She couldn't tell where she was; everything was dark. There was something obviously covering her eyes. “A blindfold,” she thought. Seol was terrified and couldn't move at all; there was something heavy on her wrists and ankles holding her back when she tried to break free. “Chains,” she concluded by the smell of iron and platinum, the noise and the heaviness of it. She could feel the iron mixed with platinum burn her ankles and wrists making her feel weaker. “How long I've been locked in here to weaken enough for me not break free?” Seol was ready to scream for help, but just when she was about to scream at the top of her lungs, she heard it.

A song.

It was a mellifluous and soothing song.

In a situation like this one, the normal thing to do should be screaming not admiring a voice, right? It was a male's voice and it was beautiful yet so threatening. It made her feel a lot of emotions; all of them equally confusing. That's when Seol started to wonder who he was because his voice made her feel inexplicably attracted to it. Part of her wanted to run away desperately another but something was holding her back; other than the chains she had around both of her wrists and ankles. And the other part wanted to be remained there. Locked and listening to the sound of his voice. She could recognize bits of the song—of the lullaby. From the harmony, she could tell it was a hymn used for specific rituals, but she didn’t recognize it being from the vampire royal leader and council. That wasn't what was making it bizarre, what made it strange was it that it was being sang in crescendo.

The lullaby was tantalizing and even made Seol want to be in his arms for him to sing her that lullaby softly, right in her ear. However, she knew in the back of her mind that she shouldn't be wondering or idealizing wanting to be in the stranger’s arm—she should be screaming like crazy for help—she was torn in between. The dangerous part of it all was that she wanted to know more rather than running away.

Seol's ears perked when she heard distant footsteps getting near. “Is it him?” her eyes were closed when she felt fingers unfold the blindfold off her eyes. “This is it,” she thought. She finally started to open her eyes in expectation to see what was going on her surroundings.

Her thirst for blood woke her up.

"Do I really have to get out of this coffin?" Seol murmured, annoyed as she opened her eyes suddenly.

The dream was undoubtedly unusual and she couldn't stop thinking about the voice. A male voice and the lullaby. What does that had to do with being chained up? She was clueless. On the other hand, she decided to sway it off as unimportant. The red moon was, as matter of fact, near in two months and her hormones will not make sense. By fact, she knows that she's supposed to find her soulmate in the red moon and mate with a vampire as a coming out of age tradition. Seol takes her sun ring and wears it on her index finger before leaving her coffin and face the world. Once she was out of her coffin she felt something strange about her, she felt a pang of an uncomfortable heat rise in her stomach. Then she suddenly felt moody and angry. Everything bothered her, even her coffin made her uncomfortable. Which it was odd for her to feel—this being the first time she has ever felt heat in her body. Seol felt like she was out of her orbit for a minute when she realized that she's a vampire—she shouldn't feel heats. "It must be my thirst and the moon doing their wonders on me." She muttered unconvincingly to herself.

When she finished getting ready for school and was about to leave her mother approached to her and asked her what was wrong with her because she had noticed something off with her behavior.

"It's nothing mom... just one of those ridiculous dreams caused by red moon. Nothing big to worry about." She lied. There was something telling her that, deep inside, it was something to worry about.

"Are you sure, sweetheart? You know you can tell me anything, right?" her mother inquired, her voice sounding apprehensive.

Seol smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "It's nothing. I gotta go to school before it gets late." Seol reassured.

"My sweet little baby bat, I won't worry because you tell me not to worry." She said carefully, as she handed her money to fake that she could eat around school. "I love you."

"I love you too, mom."

“And Seol,” her mother calls after her and she responded with a hum. “Remember that your father and I will be going to Romania for the rest of the month today. The council wants us there before the red moon aligns completely and selects your mate so we can watch over you carefully. If you need anything calls us and will be right here, okay?” Her mother smiles, caressing her lovingly.

When Seol arrived at school her music was loud on her earphones. She was taking advantage that her cycle was near and her senses were going to be lower than normal—almost a human’s level to be specific. Thus, she didn't hear when Inhye, her best friend, was calling her.

"Seol!" Inhye shouted, as she hit Seol repeatedly with her book bag on her .

Seol took her earphones and turned off the music giggling while her best friend was nagging at her. "Hey! Seol are you deaf or something? Didn't you heard me calling your name since you arrived at the gates." Inhye kept hitting Seol with her book bag.

"Hey, hey, hey, I'm going to sue you for animal abuse! Stop hitting me, okay. I'm sorry for being something and not deaf." Seol laughed and Inhye couldn't help but laugh too.

"Really? Animal abuse? Sometimes I wonder why are we best friends and then you remind me why when you say stupid stuff like this one's."

Bang Inhye and Nam Seol were friends since elementary school. Seol was waiting for her mother to pick her up when she saw Inhye sitting down on the stairs crying. As Nam of curiosity brought her to go and try to cheer up the little crying girl from the stairs. However, she was still a bit afraid to speak because she got recently transferred from the United States so her Korean was still inaccurate. Even so, she still spoke to her.

"Why are you crying?" Seol curiously asked.

"My mommy forgot about me!" the girl wailed dramatically. "She's never ever this late. I think she has abandoned me!" Inhye hiccupped.

"Don't cry," Seol said carefully. "I'm sure she's just stuck in traffic or maybe at a long line at a convenience store."

"You think so?"

Seol nodded childishly. "I'm sure of it." She assured.

Inhye shared a teary smile with Seol and calmed down.

A little bit after they conversed Seol discovered that Inhye could speak English almost fluently.

It was fun to have her around and very beneficial because Inhye had taught her a lot of Korean words. They also realized that they had a lot of things in common, except for boys. Inhye had a totally different taste than Seol. Even so, it was still exciting to have a human friend.

"Tell me, why were you calling me? Or, better phrased, what do you need for?" Seol asked, cheekily.

"I need nothing from you, yet.” Inhye pointed her with her finger and winked. “But I called you because there's a new guy in our classroom. Nobody knows up until now. Except for us of course because, y'know, my aunt works at the office." She whispered, looking to both of her sides making sure no one was paying attention. "So, keep it quiet. His family didn't want to make a fuss about it. My aunt said that he was handsome, just your style. They are probably rich!" she said while smiling proudly.

Dating was something Seol thought of extra and unnecessary but Inhye insisted she dated someone because she wanted to have double dates with her best friend. There were times where Inhye had forced Seol into her blind dates because she supposedly didn’t want to be alone but Seol knew it was just her trying to hook her up with a guy. Another detail about Seol is that she has never had a boyfriend, neither kiss or hold hands with a guy (her dad doesn't count). Seol didn't know what's the big fuss about having one anyway. In her opinion, they were all equally annoying and a hassle to maintain.

After the bell rings Seol and Inhye headed to their classroom and that's when she saw him.

There were a few girls whispering and walking by past him and then turning around take a double look at his features. He was handsome, but his scent made him fall out place. He wasn't human. He was something else Seol couldn't think of. Their eyes met and Seol felt a surge of electricity in her spine and the heat from the morning comeback.

She didn't think it was possible, but it is.

Hate at first sight is a thing ladies and gentlemen.

Seol would have been almost flustered by his look if it wasn't for the fact that he killed their little moment. He looked down at her, like if she was trash on the hallway, and then grinned like if he hadn't disrespected her a few seconds ago.

She was livid.

"What an !" Seol said, and didn't realized she had said out loud it and everybody stared.

"Seol, who's the ?" Inhye's confused eyes turned to hers, dragging her out of the hallway while looking down out of embarrassment.

Seol passed her tongue through her inner left cheek, scowling back at him. As she walked away, he was smiling victoriously.

The very first week was hell for Seol. Not only Jeon Jungkook was annoying but he had a habit of always looking down at her and scoff her way. Seol had also noticed that the weird scent was coming from the rival clan. She had never seen a werewolf up close and to put it off simply he stank like a dog. But so far, she had managed to ignore him successfully, however she knew that he didn’t wanted to be ignored but rather acknowledge by her. And it became apparent the moment she saw him sitting on her assigned desk. She was sure that her facial expression was more in the lines of threatening because Jungkook was ostensibly enjoying her mood change.

"Would you mind if you stop staring at me?" he said. 

Seol snorted. “The audacity of this guy.” She huffed, looking straight back at him. “I wouldn’t need to look at you if you would just get off my sit.”

He raised his eyebrow inclining himself forward intertwining his fingers and placing them below his chin. “Don’t you know?” he questioned, the hint of mischief in his voice obvious. “We are officially seat mates.”

Seol laughs dryly. “You’ve got to be ing kidding me.”

“ing you? No and neither am I kidding.” He adds coolly. “You can ask the teacher if you’d like.”

Seol would have slashed his throat then and there but she’s a vampire. She knew better than to go down to this animal level. Staying calm and composed was the way of life because she’s a better living creature and he was the one looking for trouble. “Listen, it’s clear that you don’t like me and that I don’t like you either. Let’s make thing easier for each other and pretend that we can get long for both sakes. Because heaven knows that I have no intention on dealing with you or your teenage puppy hormones.” 

Jungkook dryly laughs back at her. “Puppy?” He stands up, pointing directly at her. Seol understood she shouldn’t have started infuriating lycanthrope on their transitioning hormonal years. They are known for losing their temper easily, but he was maddening her as well and there was so much she could handle. “I’m an Alpha.” He says lowly between his teeth. “I am pretty sure that I am not a puppy, .” 

“And I’m pretty sure that my race is vampire, not . If you’re going to direct your words towards me do it properly.”

As he was about to retort back their teacher cut short their argument. "Any problem Mr. Jeon? I see you are talking with Mrs. Nam." The teacher spoke loudly and while placing the book down.

Jungkook reclined himself back and sat on his chair. “I was just asking Nam Seol if we could share the book since I don’t have it.” The teacher looked back at them skeptically. "Sorry teacher it won’t happen again." He said to the teacher, but smiling sickly sweet to Seol. At that moment, she knew that he had won points over. The teacher had sent her to sit down while turning around to start the class, and she did grudgingly directing a dirty look towards him.

Seol couldn’t help but sulk all the entire class. She didn’t want to acknowledge him whatsoever but now it was becoming impossible by seeing him there all the time. It made her question if this somehow is against their treaty or a law in their world. Having two supernatural beings in a same place is rather dangerous at some point. She needed to make some research about it later at her house library; she recalls her father having plenty of information about supreme supernatural laws somewhere. Admittedly, it was about time she started to get interest on them since she was soon to be on her coming out age.

“Smile or you’ll age another century with that frown.” She kicked him under the seat. “Ah!”

“Do you have something to add Jungkook?” the teacher asked.

Jungkook snaps his fingers, “yes I do… it says that in the nineteen forty-nine south declared independence in the text, wasn’t it nineteen fifty?”

The teacher looked back at the text checking if there was such mistake in the text. “Very well, Jungkook. Everyone there’s an error in the text please mark the dates correctly in your books.”

The morning was rather slow and as soon as they were having their break Seol fled from his side. As a desk mate Seol concluded that he wasn’t so bad, however she still didn’t want to get acquainted with him. He was a first-class but other than that there was so much at risk she didn’t know about and wasn’t ready to face off yet; in case her parents have crossed a boundary, they didn’t know about. But the chances of her parent crossing lines seemed far-fetched because they know better than to mess with the laws presented by the Supremes. Seeing Jungkook here, a place she had been living for about three years, seemed strange. This is the first time she had seen a lycan and one transitioning. She wasn’t even aware if they could roam in this period. With the red moon near no less; it’s dangerous enough that her parents are away and not monitoring her every second like they should be she didn’t want to imagine what would it be like werewolves.

As far as she knew there were many things that didn’t exactly fit into the situation. Was this the power of the red moon or was there some kind of prophecy she didn’t know about. It was also strange that her parents were called to Romania in this time of the year where they all know that it isn’t a good idea living any supernatural being coming out of age alone. Her intuition was whispering that there was something very wrong going on and that they were doing a bad job at hiding it—at least she thought it was bad because she’s quick-witted. She didn’t want to question her parents or the Royals and the Court but there were things going on she didn’t understand.

Like that new vampire that was standing right outside the school building as she was leaving the campus. He was looking straight at her and she knew that he wanted something from her; his piercing gaze made it obvious. Seol confidently directed herself towards him, looking back at him strikingly. Letting him know from the start that whatever he wanted to do or say must be done quick and no funny business. Her parents taught her enough to know that even if they shared the same race that they shouldn’t be trusted so easily either.

“You must be Nam Seol.” He stars saying without missing a beat. This man was handsome, there was no denying. His face being evenly proportioned and straight. “I am Lord Oh Sehun. The chosen mate for you by the Royals and your parents.”

“Can you repeat that again?” she asked once again. “You’re my what?”

The man proceeded to walk her towards her house and rolling his eyes at her and once again he answered, this time in a monotone. “You’ve asked me for the fourteenth time now and the answer it’s still the same. I am your chosen mate by your parents and the royals.” 

“But what about my mate? My soulmate. You know, the one chosen specifically and especially tailored by the red moon for me.” She added after a moment of silence. “I’m sorry, but I oppose to all of this.”

Lord Sehun closes his eyes, clearly annoyed, taking a deep breath. He doesn’t refute any of her words nonetheless, instantly that is. He leaves Seol to rant her way out of their conversation and walks in front of her. Seol was aware that on her way back everyone was looking at them—at him. It did bother her that they were getting too much attention hence that she was used to being lower profiles. However, it bothered her more the fact that Sehun was here claiming to be her mate. Chosen by the royals and her parents no less. It’s true that her parents call to Romania was odd, but this was a new level of oddity. She wanted answer but she knew they were all going to be hard to get, or maybe not when all she had to do was ask. And of course, oppose to this madness her mother and father are creating because, why would they choose a mate for her when the red moon is near?

“Aren’t you going to answer my questions?” she enquiries bluntly.

Lord Sehun turns around in a halt. Looking down, facing her eye to eye. “Mrs. Nam Seol, to response one of your inquires. . . I am your chosen mate by the royals and your parents because your family is in debts with the currency. These are some—to say—odd cases where a vampire will not mate on the red moon. You happen to be the exact case and to your curiosity within the case, you will have to break the bond with your mate.” He continues. “You have your right to dispute this of course, but individuals will perish because of this. Not really your fault that your breeders are great at crafting bad decisions however that’s just how it is. You either save them or ride and depart this life with them; simple as that.”

He goes on. “Not in my nine-hundred-and-seventy years I thought I’d be in this position. Recollecting old debts that belonged to my ancestors, but here I am. On the verge of ruining your insignificant mating life because oh so help me I refuse to have nobody but my mate. Little girl not everyone gets what they desire in their meaningless life.” Lord Sehun replied. “Now, can we move along and make this easier for both of us? Or, are you going to cry for mommy and daddy’s help when they undoubtedly peddle you out and settled for the highest bidder?”

A sigh was her response. There was nothing to refute when there was so much honesty coming from his eyes. Least to say she believed the honesty coming out of Lord Sehun’s mouth than her own parents half-truths and half way honesty. If there was honesty to begin with because this was clearly a turn of evets. Made her wonder what else they were hiding from her. This was unfair and uncalled for from her parents side. She knew everything was strange and she knew that maybe just maybe she was closer to get all the answers she has always wanted to know from this man. It was a cruel reality but as Lord Oh Sehun said, she could make this easier and move along. Because her reality relies in the fact that she couldn’t run to the very same people that sold her without her consent.

By the end of the week she started to approach Lord Sehun in a different light than what she’d normally do to anyone that wasn’t Inhye. Seol admitted to herself that he wasn’t such a bad candidate after all he was a well-mannered man who still spoke like if he was between the late eighteen hundred and early nineteen hundred. Lord Oh Sehun ranks chief in the Choir of Royals; meaning that he was an important vampire for them and he also was a scientist. The Lord had settled in her house hold as a condition from her parents and the royal; he had showed her even an official permit that said so. He still didn’t come around to answer what exactly her parents debt was but he was also more likely to open about other conversations about who he is and was. Seol had told him about lycan assisting her class which earned her an eyebrow raise from his part and a little more attention than before.

“A teen lycanthrope you say?” he curiously asked.

“Yes, and he’s annoying. He also happens to be my seatmate which is far worse. I’ve been wondering for a while now if it somehow crosses a law between our groups. I’m aware of demons and sirens can coexist with us, but I’m not sure of lycanthropes.” She adds nonchalantly. 

“It isn’t illegal if it’s a nobody’s land which in this case it applies. Both of you can coexist without getting into each other’s throats.” He says thoughtfully. “Do you know from which clan he comes from?”

Seol shakes her head and Lord Sehun rapidly stands up from his chair and enters her father study and took out a map of the area. He slowly analyses it and with a pen marks down some near towns. “Befriend him.” He says after some time of him analyzing and writing down some notes in a random piece of paper. “Don’t ask why for now. Just befriend him and after that we’ll see what’s his duty here. I’m aware your breeders were here first, but then again they didn’t claim the land as a vampire land or else there would be information here of when they did.” He curses under his breath. Chuckles a little after a realization. “Of course, they wouldn’t claim the land.” Lord Sehun shakes his head amused. “Well played.”

She does as requested by the chief. Or at least she does her best once Monday hits back and she sees him reclining back on the seat with his eyes closed in the empty classroom. Seol took that opportunity to try and talk to him and not holding back she used her supernatural speed to get faster to her seatmate. Seol starts by clearing and he cracked an eye open. She silently sat down and took a deep breath before turning around towards him and then turn back again not sure how to start a conversation with someone whom she really doesn’t have a liking.

“What’s troubling you little one?” he voiced brusquely, making her jump a little.

“I could be older than you.” She snapped instead of ignoring it.

“I’m clearly taller than you therefore you’re a little one. Now, what’s troubling you?”

She taunted around the idea of just flatly ignore him or simply follow Lord Sehun advice and befriend him. What could she possibly lose? And what if they aren’t that different at all. It’s just befriending, it isn’t like Lord Sehun is asking me to marry him she had thought. And with that thought she had finally come around to voice out her intention. Which he laughed off at first but then when he saw her serious face his laughter vanished quickly.

“Wait. . . you’re serious?” he asked and this time around he stopped reclining and sat properly. 

She nodded. 

Jungkook looked out the window sighing seeming like if he was contemplating the idea. “Well we have these rumors that you have in human blood.” He blurted. Not the best start but it was something.

Seol scrunched her nose in distaste, but answers back nonetheless. “Well we have these rumors that when you rut you , since dogs don’t care about relativity when they . And, mind you, I have never drank human blood in my entire life.”

“Ouch. , really? That’s degrading.” He answered stunned. 

“ in human blood, really?” Seol retorted.

“Touché,” he agrees. “So, you’ve never drank human blood in your life?” he started smiling in amusement. "It's the first time I hear a vampire say that.” 

"No, I'm serious I've never tried human blood in my entire life. I'm so used to drink animal blood to the point that I don’t have that inkling desire to go on a kill." Seol nods a bit childishly.

“What the are you?” he asks fascinated.

“A vamhuman!” she states proudly.

Jungkook snorts. “Vamhuman? What does that even mean?”

“It’s a vampire that acts human. I came up with it.” She answers excitedly.

“That sounds. . . completely incoherent.” He says this time around a bit less taken aback.

“You’re not taking me seriously!”

“How can I when you say stupid like that.”

Seol realized that they were completely different and it obviously wasn’t like she had imagined it to be. “You know what? I take that back. We’re better off being not friends.” Maybe Lord Sehun was wrong. . . perhaps she can’t be friends with someone like Jungkook. The differences between their clans and cultures are too present to ignore.

an: comments, subscriptions and upvotes are all welcomed and appreciated.