A/N: Almost 3000 words in this chapter. I hope you will like it even though I haven't really edited it haha - I am in Thailand btw and experiencing the worst homesickness ever. So I'm so happy to finally be able to do something good. Here is the next chapter. <3

Chapter 14.

Immediately Mark pushed through the group of people to get to Jaehyun. He felt Haechan’s fingers around his arm, but they worked as a link, connecting them, there was no grip in them. Jaehyun looked alarmed, but calm, only the way his eyes looked at Mark alerted the Damned.

  “What happened?” He asked while his brown eyes followed the group of people carrying Lucas away. It seemed as if they tried to glue themselves to him, touching everything they could touch.

  “I was pulling him away from a stall and then he just collapsed,” Mark explained. “He did not look weak to me?”

Johnny tilted to the side to join their conversation, his long bangs brushing against the side of  Jaehyun’s face. The other blinked but did not seem annoyed by the action. “Did he perhaps do it on purpose? Is he trying to run?”

  “Why would he run?” Asked Haechan, he tried to seem casual and hugged Mark’s arm in an act of being content. “Where could he go?”

  “No idea,” Johnny replied and copied Haechan. He was now focusing on his boots, kicking at pebbles.

Jaehyun inhaled deeply and sighed. “Ten please follow Lucas and see where they take him. Taeyong stay close and make sure nobody tries anything.” The Commander glanced towards the two Damned wearing shading hats in order to make their eyes glow. “We will need to find a place to stay.”
 

The tavern was facing the main road that s up a hill towards what looked like an old mansion. It was made of marble and glowed in the daylight. Large gates kept people out and Mark wondered who resided in there.

  “A tavern?” Mark wondered out loud.

Jaehyun nodded. “Heard that word before… In stories.” He said and walked up the stairs to the porch. A large sign said Wanderer’s Tavern and Mark hoped they would look like wanderers in there. When he entered he noticed that the light wasn’t bright and so with a quick reflex he stepped out again. Jaehyun lingered in the door. Johnny released a sigh. “I’ll go in.”

  “Johnny!” Haechan insisted. “Let me.” He told the other. “I’ll see if this place is safe for Damned.” He turned around and glanced at Mark and Jaehyun. “You shouldn’t go in; your eyes will start whispers.”

Both Jaehyun and Mark huffed, and it made the redhead's eyes widen. Jaehyun turned away and Mark bit down on his lip. He almost laughed. Johnny looked amused.

Jaehyun seemed a little embarrassed by his reaction and turned to leave. Johnny leaned against the wall and waited, the air was mild in temperature. Haechan ventured into the dim-lit tavern and would see if he could find some rooms for them. Mark followed Jaehyun while listening to the gossiping voices around them. The word of Lucas fainting had spread. He had been taken to the nearest healer. Some sounded jealous, others spoke about the new techniques that had been created so that the infected woke up Gifted. They did not wish to experience those techniques themselves.

Mark did not like what he heard. He hoped he could help Lucas, but they needed to make up a plan. They were in unknown territory.

The two of them moved through the buzzing town, now clearly noticing the divide between Gifted and Sane. They moved almost slowly and gracefully as if they owned the place. Mark was reminded of stories about Kings and Queens. Maybe they truly thought they had a higher status now. If the Clans in the North saw this, what would they say?

Jaehyun ducked as he crept into what looked like a back alley. It did not smell nice in there and the two Damned grimaced at the scent of spoiled food, vomit and pee. Just as they entered - gazing up upon the first floor to see how the climb would be and if any windows were open – they heard a yelp. Jaehyun turned around but firs the squinted up and the buildings surrounding them. There was quite a lot of shade, but luckily it was midday, so the sun stood high upon the sky. Mark noticed a pink dress amongst the boxes and barrels lining the wall. A girl with blonde hair was hiding behind them. Mark was alerted by the sight of her hiding. Her eyes did not glow, so she wasn’t infected.

Jaehyun inched closer, his caring nature showing. Mark had almost gotten used to the True Commander side of him that he forgot how Jaehyun had been before it was revealed.

  “What’s wrong?” He asked and crouched down before he neared her hiding spot. “Why are you hiding?”

The girl hiccuped, surprised at the kindness she received. She stared intently at Jaehyun’s face before lowering her hands from . “Are we safe?”

Jaehyun looked back at Mark. He turned back and nodded. Mark once again took a moment to scan the back-alley, but nothing was out of the ordinary. “We are safe, we won’t let any harm happen to you, my dear.” Said Jaehyun. Mark looked back at Jaehyun’s soft curls blowing in the slight breeze that gave them a short moment of fresh air.

The girl’s eyes were wide, her cheeks red and tearstained. She looked around the age of 8. “They took her away. My dad tried to fight them, he wouldn’t let them take her… But he needed her.”

  “Who? Who did they take?” Jaehyun sounded worried. Mark felt it gnaw at him too. The windows still showed no sign of Haechan. Mark did not like it.

  “Maria, my sister.” She replied. Mark looked at her, her hazel eyes shone brightly. “They do that… He does that…”

  “He?” Mark found himself repeating. The girl looked up at him.

  “Yes. He.”

Jaehyun gave Mark a look. He wanted the younger to stand back. Mark sighed and looked up at the windows again.

Jaehyun reached out for the girl’s hand. “What is his name?”

The girl sniffled. “He was the first… In this town. First of his kind. The others are said to be turned by him visiting them at night, feeding them his blood…” Mark grimaced. “He is called Dracula. He drinks blood in order to live longer. We can do nothing. He is too powerful.”

Mark did not like what he heard. He knew what this meant.

They would not just pass by this town. Not at all. Not if there was a Damned… or a Gifted who abused his power against the people of the town. Drinking blood from the Sane? To stay alive longer? First to turn? It must be Purgatory he feared.

Jaehyun seemed to earn her trust with whatever he did. Mark could not see the Commander’s features, but the girl looked comforted. She got up, scraped and bruised. “You’ve been here the whole night?” Jaehyun asked at the state of her nightgown.

The girl nodded. “They came at night.