Consciousness was slow to return to Ryeowook and it was accompanied by a strange smell clogging his nose, a dull pain in the side of his neck, and relative silence, filled by the sound of what he thought might have been voices.  Whimpering softly when he tried to move, he pried open tired eyes and placed a hand over the sore spot on his neck, feeling for any marks.  Strangely enough, the skin was unmarred, if tender, though his throat hurt and he was so tired…

                It was hard to remember the last few moments before he’d gone unconscious but the fragments of panicked memory were enough to make him hold his silence as he took a shaky breath and looked around.  He blinked hard to make sure something wasn’t wrong with his vision because everything was dark but when he focused long enough, he realized that he could see shades of shadow, and the points of stars through a square above him.

                Staying still, his brow twitched in confusion as the voices started to make sense, their volume very low as if they were trying to keep from being heard.

                “…still don’t know what you’re thinking,” an unfamiliar voice grumbled.  “He’s a scrawny runt and hardly more than a mouthful.  You said so yourself.”

                The second speaker exhaled, his voice vaguely familiar when he responded, “Yes, but it’s too late now anyway.  He’s here and that’s all there is to it.”

                “Kyu.  You know the wolves aren’t gonna let this go easy,” the first speaker reminded him.

                Kyu snorted derisively, making Ryeowook jump in surprise with a startled gasp at the unexpected sound.  “Shh,” he immediately responded, filling the space with silence.

                Ryeowook chewed his bottom lip tentatively as he tried to listen for them.  When the voices didn’t continue after an interminably long pause, he finally dared a tentative call, “Henry?”  Ryeowook winced at the raspy sound of his voice and shifted his fingers to rub at his throat.  He flinched and pressed his back to the hard wall when an amused chuckle from above answered his inquiry.

                “He’s not here,” the speaker explained from the square opening above him, face hidden in shadow as only the outline of his head was visible.

                “Where is he?” Ryeowook swallowed again, reaching a shaky hand out to feel against the wall nearby, brows twitching when his slender fingers contacted something metal and chilly.  His awareness extended to the floor he was resting on and at least it was carpeted.  Hopefully.  What else would it be if it wasn’t carpeting?  Oh god…  He really didn’t want to think about it but not being able to see gave his mind creative license to think of all manner of awful things, especially considering what he’d seen before he ended up here.

                “You are a strange human,” the shadowed speaker admitted after a pause, the silence thickening between them before his companion commented.

                “Like you’re a normal vampire,” he chuckled, the room shifting slightly with the sound of footsteps on the ceiling before another shadowed face appeared behind the first person.  Ryeowook’s heart raced at the realization and he looked up with wide eyes, scrambling back further.

                “Go away, Kangin.  You’re frightening our guest,” Kyu grumbled with a perturbed note in his voice.  The figures above shifted slightly and the second was chased off with an amused chuckle before Kyu returned his attention to the captive, actually passing through the open square silently.

                “What do you want?” Ryeowook trembled, staring into the darkness before him as he felt the other nearby.  It terrified him that the vampire was in the same space as him now.

                Again, that amused laughter filled the air.  “Why did you offer yourself to me?”

                “I…” Ryeowook trailed off, the single syllable trembling as it left his lips.  “I don’t know,” he admitted tensely after an unbearably silent pause.

                The unseen male scoffed at the response, clearly disappointed.  “Stupid.”

                Offended by the label, Ryeowook spoke up, though his voice barely rose above a whisper, “You were going to hurt Henry.”

                “The wolf kin,” Kyu murmured thoughtfully.

                Ryeowook heard the vampire moving around quietly and he strained his ears to make sure he wasn’t coming closer.  Curiosity piqued, since he’d heard that term several times already and had no idea what it meant, he asked, “What do you mean?”

                Kyu paused, as evidenced by silence, and answered at length, “Family to the werewolves.  A relative of some kind, though not one himself.”

                “Henry?” Ryeowook trailed off in confusion, staring into the shadows as the stranger started moving about again, something opening and closing with only the barest of illumination shattering the darkness.  A grunted response was his only answer and he sat back again, considering what the unexpected statement could mean.  He was cousins with Yoochun…  Was it possible?  And how about the things that had happened before he’d been kidnapped.

                A spark in the darkness flickered against the wall and the interior responded, drawing Ryeowook’s attention as the room slowly came to life with light that blossomed from the floor.  He inhaled in surprise when he noticed the young man peering at him curiously, a wine glass clasped loosely in his hand, filled with a dark liquid.  “I find it odd that you lived among werewolves and yet knew nothing about us,” he mused softly, taking a slow step forward.

                “I didn’t believe you existed,” Kangin tossed out from above, clearly still in easy hearing range.

                Kyu’s expression turned slightly cross and he shook his head before looking up and responding, “You wanted to fight me, like an idiot.”

                “I still think I could have taken you,” the unseen speaker added churlishly, causing Kyu to smirk before he looked at the human with him.

                Ryeowook had both hands clapped over his mouth as he stared at the vampire in horrified wonder.  He looked like any other human except for the grayish pallor and fangs that poked through when he did anything more than smirk.  “Oh my god,” he whispered, feeling faint at his first non-panicked look at his captor.

                “Not hardly,” Kyu rolled his eyes, drifting closer to settle himself in front of Ryeowook, resting his wrist on his knees easily.  “Your god had nothing to do with it,” he shook his head, peering at the human with speculative eyes, dark tones swirling in the murky irises.

                Slowly, he dropped his hands away as the vampire did nothing to touch him and just looked at the liquid again.  He was so very thirsty but the contents were questionable, to say the least.  Ignoring it for the moment, he managed to meet the vampire’s gaze, trembling as he did so.  “Let me go.  I won’t tell anyone about you, I promise,” he pleaded in a tiny, raspy voice, almost coughing when it strained his throat too much.

                Kyu laughed once, a harsh bark of sound, and smirked in response.  “I can’t do that.  Wolves and their kin aren’t exactly the forgiving types.”

                Ryeowook shook his head and tried to deny it.  “I can talk to Henry.  He’ll understand,” he explained, feeling a knot of panic well up inside again.

                “You poor naïve little creature,” the vampire murmured sympathetically, extending the glass to him in a polite gesture.  “Here.”

                “No,” Ryeowook denied weakly, looking away, though he was so thirsty…

                The vampire kept the glass where it was, hanging in the space between them.  “It’s just juice,” he assured him.  Ryeowook stared at the see through container, eyeing the dark liquid warily as he chewed his bottom lip.  “Cranberry,” the other male chuckled, tilting it towards the human.

                He could practically smell it; the tart, tangy scent of sweet juice as it swirled lazily in the glass.  Beads of condensation had actually formed on the outside so it was cold at least…  “I don’t trust it.”

                “I’m hurt,” Kyu responded with a wounded expression, setting it down in front of Ryeowook gently.  “You might as well.  It’s the only thing I have to offer otherwise.  I have no need to store food and you’re the only thing I’d eat around here anyway.”

                Ryeowook’s eyes widened and he tensed up as Kyuhyun looked at him, feeling irritated when the vampire simply laughed at his discomfit.  Mad at the vampire, he frowned and glared at the cup suspiciously before he shook his head and grabbed his ankles with both hands instead.  “I just want to go home,” he admitted in a small voice, hiding his face behind the tops of his knees again.  It was easier not to look at the person sitting across from him.

                “So where’s home?” the vampire asked with an easy, fluid gesture as Ryeowook peeked over the tops of his knees at the question.  “And what’s your name?  Wookie can’t be right…” he trailed off, sneering at the title.

                Irritated by the derisive comment, he bit back, “It’s Ryeowook.”

                There was that damn smirk again and Ryeowook felt his face flush in embarrassed anger.  “Kyuhyun.”  It washed away slightly with the single word and his thoughts faltered.  He hadn’t expected such a response.

                “And I’m Kangin, since we’re doing introductions,” the other male stated from outside.

                Ryeowook almost felt a smile pull at his lips when he saw Kyuhyun’s expression turn annoyed again, but fortunately his mouth was hidden behind his knees.  They were a strange pair indeed and it was dangerous that he was starting to feel at least a little bit comfortable in their company, previous food comment notwithstanding.  Then again, he’d already been bitten and he was otherwise alright…

                “Home?” Kyuhyun prompted when it became obvious Ryeowook wasn’t going to answer.  “And don’t tell me you live with the wolves.  That’s a lie.”

                Surprised by the vampire’s bluntness, Ryeowook blinked and automatically blurted, “Chicago.”  He winced as soon as the word left his mouth though and shrank back into himself.

                “Ah.  Nice area.  I’ve got friends near there actually,” Kyuhyun added with a knowing look in his eye.  Turning to look upward again, he called out, “Kangin.  Get to driving.  We’re heading for Chicago.”

                “What?!  Why?” Kangin retorted in irritation.

                “Because I said so,” Kyuhyun snapped back, glancing at Ryeowook out of the corner of his eyes.

                Not at all sure what to believe, Ryeowook uncurled just enough to speak clearly again and held his hand out in quiet entreaty.  “You’ll… you’re taking me home?”

                Kyuhyun shrugged and gestured at the wine glass again before he looked away, a satisfied smile crossing his face as they heard something nearby start up with vibrations humming lightly through the framework.  “I’ve got nothing better to do.”  He laughed at the skeptical, disbelieving look that Ryeowook gave him and tilted his head to the side in a noncommittal gesture.  “Now drink.  It’ll be a while before we stop.”

                Once more, Ryeowook dubiously eyed the contents and reached out hesitantly to pick it up, feeling the chill against his palm like a splash of cold water.  Other than being a total creeper and , Kyuhyun hadn’t tried to hurt him again.  The marks on his neck were gone, or at least he couldn’t feel them, he was supposedly taking him home, and it really did smell like cranberry juice.  “Did you drug it?” he couldn’t help but ask, swallowing reflexively at the sharp, tangy scent lingering in his nose.

                “Did I drug it,” the vampire snorted, standing up to close the top of the ceiling as annoyance roiled off him in waves.  “If I wanted you dead, you would be,” he muttered, eyeing Ryeowook with a scathing expression.  “Now accept my courtesy or continue to insult me and see what happens.”

                His expression paled at the verbal chastisement and Ryeowook clutched the drink close, willing his heart to slow down.  Very carefully, he took a tentative sip of the contents as they started moving, prompting him to take a slightly larger gulp than intended.  He coughed and some of the liquid dribbled down his chin embarrassingly as he set the glass aside.  Ducking his head, he swallowed again, feeling the sting of citrus as it coated his sore throat, and waited to see if anything would happen while he eyed the vampire who was simply watching him impassively.

                Still wearing that infuriating smirk, Kyuhyun began speaking again, settling back into an apparent story telling mode as he relaxed further against the small interior.  He mentioned how Henry had been attacked before because wolf-kin tasted better than mere humans but vampires weren’t usually stupid enough to go after werewolves themselves.

                At Ryeowook’s worried expression, Kyuhyun gestured for him to drink again, which he did by rote, and simply went on to explain how vampires don’t kill their victims.  It was barbaric and caused far more trouble than it was worth.  Not to mention it was stupid to kill one’s food source.  Again, Ryeowook paled at the comment and took another sip to steady himself.

                When Ryeowook gathered enough courage to interrupt him, he asked, “Why do you keep… sparking?”

                “This?” Kyuhyun asked, extending his hand to show off a jumping mote of electricity appear in his palm.  Ryeowook gasped and nodded in mute agreement, clutching the glass of juice close.  “I’m a member of the Cho clan,” he answered smugly, leaving it at that.

                Ryeowook took another small drink as he tried to process that.  “What does that even mean?” he asked, shaking his head slightly.

                “It’s not important right now,” Kyuhyun promised, a speculative look in his eye.  “Good juice?” he prompted with a look at the mostly empty glass.

                Annoyed by the response, Ryeowook gaped at the vampire until the question made him pause as he stared at the glass in his hand.  “What did you do to it?” he asked, letting the slick cup slide through his fingers as he fought panic.

                Kyuhyun’s hand darted out to catch it mid-fall, a mere drop splashing over the lip.  “Surely you can figure it out,” he prompted, swirling the contents lazily as he peered at the dark red color.

                Ryeowook had a thought but he really didn’t want to voice it, the mere idea of it making him nauseous.  “Blood?” he panted, placing his hand against his throat as he reflexively swallowed.

                “You can’t tell me it was that bad,” Kyuhyun smirked, taking a sip himself.  He made a face immediately and winced, “Bleh.  Too sweet…  You?” he asked, offering the cup back to Ryeowook.

                “No!” Ryeowook denied, hopping to his feet as he looked around in a panic, searching for a way out.  The space was small: only a few feet wide and approximately twice that length so there had to be a way out somewhere.

                Kyuhyun followed his progress and shrugged.  “There’s really no point in freaking out now you know,” he explained, keeping his seat comfortably.

                “You lied to me!” Ryeowook pointed accusingly as he started moving along the wall, searching for a door handle or something.

                “You can’t go back,” Kyuhyun murmured in a quiet voice, the glass clasped neatly between his fingers.  “Not like you were before.”

                “Yes I can,” Ryeowook responded with a trembling bottom lip as he pushed hard against the wall, feeling tears threaten in his panic.

                “You’re not a human anymore,” Kyuhyun assured him, watching with dark eyes in the lit interior.  “Not after this,” he explained, raising the glass with an almost smug expression.

                “What did you do to me?!” he demanded, falling to his knees in the confined space.

                “It’s not a disease or a virus that you can cure,” the vampire explained, finally standing up to approach the downed male.

                “I’m not like you!” Ryeowook spat as angry tears filled his vision.

                “Not yet.  But the hunters will put you down all the same if they find you,” Kyuhyun explained, his tone unusually serious.  “And the wolves won’t accept you either.”

                “No!” Ryeowook denied, hugging himself tightly, fingers digging into the flesh of his upper arms.  He clenched his eyes shut when his stomach knotted in pain, the ache extending into his head.  It wasn’t debilitating, but it did hurt.  “I didn’t ask for this,” he complained breathlessly, drawing air in ragged draughts.

                 “You offered yourself in trade,” the vampire reminded him smoothly, stepping close.  “It’s a little late to back out now.”

                Swallowing convulsively as a tear dripped from his lashes to stain his cheek, Ryeowook whimpered, “I just want to go home.”

                “We are,” Kyuhyun murmured flatly.

                “Not like this!” Ryeowook denied, glaring up at the vampire as he started to breathe too quickly.  His was starting to get lightheaded and dizzy, making it difficult to focus on Kyuhyun.

                Kyuhyun squatted in front of Ryeowook and reached his free hand down to pick up the human’s chin so they could see each other eye to eye.  “Humans are stupid and selfish.  They seek nothing but their own ends,” he muttered bitterly, eyes twitching at the comment.

                “Why would you even want a stupid and selfish human like me then?!” Ryeowook retorted, covering his face with one hand as he knocked Kyuhyun’s fingers away.

                A hand brushed down his arm gently, followed by a seductive voice that sent a shiver up Ryeowook’s spine.  “Because I can make you into more than you ever dreamed.”

                Still hiding his face, Ryeowook shoved the hand off so the vampire wasn’t touching him anymore.  “I don’t want it…”

                “Then you’ll die,” Kyuhyun reminded him softly.

                “Then I’ll die a human and not some monster like you!” he cried as he looked up to stare at the vampire with tear stained cheeks, his voice thick with emotion.

                “Stupid human,” Kyuhyun exhaled with a roll of his eyes as he reached towards Ryeowook.

                “No!” Ryeowook screamed, vainly turning to try and escape before he felt Kyuhyun’s hand grab the back of his neck followed immediately by a powerful jolt that sent his consciousness fleeing.

                What was he going to do?

                For the past three days, he’d been fighting with himself to figure out just what he was going to do now that he was infected by this disease that Kyuhyun continued to insist was a gift.  Weakly, his head lolled against his chest as he sat sandwiched between Kyuhyun and Kangin, the latter of which was driving their dark blue F150 as he’d been doing every night since they started moving.  He could hear them talking when they chose to.  Most of the time they were silent.  That was fine by him.  He had no desire to hear more of their stories; more of the promises they tried to convince him with.

                Uncomfortably, he shifted under the arm that was slung loosely over his shoulder, keeping him close to the vampire that had kidnapped him in the first place.  Blinking from under tired, dry eyes that had seen far too little sleep in the past seventy two hours, Ryeowook determinedly picked his head up to eye Kyuhyun again, glaring at the pale complexion and dark orbs in his profile.  Thick, brown hair contrasted even more with his skin tone and covered the top part of his ear in relatively straight strands.  As usual, he had an irritating smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth and it seemed a permanent fixture on his face.  Bastard.

                Ryeowook had no positive thoughts about him anymore.  They were still heading for Chicago, as he’d said they would, but things were irrevocably changed.  Ryeowook couldn’t sleep during the night; something about the evening hours demanded he stay awake.  Kyuhyun said it was the call of the moon since it was the only time they could be safely active.  He didn’t believe that for a moment.  Ryeowook was inclined to believe it was some sort of sorcery that kept him awake and made his body burn during the day when he would have slept otherwise.

                And even when he rested, and tried to get sleep in those awful hours, stupid Kangin and Kyuhyun kept a running dialogue going between them that told him more information about the world of monsters than he ever wanted to know.  He learned there were three family lines with professional hunters who should be avoided at all costs, though the names were kept from him.  He was taunted with the information that there were four vampire clans that lived among the humans and six werewolf packs who did the same.

                All the details and specifics were kept from him but the Chos were apparently very smart, according to Kyuhyun, and had the power of electricity at their command, which was why they kept shocking him to sleep when he couldn’t do it himself.  God his head hurt too…  It felt like there was an electric toothbrush running in his brain all day everyday.  And he had no desire to eat either so he was just getting weaker and weaker; not that normal food settled well anyway.  His body didn’t agree with it anymore and he refused to try the mostly raw meat they tried to bring him in the interim.

                Exhaling tiredly, he stared listlessly at the radio dash in front of him while his hands rested beside him, unresponsive and limp.  Closing his eyes, he swallowed around an incredibly dry throat and fought off his perpetual weariness and exhaustion.  He wondered how Henry was doing…

                A clawed fingertip tracing against the right side of his jaw made his eyes snap open and he heard Kyuhyun speak, “Are you ready yet?”

                Immediately, Ryeowook grabbed the vampire’s hand and yanked it away from his face, turning his head to look away at the same time.  No he was not freaking ready…  He’d never be ready.  If he was to believe Kyuhyun, he was in the process of becoming like them, though it would never finish on its own.  Fortunately.  And he intended to keep it that way.

                “You’ll feel better if you just accept it, Wookie,” Kyuhyun murmured in a pressing tone, his gaze a physical weight on the slender male’s awareness.

                “No,” Ryeowook denied stubbornly, fingers digging into his forearm as he painfully swallowed again, wishing the buzzing headache would leave him alone.

                Kangin exhaled in a grumpy manner beside him, almost close enough to brush against his shoulder.  “I still don’t know why you haven’t forced him yet, Kyu…” he trailed off, looking over the human’s head to eye his companion.

                Kyuhyun chuckled and wrapped his fingers around Ryeowook’s shoulder gently.  “Just keep driving.  We haven’t seen any pursuit from the wolves but that doesn’t mean we won’t be followed.”

                “You think I’m still that green?” Kangin snorted, his tone snapping over Ryeowook’s head.

                “I think you’re itching for a fight again,” Kyuhyun taunted in return, sliding his fingertips up and down his captive’s arm.

                Ryeowook refused to look up at either of them, focusing instead on the road ahead.  It was not his problem that Kangin had actually tried to fight Kyuhyun the day that he’d been turned.  Neither did he care why Kyuhyun hadn’t opted to ‘force’ him as Kangin continued to suggest.  He really didn’t.  Not that any of it mattered anyway.  “Huh,” he hummed, squinting harshly to stare at the green road sign that went by almost too fast for him to follow.  “Home…” he sighed, his head turning to follow it only to bump into Kyuhyun’s shoulder, stopping against the clothed surface before he dejectedly opted to rest his forehead there, too tired to care.

                “Easy, Wookie,” Kyuhyun soothed, cradling the human’s head close with his left hand.  “Kangin,” he murmured softly, an unspoken command in his voice.

                “I know, I know.  But do we have to call that prick?  He’s so loud and he never shuts up…” Kangin grumbled in irritation.

                “Now, Kangin,” Kyuhyun reiterated, reaching down with his free hand to pick up Ryeowook’s chin, taking a moment to look in his eyes.

                “Fine,” he groaned, shifting in his seat to pull out his phone.

                “Am I still going home?” Ryeowook asked with teary eyes, so weary he could cry.

                “I said we would didn’t I?” Kyuhyun evaded deftly, something he was incredibly good at doing.

                “I don’t trust you,” the weakened human whispered as he stared into the vampire’s face, completely unaffected by the fact they were mere inches from each other.

                “I know,” Kyuhyun agreed with that maddening smirk.

                Ryeowook wanted to smack it off his face and he actually succeeded in reaching his hand to press against Kyuhyun’s jaw hard enough to make his head shift, but it seemed to amuse the vampire even more.  “I hate you.”

                Kyuhyun merely nodded at the words and then glanced over to Kangin, tilting his head to the side as he waited.  Ryeowook jerked in surprise when Kangin’s voice boomed out in a falsely cheery tone, “N!  How ya doin, buddy?”

(a/n: So as you can see I'm sort of treading the conventional/unconventional line for vampires.  We'll be getting into more detail before too long but I hope this one helped to answer at least a few questions.  I know it prompted more as well but again, things don't unfold all at once.  So, little by little, things will continue to unfold so stick with me and thank you for being patient.  As usual, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask and if not, I hope you enjoy the next update.  Thank you!)