“Jeongin, how the hell did you get separated from everyone?” Chan growled out. He knew that anyone who knew about Straykids would know that I.N wasn’t usually put out on the front lines. However, they knew that the amount of lackeys NCT would be able to hire would prove to be a lot more than they were used to. 

Jeongin was supposed to stick with another member at all times. By the end of the fights when they regrouped, they realized the only one missing was the youngest. This started a new fear within Straykids. Not only was he the one in charge of technology and hacking, he was their youngest member, both in age and the experience he had of being a vampire. 

Hyunjin was walking alongside Changbin in silence. He was completely rattled by what Jinah said before he left. She warned him. It wasn’t a warning towards the entire group; it was specifically to him. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt Changbin nudged him.

“That warning was oddly specific.” 

Hyunjin sighed in response. By that time, most of his wounds were gone. He knew that Jinah was probably low on blood, and feeding 7 vampires and another that was heavily injured would've made a dent in her blood supply. He wasn’t one to worry about her blood supply; Straykids had been running low for several days now, and if they had known about the NCT attack they would’ve stacked up on blood.

The ones that were less hurt would have to go out tonight to grab blood. They finally reached their house. 

“Put him on the bed, and someone get me wet towels. Do we have any blood left over to give Jeongin?” Seungmin, who was in charge of medical stuff in the gang, ordered while opening the door to the hospital like room. Felix went to grab wet towels, while Han went to check if they had any blood left over.

“There’s 2 packs. I think we’re going to have to go on a blood run. Changbin hyung and Bangchan hyung, can you guys go?” Han handed the blood packs over and went to check on Felix and Bangchan. 

“Chan’s hurt. I’ll go instead.” Minho volunteered, knowing that the leader handed his blood pack earlier to Felix because he had more wounds. 

Felix returned with the wet towels, and sat next to Seungmin to assist him. 

“Go rest Felix. I’ll help.” Hyunjin nudged him out of his seat. He knew that Felix had been targeted first because of his senses and had come out the most wounded out of the remaining 7. 

Changbin left the room and grabbed a few duffle bags to carry the blood in. Jumping into the car that Minho had pulled up, the three of them started to think of blood banks they hadn’t raided yet.

“We’re going to have to go to another town.” Han decided, knowing that security was going to be tight for another few months in their town. Minho took off, going to the closest blood bank in the neighboring town.

They pulled up quietly, and went around the building to the backdoor when they saw a familiar motorcycle. 

“Is that Jinah’s?” Minho asked the other two, knowing they saw her use it the first time they ran into her at the blood bank.

“Yea. I’m pretty sure she gave all of her blood to us a while ago.” Changbin replied, thankful for her generosity. He knew that she would have less blood than a clan normally would, because she was a lone vampire. 

Jinah was stuffing her backpack when she heard footsteps come from the back door. She hadn’t expected people to be there with her, and was automatically put on alert. This was new territory, and if she ran into vampires who lived here and was territorial, it would not end well for her. 

“Jinah?” She heard a tentative voice call out to her.

“It’s uh… Minho from Straykids.” She let out a breath of relief. 

“Oh… hi?” Jinah popped out of the aisle she was hidden into the broader hallway when she saw the three of them. She didn’t expect to run into them twice a day. It was slightly dark but she was able to scan them easily. 

“Changbin and Han? Did Chan stay home?” She knew that he didn’t get the blood she handed out earlier.

“Yea. Thanks for saving Jeongin and for the blood.” Changbin offered her an unexpected smile. She didn’t think he would be one to smile easily, especially with his build and intimidating aura. 

“Uhh no problem.” Jinah was hesitant. She never talked to other vampires just for the sake of small talk.  She could tell that Han could pick up on her hesitance and social awkwardness.

“Be safe. We’ll see you around.” Han said, offering her a getaway from the situation. Nodding in response, she her heels to go into another aisle. She grabbed blood packs and shoved them in as fast as possible, trying to avoid another confrontation.

She was surprised at their efficiency when she was leaving and they were almost done with filling their duffle bags. 

“Bye Jinah!” Han yelled out, knowing that she was on her way out.

“Bye.” Jinah waved softly and left the blood bank. She was thankful that it was only her because it was easier to leave and avoid people. Still, she wanted to know what it felt like to have other people care for you. But these thoughts were a weakness and futile. Hoping for a different environment wouldn’t happen, no matter how much she wished for it to be true.

She opened her fridge at home and stacked the blood packs. Nodding in satisfaction, she closed it knowing that she wouldn’t have to go on a blood run for another few weeks if the royal ball ended up well.

By the time the three Straykids members made it back home, Jeongin had been stitched up completely by Seungmin and was waiting on blood to recover completely. Minho went up with a few blood packs to give to Jeongin while the others went to stack up the refrigerator. Smelling the blood, the other members came down and took a few blood packs. 

Jisung smirked when he realized that the entire clan was downstairs. 

“Hey Hyunjin, you know who we bumped into while we were getting blood?” Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. 

“Who??” Jeongin asked, unwilling to wait the pause Jisung wanted for suspense. 

Jisung grabbed Minho and pushed him up against the near wall. He straddled him and pretended to go in for a kiss when everyone laughed. Or at least, almost everyone laughed. It was funny to see Hyunjin and Jinah’s kiss scene at the blood bank play out with Jisung and Minho.

Hyunjin groaned. He knew that everyone was simply itching to make fun of his moment with her. 

“I don’t want to see her.” He hissed out, trying to stop people from laughing. This just made the entire clan laugh harder.

“Really hyung? You reeeally don’t want to see her?” Jeongin teased, knowing Hyunjin wouldn’t really get mad at him.

“She looked pretty good today. Wearing tights and a leather jacket.” Minho said seriously, keeping on a straight face. It was silent for a second until he let out a grin, making Straykids laugh even harder.

Hyunjin could imagine what she was wearing at the blood run, and despite him trying, he could feel her straddle up against him.

“ you.” Hyunjin growled, knowing he lost this fight. He went upstairs when he realized that his blood was pooling in his lower region. Closing his eyes in frustration, he remembered Jinah’s scent when she was up against him. She smelled faintly of peaches and roses, and it was nice that it didn’t smell as artificial or strong as other females Hyunjin ran into. The detail opened the gates to his thoughts about her, and they tumbled out, reminding him of details he didn’t want to remember.

Turning on the water to his shower, he stepped in. Looking down, he changed the temperature from hot to cold. The temperature knob creaked in disagreement, alerting some of his clan if they were listening closely. Tonight would have to be a cold shower.

He could hear Felix laugh from the room next door, and he knew that he would tell the rest of Straykids that he was taking a cold shower probably because of Jinah. He would never hear the end of this from them.