking now.”

 

He did that with ease, too.

 

He was getting greedy now. He wanted to go out, to run, to fight. God, he wanted to see the sun again.

 

But first…

 

“I would love a hot shower right now.” Baekhyun groaned.

 

Chanyeol took his hand. “You can shower in my house… if you want.”

 

It was a generous offer. But Baekhyun can’t help but to think that the vampire would expect something from him. If he went to his house, they’re going to cross some territory here.

 

Baekhyun was trying to weigh his options when he felt his hand being squeezed. Chanyeol was looking at him in all seriousness.

 

“I told you I expect nothing from you,” he said. “We go there, you shower, and think about the rest later. How about it?”

 

Silver-tongued vampire. Always know what to say.

 

“You’re lucky that I really want to shower right now.” Baekhyun gave him a look. “Let’s go to your house, vampire.”

 

 

#

 

 

Chanyeol had found his mate in the worst kind of condition. He didn’t have time to actually see him since he was too busy on keeping him alive and for him to get better. But even in his worst state, Chanyeol still could see that Baekhyun was the most alluring creature he had ever seen.

 

But now that his mate finally healed. Now that his color was back and his injuries had almost vanished, Chanyeol finally had the time to admire the exquisite being that was his mate.

 

As Baekhyun stood in the middle of his room--god, his mate was in his house, in his room, where he belonged--Chanyeol raked his gaze at his mate’s body. The fae might just wear a johnny, but Chanyeol still had a hard time to tempt down his raging lust. Unless he wanted Baekhyun to sense it--and the fae would definitely panic--Chanyeol really needed to snap out of it.

 

Chanyeol shook his head slightly, trying to get ahold of himself. He would have an eternity to adore his mate. Now he had other worries. Like, did Baekhyun like his house?

 

The house where we would live together.

 

Although if the fae didn’t like it, he’ll buy any houses that his mate chose.

 

His needs come before anything else.

 

He watched Baekhyun look around his room. The fae didn’t give anything away from his expression when he saw the black and white room. Chanyeol never cared much about interior design, but right now he wished he did.

 

Chanyeol cleared his throat. “So… This is my room. If it still isn’t obvious.”

 

Baekhyun looked at him. “I like your room.” He smiled. “I really need to shower right now. After I finish, show me your house?”

 

“Absolutely.” Chanyeol grinned back. At least, his mate liked one thing about him. “Uhm… My bathroom is right there. I’ll prepare the towel and… I’ll bring my clothes for you.”

 

“Okay. Cool.”

 

Baekhyun was just about to walk toward the bathroom when realization hit Chanyeol.

 

“Hey, you’re going to be alright in there?” His brows furrowed. “I mean, you lost pints of blood for like… a month. You’re not gonna faint or anything like that?”

 

Baekhyun pursed his lips, seeming not sure himself. Which only made Chanyeol more nervous.

 

“I could… go in there with you if you want…” Chanyeol trailed off.

 

“No, you’re not going to, vampire,” Baekhyun smirked at him. “Besides, if I faint, I’ll fall. Then, what? I’m not gonna die from shower fall.”

 

Chanyeol rubbed his forehead. “Alright, but keep the door unlocked, will you?”

 

“Whatever that could keep your guts in your stomach, vampire,” Baekhyun said as he shut the bathroom door.

 

The fae kept his promise to keep the door unlock, leaving Chanyeol stood rigidly right outside it. He could only hear the sound of the shower.

 

He put his head on the wooden door and exhaled. “God, what am I doing?”

 

As much as he wanted to stay by the door, Chanyeol had to prepare everything his mate would need. He brought him towel and his clothes--brief, leather pants, and black t-shirt identical to what he wore right now.

 

He pursed his lips, trying hard to not smile like an idiot. But it was proven impossible when your mate was in your house, your shower, and soon would be wearing your clothes. Damn, having a mate sure changed him into a freaking sap.

 

He knocked at the bathroom door. "Still alive?" He yelled.

"Shut up." The annoyed yell muffling with the sound of spraying water was enough to make Chanyeol calm once more.

He took a step back from the door and looked down at his chest. He still can’t get used to have a beating heart.

 

Out of nowhere, the image of his father crying and roaring in agony came to his mind. The lifeless body of his mother was in his father's hold.

Chanyeol immediately opened his eyes. Panting, he shook his head.

No. Don't even think about it.

He didn't need that right now. Or else he'll go insane and can't protect Baekhyun properly. He had decided not to blow this matehood thing out of proportion. He'll solve this kidnapping case, protect Baekhyun while he was at it. If this problem were solved, he could think further about their future.

Don't panic. You've been given four hundred years to prepare yourself for this day. Safeguard your mate. That's your purpose for now.

What had happened to your parents won't necessarily happen to you.

The sound of shower stopping broke Chanyeol from his reverie.

A moment later, the door of the bathroom was opened and Chanyeol could see Baekhyun's head peeking out from the other side. His mate's hair and face were drenched. His eyes looked around the room for a second before they found Chanyeol. "Towel and clothes, please."

 

The innocent look of the fae dazed Chanyeol for a second, but he quickly got a hold of himself. He pushed the bundle of clothes and towel to Baekhyun's opened palm. "Don't need assistance to wear your clothes?"

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, but immediately grinned. "You and your lame jokes need to stop, sir."

"It's not a joke, sweetheart."

Baekhyun held up his hand, stopping him. "And hold your endearments. I only allow you one."

Chanyeol raised his eyebrows. "Seriously, lamb?"

The fae gave him a smirk, then closed the door rather loudly, leaving him alone once again lost in his thoughts.

His mind was a mess. What did he need to do first?

Meal. His male needed meal to get better. He called Jongin to get him some.

Meal done. Now, what? His house? He wasn't a messy type, so he didn't need to worry Baekhyun would see any unsightly scenes inside his house.

Talk to Junmyeon about the kidnapping problem. This was the most important. He needed to find out what was behind all this. His need to avenge his mate had been boiling since the first time he found him, but Chanyeol tried to bury it. He needed to see Baekhyun well first. Now that Baekhyun looked better, he could move onto doing what should have been done.
 

#

 

 

When Baekhyun got out of the bathroom, freshened up and fully dressed, he found Chanyeol sat at the edge of his queen-size bed. The vampire's eyes locked on him as soon as he closed the door behind him.

As Chanyeol's gaze traveled down his figure, Baekhyun became aware of his body.

He stood there awkwardly, so he shoved his hands inside the tight leather jeans. Surprisingly, Chanyeol's clothes weren't too baggy on him despite their differences in body size. The clothes were loose, yes, but it fit him just well.

Baekhyun was always confident with his body, so he didn't really know why he felt embarrassed right now. But if it was any consolation to his ego, the vampire looked... awed.

"Uhm..." He fidgeted, then opted out to approach the male on the bed. "Thank you for your shower. And the clothes."

Chanyeol jabbed his hand through his hair and got up from his bed. "Don't mention it. Besides..."

Baekhyun's brows rose. "Besides what?"

"You look great."

Okay, did his heart just skip a beat? What the hell, heart? Please, don't let the vampire aware of it.

Too late, Chanyeol looked at the left side of his chest and immediately grinned. "Your heartbeat sped up from me complimenting you. That pleases me, lamb."

"Shut up," Baekhyun grunted, turning away. He can't look at Chanyeol's face right now.

The vampire chuckled behind him. "Alright, I'm not gonna tease you. Hey..."

A hand crept around Baekhyun’s wrist and pulled him, turning him around once again, facing the tall male.

Tall and unbelievably handsome male vampire. His long dark hair was pushed back. His amber eyes were wide and round. And warm. And so gentle. His lips were so red and plump. And those little fangs peeking out from his mouth? So goddamn attractive.

Why was Baekhyun afraid of having a vampire mate again?

"What?" Baekhyun's throaty voice betrayed him. The vampire stood so close to him, making Baekhyun need to look up. "What're you gonna do to me?"

Chanyeol's mouth twitched. "You want me to do something to you?"

"Don't put words in my mouth." Baekhyun gave him a glare. "I thought you're going to show me around your house."

Releasing his hold on his wrist, only to place it around Baekhyun's shoulders, Chanyeol led him out of his room. "That's exactly what I'm gonna do before you asked me that provoking question."

"Ha-ha-ha," Baekhyun gave him dire laugh. "So funny, vampire."

"I'm trying to make you like me, mate."

Baekhyun can't answer to that because truthfully, he actually liked the vampire. Chanyeol was... nice, he thought. All these centuries, people pitied him for having a vampire mate. Vampires were known for their domineering trait. And Baekhyun if he let anyone control him. Chanyeol had shown him that tendency. He was overprotective and already attached to him, but he wasn't overbearing when doing that. And, actually, Baekhyun thought that it was nice to have someone on his back, making sure that his well-being was the most important thing.

Baekhyun was so lost in his thought that he didn't realize that Chanyeol had brought him to the center of his house.

"So, this is my... living room, I guess," the vampire said.

 

Baekhyun let himself take in everything around him. The vampire definitely only spent ten percent of his time outside his room, as it was evident that his scent was so weak here. The house was dark, shutters drawn. It meant it was daylight right now. Vampires can't be exposed to sunlight. The two places Baekhyun had been in, the clinic and Chanyeol's room had no windows. Baekhyun didn't expect anything. He was also a warrior and he knew better that warriors only spent most of their time in the field or headquarters. House was just a place where you stack your clothes and bed. So when he saw only a simple sofa and table in the middle of the big house, Baekhyun wasn't surprised.

"Damn, I guess your home can't giveaway anything about you," Baekhyun murmured, turning around to see the kitchen, and just as he thought, it only had one big refrigerator. Typical vampire's kitchen. They needed nothing but the cold box to keep the blood bag fresh.

If Baekhyun was to live here, they needed a lot of additional things, especially in the kitchen area.

Wait, what?

Who said he would be living here?

Baekhyun shook his head, erasing whatever stupid thoughts in his head. "You don't have other things to show me, vampire?"

Chanyeol actually looked embarrassed. "I never had a visitor for over a century other than the warriors, so..."

"Yeah, I get it. Mine is not that different from yours."

"You live alone?"

"Uh-uh." Baekhyun walked toward the kitchen. "My parents died when I was a hundred years old or so. I started to live alone since then," he said as he opened the refrigerator. It was filled with dozens of blood bags. Absolutely nothing new, so Baekhyun closed it again, turning around to face the vampire. "What about yours?"

Chanyeol crooked his eyebrows. "What?"

"Your parents."

Chanyeol visibly tensed, and Baekhyun was too familiar with that kind of reaction that he didn't need to actually hear the answer.

In the immortal world, you either died from murder or plague. Baekhyun's parents were one of the many that suffered from a plague that only fae’s kinds experienced, resulting them asking to be put down, rather than tormented by the plague. Chanyeol's obvious reaction to his question was only meant one thing. His parents were murdered.

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun whispered, taking a step closer to the towering male. Hesitating, he wrapped his hand around the vampire's bicep, running it up and down the rogue warrior skin.

"No, it's okay. It happened four centuries ago." Chanyeol shrugged, seeming to hide the fact that it was nothing, while Baekhyun could see that it was still weighing on him.

"How old were you?"

"Seventeen."

Baekhyun gasped. So young. The vampire had not even reached his maturity as immortal at that age and he already lost his parents.

The thick tension between them was disrupted by the sudden energy in the room. Baekhyun jerked away as Chanyeol turned around.

"Did I interrupt something?" said a male vampire, standing in the middle of the room.

Baekhyun peeked from behind Chanyeol's shoulder to get a better look. This man must be a warrior too. His build and rough look gave it away. He was handsome. But not as much as Chanyeol.

"What did I say about no tracing directly inside my house, Jongin?" Chanyeol grumbled. His hand sneaked behind him, searching for Baekhyun's. When he found it, he brought Baekhyun to his side. "Baekhyun, this is Jongin. My warrior brother."

Jongin had one of the sweetest smile Baekhyun had ever seen, making him relaxed. "Hey, I'm Baekhyun."

"I know," Jongin approached them. He was holding a paper bag to his chest. "I mean, the whole compound know. It's not every day vampires find his mate. Especially warriors."

Okay, like, was that supposed to make him feel proud? If anything, it added to his building pressure.

"You got what I asked of you?" Chanyeol asked.

 

Baekhyun raised his brows, confused of what Chanyeol meant by that, as Jongin nodded and came closer to them.

"I brought food for the fae, and this..." The younger vampire trailed off, both of his hands reaching out. One of them held the paper bag while one of them...

Baekhyun gasped. "My bow!"

He unintentionally shoved Chanyeol aside so he could get to his bow. His eyes locked on the weapon that was basically half of his life. When he finally reached Jongin, the vampire gladly handed him his bow and quiver. Almost immediately, Baekhyun felt a tingling power surge throughout his body.

He instantly smiled. His weapon's power must have been the one that woke him inside the clinic earlier.

"What... How could you have this?" Baekhyun stammered. But his gaze was glued to his weapon, inspecting it.

His weapon was left behind when he was kidnapped. Until now Baekhyun still can't believe the ghoul didn't destroy his weapon and just left it behind.

"Your warrior brothers came earlier to..." Jongin stopped talking as his eyes reverted to Chanyeol, whose expression must have been saying something since the younger vampire clasped his lips shut and smiled tightly to him instead. "Well, I better go now," he said, gave the paper bag to Chanyeol, and turned around. "See you around, Baekhyun." Then he vanished into thin air.

Baekhyun faced Chanyeol. "What was that?" He narrowed his eyes. "My brothers had been here? To get me?"

The vampire made a disgusted expression. "Yes, that's exactly what they said. They came to get you."

"And what's so wrong with that?"

"They let you get kidnapped by the goddamn ghouls, and they think they have the right to claim you? Not on my watch, Baekhyun."

"No one is claiming anyone here. I'm not a thing, Chanyeol," Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "And where are they now?"

Chanyeol didn't answer, and that was actually an enough answer for Baekhyun.

Baekhyun threw his head back, guffawed. "You've got to be kidding me, vampire. I'm not yours. You don't have any right to make decisions for me."

Chanyeol stepped forward, and Baekhyun stiffened. Somehow, in a split second, Chanyeol's demeanor had changed drastically. His eyes were warm before, now they were... black? Baekhyun remembered his eyes had been amber. How could they were black now?

"I'm trying to protect you, Baekhyun. I don't know about you but I really don't want you to get hurt again, or worse, killed. Like you've been before," Chanyeol muttered in low pitch, almost inaudible.

Baekhyun gaped. "How did you know I was... dead?"

In an instant, a vein popped out in Chanyeol's neck. He dropped the paper bag in his hold. He squeezed his shut, visibly trying to tame down the beast roaring inside him.

Sensing the sudden anger coming from the vampire, Baekhyun's instinct told him to at least put a distance. But instead, he dropped his bow and quiver and found his hands reached out to the vampire's face, cradling his cheeks.

"Hey," his voice almost croaked. Where did this feeling of protectiveness coming from? All Baekhyun knew was that he didn't want to see Chanyeol like this. "Vampire, what's the matter?"

Chanyeol scrunched up his face, as if he was in pain, before his gaze met Baekhyun's. "For a whole month, my chest was in pain. Every time you died, I was in so much pain. And when I found you… Can't see you like that again, Baekhyun. I just... can't."

The vampire had felt that he had died? Good God. "Well," Baekhyun gave a half-smile. "You won't. Because I won't let myself be in that kind of situation again."

Chanyeol's hands grabbed Baekhyun's hands and brought them down, then kept holding them tight. "Then let me help you with that. At least, let me be beside you and make sure nothing will happen to you."

Baekhyun's gaze roamed at Chanyeol's face. He took in the sight of his black eyes that started to go back to their original warm color. At the same time, Baekhyun studied the lines between his brows, his clenched jaws, and his flared nostrils. The vampire looked pale and exhausted.

He let go of Chanyeol’s hands, bowing down to take his weapon and the paper bag Jongin brought to them, then he took Chanyeol's hand again, leading him to the sofa at the living room. He pushed the vampire to sit down before he put down all things he held on the floor, and then he sat beside Chanyeol.

"When was the last time you slept? Fed?" Baekhyun asked. "You look a little unwell."

Chanyeol's expression softened a little. "Seeing your mate dying could do that to a male."

Baekhyun held the urge to smile. He needed to get his head back at the game. He was being too soft on the vampire. He had been angry at him one second for being such a territorial caveman, then the next second he sympathized with him.

Baekhyun eased his back onto the sofa armrest. "Is it normal for vampires to immediately bond with their mates? I mean, we only know each other for, what, 48 hours? I'm not even conscious through the first half of it, and you already think that I'm yours."

"I don't understand it either." Chanyeol played with Baekhyun's hands for a while. He looked conflicted, brows drawn together once again, before he finally opened his mouth. "I was told about the physical reaction when you find your mate. You'll breath, your heart will beat, your knees will wobble. They didn't tell me about the emotional reaction to it. And it's... intense."

Baekhyun didn't really understand what it meant. And he thought he better not pushed the emotional thingy too far. Because if anything, becoming emotionally too attached was number one in his list of things he needed to avoid.

Baekhyun pulled out his hands from Chanyeol's hold. And if his eyes weren't playing trick on him, Chanyeol actually looked disappointed. "And how did you handle it?"

"Handle what?"

Baekhyun shrugged. "You live for four hundred years without a mate. And suddenly, bam, you have one. Aren't you... surprised?"

Cocking his head, the vampire took some time before he answered him. "Would you believe if I said we shared the same thought about this whole vampire matehood thing?"

Baekhyun shook his head. "What do you mean?"

"To be honest, I've always been dreaded the day I got to meet my mate, too. I always thought that it's okay if I didn't get to meet them. I could live my life without them."

He did? Looking at the way Chanyeol treated him this couple of days, Baekhyun had a hard time to believe that. "Why did you think like that?"

"I believe nothing good would come with them. I'll have... a weakness, a blatant one, if I had a mate."

"I don't understand." Baekhyun shook his head.

Chanyeol pressed his lips into a thin line. An unfamiliar emotion that Baekhyun couldn't pinpoint flashed through his eyes. "Well, now people could easily get to you if they wanted to hurt me. And if something happened to you... I would go crazy."

Baekhyun had a feeling that was an understatement. He was about to ask him to elaborate what he meant by that when Chanyeol, for the first time since they met, avoided Baekhyun's gaze. From this, Baekhyun understood two things. First, he knew that this was one topic Chanyeol hated the most--him being in danger. The second one was the fact that vampires were pretty ing vulnerable once they found their mates.

But Baekhyun still had a hard time in believing it. He knew that Chanyeol didn't love him... yet. But the vampire's feeling for him seemed more than a matter of protectiveness. It baffled him how all of this could happen in just 48 hours. Vampires’ matehood was both fascinating and scary.

Suddenly Chanyeol's presence in the room felt a little too much.

Baekhyun shifted in his seat, trying to break the ice. "So, did I live up to your expectations?"

Finally, Chanyeol's face muscles moved after they had been tensed as rock for the past few minutes. He smirked and his eyes moved up and down.

Did Chanyeol just check him out?

"Nope," Chanyeol answered, still smirking in addition of his eyes turning black once more. "You exceeded it. And believe me, lamb, my standard is pretty ing high."
 

 

#

 

Baekhyun blushed.

His mate ing blushed from his compliment. Chanyeol felt like he had lived a complete life.

He hadn't lied when he said that Baekhyun exceeded his expectation in a mate. For more than four hundred years of his life, Chanyeol had envisioned his mate in so many ways. They would have silky hair, smooth and fair skin, bright eyes, plump and inviting lips, mouth-watering body, defying-gravity and thighs, all possible traits. And all of them were pale compared to what fate had for him.

My mate is incomparable.

Sitting in front of him right now, wrapped in his clothes, drown in the smell of his soap and shampoo, Baekhyun made him forget the tension in him from their conversation previously. Now Chanyeol was filled with another kind of tension.

"Chanyeol, your eyes turned black again," Baekhyun said. He looked alarmed. Probably scared that Chanyeol would lose control over his emotion like before, but this was totally a different case.

"Yeah?" Chanyeol's voice croaked. Damn it. "They tend to do that. Don't worry."

Chanyeol's eyes dipped to his mate's lips. Those sinful lips. . Where did this sudden lust come from?

He was about to turn away when Baekhyun suddenly shifted on his seat and got closer to him. Chanyeol held his breath as the fae's hand sneaked to his cheek. Their lower body parts were practically molding into each other, making him feel the heat coming from his mate.

, now he was officially hard.

"You sure you're okay?" Baekhyun asked. His expression concerned.

Chanyeol nodded, not trusting his voice. And not trusting at least most of his bodily functions right now.

Baekhyun moved closer, and Chanyeol instantly groaned, "Baekhyun." He can't even recognize his own voice.

"What? What happen?" The fae was confused then he looked down, right at Chanyeol's crotch. His eyes widened and his face turned bright red. "Are you kidding me?"

Baekhyun was about to retreat when Chanyeol decided that he wouldn't let him go away from him for a while. He grabbed his mate's hand and locked him in his position.

Chanyeol had to hold himself from growling like an animal. "Your fault, Baekhyun. You were asking me to look at you."

Baekhyun gaped. "No, I asked you if I met your expectations. Not for you to sizing me up."

"Can't help it when you're so damn inviting."

Baekhyun kept on making interesting expressions. Shocked. Embarrassed. Fear. But mostly, intrigued.

The fae cleared his throat. "You did not just say that. That's such a lame line."

"It’s not a line," Chanyeol said before he leaned in.

Chanyeol gave Baekhyun a good couple of seconds for him to avoid him, because though Chanyeol was crazy with needs to kiss his mate senseless right now, he wouldn't do something Baekhyun didn't want. But his mate didn't move away. Baekhyun was waiting for him.

Giving in to the overwhelming need to kiss him, with an unsteady hand, Chanyeol cupped the back of Baekhyun’s head, bringing the fae to him. The slight touch of his lips brought electricity throughout his body. Chanyeol almost couldn't contain the pleasure. He deepened the kiss, pressing his lips harder, coaxing his tongue so Baekhyun would let him in.

Responding to him so sweetly, Baekhyun opened up to him. Chanyeol immediately dived in, tasting him, drowning in him, drinking him in.

Utter ing sweetness.

Chanyeol pulled back, his eyes gone blurry but he could see that their brief kiss affected Baekhyun as much as it did him. "God almighty, Baekhyun," he rasped.

Heavy lidded, Baekhyun grabbed the back of his head hard. "If you stop kissing me, vampire, I'll kill you."

God. Chanyeol loved his luscious little mate.

In a heartbeat, Chanyeol was on top of him. Instantly, his lips slanted over the fae's. Their tongues tangled, their breaths shared. For a moment, Chanyeol hesitated to crash his body onto his mate, but like a freaking angel, Baekhyun arched his back, pressing their chest together.

My mate can't be more perfect.

The world had faded away until all Chanyeol knew was Baekhyun, his mate, his scent, his taste, his skin, his breath. They were all like drugs to him.

Chanyeol felt his fangs lengthening. The need to claim his mate was unbearable. All he needed to do was make love to him and bite him at the same time. Then Baekhyun would be his forever. Officially claimed by him.

My mate's needs come before anything else.

Somehow, in his frenzied state, Chanyeol got the strength to pull away. "Don't kill me, mate. If this continued, I would eat you alive," Chanyeol said in between his ragged breath.

Still panting, Baekhyun looked at him from beneath him, looking a little dazed and awed. Chanyeol shared the feelings. He wouldn't imagine that a kiss could be that... mind-blowing.

"Damn, vampire, you're good." Baekhyun looked at him dreamily.

Chanyeol gave him a lopsided grin. "Yeah? Well, that wasn't half as good--"

"There you go with another lame line."

"If we did it after you eat," Chanyeol concluded as he pulled Baekhyun to a sitting position. He kept blinking and clearing his throat to shake the remnants of their shared kiss. He needed to go back in the game again.

"Eat?"

Chanyeol picked the forgotten paper bag on the floor. "Totally forgot that I need to feed my mate." He peeked into the bag and quirked his brows. "Well, what do we have here?"

Chanyeol rummaged through it. It filled with random foods, like sandwich, bagel, coke, bottled juice, and random fruits like grapes and oranges. He took them all out of the bag one by one so Baekhyun can choose what to eat first.

"I'm not hungry. Can't I just eat later?" Baekhyun looked disinterested.

Seeing his fae wouldn't start eating if he didn't feed him with his own hand, Chanyeol picked one of the oranges and began peeling it. "Believe me, lamb, there are other things that I want to shove down your throat right now, but I’d rather you have all of these first so you get the energy you need," Chanyeol said as he offered one to Baekhyun.

"Ew, vampire, would you stop with those lines already? Especially when I'm going to eat." Baekhyun bit the orange straight from Chanyeol's hand and chewed it carefully. "God, I haven't tasted anything other than blood in my mouth for weeks. This sour orange actually taste good."

Chanyeol kept hand-feeding him the whole orange and began unwrapping the sandwich when he wondered how people would look at them right now. His warrior brothers definitely would look at him as if he was a stranger. Chanyeol hand-feeding someone? Not his usual scene.

"Your eyes turn amber again," Baekhyun observed as he bit the tuna sandwich. "Is it a vampire's thing?"

Chanyeol nodded. "Basically, our eyes turn black every time our emotion stirs."

"Meaning?" The fae cocked his head.

"Meaning they'll turn when we're angry, sad, or ."

Baekhyun choked, and Chanyeol gave him the apple juice. After his coughs calmed down, his mate casted him disbelief look.

"It's not a line," Chanyeol exclaimed. "It's the truth."

Baekhyun exhaled then shook his head. He took the sandwich from Chanyeol's hand and fed from his own hand. Too bad, even though the feeling had been foreign, Chanyeol had enjoyed feeding his mate.

He had enjoyed every minute they spent together.

Chanyeol waited until Baekhyun finished with his meal before he asked, slowly, "Do you want to sleep again?"

"I'm going to be honest with you, I feel like I just run miles. I'm so tired, what the hell?"

Chanyeol brushed the wild hair on his mate's forehead. "That's because you're still not one hundred percent well. I'll get you more comfortable clothes for you to sleep. Let's go to my--"

A sudden knock on his front door stopped Chanyeol. Suddenly alerted, he let his immortal sense went through the door. It was Sehun.

Chanyeol put his hand on Baekhyun's shoulder, silently asking him to come with him. Even for a few meters, Chanyeol didn't want his mate away from him. "It's my warrior brother, Sehun."

They walked to the door, and his instinct wasn't wrong, Sehun was behind it.

The youngest vampire warrior waved at them. "Junmyeon called for a meeting. He wants both of you to come," Sehun said straightforwardly. His eyes looked back and forth between Chanyeol and Baekhyun. "Right now."

"Why do I have to come, too?" Baekhyun casted Chanyeol a confused look.

"Exactly what I was wondering. Why Baekhyun has to come to our meeting?" Chanyeol had a feeling he knew the reason, but he waited for Sehun to say the words.

"Because it's about him," the youngest vampire warrior said matter-of-factly before he traced away.
 

#
 

With his bow and arrows on his back, Baekhyun arrived in front of the grand door of the vampire warriors' headquarter.

To Chanyeol's credit, he didn't trace them right into the meeting room, giving Baekhyun the time to collect himself for whatever going to happen behind the door.

Baekhyun tried to sense inside the HQ and found something strange. He rubbed his face in frustration. "ing hell, your friend didn't say that the whole immortal warriors would be there."

Chanyeol cursed in low voice. He faced Baekhyun as he said, "We don't have to do this. If you weren't ready--"

"You know what? I'm going in. I'm not that weak. Better soon than later." Baekhyun took a deep breath. "I don't think I have the energy to walk. Trace me into the room."

A second later, Baekhyun was inside a very unfamiliar room. The meeting room of vampire warriors was glaringly different with his faction's one. The fae meeting room was dominated with white and silk chairs, while the one Baekhyun just entered was gilded by gold with a touch of red and black here and there.

Strangely, it actually fit Baekhyun's taste.

The only thing he distasted about the room was the fact that dozens of immortal warriors from all factions were inside it. Chanyeol had traced them to near the entrance door, so Baekhyun could see everyone from that angle.

When they materialized, all heads turned to them and thank god Baekhyun was never one to have stage fright, or else he would be ting his pants as different colors of eyes stared at him.

It was when Chanyeol placed his hand at the small of Baekhyun's back that he realized that he was actually really tensed. He followed Chanyeol's lead, taking some steps back to lean on the wall. The vampire knew that he had trouble standing. The wall and the vampire's hand were the only things holding him up.

No one said anything as Baekhyun scanned the room. Each faction hurdled together. Vampires, faes, demons, sorcerers, valkyries, werewolves, and witches. They all looked curious yet uneasy. Especially the faes, his faction. They didn't met Baekhyun’s eyes at all and took the space farthest from him.

Baekhyun locked his gaze at the vampire sat across the room. This meeting was held at vampire's HQ, so that man practically led the meeting.

"Thank you for the kind invitation... Sorry, I don't know your name," Baekhyun said nonchalantly, crossing his hands on his chest.

"Greetings, Baekhyun the fae warrior, I'm Junmyeon, the leader of vampire warrior," Junmyeon got up from his seat and bowed to him.

Baekhyun quirked his brows. "Alright, let's cut the boring part and go straight to the point, shall we?"

Junmyeon sat back. He looked back and forth between Baekhyun and Chanyeol and sighed. He must've noticed Chanyeol's furious look and Baekhyun's exhausted one because the leader actually looked guilty now. "I'm sorry that we called you for this meeting. You must be really tired--"

Chanyeol scoffed, cutting off Junmyeon’s sentence. His eyes began to turn black. "No , Junmyeon. He only got out from that hell hole two days ago. Can't you wait?"

"I'm sorry but our world is in jeopardy right now. We can't waste any time," Junmyeon reasoned.

"Yeah, what's the meaning of my well-being compared to the fate of our immortal world, right?" Baekhyun gave everyone in the room a friendly smile. "I totally get it."

Junmyeon shook his head. "That's not what I meant."

"Of course you didn't." Baekhyun wiped the smile from his face and showed them his actual expression. He was freaking tired and pissed as . "Seriously, with all the due respect, can we start? My condition is really ty right now. I'll appreciate it deeply if I could get back to my room soon."

By his room he meant Chanyeol's room, of course, but all the immortals in the room, including Chanyeol, looked shocked. They must've thought he wanted to go back to his own compound.

" my life," Baekhyun muttered under his breath before he looked at Chanyeol. "I mean your room, okay?" Then he faced the crowd again. "Now can we start the meeting?"

Junmyeon cleared his throat and nodded, taking control again. "Okay, so, we've established the fact that Baekhyun got different treatments out of all the other abductees. And when we asked the ghoul that we took in for questioning--"

"Wait, wait, wait." Baekhyun straightened his posture. "What do you mean I got different treatments?"

"Other abductees were never tortured to the point of being killed like you. Also, you got different cell," Chanyeol was the one who answered him.

Baekhyun blinked. "Are you sure?"

"We've asked all of them, Baekhyun," Junmyeon continued. "They were tortured, yes. But not as badly as you."

Instead of being confused, Baekhyun was more offended. Okay, what the hell? Why did the ghouls torture him to death?

"And have you guys found out why?" Baekhyun words began to slur. He felt the room started to spin, and Chanyeol tightened his grip on him.

Junmyeon shook his head. "We asked the ghouls we brought in for questioning. And they said they didn't know the reason behind it. They just followed orders."

"Orders?" Baekhyun pinched the bridge of his nose. "From who?"

"From our kind," one of the males from the sorcerer group stepped forward. Baekhyun knew him. He was Luhan, Sorcerer of Command. "One of our kind was behind all this. We have traced the sorcery from the necklace which all the ghouls wear and found that it was sorcery from a very old sorcerer. A strong one. And a bad one."

Even in his delirious state, Baekhyun still could chuckle. "Yeah, if he weren't bad, he would be here with us as a warrior, true?"

Luhan smirked. "True, fae. For now, we still try to trace the source of the sorcery." He turned to Junmyeon. "It'll take time to narrow it down to one individual."

The vampire leader nodded and his eyes were back at Baekhyun. "You have any ideas about this abduction?"

Baekhyun didn't answer right away and tried to dig into his mind. Did the ghouls ever say anything regarding the abduction or anything about their master? He couldn't recall any of it. His memories from his abduction were mostly torture, pain, hunger, death, more torture, and more pain.

He finally opened his mouth. "I have no idea. All they did to me was torture me. They never said anything other than 'Let's play, Baekhyun.'"

"They said that to you?" Chanyeol hissed.

"Yup," Baekhyun said with a loud sound of P at the end. "They said that every time they entered my cell, before they began torturing me."

Chanyeol' eyes turned jet black. "I'm gonna kill all of them."

"Count me in on that." The thought that he would get his chance to finish them was what made him endure the whole ordeal. If Baekhyun didn't get his revenge, he would go mental.

"So all they did just torture you?" The vampire leader looked confused, like the possibility of him being nothing but a punch bag was unthinkable.

It just made Baekhyun enraged. "I wasn't just tortured, okay? I was stabbed, slashed, chopped, burned--"

"That's enough." A low growl came from inside Chanyeol's chest.

Baekhyun huffed. "All in all, they did pretty much everything to me, except bite me and chop my head. Try to be in my position and say it again to my face that it was just torture."

Drained, Baekhyun turned to Chanyeol and the vampire welcomed him in his embrace. As he buried his face on Chanyeol's chest, the vampire cupped the back of his head. He could sense the anger boiling from Chanyeol and took comfort from it, knowing that someone care enough to be mad in his place. “Let’s go back,” Baekhyun whispered.

"We're going back and I don't want anyone to disturb us for at least 24 hours," Chanyeol said before Baekhyun could feel the nausea in his chest. Meaning the vampire had traced them out of the meeting room.

The smell of Chanyeol's soap hinted that they were on the vampire's room right now. And it was only now that Baekhyun felt his body totally sagged onto Chanyeol. Then his senses shut down all at once.

 

 

 

#

 

 

Chanyeol was getting angrier by the minute so he forced himself to follow Baekhyun in his bed. He hadn't sleep for three days after all. His frustration had reached its limit that he was surprised he didn't snap in their meeting earlier.

Junmyeon, you bastard.

Chanyeol knew his leader didn't mean what he said, but still. Baekhyun had every right to be upset. If Baekhyun wasn't his top priority right now, he would give a very public punch to his leader back there.

His gut was right. Baekhyun was still not one hundred percent well. He was visibly weakened throughout the whole meeting and literally collapsed when they arrived back at Chanyeol's room.

What can I do to make him better?

He was thinking to go back to the meeting room for a minute to ask some faes about what should he do. But he immediately dismissed the thought. He couldn't leave Baekhyun and his emotion was still raw. Seeing the faes who had been silent all along during the meeting would just make him more upset.

So here Chanyeol was. Sleeping beside his mate. He was too exhausted to even stop thinking for a second that this would be the first time he would share a bed with Baekhyun. He fell asleep immediately, drawing the fae closer to him.

He woke up two hours later and found Baekhyun still asleep. He checked his breath and other signs if he was in pain, but his mate slept peacefully. His face was calm and his breath was soft.

Since Baekhyun didn't give any signs of waking up any time soon, Chanyeol got up and looked at his wall clock. It was two hours after midnight. Racking his brain, Chanyeol tried to think of what to do as he waited for Baekhyun to wake up.

Even after resting, his body was still restless. The whole matehood thing was starting to stress him out. There was also the fact that he still had no clue about the attack on Baekhyun and other immortals. Probably also because he hadn’t been on action in two days.

Chanyeol changed his clothes to track suit and his combat shoes to running shoes, decided to hit the gym. At least, he could do one thing about his restlessness.
 

 

 

#

 

An hour of cardio and weightlifting proved not enough for Chanyeol to let his body ease even a little bit, so he decided to run around the compound to tire himself. Working out made it easier for him to think about the situation. What was needed to be done?

He needed to meet Luhan and other sorcerer warriors once again to talk about the possibilities. Right now, they were their ultimate hope to find the culprit behind all of this. Or they could go to the ghoul's cabin where they jailed the abducted immortals. Maybe they would find some clues about what to do or where to go next.

He can't rest until he found the sorcerer that ordered the torture of his mate and got the vengeance for Baekhyun.

As he ran through the houses of vampire's compound, he realized sun would soon rise behind the tall protection wall. Cursing that he still felt not tired at all despite the sweat he worked for the past an hour and a half, he decided to run back to his house. He prayed that Baekhyun still hadn't woken up and he could have a long hot shower.

As he was getting close to his home, he measured his time if he could go buy something for Baekhyun to eat. He could go to some diner and--

Chanyeol slowed his run until he made a complete stop at the front door of his house. With his chest heaving and his hair messy from the running, plus his pissed expression, he hoped it could send a sign to his leader that he wasn't in the mood for any sort of conversation right now.

"I'm pretty sure I said I didn't want anyone to disturb us for 24 hours," Chanyeol seethed, wiping his sweat-soaked face with his sleeve.

Junmyeon actually looked guilty. "I apologize for what I said earlier, Chanyeol."

"Apologize to my mate," Chanyeol charged toward his door, only to be blocked by Junmyeon. He threw murderous look to the warrior's leader. "I'm in a ty mood. If I were you, I would trace away right the now."

"Everyone's on edge, Chanyeol. I'm just trying to end this fast."

"Yeah, but none of you found your mate in dying state, or being tortured to death for a month," Chanyeol growled. He could feel his fangs lengthened. "Forget 24 hours. Leave us for a week. Baekhyun needs to heal."

"I understand that Baekhyun, more than anyone else, needs to rest and heal himself. Believe me I already talked about this to all warriors. But they don't understand. They said that Baekhyun is our first-choice bait."

Chanyeol's body began to shake, his eyes started to see red. "ing s. They think my mate is a pawn?"

Junmyeon quickly grabbed his hand. "Seriously, calm down. You think I'll let it happen? Baekhyun is your mate. So he's a part of us now. I won't let anyone use my people."

Jabbing his soaked hair, Chanyeol tried to fight the urge to trace to every faction's compound to kill every one of them. He'll start with the fae's compound.

"I want a week, Junmyeon."

"Three days," the leader bargained. "I hate to say this but we need to move fast."

"Goddammit." Chanyeol yanked his hand away from Junmyeon's grasped.

He paced back and forth, thinking this through. Baekhyun actually looked fine today after he showered. He genuinely believed that Yixing had truly worked his magic. But it turned out his mate's strength depleted over the hours. It meant Baekhyun's condition was tricky and he can't take risks. Would three days be enough for him to heal completely?

"What would Baekhyun do in three days? They're not going to send him to fight or anything, right?" Chanyeol finally stopped his pacing.

"No, of course not," Junmyeon made a face. "We honestly still don't know what to do, but fighting is definitely not in our agenda."

Chanyeol pondered again. His fingers rubbed his temple. This felt weird, him making decisions for his mate. He guessed this was what couples did. Were they a couple though?

"Alright, we'll meet you in three days."

Junmyeon looked visibly relieved. His expression was more relaxed now. "Thanks for your consideration."

"Not doing it for any of you." Chanyeol looked at Junmyeon, and saw his leader smiled at him. "What?"

Junmyeon shrugged. "It still feels surreal seeing you with a mate back in our meeting room earlier. You two look good together."

Chanyeol almost pulled his lips into a smile but he held the urge. "Well, get used to it."

"I'm sure I will. It's just..." Junmyeon stopped. His expression turned somber. "Sorry, I just remembered that you used to say that you didn't want a mate."

That got Chanyeol tensed for a second. Not that what Junmyeon said was wrong. Having a mate was something he always dreaded to happen. But Baekhyun made him question the reason why.

"Well," Chanyeol shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "I tried to fight my attraction of him. Failed in five seconds. He was--"

Chanyeol stopped dead with his words. He froze as a weird feeling crept into his chest, and not even a second later, the light from the lamppost above his head flickered frantically.

"Something's wrong. Junmyeon, get away from here," he said then immediately traced into his room, almost instantly blinded by the bright light similar to what he witnessed in the clinic when Baekhyun woke up for the first time earlier.
 

 

#

 

Even in his panic state, Baekhyun knew that he was only dreaming, but he can't will himself to wake up.

He was back at his special cell at the ghoul's jail cabin. He could feel the chilly air and the damp floor. His sight focused on the five ghouls standing around him. In his dream, his cell wasn't dark. There was enough light for him to see the face of his captors. They were smiling from ear to ear, literally, although Baekhyun knew it would be impossible if it was out of his dream. While in reality the ghouls never talked when they tortured him, now they were talking to him.

"Aren't you proud, Baekhyun?"

"You're special, Baekhyun."

"Master really likes you, Baekhyun."

"He wants us to torture you good, Baekhyun."

"So, let's play, Baekhyun."

Then they started torturing him. Their usual routine. What was not usual was that the torture only lasted for only a few seconds. It didn't even hurt that much, but the dread was still there.

Not long, there was a figure emerged from the wall. A big, shadowy, menacing figure that made Baekhyun shiver. He can't see his face but he knew the figure was looking at him. And all of a sudden, that figure was on top of him, complete darkness surrounded him before he felt light start to shine from the tip of his fingers, then from all over his body. His light protected him from the darkness.

Baekhyun screamed, in hope that his scream would make his light shine even brighter. It did. It shone so brightly it started to blind himself, and his body started to shake. Except it didn't shake itself, someone was shaking him, very hard, and yelling at him through his own scream.

"Wake up, Baekhyun! Come on, wake up!"

Chanyeol. It was Chanyeol's voice. There was a relief, but soon it was replaced by dread? No, Chanyeol shouldn't be here. Or he'll be tortured, too.

He needed to wake up from the dream if he didn't want Chanyeol to be in danger.

He needed to wake up.

Wake the up!

Baekhyun woke up gasping and screaming at the same time. He still can't see anything other than his own bright light, but he could feel that he was on a fluffy, warm surface, rather than the damp, cold surface in his dream. And he smelled a familiar soap scent he really liked. It was Chanyeol's scent. He was in Chanyeol's room, with Chanyeol who shook him hard, trying to wake him up.

Baekhyun stopped screaming and tried to diminish his light at the same time. Baekhyun almost choked in tears as soon as he saw Chanyeol looking at him with his warm amber eyes.

It was all just a dream. He was safe here. Still with Chanyeol. Under his protection.

"I'm sorry. It was just--"

Jesus christ, where the hell was the air in the room.

Sensing that he was losing Baekhyun, Chanyeol leaned closer and did the exact same thing he did when Baekhyun lost his in the clinic yesterday. He put his forehead on Baekhyun's, his hands found Baekhyun's, and he muttered softly, "Breathe with me. Come on. We do it together."

It was just then Baekhyun realized he hadn't been breathing since he woke up. He had to force himself to breathe because it felt like a rope was tied around his neck and chest tightly. He had a hard time untying them, but Chanyeol was there, helping him with it, until the ropes completely loosened and fell down.

Baekhyun took in a breath, and already, he felt much better, although his whole body was still trembling. He let his body slack onto Chanyeol, and the vampire tucked him under his chin.

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun repeated again, now more coherent.

"What was it?"

"Bad dream."

Baekhyun could tell that Chanyeol was dying to know, but the vampire didn't push for more. And honestly, Baekhyun was too exhausted to even talk more than five words.

He stayed in Chanyeol's hold for more or less ten minutes. Just until he could breathe normally and his heart stopped flipping.

Chanyeol was still rubbing his back slowly when Baekhyun withdrew and looked up at him. "Thanks."

The vampire brought Baekhyun's hand to the warmth of his lips. "Anytime, lamb. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you were having a bad dream."

"Where were you?" Baekhyun only realized then the heat Chanyeol soaring from his body. And the vampire was soaked all over.

"I did a little workout at the gym and ran a bit. When I sensed something was wrong, I immediately traced to you."

Baekhyun rubbed his face as his temple started to pound. Not wanting to show another round of his weak side, Baekhyun forced a smile and straightened his posture. "You should've let me join you. I'm longing for a good run."

The vampire gave him a smile back. "Not until you completely heal. I was about to take a shower then buy you some food before sunrise."

"I'm coming with you," Baekhyun was on board with taking in some fresh air. He hadn't been out of walls for a month.

Chanyeol raised his brows. "You sure?"

"Oh, come on." Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "I'm not sick. I'm just a little bit... drained."

The vampire sighed in defeat, knowing that he can't win an argument with Baekhyun. That was what constant with his attitude. His mate's need would always be his number one priority.

"Fine, I'm going to take a shower first." Chanyeol got up from the bed, but not before he kissed Baekhyun. When he broke apart, his hand lingered on Baekhyun's cheeks, brushing the remnants of his tears. His eyes were pained, but he still smiled. "And you can get ready, lamb."

Chanyeol really knew how to make his breath caught. He was such a smooth-talking vampire that Baekhyun had completely forgotten about his dream just now.

As his stare followed Chanyeol going inside the bathroom, Baekhyun pondered over the fact that how he could be so calm every time he was with the vampire. Because Chanyeol was... his mate? But still, Baekhyun only knew him for more or less three days.

His thought drifted to the last look Chanyeol gave him. The vampire was in pain seeing him hurt. And Baekhyun realized he hated the look. He was done making his mate worried over him. Not that he cared for the vampire, but he liked him enough not to want him hurt because of him.

Did Baekhyun just admittedly call Chanyeol his mate?

Baekhyun shook his head and laid down on a pillow. Thinking too hard made his head spin, so he closed his eyes, letting the strong scent of Chanyeol's soap and the sound of shower from the bathroom consume him.

When he suggested earlier that he wanted to come with Chanyeol, he thought he was strong enough, really. But now he felt his body was kind of heavy and the urge to give in to just jump into sleepless dream was so tempting.

Maybe he could sleep for five minutes.

But it didn't take long before Baekhyun was awakened by the soft pat on his head.
 

When Baekhyun opened his eyes, he found himself curled against someone. It was Chanyeol. God, he needed to get used to it. Now every time he woke up or anything, Chanyeol would always be beside him.

When did Baekhyun get into this position? A few minutes ago he just laid down on his back. He must've been in a deep sleep for those couple of minutes as he also didn't hear Chanyeol get out of the shower and felt him lie beside him.

He looked up and saw Chanyeol was also just opening his eyes. He did a series of blinking before his eyes landed on Baekhyun.

"Hey." Baekhyun greeted the vampire, and god, his voice was so groggy. "I'm sorry I only wanted to close my eyes for a few minutes. So should we go now?"

Chanyeol's lips pulled upward. And Christ, how could Chanyeol be so y and cuddly at the same time. Without him realizing, Baekhyun nuzzled more into the vampire's embrace.

"Baekhyun." Chanyeol's voice was also significantly rougher. "I don't think we could go out right now. It's bright outside."

"What? What do you mean?"

Chanyeol brought his hand to the front of his eyes, looking at his wristwatch. "It's already ten in the morning."

"Ha-ha." With a roll of his eyes, Baekhyun rose up, but still let Chanyeol's hand hang around him. Being in the vampire's embrace was just too damn comfortable. "Seriously, let's go out now. I'm hungry as ."

"Lamb, you know I'll never lie to you. It's just you're such a sleepyhead." Chanyeol was clealry amused. "Just look out the door."

Baekhyun gave him a fine-I-will-get-along-with-your-funny-game look before he got down from the bed. He was out of Chanyeol's room and immediately approached the front door, and yanked it open.

"Holy ." Baekhyun was welcomed by bright warm sunlight. "What the hell?"

Chanyeol traced behind him and quickly shut the door, not wanting to get burn first thing in the morning. "No wonder you're hungry as , huh?"

Baekhyun turned around to face him. "I slept for hours?" His tone was exaggerated, but he was genuinely rattled by the fact he didn't just sleep for a few minutes. "Apparently I had a very nice sleep that I couldn't even remember it."

Chanyeol took his hand and led him toward his kitchen. "If it's any consolation, you look so much better right now. You don't look like you're gonna fall down any seconds."

"This is weird," Baekhyun took a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen island. "I've never slept for more than two hours before. And I don't eat for a week or two after one meal."

"You're healing. It makes sense if your body demanded more from you," Chanyeol explained like it was something that Baekhyun should've known better than him. "I asked Kyungsoo to bring you some food. I really don't know what you like so he just got you some waffles."

The sight of Chanyeol taking out waffles from a carton box made Baekhyun swallow. He was really hungry. Hopefully, this would be the last batch of his series of weird metabolism.

"I told you I'm not picky. And who's Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun watched Chanyeol put the waffles on the plate. "Get any caramel syrup for it?"

Chanyeol was on it immediately, rummaging through the paper bag. "Kyungsoo is Jongin's mate. He's a witch, so he can go out in the sun. You want it all?" Chanyeol had found the caramel syrup and was ready to pour it on top of Baekhyun's warm waffles.

"Yes, please." And the caramel syrup completed the look of his delicious breakfast. "So, what, I'm not the only non-vampire mate of the warrior?"

Baekhyun brought his all attention to his brown waffles, starting munching them in delight, as Chanyeol took a seat across from him.

"As a matter of fact, warrior's mates so far are all non-vampires. Jongdae's mate is a demon named Minseok."

Baekhyun looked up, and with mouth full of waffles, he said, "I haven't met Jongdae and Minseok, aren't I?"

"You have, in the meeting room."

"Oh, right." Baekhyun nodded.

 

Somehow, the event of last night was completely wiped out of his memories. He was seriously out of his game and probably didn't really show professionalism as a warrior, but whatever, like he cared about what anybody thought of him.

 

"Speaking of the meeting," Chanyeol muttered as he once again rummaged through the brown paper bag. "Junmyeon came here when you were asleep. Milk or orange juice?"

 

"Your leader? Milk, please," Baekhyun answered with his mouth full. "What did he want?"

 

Chanyeol took out a bottle glass of milk and gave it to Baekhyun. "You want me to open it?"

 

"No, let me." Baekhyun took the bottle and worked the bottle cap. He quickly drank almost half the cold milk. "So, what did he want?"

 

"Not necessarily what he wants, but the warriors." The vampire's eyes glinted. "He said they need you."

 

Baekhyun batted his lashes. "Oh, nice. They need something from me."

 

Chanyeol reached out to hold his hand and shook his head. His eyes were serious. "At first, I dismissed the idea, but I thought you would want to decide about this yourself. After all, I'm not your..." he trailed off, and looked away.

 

Baekhyun felt his mouth curve into a smile. Chanyeol was so adorable. "I bet they want me as a pawn, huh?"

 

Looking up, Chanyeol looked stricken. "Not that surprising, huh?"

 

"Not at all." Baekhyun opened his mouth to swallow the last bite of his delicious first breakfast in a month. He took his time chewing it and drinking his remaining milk as his thought wandered to what they had revealed to him last night. The fact that he got different treatment than other immortals that were abducted still rattled him. He really didn't know what to think.

 

Chanyeol's husky voice brought him back to reality. "I asked three days from Junmyeon for you to rest and heal. You don't need to worry about anything until then."

 

"Three days? I'm better now."

 

"I originally asked for a week, but Junmyeon strongly disagreed. Three days is the deal, lamb." Chanyeol gave him a look that said try to fight me, you will not win in this matter. Clearly, Baekhyun's well-being wasn't a laughing matter to him.

 

Baekhyun grimaced at the thought he would do nothing for three days. But one day had passed due to his extremely tired body. His ability to pass time at least seemed to improve. Maybe two days would also pass in the blink of an eye.

 

He was still worried, though. "Then what about their request?" Baekhyun bit his lip. He hated to show Chanyeol this side of him. Unsure, worried, uneasy. But he didn't have anyone on his side other than the vampire, did he? Even his own warrior friends thought of him as a mere pawn for their mission now.

 

"Hey." Chanyeol squeezed his hand. "What did I say earlier? You don't need to worry about anything for now."

 

"Now, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. Same thing." Baekhyun shrugged.

 

"That's where you're wrong. It's a huge difference." The vampire got down from his stool and walked around the island so he could stand right before Baekhyun.

 

"It's just..." Baekhyun sighed, at the same time Chanyeol started to caress his hand. "I'm worried. I'm scared because I don't know what the hell is going on."

 

"We'll figure it out. We'll find out why they want you and hurt you. And you want your revenge, true?"

 

"I won't rest until I get my revenge on them."

 

Chanyeol leaned in to kiss his cheek, and Baekhyun liked how comfortable the vampire was when he did that. "That makes two of us, lamb. Now, what's your plan for tonight?"

 

 

#

 

I need fresh air.

That was what Baekhyun had been saying constantly to him for almost six hours, and honestly, that was what Chanyeol wanted too. He desperately needed it. Even more than Baekhyun.

Chanyeol began to regret his request to Junmyeon for him to be alone with the fae. He thought he could have quality time with him, knew him better, and whatnot. And he did, he had fantastic time with his little mate. Baekhyun was fun to be with. He talked a lot and he listened a lot too. But… goddamn it was hard to be left alone with his mate. The physical pull to him was dangerous.

They only talked about general things, though. About fae, about vampire, about immortal world. They had not touched anything personal, thankfully. While Chanyeol really wanted to know more about his mate, he wasn't ready to tell Baekhyun about his life. So he never asked too personal questions to Baekhyun.

Getting personal was the last on his list right now as he had his own inner battle, which was whether he should jump his mate on his bed or not.

I need fresh air.

Believe him, he would do anything to make the sun set sooner if he could. Therefore, they could go out of the confinement of his house, to somewhere more public, where he could at least tame down his crazy instinct.

Jongin had told him once about the crazy lust vampires would experience as soon as he found his mate. They would ache to claim his mate, pronto. Jongin claimed Kyungsoo in only one hour after they landed their eyes on each other, right of the bat.

The thing was, Chanyeol was too busy making sure his new-found mate was alive. He had no time to think about claiming whatsoever. His instinct only started clamoring last night when they sat together on the sofa in his living room. And the instinct had not shut off since then. Even more now that Baekhyun looked so healthy and delicious. Not that he was unattractive when he was full of bruises. He was gorgeous in any form. But right now Baekhyun just looked exquisite.

His attraction to the fae was off the chart. He wanted to touch him in any kind possible. Added more to his misery, his mate knew. Everytime Baekhyun caught him stare at him, the fae smirked like a ing smug. He knew how much Chanyeol wanted him.

The sun had set two hours ago, and finally, they were going out. Baekhyun chose the place. He said it was a bar he frequently visited. Since it was a mortal bar, Baekhyun asked him to change their clothes in order to make them less attractive.

So while Baekhyun showered, Chanyeol took the time to trace to a store and shop normal clothes for them. According to Baekhyun, jeans and shirts.

And his mate looked really good in them. But no more than when he wore Chanyeol's clothes, in his opinion.

As he watched Baekhyun stand in front of a large mirror in the bathroom, inspecting his own look, looking satisfied, Chanyeol thought that he could do this forever. He could repeat what they had done today for every single day of his immortal life. Sleep and wake up with his mate in his arms, eat together, talk about everything and nothing, arrange their night date, prepare their date together. He could do this. No pressure.

Who said that having a mate would end up in an unavoidable doom? He was strong. He could protect Baekhyun. He wouldn't experience what his father went through. He would get his happy ending.

"You wouldn't be able to trace us there, would you?" Baekhyun finally got out of the bathroom with his hair looked more styled.

Shaking his head, Chanyeol stood up from bed and took the car key on the bedside desk. "Never go there."

"Great." Baekhyun lightened up. "I hope you're good at driving."

Chanyeol can't help but grinned too. Baekhyun affected him more than he wanted to. "I'm the best at it. You'll see."
 

 

#
 

 

Chanyeol turned out to be a really aggressive and dangerous driver. The kind that Baekhyun really liked. If anything, it only made him look hotter.

Damn, the vampire looked ier by the minute. Baekhyun was well aware of how good looking Chanyeol was. He looked great in his combat attire, but now that he had shredded all his weapons and only rocked jeans and black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he looked devastatingly hot.

Oh, great. Look how cringey he sounded like just now.

"It seems packed." Chanyeol parked the car right outside the bright building.

Tearing his gaze from the fine arms gripping on the steering wheel, Baekhyun looked up to see at least a dozen of people lining up to enter the bar. A smile spread across his face. The bright neon light and the blaring bass came out of the bar made him pump up all of a sudden.

This was his place. His usual scene.

Baekhyun practically jumped in his seat. He shook Chanyeol's arm in excitement. "Come on, let's go inside." Then he got out of Chanyeol's Mercedes.

Baekhyun almost dashed to the entrance when Chanyeol traced in front of him. The vampire was sporting a grin. "Hey, slow down." He chuckled then brought Baekhyun closer to him. "Promise me you won't go far away from me."

Feeling giddy due to his excitement, Baekhyun kissed Chanyeol's jaw. "It should be the other way around. This is my area, vampire." This would be the first time he was out in public, out of the safety of the vampire's compound, since his abduction. He could understand Chanyeol's uneasiness. But he was sure they'll have fun tonight. "Nothing bad would happen, and even if it did, both of us would take care of it."

Chanyeol looked uncertain only for a second. Baekhyun knew deep down his mate needed this too, deserved it even. He deserved a ing break.

"Okay." Chanyeol put his arm around Baekhyun's shoulder and he was the one who led both of them inside.

Baekhyun wondered how they looked in people's eyes. Because in his imagination, the two of them looked so good together.

Fate was such a strange, yet amazing thing.

"You look good, by the way." The words just slipped out of Baekhyun's mouth. His brain was being funny tonight.

Chanyeol waved to the bouncer at the door, then looked down at Baekhyun, flashing him a warm smile. "You look better."

See? Right now Baekhyun’s stomach was the one being funny. It fluttered so much he almost clenched it with his hands. Instead, his hand found its place around Chanyeol's waist.

God, please, don't screw this night.
 

 

#
 

 

Chanyeol can see why Baekhyun liked the place. It was... fun, for the lack of better words. It was loud with music and dark but bright at the same time.

Baekhyun lightened up as soon as they entered and looked ecstatic. Chanyeol hadn't seen his mate smile this wide since he found him. He glowed with energy.

"How is it? It's great, right?" Baekhyun had to yell at him so that his voice could reach him.

Chanyeol was too focused on watching Baekhyun that he didn't really see the bar in detail. But yeah, sure. It was great. He leaned down to Baekhyun's ear. "Bar is not really my thing but this is great."

Chanyeol didn't know it was possible, but his mate beamed even more. "I know, right? Come here, I'll take you to my favorite spot."

As Chanyeol let himself being dragged by the little fae, he looked around for the first time and let his senses heightened. The bar was mostly filled by mortals. But he sensed other beings. There was a fae, a couple of werewolves, a demon, and another vampire in the room. But it didn't seem dangerous.

Maybe they could really enjoy tonight without anything going south.

Baekhyun steered him toward the bar, but it was kind of secluded as it was in the far corner. People were intoxicated in this side and they weren't really aware of the two of them coming.

They arrived at an empty spot, and Baekhyun pulled up stools for himself and Chanyeol. From this spot, Chanyeol could see the whole room. So, this was why Baekhyun liked this spot.

A series of knocks on the table from Baekhyun succeeded in catching the bartender's attention. His mate ordered vodka and asked Chanyeol if he wanted a drink out of politeness, although he must've known that he drank nothing beside blood.

The bartender apparently was called Hojin and when he came back with a glass of vodka, he threw Baekhyun a knowing look. "So, aren't you going to introduce your friend, Baekhyun?"

Chanyeol's jaws ticked. "I'm not his friend. I'm his mate."

Clearly, the bartender was surprised by his aggressive response. His gaze shifted back and forth from Baekhyun to Chanyeol, before he laughed awkwardly. "Well, yeah, same thing. Friends. Mates."

"No, it isn't." Why were mortals always so stupid?

Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol with an amused look. He chuckled and faced his bartender friend. "He meant boyfriend. He's my boyfriend. Chanyeol."

It was amusing to see Hojin's face lightened up like he was having eureka moment. "Oh, of course you are. Not friend at all, huh? Sorry, mate." Then he proceed to let out his awkward laugh as he took some steps back, desperate to leave the scene. "Enjoy your time here. And nice to meet you, Chanyeol."

When they were left alone once again, Chanyeol immediately brought himself closer to his mate. "Boyfriend, huh?"

"You know, a boy that I date."

"I know what boyfriend is. But if you want to introduce our relationship in a human term, at the very least, it should be husbands."

Baekhyun threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, god. Husbands? Seriously, vampire?"

Chanyeol shrugged. "If your friends couldn't understand the true meaning of mates."

 

Tilting his head to the side, Baekhyun played with his glass of vodka. "What's the meaning of mates, though?"

That got Chanyeol to clamp his mouth shut for a moment. The meaning of mates, like hell he would understand.

What he knew was the fact that his feelings toward Baekhyun grew stronger and stronger every day, every minute, every second. There was no stopping, and he was scared less.

Staring into Baekhyun's green orbs, Chanyeol opened his mouth to say something, only to shut it again when Baekhyun's gaze drifted from him and seemed to land on someone he knew.

Was his mate always this sociable?

"Tao!" Baekhyun put down his glass. His eyes were wide with shock but there was also a hint of joy.

Chanyeol turned to see the one his mate had greeted and found a tall, boyish male whose eyes were the same color as Baekhyun's. They were green.

So this was the fae’s presence that Chanyeol had sensed when he first entered the room earlier.

Chanyeol watched as his mate got down from the stool and jumped to hug his friend, which made him snarl for a second before he saw the look in Tao's eyes, it was purely brotherly. For now, he forgave the fae.

Baekhyun released Tao from his embrace, looking at him with a smile. Much to Chanyeol's dismay, his mate seemed to forget he was also here. "I can't believe I'm saying this." Baekhyun pat his friend's shoulders. "It's good to see you. From up close. Well, you took the farthest spot from me at the meeting room."

Tao gave a chuckle. "Yeah, sorry about that. You know Irene. The lass is so antisocial." The taller fae stopped abruptly and shot his gaze to Chanyeol, as if he just realized that a being was watching the both of them being so friendly toward each other.

Baekhyun, too, finally shifted his attention. "Oops, sorry. Chanyeol, this is Tao, my warrior friend. And Tao, this is Chanyeol, my... mate."

Chanyeol's lips curled. God, how whipped was he? He couldn't be this happy just because Baekhyun introduced him as his mate. Chanyeol had to fight the urge to yell with pride.

Chanyeol cleared his throat and nodded at Tao, not trusting his voice as he was sure he would sound ridiculously happy if he talked.

"Uhm," Baekhyun looked at him with uncertainty. "Can you give us some privacy? Tao and I need to talk."

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes. "You know that I could still hear your conversation even from across the room, right?"

"Leave the bar for a second, then."

"Not a chance."

Baekhyun shook his head. He was muttering should've known under his breath. But he wasn't upset. "Just... give us time to talk alone." He looked at him again, now with his eyes going soft. "Please."

What kind of a jerk would it make him if he refused his mate's request when he casted him a look like that. Chanyeol scanned the room, then threw a glance at Tao. He was probably being too paranoid.

The vampire sighed. When could he ever refuse his mate's request?

Chanyeol gazed at Baekhyun, taking in the sight of his beautiful face. Before he could stop himself--not that he wanted to either--he chucked the little fae under the chin and kiss him for a brief second. "Make it quick, lamb."

Then he sauntered off to another corner of the bar. It didn't even take him ten steps before he heard Tao's voice.

"Holy . Never thought the day would come when I got to see you let a vampire kiss you," he said in bewilderment, and Chanyeol listened carefully. "I thought you don't want a mate. You said you wouldn't let a mate tie you down."

Chanyeol sat on one of the vacant seat, a perfect angle for him to watch his mate and his fae friend, as he heard Baekhyun's voice now.

"And I still won't, okay? I'm my own person."

Tao looked at Baekhyun like the shorter fae just said that the rain fell upward. "You know damn well that it's impossible. Vampires treat their mate as possession. That's the very reason you avoid them for three hundred years."

This friend of his mate really started to tick Chanyeol off. Possession? He would kill himself first before he ever treated Baekhyun like a thing.

Baekhyun exhaled a heavy breath. "Listen. I'm--"

"Eavesdropping your mate's conversation is bad, you know."

Chanyeol twisted around. He failed to hear what Baekhyun had to say because of the cheery voice behind him. His warrior brother and his mate were grinning at him.

"Jongdae? Minseok? What are you guys doing here?"

The pair flashed him a mega-watt smile. They were always that kind of couple, happy-go-lucky. Minseok was initially a quiet and serious demon, but fifty years with a loud vampire mate definitely could change you.

Jongdae came to sit next to him. "You and Baekhyun aren't the only couple in the world who go out on a date tonight apparently. Why are you not with him and sit here, eavesdropping him instead?"

Not even felt embarrassed that he was gotten caught by his friend, Chanyeol shrugged. "He met his warrior friend. They need to talk about something."

Minseok threw his hand around his mate. The demon grinned from ear to ear. "And you just can't let him out of your sight, huh? I didn't expect you to be the overprotective type."

Chanyeol didn't give his friends the satisfaction for teasing him. He didn't care if they thought he was lovestruck or , as long as he could keep his mate safe.

Jongdae's expression changed. From his earlier teasing demeanor, his eyes now showed a look that said I know how you felt. After all, he was also a mated vampire. "You know that your mate is the best archer in the immortal world, right? That being said, he's the best archer in the whole world."

"Yeah, he told me."

"I mean, seriously, your fae is..." Jongdae connected his point finger and thumb, forming an O, then brought them to his lips and smooched them. "His level is up there. I've seen him in a fight before. And damn, the fae is a nightmare for whoever became his enemy. He can protect himself, Chanyeol."

"He didn't bring his bow with him tonight. He's unarme--" Chanyeol's tongue froze when the corner of his eyes saw--or more precisely didn't catch the sight of his mate in his previous seat. "Where the is he?"

 

 

#
 

"Uh, I don't think this is a good idea, Baekhyun. Your mate already realized you're gone."

Baekhyun watched as Tao's face gradually blanched while Chanyeol's turned completely red. Only a second into this stupid plan, Baekhyun knew that he would face the wrath of the vampire.

But he could deal with that later. Now, he had a more pressing matter that he needed to hear from Tao. It would be a rather personal conversation, so he couldn't have Chanyeol eavesdropping. Using Tao's power, which was cloaking, they were hidden by invisible mist, making them hidden not only from mortals, but also immortals. Chanyeol or anyone in the room wouldn't be able to see them.

Baekhyun glanced at Chanyeol for a second. The vampire started move around the bar, searching for him. It wouldn't be long until he would explode. They needed to hurry. Turning to Tao, Baekhyun urged his friend to continue. "Ignore him. We need privacy. Now, what do you know about vampire's mate?"

"You should know better."

"Well, I was never interested. Hence my lack of knowledge about this thing. But I really need to know right now, Tao. Before I get too deep."

Tao sighed. "Possessive is not the right word to describe mated vampire. They are more than that. They treat their mate as their own life. Literally."

Okay. Not what Baekhyun had expected. "What do you mean?"

Tao raked his fingers through his hair. "You know that once vampires meet their mates, their heart will start beating, right?"

"Yes, that’s what happened to Chanyeol, too."

"Then it means you're the one who make him alive, figuratively speaking."

Baekhyun blinked. "Well, I guess?"

Seeing that Baekhyun still didn't get his point, Tao exhaled once more. "It's well known that once vampires lost their mates, they'll follow them. They think their lives have no meaning if the one that makes them alive, the one who makes their heart beat, is not in this world anymore."

Baekhyun's jaws slacked. His mind was reeling. "Are you jesting right now?"

Tao gave him a look. "How do you think Chanyeol's parents died?"

"They..." Baekhyun opened his mouth only to close it again. He was so sure about it yesterday, but now he had a feeling he was wrong.

Tao looked into Baekhyun's eyes as he released his cloak, revealing them to everyone's eyes once again, while talking in a very low voice. "His mother was murdered, and his father didn't last even a night. He followed her immediately," he said then dashed out of Baekhyun's blurred vision, leaving the bar.

Baekhyun didn't even have time to mull over Tao's explanation and story before he felt a massive surge of energy behind him. Even without turning around, he knew who was behind him.

Yanking Baekhyun's shoulder, Chanyeol forced him to turn around. "Where the were you?" he growled.

With his eyes flooded black, Chanyeol looked crazed and Baekhyun knew that he was ed. "C-chanyeol, hold up."

"Where were you?" Chanyeol bit out each word. His voice began to raise an octave, and some people around them turned their heads to watch them.

Baekhyun swallowed. "I was here."

"No, you weren't."

"Lower your voice, vampire. We don't want to draw attention on us."

Chanyeol's jaws ticked and his posture became even more frightening. The vampire charged to the front door in incredible speed with his hand still locked on Baekhyun's wrist. As soon as they were outside the bar, he traced away, bringing Baekhyun along with him.

Baekhyun only blinked for a nanosecond and they were already inside Chanyeol's room. "What the hell? What about your car?"

"Like I care about that." Chanyeol cupped Baekhyun's nape and dragged him closer, until Baekhyun could feel the vampire's ragged breath fanning his face. "Answer me now, mate. Where were you?"

Baekhyun was being weird, because even though the situation was intense as hell right now, he was drawn into the mad vampire's beautiful, wild eyes.

God, this male was gorgeous.

And the fact that this vampire was crazy worried about him? Chanyeol's attractiveness just shot through the roof.

Baekhyun's breath started to mimic Chanyeol's. The different was that it wasn't because of rage. But Chanyeol seemed hadn't noticed.

Baekhyun his suddenly dry lips. "I asked Tao to hide us. He had power of cloak."

"Do not ever pull that again."

"It's none of your business."

Wrong thing to say. Because now Chanyeol actually look murderous. "Yeah, but I care about you. Did it cross your mind when you ing disappeared that I would be worried? Did you even care about me at all? Goddammit."

it.

Baekhyun threw his hands around the vampire's neck and slanted his lips over his. Chanyeol immediately went rigid while a shock of heat rushed through Baekhyun. He held onto Chanyeol's shoulder, reveling on how hard the vampire's muscles were, as he deepened the kiss, laping his tongue over Chanyeol's lips.

Growling like an animal, Chanyeol finally gave in, opening his mouth, giving Baekhyun access to devour him. The vampire locked his hands around Baekhyun's waist and brought him even closer they practically collided.

Baekhyun broke away, instantly feeling a little dizzy. "Believe it or not vampire," he swallowed. "I care about you a lot. More than I ever wanted."

"Then why did you do that?" Chanyeol asked breathlessly.

"Because I wanted to talk about you. Can't have you listen to our conversation."

Chanyeol tucked on his chin. His eyes scanned Baekhyun's face, searching for something. But whatever it was, it seemed like the vampire had found it, because now the trace of anger had wiped off of his expression. His eyes were now black with pure lust. "You make me crazy. I lost clarity when it comes to you."

Same. "Kiss me, vampire. Kiss. Me. Hard."

 

 

#

 

 

Chanyeol didn't need to be told twice, didn't wait even a second to shove Baekhyun against the wall, pinning his mate's hands on both of his sides.

Panting, Baekhyun looked up at him. "Bed."

"No." Chanyeol couldn't recognize his own voice. "I need to kiss you against the wall. Been dreaming it since forever."

Earlier, he let his fae lead the kiss, now it was his turn. He claimed the lips of his luscious mate and devoured them. Overwhelming need to claim his mate rioted inside him, but he can't do that, yet. Now, he was satisfied with only this. Only kisses. It was enough.

But Baekhyun seemed to have another idea. His hand flew to find the button of his jeans. Desperate, Baekhyun broke the kiss. "Touch me," he said as his lips still hovering above Chanyeol's. "Touch me, touch it, please. I need it."

What a perfect mate he had. "I'm the luckiest vampire on earth."

Chanyeol tore open Baekhyun's new jeans and his immediately sprang free, and it was generous.

me.

His mouth watered, now Chanyeol not only wanted to touch his mate's , but also to bite it with his fangs. He knew Baekhyun would like it, his mate would go mindless. But he'll save it for later.

Grabbing his mate's shaft, Chanyeol thanked the gods for it being so fit into his hand.

"Oh, god, yes," Baekhyun groaned. His hips bucked and twisted. He threw his head back and his mouth opened slightly. "Vampire, you're going to make me come just like this."

Feeling triumphant, Chanyeol his mate's shaft tentatively, once in a while played with its crown, earning a low moan here and there. Somehow, in the middle of the crazy situation, Baekhyun had tossed his shirt halfway, revealing his bare neck and chest.

Hunger consumed Chanyeol, in every sense of the word. "I need to taste you, Baekhyun."

"Yes, yes," Baekhyun's initially closed eyes were opened. His eyes were silvery green when they looked straight into Chanyeol's. "Bite me, vampire."

Chanyeol immediately bared his fangs, and Baekhyun gave out a little gasp. But the fae was nowhere scared. His eyes looked even more hungrier.

Without stopping his hand work, Chanyeol leaned into the crook between Baekhyun's neck and shoulder. He had to make it clean a bite. Must not hurt my mate.

Chanyeol pierced Baekhyun's skin, and the first taste of his mate's blood touched his tongue. Then Chanyeol's mind was long gone.

"Yes!" Baekhyun yelled to the ceiling, his body began to shake.

Encouraged by Baekhyun's reaction, Chanyeol on his blood more greedily, working his hand harder. He brought pleasure to his mate and he felt like on the top of the world.

Chanyeol thumbed Baekhyun's cockhead and it was all what the fae needed to come. Jerking violently, Baekhyun screamed his pleasure.

Baekhyun continued bucking for almost a minute before he finally came down from his , and Chanyeol, too, released his bite from Baekhyun's delicious blood.

With his face flushed and his eyes still hooded, Baekhyun looked at him with almost satisfied expression. Almost.

The fae pushed Chanyeol lightly toward the bed, and gritted out his words. "Now. My. Turn."
 

 

#

 

 

 

Chanyeol almost exhaled a sigh of relief when Baekhyun said the words. Now after he had pleasured his mate, he longed for his own release. And to think that Baekhyun would be the one who would deliver it to him, he thought he must be dreaming.

Chanyeol's heart thrummed, his was so hard inside his pants, and somehow, he had a bad feeling about this. "What are you going to do?"

Baekhyun shrugged, but a wicked grin started to spread across his beautiful face. "Dunno, but know that I'll make you come so hard you'll see stars. Just like what you did to me."

Deep down, Chanyeol was sure that his mate would do exactly that. "You saw stars, huh? I was that good?"

Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol until he sat on the bed, then proceeded to make him lie down. "Best I've ever experienced," Baekhyun said as he positioned himself in between Chanyeol's legs. "Soon, I'll deliver yours, too."

Chanyeol slashed his jeans and tore it off, giving Baekhyun free access. "Shut up and just do it already."

Baekhyun's jaws slacked when he saw Chanyeol's , making the vampire grin. He was giving his mate a generous feast, he guess?

"Good god, you're magnificent, Chanyeol." Baekhyun his lips. "And this is mine."

"Yes," Chanyeol growled. "It's yours. Take it."

Without responding to his cocky words, Baekhyun settled his hands on Chanyeol's length, cupping them, then he brought his head down.

Did he want to--

Baekhyun's tongue found his sensitive crown, and Chanyeol arched his back. He heard a male voice, sounding crazed, only to realize that it was his own voice.

"You wicked mate." Chanyeol brought his body up a little so he could see what Baekhyun did to him. "I wouldn't last a minute."

Baekhyun stopped him and looked up, grinning like he was a champion. "You'll last as long as I will you to."

Chanyeol furrowed his brows. "What--"

His words cut off when Baekhyun set back in. Losing his strength, Chanyeol lied back down, the tremors inside his body intensified to the point he was scared what would happen when he came. He would probably blackout.

All he could think about was Baekhyun's hot mouth engulfing his . With his chest heaved up and down, Chanyeol groaned, "I'm coming."

Suddenly Baekhyun's mouth left his .

"What the ?" Chanyeol almost yelled.

Baekhyun grinned. "Told you you'll last as long as I will you to."

"I'm going to kill you, Baekhyun."

"No, you won't." Baekhyun leaned down again. "God, your couldn't be more swollen. It throbs so bad."

Baekhyun settled back in. Now he was and at the same time, making Chanyeol twisted on his bed.

Helpless against the pleasure, Chanyeol's head thrashed. Chanyeol realized that he was completely in his mate's mercy.

"About to come." Chanyeol gratted his teeth.

Again, Baekhyun eased away and he looked very satisfied as he raked his gaze at Chanyeol. He must've wanted him to look like a wreck, and Chanyeol knew he was now the definition of it.

"Finish. Me." Chanyeol huffed out. He can't take more than this. He felt like he would explode like a freaking volcano.

Baekhyun's smile was gone, and now his eyes were serious. "Prepare yourself, mate."

Then Chanyeol experienced heaven and hell at the same time as Baekhyun feasted on him. His thighs trembled violently as he could feel every inch of his body sheen with sweat. His breath became more labored by the seconds and his hands sprawled above his head.

Mindless.

Shattered.

", , . I'M COMING."

Chanyeol's eyes shot open and his back bowed as pleasure exploded inside of him, so much pleasure. He bellowed to the ceiling as he came for his mate over and over and over. His pulsated, pumping seed into Baekhyun's mouth, who received it readily.

Chanyeol didn't know how long it took for him to finally come down. As his world finally stopped spinning, heaving the last shuddered breath, Chanyeol's clouded gaze fell on his mate.

"You little evil." Chanyeol's voice was hoarse because of his scream. "You're unfair little evil."

Baekhyun laid down on top of his chest. The fae smiled triumphantly. "What do you think?"

"Can't think right now."

The fae giggled. "Well, did you see stars?"

Chanyeol laughed and got up only to give Baekhyun a chaste kiss. "Lamb, I saw the goddamn galaxy."

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

They spent the next two days mostly in bed. Doing something that couldn't be described as nothing but pleasurable. Chanyeol gave Baekhyun the thing he couldn't get from anyone else, even from himself. And Chanyeol was incredible at it.

They never went as far as having , though. Baekhyun never mentioned it and Chanyeol never asked for it. Seemed like the vampire wanted Baekhyun to be the one who asked. Chanyeol was a male of worth like that. Baekhyun knew that mated vampires would get crazy by the days if they didn't have and claimed their mates. So Baekhyun didn't really know how Chanyeol coped with that.

If it was a week ago, before he met Chanyeol, Baekhyun would laugh about the prospect to be properly mated with a vampire willingly. But now, Baekhyun started to think that the situation wasn't as bad as he had thought.

Honestly, if Chanyeol asked him right now, the probability of him accepting Chanyeol's claim would be fairly high.

But now three days had passed. The break given to them had gone in the blink of an eye. Baekhyun hated that they needed to go back to the meeting room tonight, but his mate was even more agitated than him.

"What do you think they'll ask from me?" Baekhyun asked as he slung his bow and arrows across his back. He tried to look relax, but he was actually kind of nervous.

Chanyeol looked at him with his dark eyes. They turned dark about an hour ago and hadn't gone back to their original colors ever since. Baekhyun could see that his mate was losing it. "Whatever it is, I'll never allow it if it brings you harm."

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. "I would be the one who get to say if it will harm me or not."

"Of course." Chanyeol nodded, but his expression was still grim. "But don't take any stupid decisions."

Rolling his eyes, Baekhyun stepped toward the vampire. He slipped his hands onto the taller male's shoulders. "Listen," Baekhyun said. "Whatever happens, don't lose your temper in there."

"It depends."

"Just--" Baekhyun stopped and exhaled. He can't let his nerves got to him. "Let's chill and listen to what they want, okay? No need to use your fangs."

Baekhyun could see how Chanyeol really tried to smile for him. But his poor vampire was tensed all over. "You're ready?" Chanyeol nuzzled their nose together.

Nodding, Baekhyun took position beside Chanyeol and held his hand. Then a second later they were inside the meeting room.

Just like the first time he was here, the room was full with warriors from all factions. Baekhyun sighed as his eyes roamed around the room and found that most of the attendees' face were uneasy. Baekhyun glanced at Chanyeol, then chuckled. Of course the vampire's dark expression would scare everyone.

Baekhyun squeezed Chanyeol's hand before he spoke up. "Good evening, everyone. Sorry we're late but we didn't really care about this meeting, so..." Baekhyun shrugged. "But thank you for the three days off. Chanyeol and I used them to the fullest."

Even without taking a peek at his mate, Baekhyun could sense that Chanyeol's mood had lightened up a little. The vampire must've been smiling right now, because the tension in the room had also become more bearable.

Baekhyun's eyes found Tao across the room and the younger fae was mouthing what the at him. Baekhyun held the urge to laugh and winked at him.

His friendly exchange with his friend was disrupted by Junmyeon.

"I'm glad that you finally healed, Baekhyun. So, we could start the meeting?" The vampire's leader asked.

Baekhyun felt a hand slid onto his shoulder, and he realized it was Chanyeol who was pulling him closer. Baekhyun threw him a reassuring smile before he turned his attention once again to Junmyeon, then nodded, allowing him to proceed.

Junmyeon cleared his throat. "Okay. As a starter, I want to address the fact that in the past three days we had reports of gifted immortals were being abducted again."

Baekhyun's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. And we think they have another jail compound as the old one was still empty."

"You find anything that could've been a clue for their other hideouts?" Chanyeol asked.

Junmyeon shook his head. "We're going out tonight to check their old compound. Some of us would go. Would both of you..."

"We'll go," Baekhyun said, and Chanyeol immediately tensed. The fae looked at his mate. "Who knows what I would find there. I might recognize something."

Biting his lips, Chanyeol seemed unsure for a few seconds. But he eventually nodded. He realized what Baekhyun said made sense. "Okay, we'll go." Then he turned to his leader. "What else?"

"We'll bring someone to the site. Joy. Kyungsoo's friend. She has a power that allows her to see what have happened or occurred in certain places."

Baekhyun whistled in awe. That was such a great gift. Not as awesome as Luhan's but still amazing nonetheless, especially in this kind of situation.

The gifted female witch emerged from behind her faction. If it wasn't for the introduction, Baekhyun would think that Joy was a vampire since her skin was so white.

"Luhan will take over from here," Junmyeon said as he took a step back, while Luhan stepped forward.

The sorcerer's gaze swept over the whole room before he opened his mouth to speak. "Before we go to the old jail compound tonight, there's some things that my faction would like all of you to know. My race had worked together with the witch faction, scrying the guy behind all this."

"Oh, great. Did you guys find anything?" Jongdae perked up.

Luhan nodded. "Not really significant, but certainly something. We found out that there was a massive sorcery in some place. And we suspect that it's where the sorcerer and the other jail compound are located."

"So they're in the same place?" Baekhyun stood straight. "Great. Killing two birds with one stone."

"Yes, but we still can't find where it is." Luhan exhaled a pent-up breath. "I mean, we know that they're in one place together. But the location is undetected from us."

Chanyeol groaned beside Baekhyun. "Exactly how strong this sorcerer is?"

Sighing, Luhan shook his head. "Strong enough to hide himself from a thousand of sorcerers and witches trying to find him."

The room fell silent for a moment. Even without the power of mind reading, Baekhyun knew that all of them were thinking the same thing.

How the hell would they defeat this sorcerer?

 

 

#
 

 

Baekhyun's heart thundered as he stepped inside the building. It was the dusty, damp smell that made the hair on his nape rise. The familiar smell was a goddamn awakening to his nightmare. But the compound was nothing like he had imagined. It was well-structured with cells across the corridor and some rooms here and there.

Just like Chanyeol said, other cells were nothing like his. They were simple rooms with shattered glass on the ground, meaning they were only blocked by glasses.

There was nothing they could find there. Only some weapons which they assumed were torture devices, and a room full of monitors used to be showing situation all around the building. Besides that, nothing else. If they didn't bring Joy here, they definitely would come home empty-handed.

They went around for a few minutes, assessing the whole building, before they stopped and came inside a room.

Baekhyun crossed his hands over his chest as he let his side leaned onto the doorframe of the room that looked like a meeting room. There was a long desk at the center with chairs all around it, and a whiteboard with pictures of immortals plastered on it.

Now the room was filled with some of the warriors, with Joy leading the team.

"Okay, I need all of you to be quiet," she said. Getting the response she wanted--a collective of nods--she turned around and began her "watching".

Everyone was quiet as they waited for Joy doing her job. And Baekhyun felt Chanyeol's presence behind him, creeping his hand to place it on Baekhyun's hip. As much as Baekhyun wanted to curl against the vampire, he held it together. They had been here for only fifteen minutes, and already Baekhyun wanted to go back to the safety of their room.

Seconds after, Joy opened her eyes, they were misty before she shook her head and got back to her sense.

"How is it?" Luhan asked.

Joy exhaled a shuddering breath. "They never mentioned the name of the sorcerer. They called him Master. And they were telling the truth when they said they didn't know where he was, but they talked about another jail. They called it 'jail by the swamp'."

"That's it?" Yixing took out his tablet and started to work on it. "By the swamp? Geez, this would take long."

"Take your time, Yixing," Junmyeon said, then he looked at Joy again. "What else did you see?"

Joy looked hesitant for a moment, then her eyes lingered at Baekhyun. It was only a mere second but Baekhyun caught it and can't help but inwardly curse. Her look told him that what she was about to say next wouldn't be good.

The female witch took a deep breath before she continued. "They kinda... whined, saying that why they needed to keep abducting other immortals if they had succeeded kidnapping the fae."

Chanyeol's grip on his hip tightened. "What about him?"

Joy shook her head. "They didn't mention anything. They only said that the fae is the Master's key."

"The is that supposed to mean?" Chanyeol's voice lowered to a murderous tone.

Baekhyun paled. It was obvious. The Master, whoever he was, wanted him the most. Joy only confirmed what everyone already suspected, that he was the ultimate prize. Other abductees were only distraction, or added variables so people would focus on different direction, while really, his existence was what the Master wanted.

Enraged, Baekhyun refused to be the Master's anything. To hell with Master's key or whatever. He wasn't in the possession of the damn sorcerer anymore. He was free and he had to do what he needed to.

"That's not what is important right now. We need to look for the other jail's location." Baekhyun tried not to sound wavered. "Yixing?"

Still stunned by Joy's earlier revelation, Yixing blinked and got back to his tablet. "Uhm, yeah, so. Assuming that the other location would be at least in 300 KM perimeter, there are 35 swamps around the area."

"We need to go back to the compound and plan this ." Junmyeon rubbed his forehead. He led everyone out of the room, while Baekhyun and Chanyeol gave way for them. None of the warrior looked at them in the eyes, except Junmyeon who gave them we-will-talk-about-that-later look, then dashed out.

Finally left alone, Baekhyun let his strong facade slip. "This is so..." He trailed off as he felt Chanyeol's hands cupped his face. The vampire's forehead touched his.

Baekhyun swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't want to show Chanyeol that he was afraid, but the vampire was still there with him nonetheless. It seemed to be one thing constant in their relationship, him being shaken and Chanyeol being there to hold him.

"I want to see my cell," Baekhyun murmured, looking up to meet Chanyeol's dark eyes. "Take me there."

Chanyeol blinked slowly, and when he opened his eyes again, Baekhyun could see that he was, too, visibly shaken. "Yeah, let's go. Maybe I need to see it, too. For me to move on, you know."

Moving on. That was what they needed to do the most. Baekhyun leaned up to plant a chaste kiss on the vampire's lips, then he smiled. "Let's move on together."

Chanyeol smiled back and traced them to an empty room. But Baekhyun could tell that this wasn't his cell, because the room was still kinda bright and wasn't as damp as his.

"Your cell is in there." Chanyeol pointed at a hole. "You were locked down on a freaking underground room."

Baekhyun walked toward the hole with unsure steps. The closer he was to the hole, the harder for him to breathe. Peering down the hole, he could feel his eyes watered.

His mind went blank and he felt numb. He didn't know how long he stood over the hole, seeing nothing as the room underneath was so dark, until he felt warmth over his body. Chanyeol was enveloping him from behind.

"Baekhyun." Chanyeol nuzzled his nose to the top of Baekhyun's head. "Let's go home."

Baekhyun said nothing as he let his mate hug him tighter and trace them out of there, leaving the nightmare behind.
 

 

#

 

 

 

It was one week after their visit to the old jail compound and received hints about the other location, courtesy to Joy's power, but the warriors were still stuck in place.

The situation was getting worse by the day, although it wasn't as worse as the first series of abduction. But still, five immortals had been missing, and if they didn't move fast, more and more of their own would be gone.

They had searched every swamp that had been listed as potential locations. None of them found the jail. The warriors had been hard at work every day and night, but still, they can't see any result anytime soon.

"It's been a week," Baekhyun said as Chanyeol helped him to take off his bow and arrow from his back. "This is ridiculous. My arrow had become a comfortable house for spiders, you know."

Albeit still tensed from the night patrol, Chanyeol laughed. "If it's any consolation, I'm sad too that I still couldn't see your amazing archery."

Baekhyun's jaws slacked. "Is that a mockery tone I sensed from you?"

"Lamb," Chanyeol put down his mate's weapon at the floor. "Your sense of judgment is dull."

"Oh, you." Baekhyun walked toward the kitchen and sat on the stool.

"You're sassy at 2 AM. Want coffee?"

Baekhyun grunted. "God, yes, please."

Chanyeol's lips twitched. This would be the first time his fae mate would insert anything into his mouth for three days. Baekhyun had been tensed after he was back from the place he was locked in, and appetite to eat or drink was the last on his list. Although Chanyeol was worried, he didn't want to appear too domineering.

"You want me to buy you some food?" Chanyeol asked as he worked on his new coffee machine.

It was only two weeks ago that his house was as empty as desert. Who would have thought that now it could look like someone actually lived inside it. His living room now had carpets, paintings, TV, and table. But his kitchen had undergone some kind of renovation the most. Stove, microwave, coffee machine, plates, mugs, and refrigerator full of meals.

And now he was making a coffee for his mate while his mate was sitting in the kitchen's island? How could his life turn so domestic in a span of two weeks, he would never know.

"I'm not hungry," Baekhyun answered. "Just give me that nasty, bitter liquid of life."

Chanyeol threw his head back and laughed. Night after hunting had never been this gleeful.

"And you could bring your own liquid of life, too. Let's drink together."

Chanyeol waited as the gold, brown liquid pouring from the machine to the small mug, and brought it to Baekhyun. "Nah, I prefer drink my liquid of life fresh from the tap." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Baekhyun grinned before he brought his mug to his lips, savoring the content. When he put it down, his face was serious. "Before we do that, let's..." He sighed. "What should we do, Chanyeol?"

Baekhyun might not show it, but clearly, his insecurity ran deeper each day. More than anything, Chanyeol wanted to make it go away from him. He hated himself for not being able to make his mate feel safe. "The only thing we can do is not giving up."

"Of course I won't give up, but..." Baekhyun's hand absently took Chanyeol's. "Be honest with me, what do you think that sorcerer want from me?"

"Baekhyun, if you think this disappearance was your fault, you're wrong."

"But what if it is? You can't scratch that possibility. You heard it yourself from Joy that I'm the Master's Key. Whatever that is. I'm his main target."

"We don't know that."

"Bull. I know you think that. You know I'm the one he wanted."

"Even if it's true you're his target, doesn't change the fact that it's not your fault."

When Chanyeol stood right in front of him, his face and voice were hard. "You listen to me, and listen well, Baekhyun. We will find him. And I won't let him touch you. I swear on my life I'll protect you."

"You're not my protector."

Chanyeol quirked his brows playfully, willing the tension in his voice melt. "Every year for four hundred years, my Halloween costume is Baekhyun the Fae Warrior's protector."

"You didn't even know I existed until like a few days ago."

And he regretted it, for not wanting to meet him, for not searching for him sooner. What kind of an idiot was he for not wanting to find a mate as exquisite as Baekhyun? If his parents didn't make him scared of matehood, he probably got out of his house, trying to find Baekhyun, every single day of his life. Then he would find Baekhyun three hundred years earlier, Baekhyun wouldn't get kidnapped and tortured, and they wouldn't have to deal with this right now.

Chanyeol was brought out of his reverie when he felt Baekhyun squeeze him and lean up to whisper on his ear, "Let's go out tonight."

Chanyeol pulled back, looking at the fae's face. "It's already 2AM. I'm sorry, lamb, it's only two and a half hour before sun rise. Unless you want me to burn--"

"I think my house is safe from sun light, though."

Chanyeol's words are as quick as shooting bullet. "Your house? You want to go to your house?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Baekhyun sipped the remaining of his black coffee. His expression was nonchalant when he answered Chanyeol. "Nothing. I just miss my old room. Do you want to come with me? We can take your car since you can't trace there."

Chanyeol swallowed, his mind swirled. "I've visited your compound once, I could trace there."

"Oh, great. Then, let's go."

"Yeah, but..."

Sign of worries had vanished from Baekhyun's face, replaced by excitement. "Come on. I really want you to see the place I grew up in." He jumped off of the stool and took his bow and arrows.

Your mate's needs come before everything.

"Okay, then."

Albeit unsure, Chanyeol tucked Baekhyun's head to his chest. Breathing the similar scent of his own shampoo, he traced them both to the cold, dusk air in front of the big white gate of fae compound.

Chanyeol heard his mate gasp and soon he wasn't in his arm anymore. Baekhyun ran toward the gate.

"I can't believe I'm here," Baekhyun sounded almost hysterical. He was beyond ecstatic. "Chanyeol." He turned around with big smile plastered on his bright face. "We're here."

Only a cold-hearted bastard wouldn't get as excited as Baekhyun in his state right now. Chanyeol realized that his mate had that kind of effect on him. Whenever he smiled, he smiled too.

Chanyeol walked to the gate, stopping beside Baekhyun. "Wouldn't they open the gate?"

Smiling, Baekhyun jumped up and down on his spot. "They will in a second."

And so it did. Somewhere on this big, metal gate, there must've been surveillance cameras.

"Baekhyun!"

A familiar voice boomed from behind a crack open gate. Although the night was dark, Chanyeol could see that the voice came from Baekhyun's friend that he met at the bar, Tao.

Chanyeol sneered. He didn't have quite good record with this fae.

Baekhyun ran to his friend. "Oh, Tao, thank God. You're on duty tonight, huh?"

"I can't believe you came home," Tao said, completely ignoring Baekhyun's question.

"Just for a couple of hours. Gonna show the vampire my house."

It looked like this was the first time Tao realized that Chanyeol was there with them too. The tall fae actually seemed surprised.

"Oh? Chanyeol... Hi..." Tao stammered.

There was an awkward silence because Chanyeol had no intention to respond to the greeting, before Baekhyun broke the ice by tugging Chanyeol's hand.

"Seriously, I can't deal with your whole alpha male ordeal right now," Baekhyun squeezed him. "Later, Tao."

Chanyeol let himself be led by his mate and gave Tao a silent warning. When the fae was finally out of sight, Chanyeol matched Baekhyun's steps and walked beside him.

"What's your problem with him?" Baekhyun glanced at him for a second, but his eyes were back wandering around his compound, taking in the sight.

"Don't like him. He and his cloaking ."

Baekhyun shook his head and smiled, and that was all that needed to make Chanyeol's initial anger died down. Just like that.

"You gonna take me to your cabin, lamb?" A light rain began to fall, so Chanyeol wrapped his arm around the fae's shoulders.

"Oh, man." Baekhyun put his hand above his head then he looked up to the dark sky. "This rain's gonna make the night so cozy. I can't wait to lie down on my bed."

It indeed had a potential of becoming the perfect night for them to rest after a gruesome week. But being here, inside the wall of fae's compound, all Chanyeol could think was Baekhyun finally back at his own home. And what if... What if...

Without him realizing, he squeezed Baekhyun's shoulders hard. So hard it made his mate take a notice of his turmoil.

Baekhyun stopped his steps and turned to him. His brows drew together in confusion. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "Did you know? People who say nothing, never mean it. Now, spill. What is it?"

Sighing, Chanyeol took Baekhyun's shoulders again. "Let's take shelter in your home first, okay? Not gonna let you get wet by the rain."

Baekhyun was hesitant, scrutinized him with his eyes, but decided to let it slide for now. "This way."

The rain was falling harder so they jogged. They passed some cabins before Chanyeol spotted one that he was sure was Baekhyun's. It was like an instinct. Chanyeol wondered if he didn't meet Baekhyun and only saw this house, would he feel the pull like now too? He could only wonder.

Trying his luck, Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun and traced to the front door of the cabin. The surprised look from his mate proved that he was indeed right. Baekhyun threw a questioning look and Chanyeol just shrugged.

Baekhyun didn't wait long to open the door, and Chanyeol sensed a full force of joy coming from his mate. His heart squeezed, constricted.

"I'm home," Baekhyun muttered, almost like a whisper. "I can't believe I'm back."

Chanyeol didn't even care less about the house. He didn't look around and see, his focus was on the fae. He followed Baekhyun roam around his house. From room to room. To every corner.

When they stopped at a room--Baekhyun's room, Chanyeol knew, the presence was too strong there--Baekhyun hopped on the mattress, not caring about his dirty clothes and shoes, throwing all his weapons away.

Baekhyun groaned in satisfaction. "Ah, god. My bed is the best." To Chanyeol, he said, "Don't think I forgot about earlier. Come here, vampire. Tell me what's bothering the hell out of you."

Was he so easy to read? His turmoil must be leaking out like crazy for Baekhyun to say that.

"I'm--"

"Come. Here," Baekhyun interrupted. "I don't want to talk when you're standing there five meters away from me."

Peering up at his mate's serious look, Chanyeol dragged himself to the bed and positioned himself beside the fae. His body rigid, he pulled Baekhyun closer to him. "I'm just exhausted," he murmured to Baekhyun's hair.

"Liar." Baekhyun looked up. "You're a terrible liar, Chanyeol. And I don't like it when you lie to me."

"No, lamb. It's just--" What? What was he exactly thinking all this time? Since the first time Baekhyun mentioned he wanted to go back home, he was scared less.

"You don't like it here?" Baekhyun whimpered.

"What? No."

"Then, what? You're... You're scared... and sad. I can sense it. What is it, Chanyeol?"

"Be honest with me, Baekhyun," Chanyeol swallowed. "Do you want to go back here?"

Baekhyun's confused look changed in a split second, it softened. Realization dawned on him. "Is this it all about? You're afraid I'll leave you?"

Chanyeol loosened his grip on his mate. He can't barely speak. "That's what I'm afraid of since forever."
 

 

#

 

 

 

Oh, Chanyeol. My devastating vampire. He longed for this so much, so afraid that he'll lose what he had right now.

"I mean..." Baekhyun tried fishing the right words. "It's true that I've been wanting to come home. But I never said I'm gonna stay here again for good."

Chanyeol studied his face, like he was searching for answers. "What are you saying, fae?"

The urge for Baekhyun to touch him was so unbearable. So he put his palm on Chanyeol's cheek. "I'm saying that I'm staying with you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I like you, so--"

"You what?" Chanyeol looked bewildered.

God, what had been on this vampire’s mind this whole time? Tilting his head, Baekhyun chuckled lightly. "I'm surprised that you're surprised."

"I mean, it's kinda unexpected," Chanyeol said.

"Really? I thought it was obvious."

"It wasn't."

As Baekhyun looked at his mate's devastatingly beautiful eyes, he got to choke back a tear. Why was he being emotional at a time like this. He cleared his throat before he reached his arm out to grab Chanyeol's hand. "I'm still here. With you. If that wasn't indication enough that I like you and I want to be with you then I don't know what is."

Chanyeol was in disbelief. "Since when?"

Since when? Baekhyun didn't even know the first time he was infatuated by the vampire. When the first time they were intimate? No, far more back. When he stayed by his side the first time they were in the meeting room? No. Baekhyun might as well liked him the first time he woke up in the clinic.

"I don't know," Baekhyun answered finally. "Does it matter? Because I really, really want to kiss you right now."

Chanyeol's troubled eyes began to relax. As if testing the water, he eased closer. He tentatively kissed the side of Baekhyun's head, down to his ear, then to his neck, before finally ghosting above his lips.

He stopped there as he breathed out, "Never going back, Baekhyun."

Baekhyun choked up. How could God give him such a wonderful mate? "Can I kiss you now?"

"By all the gods, yes."

When they slanted their lips together, it felt a lot like a first kiss. A kiss that Baekhyun never felt before. A never-going-back kiss.

 

#

 

 

The air was thick when they traced inside the meeting room. So thick that Baekhyun immediately knew that whatever they would talk about tonight, it was big.

Chanyeol had not been releasing his strong grip on Baekhyun since they took their usual place by the door. Not that Baekhyun mind. If anything, his touch was a welcomed distraction.

Tonight there weren't any other factions’ warrior in the room though. It meant whatever news they were going to talk about, it was just in, very recent. Probably only like five minutes ago.

"We've found it." Junmyeon's voice boomed, cutting the silent air.

Baekhyun gasped. "What?"

"You heard him right," Minseok said. "We've found the swamp jail. Kris just called. My faction found it."

Right there, Baekhyun wondered how he could be a warrior all these years. He was so at responding. Now he was just there blinking.

Was this it? He will meet the Master tonight?

Shuddering, Baekhyun closed his eyes. He won't let any feelings other than vengeance ruled him now. He needed to focus.

"It's in the north near St. Mary. Trace there, then we'll run from there. Faster than using cars. Kris' brother's waiting for us there," Junmyeon said, then he stopped to look at every one of them. "Take care, warriors."

Then he disappeared. And Baekhyun could feel himself tracing also.

When he took form again, along with Chanyeol, Baekhyun was in front of a huge cathedral. If they weren't in grave situation, he would admire this building more.

One by one, other vampire warriors re-emerged from thin air. All of them looked tensed, but none of them emitting such strong murderous aura more than the one beside him. Since Junmyeon informed them about the discovery of the jail, Baekhyun had not even spared Chanyeol a glance. He was afraid to look at what he would find. If his vampire's aura was this dark, Baekhyun couldn't imagine what Chanyeol looked like right now.

"Everyone," A demon came out from the dark, greeting them. It must be one of the warriors. "Follow me. And run fast."

Baekhyun chuckled. Like they would do anything else other than 'run fast' right now?

The demon turned around and started to run. Baekhyun was about to follow when he realized that Chanyeol was still holding onto his wrist.

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun snapped. "We need to go."

Baekhyun had expected the worst, but Chanyeol's face was actually calm, so calm that it looked deadly, and even scarier. His jaws tensed and his eyes were black as night. "I ing hate this. I have a bad feeling about this." His voice was strangled.

"What do you want me to do? Stay back at home?"

Shaking his head, Chanyeol cupped Baekhyun's cheeks. "Promise me you won't do something stupid."

That depended on what he meant by stupid, but Baekhyun didn't voice his thought out loud because God knew when they would take off if he didn't make his mate reassured fast.

"I promise. I'll be okay. We'll be okay. We'll protect each other, right?"

Chanyeol smiled. "Always. Now let's see how good your archery is."

Baekhyun didn't need more encouragement as he dashed toward the forest. Chanyeol was close behind him. His adrenaline started to kick in, making him run faster. Every muscle pushed him to the fullest speed, until his surrounding became so blurry he felt like he was in a cloud.

The first sound of gunshot was heard. Jerking his head, Baekhyun tried to sense the crowd and found that it was still miles away.

But it didn't even take him a minute before he finally reached a clearing, where chaos ensued. Before Baekhyun even assessed what actually happened, three ghouls were in front of him, another four surrounded Chanyeol.

Okay, time to work.

One of the largest ghouls lunged at him. With his speed, Baekhyun ducked and turned around, then he hit the ghoul at the back of his neck with his sharp elbow. He took out his blade from its sheath, and in a speed of light, slashed the ghoul in the neck. Another one came at him, and this one was easier to kill with Baekhyun threw his blade right at the center of his neck, severing his head immediately. With only one opponent left, Baekhyun took a chance to glance at Chanyeol and almost gasped.

God, look at him. His vampire was magnificent in his element. Chanyeol's eyes were jet black, his fangs bared, and his muscles bulged while ripping the ghoul's neck with his bare hands.

He looked so dangerous and aggressive and--

"Baekhyun!" Chanyeol yelled.

Baekhyun jumped backwards and choked his attacker. With the sharp point of his arrow, he slashed the ghoul in the neck.

Goddamn, that was close.

All of a sudden, a scream tore the night. Baekhyun jerked up to see a Valkyrie trying to shove away a ghoul that was pushing her down. The ghoul had his mouth wide open, baring his sharp teeth.

Did the ghoul try to bite the Valkyrie? What the hell?

Baekhyun took out his arrow from his back and quickly shot it, right into the ghoul's neck, severing the head. He barely had the time to blink when he heard another scream, and another scream, and another scream. One scream after another.

The ghouls now changed their tactic, so it seemed. They were losing so they used their ultimate weapon, their bite.

Baekhyun shot one arrow after another, trying to kill as much ghouls as possible that were trying to bite the warriors. He could see his fellow faes were doing the same. The faes were now their guards.

So far, no one was bitten. But Baekhyun didn't let his guard down, he kept watching as his heart thundered in his ribcage.

Until his chest went cold all of a sudden.

Chanyeol.

Baekhyun turned around, searching for Chanyeol. His instinct clamoured that his mate was in danger, before his gaze landed on Chanyeol, being pinned down by three ghouls, all of them trying to bite him.

Vision suddenly turned red, Baekhyun roared, "Not my mate, you ing heads!"

Baekhyun never shot an arrow that fast in his life. The headless body dropped but the two others were still pinning Chanyeol down. Baekhyun was about to shoot another one when he saw Chanyeol's eyes grew panic.

Taking the cue, Baekhyun turned around and saw three ghouls behind him. Too late. They got Baekhyun too, but they didn't pin him down, neither did they trying to bite him. They just grabbed him and tried to immobilise him.

"Don't touch him," Chanyeol let out a bloodcurdling roar. "Don't you ing touch him."
 

 

#

 

 

Chanyeol stifled another roar as rage consumed him. A red haze covered his sight and his strength grew rampant inside him.

Save him.

One arm free. Chanyeol trashed to release himself but more and more ghouls came to him, pinning him down until he can't even trace away.

His gaze zeroed in his mate. His beautiful Baekhyun looked so scared that his face paled. The sight was enough to make Chanyeol grew a mind-boggling strength, even for him.

He grabbed the nearest head, and he ripped the ghoul's throat, spraying blood onto his face. He didn't stop until he reached another neck, yanking it off from the body.

He thrashed violently again, "Release him!"

"If I were you, I wouldn't do that, vampire," one of the ghouls on Baekhyun's side sneered. "If you attacked us, we'll bite your mate."

Chanyeol's body ran cold. His chest started to hurt, a familiar pain. No... No, no, no. This ghoul wasn't kidding. They indeed would bite Baekhyun if Chanyeol didn't do what they said.

"What do you want?" Chanyeol gritted his teeth.

"We'll let your mate go..." The ghoul smirked. "If you let us bite you."

 

"Nooooo," Baekhyun started to throw his body to all directions, trying to get free. "Don't you dare, Chanyeol. Don’t you bloody do it. Fight them. Fight them!"

Suddenly Chanyeol felt peace. And the light pain in his chest began to subdue. Because Baekhyun was no longer in danger. Because Chanyeol already decided what was gonna happen.

"Do it. Bite me," Chanyeol said calmly.

"No, no, no," Baekhyun whimpered. "Don't do this. Please. Chanyeol, don't be stupid. Somebody help!"

But no one could save them beside Chanyeol. They were too busy with the battle. Baekhyun had around 5 people holding him. His mate was strong, but not strong enough to release himself out of 5 big ghouls' strong hold. And Chanyeol had probably ten ghouls, one of them ready to bite him into unbelievable pain.

"Sshhh... Baekhyun, lamb, it's okay. I'm strong enough for the both of us. It's just pain anyway.”

 

"Don't you ing say that. I don't want you to do this. I'll hate you if you do this. Please, please, please." Baekhyun's face crumpled and it looked like there were tears in his eyes. "You heads will pay for this. I swear."

Baekhyun started to attack them again and the ghouls were baring their teeth at him.

Panicked, Chanyeol yelled at them. "I said bite me. ing bite me and let him go."

Baekhyun shook his head. "Chanyeol," he whimpered. "What do I do?"

Chanyeol looked at his green eyes. In his mind, he was hugging him, comforting him. "Close your eyes, Baekhyun. It'll be over in a second."

A blatant lie. The excruciating pain from ghouls' bites lasted for hours. Sometimes, people died from the pain, only to wake up again and experience the same pain, and died again, and woke up again. An endless cycle of nightmare.

But oddly, Chanyeol wasn't afraid, or nervous. He was doing this for Baekhyun, and he'd die for him. He looked at his mate's face, memorising it. He'll need it to pull through the pain tonight.

"Close your eyes, my Baekhyun. And get my brothers to trace us to the compound, okay?"

Baekhyun tried to reach out his hand. Even at the last second, he still begged him to stop. "Please, I beg you, Chanyeol. You can't do this."

Chanyeol smiled. "I'll do anything for you."

 

Baekhyun didn't close his eyes, and somehow Chanyeol was grateful for it, so he could keep looking at Baekhyun's eyes as he felt a nick of pain on his neck. Just like he said, the bite was over in a second.

"Nooooo," Baekhyun yelled.

The pain had not hit him yet. Chanyeol growled, "Let him go."

He saw the ghouls smile with victory, and then they were gone. He hated that they got what they wanted but he didn't care right now. All he knew now they released Baekhyun and his mate threw himself at him.

"You stupid, idiot, so stupid ing idiot," Baekhyun muttered while tears ran down his cheeks. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"Did they hurt you?" Chanyeol reached to wipe away the tears in the corner Baekhyun’s eyes. His hands shook so bad, his whole body started to grow limp. "Please tell me you're okay."

"I'm okay," Baekhyun choked. "Oh, god, what should I do?"

Chanyeol closed his eyes. "The pain is coming, Baekhyun. Can you call my brothers? Take me to--"
 

The wave of pain came at him like a blanket of dagger enveloping him with tightest hug, it came from every way, to every inch of his body, piercing his skin. His vision immediately went black for a second, then coming back.

He gasped out a word, "Fuc--"

Did they say that it was pain? They lied. It was agony. Red, hot agony. The most painful agony Chanyeol could ever imagine. He heard a loud scream, then realized that it came from him.

As the torture intensified, Chanyeol hoped that he would pass out. But he wasn't lucky enough.

As he began to realize that his bones began to crack and shatter, or probably he was just imagining it, he heard commotion around him. But the only thing he was sure of was the fact that he was in Baekhyun's arms, and the only thing that grounded him was Baekhyun's voice in his ears.

"I'm with you. I'll never leave you. Please, be strong for me."

 

Blades were slashing his veins, his muscles were twisted. Pain razored into him like his flesh was grinded. He panted with anguish and opened his eyes. His vision was so blurry he couldn't see anything, but he saw lights. His brothers had brought him back to their compound to the clinic. But he could feel he wasn't in the metal table. He was still in Baekhyun's arm, sitting on the floor.

Another wave came and Chanyeol's back bowed. He had been so wrong. So arrogant when he said he could take this, go through this.

Thank god Baekhyun didn't have to experience this.

His body twisted as another wave built. He felt this one would be the worst. So he tried hard to focus his eyes, and like a miracle, he found Baekhyun's green eyes. Like oasis in the middle of deserts. For a split second, Chanyeol felt like he had found his eternal peace.

Before finally, once again a blinding, unthinkable wave of agony consumed him.

 

 

#

 

 

Baekhyun hadn't stopped crying for six hours straight. Because that was how long Chanyeol was in his own pain. Six ing hours.

Baekhyun didn't know how Chanyeol could survive the whole ordeal. It just seemed impossible. Witnessing what he went through for the last six hours, Baekhyun couldn't imagine the pain, and definitely couldn't imagine if he was the one experiencing it.

But for the past one hour, the interval of the waves had become longer, and the pain didn't seem to be as painful as the previous hundreds. Before finally it completely stopped.

Baekhyun watched the male on his lap. Chanyeol still panted, and had his eyes squeezed shut, probably still trying to fight the remnants of the pain. His body was completely slacked and covered with sweat like he just ran hundred of miles.

In six hours, Baekhyun and all the warriors had tried everything to lessen his pain. Got rid of his clothes, injected him with strong pain killer, had Yixing heal him, but nothing seemed to work until they finally left him alone. Left both of them alone in the clinic.

Baekhyun sniffled the last of his tears before he gathered Chanyeol in his arms. He choked out, "Thank you. Thank you for holding on."

Chanyeol opened his eyes. They were glazed and looked groggy. He looked extremely tired but it was to be expected. What Baekhyun didn't expect was the fact that Chanyeol opened his arms at him.

"I'm sweaty, I know," Chanyeol's voice was so thick and raw from the scream he did for the last six hours. "But I really want to hug you right now."

Like he cared that his male was sweaty. Hugging him was all Baekhyun wanted to do. So he did. He came to Chanyeol's embrace and let his head rest on Chanyeol's damp neck. They stayed like that for a while. Just laying on the cold floor for a few minutes before Chanyeol pulled back.

Pinching his chin, Chanyeol forced Baekhyun to look at him. "How are you?"

Baekhyun's eyes watered again. "Seriously? You're asking me that? I'm not the one who was in pain for hours."

"You've been crying."

"You were in so much pain."

Chanyeol shuddered. "True."

 

Baekhyun pulled Chanyeol back against his. He needed the warm of his vampire. To make sure that he was there with him.

"You know the only thought I had throughout that torture?" Chanyeol whispered.

Baekhyun shook his head.

"I thanked God I was able to protect you. That this happened to me."

Baekhyun wanted to slap him. "You idiot. You ing idiot."

"I promised you, didn't I?" Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun's head so he could see him. "I wouldn't let you get hurt ever again."

Baekhyun bit his lip. "That's so unfair. I promised you that we'll protect each other."

"We did protect each other. But if it came down to that again in the future, I would do it again, in a heartbeat, no question."

Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol as if the vampire had lost his ing mind. "Why? Why would you do that?"
 

Chanyeol peered down at him with his perplexed, puzzled eyes. Like Baekhyun just asked a question with the most obvious answer. "Because I'm in love with you, silly."

Baekhyun took a sharp breath, and it felt like his stupid heart stop beating for a while. He didn't know that he held his breath when Chanyeol touched his cheeks, and he let out a shuddering breath.

"What?" Chanyeol looked like he wanted to laugh. "You didn't know that? Can't you see? I'm absolutely gone for you, Baekhyun."

Baekhyun blinked. "I thought you did this because I'm your mate."

"You thought I protected you because I felt obligated to do it? Because I have to?" Chanyeol chuckled. "Lamb, I did it because I need to. I'd die before I ever let you get hurt."

And Baekhyun knew that it wasn't a metaphor. Chanyeol would literally die for him, just like what he had done for him tonight.

"Listen to me, Baekhyun. I love you, not because you're my mate. But you're my mate because I love you."

 

Baekhyun wanted to respond to it with his own feeling. It was on the tip of his tongue but he can't bring himself to say it.

Did he though? Did he love Chanyeol back? Because Baekhyun couldn't recognize this feeling. He liked him, so much. So, so much he could die. When Chanyeol was in pain he wanted to take it away from him more than anything. But did he love him? Baekhyun didn't know.

"Hey," Chanyeol caressed his cheeks. "You don't need to answer or respond to that. I was just telling you."

God... Damn. Chanyeol was such a worthy male.

"Chanyeol, I want you to know something." Baekhyun stopped, and Chanyeol gave him a look, telling that he was listening. Baekhyun took a deep breath and let it out. "I trust you more than anyone I have, even my parents. You're like my favorite being in the whole realm, and that said a lot, because I have met thousands of people in the past three hundred years of my life. I may not keen at the idea of being vampire's mate back then, but now? I literally can't imagine living my life not being your mate."

Chanyeol's gaze was soft when he answered. "That was a really, really good confession, lamb."

"Yeah?" Baekhyun bit his lip.

"Uh-uh." Chanyeol nodded. He rasped, "I need to have you, Baekhyun. I need to claim you."

Baekhyun in a breath. "God, yes, please. I've been waiting for you to ask me that."
 

 

#

 

 

He was just in a series of unthinkable pain for six hours straight. Chanyeol was supposed to be tired. He was tired. But his clamoring instinct to claim his mate defeated anything in his way. There was no way he didn't claim Baekhyun today. He needed to. Ached to. He can't go another minute knowing that Baekhyun wasn't fully his. His eternal mate.

The beast in him woke up in a slam. And like a beast, he wanted to devour every inch of his mate's body. Claim it. Taste it. Make love to it.

A surge of energy ran through his body, making him able to lift Baekhyun's sturdy body onto him. Wasting no time, Chanyeol traced them into their room, straight onto their already messy bed.

Chanyeol placed Baekhyun's back to the headboard and started to pant heavily. What should he taste first?

"Hey," Baekhyun's voice pulled his attention. But without mercy, his mate was smiling and it looked so good on him. "Slow down."

"No." Chanyeol's voice was almost a growl. "I swear, lamb. I'll go slow on you. Make love to you, all vanilla and s. I'll make sure to worship every inch of your body later. But now," Chanyeol leaned down to catch his mate's lips. God, after six hours of torture it felt so ing great to taste him. He pulled away and looked into Baekhyun's green eyes. "Now I need to take you hard."

Baekhyun chuckled. "Then, please claim me hard, vampire."

Chanyeol stopped for a while. His gaze racked all over his beautiful face. "God, can you believe that this man is actually mine?"

"Did you just talk to god about me?"

"I did." Then he leaned down to claim his mate's taunting mouth once again.
 

 

 

#
 

 

 

Chanyeol's eyes had turned vampiric. More than Baekhyun had ever seen. They were black but there was also a shade of red. Blood red. They were scary. Yet y. y as , in fact.

The fact that Chanyeol looked at him with such raw intensity made his skin prickle. He was scared of what was to come, but the feeling was practically buried with excitement and unrelenting desire to have this man.

"Please, Chanyeol, please," Baekhyun breathed.

 

Not wasting another second, Chanyeol stripped him off. His eyes looked frantic with lust, and his biceps looked like they were almost exploded by how tensed they were, but his movement was gentle. It only made Baekhyun’s heart melt. The vampire was holding back so he wouldn’t hurt him.

 

Baekhyun sliced his own pants and threw it away, he can’t wait only longer either. “You said you want to take me hard, vampire.”

 

Chanyeol looked conflicted, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

“You won’t,” Baekhyun cupped his mate’s cheeks. “I could take anything you dish out for me, Chanyeol. I’ll take everything.”

 

Seemed like it was the right thing to say, because as if a switch had been , Chanyeol stripped off his pants and pushed Baekhyun’s legs apart. “Need to get you ready.” Chanyeol knelt between them, his hungered eyes gazed down at Baekhyun’s generous . “Mine.” He seized Baekhyun’s shaft in his hand, spread the pre- on its crown.

 

How could his mate be a mix of filthiness and tenderness in bed was a mystery for Baekhyun.

 

Chanyeol leaned his body sideways, opening the drawer of his bedside table and retrieving a bottle. He poured some kind of oil on his fingers, then reached between Baekhyun’s legs. A shudder ran through Baekhyun’s spine when he felt Chanyeol grazed his slick fingers against his entrance.

 

“Oh my God,” Baekhyun threw his head back when Chanyeol began to apply pressure. His vampire mate never pushed too far, always pushed, then stopped for a while, letting Baekhyun to adjust. Then finally the finger dipped fully inside.

 

Chanyeol pumped his finger deeper. Adding another one, stretching, giving more oil. It became a rhythm. Baekhyun was going crazy at how good it felt. How could this feel so good.

 

Panting, Baekhyun started to want more. “Chanyeol, now.”

 

“ing finally,” Chanyeol rasped. He removed his fingers. Then he positioned himself, pouring the oil on to his length.

 

Goodness. Baekhyun’s mouth watered as he watched Chanyeol oiling himself. He would branded this image to his brain forever.

 

When Chanyeol finished preparing himself, he looked at Baekhyun. He said nothing but Baekhyun can practically understand everything Chanyeol was telling him through his eyes. I love you. I’ll treasure you. I’ll always protect you. I won’t let you get hurt. I’ll never let you go. This is forever.

 

Suddenly Baekhyun’s heart felt so full. It would be weird if he cried at this moment, so he swallowed hard and rasped, “I feel the same way, Chanyeol.”’

 

“I’ll take care of you, love.” Chanyeol put his hands on the sides of Baekhyun’s body. This was really happening. “Do you trust me?”

 

“Always. In everything.”

 

Chanyeol put his crown on Baekhyun’s entrance. With every ounce of control he possessed, he inched into his tightness, holding Baekhyun’s gaze as he entered him. The vampire went agonizingly slow, making Baekhyun crazed.

 

When he was fully deep inside him, Chanyeol looked straight into his eyes. And Baekhyun’s breath hitched. “Your eyes were red.”

 

“That’s how vampire look when they’re inside their mate.” Chanyeol leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart. “A color reserved only for you, lamb. Is it good on me?”

 

“, yeah.” Baekhyun almost roared. Can this vampire be anymore perfect? “I’m ready, Chanyeol. I need more.”

 

Chanyeol rose up on straightened arms. He withdrew slow, and plunged home.

 

Baekhyun’s eyes rolled back as he moaned with abandon, head thrashing on the pillow. Without him noticing, he met Chanyeol’s every . His legs fell wide in total surrender as he noticed his body began to light up.

 

“Yes… yes… yes…” Baekhyun cried loudly, throwing his hand to grab the headboard. “, yes!”

 

Baekhyun bucked uncontrollably. This felt unbelievable. Chanyeol’s was unbelievable. Baekhyun wasn’t capable of speech anymore, so only a growl and groan came out of him. Pleasure built and roared inside him.

 

Building… building… building… He was about to come in any second now. “Chanyeol…”

 

“I know,” Chanyeol rasped as he kept ing into Baekhyun’s tight hole. “I’m close, too.”

 

Baekhyun turned his head side way, baring his neck to his mate. “Claim me. Do it.”

 

Chanyeol snatched his nape, and Baekhyun trembled with anticipation. Then his vampire leaned down as his fangs lengthened.

 

Baekhyun could feel himself coming only in two more . As if knew what he thought, Chanyeol gave him one more before he finally roared to the night, “Mine!” Then he sank his fangs into Baekhyun’s skin and plunged his as deep as he could reach at the same time.

 

Baekhyun could feel Chanyeol exploded inside of him, and he followed closely. His eyes widened “YES!” He screamed his release. His thighs shook, body writhing through bone-melting .

 

He was claimed forever…

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

As Chanyeol laid in his bed with Baekhyun in his hold, sleeping so soundly, he wondered if one could possibly be this happy. Chanyeol just had the best night in his life, in his entire four hundred years of life. How could he spend four centuries without knowing the incredible feeling when he sank himself inside his mate was beyond him. Now that he knew how it felt like, he wasn't sure if he could go on with life. All he wanted to do was being inside Baekhyun in this very bed every ing second.

Chanyeol knew that he was one lucky bastard to have a mate as perfect as Baekhyun, and he might not deserve him. But he was also one selfish prick, and if this was what fate had chosen for him, he wasn't going to take it for granted.

Baekhyun was for him and him only. ing forever. He would get his own happy ending.

Smiling like an idiot, Chanyeol nuzzled Baekhyun's head and brought his warm body even closer to him.

Baekhyun groaned and his eyes fluttered open. His beautiful green eyes had become Chanyeol's favorite sight in the whole world. "Good evening, lamb."

"What?" Baekhyun sounded groggy. "It's night again already?"

After Chanyeol claimed him, they ed and made love for four times more. They might have been wicked strong, but after fighting, tortured by the pain, crying, and all the , they passed out for almost ten hours.

"It's still early though," Chanyeol said. Cupping his mate's cheek, he stole a peck on his nose. "How're you feeling?"

"Like a ing train was stucked in my . It hurts as ."

Chanyeol frowned. "Was I too rough?"

"Nah." Baekhyun looked up to him. "I like it rough."

Hearing him said it like that only made Chanyeol's twitched. Nice, now he was again. "Don't talk like that if you don't want me to bury myself inside of you now, Baekhyun."

Baekhyun rose his brows. "What, you don't want it?"

Chanyeol groaned, "It's all I wanted to do right now. But no, you're still in pain. I'm not going to cause you any pain."

"Aww," Baekhyun smiled widely. "That's sweet, vampire. But aren't you tired? Why did you wake up already?"

The question felt a lot like a punch to the gut. Chanyeol's smile fell and his mood immediately turned somber. "I was awakened by my brother. Junmyeon called. Asked if we could go to the meeting tonight."

"Are you ing serious?" Baekhyun got up into sitting position. "He knew you just got bitten by ghoul yesterday. Please tell me you decline his request."

Chanyeol didn't say anything. And it made his mate turn livid.

"You're crazy if you thought I'll let you get out of this bed in your condition right now, Chanyeol. No way in hell."

"Hey." Chanyeol got up and put his weight on one of his elbow as his other hand cupped Baekhyun's jaw. "It's just a meeting. I could attend it. Besides, I'm okay, Baekhyun."

"The you are. Look," Baekhyun sighed and leaned in to the touch. "You did ing incredible in all five rounds. But that doesn't mean you can attend a meeting."

That argument wasn't even making any sense at all but Chanyeol's heart softened nonetheless. His mate was worried for him. And oddly, he liked it a lot. But it was also his job to assure him that everything was okay. So Chanyeol sat straight and put his hand around Baekhyun's neck, pulling him closer to him until every inch of their body was now connected.

"You know that we need to go." Trying to make light of the situation, Chanyeol chucked him in his chin. "Besides, if I want to stay on this bed for the rest of the night, it wasn't because I'm tired." He wiggled his eyebrows.

It seemed to ease Baekhyun's worried mind. The fae curled the corner of his lips as he shook his head. "Okay. Just the meeting, right? If they asked us to go..."

"We won't go. I promise."

Baekhyun nodded then he went quiet for a while. "What do you think we'll discuss today?"

"No idea. Did I miss something when I was out yesterday?"

Baekhyun's brows furrowed, trying to remember something. "I don't think so, but I wouldn't know because I was with you the whole time in the clinic."

"This meeting might be important. Yesterday, the ghouls were extremely weird."

"No . They were trying to bite everyone."

Chanyeol shuddered remembering the pain he was in yesterday, but remembered something that he hadn't gotten to say to his mate. "Your archery is ing incredible, lamb." Chanyeol kissed his forehead. "So proud of you."

The joy on Baekhyun's face was so palpable. It was obvious that he was proud of himself too. "Wait until you see my white arrow."

"What's that?"

"The only thing that matter with my power. The only useful thing it could do."
 

 

#

 

 

 

"I appreciate you come today, Chanyeol," Junmyeon said as soon as Baekhyun and Chanyeol traced inside the meeting room. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. But not because of the ghoul's bite." There was a hint of teasing in his voice, and that made Baekhyun smirk.

Baekhyun tilted his head to the left side, baring his right neck, willing everyone to see Chanyeol's claim mark. He'll wear that mark proudly for the rest of his eternal life. The mark that signified that he was this incredible vampire's mate.

But his cloud-nine mood was tainted because of this stunt that Junmyeon pulled. He was pissed and wondered if he could ever like the vampire warriors' leader.

"Right, let's start. I'll let Kris take over. He's the one who got the news," Junmyeon said and took a step back.

Kris took Junmyeon's initial position at the center of the room. His big, domineering demonic body only made the atmosphere more serious than it already was.

The demon cleared his throat before speaking. "Me and a few other warriors got to get close enough to sorcerer last time, and..." He trailed off and looked around the room. "I recognized him in an instant. He was that sorcerer. The Son of Darkness."

A collective sound of gasps was heard from every corner of the room. A buzz followed soon, all the warriors were talking at the same time.

"What the ?"

"That's impossible."

"He's dead."

"He's supposed to be dead."

"Four hundres years ago."

 

“He was killed by Chanyeol's father.”

Kris cleared his throat again, loudly this time, so everyone could shut up. "Like all of you, I was also so shocked when I saw him. But I wasn't the only one who saw and recognized him." He looked at other demons, and they nodded, confirming that they indeed saw the same thing as Kris.

Baekhyun's breath quickened. The Son of Darkness? How could this be possible? Like the others had said... he was supposed to be dead. He was an ancient sorcerer. A dark, strong ancient sorcerer. He was practically part of the realm's history. All beings knew him, even the one who didn't live when he was still alive.
 

And the one who killed him back then was Chanyeol’s father? How could he not know that?

"No wonder," Luhan broke the silent. "His darkness power... That's how he control the ghouls, under his dark spell, and how we can't locate him. He cloaked himself so ing well."

Baekhyun swallowed. Darkness... Darkness... Darkness...

Now his heartbeats were also quickened in incredible speed that even Chanyeol must have heard. His mate turned to him with brows furrowed. "What's wrong, Baekhyun?"

His eyes turned to look at the warriors in the room. His gaze was frantic and he started to have trouble breathing.

"Have all of you not put all of this together?" Baekhyun started.

Chanyeol stepped closer to him. "What do you mean?"

Baekhyun his dry lips and chuckled. All of this became so ing make sense now that he wanted to laugh out loud. "You know," Baekhyun's voice cracked. "Darkness... I was the one who got tortured the most... My power is light..."

Silent ensued in the room for a few seconds as Baekhyun could see the screws in everyone's head worked, trying to put everything he just said together. As Baekhyun saw everyone's face muscle move to something akin to a look of realization, a sudden rush of cold air filled the room. It unmistakably came from the male right beside him.

"Not ing happening," a low growl came from Chanyeol.

When Baekhyun looked at him, he almost took a step back at how scary Chanyeol's posture was. His body was rigid and somehow got bigger in a matter of second. His eyes turned black. "Chanyeol..."

"No," his mate snapped, and turned to Luhan. "Tell me this is not what's happening right now."

Luhan opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. No one would dare go against a vampire protecting his mate in all situation.

"Chanyeol, come on," Baekhyun yanked his arms so the vampire would face him again. "This is so obvious. This is the answer that we've been looking for all this time. It all makes sense now."

"So," Junmyeon said in low tone, not wanting to tick the already on edge Chanyeol. "You're saying that the sorcerer had been targeting you because... you have the exact opposite power of his, Baekhyun?"

Baekhyun nodded. "I'm the only who can go against him... probably."

"It made sense, yes. But why now?" Kris asked. "Why he abducted all the gifted including you?"

"The if I know, demon. Maybe he's bored? Or he just got better after four hundred years? Or he just got resurrected from the dead?"

"And you think your power could go against him?" The demon asked again.

Baekhyun swallowed. His gaze landed on Chanyeol's for a second before he turned to the room again and said, "I have special power. With my arrow and my light, my shot will destroy every ing thing. Including darkness itself."
 

"Baekhyun's not exaggerating," Tao stepped forward. "His white arrow has that kind of power. Honestly, if anyone could go against the sorcerer, it would be him at this point."

"So that's also why you got tortured the most? Because he knew that you harbour the power that could kill him?" Chanyeol asked slowly. His eyes were frantic like he was still making sense of the situation.

Baekhyun nodded. "Yes, I'm sure of it." He was so taken aback when he put two and two together. But now he was so pumped up. He could put an end to this. "We need a plan."

"There's no plan," Chanyeol rasped. "Any plan that includes you being face to face with that sorcerer... I won't let it happen."

"Let it?" Baekhyun was flabbergasted. "You don't have any rights to let me do anything, Chanyeol. I let my own ing self."

Before Baekhyun could even blink or take a breath after his outburst, he was suddenly inside of Chanyeol's room. His mate had traced him out the meeting room.

"What the hell. Get me back to that meeting room, right now." Baekhyun punched Chanyeol's chest.

Chanyeol grabbed both of his wrists and locked them to his sides. "I won't let you go, Baekhyun. No way in hell. Not in a million years I'll risk your life for this. You don't have to defeat the sorcerer. Let me and the others handle it. You stay here."

"! That! You want me to stay here like some chicks waiting for their men go to the war? you, Chanyeol. you!"

"Don't you understand? I'm trying to protect you."

"No, you're trying to control me!" Baekhyun cried. His chest heaved up and down. "Just because I bear your mark on my neck, doesn't mean I'm yours to control, Chanyeol. If you want to protect me, then let me get this the other way around. I want to protect you. So you have to stay here. And let me, the one who could actually handle this, handle this. How about that, huh?"

Chanyeol was quiet as he raked his fingers through his hair. He looked so frustrated, so afraid, that Baekhyun started to soften. "I can't, Baekhyun. I can't lose you. I won't let him take the one I love away for the third ing time."

Third time? Not understanding what Chanyeol said, Baekhyun tried to knock some sense into him. "You won't lose me. I'll defeat this Son of Darkness, Chanyeol. I have to go."

"No," Chanyeol bellowed. He sounded beyond crazed now. He pulled himself away from Baekhyun. "You stay here. I won't let you get out of my house. Ever."

Then he vanished into thin air.
 

 

 

#

 

 

 

What have I done?

Chanyeol just made his own mate a prisoner, in his own house.

As Chanyeol paced in the yard, outside of his house, he could hear Baekhyun inside, yelling and trying to break the door. But his mate wouldn't be able to break it. His house was that strong.

Chanyeol needed clear air. He needed to breathe. He needed to calm his heartbeats. He needed to calm his own thought.

Multiple scenarios played in his mind. All of them ended badly. Him losing Baekhyun. Losing his eternal mate. Just like his father who lost his mother. Chanyeol's worst fear.
 

How could that sorcerer come back? What were the odds that the sorcerer that kill his mother, and was killed by his father, now targeted his mate?

 

No. He can't let this happen. He can't lose Baekhyun.

But as he calmed down, he realized that his ultimate worst fear would be losing Baekhyun emotionally. If he did this to him, Baekhyun would hate him. Sure, he'll be there for him to own physically, but his heart would never belong to him.

Did Chanyeol ever tell him why he was so afraid of losing him? Never. He had not opened up to Baekhyun about his fear. That was why Baekhyun didn't understand. And that was Chanyeol’s fault.

Cursing to himself, Chanyeol looked up to the sky. He knew he was being paranoid. He was too afraid that he'll lose the love of his life. Too scared that he'll end up as miserable as his dad. Now he understood why his dad followed his mom to the grave.

It should be what Chanyeol did, supporting his mate, while protecting him at the same time.

I'm so ing stupid.

With that thought, Chanyeol traced back inside the house, and found Baekhyun sat on the couch in the living room. As he approached, Baekhyun wiped tears from his cheeks.

Chanyeol made his mate cry. It felt like a punch to the gut as he watched tears fall continuously from his eyes.

Chanyeol knelt in front of Baekhyun, and he cupped his cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, lamb."

"I... hate you."

"Okay."

"I'm a warrior too, you know. I'm as strong as you."

"I'm aware of that."

"Both of us wear the pants in this relationship."

"Of course."

"I don't want to stay home when you go to war."

"That won't happen. I promise."

"You said you'll lock me here inside your house forever."

"I made it five minutes before coming back to you."

Baekhyun looked up. That was the first time he looked at Chanyeol in the eyes after he came back. His beautiful green eyes watered even more. "I thought you left me."

"Sshhh, love," Chanyeol's voice sounded like he was being tormented. "In what universe would you think I'd be leaving you?"

Baekhyun cried harder and put his arms around. He buried his face on Chanyeol's neck. "I'm glad you came back."

"Always. Always, Baekhyun."

Chanyeol scooped Baekhyun into his arms and traced him to their bed. Baekhyun only cried for five more minutes before he pulled himself away from Chanyeol.

"That's so weird. I never cried this hard before. That was so out of my character." He sniffled.

And that was Chanyeol's doing. "I'm an ."

"Yes, you are. I'm going to punch you in the jaw. You know I'm an archer, right? My hands are incredibly strong."

Chanyeol's lips curled. "I know that you're wicked strong, lamb. But somehow, I just--"

"Why are you so afraid, Chanyeol? Tell me. Make me understand. Is it because this sorcerer was killed by your dad?”

Chanyeol closed his eyes. When he opened them again, now he could feel tears welled in his own eyes. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

 

“Try.” Baekhyun pulled him closer, cupping his face. “I’ll listen.”

 

Chanyeol shook his head. “My parents died when I was seventeen.”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes became sad. “Yes, you told me.”

 

“Well. Both of them were warriors. My mother was killed when she was out on the way to a mission. To kill the Son of Darkness. It happened so fast, according to my parents’ friend who were with them at that time. They were running to a clearing when they were suddenly ambushed. My mother was attacked first. Her head was cut. At least it was an instant death. ”

 

“Oh my God, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun’s already dried eyes were wet again. “I’m so sorry.”

 

Chanyeol smiled painfully. “Can you imagine how devastated my father was? I knew at that time he wouldn’t last. I predicted he would follow my mom in a week. But as soon as he paid the revenge for my mom that very same day, my father didn’t even last a night.” Chanyeol wiped a lone tear from Baekhyun’s cheek. “He didn’t even care to say goodbye to me, or make sure that I’ll be okay. He was just out.”

 

“That’s…” Baekhyun choked up. “I can’t even imagine.”

 

“No, don’t imagine it. Because I’ve been imagining it for the past four hundred years.” Chanyeol put his forehead on his mate’s, breathing hard. “For this past few weeks my fear of losing you is constantly there, Baekhyun. And to think that the very same sorcerer is behind this abduction case? And, you're his target? It makes me ing mental.”

 

Baekhyun wiped his tears and looked at him with doubtful eyes. “Would you… you know… If I…”

 

“I’ll follow you to the goddamned grave, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol cupped Baekhyun’s face in his hands and his voice turned strangled. “I can’t lose you. Absolutely ing not. If anything happens to you, I’ll die. I’m not exaggerating. You’re my glue, and if you gone, I’ll fall apart. I’ll be burned down. I don’t have any interest to live in a world where you didn’t exist.”

 

“Oh, Chanyeol…” Baekhyun touched his face softly, sweetly. It was one of the rare time that Baekhyun was sweet to him. But to Chanyeol, Baekhyun was his beautiful, sweet mate, since the start.

 

“My heart beat because of you. I take breaths because of you. I don’t want my heartbeats and I’m sure as hell don’t want to breathe if you’re not here.”

 

“You’re talking like I’m already dead when in reality I get the upper hand. I’ll easily kill him with my arrow and light power.”

 

“You risk your life, Baekhyun.”

 

“That’s where you’re wrong. It’s not my life. It’s our lives. If I died, you’d follow. And I won’t have that. I won’t let you die. I’ll take care of us.” Baekhyun paused. Then he smiled. “I’m not interested in a life that doesn’t have you in it either.”

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

“So, all of us will take care of the ghouls. Chanyeol, Kris, Jongin, Sehun, and Minseok will take Baekhyun until inside of the compound. Until he was close enough to the sorcerer. Then Baekhyun would go against the sorcerer alone.”

 

Baekhyun saw Chanyeol’s jaws and the muscle in his cheeks tick when they were all having final briefing before tracing right to the jail compound by the swamp, where the sorcerer was. Where the finale of this war, hopefully, took place.

 

“You hear that, Chanyeol? You can’t follow Baekhyun to meet the sorcerer. We can’t risk anyone to be controlled by his spell. So far, we only have Baekhyun that could be immune to his spell,” Junmyeon said.

 

That was only a prediction. If turned out Baekhyun wasn’t immune, he was screwed. He nibbled his lips nervously, and Chanyeol caught him. The vampire reached out his hand and Baekhyun took it. He’ll take every ounce of additional energy from his mate especially at a time like this.

 

They discussed a few other things but Baekhyun had stopped listening. He focused all his senses to the hold of Chanyeol’s hand.

 

When it was the time for them to go, they vanished one by one. Baekhyun would love to have the last alone time with his mate. The mere thought that this could be the last time he would be together made his heart beat so fast it felt like flipping out of his chest.

 

As if knew what he had been thinking, Chanyeol squeezed his hand. Baekhyun looked up and saw optimism in his mate’s eyes. Chanyeol believed in him.

 

Baekhyun smiled back at him. He could do this, yes. As long as Chanyeol believed in him and waited for him to come back to his side, he could do this.

 

Baekhyun nodded to him, and Chanyeol traced them. The vampire traced them right into in the middle of battlefield, right outside the compound. The ghouls and the warriors were all head to head. The sound of flesh being slashed and squirting blood came from every way. Sensory overload, Baekhyun tried to refocus his senses again.

 

Kris came to them. “Hurry up. The others are already inside.”

 

Only for now, Baekhyun forcefully let go of Chanyeol’s hand and took off after Kris the instant the demon went inside the building while Chanyeol took position behind him. Baekhyun kept running and running, not caring that there were dozens of ghouls coming at him. His task wasn’t to fight the ghouls, it was Chanyeol, Kris, and the others’ task. He just needed to find the sorcerer.

 

More and more ghouls marched and the others automatically had their hands busy. Baekhyun started to question whether he should stop to help.

 

“No!” Kris yelled as he slashed. “Go inside that room upstairs, the one that have metal door. Chanyeol! Take your mate there.”

 

In a short period of time, Chanyeol was able to kill a dozen of ghouls. Bodies piled up around him, but when Kris called him, he left everything so he could be with Baekhyun. He tried to catch his breath and took Baekhyun’s hand in his. “Come on, lamb.”

 

They ran through piles of bodies, and at some point Chanyeol even traced him here and there to avoid some fights. In no time, they arrived in front of the metal door.

 

Baekhyun took a deep breath and faced his mate. “You can go now.”

 

Chanyeol shook his head. “I can’t do this. I can’t let you go alone.”

 

“Seriously, Chanyeol, go!” Baekhyun took one of his arrow from his back and snatched it to his bow. “It’ll finish in less than five minutes.”

 

With his conflicted eyes, Chanyeol finally nodded and turned around, but didn’t leave. “I’ll guard the door. If you’re not out in three minutes, I’ll go inside.”

 

Baekhyun yanked Chanyeol’s shoulder so he could face his way. Then he planted a peck on his cheek. “I’ll be back in two,” he said, then headed inside the room, his bow and arrow were at standby, ready to be shot.

 

The room was so dark and damp, reminding Baekhyun of his cell back at the jail compound. It was also full of spider webs and it only had one window where the only source of light--the moon--came through. The moonlight shone to a figure in the middle of the room. A dark figure on his throne. The sorcerer.

 

“Hello, Baekhyun the Light.”

 

A shiver ran down his spine. Baekhyun had not seen his face due to the dark lighting. But his voice alone was enough to make him know that this sorcerer was indeed dangerous. “So you indeed know me? What, you really abducted me and tortured me because you’re afraid of my power?”

 

There was a faint sound of laugh. “I’m not afraid of anything. I abducted everyone and tortured you because it’s fun.”

 

“Fun? You ing bastard son of a—“

 

“Are you planning to kill me with your power of light, fae?”

 

How did this go from him wanted to kill him at the earliest opportunity to this kind of question and answer session. “Yes.”

 

“Such a pity. I want to meet Chanyeol before I die, though.”

 

Baekhyun blinked. “What? How do you know Chanyeol?”

 

“What do you think? I started all of this because of him.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

Baekhyun turned around and gasped. Chanyeol was now inside the room. , it must have been more than three minutes since he came into the room. His mate had come for him. Panicked, Baekhyun walked to him. “Chanyeol, get out!”

 

“Shut up, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol didn’t even look at him. He just walked straight ahead, approaching the dangerous being in the middle of the room. “What did you just say, sorcerer? I started all of this?”

 

Baekhyun needed to get the vampire out of this room. Before something worse happened. But when Baekhyun grabbed his mate’s shoulder, he didn’t budge.

 

The sorcerer got up from his throne and came forward, making it possible now to see his face. It was exactly like the pictures Baekhyun seen in some of the old papers about history of the realm. He was indeed the Son of Darkness.

 

“I can’t believe all of you idiots can’t put two and two together. Let me ask you this, Chanyeol, who killed your mother?” The sorcerer asked. When Chanyeol didn’t say anything, he smirked. “Yes, that was me. And your father and his friends thought they had killed me. Of course they didn’t. I just implanted that memory in their heads. Your poor dad, he thought he had avenged his wife’s death.”

 

Baekhyun’s mouth fell opened. He immediately looked at Chanyeol and saw him shaking, reining his rage in.

 

The sorcerer walked around in circle with his hands on his back. “I’ve been laying low for four hundred years. This world’s seriously boring. So, I came to have some fun. What’s more fun than messing around with the son of one of the family that I used to destroy back then, huh?”

 

“You sick .” Baekhyun was fuming right now. He gripped his arrow tighter. He could shoot him anytime now.

 

“And to think that the said son’s mate has the power opposite of me? How come I wasn’t interested to play a little with both of you?”

 

Baekhyun can’t hear any of this anymore. He brought his bow to his front, and yelled, “Okay, enough. Playtime is over.”

 

The sorcerer raised his hand. “Not so fast, fae. I still want to play with him.” He pointed his hand to Chanyeol.

 

And just like a slow motion, Baekhyun saw the sorcerer swing his hand. Like he was casting a spell, toward Chanyeol.

 

“Chanyeol, run!” Baekhyun turned to reach him, and get him away from here. But it was too late…

 

Chanyeol’s eyes immediately turned all white as his posture went rigid. His expression was initially blank before suddenly it scrunched up like he was in so much pain. Baekhyun reached for him, holding him, thinking that the sorcerer just casted a pain spell, when all of a sudden Chanyeol roared in anguish and tears streamed down his face.

 

Chanyeol dropped to his knee as he sobbed. “No… no, no, no, no, no.”

 

Baekhyun knelt beside him. “Oh god!” He turned to the sorcerer. “What did you do to him? What spell you casted on him?”

 

The sorcerer shrugged, “Just some darkness. I gave him his worst nightmare.”

 

“What…” Then realization sank in. “Oh, God, no.”

 

“God, yes. I implanted the image of you being killed.” The sorcerer pointed at Chanyeol with his chin. “Aww, look at that. He tried to hold your headless body.”

 

Baekhyun cradled Chanyeol’s tears stricken face in his hand. “Chanyeol, look at me! It’s not real. Please, look at me.” But Chanyeol still didn’t look at him. He didn’t even seem to notice that Baekhyun was there. The Baekhyun he saw was the one in his hold. The headless Baekhyun that wasn’t even real.

 

“Fascinating.” The sorcerer murmured. “You really are immune to my darkness, light fae. I tried to cast you a spell, but it wasn’t working. Now that you’re touching him, you’re not infected either.”

 

“I’m going to ing kill you, Son of Darkness. You’ll pay for this.”

 

Baekhyun was just about to pull the string of his bow, as he saw someone went passed him. Chanyeol just lunged himself onto the sorcerer? His eyes were still all white, but the rage in him was so apparent. He was crazed.

 

“You killed my mate,” Chanyeol roared as he choked the sorcerer’s head, making him wailed. “You killed my Baekhyun.”

 

The sorcerer looked as crazed as Chanyeol. “Yes, I did. How do you feel, Chanyeol? Does your chest hurt?”

 

“I’m going to kill you!”

 

Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol and the sorcerer struggled at being the upper hand. Chanyeol was obviously far stronger, but the sorcerer was quick, and smart. Chanyeol used his own hands while the sorcerer used some kind of a blade. They became pretty fair opponents.

 

This was his chance. The sorcerer obviously didn’t expect that Chanyeol would attack him. So now, between the two males who was punching each other’s gut, Baekhyun was actually the one who will get the chance to kill the sorcerer.

 

Exhaling a heavy breath, Baekhyun savored the comforting warm of his light, letting it pool on his arrow. He closed his eyes for exactly three seconds before he opened them. He readied his bow, drew the bowstring to his cheek. He grew motionless as he found his nonstop moving target. He needed to hit the exact mark, the sorcerer’s neck until it was detached from its body. But that was nothing. What made him worried was Chanyeol. If his arrow missed even an inch…

 

And he needed to focus his light. He can't have his light have the power to destroy. Or else Chanyeol, and this whole building would crumble.

 

No. Chanyeol believed in him. And now Baekhyun needed to kill this sorcerer. Not only because of his vengeance, but also Chanyeol’s parents’, and Chanyeol’s himself. No one can with Baekhyun’s loved ones and get away with it.

 

Baekhyun didn’t blink when he released his white arrow. A bright light, almost like a shooting star, shot through the room, and burst right into the sorcerer’s head. Before it finally exploded.

 

The room was so bright for a moment. Dust were everywhere, making Baekhyun cough. But a moment later, the room started to dim like before.

 

Baekhyun stared ahead in disbelief. Chanyeol was holding only the remnants of the sorcerer’s body.

 

He did it. Baekhyun did it. He defeated the sorcerer. And he was still alive.

 

But Chanyeol…

 

With the sorcerer’s dead, the spell on him was supposed to wear off. But Chanyeol didn’t give any sign that he was back to normal. His eyes had turned black as usual, but they were still lifeless.

 

Baekhyun threw himself to Chanyeol, yanking him away from the dead sorcerer. “Chanyeol, wake up, please.”

 

Nothing. Chanyeol’s eyes were still blank. And they welled with tears once more. “Oh god, Baekhyun.”

 

“Yes, yes, it’s me. I’m here.”

 

“You’re dead. Ah… I’ll follow you. I’m joining you.”

 

For all three hundred years of his life, Baekhyun had seen practically everything. But never had he seen someone so destroyed, his suffering was killing him that it looked like his body was crumbling down.

 

“No, no, no, I’m here. I’m alive, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun’s voice broke into sobs. He can’t hold his tears anymore. His heart was breaking for him. “Chanyeol, come back to me. I love you. I love you so much. You have to come back to me, Chanyeol. I ing love you. You need to come back to me.”

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

Baekhyun was dead.

 

This was happening.

 

Baekhyun was truly dead.

 

Like he feared of.

 

Stay sane.

 

Need to get to Baekhyun.

 

But he had no strength to get up, or even trace. His Baekhyun was across the room. Lying there, all bloodied and headless, and…

 

Baekhyun is dead.

 

A sob came out of his mouth. Tears hadn’t stopped pouring from his eyes. He never cried like this before. He never felt this so much pain. His chest was in so much pain he nearly passed out. How could someone be in so much pain when he wasn’t even physically wounded?

 

“I don’t need this heart without you…” he whimpered. “I don’t want to breathe without you.”

 

A distant yell registered to his hearing. He heard multiple noises. People screaming, talking, someone was crying. They must have cried after seeing Baekhyun’s body.

 

Chanyeol wanted to throw up.

 

Need to go to Baekhyun. Need to follow him.

 

Stay sane.

 

His surrounding was so hazy but he started to register more of what was happening. Someone was carrying him. A sudden nausea hit him, and he realized that he was traced by his brother. He was in his room now. His and Baekhyun’s room.

 

Baekhyun is dead.

 

He didn’t know how long he sat on the floor with his back leaning onto his bed. He can’t cry anymore. He was numb. He didn’t fight the pain anymore, and let it consume him.

 

He tried to notice his surroundings. So many people in his room. So many voices. But one voice stood out the most, even though it felt like it was coming from the distance.

 

Chanyeol.

 

I love you.

 

Come back to me.

 

I’m here.

 

I’m alive.

 

Chanyeol slowly looked up and found Baekhyun in front of him. So close. So warm. If this was Baekhyun’s angel form, wasn’t it supposed to be cleaner or brighter? But this Baekhyun was a mess. His face was dirty with dirt and… tears? Baekhyun was saying something to him but Chanyeol can’t barely hear.

 

“That’s it, Chanyeol. Yes, look at me. Oh my god, he finally came back. Chanyeol, baby, it’s me, Baekhyun.”

 

Chanyeol reached out, wanting to touch him. Then Baekhyun met him in the middle. He let Chanyeol touch his face. How could Chanyeol touch him? Baekhyun was dead.

 

“Are you real?” Chanyeol croaked. Of course he wasn’t. This was only his imagination. “Baekhyun. My Baekhyun.”

 

This Baekhyun cried even harder. “Yes, I’m real.”

 

“You were… dead.” Even saying the word hurt so much. “I saw your body.”

 

“No, it wasn’t real. It was just an illusion. I’m so sorry, Chanyeol. I failed to protect you.” Baekhyun put their foreheads together. “This is me. Your Baekhyun. Your mate. Your lamb.”

 

Chanyeol closed his eyes, feeling Baekhyun’s warm in his skin. “Baekhyun,” he breathed out. “This is real real?”

 

“Yes,” Baekhyun sobbed. “Believe in me, Chanyeol. Believe me.”

 

Chanyeol inhaled a deep, scraping breath, and yanked Baekhyun forward. “God, Baekhyun.” His body was shaking everywhere. “I thought you were dead. I thought you leave me.”

 

Baekhyun his back. “Never. I promised you, didn’t I?”

 

All his senses started to get clearer. It had been so cloudy. Now he could see, hear, feel, taste, and smell clearer. This was real. God, this was real.

 

Chanyeol pulled away, only to cup Baekhyun’s face in his hand. “Baekhyun, ah, God, let me see you.”

 

“I’m okay. I’m really okay. Not even a scratch.”

 

“What the hell happened?”

 

“You were under the sorcerer spell, Chanyeol. He gave you nightmare.”

 

“My worst nightmare.” Chanyeol’s thumb brushed along Baekhyun’s cheekbones. He looked up and saw his brothers and some other warriors in the room. “Thank you, everyone.”

 

“Are you really okay now, Chanyeol?” Junmyeon asked, his tone worried.

 

God, he must be such a mess. “Yes. Can you guys please leave the two of us?”

 

They nodded, understanding that they needed so much privacy. Then they vanished one by one, leaving them alone in their room.

 

“Do you want to go shower?” Baekhyun’s voice was careful, like he was afraid that Chanyeol would break again any second.

 

Chanyeol shook his head. “No. Come here.” Chanyeol opened his arms. Without hesitation, Baekhyun came to his embrace. Savoring the beating of his mate’s heart, only now Chanyeol felt he truly can breathe. “I’m so drained.”

 

“I can’t imagine what you were going through.”

 

“I never felt that much pain, lamb. It was unthinkable. I’ll take being bitten by ghouls a thousand times any day than had to go through that again.”

 

Baekhyun looked up at him. “I should’ve kill him the first time I saw him.”

 

“You should, but…” Chanyeol paused. “I would never know the truth about my parents.”

 

“God, Chanyeol, I’m so sorry.”

 

“No, Baekhyun. Thank you.” With his free hand, Chanyeol tucked a lock of hair behind Baekhyun’s ear. “Thank you for killing him. It was the vengeance that my parents deserved. Thank you for protecting me, taking care of me, making sure I came back.”

 

Baekhyun punched his chest lightly. “I will never stop until you come back to me, vampire.”

 

Chanyeol’s lips descended on him. He needed this, needed to feel that this was indeed real. When he drew back, Chanyeol gave a little nudge on his mate’s nose. “So you love me?”

 

Baekhyun’s cheeks pinked. “I do love you. I should’ve told you that sooner, and more. But I was scared of my own feeling and didn’t want to bare myself . I realized it was stupid.”

 

“Say it again.”

 

“I love you, Chanyeol.”

 

Chanyeol brushed the back of his hand along Baekhyun’s jaw. He vowed inwardly that he would protect and love his mate for eternity. “Thank you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving so well, Baekhyun. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to come back. You’re the light of my life.”

 

The smile that Baekhyun gave him almost blinded him. Just like his light.

 

 

 

###

 

 

 

 

EPILOGUE

 

Baekhyun stirred in his sleep when he felt a familiar rough hand caressing his cheek. It didn't take long for him to be alerted, opening his eyes almost immediately. And just as he expected, Chanyeol’s crumpled face was what he found, along with his pitch black eyes, staring straight at Baekhyun's sleepy ones.

 

“Hey,” Baekhyun greeted him with a hoarse voice as he scooted closer to the vampire laying beside him. “Another nightmare?”

 

Chanyeol closed his eyes, and his eyebrows furrowed deeper. “Yeah,” he answered shortly, like blurting out that one word was hurting him enough.

 

Baekhyun let Chanyeol embraced him. He knew Chanyeol needed this, to feel Baekhyun’s heartbeat. To make sure that Baekhyun was really here with him.

 

As his mate buried his face on the crook of his neck, Baekhyun tried his best to soothe him, patting his head and his hair. “Did I…”

 

Chanyeol nodded, and Baekhyun didn't need to know the continuation. He already knew because Chanyeol had been telling him for the last three weeks, every night, what he had dreamed of.

 

The accident with the dark sorcerer turned out to have more damages for Chanyeol than Baekhyun could ever imagine. It took a huge toll on him.

 

After the night Chanyeol had to “witness” his mate being dead, headless with no heartbeat, he always had a recurring nightmare every night. A nightmare where he had to relive the horrible experience. Chanyeol would always wake up breathless, sweaty, and frantically looking for Baekhyun to make sure that it was indeed just a nightmare.

 

Chanyeol would try to calm down. But it was as if he couldn't breathe properly.

 

The sorcerer was dead. But Baekhyun still felt like killing him all over again for making his mate being tormented like this.

 

“I’m here,” Baekhyun murmured, tightening his grip on his vampire. “I'm not going anywhere.”

 

No response from Chanyeol. Baekhyun hated that this had become such a routine for them that he knew Chanyeol would take at least fifteen minutes to calm down until he would finally able to talk again.

 

So Baekhyun settled rubbed the small of Chanyeol’s back slowly, unconsciously humming some melody as he looked outside the window of his room. His room at the fae compound, to be exact. The dawn was still four hours away so his compound was eerily quiet.

 

Since the accident, Baekhyun and Chanyeol decided to stay at Baekhyun's house for a while. They needed it, especially Chanyeol. The vampire compound was too intense and busy.

 

Back then, it was Chanyeol who was continuously taking care of him, making sure that he was safe. Now it was Baekhyun's turn. He would do anything in his power to make sure Chanyeol would heal. Be it taking a break from being a warrior and moved away to the safety of fae compound.

 

Chanyeol didn't complain about anything when Baekhyun was the one who took the lead. It seemed like he was well aware that he was nowhere in the right state of mind to fight and needed time. So he just followed whatever Baekhyun had suggested.

 

If anything, Chanyeol looked like he was relieved to be given a break. After all, he got the most “wounds” out of this whole ordeal.

 

Seeing his mate being dead, though it was only imagination from the sorcerer’s spell, was one thing. But to know that a huge attack of the century from a legendary villain was caused by him was another hard pill to swallow.

 

Everyone understood. Baekhyun, more than anyone, understood. And he was here to stay. Baekhyun would be here, beside him, in front of him, behind him, all the way. Until Chanyeol could stand up on his own feet again.

 

“Baekhyun, lamb.”

 

Baekhyun smiled and pulled himself away from his mate’s hold, looking up to see his eyes already turned to their original color, beautiful amber. “It only took ten minutes this time?”

 

“Yeah, well,” Chanyeol kissed his forehead. “I’m not going to be such a sap everytime I had the dream.”

 

Baekhyun returned his kiss. When his lips touched Chanyeol's, he sighed contentedly. “I’m glad.”

 

Chanyeol hummed absent-mindedly, like his mind was so far away. “I think I could go back soon.”

 

“You mean go back on patrol?” Baekhyun asked, and Chanyeol nodded. Closing his eyes, Baekhyun tried to not sound too overbearing. “You sure that it’s not too soon?”

 

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately, you know?” Chanyeol looked at him. “I don't want him to control me even after his death. This… this is not me.”

 

“Of course you’re not. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. But I don't think--”

 

“I want to move forward.” Chanyeol cupped Baekhyun's cheeks in his hands. “I know you're worried about me, and I love you for that. But really, I’m ready to go back.”

 

Seeing the resolved look of Chanyeol, Baekhyun knew that he wouldn't be able to win this. “I just… I don't want to see you get hurt anymore.”

 

“It’s inevitable, lamb. Because when you know that you had found the one, the possibility of you might lose them is terrifying. And I can't promise you that I won't get crazy again if something happened to you, even just a scratch. But I want to be with you, whether it was sleeping beside you on this comfy bed every day or fighting alongside you every night. I want it all.”

 

Baekhyun gripped Chanyeol's bicep so hard he knew it would leave a bruise. Why now, of all time, he felt like crying. His mate was trying to be strong for the both of them, and Baekhyun returned the sentiment with crying?

 

Baekhyun shook his head before he formed a smile, hoping it wouldn’t look like he was hiding a constipation. “Chanyeol, I’m so ing in love with you and I want it all, too.”

 

A laugh escaping Chanyeol’s throat only proved that Baekhyun had failed to smile prettily in front of his mate. “Yeah? You look like you were in pain, lamb.”

 

“That’s because I love you so much it hurts.”

 

“Alright, alright,” Chanyeol put his point finger on Baekhyun’s lips. “In this relationship, I got to be the cheesy one. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if you being emo like this every day, baby.”

 

“One endearment only.”

 

Throwing his head back, Chanyeol laughed heartily as he pulled Baekhyun even closer to him. “Okay, my lamb.”

 

This was the first time since the incident that Baekhyun heard his mate genuinely laughed. The strain in his shoulder had gone and it looked like a hundred years had been added to his life. Baekhyun didn’t know what had happened during the ten minutes of silent Chanyeol did tonight, but it seemed like he had found an enlightment.

 

Pressed up against the hard bod of his mate, Baekhyun sealed his mouth over Chanyeol’s. He yelped when Chanyeol turned their position around so Baekhyun was now exactly underneath him. All the carnal desire Baekhyun felt for this male on top of him came out with full force. The kiss heated to hot and wild when Chanyeol nudged Baekhyun’s legs open and, then ground his hips down, making his hard pressing against Baekhyun’s belly.

 

When Chanyeol broke the kiss and pulled back to tugged off his shirt, Baekhyun immediately missed his wicked mouth. “So should we call Junmyeon to get our schedule set?” Baekhyun asked.

 

“After I eat you.”

 

A wicked grin spread across Baekhyun’s face. “Thank .”