The wind rushed through his ears, his body held firmly to the shoulder of his kidnapper. Jaejoong clutched onto the back of his shirt, squeezing his eyes shut as the world whipped by him.

The scent of lavender overwhelmed his senses. It was strong, fresh and it brought terror to his heart. This was the vampire who’d kidnapped him five years ago and turned him into a monster. He’d never wanted to smell lavender again.

Though he knew it was futile, Jaejoong began to fight. He screamed and pounded his fists into Yunho’s back, kicking his legs as he fought tooth and nail to escape the grasp of the monster. It only earned him a rough squeeze and an even faster pace. Falling limp once more, Jaejoong whimpered, his throat sore and his body trembling. He could still see the images flashing through his mind. He’d miscalculated. He expected this to be easy. They would fight off Yunho, Jaejoong would most likely get taken, and Hongbin and Hyunseung were supposed to be safe. The vision had come too late. He couldn’t protect Hongbin. He’d smelled the blood and venom in the boy’s body. All he knew was that he would do anything to make sure Hyunseung didn’t get bitten as well. His hands still throbbed from gripping the silver.

Putting up one final fight as he was carried into an all too familiar shack tucked away in the woods, Jaejoong was hauled inside, screaming and fighting every second.

“LET GO OF ME!” He shouted.

“Jaejoong,” Yunho sighed, calmly walking down the stairs and into the tunnels beneath the tiny shack. “You wound me,” he was merciless as he carried Jaejoong’s struggling form into one of the many rooms in the tunnels. He had no time to protest before Yunho dropped him onto the floor and pinned him there with powerful arms. Chains snapped over his wrists moments later, binding him in place.

“Please...” Jaejoong rasped, his own future beginning to dart in front of his eyes. “Please don’t...”

“Jaejoong,” Yunho murmured, his fingers his cheek softly. “I’ve searched five years for you,”

Grimacing, Jaejoong yanked at the chains around his wrists. “Please don’t,” he begged, his voice cracking. “I don’t want this,”

“You will, Jaejoong,” Yunho murmured, straddling his waist as he curled a hand around the back of Jaejoong’s head, holding him steady. “Everything will be perfect,”

Jaejoong could only watch in horror as Yunho raised his free hand, bringing his thumb to his lips. With his own fang, Yunho slashed the flesh open, smiling as the blood began to drip down his finger.

“N-No,” Jaejoong gasped, trying to turn his head away. “Please...No!”

“Shh,” Yunho murmured, holding his head still. “Everything will be okay,”

He squeezed his lips shut as tight as they would go, refusing to open them as Yunho pressed his bleeding thumb to them. He let out a whine, the hot, sweet blood smearing across his mouth. The scent of lavender mingled with a smell so delicious, Jaejoong wanted nothing more than to snake his tongue out and taste. He squeezed his eyes shut as Yunho’s thumb forced its way between his lips.

“Drink, Jaejoong,” Yunho whispered, his voice oddly calming. “This is my promise to you. Eternity with me,”

The blood trickled through his teeth, dripping onto his tongue. Jaejoong let out a moan, squirming against the bonds as he tried to escape once more. More blood spilled into his mouth as Yunho’s thumb found his fang. He heard the other vampire hiss, his thumb trying to push past Jaejoong’s teeth.

“Drink,” Yunho said again.

The blood trickled down his throat, making Jaejoong sputter, but he couldn’t help it. He swallowed, letting out another moan as a rather warm feeling began to rush through him. After becoming a vampire, he never once expected to feel the warmth of anything again. But Yunho’s blood warmed him, just as hot tea had warmed him back when he was still mortal. It spread to his toes and the tips of his fingers, bringing with it an urge to drink more. It was undeniable in its strength and Jaejoong found himself allowing Yunho’s bleeding fingers into his mouth. He , the hot blood filling his mouth. As he swallowed, he let out a moan, the heat inside him reaching the point of no return. He struggled at the bonds once more, not because he wanted to be free, but because he wanted to grip Yunho and sink his fangs into his neck.

Yunho tugged his thumb away from Jaejoong’s mouth. Whimpering, the young vampire strained against the bonds once more, breathing heavily as the taste of the blood lingered on his tongue.

“If you be good, you can have some more tomorrow,” Yunho said, smiling as he stood up. “Would you like that, Jaejoong?”

“U-Untie me,” Jaejoong rasped, trying to fight off the rather pleasant effects Yunho’s blood was having on his body. It was something akin to arousal, and he wasn’t even close to his . “Please,”

“Sorry, Jaejoong,” Yunho smiled. “You haven’t earned that privilege yet,” he turned, sliding out the door of the room he was chained in, the door slamming shut behind him.

Letting out a whine, Jaejoong’s head fell back, breathing heavily as his mind spun in a violent whirlwind.

...

Hongbin had been bitten. The boy was crying out as he was carried off the battlefield by Sanghyuk and Hakyeon. Hyunseung was trembling, his forehead pressed to his knees as he sat on the ground beside his silver rod. Doojoon was trying to comfort him to little avail. Taekwoon could smell his emotions; pain, remorse, and regret. Hongbin had been bitten, just as Jaejoong had warned. Hyunseung had been spared.

Taekwoon could only stare numbly around at the scattered slayers. Gikwang was setting fire to the last of the vampires sprawled across the ground, his hands trembling so hard he could barely light the matches. Without stopping to think about it, Taekwoon stepped over to him and snatched the matches out of his hands and lit it himself, the fire scorching his fingertips for the briefest of moments before he threw it on top of the last vampire. The body writhed silently as the flames turned it to ash.

“Thanks...” Gikwang rasped.

Taekwoon didn’t reply, only turning and walking away. Wonshik and Jaehwan stood off to the side, looking to him and waiting for orders. He only wished he could give them. His mind was still with Jaejoong, watching him disappear into the darkness.

“Taekwoon,”

Turning, the vampire met the eyes of Doojoon who had his arm around Hyunseung’s shoulders, guiding him slowly. The silver rod was loosely clutched in Hyunseung’s fist.

“You should come to the cottage,” Doojoon said quietly. “I think we need your help more than ever,”

Taekwoon wanted to refuse. He’d only just opened his mouth to say so when he remembered Jaejoong’s words. He’d earned the slayers trust, just as the young vampire had promised. He’d said they were going to need it. Maybe the slayers were the answer, even if he didn’t like it. On top of that, somehow, the thought of leaving the bitten boy to suffer alone surrounded by slayers left a bad taste in his mouth. No, they had to stay.

Nodding silently, Taekwoon began to follow Doojoon off the battlefield. He beckoned for Wonshik and Jaehwan to follow, hearing them trot towards him to catch up. The walk was slow, but steady. Taekwoon found he didn’t mind the pace so much. It gave him time to think things over and slowly come to accept everything that had just happened, even if it was difficult to do so.

By the time they’d reached the old cottage, every slayer who’d fought that night was inside. Slipping through the door, Doojoon helped Hyunseung into a chair where he immediately sagged forward, burying his face in his hands.

The inside of the cottage was deathly silent, save for the faint cries from upstairs where Hongbin laid suffering from the transformation. Taekwoon stood in the corner, his eyes on the floor. He could feel the eyes of the slayers on him, but he refused to speak.

The sound of footsteps shattered the silence, and Taekwoon looked up in time to see Hakyeon descending the stairs, his expression broken and impassive. His eyes locked onto Taekwoon for the briefest of moments before his pain turned to rage.

“You!” He shouted, gripping his stake tightly. “You said your friend knew what he was doing!”

Taekwoon could only step back as Hakyeon stormed up to him.

“Look what happened! Thanks to you, Hongbin was bitten!”

“I know,” Taekwoon rasped.

“Hakyeon,” Doojoon’s voice cut through the din. “Jaejoong tried. He saved Hyunseung,”

“It should’ve been me,” Hyunseung whispered. “I should’ve been the one bitten,”

Doojoon squeezed his shoulder.

Turning back to Taekwoon, Hakyeon’s rage was replaced with desperation, tears flooding from his eyes like glittering waterfalls.

“Please,” he begged. “Please tell me there’s a way to fix it,”

“It’s never been done,” Taekwoon replied.

“What about that old legend?” It was Junsu who spoke up that time. “The one that says killing the vampire that bit you will stop the transformation,”

Taekwoon couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. He’d never heard of that before, but some part of him thought it must’ve been worth a try.

“Then we go after that damned vampire,” Yoochun growled, his eyes red from the tears he’d silently cried. “He took Jaejoong. Again. I won’t let him take Hongbin too,”

“I agree,” Doojoon said, barely hesitating. “If there’s any chance that legend could be true, we need to take advantage of it. For Hongbin’s sake,”

Hakyeon nodded slowly, swallowing as he once again turned to the vampires. “Will you help us?” He asked.

“We’ll do what we can,” Taekwoon promised.

Hakyeon nodded, sliding his stake back inside his jacket. “How much time does Hongbin have?”

“It depends on how much venom is in his blood,”

“He was only bitten once,”

“The number of times doesn’t matter. What matters is how much time the fangs spent in his body,” Taekwoon glanced upwards, hearing another cry from the boy upstairs. “Let me see him, and I can find out,”

Hakyeon just nodded and beckoned him, heading towards the stairs. Taekwoon followed him, wishing the thick, rich scent of the slayer wasn’t overwhelming his senses. His mouth ran dry as he thought about tasting his blood. He shoved the thirst away, telling himself he needed to hunt before he did something stupid.

Sanghyuk was by Hongbin’s side, clutching his pale hand in his. Even from a distance, Taekwoon could see the sweat on his skin. As Hakyeon stepped into the room, Sanghyuk looked up and saw Taekwoon, flashing him a sharp glare.

“What the hell is he doing here?” He asked.

“Trying to help,” Hakyeon replied easily.

Taekwoon approached the wounded slayer, the scent of blood and venom clouding his thoughts. He reached out with a finger and swiped at the small trickle of blood trailing from the bite on Hongbin’s arm.

“Hey-” Sanghyuk began, cutting himself off in shock when Taekwoon slid the finger into his mouth.

“Calm down. Bitten mortals taste terrible,” Taekwoon just muttered. “He has maybe five days at best,”

Hongbin let out a shudder and a moan.

“That should be plenty of time to find the vampire that bit him, right?” Hakyeon asked hopefully.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon said. “If we can find out where he went in the first place, we can get there easily,”

Sanghyuk bit his lip. “The vampire tied up knows. Maybe he’ll talk,”

‘Use the one you have’, Jaejoong had said. Did he mean the tortured vampire?

“It’s worth a try,” Taekwoon replied. “I’ll go talk to him now before the sun comes up,” and while he was at it, he could take a quick detour and feed. He’d take Wonshik and Jaehwan with him too.

Hakyeon just nodded. Taekwoon turned and slid from the room, hearing the sounds of the slayer following him. He was beckoning to Wonshik and Jaehwan before Hakyeon even began talking to the other slayers. They were by his side and heading out the door as the slayer began to explain what was going on. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving the vampires alone in the night.

“First, we feed,” Taekwoon said calmly, breaking into a run. “Then we check up on the vampire tied up back there,”

“Thank god,” Wonshik rasped, keeping pace. “I swear I was two seconds away from chowing down on one of those slayers,”

You and me both, Taekwoon thought numbly.

“Do you think Jaejoong will be okay?” Jaehwan questioned.

“I hope so,” was all Taekwoon could say.

The feeding was effortless, as per usual, but Taekwoon had to put in more work than usual. Jaejoong’s absence required him to put more energy into his songs and numb the mortal’s minds that way. There were enough of them under his spell that he was able to collect extra blood in a bottle. It was a blessing all considering. Taekwoon guessed that the chained vampire must’ve been very thirsty by now. The bribe of blood might just make him talk faster.

The train yard wasn’t empty when they returned. Four slayers were waiting outside the crate when Taekwoon and his coven emerged from the bushes. One of them was Hakyeon, much to his irritation.

“Where have you been?” Hakyeon half shouted, his brow creased. “I thought you—oh,” he trailed off, his eyes landed on a spot on Taekwoon’s chest. Glancing down, the vampire saw what the slayer was looking at. He’d eaten messily today, and there was a smear of blood on the collar of his shirt. “H-How many did you kill...?”

“We don’t kill,” Taekwoon said calmly. “We eat and we leave,”

Junhyung stared at him accusingly. “Then you bite people and leave them to turn?”

“We use knives,”

Wonshik and Jaehwan merely nodded in response, sliding the switchblades from their pockets and showing them off.

“It doesn’t leave a body trail,” Wonshik added onto Taekwoon’s statement. “That way we can’t be tracked,”

“Wow,” Yoseob ran a hand through his hair. “I admit that’s...kind of impressive,”

Yoochun said nothing, merely tapping his foot impatiently as he kept glancing up at the inside of the crate. Taekwoon heard a moan from inside, and the most heart wrenching of whimpers.

Definitely thirsty, he thought.

“We’ve already checked on him,” Junhyung said, frowning. “He’s...almost delirious. He keeps calling out for his... ‘hyung’,”

Taekwoon stepped past the slayers and climbed inside the crate. He heard the clattering of multiple footsteps as the others scrambled in after him. The scent of burning flesh was nearly gone now, the vampire’s burns having mostly healed, but still looked angry and painful. The vampire let out another moan, squirming against the silver bindings, seemingly immune to the fact that his wrists and ankles were now trickling blood.

Taekwoon pressed a hand onto the vampire’s arm, getting his attention almost immediately. Sky blue eyes snapped towards him, wide and terrified.

“Hyung...” the vampire rasped. “Hyung...”

“Your name is Changmin?” Taekwoon questioned.

The vampire just nodded. “I smelled hyung...”

“He’s not here anymore,”

“Hyung...” Changmin groaned, struggling again. Then he started to scream, thrashing violently against the bindings. Taekwoon quickly pinned him down out of fear he would tear his hands and feet off.

“Hyung,” Jaehwan rasped, his hands covering his mouth.

Holding up his hand to silence the younger, Taekwoon waited until Changmin stopped his struggling, listening to him gasp and groan, his eyes squeezed shut.

“He was here a few hours ago, and he took Jaejoong away from us,” Taekwoon growled. “Now you tell us where they went, or you’re going to be stuck here suffering for a long time,”

Changmin continued to pant, showing no signs of having any interest in speaking. Just as Taekwoon opened his mouth to ask the question once more, the vampire let out another keening wail.

“WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?!” Changmin screeched, starting to struggle again. “HYUNG!”

“TAEKWOON!” Jaehwan using his name was what got his attention. Turning towards the younger vampire, Taekwoon took in his terrified face, silver eyes wide with horror.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Why don’t you see it?” Jaehwan rasped. “He’s not thirsty, he wants his hyung!”

“What are you saying...?” He felt his thoughts trail off as the pieces slowly began to fall into place before Jaehwan had even begun answering that question. He felt himself grow cold, colder than he ever had in his life.

“I’m saying, Yunho’s been feeding him,” Jaehwan stated. “Probably every day for his entire life,”

Changmin let out a moan as Taekwoon turned back towards him, his eyes wide.

“Is this true?” Taekwoon questioned.

Changmin merely nodded his eyes squeezed shut. “Hyung...takes good care of me...why did he leave me...”

“What’s going on?” Hakyeon asked. “What do you mean...‘feeding’ him?”

“Exactly that,” Jaehwan answered, so Taekwoon didn’t have to. “Yunho was feeding Changmin his blood,”

“Not human blood?” Yoochun asked, frowning.

Jaehwan shook his head. “Human blood is one thing; vampire blood is...something else entirely. It’s like a drug, as mortals would call it. It’s...addicting. Once you start, it’s almost impossible to stop,”

“So this vampire is addicted to...his hyung’s blood?” Hakyeon asked, his brow creased.

Jaehwan nodded. “And I will bet my eternal life that Yunho is a Pet Keeper,”

Wonshik’s head snapped towards Jaehwan, his mouth hanging open. “No,” he whispered. “Don’t say that, for the love of god don’t say that,”

“‘Hyung likes pretty faces’,” Junhyung murmured. “He only targeted Hongbin and Hyunseung...”

“That’s Pet Keeper behaviour,” Jaehwan crossed his arms, swallowing thickly. “They take what they like, and they feed them their blood so they come to rely on him, and they can’t get away, ever. The addiction is too strong,”

Taekwoon stepped away from Changmin, turning towards Jaehwan. “Then...Jaejoong...”

“Yunho’s probably already fed him. If not, he’s going to,” Jaehwan replied, shuddering faintly. “Once you get that first taste, it’s too late. They control you like a puppet. You’d kill for them, just so you could feed from them,”

“You know too much about this,” Wonshik said, his hands shaking.

“Because I was a pet,” Jaehwan breathed. “My noona left me to die. That’s when Taekwoon found me,”

It explained so much. Jaehwan had craved his blood from the beginning, searching for that addiction that would replace the one he had for his noona’s blood. He knew just how to con Taekwoon into giving it to him, and worse. For two hundred years, Jaehwan had been feeding from Taekwoon, and he still was. He was just lucky enough that Taekwoon had the self-control to cut back bit by bit.

“But...if vampires get addicted to feeding off each other’s blood,” Yoochun said hesitantly, “then how can they abandon their... ‘pet’?”

“Easy,” Jaehwan mumbled. “The keepers don’t drink. They make you think they do, but they don’t. They have no attachment to you. They can leave you at the drop of a hat and not care,”

Changmin let out a whimper once more, tugging at his wrists. Though it made him feel ill, Taekwoon knew what he needed to do. If they wanted to keep Changmin sane enough to get answers out of him, he had to feed him.

“Listen,” Taekwoon growled. “I can give you what you want,”

“Hyung,”

“Shut up, Jaehwan,” Taekwoon turned back towards Changmin. “You take us to Yunho, and we will do what we can to help you. Understood?”

“H-Hyung really left me...?” Changmin rasped.

“He did,” Taekwoon confirmed.

“He’s in the mountains,” the vampire closed his eyes, his hands trembling. “There’s a thick forest at the foot. He lives beneath an old shack. There are tunnels underground. That’s where he lives,”

“Take us there,” Taekwoon demanded.

Changmin just nodded.

He already knew what he was getting into when he slit his wrist for the vampire. Taekwoon knew it might be worse than what had happened to Jaehwan. But he also knew Changmin was their ticket to Jaejoong, and getting their friend back and finding Yunho was worth every drop of blood he could give.

.

.

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A/N: Sorry about the delay - I actually got really distracted by real life stuff. My friend sent me a Game Boy/Game Boy Advanced emulator and I've literally just been playing old Pokemon games on them for the last week - I actually forgot to live properly haha

Hope you enjoyed the chapter~ Things are starting to heat up. Only time will tell what will happen next.

Thanks for reading <3

~starlitskies