Ryeowook hated conflict.  It always made him feel ill at ease and he preferred to avoid it if at all possible, but right now… there was no getting around some of the hurt feelings he had to deal with on various fronts.  Reconciliation with his brother hadn’t gone as well as he would have hoped and he knew it was going to be some time still before the fear in his eyes would go away entirely, if it ever did.  Not that he could entirely blame him.  When they tried talking, the biggest sticking point had been that Ryeowook simply hadn’t told him about his decision.  They’d both known it was likely at some point, but JR was angry his brother could have died and they wouldn’t have even said anything.

                And that had nothing on the reality of actually stepping in when they were biting each other…  The thought made Ryeowook feel distinctly odd.  He’d rather come to accept Kyuhyun biting him on occasion, which was startling in and of itself, but he could well imagine how that might have looked under the circumstances.

                It was also frustrating because he hadn’t said anything so that he might save his brother pain.  In retrospect, it was rather backwards logic but he’d already known he could die if he went through with it; chances were also pretty good he would die if he didn’t as well.  So he made a choice.  Right or wrong at the time, he couldn’t change it now.  Granted, if he could reverse time, the only thing he would have asked not to happen was for him to attack JR.  That pained him to no end and was what kept his brother from getting too close still.  He opted instead to continue his efforts with Ken who at least appeared more grounded when JR was by his side.

                Physically, Ryeowook looked no different than he had before the change, but as nearly everyone else could attest, he had inherited a different feel about him - a stillness that spoke of being no longer human, and a strange look in his eyes that made him distinctly other without him trying.  As new as he was to his predicament, even he could admit he was changed in more ways than one.  Henry appeared conflicted but accepting of the situation, though Ryeowook harbored continuous guilt over what had happened between them.  His best friend at least knew part of what becoming a vampire entailed and wasn’t as freaked out by it, but nobody enjoyed being a food… donor.  He deliberately avoided thinking about his sessions with Kyuhyun since something told him he wasn’t that… kind?  Was that a good way to describe it?

                And then there was Kyuhyun himself…

                Sitting mutely beside the vampire in the back corner of the trailer, Ryeowook felt as if his skin tingled and he couldn’t tell if it was because of what he’d become or if he was simply imagining it due to his proximity.  What was more, he couldn’t quite get the memory of the fear in Kyuhyun’s eyes out of his head the last time they’d spoken.  Could he really have meant it?  Was he that afraid of Ryeowook dying?  And if so, why was he closing himself off now?  Kyuhyun had yet to look at him once since they’d gathered in the trailer, leaving Ryeowook even more off kilter and unsure.  His initial reaction to the vampire had not been favorable and he could admit that, but still...

                Ryeowook had been afraid and confused, though it felt like Kyuhyun had taken it more personal than usual.  Not only that, but he was more withdrawn and… not lost exactly, but he felt so frail now.  He really had almost died and Ryeowook additionally felt very uneasy about that too.  What would have happened if he had?  Ryeowook’s stomach clenched sickeningly at the mere thought and he forced himself to look at the silent male.  The vampire had his arms wrapped around his bent legs and his face buried behind his knees, easily shutting everyone else out while the rest of the group separated themselves as best they could.

                He was in his own little world, much like the rest of their companions were.  Scanning the interior again, it was a tight fit with all the persons gathered together.  JR was driving with Junsu and Henry riding in the front.  Presumably, the latter was trying to help JR through whatever he was feeling and Junsu served to offer directions when necessary.  Not to mention he was a keen eyed lookout and more than capable of calling any situation as it arose.  That left everyone else cramped in the back.

                A glance to his left showed the vampires clustering in the other back corner with half of them glaring – namely the Shims and Songs – and the others trying to maintain a semi-light atmosphere.  If there was one thing N, Himchan, and Hyosung were good at, it was talking, though they kept their volume low.  As far away as possible in the other corner were the rest of the wolves in various states of wakefulness.  The injured slept pretty much on top of each other and the healthier ones rested along the wall or defensively around their packmates.  Not surprisingly, the last corner was taken up by the Hunters who watched in silence and pretty much kept to themselves.  Their situation was precarious as it was, but at least N had been able to fill him in on why they were staying or allowed to stay in the first place.

                Thoughtfully, Ryeowook looked over the jumble of disgruntled, sleepy humans, wolf-kin, and possessed in the middle and peered at the Bangs.  Minsoo was sequestered between them protectively and they took turns dozing, one person always on guard just in case.  Luna voluntarily positioned herself as the buffer between them and the wolves but they didn’t really talk much except among themselves.  Apparently, they were very loyal to their family members and to keep Minsoo from being inadvertently killed when they’d first been attacked, Yongguk and Mir had thrown their lot in with the nonhumans, fighting against the half-turned forces.  They knew as well as the others did that inmates would have few qualms about killing civilians or wounded in the face of their plight.  While they hadn’t known who the newcomers were at first, it hadn’t taken them long to figure out what was happening, and what was likely to happen if they didn’t step in as well.

                So the Hunters aligned themselves with their former enemies to help curb the greater threat of uncontrolled half-turneds that had no respect for their form or those they fought against.  Ironically, Ryeowook could understand that after seeing them interact in Yoochun’s cabin the first time he’d met the trio.  Calm and collected, they were no doubt skilled at what they did, but neither were they indiscriminate in who they targeted.  Luna in particular was proof of that.

                The thought sparked a memory in his head and he winced, making a small sound in the back of his throat while he pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down with squinted eyes.  His shoulders tensed when pressure built in his head followed by a curious internal buzzing that made him grimace.  Indiscriminate death and destruction… bodies everywhere and blood covering his hands…  Ryeowook’s eyes crossed and his vision blurred at the memory that was not his own before he took a shaky breath when fingers closed tightly around his wrist.

                “Breathe,” Kyuhyun instructed quietly, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye from behind his impromptu wall.

                Shakily, Ryeowook did just that, the familiar motion calming if no longer necessary, as he placed his hand atop Kyuhyun’s and tried to gather his thoughts in an attempt to form a sensible question.  “Who is he?” he asked instead, surprising himself with the inquiry, though Kyuhyun simply looked at him for a long moment, his dark eyes thoughtful and patient.

                “Our creator,” he finally explained gently, dropping his eyes to the place where their hands touched.  Ryeowook had no idea how the other vampire knew who specifically he was asking about, but he didn’t question it and simply watched and waited.  “That memory is coded in our blood.  The others…”  He trailed off and looked back up to meet Ryeowook’s eyes once more.  “They understand the message but none of them see it the way we do.”

                With Kyuhyun holding his wrist and grounding him, it was easier for Ryeowook to examine the memory again; to not get swept away by the sheer violence and destruction of the figure.  “He has wings like the Chas and uses electricity like you,” Ryeowook frowned, trying to understand why that was the case.

                “Ne.  He was as hardy as the Songs and as sensitive as the Shims as well.  A cursed creature.  Born of hatred and anger and suffering by those who offered up the lives of their citizens and their enemies for the favor of vengeful, bloodthirsty gods,” Kyuhyun murmured softly, his voice ominous in the crowded interior, but so quiet that only Ryeowook, and perhaps the Shims nearby, might hear him.  “The seventh human sacrifice on the fall of the seventh day, he rose again with all the imbued hatred and wrath of his creators.”

                Ryeowook flinched from the memory and the awful power inherent in the monstrous creation.  “He killed everyone…” he trailed off, blinking in unseeing horror even though he stared right at Kyuhyun, watching the sordid scene unfold in his head.  His only saving grace was having been exposed to the cruelties of fighting already, or he might well have been sick otherwise.

                “Even those who created him,” Kyuhyun confirmed, waiting for the distant look to fade from Ryeowook’s eyes before he continued.  “When the geas of his first purpose was fulfilled, he turned his wrath on the people who made him and slaughtered them as well.”

                Bowing his head under the continued, prompted memory, Ryeowook shuddered at the sights of dozens more dying swiftly.  Though it was centuries past, he could even now feel the rage that burned in him at the time.  In a single night, he’d lain waste to an entire city of people and before dawn, his sights turned back to bring everything full circle.  “He chose them,” he whispered, shivering under the new knowledge that came easily when in contact with Kyuhyun.  His thoughts made sense and though it was horrifying, it was made less so by at least being able to understand what he was seeing.

                “Four clans created from the slain bodies of his most hateful makers.  As they crafted him, he divided his power and cursed them as well, forcing eternity upon his tormentors with no wish for death.”  Kyuhyun turned his head to hide his face behind his knees once more, though he maintained his hold on Ryeowook’s wrist loosely.

                “It’s a punishment,” Ryeowook whispered, completely surprised by that revelation.  His hand tightened over Kyuhyun’s and he practically stared at the vampire’s profile.  Though he did not look back over, Ryeowook could see his face perfectly from memory; could see the mask he always wore to protect himself.  Eternity was a long time to spend alone…  It was no wonder they might seek companionship with another that would live as long as they, despite the nature of the curse they would have to bestow on them.  “But how could he do that?” Ryeowook asked, leaning close to place his other hand upon Kyuhyun’s shoulder tentatively.  “He was powerful but how could he raise them back?”

                Kyuhyun took a slow, deep breath and turned just enough to see Ryeowook again, very briefly surprised to find him so close.  The words stalled on his tongue for half a second before he whispered, “The strength of ones will can accomplish the most impossible things if they wish for it hard enough.”

                His words made Ryeowook shudder involuntarily and he his lips in response.  “And that’s why you said there was no cure.”  It was more a statement than anything but Kyuhyun nodded in response, just watching Ryeowook with an unblinking gaze.  For a moment, his eyes flickered, filled with some thought or other that did not match the topic and he turned away, leaving Ryeowook to himself.  It was hard to say if the vampire was ignoring him or trying to give him space, but considering how Ryeowook had acted upon awakening… it was a difficult call.

                In quiet apology, he shifted just that much closer to Kyuhyun, noticing the way the vampire declined to let go.  His hold wasn’t restraining or firm or anything like that; it felt more like a desire to maintain contact.  Ironically, after what he’d just learned, Ryeowook could understand why.  He wanted some degree of comfort to let him know that things were going to be alright, but none of them could grant it.  Not unlike that time, he realized the vampires were simply enacting their own history, but in this age, there were a great many more players.  His recollection of the memory ended abruptly when the first vampire gave himself up to the sun and returned to death, leaving the four cursed men behind to continue on.

                His will created them as theirs had made him into what he’d become.  It was also his will that prompted them to live despite their cursed existence; to fear the sun and hide when death would be easier.  Why make friends at all when they would simply die of old age or disease and a vampire would not?  And if one did have friends, why would they want to subject them to an eternity of living only to experience the same thing themselves?  His eyes drifted back to Kyuhyun and Ryeowook struggled with an almost overwhelming sense of pity and understanding.  Now he understood why there were so few vampires; why they fought so hard to exist to this day…  And because of Kyuhyun, he himself was now a part of that legacy.

                For a brief moment, he was unaccountably angry at Kyuhyun for choosing him.  His body tensed and he pursed his lips while he stared at the bowed head, but just as quickly, the emotion bled away.  It was already done and there was little point in raging over what could not be changed.  Slowly, his expression softened and Ryeowook exhaled once.  He couldn’t hate the vampire for wanting something more than seven hundred years of solitude, even if his current condition was the result of that.  Ryeowook shifted his free hand to wrap it lightly around the back of Kyuhyun’s neck, the gesture tender and careful.  “I’m sorry,” he murmured and though he didn’t know specifically what he was apologizing for – lashing out, Kyuhyun’s situation, everything that had happened so far – he needed to say it all the same.

                Silence, save the voices of those inside the trailer, answered him.  But then the fingers around his wrist squeezed in confirmation and he nodded once, just the barest of movements to signify he’d heard.  “Rest, Wookie,” Kyuhyun sighed without pulling his face away from his knees.  “You have much to learn yet, though I cannot teach you here,” he explained.

                It took Ryeowook a moment to understand he was referring to the trailer filled with people and that annoyed him.  He wanted to know more about how to control his new abilities immediately but then again… he did have electricity.  In a confined space, made of metal no less, the precaution made sense.  Disgruntled, Ryeowook leaned back against the wall and tried to continue sorting things in his head.

                So he’d sort of made amends with Kyuhyun, which was easier than dealing with his brother, but he had more questions, fewer answers, and a world of possibilities to be concerned about.  Not to mention the fact that all sorts of memories, his own this time, kept popping up randomly to remind him of something he had legitimately forgotten.  Frankly, he was happier not remembering his freshman year of high school…

                Needless to say, the day went on, as confusing and hectic as ever.  To bide their time until the sun set, Kyuhyun unfurled enough to pay attention to the news and made sure to follow what was going on, though coverage was starting to get rather spotty.  Major news stations were still broadcasting but smaller ones fell silent and many of the field reporters stopped being heard altogether.  It was no surprise that many had already been lost on the job.  It was even less surprising that the death toll was still rising on both sides.

                With the occasional message or broadcast from other nonhumans around the world, Ryeowook realized it was less about disarming and subduing the humans now and more about taking revenge for the loss of life already incurred.  It was still a fight for superiority but it had also become personal.  Then again, based on the more regular reports from the humans, they were portraying a similar mentality.  In some places, everyone was suspect and their group caught wind of more than a few instances where extraordinary or odd individuals were cut down as monsters or at least banished for being in league with them.

                “Witch hunts.  All over again,” Kyuhyun murmured with a significant look at N.

                The redhead grimaced and nodded once.  “Same mentality.  Different era.  But just as ugly and stupid.”

                As much as Ryeowook wanted to disagree with them… he couldn’t.  There was a certain amount of truth to their words and though he slightly resented them, since he’d been a human himself not that long ago, he couldn’t fault them.  It was particularly depressing because they could find instances of all of those occurrences in a matter of hours and they hadn’t even gotten to nightfall.  Ryeowook almost would have preferred not to hear about it but then again, not knowing would have been infinitely worse.  That applied especially to the condition of their allies.

~~~~~~

                Behind them, the base burned in the lessening gloom of morning.  Sunrise would be upon their group before too long, but getting away had been the first priority after their successful attack.  The humans were scattered and broken; their communication system destroyed, and all hope of additional reinforcements lost for now.  Hissing under his breath, Changmin reviewed their current status and debated whether it was something he should be happy about or simply satisfied.  He himself was peppered with bullet wounds and such and there had been no outright deaths on their side but he was unsure if Yoochun or Byunghee would last with the injuries they’d received in combat.

                A remarkably undamaged Wonsik had brought the Park leader to relative safety while Sunny helped protect their back until they could return to the fray and continue on while their comrades did the same.  Changjo and Niel had come out surprisingly intact, though the former was spectacularly bruised, and they had been instrumental in leveling the field when they took out the external lighting and power.  Unless they had night vision, which most of them didn’t, the humans were beautifully blind in the dark.  That wasn’t to say they were defenseless though and most of them bore wounds that were testament to that.

                Byunghee had been an unfortunate near casualty of destroying one of the weapon storage depots holding backup missiles ready for transfer and Yoochun caught a burst of artillery fire in the first charge, losing part of his left leg and the use of his left arm for the time being.  Regrettably, Chaerin was nursing wounds from an unexpected assault that had caught them off guard and, while Kangin and Geng had taken the brunt of the damage for her, none of them had come out unscathed.  Currently possessed by Krystal, she was doing everything she could to tend to the other wounded with a hastily applied wrap around her own injuries.

                Even in his attack party, they were all riddled with wounds.  Yunho had suffered the worst with multiple minor injuries and enough bullet damage to render his right arm out of commission until it healed.  Fortunately it was all simply tissue damage and hadn’t really affected the bone structure beneath which meant a much quicker healing time.  Seunghyun looked bad off but most of his injuries were superficial, if bloody.  Changmin paused when he picked up on one of the injured complaining and had to stifle an eye roll again.  Those two…

                “You’re making it hurt more on purpose!” Daehyun growled with his back to a perturbed Youngjae who was picking out scattered bits of metallic shrapnel that had been embedded in the flesh.

                “If you’d stop moving around, it wouldn’t be a problem,” the vampire shot back at him, never taking his attention off the workspace in front of him.  He was mercifully uninjured as well and was doing his best to pitch in with tending the smaller injuries, like the one with Daehyun.

                “I’m staying perfectly sti-  Dammit!” the wolf hissed, curling up tighter when a longer than usual piece was wrenched free.  “That hurt!”

                “Would you quit being a big baby?” Youngjae frowned, purposefully shoving his companion in the back of the head.  Lightly.  Even so, Daehyun looked over his shoulder with a low growl at which point the vampire simply mocked him silently as he continued working.

                Nearby, a pouting Junhong sat on the ground, literally his wounds.  Judging by his smudged facial expression, it didn’t taste very good either, but he was not bad off enough to ask for help when he could take care of it himself.  Siwon was behaving similarly, though he was much more composed than the seated young man, and the singed Kyung had taken to wiping himself down with continuous glances towards the horizon before he looked at the rest of the group.

                Speaking of which…  Changmin stared towards it himself with narrowed eyes and figured they had another thirty to forty minutes tops before the sun rose.  That was problematic for him and the rest of the vampires.  “Wonsik.”  When the wolf looked up from helping tend to Sunny who was wrapping a broken, or at least fractured, ankle, Changmin went on, “Go with Niel and Changjo to see if you can find a salvageable vehicle.”

                “Won’t that make us a bit conspicuous?” Seunghyun commented in a tight voice, his control present despite the various rents along his person.

                “Yes, but we can’t stay here and we’ll need something to move the wounded,” he explained with a nod towards Yoochun and Byunghee in particular.  The former was pale and unconscious while the latter continued to groan in pain, his complexion largely hidden under a mass of charred and flaking skin.  Chaerin was doing her best to manage the large scale wounds but without proper supplies, it was difficult, if not outright impossible.  Yoochun had required a tourniquet but burn wounds were another matter entirely.

                The trio of Wonsik, Changjo, and Niel looked at each other, looked at the rest of the group, eyed the base, and then nodded in tandem.  Without another word, they sprinted back towards the still failing complex where the occasional explosion went off, spewing more smoke and debris into the air.  Muttering under his breath, Kangin finally stood up and murmured, “Was anyone infected?”

                Tension rose a notch as all eyes turned to him before dropping in immediate denial or potential concern.  Changmin knew he hadn’t but that wasn’t to say the soldiers weren’t carrying any on their person.  “We totaled the lab where it was being produced,” which had been oh so satisfying, “and I don’t think they had any infected with them but I can’t be sure.”  With a tense expression, he looked around and made sure to catch everyone’s eyes.  “Speak up now if you’re even remotely concerned.”

                Hesitantly, Geng raised his hand with a groan.  “That group that hit us might have been carrying some,” he admitted heavily.  “I don’t know if they were firing anything with the bullets they sent our way but they were carrying a couple strange cases before they ran into us.”

                “Oh?” Changmin blinked, surprised by the announcement.  He hadn’t expected them to try and take samples out.  Maybe there was a rendezvous point nearby if they were trying to get out on foot without drawing too much attention to themselves.  “You guys were over that way?” he asked with a gesture as he recalled which side he’d sent them to.  When Geng nodded in confirmation, Changmin looked over the group and opted for a few of the lesser injured persons.  “Siwon.  Kyung.  Go take a quick run and see what you can find,” he instructed promptly, letting his gaze sweep the horizon again to track the progress of the sun and keep an eye out for any additional forces.  Time was not their friend on any level.

                Fortunately, they were all used to moving quickly and he didn’t have to wait long at all before Kyung and Siwon came bounding back with one case in hand and another partial as well.  Around the same time, Wonsik pulled up in a beat-up but whole up-armored Humvee, as pointed out by a somewhat smug Youngjae, and Changjo and Niel were both grinning in the much lighter jeep they’d acquired.

                “Hey puppet,” Niel called as he hopped into the back of the jeep.  Chaerin glared at him over her shoulder but her eyes lit up when he showed her a whole first aide kit.  “Catch,” he grinned, tossing it to her.  She scrambled to catch it before the container could hit the ground and smiled appreciably when Kangin snatched it out of the air to hand it to her instead, frowning in disapproval at the other vampire.

                Stepping out of the jeep, Changjo shut the door and nodded, “No weapons but there is a ration of fuel in the back and some supplies.  I think those foil things are MREs.  Maybe,” he frowned.  They wouldn’t do the vampires any good but the wolves, and especially Chaerin, would benefit in the meantime.

                “So how we doing this?” Yunho murmured with a quirked brow as he looked from Changmin to the vehicles skeptically, his bad arm still hanging loose at his side since he’d waved off assistance until the others could be treated.

                Likewise, Changmin had his doubts too as there were seventeen of them and only two vehicles…  Not the best of numbers for space concerns.  He grimaced and thought out loud, “We block the windows and carry the vampires inside the Humvee and everyone else can fit around that.  Unless you’ve a better suggestion.”

                Yunho and Seunghyun both eyed the vehicle, noticing the seats inside, and nodded at each other.  “Rip the seats out to make more floor space and we’ll fit as many as we need to.”

                “We just need to find cover and that ain’t happening out here,” Seunghyun snorted with an emphatic shake of his head.  “Can’t have you guys going all crispy on us now can we?” he teased with a smirk.

                “Oh shut up,” Changmin grumbled as he gestured towards the Humvee.  “Let’s gut it, get the jeep loaded up, and get the hell out of here.”

                There would be time enough later to puzzle things out, but not when the sun was threatening to rise on them.  Hastily, the seats were cleared so the vampires could pile in first, avoiding the side window portals and blocking them all out as best they could.  Changjo and Niel jostled for positioning in the back corner, making the vehicle shake from their efforts, but once Youngjae and Kangin got into place, both giving the pair questionable looks, they quieted down with ridiculously innocent expressions, each pointing their finger at the other to assign blame.

                Changmin rolled his eyes but was the last to take his place among them, frowning at just how cramped it was going to be after all.  Only two could sit in the front and Wonsik volunteered to be the driver.  It didn’t take Yunho more than a moment to volunteer for the passenger seat while Seunghyun opted to ride in the smaller jeep.  The lesser injured Daehyun jumped in to ride with his pack leader, frowning at Youngjae who made a face right back at him.  Carefully, Sunny followed suit with an awkward Kyung squeezing into place last.  They were snug, irritable, injured, and not entirely happy with being pressed right up against each other, but at least they made it work.

                In the smaller jeep, they watched as Byunghee and Yoochun were gently loaded into the back and tended to by Chaerin and Junhong, leaving Siwon to drive with Seunghyun and Geng squeezed in the front.  They weren’t entirely happy either but the injured needed a bit more space and everyone was crowded.

                Disagreeably surrounded on all sides, Changmin’s frown deepened and he couldn’t help but feel things could have gone better.  Mutely, he accepted the tarp someone dragged into the open and unwrapped it so the sun wouldn’t be able to reach them from the front while they were driving.  Every time any one of them shifted, he was reminded of his own slowly healing injuries and he suppressed a grimace.

                If they were going to continue hitting these places effectively, they were going to have to do better in the future.  This run, they’d been remarkably lucky in catching them unprepared.  He didn’t think they’d have another chance like it the next time.

(a/n: So we begin our splits!  There may be some chapters from one POV or the other entirely, depending on what happens in them.  I haven't planned them out so I don't know yet but hopefully it'll be agreeable either way.  In the meantime, we've a bit of history for our vampires.  It's not an infection that changes them, but a curse instead.  Maybe science can combat it at some point, but we'll see how that works out.  >.>

Don't worry.  I've got back story for the rest of our nonhumans too - yes that includes the possessed (more in depth anyway) and the Hunters.  ;)  The trouble is finding suitable junctures to bring them in.  lol  Also, yay for no official deaths yet!  It was close.  Lady Luck was being kind to me this time, though the next confrontation I can make no guarantees.  I tried to lighten it just a smidge with some bickering and banter here and there.  Logistically, you can fit ten people in a Humvee, depending on the type.  Yes, I did my research, but they are very squished at present.  -_-

Ryeowook continues to work through his emotions though if you think Kyuhyun is being a bit moody, you're not wrong.  >.>  Trying to work that in too.  I need to get them alone!  haha  Maybe when night falls.  We'll see!  In the meantime, I'll do my best to get the next update out as soon as possible.  While I can make no promises at present, are there any talks, events, or desires you might have in terms of seeing happen in the story at present?  Realistically speaking please.  KyuWook is progressing slowly, I know, but it is moving!  I'm working on that.  I promise.  haha

Otherwise, thank you so much for reading and I hope you guys continue to enjoy!  You're awesome!)