While Changmin prepared to divide their forces further at the onset of darkness, Ryeowook felt each second tick by endlessly as he sat with Kyuhyun’s head in his lap and watched everything unfold with a growing sense of helplessness and dread.  The strength of their forces was dwindling and he was disheartened to see even Yoochun joining them, but by the looks of it, his purpose was more aligned with Kangin’s for he bore no evidence of enjoying his choice.  That didn’t stop Luna from glaring at him in disappointment from her watch beside the Hunters who had once again apparently accepted her into their fold.  Not surprising since it was they that had found and spared her to begin with.

                N focused all his efforts upon manning the communications desk and trying to find out as much information as he could in the meantime.  Kyuhyun had given them a great deal to go on, but there were messages coming in now: questions and requests from all over the country and even some inquires internationally from those who had traveled abroad.  Pockets of survivors were worried and scared or angry and outraged at the most recent attacks.  The Cha tried to inform them as best as possible and made sure the information of the tentative cure was available to everyone should they need it.  Part of the problem was that the Chos did not spread far and wide by choice; much in the same vein of many of their peers.  To become a vampire was both a blessing and a curse – one that they did not often bestow lightly.

                Glancing down at the unmoving vampire in his lap, Ryeowook understood he was an exception of a sort.  He knew there were still things about his selection that Kyuhyun had yet to tell him, but though they had the ability to increase their number at a rapid rate, vampires usually opted not to, from what he could see.  The hand resting on Kyuhyun’s chest gripped the fabric of his ripped shirt harder and Ryeowook forced himself to take a breath, jerking from his unhelpful thoughts.  The world was falling apart around him and he was thinking about vampire recruitment.  Go figure.

                Part of it was probably because seeing the rest of their group splitting so divisively hurt.  The injured wolves were crushed that they were denied permission to follow in the wake of their leaders and peers, while some of those going had no active desire to whatsoever.  Once more, Ryeowook ached for the possessed when he saw the time drawing near and observed Ken steadfastly refusing to let Chaerin go without him.  His heart broke as he watched the spirit within take control and he wasn’t sure if it was more a mercy to be oblivious by possession or unconsciousness, for Taemin waved her off instead of her brother, a fact which seemed to upset her even more.

                Angrily, Chaerin shoved the possessed Ken away and pointed at Daesung with a fierce expression.  Even from as far away as he was, Ryeowook caught her words and cringed, “You had better damn well take care of my brother for me.”

                “I will,” the elder male promised in all sincerity, bowing to her with every ounce of respect he could muster as one in her position who understood her pain.

                Ryeowook watched her finger the knives at her belt, a gift from one of the wolves no doubt, and shift to the far side of the warehouse where she then stepped outside, putting a veritable barrier between her and the rest.  Nor was she the only one.  The wolves that were going had no problem in waiting outside and it was easier than bearing the looks of their peers who didn’t want them to go or who wished to join them but were forbidden.  He glanced up unexpectedly when he realized a slightly restored Kangin was squatting in front of him, temporarily blocking his view.

                “Don’t go,” Ryeowook murmured with a hesitant look at Kyuhyun who continued to rest.

                “I have to, runt,” Kangin smiled wryly, reaching out to ruffle Ryeowook’s hair fondly.

                He was too caught up in the current tension to mind.  “He needs you here,” he explained, tightening his hold on Kyuhyun just a touch.

                “Take care of him for me, okay?” Kangin requested, reaching down to place his hand atop Ryeowook’s which was resting over Kyuhyun’s chest.

                “But I don’t know how,” the half-turned denied, shaking his head and uselessly fighting tears.

                “Course you do,” Kangin smirked, though there was a tenseness in his voice that wasn’t usually there.  “You already are.”

                Ryeowook kept himself from complaining more about how unfair everything was because it didn’t matter.  Life was unfair, as he had recently come to the irritating conclusion of.  There were things in it he couldn’t change and some that he simply had to accept.  Right now, Kangin’s leaving was one he preferred not to happen but Kyuhyun needed him more and he was startled to realize that he didn’t want to leave the vampire either…

                JR on the other hand was not happy.  He spent a moment practically arguing with Kangin before Ryeowook had to call on Himchan to watch over Kyuhyun while he shifted to help sort things out with his sibling.  Even then, it wasn’t easy considering JR felt his brother wasn’t as strong as Kangin, and he wasn’t wrong, but also that he wouldn’t be able to keep him safe like the vampire had said he would already.

                “He’s stronger than you give him credit for,” Kangin murmured softly as he gripped JR’s arm and held his gaze, daring the young man to argue.

                Hovering near his brother, Ryeowook paused to regard the vampire, caught off guard by the unexpected backing.  “We’ll be alright, JR,” Ryeowook murmured determinedly, putting as much strength into his words as he could, though he flinched when his brother turned angry eyes upon him.

                “How?”  He gestured towards the remaining members of the group and tried hard to fight the tears that threatened.  “With injured wolves and scared humans?”

                Kangin tsked JR’s ignorance once more and shook his head as he took a half-step back.  “Now you disrespect the wolves,” he chided, one brow raised while the boy turned to look at him again.  “Do not mistake an injured wolf for a helpless one.”

                “Then why won’t he take any of them instead?” he demanded in a tight voice, trembling as he glanced around at the remaining wolves milling about inside.  Those who were going with Changmin were predominantly outside already and just waiting for sunset.

                “Because where we’re going, a misstep can be fatal and we cannot afford a fighter that has to readjust to the loss of limb or eye,” he explained flatly, though the admission pained him.  “You’ll be alright,” Kangin promised him with a broad smile, completely confident again.  “I’d be more worried about that one,” he nodded, purposefully redirecting JR’s attention towards the listless Ken who was still being piloted by Taemin if the strange look in his eyes was any indication.  When JR looked back, Kangin explained, “You’ve still got your family nearby.  He doesn’t.  Now I’ll keep an eye on his sister.  Will you watch out for him here?” he asked, every bit the serious question.

                Ryeowook looked between the two and his lips, wanting to argue with them.  What exactly could JR do to protect him after all?  But that wasn’t the point.  It hurt that he couldn’t be what his brother thought he needed right now, but Ryeowook realized Kangin was trying to give him a purpose in the meantime and he was grateful for it.  “Ne.  I can do that,” JR sniffed, pulling his shoulders back firmly as he tried to mimic Kangin’s solid posture.  He was shaky at best but it earned him another smile from the vampire and a playful head rub that messed with his already fuzzy black hair.

                “Alright.  Don’t you give them any trouble now,” he winked as he stepped back, letting his gaze slide to Ryeowook for a long second.  The half-turned offered a tremulous smile and Kangin looked back at JR.  “I’ll have to knock some sense into you otherwise when I come back,” he laughed confidently, continuing to put distance between them.  Though he couldn’t leave the building yet, it was a painful goodbye, for all that he would still be within sight for a little while yet.  Made worse by the fact that none of them knew if they’d actually see each other again.

                Resigning himself to the painful task of waiting, Ryeowook clasped one hand to JR’s shoulder, swallowing the hurt when his brother flinched from his touch, though neither said anything.  He looked up to glance between Daesung and Baekho, the former of which gave him a reassuring smile, and took a shallow breath.  Not human enough… not strong enough… not enough in general.  It was damnably frustrating and only liable to get worse.

                He took a disgruntled seat next to Kyuhyun again, laying his hand on the nearest shoulder, before he let his eyes wander the room one more time.  The wolves mostly looked angry; those that weren’t sleeping at any rate.  There wasn’t an ounce of fear to be seen in them, which was comforting in its own right.  Among the humans, it was a palpable force.  They numbered just under twenty in total, hardly a strong force to begin with, but the escape and the recent attack had taken its toll on them.  Some were injured and others were sick.  Somewhat alarmingly, he heard whispers of radiation sickness being a possibility and he shuddered at the reminded devastation of the bombings.

                Not only had they killed hundreds of thousands of people outright, if not more, but the resultant radiation leakage across the country, and the rest of the world, was a concern.  Windfall could have affected thousands more than those in the localized areas and it was entirely possible some even got into the groundwater…  There was no telling how many humans would be affected by it, though it did seem as if some among their number could be suffering from lingering effects.  Oh, none of them would have been heavily dosed so much but a few were persistently fatigued no matter how much rest they got while a much smaller number had more visible signs.  One unfortunate individual was in the throes of losing his hair…

                “Wookie,” a female voice murmured and he looked up to see Hyosung standing next to him.  She tenderly carded her fingers through his hair and offered him a brave smile, putting on a front when he knew she was just as unsure as the rest of them.  “How you holding up?” she asked, bending down to sit on her heels with her arms wrapped around her knees in an almost childlike fashion.  The lavender hair color of long strands falling around her shoulders did nothing to help the imagery either.

                “I’m trying,” he admitted, which was really his way of saying he wasn’t but he didn’t feel like admitting that either.

                She nodded in understanding and reached a hand to rest on his shoulder.  “That’s all anyone can ask right now.”

                “Ne,” Ryeowook responded weakly, unable to muster a smile in response.

                Dark eyes flickered to Himchan and the smile spread just a touch more before she focused on the half-turned again.  “Once Changmin heads out, we’ll stick around until midnight or so.  After that, we need to move, okay?” she explained with concern in her eyes.

                “What if Kyu doesn’t wake up by then?” Ryeowook immediately asked as his hand tightened on the vampire’s body.

                “We’ll take him with us.  We would leave as soon as they do but we need to wait and see if anyone comes calling first,” Hyosung murmured, shrugging her shoulders ineffectively.

                “We’re still missing the rest of our Songs and Shims,” Himchan added, recalling the vampires that Changmin had mentioned a little while ago.  “But at least we’ll have the trailer.”

                Small comfort that was.  They would have more injured to carry and less protection during the day.  It was hardly an ideal situation.  One of his larger, albeit seemingly more selfish concerns though was his own condition.  What was he supposed to do himself if Kyuhyun didn’t wake up soon?  He was scared to tell the other vampires because he knew they wouldn’t know what to do either and he didn’t want them to freak out.  Likewise with the wolves, so he just nodded in agreement to Himchan’s comment and decided he would ask N later if nothing else changed.

                From his vantage with the vampires, he anxiously watched the last rays of light disappear from view, heralding a rising tension among everyone there.  Changmin wasted no time in slipping free of the warehouse when the coast was clear, setting off a much smaller trail of followers after him since the majority were already outside.  Chaerin hesitated the longest, staring long and hard at Ken who looked back but she knew it was not her brother whose eyes she met.  It looked like a jittery Henry wanted to say something as well, but he held his tongue and when Kangin approached to urge the possessed on, the last of her resistance crumpled visibly.

                It wasn’t right…

                The thought did nothing to slow the inevitable though and Ryeowook looked at his brother who spoke with Baekho and Daesung before edging towards Ken himself, not at all sure how he was supposed to handle it.  He was about to get up to speak to his brother when he heard N call him instead.  “Wookie.”

                Shaking himself, the half-turned looked to Himchan and Hyosung who nodded reassurance before he got up and drifted to the other vampire.  “Ne?” he asked in return, unaccountably nervous.

                N shifted in the seat and turned enough to get a better look at Ryeowook.  He reached up and tilted the other male’s chin to the side so he could peer at the mostly healed wound on his neck.  Ever so slightly, his eyes narrowed while his lips thinned and he nodded.  “You’ve a bit of time left.  Barring another cure, which no one else has responded with,” he explained, gesturing towards the communication desk, “have you thought about what you’re going to do?”

                Ryeowook his lips and clasped his hands before him.  He had, but it wasn’t like there was too much choice either way he looked at it.  Risk dying as a half-turned in Kyuhyun’s ‘cure’ or become a vampire, invite the drastic change like that which had befallen the fool that attacked them, and hopefully survive the transformation and treatment.  Both prospects were terrifying and more than ever, he wanted Kyuhyun’s reassurance it would be alright.  “How… how long will he sleep for?” he asked uncertainly, fidgeting in place.

                “It’s hard to say,” N admitted with a disgruntled frown.  “We all react differently to our limits.”

                “What do you do?” Ryeowook asked curiously, trying to find something by which to gauge the waiting time.

                N snorted at the question and shook his head.  “I’m out for at least twelve hours, if not longer.”  At Ryeowook’s concerned expression, he waved reassuringly.  “Don’t worry.  If nothing else, we should be able to wake him up soon.  Should,” he added again, not at all confident in his estimation.

                “Okay,” Ryeowook nodded along, if only because it was easier than continuing to question on how things would work out.

                “You should go spend some time with your brother,” N suggested with a glance at the group of humans and possessed who mostly held themselves apart from the other humans and wolves.  “Kyuhyun’s not going to do anything for at least a little while and we won’t move just yet.  I got word that Sungmin’s on the way with Minzy though I’m not sure about Jinki or Zhou yet,” he admitted quietly, hesitant to voice his concern.

                “I kind of feel like I don’t belong with him anymore, you know?” he murmured quietly, chewing on his bottom lip while he turned to regard his brother with honest longing.

                “Feh,” N scoffed and gave him a disappointed look.  “He’s accepted you this far hasn’t he?  Quit letting this,” he jabbed his finger against Ryeowook’s head softly, “get in the way of this,” where he poked at the half-turned’s chest near his heart, “and go already.”  His final words were accompanied by a hearty shove that got Ryeowook moving whether he wanted to or not.

                Scratching at his arm nervously, Ryeowook crossed the warehouse and felt very much as if every eye was on him, though he knew for a fact most of those present could care less that he was walking anywhere.  JR noticed him approaching though and Ryeowook forced a smile and a small wave, “Hey.”

                “Hey, hyung,” JR murmured quietly, his tone reminiscent of a lost child once more.

                “Mind if I join you guys?” he asked, glancing around the circle to get permission, though an otherwise restored Ken ignored him completely.

                “Ne.  Come on,” Daesung waved, sliding over to make room as he nodded around the circle.

                “Thanks,” Ryeowook smiled, easing to the ground and settling in place before he reached out to let his fingers brush against JR’s nearest arm, earning just the hint of a smile for his efforts.

                Talking with them wasn’t half as hard as he envisioned it would be and he was rather happy to be a listening ear as the younger boys vented about all of the insanity.  He was pleasantly surprised when Henry joined them not too long after with Luna in tow.  She paused at the edge of their circle, taking note of one of the wolf-kin sitting by himself, and ran over to drag Jongup into their fold as well, plopping him down in the middle of their group.  Ryeowook hid his smile about how pleased she was about making the boy’s frown disappear and it wasn’t hard to see that the younger male was grateful for the inclusion, if the generally happy expression on his face was any indication.

                All conversation fell short though when the conscious and alert wolves growled a tentative warning as two figures eased inside.  Ryeowook didn’t know them by face but he suspected they were the vampires N had mentioned.  The leading figure was a young woman, likely Minzy if he had to guess, with short black hair that reached just past her chin and a strangely neutral expression.  Her attire was dark, like that of her companion, but at least she appeared mostly unharmed, as far as Ryeowook could tell.  The young man behind her had a baby face and equally black hair that was arranged haphazardly on his head.

                The pair paused at the entryway and looked around with partial frowns before they recognized N, the ostentatious red hair probably helped, and headed straight for him.  Muted whispers picked up at their passing but Ryeowook held his tongue as he watched them intently, contending that the young man was Sungmin.  Neither appeared happy and the tension rose around them exponentially when N spoke with them; it was however seen much more obviously in Minzy.  Through snippets of whispered words, he realized she was just getting the news of Victoria’s death and it didn’t sit well.  Her entire body tensed up and trembled with suppressed anger and grief.  Sungmin reached a hand to squeeze her shoulder tightly, nodding in tense acknowledgement once.

                Not surprisingly, they remained amongst the other vampires as time continued to tick away and the rest of the group started to get restless.  Ryeowook wasn’t immune to it either and could feel the nervous tension starting to coil in his gut while he sent more and more furtive glances Kyuhyun’s direction.  He was starting to feel just a little panicked as they all began to fidget and then jumped as much as everyone else when a particularly tall vampire rammed through the doors with another on his back.  Both were covered in blood and the tall one in particular bore an astonishing number of rips and tears in his clothes.

                They made a beeline for the vampires and Daesung jumped up immediately to help, the healer in him responding to the situation.  A flurry of activity began around the two while their arrival and subsequent disturbance of everyone signaled a veritable shift in the mood: they were ready to move.  Inhaling slightly, Ryeowook gestured for JR to stay where he was while he hurried over to Kyuhyun, bottom lip caught between his teeth.  Hyosung and Himchan waved him over as well while they shifted the still unconscious vampire’s body away from the hectic bit of commotion nearby.

                “Is he alright?” Ryeowook asked, kneeling beside Kyuhyun swiftly.

                “Ne,” Himchan nodded reassurance, though he glanced at the rest of the active parties.  “But we’ll be moving out soon.  N said we should try to wake him up before then.”

                “Right,” Ryeowook nodded in agreement.  “Can you?” he murmured, looking between the two.

                The pair exchanged shrugs and Himchan at least started the attempts.  Ryeowook frowned at the gentle but persistent shaking.  Even he could have done that.  But Himchan intensified his efforts progressively until Hyosung winced preemptively and slapped Kyuhyun hard across the face.  Both Ryeowook and Himchan stared at her in surprised horror with their mouths hanging open while she shrugged almost apologetically.

                “Ow…”

                “Kyu?!” Ryeowook gasped first, completely missing the smug nod Hyosung gave Himchan who just glared at her.

                “Who hit me?” he grumbled in a thick voice, just barely cracking his eyes.  The vampire still looked ridiculously pale and weak but he was talking!

                Ryeowook ignored the question and took a quick breath, “We’re getting ready to move and I need your help.”

                Kyuhyun’s face scrunched up before he forced his eyes open to actually focus on Ryeowook, drifting to his neck and back up again.  Recognition returned slowly but his tired eyes were clear when he spoke next.  “Have you decided?”  Ryeowook pursed his lips and simply managed to nod mutely, the words stuck in his throat.  “And?” he prompted, fingertips brushing against the bare skin of his neck.  He seemed unperturbed by the sounds around them and intently watched the half-turned’s response.  Another mute nod followed the inquiry and he frowned for just a second as he puzzled it out.  “Okay,” the vampire nodded, gesturing for Himchan to give him a hand up.

                “Eh?” he blinked, completely lost.  “Where are we going?”

                “Back there.  Hyosung,” he murmured to get her attention so she would come close.

                “Ne?” the young woman blinked, confused about being singled out.

                “Go tell N I’m with Wookie and will need some time.  He’ll know what to do,” he whispered as if he was trying to conserve his energy.

                “But why?” Hyosung frowned.  Really it was close to a pout but she had more sense than that in the face of Kyuhyun.  That was doubly true when the vampire simply glared at her, one brow raised in silent chastisement.  She huffed once, frowned deeper, and finally turned around to do just that.

                Fortunately, Himchan appeared to be catching on somewhat quicker and as he helped guide Kyuhyun to the back with Ryeowook on his other side, he asked, “Are you sure this is the right time for this sort of thing?”

                “You have no idea,” Kyuhyun responded in a dry voice, glancing at the half-turned out of the corner of his eyes while Ryeowook simply looked down and away.

                With the door closed behind them, the noise fell away marginally, giving them a modicum of peace and a fair bit of privacy, which only served to make Ryeowook more wound up in the end.  “I’m scared, Kyu,” Ryeowook admitted as they eased themselves to the ground, sitting awkwardly in front of each other.

                “I know,” Kyuhyun nodded slightly, though something in his voice gave away that he was at least nervous too.  The thought made Ryeowook both more and less reassured.  The vampire’s eyes softened slightly and he searched Ryeowook’s face for a second more, swallowing once.  “Are you sure?”

                Ryeowook knew what he was referring to and he looked down at his clasped hands in his lap, further worrying his already abused lip with his teeth.  “No,” he admitted with a hasty shake of his head, still keeping his gaze down.  He shivered slightly when Kyuhyun reached to pick his chin up so that he would have to look the vampire in the eyes.  Ryeowook’s throat tried to close and his chest grew tight but he forced the words out anyway when he saw the mute question in the vampire’s gaze.  “I will die without a cure.  I might die even with your cure as I am,” he explained in a shuddering breath, unable to look away.

                “And you may die even when you turn,” Kyuhyun reminded him flatly, keeping the emotion from his voice as best he could, making the statement particularly chilling.

                “Ne,” Ryeowook confirmed, his bottom jaw trembling.  “But the longer I wait…  The weaker I become…”  The words just weren’t coming out right and he grimaced.  “My best chance is now, whether I want it or not.”  His hands tightened further, blunt nails digging into the soft skin of his flesh.  “Isn’t it?” he asked for confirmation more than anything.

                Kyuhyun nodded his head carefully in agreement, a sad smile pulling at his lips, but Ryeowook saw a strange glimmer of something in his eyes.  Was he proud…?  He finally reached a hand out to curl his palm gently against the side of Ryeowook’s neck, covering the accursed remnants of the wound and pressing gently.  “I wish I could make this better,” he murmured, the words soft and carefully chosen.

                “Me too,” Ryeowook admitted with a quick shake of his head as he reached a hand to cover Kyuhyun’s.  He took another shuddering breath and stared the vampire in the eyes determinedly.  “Does it hurt?” he whispered with a flickering glance at Himchan who was staring in rapt wonder.

                “It will more than it should,” Kyuhyun explained simply, his lips thinning while he focused on the place his hand was resting.

                The thought made Ryeowook cringe and he tensed up involuntarily.  He didn’t like pain and knowing it was going to hurt more than usual was hardly comforting.  His eyes darted towards the door and the hole near the ceiling that continued to let sound ease in, distracting and worrisome.  They were getting ready to move and it sounded as if some of the occupants were already outside.  “So what happens now?” he asked simply, fingers tightening around Kyuhyun’s hand.

                “You drink my blood.  We let the change take hold which is when the bacteria will react.”  They both heard Himchan’s surprised gasp and it took a great deal of effort for Ryeowook not to look at him.  “As your body shifts, the neural synapses will begin generating large amounts of activity which you will feel throughout.”  Reflexively, Ryeowook grabbed Kyuhyun’s shirt with his other hand, whimpering softly, and his companion rushed to reassure him.  Pressing his hand on top of Ryeowook’s he murmured, “I will regulate it as best as I can while dealing with the infection in my own body.  When it is done, or possibly before, you will fall unconscious.”

                Ryeowook shrank in on himself in fright while his stomach tied itself in knots.  It wasn’t like there was anything he could do about it either.  Well, he could say no but then he was just prolonging what was likely inevitable and being more of a nuisance in the meantime.  They didn’t need a carrier in their midst.  Hastily, he wiped under his eyes with his nearest hand and reiterated, “I trust you.”

                It wasn’t a question, but Kyuhyun responded as if it was.  “Always.”

                “Kyu,” Himchan called in warning as the general din of noise shifted once more.  Things were quieting down and it seemed as if there were some questions about the missing members.

                “I know,” Kyuhyun nodded, removing his hand from Ryeowook’s neck to drag a nail down the side of his own neck and shoulder, splitting the skin to allow a thin welt of red to seep out, staining the white surface in stark contrast.  “Drink,” he urged with the same hand twining into Ryeowook’s hair as he drew his head close.

                Nausea welled within at the sight of blood trickling from the wound but Ryeowook shoved it away forcefully.  He left his one hand on Kyuhyun’s chest and braced the majority of his weight with the other on the unmarked shoulder.  This close, he could see that the vampire’s cheek was whole but slightly pock marked as if he’d perhaps suffered from acne at some point.  It was a strange thought that didn’t match the situation at all, and he would have laughed at himself if the scent of blood didn’t fill his nostrils and drive a wedge of hunger through his discomfit.

                Kyuhyun didn’t force him and he stared at the dark liquid for only a few seconds more before he did his best to shut his thoughts away.  It was easier simply to listen to his hunger than the worry and fear and guilt warring within him.  His fingers tightened uncomfortably on Kyuhyun’s shoulder and a small grunt of pain emerged from the vampire’s throat but Ryeowook leaned closer still and dared to taste the liquid he had forbidden himself from drinking.  A very small part of him revolted against it wholeheartedly, but a much louder voice cried for more of the sweet substance with a strange metallic, electric tang.

                With a strangely confused cry, Ryeowook leaned forward just that much more and bit down hard, feeling his teeth pierce through the all too flimsy barrier.  Kyuhyun’s fingers tightened in his hair and his other hand shifted to his back, gripping hard, even as Ryeowook pulled himself closer, practically in the vampire’s lap as he continued to feed.  He was mildly horrified by his reaction with the voice of reason that refused to be extinguished so easily, but with every beat of his still living heart, the sound fell away more and more, taking with it the rest of his humanity.

                Tears seeped from his eyes when he clenched them shut and he clung to Kyuhyun desperately, shaking as he did so.  He wasn’t so far gone that he didn’t flinch when he felt teeth sink into his neck as well though, tempering his pain and confusion with the strangely grounding sensation.  All of a sudden, Ryeowook convulsed as he felt his heart stop, the knowledge flooding him with panic that would have driven him away if Kyuhyun hadn’t been holding him as tight as he was.

                An internal buzzing disoriented him, growing louder and more painful with every passing second.  And then even that was nothing to the wrenching, burning sensation that tore through his body when he felt his skin tighten and react as if he’d been lit on fire.  Ryeowook tried to scream… tried to drag himself away… tried to do something but he was no match for his confused, plagued body or Kyuhyun’s dogged strength as the other vampire just held him close.  So he did the only thing left to him: he wrapped himself around Kyuhyun as much as he could and held on, sobbing into the vampire’s neck with his face pressed hard against him.

                There was no room for thought or any measure of worry.

                His spiraling awareness knew only pain and the feel of Kyuhyun pressed against him; everywhere around him and yet nowhere at the same time.

                He didn’t see the sparks flying around them as his body changed and Kyuhyun desperately tried to cure them both.

                He most certainly didn’t hear the door open and his brother scream his name while N restrained him firmly.

                There was only waves of pain… the change… Kyuhyun… and then nothing at all…

(a/n: This one was a bit of a struggle and I'm not sure why.  :/  But it's done and Ryeowook finally bit Kyuhyun!  hehe  Though the circumstances were hardly ideal.  >.>  The stage is set, however, for the next leg of our journey.  Change has arrived in more ways than one.  We've got a few new vampires to add into the mix; the humans have been mentioned again so don't be too surprised if we start to see a bit more of them; and I most certainly haven't forgotten our Hunters or the rest of the injured wolves.  Yes, I've still got a lot of ground to cover but we're making headway!

Thank you for being patient in the meantime and especially for your continued comments and support!  You guys are awesome!  ^_^)