Taecyeon had been living in the town for more than five years. He was a reporter at the Daily News, and to his opinion was a much better reporter than this Kwang seo.

-

The apartment near to his was unoccupied until the day before, but he hadn’t time to check his new neighbour. But he would, because being curious was his nature.

-

He let down the papers he was currently working on. He needed a break. And a cappuccino.

“Did you hear? The police is trying to cover this affair, but I’ve got my sources. Apparently it’s been already a month since all of this began. Six girls died. Six in a month. It’s amazing. I mean, in the bad way of course. Although it is a perfect subject for the Daily News…”

Taecyeon, while waiting for his coffee to be prepared, listened to his colleagues’ little chit-chat, taking secretly notes in his mind. He would have loved writing on this case, he already knew so much about it. But he couldn’t work on it until he was getting the permission. Which he would never have. It was somehow frustrating.

The coffee machine made a sound. His precious cappuccino was done.

He knew for instance that it was only young girls that were found, from 13 to 28 years old. No hair distinction, no similar skin color, the age seemed the only trouble. The main point in this affair was the state where the corpses were found. The victims were all drained of their blood. And their faces were all marked with fear.

-

The police chief let out a frustrated sigh. They had no clues at all. A new body had been found this morning, as livid as the other corpses. It was incomprehensible. In the background, some orders were given in the lights of the town and the police’s cars’.

A flash blinded his side view for a moment, so he cursed. Already those bloody journalists. They were as annoying as flies over dead meat. The chief passed a hand on his face, trying to clear his thoughts. They had seven women bodies and no clue of the murderer. Nor the latter’s purpose.

-

Taecyeon, while getting his keys, took a glance at the next door. He opened his door, then heard that same sound echoing. He looked up surprised, to see his new neighbor, the one he wanted to see so bad. And he didn’t get deceived.

In front of him was a ravishing young woman, with long, wavy dark hair. Her skin was oddly pink, but it looked beautiful on her. Healthy. She just stared at him, standing still. She had two large black orbs, staring through his soul. She was sublime. Taecyeon lost for once the ability to talk. But apparently she didn’t. She held out a hand.

“I presume you are my new and charming neighbor? The one who is going to help with broken sinks?”

Taec did laugh. Relaxing his body, he shook her hand.

Warm.

“Indeed. I can even open cans with bare hands.”

What the hell.

But the delicious apparition had the courtesy to smile. “How very useful.” Then something flicked in her eyes. “Oh, I am so sorry. My name is Victoria.”

The name of a queen. By all means.

He answered with a smile. “Taecyeon. Well, if you ever need help, you know where I live.”

Lame joke seriously.

Victoria smirked. “I bet you are the funny one. Thank you, Taecyeon. I shall remember it. Good night, dear neighbor.”

With one last pretty smile, she closed the door on a dumbfounded Taecyeon.

-

He did have a good night though.

-

“Do you think I can get the plate?”

Taecyeon helped Victoria with the struggle. He pushed the plate towards her, staring at her unconsciously. She eventually noticed it, and titled her head. “Is there anything wrong, Taec?”

Taecyeon grinned. “I’m sorry. Professional habit, I feel curious about you.”

She looked up at him through eyelashes. “Should I feel flattered? Well, do ask, pretty boy.”

Taecyeon rushed over a pen and a notebook and took a serious expression. “Firstly, how do you like my cooking so far?”

“I like it.” She her lips with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “A lot.” She added.

He hummed, then pointed at her with the pen. “Second question. Careful, it’s not an easy one. Do you like me?”

“Sneaky boy.” Victoria chuckled. “That was a low strike. But I have to admit it. You are not the most annoying neighbor in the town. Not even a bit, I must say. So I would say yes. I like you.”

Taecyeon couldn’t hide his satisfaction. “Glad to know that fact.” He nodded along, as if she just answered some interview.

-

“Chief, I think we’re gonna have a problem. It’s already the third body in a week! Seems like there an increase. I mean, it’s been already four months since the massacre begun. We have currently twenty dead young women, but recently the killer has murdered ten girls in the last month! Seems like something triggering their mind. They work faster, killing more people. Maybe they will become less mindful and they will make a mistake!”

The man furrowed his thick eyebrows, already feeling the headache. “The bodies had all been found in empty places, right?” He asked. The officer nodded.

“Ten times in the same empty factory. The other times dispersed in the town. In small areas, dark streets, under trash…”

The chief looked up. “The same factory? Send an unit there, tell them to watch it 24/7. Now.”

-

Taecyeon turned absentmindedly his keys around his finger, waiting for his date. It could really be called a date this time, after all his attempts. After teasing him for two months, she finally gave in. He just hoped she wouldn’t dump him like the ten last other dates (this is what he called ‘teasing’.)

But she didn’t. She was there, opening the coffee shop’s door. Looking awfully beautiful. Hair done in a messy braid, straight dress, she looked gorgeous. He stood up to help her sit down, pull her chair in the most gentlemanly way he could put on. She offered him a smile, lips looking like a blood stain in contrast of her pink skin.

Her skin was probably the thing he liked the most on her. It looked so unreal, so unseen, she looked like she was coming right from a fairytale story.

“Way to go, pretty boy.” She whistled. “You know for sure how to impress a girl. I am impressed.”

-

He got a bad feeling while they were walking back to their building. He checked behind him several times, but didn’t see anything. The night was eerily cloudless. A shadow suddenly disappeared while he was once again checking their backs. “Is there something wrong?” asked the sweet yet slightly worried Victoria’s voice.

“I… I don’t know.” He honestly didn’t know if the situation was to be afraid of. He shook his head. “Probably my paranoia mode again. Happens often when you are a reporter.”

But the beautiful one didn’t stop frowning. “Maybe it is him…”

It was the first time he saw her that scared. She looked at that moment almost fragile. “What are you talking about?”

“I am really sorry Taec, I have not told you everything about me. The reason why I left my former town was because of a man. No, it was not even a man. It was a monster, stalking me anywhere, I was never to get peace until I decided to flee. I may sound as a coward, but I did not see any other option for me at that time. But if you have this impression of being followed, then maybe it is him. Maybe he found me, again.”

Taecyeon stared at her. “I promise I will look after you. Nobody will hurt you.”

He bent towards her, and kissed her lightly, barely touching her lips. It was at first a featherly touch, then it turned into something intense that none of them wanted to stop.

-

She was lying in his bed, sheets covering her body. “I will not be able to stay endlessly in your apartment, you know that?”

“Well, it’s a shame. I would love see you like this every morning. What a pretty pictur-“

He was cut off with Victoria’s lips on his. “Then you will grow bored of this picture, darling.”

-

He saw the stalker the day after.

Taecyeon was pushing the building’s door and that was when he felt that person again. This time he turned abruptly and saw the shadow. But that shadow pushed him against the wall.

He hissed, his back hurting.

A glint made him widening his eyes. He didn’t have time to defend himself. The knife was pressed against his throat. He couldn’t breathe; he dared not.

“Don’t touch Victoria. She’s mine. You could never have her.”

“A bit too late, aren’t you?” Taecyeon had enough courage to scoff. He felt a drop of blood running down his neck. Way to get killed, Taec.

The man was hooded, so that his eyes couldn’t be seen. But Taecyeon was journalist, he knew better. The man was small, his nose seemed broken. His voice was hoarse, as if he had been smoking for a long time. He looked 30, barely.

For Taecyeon it was enough information.

“If you touch her, I will kill her. I will kill her like the other girls. What do you say? I could stab her in her pretty and pinky stomach, and watch the life fleeing her body. Like you will fleeing hER RIGHT NOW OR ELSE SHE WILL END LIKE THOSE ING DEAD GIRLS DID YOU HEAR ME?!”

“I heard you.” Taecyeon just replied. Could it be? Could that man be possibly the town serial killer? It seemed so, and it seemed Victoria was his next victim.

“I think the whole neighbourhood heard you. You won’t be able to escape the police this time. They will be always after you. Always.”

The next second, the knife disappeared, along with the man. Taecyeon let out a deep breath. He passed his hand on his throat. The bleeding had stopped.

He had to protect Victoria.

-

It was the thirtieth. Actually, there were three other bodies found. But two of them were men. More specifically, the two policemen the chief had asked to watch out the factory. But unlike the victims, they got poisoned. They were found in their car and apparently their food was poisoned. The only thing that could tell the victims had something to do with the blood-draining murderer, was the note left in the car.

You shouldn’t have trying to catch me. Now they are dead for that mistake.

The chief was so pissed that he almost folded the only proof. Two of his men got killed, damnit!

And they had yet another victim.

-

When Taecyeon came back from work this night, he never thought he could care about someone so much.

-

“Taec, please open to me. Please open the door, I am begging you!”

A surprised and wet Taecyeon opened the door two seconds later. “Victoria? Come in, oh god.”

He noticed her teary and frightened eyes. He made sure to lock the door.

“He found me. He will never give up. I am so scared, Taec. I am so scared…” She fell on the floor.

He passed a hand through her hair, trying to comfort her as much as he could. She looked up at him hesitantly. Her lips had never been so red. She looked like a doll. But a broken doll.

There was blood everywhere. It was the only thing Taecyeon could see. Red.

He went on his knees, carefully removing the hair that fell on her face. There was a huge bruise on her cheek, and her lip was split in half. Her hair was a mess, but the most violent part were her torn clothes.

It just showed the large gash on her stomach.

It reminded him of the stalker’s words. I could stab her in her pinky stomach and watch the life fleeing her body.

He merely stood kneeling, pressing Victoria’s body against him.

-

He put the cover on her legs, and run his hand through her messy hair. Her sobbing had stopped, but her eyes were still glistening.

“It was him, Taec. Those girls, blood-drained… It was their murderer. I almost get killed.” Her eyes widened at that thought. Her halting breathing began to make Taecyeon worried. She was having a panic attack. “He was going to kill me!”

Taecyeon was going to reassure her, when a knock on the door echoed. Frowning and disoriented, he opened the door, only to find himself in front of a gun.

The hooded man.

The stalker.

The murderer.

The one who almost killed Victoria. “Hello Victoria.”

Same hoarse voice. But this time, Taecyeon noticed something in the character. Something out of place, a thing he didn’t notice the first time. He should have, because it changed everything.

The voice. Taecyeon understood the situation the moment the stalker removed his hood.

-

The policeman explained to his boss. “The poison… it’s not very common. It’s reputed for being a… woman weapon.”

-

He took a step backwards. “This can’t be.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Victoria.” The woman had removed entirely her hood. Why had Taecyeon not notice it before? It was now obvious.

Victoria gasped. “I have seen your face before! I know you!”

The woman did have a broken nose, and her entire face seemed wrecked. As if she got the entire face burned. “You should recognize me. I want my face be the last thing you will see when I will kill you.”

Taecyeon seized the moment the woman wasn’t looking to call the police on his own phone. Then he run over Victoria, putting himself before her. “Don’t you dare touching her.” He threatened.

The woman had a crazy laugh. “I’m surprised you are still here. You have guts, but it won’t save you. You better run away from this .”

“You are the here, and you will never touch her. You will have to kill me first.”

-

The gunfire echoed in the whole apartment. Hopefully Taecyeon had the time to throw a blow in the killer’s throat. The bullet lodged in the roof.

“RUN!” he screamed at Victoria.

-

The gunfire echoed in the whole apartment. Unfortunately Taecyeon hadn’t the time to throw a blow in the killer’s throat. The bullet lodged in the woman’s chest.

-

Victoria dropped the gun. Looking horrified. “What have I done, what have I done?” she whispered endlessly. Taecyeon back hugged her, covering her eyes with his arm.

“Don’t look. Listen to my voice. It was her or us.”

-

The police came right after Victoria shoot the woman straight in the heart. They asked some questions, but it appeared clearly it was done in self-defense.

Taecyeon never left Victoria’s side.

-

One month had gone by. The killing had stopped. Taecyeon had never been so happy.

-

He gathered his notes on the serial killer, since it was useless now she was killed. He was ready to throw them, when he froze.

An idea crossed his mind.

“What is wrong, sweetie?” Victoria came behind him, putting her arms around him.

“Just a thought actually…” He turned to face Victoria. “Why do you think that woman came to kill you… with a gun? If she was really the blood-draining murderer, why bother of a gun?”

Victoria sighed. She kissed Taecyeon, then scowled. “I am sorry it had to be you. Do not take it personally.”

Taecyeon felt a vague nauseous sensation, then everything went dark.

-

When he opened his eyes, his first thought went to Victoria.

She had left a note next to him.

I am truly sorry. I kind of liked you. But you will not be able to understand me. Those girls help me in a way you cannot even imagine. Let me say one thing. Blood is one of a medicine. Blood gives a beautiful skin, blood gives the eternal youth. I know you are taking me for a monster, but you just have to forget me. Blessings, Victoria.

-

The police finally found the murderer. It was a young woman, named Song Victoria. She was a runaway though. It appeared that she had been killing at least three hundred girls and women, in the past 5 years. The supposed killer, which she had killed in self-defense a month ago, was the sister of one of the first Victoria’s victims. The sister wanted revenge. She at first committed suicide, wanted to burn her flat with her inside. Since it failed, she swore to destroy Song Victoria. She tried to forbid people approaching Victoria, slowly and painfully, to finally trying to kill her. But Victoria had a man to protect her, a journalist called Ok Taecyeon. Victoria succeeded in shutting the sister up forever.

She continued to slay girls though, but in a different town. According to some sources (mostly that Ok Taecyeon) she had been killing those women for their blood. Apparently she had that belief if she drank young and female blood, she would keep her youth and stay beautiful for eternity.

The police is still trying to catch her.

Inspired by the Countess Erzsébet Báthory and the legend around her, claiming she bathed in her victims' blood to retain beauty and youth.