#vampire junmyeon

Suddenly, a whiff of blood hits his nose before a loud cry does. Junmyeon sniffs deeply, enjoying the scent of human blood lingering the air. His body reacts before his own mind does and he starts to run towards to source.

But he sees something he doesn’t expect.

Instead of a human laying almost dead on the floor, blood pouring out of their wounds from probably falling off the cliff; a young girl sits against the cliff wall, her body and clothes almost entirely drenched in blood and crying her eyes out.

Junmyeon sneaks near, hiding behind a tree as he watches the girl closer. He notices that the girl is a vampire, her physical age may be not older than twenty-one.

He decided to help her and steps closer to her, only to step on a twig and it snaps, making her head snap up, her eyes scanning her surroundings in fear.

Her eyes find Junmyeon’s figure and she yelps in fear, jumping up from her seated position and press her body into the cliff wall.

“It is okay”, he whispers while holding up his hands, showing her he’s harmless. “I am just like you, see”, Junmyeon opens his mouth, his sharp teeth on full display, matching hers.

She stays silent and watches him, her eyes often shift from the threes and the grass back to him.

He now notices that her eyes have two different colours; red and brown.

She’s a halfling.

“My name is Junmyeon and I want to help you. Would you allow me?” He slowly puts his hands in front of him for her to take.

The girl nods slowly while sniffing, laying a bloodied hand in his own.

“Do you know how to run?”, he asks her in a hushed tone. The last thing he wants is to scare her.

She shakes her head, eyes big and her gaze shifts all over his face.

“Hold on tightly, okay?”

Another nod.

Junmyeon breathes deeply in and out, ignoring the smell of human blood on the halfling and running towards the only place he knows is safe for her. The coven’s house.

He rapidly knocks on the front door, almost flitting the wood in half out of frustration.

“What do you want?!”

The door gets thrown open and a really angry Wendy stands in the opening, an apron tied around her waist. As she sees Junmyeon and the bloodied girl standing behind him with scared eyes, her faces soften and she lets them in.

“Oh my Goddess, what happened dear?” She looks with motherly worry to the girl, seeming lost.

“Can you please take care of her for me while I get some business done? I just really need to finish—”

“It’s okay, go.” Wendy points to the door with her head.

Junmyeon thanks her with a brief hug before turning to the girl behind him. “I will be back, I promise. This is Wendy and she will take excellent care of you.”

He gives her one last smile before rushing out of the house, leaving a gush of wind where he once stood.

“Why won’t you go to the bathroom and get into the tub. I’ll turn off the stove and help you clean up, is that okay?”

The girl nods.

Wendy points the way to the bathroom and the girl walks towards it, her eyebrows raised in wonder as the bath is already filled with soapy water and a lot of bubbles.  

She undresses and steps into the clean water, the blood washing off of her. The water turns in this filthy mix of red and the blue of the soap.

She sighs sadly, not understanding what is wrong with her. The only thing she knows is that she’s a monster.

A soft knock is heard on the bathroom door before Wendy’s voice. “Can I come in, dear?”

She nods, only to realize that Wendy couldn’t possibly see that so she gives a soft, “come in”. Her voice feels a lot more coarse in her throat then she thought.

The door opens and Wendy steps inside with a slight smile as she sees the girl sitting in the water, hugging her knees.

She grabs a loofah and begins to wash the blood of her back.

“Why are you helping me? You don’t even know my name.” Her voice sounds weak as she looks slightly behind her, into Wendy’s golden eyes.

Wendy laughs. “Junmyeon doesn’t ask a lot of help. When he does, it’s mostly because he has a really good reason for it.”

The girl hums, chewing her broken lip.

“And giving a name is powerful. So I understand why you won’t give me yours.”

“It’s Alice.” Her reply is soft but not unheard by Wendy.

She gives the loofah to Alice and smiles, happy that the girl trusts her.

“When will Junmyeon return? And what’s wrong with me.”

“You have a lot of questions, and I understand. I’ll leave you to finish up and get dressed to have some food downstairs, okay?”

Wendy leaves Alice with a pile of clothes on the sink and Alice gets washed up, scrubbing away all the blood on her face and in her hair.

It’s been a month since Junmyeon left Alice in the caring hands of Wendy. Alice knows she has to trust Junmyeon to come back, but a small voice in the back of her head says that he isn’t coming back.

The others of Wendy’s coven, Red Velvet, came back from their jobs and travels and helped to explain what happened to Alice.

When a vampire drinks a human dry, until there is not a single drop left in their body and doesn’t give the human their blood, they will transform in a Halfling. Half-human - half-vampire, these creatures are living on the edge between two worlds.

They can both enjoy human food and blood, walk mindlessly in the sun, and, if lucky, have control over a power. Halflings can also do the same things as normal vampires; run at super speed, are inhumanly strong, and can charm humans.

But, they're weaker. Sometimes only half as strong as a ‘normal’ vampire. Halfbloods also have two different eye colours: the one they had as human and red. It, again, shows that they are in the middle of two worlds and technically don’t belong anywhere.

That’s why some vampire despises them. They are underdeveloped and will never be as strong as a ‘normal’ vampire.

Only if a royal pureblood vampire graces them with love and offers them blood, the Halflings will become fully transformed vampires.

Because of Alice’s eye-colour difference has Wendy given her a ring dipped into a glamour potion, protecting Alice from the harsh world.

Wendy also gave Alice a job in her potion shop. There she spends her days filing the ingredients, labelling them, and helping customers finding what they need. 

A lot of people and creatures mostly mistake her for a witch but are soon to remembered by her sharp fangs that she is everything except a witch. 

Sometimes, Alice has to get new ingredients from the market in the town centre, just like today. 

She manoeuvres swiftly through the crowd of fur, scales, and feathers with her basket in hand and cloak draped protectively around her body. It was a gift the coven gave her after she got control over her newfound powers as a Halfling. 

Everything goes smoothly as she gathers every ingredient from Wendy’s list and ready to return as something in the corner of her vision catches her attention. 

It is Junmyeon. He looks briskly at her before diving into an alleyway.

Her eyes grow big and she quickly follows him, wanting to see him again. 

As she walks deeper and deeper into the alleyway, she gets further away from the crowd. 

Suddenly, some brutal force slams her against the dirty brick and Alice gasps for air, letting the basket fall out of her hands and the content sprawls over the ground. 

“Well, what a pretty little thing you are”, she hears in her ear and she recognises the smell immediately. 

This is a banished Siren. 

Wendy has told about them. She told how dangerous these creatures are since they pray on unsuspecting souls and morph into the person they desire the most before luring them in and sucking all their life force out of their bodies and leave them to die. 

“Looks like this little vampire has a crush on the prince, doesn’t she?” The Siren taunts while deeply breathing in Alice’s scent. 

‘Thank god for the coven’s powerful spells’, she thinks while struggling to get out of the grasp of the Siren. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you”, warns a dangerously low voice behind the both of them and the Siren turns around, fear in their eyes. 

The Siren immediately releases Alice and hurries out of the alleyway, scared for its life. 

Alice slides down the wall with tears streaming down her cheeks, her whole body shivering with fear. 

Two strong arms wrap around her body and lift her up. She recognizes the familiar smell and looks up, to Junmyeon.

“Wha- what are you doing here?”, she asks dumbfounded. 

Junmyeon smiles slightly and pulls Alice on her feet, dusting off the dirt from her cloak. He holds up his hand and Alice takes it almost instantly. 

As Junmyeon leads her out of the alleyway, he says; “I came to search for you. Wendy said you went to the market and... and then I couldn’t find you so I followed your scent.” 

Alice snatches the basked out of Junmyeon’s hand as she also lets go of his hand, what surprisingly was a lot harder than she thought. 

“No. I don’t mean ‘here - here’ but as ‘why are you here, now’.” Alice makes air quotations while chewing on her cheeks, anger rising in her. 

Jumyeon sighs and looks down, putting his hands in his pockets. “I was... I was scared”, he mutters, avoiding her eyes. 

“You were scared? Of what?” She knits her eyebrows together as she lets her arms fall beside her.

“How am I going to─ don’t you feel that weird feeling when we touch, that urge to be close to me and to talk to me? A weird desire you can’t explain?”

She looks down, thinking deeply. Yes, she did dream of him nearly every night for the past month, but she just ignored it and said to herself that it is because he was the first person who helped her after she was bitten.

But now he lays it out so flatly, she acknowledges that she has a weird desire to be close to Junmyeon, so she nods. 

“That’s because we are bound by faith─”

“Like soulmates?”, she interrupts him and Junmyeon nods.

“Yeah, like that.”

A daring smirk creeps on her face and she takes a step closer to Junmyeon. They’re chests almost touch and she can feel his breath feathering on her face. 

Junmyeon’s hands fly to her waist to pull her closer to his body, breathing in her perfume.

“I didn’t want to scare you away from me. I am known to be quite possessive of what’s mine.”  

Alice giggles. “And since when am I yours?”

Junmyeon looks dumbfounded at her bluntness, finding it quite charming. 

“You didn’t ask me to be yours”, she continues what makes Junmyeon laugh.

“Is that how you do it in the mortal world?”

Alice scoffs and hits his chest. “Don’t act so old.”

“I am old. But if that is what is my lady wants, that is what my lady gets.” 

Junmyeon takes a step back and drops to one knee. “Alice, would you like to do me the honour of being mine?”

A bright smile creeps on Alice’s face as she nods happily.

Junmyeon jumps on his feet and kisses her on the lips. 

When he pulls away, she looks up and says; “wait... can you now make me a fully transformed vampire?”

Junmyeon blinks a couple of times. “Where did you hear that?”

“Well, Wendy told me when a full-blood Vampire of royal descent gives his love and blood to a Halfling, he or she will become also a full-blood Vampire.”

He laughs loudly as they walk back to the shop. “My darling, the love you are thinking of is not the same it actually is. Wendy sugarcoats everything.”

Alice’s face falls after half a minute of deep thinking and her face turns beet red. 

Deep, soft, teasing laughter.  “That’s not it at all. I just...would have made sure that everything is perfect for you.  Just let me take out the trash.” Within seconds, he was back in the room with you, giving you a look before hauling you up by your arm.  “Take your clothes and leave.”

Fumbling, you grabbed frantically for your clothes, used them to cover your body as the woman--Yona--sauntered into the room.  

“Well, well, well.  What do we have here?”

Inwardly, you rolled your eyes.  A walking cliche?

“Nothing.  No one. As you can see, I was just having something to eat.”

Yona gasped in apparent delight, clapped her hands together.  “Marvelous. I haven’t eaten all evening.”

Junmyeon’s grip tightened around your upper arm.  “Then let me put on something nice, and we can go out.”

“Why do that, when we can just stay in?” she purred, looking at you with such intensity that you felt naked, despite the sheet held to your chest.  

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Junmyeon said, pulling you around, walking forward to push you ahead of him out of the room.

“Why not?  You said that she wasn’t anyone.”  Yona draped herself over his shoulder, her gaze still piercing through you.  “Did you want love, Little One? I can give you love.”

“No one important,” he clarified.  “Still, she is a tenant. It would draw suspicion if she were to go missing.  You know that I don’t hunt close to home.”

Yona pouted, looking up him.  “Yes, I remember. Still boring, I see.”  Her gaze slid back to you, looking thoughtfully up and down your body.  “What a pity.” She flicked her hand negligently. “Go away.”

Junmyeon nodded, and you made your way to the door with as much dignity as you could muster, taking care not to run, for fear of awakening Yona’s predatory instincts.  You opened the door, but it slammed back home, and you felt Yona’s body pressing against your back, tall and cool, her hands flat on either side of your head.

“Since you seem to know Myeonie, I hardly think that I have to warn you that if you tell anyone about us, I will find you, do I, Little One?”

Your breath was shallow as you shook your head.

“Marvelous.”  Purring, she nuzzled your hair away from the back of your neck.  “So...unless you want to play…”

You shook your head again.  

“Ah,” she whined.  “You’re no fun, either.”

Then the door was open, and she was jutting her chin toward the dark stairwell.  “Leave.”

You did.

***

You didn’t see Junmyeon for days.

***

“Wait, so...he called her his queen?”

You nodded.  “I didn’t think that vampires had a central governing body.”

Ryung sucked in a breath, tilted his head.  “They don’t.” He paused thoughtfully, and looked up at you.  “Um, didn’t this Yona say that you weren’t to tell anyone?”

“She meant that she doesn’t want the existence of vampires exposed.  You already knew.”

“Still,” he muttered, fidgeting nervously, “you’re playing rather fast and loose with my personal safety.”

“Don’t be a coward.”

“I don't want to be eaten!”

“Then rub some garlic behind your ears.”

He gave you a fake laugh.  “Anyway...no...his queen...that means that she’s the one who...made him.”

You looked at him in surprise.  “Oh.”

“Oh is right.  That means that she’s older and stronger.”

Leaning against his desk, you tapped your finger against your lips.  “He didn’t seem to like her very much…but he pretended that he did.”

Ryung shrugged.  “They’re vampires.  We know next to nothing about their culture, their society, their emotional capacity.”

“They’re still people,” you protested.

“Sure.  People. People who eat people.”

You rolled your eyes, then straightened, clapped your hands together.  “Well, regardless of whatever feelings he has for her, at least she got him out of my hair.”

Your friend looked at you sideways. “Do you mean that?”

“Of course I do.  I never wanted his attention in the first place.  As long as she keeps his attention, I can live my life in peace.”

“Alright.”

“What?”

“What-what?”

“Alright,” you mocked.

“I just…”

“Spit it out.”

“It’s just...whenever you talk about him, your eyes kind of do this thing where they light up.”

“That’s revulsion.”

Ryung gave you a look.  “I’m a scientist, remember?”

“We’re cryptozoologists, we’re sociologists at best--”

“Anyway,” he overrode you, “how about this?  Your respiratory rate goes up, whenever we discuss him--”

“Distress.”

“Your pupillary response becomes more labile,” 

“Irritation.”

“You flush--”

You waved a hand, “I’m no longer interested in this line of conversation.

“Just admit it.  You’re attracted to him.  There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“He’s a cannibalistic stalker--everything is wrong with that!”

“Haemophagia isn’t cannibalism, you’re an academic--speak precisely.”

“Hyperbole is just...wasted on you, isn’t it?”

“That’s my charm.”

***

Humming quietly to yourself, you flipped the chamchijeon as you stared off into space, idly wondering what sort of food Junmyeon used to like when he was alive.  Suddenly realizing your train of thought, you shook your head. “Who cares about him, anyway?” you mused. “I love you,” you said mocking his deep voice, then scoffed.  “Men are trash.”

“Aren’t they?” a dulcet voice murmured in your ear.

Spinning, your heart banging against your ribs, you looked up to see Yona, looking down at you, her smile hungry.  

“Hello, Little One,” she purred, pushing you against the counter, her cool hands bruising on your hips.  Surging forward, she buried her nose in the side of your neck, sighed softly. “You smell nice.”

“Yonasshi,” you said quietly, trying as hard as you could to keep your voice from shaking, as you braced your hands on the counter.  “To what do I owe the pleasure?”    

“Oh, I knew that I would like you,” she chuckled.  “Myeonie thought that he was being clever, but we girls always know, don’t we?”

“Know what?”

“Mmm…  When someone is putting their sticky little fingers all over something that belongs to us…”

You swallowed hard.  “I--”

“Yes, you.”  She ran a deceptively delicate finger up your throat, tapped you gently under the chin.  “It is you, isn’t it? What is it about you that he likes so much, hm? Are you that delicious?”

“I’m not delicious at all. Quite bitter, in fact.  I eat a lot of medicine.” You leaned away, hands nervously sliding over the counter behind your back as you braced yourself.

“Oh, you’re funny…  That’s cute.”  

"Yonasshi-"

"Unni..." she crooned.

You suppressed a shudder.  Though her voice was soft, there was an underlying thread of steel, and your heart beat traitorously, feeling almost bruised as it clanged against your ribs.

"Ah, ah, ah," she cooed, shaking her head slightly at your reticence. Reaching up, she gently grabbed your jaw, lightly squeezed, making you pucker your lips.  "Uuuuunni," she drawled. 

"Unni," you slurred. 

She smiled, reaching up to stroke your hair.  "There's a good girl... See, was that so hard?"

You remained silent. 

Her smile grew brittle, before she blinked,  and you would never have known that she had ever been irritated.  "One thing that you should know about me, Little One, is that what I hate, above all, is to repeat myself."  She slapped your cheek lightly, insultingly to emphasize her point. "So, pay attention. Now?"

"No, Unni.  It wasn't hard."

"Oh!" She leaned down to nuzzle your neck. "You are a clever girl!  Now, clever girl," she slid her hands between your arms and body, resting her hands on the counter behind you. “You’re going to tell me what you’ve done to my boy.”

“I haven’t done anything!  He won’t leave me alone! He stalked me!”

“Mm, really?  I guess that means that he likes you.”

“He--” you cut  yourself off, realizing, considering Yona’s jealousy, that maybe it wasn’t good for your physical welfare to reveal that Junmyeon considered you his mate.

“He…?” she drawled.

“He...he...is obsessed.  Infatuated. I don’t want anything to do with him!  Please take him!”

“Hm,” she murmured thoughtfully, “how kind of you to offer me the possession my own property.”

“I didn’t mean--”

Yona waved a deceptively delicate hand.  “I have no interest in excuses over your ineptitude.”

Despite the situation, you felt your face flush, though you clamped your mouth shut.

Unfortunately, this did nothing to hide your irritation from Yona.  “Now you smell angry, Little One. Not nearly as pleasant. No matter.”  Wrapping an arm around your waist, she pulled you close, slid a hand into your hair to gently stroke your scalp as she inexorably pulled your head to the side, ran her nose up the side of your neck.  “I can make you smell better…”  

You never found out just how far Yona would have taken her quest to make you smell better, as you grabbed the minced garlic from the cutting board, and whipped your hand around to shove it against her face.

She caught your wrist, pupils slitting as she wrenched it down and squeezed, forcing your hand to drop the garlic.  “That...was very...very...naughty, Little One. You don’t like gentle? Fine. Let’s play roughly.”  

You watched with horror as six sets of long fangs slid soundlessly into place.

And then she was gone.

And Junmyeon--a bloody and tattered Junmyeon--stood between you.

“Myeonie,” Yona said brightly, as she easily stood up from where she had fallen into a heap after sliding down the wall.  “You came. Now we can all have fun.”

“Get out,” he growled.  

Yona pouted.  “Now, Myeonie...that’s not very nice.  I trained you better than that.”

“Leave now, Yona.”

Her head ticked to the side, like a malfunctioning android.  “Yona? It’s Yona, now? One taste of some boring little academic, and I’m Yona to you?  I am your queen!”

“And she is my mate!”

Yona’s eyes slid from him to you.  Nothing happened for a breathless moment.  Then she was on him, and all you could hear was growling and the tearing of flesh as they fought.  

Blood splattered around your kitchen, and the calm little observant mental voice that seemed to pipe up in life or death situations lately noted that all that blood was going to be a beast to clean out of all of the nooks and crannies of the kitchen.  You jumped at a sudden crash as Junmyeon was flung against the far wall. And the living room, the voice sighed.

There was a shriek, and Yona stumbled back, a claw mark slashed across her cheek.  Trembling, she lifted her hand to her face, turned to look in a nearby mirror. The slashes neatly healed, but apparently, that was the up with which she could not put, because she whipped back around to Junmyeon, pupils blazing with inner fire.  “Fine!” she snarled. “You can have the little bitch! I hope that you choke on her!”

Surging forward, she slashed at his throat, a spray of blood coating her face as he grabbed for his neck.  Turning, she ran and, with a leap, crashed through the living room window.

You hurried to the window, looked out to see Yona land neatly on the ground, surrounded by a shower of glass, before running away before any onlookers had a chance to have a good look at her.  “What the heck was that?!” you said incredulously, turning to look at Junmyeon.

He wasn’t there.

“Junmyeon?” you called cautiously.

A small gurgle.

Walking tentatively back into the room, you saw him, collapsed into a heap on the floor, surrounded by an ever-widening pool of blood.  “Junmyeon!” you called, running to him, and trying to pull him up.

Blood seeped between his fingers as he tried to crawl backwards.  “Stay away,” he rasped, streams of blood bubbling as he tried to speak.  

“I’m not going to hurt you,” you cried, stricken.  

“Don’t want...to hurt...you…” he wheezed, then coughed, a splatter of blood hitting you directly in the face.  

You jumped in shock.  “You’re not...healing.  Why aren’t you healing?”

He just shook his head...continued to try to drag his body away, though his movements were slowing, becoming clumsy.  

He’s too hurt, the calm little voice pronounced.  He’s going to bleed to death.

Decision time was here, and you didn’t have the luxury of taking your time to think about your choices.  

He was a man, and he was dying.  

Clambering forward on your knees you grabbed him, pulled him into your lap.  

He was beyond words now, but his eyes were wide as he shook his head.

“Shut up,” you said, pulling your hair to the side, pulling him up, and dragging his head to the side of your neck.

He tried to struggle, to push away, but at this point, you were stronger than he, and you clamped your arms around him.  

Still, he didn’t open his mouth.  

Cursing in frustration, you took your hand, dug your fingers into a particularly nasty wound in his stomach.

Growling, he bit down.

***

When you awoke, it was in Junmyeon’s bed.  You started to move, and strong arms tightened around you, pulled you closer.  Turning, you came face to face with Junmyeon, who was looking at you as if you were the most precious thing alive.  “Agasshi,” he whispered, lifting a hand to brush your hair out of your face.  

“Am I...did you…?”

He lowered his eyes.  “No. You’re still human.  I was able to stop in time.”

You sighed in relief, burying your nose in his neck. “I was so scared,” you said softly, your grip tight on his shirt.  

“That I had changed you?”

“That you were going to die.”  You raised your head to look at him.  “I don’t...I don’t want you to die. I don’t know...what I want with you...but I don’t want that…”

He smiled, then pulled your head back down to rest against his neck.  “Then I promise, I won’t.”

With a sigh you gave up, wrapped your arms around him, tucked in close, comforted by the strength of his solid body.  “I don't know how I feel...but...don’t go, alright? Just...don’t go…”

Slowly, he began to rock you, lazily trailing his large hands comfortingly up and down your back.  “Go back to sleep, Agasshi.”

So, you did.

***

The sound of my phone ringing from the living room awakened me quickly.  Careful not to wake you, I climbed out of bed, and crept to the living room to answer.

“Myeonie…”

“Yona.”  I could hear her pout through the phone.  

“You didn’t have to scratch my face…”

“I’m sorry, Yonaya…”

“I forgive you, I suppose.  This time. What about the Little One?”

“She’s in my bed.  Sleeping.”

“Does she deserve you, Myeonie?”

I can’t help a rueful laugh.  “I’m not sure I deserve her.”

“Well...if you’re going to throw me away for her, then make sure to treat her well.  If you don’t, I might just--”

“Yona…” I warn.

She just laughed.  “You had better be glad that I love you, little Myeonie.”

“I love you, too.”

“Although I am a bit offended that you thought that I was going to eat her, at first.”

“Well, you’ve been known.”

“True, but I wouldn’t eat your mate.  Had I known.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.  I’m your queen, Myeonie.  I may not be your mate, but you can always trust me.  I know best, hm?”

“Good night, Yonaya.”

“Good night, Myeonie.”

***

The next evening, at five to seven, you opened the door to Guardian Towers, and limped into the spacious interior.  It was minimalist; modern, and mostly monochromatic, with the only deviation from the black, cream, and grey colour scheme being the dark, cool brown walnut flooring.  A prim, almost severe looking receptionist sat behind an oversized black granite desk, her hair scraped back into a tight, sleek bun. 

You gave her a polite bow as you approached the desk.

Despite her intimidating appearance, her voice was warm when she stood to bow, asking, “Hello.  How may I help you?”

“I’m here to look at an apartment?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Yes, I’m supposed to see…ah…” you flushed.  “I didn’t ask his name—the ajusshi who owns the building, I suppose.  I called the number on the website?”

She lifted a perfectly sculpted brow. “Ajusshi?  Ah…you must mean Kim Junmyeonsshi.”

“I guess…”

An amused smile played about the corners of her lips.  “He lives in the sub-floor apartment.”  She eyed your leg brace. “I’m sorry, but the only way to get to his apartment is by the stairs.”

“Are there elevators to the other apartments?”

“Yes, the rest of the building is handicapped accessible.”

“Then that’s alright, then.  It’s only temporary, anyway.  I had a bit of a nasty fall two weeks ago, and tore my ACL.”

“That sounds painful,” she said politely.

“Yes, well…”  You self-consciously adjusted your glasses.

A moment passed.

Slowly leaning backwards, she passed her badge over a card reader, and a red light beside a door to the right turned green with a click.  “Please go see Kim Junmyeonsshi, now.”

“Ah…yes…” you said awkwardly, returning her courteous bow, before making your way downstairs.

Motion sensor lights flickered to life as you descended, illuminating the dark stairwell with a warm, almost fire-like light.  Approaching the oversized black enamel door, you rang the bell, faced the camera and waited. 

A quiet buzz.

“Agasshi?”

“Yes… Kim…Junmyeonsshi?”

Silence reigned, stretching for so long that you began to fidget.  “Ajussh—“

With a short series of beeps, the door opened abruptly, and a handsome, if slightly disheveled man appeared.  He wore a sharply creased pair of charcoal trousers and a black button down with dove tie, under an argyle sweater vest in various shades of grey.  Despite the obvious care taken with choosing his attire, the tie was skewed, and his hair looked as if hands had been run through it in every direction.  The pallor of his skin bordered on unhealthy, but his mouth was a deep, dark red, as if he had just finished one of the cherry popsicles that you used to love to eat every summer, as a child. 

Looking down at you, he smiled; showing off a perfect set of lovely white teeth, save for—

You blinked, and the canines and incisors which had seemed to be…just a hair too long, resolved themselves as being of entirely normal length.  Chalking it up to academic exhaustion, you bowed, and returned his smile.  You opened your mouth to introduce yourself, but he was already taking you gently by the wrist, leading you inside his apartment, his warm brown eyes bright. 

“Please, come inside.  We can talk about what you’re looking for,”

You stumbled slightly, and his gaze lowered to your braced leg.  He frowned. 

“Well, an apartment is an apartment, right?” you asked, carefully removing your shoes and sliding into a pair of slippers.

“An apartment?  Right.  What you’re looking for…in apartments…” He waved a hand, and then smiled, “Amoung other things.”  Gesturing to a nearby couch he tilted his head.  “Please.  Sit.  The stairs…you must be tired.”

“It’s fine.  I’m used to it.”  Despite your words, you sat gratefully, a small huff of exhaustion escaping before you could control it.

He perched carefully beside you, as if he worried that his mere proximity might hurt you.  “Agasshi…”

“Yes, Ajusshi?”

“Junmyeonsshi is fine.”

“Ah…yes…”

“May I ask what happened?”  He motioned to your leg.

“Oh, it’s fine.  I just tore my ACL a couple of weeks ago.  I’ll be able to remove the brace in a month.”

“Oh, really?”  He suddenly smiled then, as if he knew a secret.  “Would you care for some refreshment?”

Normally you would say no, but the trip down the stairs really had taken a lot out of you.  “May I have a glass of water?”

His smile broadened.  “I think that I can do better than that.  How about some juice?”

“What sort of juice?”

“I have a tart cherry juice…perfect for relieving inflammation.”

“Oh, well then…that would actually be quite lovely…”

“I’ll be right back.”

A minute later he returned, and you gaped.  Somehow, in that short amount of time, he had managed to not only procure your glass of juice, but also to change into a grey pinstriped three-piece suit, and coif his hair. 

Seeing your questioning expression, he smiled ruefully.  “I apologize for my careless appearance earlier.”

“You looked fine.  It’s hard to still look perfect after a long day.”

“Yes, a long day…” he murmured, leaning down to hand you the glass.

The juice inside was a lovely dark red, and you held up the glass to the light, admiring the contents.  Junmyeon sat back down next to you, watching you examine the beverage for a moment before indicating that you should drink.  You sipped, and wrinkled your nose slightly, before regaining control of your expression. 

He laughed.  “I know, but it’s good for you.”

You stared dubiously down into the thick crimson juice.  It didn’t taste bad, per se…just like sweet cherries that had been sitting in a pool of rusty water for a week.  You sighed.  “Well, bottoms up.”  Holding your breath, you squinched your eyes shut, and shotgunned the contents of the glass. 

A curious warmth glowed down your throat, nestled in your belly, before making its way down your extremities.  Your knee in particular began to grow warm, warmer, and even warmer still, growing in intensity until the heat became almost unbearable. 

You drew in an overwhelmed breath, realizing that you must be having some sort of allergic reaction.  Shooting to your feet, you barely heard Junmyeon’s concerned, “What’s wrong?” in your panic.

“I think that I’m having an allergic reaction,” you answered.

He stood then, the picture of calm solicitousness.  “Are you having heart palpitations?”

“No.”

“Shortness of breath?”

“No.”

“Lightheadedness?”

“…No.”

“Then,” he paused delicately, “What makes you think that you’re having an allergic reaction?”

“I just became really warm, and my knee—“ You paused.

“Yes?” he inquired politely.

“My knee was so hot,” you murmured distractedly.

“Agasshi?”

Concentrating, you didn’t answer.

“Agasshi?  Are you…alright?”

“My knee…” you said softly.

“What about it?”

“It doesn’t hurt.  I’m standing…full weight on my leg…but my knee doesn’t hurt anymore…”  Distracted by the sudden lack of stiffness and pain, you almost didn’t notice the extended silence before Junmyeon asked, “Isn’t that good?”

“It’s amazing!” you said suddenly, looking up at him in excitement.  “Wow! That juice is incredible!  I mean, that was almost instantaneous!  Who knew that inflammation was causing all that trouble!?  My knee feels...perfect.” 

A slow, satisfied smile brightened his face.  “Perfect,” he echoed. “You are perfect.”  His eyes grew warm.  “Please, have a seat.”

This time, the flush that you felt was pure embarrassment, and you sat back down, fingers fidgeting with the fawn leather cross-strap of your messenger bag. 

“So, Agasshi.  Why are you looking for an apartment this far into the school year?”

“Well, my roommates are getting married, and they’ve decided that they want to live alone.”

“Unfortunate, but understandable.”

“And since the school year has already started, most places are already taken.”

“Yes, that’s true,” he murmured.

“And the places that aren’t are well out of my price range.  Except here.  Hence…” you gestured to yourself to indicate your presence.

Junmyeon paused before smiling slightly.  “What are you studying?”

You could feel yourself colouring, and you nervously pushed your glasses up the bridge of your nose.  “Cryptozoology.”

An expression of faint surprise flitted across his features.  “Indeed?”

“I know that it’s considered a pseudoscience, but still, the myths and legends that people create are a vital and important part of our culture, and need to be kept alive to help comprehend, and flesh out the human experience.”

“Just so.  And are you working on your dissertation, or your thesis?”

“I’m just a master’s student, but I plan to go onto a Ph.D.”

“And…what do you want to do with that?”

“Ideally?  Teach.  Maybe do some writing.  Of course, the dream would be to discover an actual cryptid, and be able to study it.”

“…Study it?”

“Yes.  Depending on its level of comprehension, maybe talk with it, discuss, well…everything!  What do they eat?  What language do they speak?  How have they stayed hidden for so long?  Why?  How do they procreate?  Do they ever want to mainstream?  Are any of them already mainstreaming?”

“Those are…a lot of questions.”

“I have so many more!  I’m so curious about everything!”

Junmyeon was silent then, his gaze somehow fond.  “Well.  Are you ready to see the apartment?”

“Ah, yes…thank you.”

Summarily leaving his home, it was halfway up the first flight of stairs that you became annoyed with the now restrictive leg brace, and reached down to remove it.

“What’s wrong?” Junmyeon asked, pausing on the step above you.

“This thing is annoying me.”

“Isn’t it supporting your knee?”

“At the moment, it’s making me feel a bit claustrophobic.”

“Shouldn’t you keep it on, to keep from straining the muscles?” he asked idly.  “You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

“You’re probably right, but I’ll worry about that later.  For now, I feel fine, and I just want to move!” 

Looking self-satisfied, Junmyeon merely tilted his head in acknowledgement, and continued to lead you back up the steps. 

Once in the elevator, he removed a fob from an inside pocket, and swiped it over a reader, before pressing the up button. 

You leaned against the back of the lift, slowly stretching and bending your leg, still fascinated and gratified by the fact that it felt completely normal.  Out of your peripheral vision, you saw him glance back at you, then face forward, sliding his hands into his pockets with a little smile. 

After a few moments, you reached your destination, and the doors opened. 

You looked around in confusion.  Instead of the hallway that you were expecting, the room beyond the lift was an expansive foyer done in shades of forest green and peridot granite. 

Junmyeon unlocked the metal gate that had been stretched across the open archway, then strolled out of the elevator, and you peeked out, looking around, before following him.  Turning to you, he held out his hands.  “This is the place.  Feel free to look around.”

Your eyes widened.  “This is the apartment that you’re showing me?”

He nodded.

You looked around at the large, spacious room.  “I think…that there has been a misunderstanding.”

He merely raised an eyebrow.  “Oh?”

“This,” you gestured to the room at large, “Is entirely out of my price range.  I’m a grad student.  I’m not in the position to afford anything like a penthouse suite.”

Junmyeon looked ruefully down at his shoes.  “The misunderstanding is entirely mine.  You see, after our conversation yesterday, I realized that I didn’t actually have any apartments available, except,” he cocked his head, “for this one.”

“Oh,” you murmured.  “Well, then…I apologize for wasting your time.”  You turned back toward the elevator.

“I don’t think that you understand, Agasshi.  Since the fault was entirely mine, I’m offering you this apartment, at the same price as the others.”

Your eyebrows shot to your hairline.  “Eh?!”

He chuckled.  “I can have the contract drawn up by tomorrow evening, but if you’re willing, this apartment is yours.”

“Am I correct in understanding that you are saying that you will rent this apartment to me, at the same rate as one of your other units?”

“Indeed.”

“For how long?”

“For as long as you live here.”  He shrugged elegantly.  “I’m not in the habit of raising my rents.  I have more than enough money, so what I receive in rent is really only to cover building maintenance, staff salaries, utilities, and taxes, with a nominal fee for me.  Why ask for more money than I need?”

You gaped at him.  “Don’t you like money?  Everyone likes money.”

“No, I don’t, actually.”  He tilted his head, diffidently scratched a brow.  “I like what it can do for me, but I have no love of money in and of itself.”

“Curious,” you said faintly. 

He looked down, smiled, and then looked back up at you, held out his hand.  “So, what do you say?  Do we have a deal?”

“I’ll still have to read the contract, but if it delineates the same terms that you have outlined here, then…yes.”  Reaching forward you took his cool hand, gratified by the strength in his grip.

He pumped your hand once.  Twice.  Three times, then slowly pulled you towards him until only a thought separated your bodies.  “Very good.  Just remember,” leaning down, he brought his mouth to your ear, and you stiffened at the proximity. 

“A deal with me…is binding.”

***

Despite his unorthodox hand shaking methods, the contract that he drew was as he said it would be—you even had one of your pre-law friends look it over to ensure that you weren’t missing anything—so you signed it, and now had nothing left to do but move. 

Unfortunately for you, your former roommates—pre-med students—had to go to a conference, and weren’t able to aid you, so now you stood in the living room of your soon to be ex-apartment, hands on hips, glaring at all of your packed boxes, idly wondering why you couldn’t just will them into your new place.

Your phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Agasshi,”  Junmyeon’s warm voice rang heartily through the line.  “I’m just calling to inform you that your apartment has been fumigated, deep cleaned, and inspected, and is ready for you anytime.”

“Thank you.  I’ll start as soon as I can schedule the movers.”

“Aren’t your friends going to help you?”

You grimaced.  “They’re away, actually.”

“Well, if it’s not out of line, I know some guys.”

“Do you?  Are they affordable?”

“Didn’t you know?”

“Know what?”

“It’s part of the moving-in package.  If you don’t have access to moving aid, then we supply the labour.”

“I don’t recall seeing that in the contract.”

“Well, remember I had to create a new contract for you, so I must have just forgotten to include it.”

“I don’t know…”

“Agasshi,” he protested, a slight pout in his voice, “don’t you trust me?”

“Experience has taught me not to trust strangers. Sorry.”

“If you’re more comfortable, I can draw up a new contract, and send it over to you.”

“I think that that would be best.”

“Very well.”

Within a half hour, the updated contract had been sent to you, and you glanced over it.  As everything seemed to be in order, you signed and emailed it back to him.

Your phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Agasshi.  I received your signed contract, so now all I need to know is when you want to have your things moved.”

“How about…night after tomorrow?”

“You don’t want to do it tomorrow?”

“Wouldn’t it be a hardship on such short notice?”

His chuckle rumbled through the phone, and you felt your chest warm.

“No trouble at all.  Just text me the place.  We’ll take care of the rest.”

“We?”  You could hear his smile through the phone.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

***

When you opened the door to let in the men from the moving company, the last thing that you expected to see was eleven of the most attractive men that you had ever seen in your entire life, and you paused, dumbfounded as eleven toothpaste-white smiles gleamed at you from eleven princely faces.  Stalling for time, you pulled out a cloth, removed your glasses, and began to desperately clean them, needing to...not look at the blinding attractiveness of the spread laid before you.  Squinting up again, you could make out just enough to see one of them wink, and apparently decided that stuttering would be the best way to buy some more time.

A tall, square-jawed man, with a smile like a heart attack, and an incongruously adorable kitten nose planted under eyes that shouldn’t be legal outside of the bedroom, smouldered down at you.  “Ahgasshi,” he began, his deep voice playful, “aren’t you going to invite us in?”

“Hm?  Oh!  Yes!  Yes, of course--I’m sorry--please, come in...”

With a small laugh, he sauntered by you, and one by one, the men began to make their way inside, a disturbingly attractive tide.  

“Is everything already packed up in the living room?” a tall one with--you squinted--were those dimples?!--asked you in an entirely unnecessarily deep voice.

“Uh, ah, y-yes...I, uh...already packed everything...as it were…”  

Your glasses had never been so clean.  

Ruefully slipping them back onto your face, and turning to close the door, you were surprised to see one last man--previously been hidden by some of the giants who were now picking up your boxes with rude ease, two and three at a time.  

There Junmyeon stood, hands in pockets, looking for all the world like a professorial Clark Kent.

Your heart thumped.

“Junmyeon...sshi?”

“Good Evening, Agasshi.”

“Yah, Junmyeon-hyung, are all of these going up to the penthouse, or are some going to y--”

Junmyeon hissed warningly at the tall, sharp-jawed, cat-eyed man, and cocked his head, his gaze suddenly ominous.  “Tao.”

Seductively dark eyes slid from Junmyeon to you, and a look of understanding dawned over the panther-eyed man’s face.  Nodding, he said, “Got it,” before bending down to easily pick up three boxes with one arm.

Jerk.

“Junmyeonsshi,” you started, turning to him.  “Is this a real moving crew?”

He shrugged.  “Why pay a moving crew when my friends will do it for free?”

“I don’t like owing people favours, and now I feel guilty.”

“Don’t.  As I said, they’re my friends.  They live in my building rent-free.  And look--” he pointed past you into the apartment where each man was in the process of heading out.  “It’s already done.  No hardship.  That’s the beauty of having so many friends.  ‘Many hands make light work.’”

You eyed them incredulously as they filed past you, seemingly unburdened under the weight they carried.  “Do you guys work out?”

A smaller man with large, innocent dark eyes, and a sharp, square jaw laughed, squinting adorably as his mouth made an offensively charming little heart.  “Cute,” he said, his voice deep, husky.

Your face flamed as you fought the urge to give your glasses another round of defensive cleaning.

Sooner rather than later, the apartment was devoid of your belongings, and you gave it one last wistful glance before turning to leave.  

Junmyeon walked beside you in comfortable silence as you remained lost in your thoughts.  When he stopped, you looked up to see that you had unthinkingly walked all the way to your car.  

“I’ll see you back at home,” he said kindly, looking down at you with a soft smile.

“Ah...yes.  At...home….”  Feeling somewhat awkward you climbed into your car, and started it.  

From your rear-view mirror you watched Junmyeon watching you as you drove away.

***

When you walked into your new apartment, you were stunned to see your boxes already inside, neatly stacked and, opening each one in turn, you were pleasantly gratified to find that nothing had been broken.  Deciding to start with putting away the food, you made your way to the kitchen, only to discover that it had already been fully stocked.  Standing in confusion, you almost didn’t hear the quiet, “Agasshi...” that floated into your apartment from the elevator.  

Peeking out into the foyer, you saw Junmyeon, casually leaning against the metal bars of the gate that separated your apartment from the elevator.  Something about his lazy, proprietorial stance sent darts of alarm up your spine, but you shook off  your uncertainty. After all--he was just your landlord.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” he asked silkily.  

“Ah...yes...yes, of course,” you stuttered in consternation, quickly moving forward to unlock the gate.

He pulled it back, sauntered inside, and despite his relatively small stature, something about him made it seem as if he filled the already large room.  

You backed away without thinking, then stopped yourself when you realized.  “Junmyeonsshi?”

“Yes?” he purred.

“The kitchen…”

“Oh, did you like it?  I tried to make specific note of your preferences.”

“Wait, what?  When?”

He smiled, and slipped his hands into his pockets, looking like nothing so much as a lazing tiger. “You don’t need to know.”

At that moment, you noticed that he had changed from the relatively casual clothes that he had been wearing to help you move (though he hadn’t really done much of anything), into a three-piece burnt umber velvet suit, the fabric straining slightly against his broad shoulders.  “What is it with this person and three-piece suits,” you muttered under your breath.

He leaned forward into your space, “I like to look nice.  Especially for you.”

“For me?” you sputtered, a cold slither of alarm skittering up your back.  “Why?”

He tilted his head, as if in thought, then turned slowly to prowl in a lazy circle around you.  “I had a feeling from the first moment I heard your voice, but it was when I first saw you, that I knew.”

“Knew what?  Stop talking obliquely.  Speak plainly.”  Anger flared at this game of cat and mouse that you had had no desire to start, and even less desire to play.

He stopped abruptly, smiling down at you, though it was decidedly less casual than his usual.  

Decidedly more...predatory.

He took one step closer.

Two.

Another.

Leaning down--close enough that you had to lean back to keep from touching him--he smiled widely, this time with all teeth on display.

It was then that you realized that no, your eyes hadn’t been playing tricks on you when you first met, and your breath froze in your chest.

“Allow me to introduce myself properly,” he rumbled, and you felt the smooth darkness of his voice tug at something deep in your gut.

“Hello, Agasshi.  

“I’m your mate.”

@umoonbeamu

Suho read your name, he felt weird, he repeated it in silence 3 times.

“Suhoyah! Answer already, will I?” said Xiumin wanting to take the phone out of Suho’s hand.

“No I will, I have to” he replied pressing the green button on the phone.

“What the fuck, girl what is wrong with you, so what… you enjoy your time while I lose my shit here? Where the fuck are you and why are you not fucking answering your fucking phone?!”you said almost screaming, Suho had to detach the phone from his ear.

“Hi, I am not… hi, I am”

“Are you Bacon? Bakebum? Whatever your name is? So you are reconciled? She has friends who are worried sick about her, and what? Where is she?”

“No I am not Baekhyun, I am his older brother…”

Suho was happy despite the situation, his heart was pounding in his ribcage, but why? This was no time to feel joy, Baekhyun was being a complete ass to his mate, and he was collecting you from the airport because your friend nearly died caused by Baekhyun’s greedy needs, still Suho felt weird, and unexpectedly happy.

He had taken care of his appearance more than usual, although Suho always dressed beautifully today he made sure to spray more perfume than usual and wear a black dress shirt with skinny black jeans while taking a good look at himself before leaving the house, his hair was brushed to the side which he made sure with his fingers than it was perfectly in place as he waited for you at the arrivals. 

The doors opened and that is when he saw you, his eyes doubled in size he covered his mouth with his hands as the other travelled to his left side to his chest.

‘shit, shit, shit, shit, and why do I have to meet her in these circumstances, damn you Baekhyun now it’s going to be so much harder, you have her friend in hospital, and… fuck all this mate business, I don’t want this, like this now…’

You were looking around you, Suho described himself accurately ‘I’m a bit paler than others, my hair is very shiny’ what kind of description is that? You hated his guts before even meeting him.

“Hi”

“Hi… are you Suho? Yes of course you are, you are ghost like white, to the hospital right?”

Your voice, Suho draw a dumb smile on his face, he was petrified admiring your beautiful tan face, he never thought he’d have such a pretty mate.

“You are so beautiful, I never imagined you to be like this, I… I am speechless”

“That is exactly what I am right now, really? OK clearly you are hitting on me, dude bad timing, I’ve been flying for like what it feels a week, my feet are swollen, I’m hungry as hell, my friend is in hospital because of your damn brother Bacon, I am so sure it’s his fault before you even tell me anything, just to cut the crap, never, you are not my type, paper white boys are like a big no no for me, now take me to the hospital or I will take a taxi”

‘I hate you Baekhyun’ Suho repeated in his head.

Suho insisted in taking all your luggage by himself, wow it looked like you were moving to Korea not just visiting, he liked the idea, and you were secretly enjoying how strong he was.

“Is this your car? Really now? What are you guys drug-lords here? How can possibly someone so young have all this money? Oh yeah but like you must be 1000 years, maybe…” you said looking at his Lamborghini, the smile on Suho’s face wasn’t going away even with nasty words.

You entered the car and it took you by surprise when Suho pulled your seatbelt, he was so close, so close to your face… so close, you found your heart racing strangely, what? no way! You? No, it must be the Lamborghini experience… he then looked at your face and you appreciated his face more, he’s cheeks, peachy velvety looking, his eyes buried into little adorable half moons, if you didn’t know who he was and what he was you would sworn he could be half bunny half human, but he was that… a vampire, your friend told you how Baekhyun was treating her, you crossed your arms around your chest and looked away.

“You know Suho means guardian”

“Guardian yes, please guard yourself, just because my friend told me you were the good one doesn’t mean we will be friends, as soon as I am at the hospital I really don’t want to see you again so drive away, I am really not comfortable”

“I hope I can drive, your scent” he came again closer to you, how could he look so adorable was yet to understand.

“I warn you if you come close to me or even try to suck me”

“What will you do? Ha? You can’t do anything?”

“Excuse me! How dare you? You know what? I know the name of the hospital, I’ll take a taxi, this was a mistake” you said unfastening your seatbelt trying to open the door that obviously was locked.

“Open the freaking door or I will scream you freak!” you saw where the unlocking button was and without thinking you leaned on Suho and tried press it.

When you noticed that your chest was basically on his lap, you looked up to meet yet again with that adorable gaze, it affected you… again, you cleared your throat and sat back, you fastened your seatbelt this time and crossed your arms again.

“It’s late… and I don’t speak Korean, just freaking drive me to the hospital already”

Suho smiled and started the car driving smoothly around Seoul streets, glancing over you from time to time, but admittedly you were not all annoyed you were just worried about your friend.

“I feel so complete, like alive” he said while you snorted, didn’t stop him from trying again “I finally found you, and here you are, next to me”

“You do realise how creepy that sounds, not very used to deal with girls I see, it’s not working”

“And your voice, tickles my eardrums, and your eyes… and your ‘angry-can’t-stand-me’ face… you are perfect, I can’t believe how blessed I am”

“Really… I pity you, thank god this looks like a hospital and we are stopping”

You followed him in, the hospital was way out of your friend’s budget, too posh, impressive, it looked more like a 5 stars hotel.

You noticed how the nurses looked at Suho, he wasn’t just any dude, giggles as he walked disinterested, you got into the elevator, he pressed the button to the 12th floor, in the 4th floor the elevator stopped, a stretcher, 2 nurses and a doctor entered, Suho came closer to allow them access, in the 6th floor 4 more hospital staff entered, a tall guy wearing a doctor’s coat was right in front of you, almost touching his back with your own body, Suho whispered something to the man and let him exchange places, now Suho was in front of you, but he wasn’t giving you his back, he was facing you, Suho wasn’t all tall as a matter of fact you were just about his height, he cornered you with his arms and you were forced to look him, ‘just great’… but really it was, now with the elevator’s bright lighting you admired his face factions more, noticed a mole on the right side of his upper lip, a small scar just under his right glorious eyebrow next to his nose bridge, his hair… oh his hair looked so soft, your fingertips were aching to touch him, touch him, why?

Just when you thought this situation wasn’t going to get any worst, ding in the 8th floor, 2 more people entered, your chest has touching Suho’s, he looked at your face while his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, it looked amazing, just complementing his strong neck, his veins showed when he looked to his right side you got so caught up with the view, he was manly and sexy, and you feared a moan will soon escape mouth, you traced the vein with your eyes until he returned his head to you catching how you were looking at him, and that is when he pushed himself closer, now your chest was squished to his, his face expression amused you, but you were giving in way to fast, your hands found their way to his chest, pushing him away from you a bit, you noticed how your thumb fingertips were on his chest, they betrayed you, they moved caressing his cold smooth skin, he looked down and smiled, all the time it felt genuine, when he could start smirking anytime that never happened, he was just… happy.

*Ding* 11th floor, you though not even a straw could fit, another person entered and Suho’s mouth was touching your earlobe.

“I hear your heartbeats, music to my ears”

Stupid vampire… you found yourself buttoning his dress shirt, the last one was a struggle, Adam’s apple to big.

“I’ll never wear these shirts ever again if you don’t like them, turtle necks if you order”

The sudden thought of Suho in a turtle neck made you swallow, that would look good.

Finally arrived to the 12th floor, the elevator still full of people, some went out to let you move, Suho made sure you were in front of him covering you with his arms, didn’t mind that, it felt nice that he didn’t want anyone to touch you, felt even nicer to feel his cold body in the stuffy atmosphere.

Once outside the elevator Suho dared taking your hand into his, you pulled it away straight away clearing your throat, he didn’t seem offended, he was as cute as ever, he smiled again rubbing the nape of his neck.

“Sorry too soon, I just got carried away, I still can’t believe that this is happening and I finally found you, feeling your skin is addicting”

“Right oh, and my friend is here in the hospital and I’m eager to see her”

Suho nodded and walked, the floor was definitely not hospital looking, you arrived at a gate and Suho entered a number which opened to even a fancier corridor.

“I hope Bacon is paying for all this” Suho didn’t answer and just kept smiling.

Room 1225, you pushed the door open to enter a room looking no less than a suite in a 5 star hotel, just your friend’s bed was a hospital looking bed and of course she was connected to some machines, and she looked pale and thinner, a lot thinner than what you remember.

“What has he done to you? Wake up girl! Don’t scare me” you said kissing her forehead

You then noticed the bandage around her neck, it was bruised and swollen, it made you so angry, you turned to Suho with a frown.

“So this is how you love your ‘women’ interesting… is this the fate you intend for me? Or am I just a temporary thing that will go awa-

“Never!” he cut you off “I’d never do something like that to my mate”

“Yes of course you won’t, I feel like I want to even wash my hands that touched you, I want to puke actually, and don’t call me that it’s creepy, I understand that she is Bacon’s mate also… and look”

Suho understood that you were worried about your friend, but of course Baekhyun had crossed all the lines possible.

“I’ll be outside, if you need anything”

You turned to look at your friend and ignored him, you took a chair and caressed her face, you held onto her hand, but you felt a sudden emptiness, like sadness rush over your body, just like the one your friend explained to you when Baekhyun was away or being distant, you wanted Suho to enter the room again, sadness, emptiness, tiredness…

“I should take you home, you’ve been here next to her for 3 hours you must be tired from your trip” you were awaken by Suho’s whisper on your ear, you felt butterflies in your stomach when you opened your eyes and felt his fingers touch your braids, you unintentionally smiled but then you realised there were more people in the room.

“Who are these? Any of you Bacon?”

“Hi, I’m Luhan”

“And I’m Xiumin, nice nickname you gave our stubborn bro”

You looked at Suho, more vampires, you suddenly had the urge to hide behind Suho’s back for some reason, and he did feel it.

“She’s tired I’ll better take her home”

You didn’t argue and went outside.

“She feels safe with you Suhoyah, I read her mind, it won’t be as difficult as you think” said Luhan tapping Suho’s shoulder, he was overwhelmed with joy.

Suho went outside the room meeting your eyes again, but how did he have so much self control was yet to be discussed with his mated brothers, he felt that he was mush every time your eyes met.

“I got you something to drink, I didn’t know what you liked so…” he said giving you a bag full of juices of all flavours, fizzy drinks and a bunch of cold coffee assortments, you found it cute.

“Am… thanks” that was the only time you sounded nice to him, Suho closed his eyes and inhaled biting his hand that gathered into a fist, his reaction was funny and you chuckled, finally giving him a chance to see your smile.

“I’d die happy if I died now”

“I thought you didn’t die”

“We do if we are stabbed in our hearts, but I feel the total opposite, I feel my heartbeats in my ears, I never felt this in my life”

“Don’t be silly take me home”

“My home?”

“Suho~~~”

“OH MY GOD! My name in your lips” he jumped up and down “say it again”

You laughed he was too funny to deny it, and too handsome, and too sexy, and too everything for that matter…

You arrived at your friend’s apartment, Suho took your luggage upstairs and waited at the door to be invited, you found yourself shy and not being able to look at him, but you needed to close the door at some point.

“Alright, thanks for bringing me, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow”

“Maybe I could…”

“Suho go home”

“OK but close the door, and don’t open to anyone that you don’t know, only me”

“Suho I am not 5, I’ll be alright, I’ll call you if I need anything”

“But it physically hurts me to leave, I was told that you would too”

“Well I’m perfectly fine, now go”

“Alright, I guess I have to” he waived and came closer to kiss your cheek but you moved your face, not annoyed you laughed and finally closed the door.

Suho took his phone and called Baekhyun.

“You know I would really like to understand how you cope with not being close to your mate”

“That happens when your mate refuses you, I’m kind of busy hyung” Baekhyun hang up the phone.

You were behind the door, you heard him talk in Korean, it sounded sexy, you imagined how his angry face expression would be, you wanted to see it, you had no control over your actions at that moment and your brains felt like they didn’t respond to your commands as you opened the door and stood behind it, next you saw Suho’s shoe entering the apartment followed by his leg, thigh… he was right in front of you and you saw him take your hand from the handle pushing the door closed behind him, you lifted your gaze and met Suho’s new face expression, no smile, lips pursed into a thin line and eyebrows forming a frown, what a daddy you thought… yes you though it was sexy and you had the urge to feel his skin on yours, anywhere, your hands, your face, your lips…

“Maybe we could talk” he said with a husky tone that made you groan thanking the heavens it came out silently, still felt your throat burning with excitement as you nodded your head.

“Tell me everything, I suddenly feel like I want to know, I promise I’ll try to be objective and not get angry, because I tend to be, I just… boy start talking”

Suho was happy enough with that, he sat in the couch, just like when he sat with Baekhyun’s mate explaining to her the situation, same scenario but here he had to convince his own mate.

He told you everything in detail, Baekhyun’s story was not a regular mate story, he wasn’t fortunate and there were a lot of misunderstandings and circumstances he couldn’t control, you still didn’t like Baekhyun but you got the details and you were hoping that your friend woke woke up soon.

“Thanks for being there for her tho”

“I did it because is Baekhyun’s mate, no matter what he’s still my brother and I love him”

“You’re too good, I feel that you carry all the burden for all of your brothers”

“I’m happy to hear that you see good in me”

“You’re still too white, not a vampire thing you are whiter than the others”

Suho threw his head backwards inhaling and exhaling loudly “I’m heartbroken that you don’t see me eye pleasing” he said unbuttoning 3 buttons from his shirt, remembering that his chest affected you in the elevator.

But his Adam’s apple was in display, it moved as he talked, was he playing right now? Did he not know how attractive he was? Did he not sense that you liked him?

“I didn’t say that” you gulped, he turned his head to meet your eyes.

“But I say you are the most beautiful woman that ever lived this earth”

“How do you know? Have you see them all women?”

“I have seen a few, but the thing is that after seeing you, my eyes will never ever see anything else”

“It almost feels like you’ve never been with a girl and now I’m your mate and you’re all horny?”

“I’ve been with a lot of girls, but I will never be able to be with anyone else”

You rubbed your hands together, all this sugar coming out from this out of this world male perfection, you were getting affected, he watched your nervousness, he enjoyed it…

“I mean yeah, it’s great to have a vampire guy next to you in summer, but what about winter?” stupid questions that just meant making his life impossible.

“Well… as you said… in summer is nice… in winter is also nice… because as a matter of fact… when you are next to your vampire mate… your body starts to get warmer” he said getting closer “and warmer… and warmer, till she feels like she’s burning up inside, from the need and the warmth of her blood that raised in temperature and nothing will sooth her but the ice cold skin” now Suho was almost touching your nose with his.

You looked down at his lips that looked shiny wet and had that magnet effect, he followed your eyes, he knew you were almost convinced.

“Like now… don’t you feel extremely hot? In mid February? The apartment has been empty for a while and you didn’t turn the central heating on?”

You stood up fanning yourself with your shirt, blowing some air on your cleavage, yes you were hot, and sweaty… and what the hell was this?

“OK I think it’s enough for one day, I’ll see you tomorrow Suho”

He stood up and you saw the disappointment in his face, you just wanted to caress them velvety cheeks.

“Let me at least do something, trust me, please”

“Alright” you leaned your back into the door and crossed your arms over your chest, you were expectant you couldn’t lie to yourself.

He slowly pulled your hand away from your chest and turned it to touch your palm with his thumb, he watched how you were fighting closing your eyes while your breath was getting heavier, finally your head hit the door and your eyes closed wanting more of this thumb touching that was sending you to heaven.

He pulled your sleeve up slowly and placed a kiss in your wrist, your veins were pumping blood furiously at this instant, like begging to be sucked, you even had the urge to almost ask him to do it, he watched you as you licked your lips, he prayed that he could be more patient until you spoke.

He looked at your arm and then he panicked “what is this?”

He woke you from your trance and you saw what he was referring to, you pulled your arm back and rolled the sleeve back down clearing your throat “nothing”

“What do you mean nothing, you are very dark skinned and yet I can clearly see the bruises, they look serious, not regular bruises from a bump”

“I said nothing, none of your business anyways” you replied now going back to the couch sitting down in total frustration “you should leave”

“You got that wrong tho, it is my business, you are mine and I’d like to know who did this to my mate”

“Watch it white boy, I belong to no one, just go before I get really angry and you don’t want to see my nasty me”

What you didn’t expect is Suho to go on his knees in front of you taking your hand into his, he was genuinely sad and worried, almost… crying? he buried his face on your lap.

“Who hurt you?”

You found yourself running your fingers through his hair instead of answering, he didn’t complaint just instead you felt his body trembling under your touch.

“Promise me you’re alright” he said lifting his head looking like the sweetest bunny pet.

“I am Suho, he will never hurt me again” Eric your ex-boyfriend was the type, but you finally freed yourself.

Suho without permission rolled your sleeve up again and placed a kiss over the bruises without breaking eye contact, you relaxed yourself and watched him giving finally a smile, Suho dared to dart his tongue out and you felt the cold wet trace that he left, watching your bruises disappear, your eyes doubling in size.

“Suho!”

“Do you have any other bruises?”

You rolled the sleeve to your other arm and showed him a matching bruise he repeated licking it watching it also disappear, after that he took both hands and kissed them, you caressed his cheeks finally feeling just as velvety as you imagined.

“It was my ex-boyfriend Eric”

Suho’s eyes reddened suddenly making you gasp, he looked angry and upset.

“He must be thankful that he’s not in my reach”

“It’s alright now, I’m alright” you said revealing your left shoulder that had an uglier bruise and a big scab.

“How could he?” tears formed in Suho’s eyes for the first time.

“That is why I don’t like Bacon”

He slowly positioned himself behind you placing his lips on you shoulder licking all the wound making it disappear once again, you knew he was finished but you didn’t complaint how he peppered little wet kisses.

“Baekhyun was hurt, he still is a vampire, she mentioned another man while she was mated to Baekhyun, and still Baekhyun can’t live without her… without her blood”

“Stop it you are scaring me now” you said pulling your shirt sitting back.

“But this is true, we cannot survive without our mate’s blood”

“So you want my blood too? And…”

“I want it, I crave for it, your blood is also craving to be sucked, you are craving for me to suck you” said Suho hoovering his face close to yours “but there’s something I want more”

“Why is it always what you want, this vampire/human relationship is just as selfish as an abusive human to another human”

“Don’t say that, please, don’t compare me to that… anything I take or want it will be as much enjoyable to me as it is to you”

“You are nothing to me Suho, just let’s get things clear here, thanks for the service curing me but really I can’t…”

“I want you to want me, I’d never suck you unless you tell me to, your body will ache if I don’t”

“Yeah… nope I don’t think so, goodnight Suho” you said getting up to open the door of the apartment.

Suho got up and kissed your cheek when you weren’t paying attention as you waited for him to leave.

“Please call me anytime”

It was 3am, your body was itchy, the image of Suho didn’t leave your head, the memory of his lips on your shoulder, your blood was boiling, you felt like 100º C your nails scratched your body creating a momentary friction but the itch…

Ice cold shower in February, you knew you will catch a cold or even worst a pneumonia, it felt as if he poisoned your skin with his lips, he mentioned only if he was close you’d feel heat, why were you feeling like this when he was far? You had to call him.

“Su-suhooo”

“Yes my love?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m right down, in the car”

“Pleaseee”

You heard the door bell ring before finishing your pleading, you wrapped a towel on yourself and opened the door, as he saw you he run his fingers through his hair and exhaled.

“What’s wrong? Why is your breath so heavy? And why is your skin so damaged? What happened? You are all wet and your hair, you’ll get sick”

“Stop nagging gosh, you sound like my mom”

Suho stepped inside and placed his hands over your shoulders making you gasp in surprise of the sudden cold touch that soothed you immediately, you started to feel the little droplets that were going down your body suddenly changing direction and instead they went up, you body felt dry, even your hair, Suho’s fingertips swallowed up all the moist.

“You are amazing…” you said without thinking.

“An you are more than anything I can put into words, please take me, accept me and I will guard you forever, loving and caring, I promise”

But he didn’t need to promise, that face cannot lie, you felt dirty wanting to take his innocence away and put to better work that tongue that kept peeking out to moisten his lips.

“Show me how vampires kiss”

“I’ll show you how your vampire mate kisses, which is better”

Suho took a step forward and titled his head catching your lips with his, softly tenderly, passionately… 

Nothing like you like…

His hands were to either side as if asking permission to touch you, you pushed him back to the door and took control of the kiss making him open his eyes in surprise watching the way you did it, 

‘Wow what a wild kitten did I get’ thought Suho…

You took his hands and forced them to wrap around your waist, Suho opened his legs and you nestled comfortably between them, you pulled his hair from the nape of his neck to deepen the kiss, you were in need to feel in control and who better than this horny vampire promising you eternal love.

“Wait” he broke the kiss “so does this mean, that you accepted me? As your mate?”

“Only if you agree to my conditions”

“Anything for my mate”

“You will not suck my blood, and I shall advise you that I will never be submissive, I will be dominant… always”

Suho’s shoulders sank when he heard that his mate wouldn’t allow him to taste her, you didn’t know that this condition drove other vampires crazy to a point where they committed suicide by burning in the sun… if he didn’t feed from you he’ll slowly go crazy, he thought with time this condition would change, no pressure he still had time.

The second condition, didn’t sound all bad.

“I will not feed from you until you tell me to, and the other condition? Does that mean I only get to touch you when you say”

“Yes, I’ll order and you’ll obey without complaints or you’ll earn yourself punishments”

“Punishments? Baby I am a vampire, how will you punish me?”

“You’ll be punished and you’ll be happy about it because it’s me”

Suho wrapped his hands around you tight kissing your neck “thank you my love”

“Nah ah ha, did I say you can kiss me?” you said pulling yourself away.

Suho’s eyes narrowed excited to see how it felt to be submissive.

“Follow me” you demanded and you pointed with your index finger.

“Yes ma’am!”

_______________________

A/N: But like it’s a Suho thing… thanks for reading next part will be up soon.