Chapter Text
The muscular black horse gallops across the rocky plain, followed closely by three others. Its hooves pound across the hard, dead grass and its loud, heavy breath billows from its nostrils in puffs of white. Up ahead the gates of the fortress are being raised for their arrival. The horses clatter into the courtyard, their hooves echoing off the high walls of stone.
The lead horse’s rider, Min Yoongi, removes his helmet and takes in a deep breath of the cold night air after so long of breathing through the small nose holes. As soon as the last rider is under the gate and into the courtyard, the gate is immediately lowered behind them.
One of the soldiers stationed at the gate runs up to Yoongi and holds his horse’s reins while he dismounts. His heavily booted feet are barely on the cold stone floor when a sharp voice calls his name.
Yoongi looks up to see Sabien, the head council member, sweeping towards him in his long robes of black and red. Yoongi gives the man a curt nod when he stops before him.
“How was your patrol of the Eastern Woods?” Sabien asks without preamble.
“It went well,” Yoongi replies, tucking his helmet under his arm. “We found a small pack of Lycans hiding inside a cave nearby Baron Kurnova’s estate. I think they were planning on attacking, but we found them first. They seemed pretty weak and were easily dispatched without much of a fight.”
Sabien nods and crosses his arms behind his back. “The human nobles are arriving tomorrow. I expect you to be ready to lead your Death Dealers to escort them back to the fortress.”
Yoongi has to fight the annoyed twisting of his mouth. He knows his duties, he doesn’t need this corpse telling him what to do. “Of course, sir.”
Sabien nods once more before turning on his heel and waltzing away. Yoongi rolls his eyes before turning back to his horse and giving her flank a few pats. She did well today and deserves some extra hay with her feed. Then he sets off towards the main fortress where his living quarters are. It’s been a long night and the sun will be rising soon, and Yoongi wants nothing more than to remove his heavy armor and climb into his lush, king-sized bed and sleep the day away.
After Lucian’s revolution last year in Romania under the rule of the Elder Viktor himself, tensions have been high in all the covens. Patrols have increased, persecution of captured Lycans has become more brutal. The council of Yoongi’s coven will not risk a repeat of what happened, and he in turn has to do all the work.
Yoongi passes by the council chamber, where the grand stone doors currently stand closed. His metal boots clang rhythmically along the stone floor, and every vampire he passes inclines their heads to the Captain of the Death Dealers. Yoongi ignores them all as he continues deeper into the stone labyrinth that is the fortress, following the torches set into the wall.
Finally, he comes across the weathered statue of a wraith emerging from the wall, and he knows his chambers are just around the corner. Before he can make it though, an annoyingly familiar scent, like the cloying sweetness of honey, reaches his nose, and he tenses.
“Yoongi,” comes a feminine voice, and from behind the statue steps a woman clad in a sweeping dress of the darkest emerald. The neckline of the gown plunges far below her chest, almost down to her navel, and her pale ivory skin gleams in the light of the torches. Her long auburn hair is twisted up into some complicated arrangement, and her dark blue eyes peer at Yoongi from under long lashes. Her blood red mouth twists into a smile when she sees him, something predatory in the lines of her thin lips, and Yoongi can already feel a headache coming on.
“Lady Fiona,” Yoongi says tiredly, adjusting the helmet under his arm and wishing he were anywhere but here.
“How went your patrol?” Fiona asks sweetly, stepping out of the shadow of the statue and closer to Yoongi. The sickening sweetness of her scent clouds Yoongi’s senses, and he has to try not to make a face.
“Fine,” he says curtly.
“My father tells me you valiantly fought off a pack of vicious Lycans today,” Fiona says, slowly beginning to circle around Yoongi as if she were stalking her prey.
Yoongi fights back an eye roll. He highly doubts that Sabien, Fiona’s father, had said that. How she found out about the Lycan pack is beyond Yoongi, but she woman has an uncanny ability for gossip and rumors and probably has a whole network feeding her information inside the fortress.
“Your father thinks too highly of me,” Yoongi replies stiffly, tensing when she gets a little too close.
Fiona makes a satisfied sort of sound, a smug smile painting her lips, still eyeing Yoongi like he’s a five course meal.
“Everyone agrees you’re the best Captain of the Death Dealers we’ve ever had,” she purrs at him, and Yoongi feels his skin crawl. He’s too tired to deal with this right now.
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Fiona,” Yoongi says flatly, and Fiona pauses in her circling, narrowing her eyes at him as her mouth goes tight.
“Why do you refuse to acknowledge that we’d be good together?” She all-but whines, her seductive facade crumbling. “Everyone thinks so. My father has even approved of our union when it happens.”
Yoongi bristles at her use of ‘when’, as if he has no say in the matter. He would rather die than be joined with someone like Fiona for all of eternity. “Because I have no interest in you in that way,” Yoongi says, trying not to get too worked up. “You know this, and I wish you’d let it go.”
Fiona glares at him and crosses her arms petulantly. “You’ll see. I’ll make you see. You will be mine, Min Yoongi. Mark my words.” Then she turns and stomps off down the hallway and out of sight.
Yoongi lets out a world weary sigh and turns the final corner to his chambers. He pushes open his doors and makes sure to lock them behind him. His head now pounds in the way only Fiona and her pining can bring on.
Slowly, as the tiredness hits Yoongi full force, he unsheaths his swords and strips himself of his breastplate and gauntlets. He pulls off his bracers and boots and his belt, from which the scabbards for his sword hangs. He tosses it all haphazardly on the wooden table by the door, except for his helmet, which he places back into its rightful spot on the display for his armor, and his sword, which he wipes down quickly with a cloth to remove the dried blood.
Yoongi pulls on a clean sleeping tunic and loose pair of cotton breeches, eyes already growing heavy. He pads across the rug and pelt covered floor and pulls back the heavy, rich sheets of fur and velvet of his bed. Yoongi pauses when he notices a crystal goblet of blood sitting on his bedside table and smiles softly to himself. Taehyung must have left it for him, knowing he’d be too tired when he got back to put in the effort to feed himself. In fact, if he really concentrates, Yoongi can faintly make out Taehyung’s maple and cinnamon scent lingering in his room.
He quickly downs the blood, long since having any real craving for it, and crawls under his sheets with a wide yawn. Tomorrow is going to be long and tiring, so Yoongi settles in to get as much sleep as possible as the sun rises outside.
~
The human nobles are to arrive soon, and Yoongi idly watches around him as the fortress is thrown into a whirlwind of preparation. Yoongi doesn’t understand why the council always makes such a big deal about the nobles visiting. They’re just humans.
He can’t even remember when he was a human, and he has no interest in it. He’s been alive too long to care for the trivial things that his coven obsesses over, blood and humans and entertainment, gossip and carnal interactions. All Yoongi cares about is the slaying and eradicating of all Lycans. It’s his only job and the one thing he’s good at.
Finally, a little after one in the morning, Yoongi sits astride his horse waiting for the signal to go meet the nobles in the woods. For his team, he chose Jungkook, his best and brightest Death Dealer, Vadim, a vampire with an uncanny skill with knives, Xiu Lee, a slight young woman with the fastest bow and arrow draw Yoongi’s ever seen, Marcellus and Quinn, two brothers who work like a well oiled machine, and Dahlia, a senior Death Dealer Yoongi greatly respects.
They all wait just inside the fortress gate for the signal, not speaking, tense as they listen to the night. Finally, miles off from the forest, a flaming arrow soars into the endless night sky.
“There!” Calls Xiu Lee, pointing at the arrow even as it begins to fall from the sky.
“Open the gates!” Yoongi barks out as he slips on his helmet, and immediately the impenetrable metal grate begins grinding upwards. As soon as there’s enough room, he digs his heels into his horse’s sides. “Hah!”
She takes off at a gallop, and the thundering of hooves behind him tells Yoongi that his men are following close behind. They thud across the rocky plain, dirt and rocks stirring up behind them as they go, Yoongi at the head. The cold air hits his face through the spaces in his helmet and he narrows his eyes in discomfort.
Soon enough they reach the woods and the Death Dealers follow Yoongi as his horse pounds down the dirt road drilled into the ground from centuries of use. Yoongi has all his senses open for the presence of Lycans, one hand clutching the reins and the other settled on the hilt of his sword, just to be safe.
He knows the meeting place where the other Death Dealers are waiting with the nobles is coming up, and Yoongi urges his horse faster, nerves on edge. The ground is eaten up as they weave through the trees, the heavy thudding of half a dozen war horses and the buzzing of crickets the only sound in the night.
Finally, up ahead Yoongi sees lanterns through the trees. The Death Dealers following Yoongi wordlessly form into one line behind him as they approach. Ahead, Yoongi can see Leora, Florian, Fay, and Hoseok, Yoongi’s right hand man, waiting at the head of half a dozen covered wagons.
“Form up!” Yoongi calls out and the riders behind him immediately fan out and spread around the wagons, flanking them on all sides. Yoongi finally pulls his horse to a stop in front of Hoseok, who he can recognize by his minty scent even though his face is obscured by his helmet. “Any problems?”
Hoseok shakes his head and adjusts the grip of his reins in his hands. “None, and I don’t like it. It’s too quiet.”
Yoongi nods and glances around him at the abandoned forest. “Let’s get going, then. Hoseok, I want you, Jungkook and Xiu Lee flanking.” Hoseok nods and turns his horse to canter back to join the others.
Yoongi maneuvers his horse until he’s at the head of the procession with Dahlia and Florian just behind him on either side. Yoongi raises his fist and points it back in the direction of the fortress. “Let’s move out!”
The nobles’ wagons creak into motion, with each one's stagecoach driver, the only humans not hidden from view, peering around at the vampires nervously. If Yoongi listens intently, he can hear the nobles whispering to each other inside their covered wagons.
Its as their whole procession is passing through the forest the way they came, at an achingly slow pace, that Yoongi is hit with a scent unlike anything he’s ever smelled before.
It's like the scent of delicate spring after a brutal winter. Its sweetness with a touch of intoxicating spice that Yoongi can’t place. Its soft and warm and so mouthwatering that Yoongi accidentally jerks on his reins, bringing his horse to a sharp halt. He stares around him wildly, trying to locate the source of the scent, and finally tracks it to one of the covered wagons.
“Captain?”
Yoongi jumps and turns to see Dahlia watching him in concern, her hand on the hilt of her sword. “What is it? Do you hear something?”
Realizing that the rest of the procession has stopped as well, Yoongi quickly shakes himself and tries to regain his composure. “It’s nothing,” he says, digging his heels into his horse’s sides.
They begin moving again and Yoongi tries to ignore the scent following behind him. It’s muffled, clouded by the cover of the wagon, but its still the best thing Yoongi’s ever smelled, and its messing with him. He needs to be focused on the task at hand, not at the ghost of a scent plaguing him.
The going is slow now that they have the nobles, and Yoongi aches to simply urge his horse into a gallop and leave the humans behind. He hates that he has to be in charge of these burdensome creatures.
Finally, after what feels like forever, they break out of the forest and can see the fortress built into the great mountain in the distance ahead.
“Fay and Vadim, ride ahead and alert the council that we’ll be arriving soon,” Yoongi calls back behind him, and a moment later, two figures clad in black armor gallop off ahead of the procession, their cloaks streaming behind them as they go.
That intoxicating scent is almost dissipated now that they’re out of the closeness of the forest and in the open air, and Yoongi breathes a little easier.
Dahlia pulls up close next to him and eyes him through her helmet, irises glowing icy blue. “Is this not too easy?”
Yoongi shakes his head, glancing around him suspiciously. “Don’t jinx it. We’re almost back to the coven and then our duty is finished until we have to escort them back.” Dahlia nods and falls back into step behind Yoongi.
After what feels like hours, they finally arrive as the gates are being raised for them. Yoongi leads the procession through and waits off to the side of the courtyard until the last of the wagons and finally Hoseok, Jungkook, and Xiu Lee clear the gate. It’s lowered with a groaning creak behind them as Yoongi dismounts his horse.
Down from the steps of the fortress come the council members, all nine of them flanked by multiple other aristocratic vampires, all dressed their very best for their guests. Seokjin, a lead council member, and Namjoon, the Keeper of Records, bring up the rear, walking arm-in-arm. Seokjin winks at Yoongi from his place off to the side, and Yoongi rolls his eyes back at him, handing his reins to a stableboy. Fiona, dressed in a gown of blood red that leaves nothing to the imagination, loftily follows after the council members, head held high with pride. She tries to catch Yoongi’s eye but he pointedly looks the other way.
“Any problems?” Sabien, at the head of the group, mutters to Yoongi in passing.
“None,” Yoongi replies. Sabien nods and continues on his way to the ring of wagons, from which humans are beginning to tentatively emerge from.
“Welcome, honored guests!” Sabien cries with open arms, but Yoongi turns around and begins walking away. He has no interest in seeing the nobles, even if that scent lingers in his nose and makes him just the smallest bit curious to see who it belongs to.
His Death Dealers are lined up to the side, and he nods at them as he passes. “Good work, all of you. Relax for a few hours, you’ve earned it.” They all bow their heads at him before beginning to disperse.
Hoseok and Jungkook quickly fall into step beside him as he ascends the steps leading into the fortress, leaving the nobles behind. “Did you not find that odd?” Hoseok asks in a muttered tone, helmet held under his arm. “No sign of any Lycans. Not one.”
Yoongi, too, pulls off his helmet and pushes back his sweaty black hair, finally able to breath free again. “It was odd, but best not to question it. We made it back with no problems, and for that, I’m grateful.”
“But--” Jungkook begins to complain, when the rapid patter of feet ahead interrupts him. Around the corner explodes Taehyung, the head of Human Relations, with his fluffy brunette hair ruffled and his ceremonial robes thrown half on. His big doe eyes are wide and he is muttering something to himself when he sees the three Death Dealers standing in the hallway, and his eyes light up.
“Oh, hello!” He exclaims with a big boxy grin. He turns to Jungkook and flutters his lashes at him. “Hello, Jungkookie. How did escorting the nobles go?”
Jungkook’s round eyes are huge and his mouth gapes open and closed as he stares at Taehyung. “Uh--I--um, it…good, uh...” he stutters, swallowing thickly. Yoongi holds back a snort and Hoseok is openly snickering.
“It went well,” Yoongi saves Jungkook from embarrassing himself further. “Speaking of the nobles, shouldn’t you be down there greeting them?”
Taehyung’s grin disappears and he groans loudly, smacking himself on the forehead. “I overslept, and now Sabien’s going to have my head on a plate. I have one job. One job,” Taehyung sighs loudly. He quickly shakes himself and waves at them before rushing past and disappearing down the hall they just came from, muttering as he goes.
Yoongi waits until he’s sure Taehyung is out of earshot before raising a brow at Jungkook, who is still gaping at where Taehyung disappeared. “When are you going to man up and mate him?”
Yoongi knows that if Jungkook were human, his entire face would turn flaming red. He sputters at Yoongi, looking for all the world like a young boy and not a deadly killing machine born of the night.
“W-what?” Jungkook gasps, blinking like crazy. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Hoseok rolls his eyes and shoves at Jungkook’s shoulder. “Oh, please. You two have been dancing around each other for the past eighty years. Man up and do something about it.”
Jungkook pushes back at Hoseok with too much roughness. “Well, what about you and Xiu Lee?”
Now it’s Hoseok’s turn to look flustered. “What do you mean?”
Jungkook rolls his eyes and sniffs the air in superiority. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
Not in the mood to hear his men squabble like children, Yoongi pushes past them and calls out, “I’ll leave you two ladies to fight it out,” behind him as he goes.
Once he’s safely inside his chambers, Yoongi sets down his helmet and unsheaths his weapon. He pulls off his gauntlets and gloves and runs a tired hand over his face, sitting heavily at the table with a sigh.
He’d planned on getting a few hours of sleep before escorting the nobles back, but now he’s suddenly plagued with the memory of that scent from before. He sits debating with himself for a while until Yoongi finally mutters, “Fuck it,” and stands up to reapply his armor. He’ll just go have a quick peek in the council chamber and then come back to sleep.
Yoongi backtracks the way he came, encountering next to no one in the halls since everyone has gathered to see the nobles. When he reaches the council chamber, Yoongi takes the longer way around so that he’ll come out through a hidden door behind a set of curtains at the back of the chamber, instead of the main doors where everyone will see him.
Yoongi pushes aside the red velvet curtain and steps far enough in the council chamber that he can see but is mostly hidden. He looks out into a huge, circular stone chamber, the ceiling rising high above and disappearing into darkness. Cast iron chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, candelabra as tall as Yoongi line the way down to a ring of carved stone thrones set into the wall. Heavy velvet curtains drape the walls, and rising stone pillars support the structure of the room. Towards the front where the doors are, benches carved into the stone line the walls on either side, and this is where the regular members of the coven sit. Yoongi can see Fiona lounging on a velvet cushion, a goblet of blood in her hand as she giggles with two vampire women beside her. Jungkook stands resolutely by the front doors, still in his armor, while Hoseok sits at the benches next to Xiu Lee. Their shoulders are pressed together, a little too close for just friends.
In each of the nine thrones sits one of the council members. Sabien, as chief council, sits directly in the middle in the most lavish throne. On his left is Seokjin and on his right is Cecelia, then Bortolomej, Idris, Alessandra, Jorin, Sabah, and Astor. Namjoon is seated at a small stone desk in front of Sabien, an empty scroll in front of him and his quill held at the ready.
In the center of the chamber are gathered about two dozen humans. They are gathered together by the grouping of their families, and each of the heads of their house stands with a heavy wooden chest at their feet filled with silver coins that will be used for weapons against the Lycans. Yoongi can tell they are all dressed in their very finest, which is almost laughable in comparison to the get-ups the vampires are wearing.
They all look nervous, glancing around at their curious audience and shifting on their feet. Yoongi steps a little further from behind the curtain, which causes Jin, who is positioned directly in front of it, to look behind him curiously. When he sees Yoongi standing in the shadow of the curtain, he raises his eyebrows in question. Yoongi just shakes his head as a form of response and returns to observing the nobles.
“Lord Havoh, what is this?” Sabien is saying, and one of the finely dressed men jumps a little and steps forward. “Surely this is not all you have brought?”
Lord Havoh gulps and glances down at his chest, which is a little smaller than the others. “Forgive me, my lord. Our silver mine has been overrun by the beasts that you promise to protect us from.”
Yoongi winces at the look of rage that crosses Sabien’s pale, aged face. He’s about to spit something back when Taehyung, who is standing near the nobles but not close enough to spook them, rushes forward, hands raised in surrender and eyes wide.
“I believe what he means, my lord,” Taehyung begins, and all eyes shift to him. “Is that times were tough this quarter, but should we provide assistance, surely Lord Havoh will double the silver next time around for our troubles.”
Sabien falls into a brooding silence, rubbing idly at his chin while he considers Taehyung. Finally, he grunts and gives a small half nod, and Yoongi smiles to himself. Taehyung really is good at his job.
Its then that that scent hits Yoongi again, and he reels back at the force it smacks him with, sweet and spicy and alluring. He steps fully out from behind the curtain, eyes wildly scanning the nobles, looking for the source.
“Baron Park,” Sabien speaks up, commanding silence from the room. “I see you, on the other hand, have done your share.”
Baron Park steps forward around the biggest chest of silver, his chest puffed up in pride. He’s a handsome man with black, greying hair and robes of fine bronze. With him stand four tall boys, all just as attractive and imposing. Its when one of the young men steps aside to grant his father more room that Yoongi sees him.
A boy, smaller and more petite than who Yoongi assumes are his brothers. Unlike the other boys, who all have dark hair and strong features, this one has hair the color of honey and the softest face Yoongi has ever seen. Full cheeks filled with color and plump lips and soft wheat colored hair that sweeps across his forehead in waves. Unlike his brothers, who are dressed in sturdy tunics and cloaks of fur, this boy is wearing a black velvet dress that hangs at an a-line, starting at his knees and ending back around his calves. The underside of the dress, Yoongi can see when it flutters, is made of red velvet. The boy has his hands clasped together in front of him, the sleeves almost completely obscuring them. The exposed part of his legs are bare, and even from here, Yoongi can see how smooth and soft they are. He’s wearing a pair of small black leather ankle boots with cute red socks. That wonderful scent is coming off the blonde boy in waves, and Yoongi is beginning to grow a little dizzy from it.
He is easily the most beautiful person in the entire room, and Yoongi is sure this must be his first time to the fortress, because there’s no way he’d miss someone like this.
“You are too kind, my lord,” Baron Park says, throwing a nasty smirk at Lord Havoh. His booming voice jerks Yoongi out of his stupor, and yet he still can’t take his eyes off the blonde angel.
As if sensing eyes on him, the boy looks up and his gaze meets Yoongi’s from across the chamber.
Something hot explodes in Yoongi’s chest and spreads outward into the rest of his body, seeping into his bones and down into the tips of his fingers. He feels the breath get snatched from his throat when the boy’s dark eyes blink at him curiously.
His heart, which has beat steadily for the last eight hundred years, picks up in pace for the first time Yoongi can remember in ages. It pounds against his chest in an odd stuttering rhythm, and it would be uncomfortable if it weren’t so exhilarating.
Sabien and Baron Park are still talking, but Yoongi and the boy seem to be frozen in time, staring at each other. Tuning in, Yoongi can hear the boy’s heart beating rapidly in his chest, can hear the way he swallows nervously, can hear his breathing hitch. Yoongi knows his eyes are turning electric blue, but he can’t seem to stop them with all the adrenaline coursing through his body. Even from here he can see color filling the boy’s cheeks, and it's the most beautiful thing Yoongi’s ever seen.
The boy is the first to break eye contact. He looks down at the ground and bites his lip, twisting his sleeves in his hands. Yoongi can’t take his eyes off him though, drinking in every feature of his form.
Sabien rises from his throne and opens his arms. “I thank you all for coming tonight and for your cooperation,” he says, and Yoongi blinks in surprise. He and the boy must have locked eyes for longer than Yoongi thought. “You may linger for a awhile, but of course, you must be out before dawn.”
Yoongi watches as the nobles gather to leave. One of the blonde boy’s brothers shoves him roughly by the shoulder when he doesn’t immediately move, and he trips and stumbles over his feet with a little gasp.
Yoongi’s fangs slide out and a rage unlike anything he’s felt before overtakes him. His fists curl around the cold stone of the back of Jin’s throne, causing the older vampire to look at him in alarm.
“Are you okay?”
Yoongi knows his eyes are on fire and he has to hold back the hiss vibrating on the back of his tongue. He watches the boy right himself and cast Yoongi a quick glance, cheeks bright pink. Then he turns and quickly follows after his family and the other nobles.
Yoongi watches until all the nobles have filtered slowly out of the council chamber, and only then does he let his muscles relax. His grip on Jin’s throne loosens and his eyes return to their normal black.
“What was that all about?”
Yoongi looks sharply at Jin, who is watching him closely. “Nothing,” he mutters. Then he turns around and sweeps aside the curtain, disappearing behind it before Jin can question him further.
Yoongi stalks down the damp stone hallway, trying to clear his head. What in hell just happened? Who is that boy and how did he manage to pull such a reaction out of Yoongi?
Yoongi’s plan is to head straight back to his chambers and try to get at least an hour of sleep, but halfway up the stairs he catches the boy’s scent again, and before Yoongi knows what he’s doing, he turns around and begins following it.
He finds the nobles gathered around the main entrance to the fortress, talking idly amongst themselves and nervously with a few vampires who are intermingled between them. Yoongi sees Fiona talking to one of the blonde’s brothers, fluttering her lashes up at him and twirling a strand of her auburn hair flirtily.
Yoongi searches the crowd and quickly finds the boy off to the side standing by himself. He’s now wearing a heavy white fur cloak over his dress, clutching it around him as if he were freezing. It drapes over his slim shoulders and dwarves him, and Yoongi feels his heart softening at the sight.
Yoongi doesn’t know what he’s doing, he just knows that he needs to get closer to this boy. He skirts around the main party, slinking like a cat through the shadows until he’s standing right behind the boy. His scent this close is intoxicating, and Yoongi has to take a second to brace himself against it.
“I’ve never seen you here before,” Yoongi murmurs quietly, and the boy jumps and spins around in fright.
He blinks at Yoongi in surprise, recognition registering on his face. This close, he’s even more beautiful than Yoongi imagined.
“Oh,” the boy breathes out, and his voice is so soft and melodic that Yoongi feels himself crumbling. “It’s my, um, first time here. I just came of age.” He’s visibly nervous in Yoongi’s presence, torn between staring at Yoongi’s face and down at the ground. He pulls the pelt tighter around himself and swallows thickly.
That explains why Yoongi’s never seen him before. Looking at him now, Yoongi thinks he can’t be more than twenty one. The spicy scent of him is so strong this close, and Yoongi can now make out undertones of orange blossoms under the freshness of spring that clings to him.
“I’m Yoongi,” the vampire says quietly, wanting to step closer but not wanting to startle the boy.
He peers at Yoongi uncertainty and nervously licks his plump, full lips, making Yoongi die a little inside. “Jimin,” he replies softly after a moment of consideration.
Jimin. A name as beautiful as the face it belongs to.
“What did you think of the gathering, Jimin?” Yoongi asks, his eyes tracing Jimin’s soft features. The human bites his lip and his gaze flicks behind Yoongi for a second.
“My father says I shouldn’t talk to you,” he says in a mumble, glancing down at the ground.
Yoongi cocks his head and takes the slightest of steps closer. Jimin tenses a little but doesn’t move away. “Why is that?”
Jimin swallows nervously and his eyes flick back up to Yoongi for a second. “He says you’re...not to be trusted.”
Yoongi smiles softly at this. “That’s true for most of my kind,” Yoongi says, and Jimin looks up at him in surprise. “But not all of them.”
Jimin’s pretty lips part a little as he stares at Yoongi, unconsciously adjusting his grip on his white furs.
“Jimin!” Barks a sharp voice, and the two of them turn to see Jimin’s father and brothers stalking towards them. Jimin takes the smallest of steps into Yoongi’s shadow, and for some reason, that makes Yoongi want to rip the world apart to protect him.
He casts his eyes to the ground as his father stops before them, and Yoongi’s fingers twitch with the urge to take Jimin’s hand in his own to comfort him.
Where the hell is all this coming from? Yoongi hasn't felt feelings this strong in centuries.
Baron Park narrows his eyes between the two of them standing so close together, before jerking his head towards the grand entrance doors. “Come. We’re getting ready to leave.” Behind him, Jimin’s brothers sneer at him.
Jimin’s shoulders droop and he stares down at his feet. “Yes, father.”
Jimin steps around Yoongi before turning back to him and dipping into a little bow, his eyes lingering on Yoongi’s face for a moment. Then he turns and follows his family and the rest of the nobles out of the doors and down the stairs into the courtyard. The realization that Jimin is leaving hits Yoongi and he reels back in shock at the surge of emotions that hit him in the chest.
He just found Jimin and now he’s already leaving? Why does that thought hurt so much?
Trying to gather himself, Yoongi waits until the last of the nobles are outside before he quickly backtracks to his chambers to grab his helmet and weapons. When he makes it back out to the courtyard, his Death Dealers are already out there waiting to the side while the nobles begin to pack themselves back into their wagons. Half a dozen stable boys approach with their horses, and Yoongi grabs the reins of his and swings into the saddle.
“Mount up!” He calls out, to which the Death Dealers immediately obey.
Jimin, who is the last to climb into his family’s wagon, pauses in stepping inside and stares over at Yoongi, face surprised when he recognizes his voice. Yoongi trots by with his helmet under his arm, checking to make sure all the nobles are safely inside their carriages.
“On your word, Captain,” Hoseok calls out, and Yoongi nods at him.
“Captain?” A small voice makes Yoongi look over to see Jimin staring at him.
A small smile pulls at Yoongi’s lips and he winks at Jimin. “Surprised?”
Jimin flushes bright pink and at that moment is roughly pulled into the wagon. The door is slammed shut behind him and Yoongi can hear harsh whispers of reprimand that makes him grit his teeth in anger.
He stares at the closed door where Jimin just disappeared for a moment before shaking himself. He has to focus on the task at hand. The thought of letting Jimin go is making his chest ache, but he has a job to do.
Yoongi slips on his helmet and canters to the front of the procession to begin leading them through the gates as they are raised. The Death Dealers fall into their positions from before, with Dahlia and Florian at Yoongi’s side, Hoseok, Jungkook, and Xiu Lee at the rear, and the rest flanking the wagons on the sides.
They begin the trek across the barren plain towards the forest. The going is a little faster this time, and Yoongi can tell the humans are impatient to return home and be rid of the vampires. He keeps catching whiffs of Jimin’s scent and it's the most he can do to remain focused on the task at hand.
They reach the treeline sooner than Yoongi would have liked, because it's much too soon to part from Jimin. As his horse clops along slowly, Yoongi strains his senses for any signs of danger. The night is freezing and Yoongi hopes Jimin is warm enough in his carriage.
Soon enough they reach the spot where they met the other Death Dealers before, and Yoongi knows it's time to leave. Leora, Fay, and Florian break off from the others and trot ahead to clear the way. Hoseok brings his horse around and stops in front of Yoongi.
“You can handle it from here?” Yoongi asks, though he knows the answer already. Hoseok snorts from beneath his helmet and nods.
“Yes, mother,” he replies, and Yoongi rolls his eyes.
He casts one last glance at the wagon carrying Jimin, and he swears he can see a pair of dark eyes peering at him through a gap in the canvas. Yoongi’s fists tighten around his reins and he forces himself to look away.
“Let’s move out,” he calls to his remaining Death Dealers, and they nudge their horses into place. Trying to ignore the gaping pit in his chest, Yoongi digs his heels into his horse’s sides and sends her into a canter. Hooves thud behind him to let him know that the others are following.
They quickly pass through the forest, now a familiar path, and as soon as they cross the treeline, their horses break into a full gallop. Yoongi lets the thudding of the motion of his horse and the wind in his face try to distract him from the emptiness he’s feeling.
They eat up the rocky ground and soon enough the front gates are nearing. It begins creaking up for their arrival when a earsplitting howl rips the night. Yoongi yanks hard on the reins, bringing his horse up short and making her whicker in annoyance. She stops so hard that they skid across the dead grass for a moment.
More howls split the night and Yoongi whips around to stare at the forest they’d just come from. Then the very human screams begin, and Yoongi’s heart drops into his stomach.
Jimin.
“Lycans!” Cries Jungkook as the others stop hard as well.
“Shit,” Yoongi mutters. He spins his horse around and unsheaths his sword, holding the reins with his left hand. “Charge!” Yoongi yells, and the Death Dealers take off.
Yoongi doesn’t think he’s ever ridden his horse as hard in his life. All he can think of is Jimin Jimin Jimin. He prays he gets there in time as more howls and screams disturb the night.
They make it across the plain after what feels like a hundred years, and then they are pounding through the forest, following the howls and roars that are growing louder every second.
They burst through a gap in the trees and find a scene of chaos. There are at least a dozen Lycans attacking the wagons, and not enough Death Dealers to defend the humans. Hoseok is viciously fighting for his life against two Lycans, Fay is attempting to fight off a huge beast from Leora, and Florian is lying bloody on the ground next to a headless Lycan.
The wagons are in shambles and there are even more bodies, this time human, lying across the ground as the Lycans rip through them with ease. There is blood everywhere and Yoongi frantically searches for Jimin.
“Kill the dogs!” He yells, fangs sliding out and eyes going blue. The Death Dealers shout and leap into the fray, swinging their weapons and sending blood and guts flying.
Xiu Lee nocks an arrow onto her bow and lets it soar, where it strikes one of the Lycans Hoseok is fighting. It drops dead with a howl of pain and Hoseok quickly sends the other one after it with his axe. Jungkook jumps his horse over a dead noble and swings his great sword at a giant, black-furred beast when it leaps at him. It falls to the ground and is quickly replaced with two others. Marcellus and Quinn leap to Jungkook’s aid, and the three of them fight the monsters back.
A trio of nobles crawl out from their shattered wagon and climb to their feet. They stumble over each other as they start running deeper into the forest, but a Lycan appears out of nowhere and snatches up the woman in its giant fanged mouth and sends her flying with a scream. It stands on its hind legs and lets out a guttural roar that deafens Yoongi, swinging at the other two humans with its huge claws and shredding them to ribbons. Yoongi kicks his horse and charges at the Lycan, swinging at its middle as he passes and cleaving it in two.
One of the wagons has caught fire and there are humans running everywhere. Through the smoke, Yoongi sees one of Jimin’s brothers trying to dig through the wreckage of their wagon, but a Lycan pounces on him and tears his head off with a growl.
“No!” Yoongi shouts, galloping at the werewolf. He takes it by surprise and sends its head flying through the trees. Under the broken boards of the wagon, Yoongi can see Baron Park and another of the brothers lying lifeless underneath.
He hears a loud scream and whips around just in time to see a Lycan attacking Leora. It rips at her neck viciously and her body drops to the forest floor, eyes lifeless and blood spilling from her mouth. Yoongi roars in rage and is just about to charge at the beast when he hears a terrified whimpering on the breeze.
He turns to see Park Jimin curled up in the shadow of a shattered wagon as a Lycan four times his size closes in, a horrible growl rumbling in its throat and its fangs dripping with blood.
He doesn’t have time to feel relief as he acts. Yoongi doesn’t even think. He leaps his horse over the fallen bodies and brings his sword down hard on the Lycan’s head. It howls in pain and falls back with a heavy thump, raining blood all over Jimin. Jimin is cowering on the ground, his golden hair red with blood and his pretty dress ripped. He has his face buried in his arms and is quivering like a leaf.
Yoongi shoves his sword in his scabbard and brings his horse to a halt beside the human. “Jimin,” he says, voice gentle, and Jimin jumps in fear and looks up at him. His eyes go wide when he recognizes Yoongi. His cheeks are stained with tears and his eyes are swollen and red.
“Y-Yoongi?” He whispers in shock.
Yoongi leans down over his horse and grabs Jimin by the arm. He easily swings the boy up onto the saddle behind him, and Jimin squeaks in surprise at the sudden change in position.
“Hold on to me,” Yoongi says, turning his head to look back at Jimin and redrawing his weapon.
The boy immediately wraps his arms around Yoongi’s waist and burrows himself under the Death Dealer’s black cloak. He hides his face in Yoongi’s neck and squeezes so tight Yoongi can actually feel it through his armor.
The vampire turns back to see that the battle has mostly died down. One final Lycan roars and charges at Dahlia, but Yoongi snatches up the throwing knives attached to his saddle and throws them with a grunt. They make contact with the werewolf’s torso and neck and it goes down with a wail.
A deathly silence falls for a few beats until Yoongi pulls himself together. Jimin’s weight is solid and warm at his back. He’s safe.
“Report?” Yoongi calls out, voice rough.
“Leora, Florian, and Vadim didn’t make it,” Fay says in a small voice, crouching by Leora’s body and gently closing her eyelids.
Yoongi sighs deeply and takes a moment to mourn his soldiers. They were valued warriors and will be greatly missed.
All the Death Dealers are bloodied up in some way. Xiu Lee has it the worst with a deep gash on her neck that is flowing freely. Hoseok is crouched next to her with a cloth pressed to the wound. He has a few cuts on his face but is otherwise unharmed.
“Human survivors?” Yoongi asks, looking around.
“I have one here,” replies a bruised Jungkook, helping a quivering young man out from beneath the debris of a wagon.
“Two here,” says Marcellus as he and Quinn help two ladies onto their horses.
“One more here,” Dahlia announces, helping an older, portly man to his feet.
Yoongi squeezes his eyes closed, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. Including Jimin, only five of the human nobles survived the attack. He glances up at the sky and can tell dawn it not far off. Jimin is still shivering violently behind him and Yoongi knows he needs to get him to safety.
“Gather up our fallen and burn the bodies before they turn,” Yoongi commands, and Marcellus and Quinn rush to obey.
They tether on their dead to their horses, which are miraculously still alive, and then move out, leaving the burning corpses of both humans and Lycans behind them. Xiu Lee is forced to ride on the back of Hoseok’s saddle, since she’s still bleeding and can’t maneuver her horse. As the Death Dealers and their human riders pass Yoongi in a single line, Jimin stirs against his back.
“Is it over?” A small, quivering voice asks, muffled by the way Jimin still has his face buried in Yoongi’s neck. Yoongi places a gauntlet-clad hand over the arms Jimin has wrapped around his waist.
“It's over,” he says softly, and Jimin seems to relax a little at his touch.
Now it's a race against time to get back to the fortress before the sun rises. Yoongi kicks his horse into a trot until he’s at the head of the riders. “Hold on tight,” Yoongi murmurs to Jimin, who wraps his arms tighter around Yoongi’s middle.
They take off at a gallop, pounding through the woods for what feels like the 100th time today. They break the treeline and pelt towards the fortress as the Death Dealers’ cloaks flap behind them, all except for Yoongi’s, since Jimin has it tucked around him like a blanket.
They make it across the plain in what feels like the fastest time yet, and the gates raise for them. They steer their horses through and clatter loudly into the courtyard where another battalion of Death Dealers await from the sides. The entire council is gathered around the grand fortress staircase, and Yoongi groans internally, knowing his night is not even being close to over.
Yoongi taps at Jimin’s arms when a stable boy rushes up, and the human loosens his grip just enough for Yoongi to slide off his saddle. He immediately turns and places his hands on Jimin’s slim waist to help him down. The blonde boy steadies himself with his hands on Yoongi’s shoulders as the vampire effortlessly lifts him off the horse and sets him down. He frowns when he sees that Jimin is missing a shoe and his small foot is unprotected against the cold stone ground. It's coated up to the ankle in blood.
The stable boy leads his horse away, and the council moves in tandem towards them. Jimin shrinks and moves closer to Yoongi, clutching at his arm with small, chubby hands. The action awakens something inside Yoongi, something instinctual and primal, and he knows in that moment that he will never let anything harm this boy.
He takes a step forward so that his armored body is mostly hiding Jimin from view as Sabien and the others stop before Yoongi. The chief council member watches as the Death Dealers not involved in the battle rush forward to take care of the bodies of their fallen. Eliska, an elderly woman with a strong maternal instinct, approaches the battered human nobles, a few of her helpers at her side. They begin handing out blankets and cloaks to the traumatized humans, who accept them with shaky hands.
When Eliska approaches Jimin with a blanket, he squeaks in fear and shrinks further behind Yoongi. She pauses and glances at Yoongi in question, who takes the blanket from her instead.
“I’ve got it, thank you, Eliska,” he says quietly. The woman nods and moves away, and Yoongi turns to wrap the blanket securely around Jimin, tugging it tight around his shoulders and up the sides of his face. Jimin stares at Yoongi in what almost looks like awe the whole time, and Yoongi wonders if he’s in shock.
“What in hell happened?” Sabien demands sharply, looking from Yoongi to Hoseok, who is lifting an injured Xiu Lee from his horse and checking her wound tenderly.
“An ambush,” Yoongi says, and Sabien turns his electric blue eyes to Yoongi sharply.
At that moment, Taehyung bursts through the crowd and stops before a bruised and bloody Jungkook, his eyes wide in horror and his mouth gaping. His hands flutter around Jungkook like he wants to touch him but isn’t sure how. Jungkook stares back at him in obvious longing, swallowing nervously. Finally, Taehyung lays his hand on Jungkook’s cheek and gently caresses it, leaning into his space and saying something too softly for Yoongi to hear. Jungkook’s eyes flutter closed and he leans into Taehyung’s touch, his expression smoothing out into one of pure serenity.
“I want to see you and Hoseok in the council chamber,” Sabien says to Yoongi. He turns to Eliska and motions towards the nobles. “Get our human guests cleaned up and settled into rooms. They’ve had a very trying night.”
As Eliska gathers up the humans, Jimin’s grip on Yoongi tightens and he looks up at him in alarm. “Don’t leave,” he whispers, pressing close and staring at Yoongi with wide eyes.
Yoongi’s heart aches and he would rather die than leave Jimin right now, but he doesn’t have a choice. “It’s okay,” Yoongi says softly, turning so his back is to Sabien and he’s blocking Jimin from view. “You’re safe. I’ll come find you after.”
Jimin looks like he wants to protest but thinks better of it. Yoongi turns to where Taehyung and Jungkook are pressed close, speaking quietly together.
“Taehyung,” Yoongi calls, and the vampire looks up sharply. Yoongi jerks his head to motion him over, and with a last loving look at Jungkook, he makes his way to them.
“This is Jimin,” Yoongi says when Taehyung stops before them, and the younger vampire looks at Jimin curiously. “He’s very nervous and exhausted. I need you to take care of him until I come back, okay?”
Taehyung’s clever eyes must read something in Yoongi’s expression, because he nods after a long moment and turns to Jimin with a brilliant boxy grin. “I’m Taehyung,” he says in his best Human Relations voice. “How about we go get you cleaned up?” He holds out his hand for Jimin, who stares down at it blankly.
He looks back up at Yoongi in question, and the Death Dealer nods reassuringly. “You can trust Taehyung.”
Jimin licks his lips nervously and stares at Yoongi a moment longer before giving a little nod. A small hand sneaks out from the blanket and takes Taehyung’s offered hand, and the size difference of them makes Yoongi’s heart ache. Taehyung leads a stumbling Jimin off where Eliska took the other humans. Jimin keeps looking over his shoulder at Yoongi until they turn a corner and disappear from sight.
Yoongi turns to follow Sabien and the other council members up the stairs and pauses when he sees Fiona standing off to the side, her gaze sharp on where Jimin turned the corner. A sense of foreboding settles in Yoongi’s stomach when he realizes she must have watched their whole exchange, probably from the moment they rode into the courtyard.
Pushing this thought aside, Yoongi climbs the stairs as the other vampires begin drifting inside as the sun prepares to rise. Hoseok falls into step beside him and they share an exhausted look.
It’s going to be a long morning.
~
It's already high noon by the time Yoongi and Hoseok are released from the debrief with the council. They part ways outside the chamber, Hoseok to go check on Xiu Lee in the infirmary and Yoongi to go see Jimin.
He stops at his chambers first and cleans up. He removes all his armor for what feels like the first time in years and slips on a simple black silk tunic and leather breeches. A big copper basin of water has been placed on his bedside table, and Yoongi quickly washes his face and hands to rid them of any traces of blood. He takes a moment to gulp down the goblet of blood left for him as well so he doesn’t look like a complete corpse going to see Jimin.
He finds Taehyung in the halls, most likely on his way to go see Jungkook. He assures Yoongi that Jimin is doing good and tells him where his room is.
Following Taehyung’s directions, Yoongi finds himself standing outside a carved wooden door not too far from his own chambers. From within, he can make out Jimin’s wonderful scent, and his exhaustion vanishes in an instant.
He hesitates in knocking, wondering if Jimin is already asleep. He doesn’t want to wake him after his traumatic night. But then Yoongi hears someone moving around inside and he assumes Jimin is awake.
Heart suddenly hammering in his chest, Yoongi knocks on the door three times. Inside, Jimin freezes. It's a moment before a tentative, “Who is it?” Is called out.
“It’s Yoongi,” he replies, awkwardly dropping his hand back to his side.
Yoongi hears the little patter of bare feet approaching quickly, and a second later, the door creaks open to reveal Jimin peering out at him from the crack. “You came,” he says quietly, and Yoongi’s heart pangs at the frailty of his voice.
“I said I would,” he replies softly.
Jimin opens the door wide enough for Yoongi to slip in. The chambers are large and cozy, with a soft looking bed and a fire roaring in the fireplace. Yoongi turns to Jimin and takes in his appearance. He must have had a bath, because all traces of blood are gone and his golden hair is soft and fluffy and still a little damp. He’s wearing a white tunic that is at least three sizes too big and falls around his bare knees. His hands are hidden by the sleeves, and he twists them together nervously.
“How are you feeling?” Yoongi asks gently, breathing in deeply when Jimin’s scent washes over him.
“Better,” the human says quietly, glancing up at Yoongi and then quickly dropping his gaze. “Taehyung took good care of me.”
“I'm glad to hear it,” Yoongi replies, noting the heaviness of Jimin's eyelids. “You must be exhausted. You should sleep.”
Jimin nods and at that moment yawns widely, and Yoongi thinks it's the cutest thing he's ever seen. He follows Jimin over to his bed, trying not to let his gaze wander down Jimin's body to his round, plump bottom. Yoongi brushes aside the stuttered thanks when he pulls back the covers for Jimin to get into, smiling at the boy's gratitude. Jimin climbs into the big king-sized bed and blushes when Yoongi pulls the sheets up around him, tucking him in securely.
“Do you need anything?” Yoongi asks, standing up straight and looking down at Jimin. “Food? Are you hungry?”
Jimin shakes his head and worms further into the bed. “I'm okay.”
Yoongi nods and reluctantly gets ready to go. Jimin's hand shooting out and grabbing his wrist stops him though.
“Yoongi,” Jimin begins uncertainty, watching Yoongi intently. “You'll...be here when I wake up, right?”
Yoongi would destroy the world for this boy.
He reaches down and brushes his fingers across Jimin's forehead. His skin is so warm and full of life.
“Of course I will,” he replies, watching as Jimin visibly relaxes. “My chambers are just down the hall too. Take a left and it's the first door after you see the wraith statue.”
He watches Jimin commit this to memory before nodding and reluctantly releasing his hold on Yoongi's wrist.
“Sleep good, Sweetness.”
The nickname slips from Yoongi's lips without his permission, and if he could he'd turn as pink as Jimin is turning right now.
The boy pulls the covers up around his face in an attempt to hide his blush. “G-goodnight--er, morning,” he stutters, voice muffled by the blankets.
Yoongi smiles fondly down at him before turning and walking back across the room. He looks behind him as he opens the door to see Jimin watching him intently from under his blankets. Then Yoongi closes the door behind him and leaves Jimin to sleep.
Fiona is leaning against the wall outside, startling Yoongi when he turns around. “Who's your little pet?” She asks, her eyes sharp and smile vicious.
Yoongi feels rage swirl in his stomach and he clenches his fists to keep from strangling the snake. “No one you need to concern yourself with,” he snaps. He stalks off down the hall without another word, leaving Fiona to her fuming.
~
Yoongi awakens just as the sun is setting beneath the horizon. He rolls over in his bed with a loud groan, his body aching from the events of the night before. He sits up and runs a tired hand through his hair before climbing out and slowly getting dressed in a chainmail shirt and black leather breeches. He loops his belt around his waist and slides his sword into its scabbard. He pulls on a pair of knee high armored boots and his gauntlets and sets off to find Jimin.
Yoongi makes his way down the hall towards Jimin’s quarters, and when he turns the corner, he freezes.
Fiona has Jimin basically caged against his door, her smile all predator as she leans in close and traces a design on his chest. Jimin is visibly uncomfortable as he presses himself back, answering Fiona’s sly questions quietly and haltingly.
“You’re a real cutie, you know that?” Fiona is murmuring to Jimin, her smile dangerous. Jimin gulps and mutters an awkward thank you.
“Jimin,” Yoongi says sharply, and they both jerk their heads up to look at him.
Jimin’s eyes light up when he sees Yoongi and he tries to squirm further away from Fiona. “Yoongi,” he says in relief as the Death Dealer stalks over.
Yoongi takes Jimin by the arm and pointedly pulls him away from Fiona, stepping in front of him like a shield. Fiona narrows her eyes at the two of them, but turns a blinding smile to Yoongi and flips her hair.
“Good evening, Captain Min,” she says airily. “Your human and I were just having a pleasant conversation.”
Yoongi feels his fangs wanting to slide down but he stops them. “I’m sure you were,” he says darkly, and Fiona smirks at him.
Yoongi places a gentle hand on the small of Jimin’s back and begins leading him away from Fiona quickly, ignoring her smug goodbye and the eyes that burn into his back. They turn a few corners and descend a couple hallways until Yoongi deems it safe again. He brings Jimin to a halt, and the human looks at him curiously. Yoongi glances up and down the hall before he looks back at Jimin.
“I want you to stay away from Fiona,” Yoongi says in a low voice. “She can’t be trusted.”
Jimin’s lips jut out in a pout and he nods, stepping a little closer to Yoongi. “I don’t like her. She made me uncomfortable.”
“If she’s bothering you, either find me, Taehyung, Hoseok, or Jungkook, okay? They’ll help you. Also that council member, Seokjin, and his mate, Namjoon. You can trust them.”
Jimin licks his lips and cocks his head at Yoongi. “I can?”
Yoongi smiles softly at him. “With your life.”
Jimin nods after a moment and runs a hand through his honey-colored hair. At that moment, his stomach growls loudly, and a blinding blush paints his cheeks in embarrassment. Yoongi chuckles and holds out his hand to Jimin.
“Hungry?” He asks, and Jimin smiles shyly and slips his hand into Yoongi’s.
“A little,” he replies in a mumble, not meeting Yoongi’s eyes as his blush intensifies.
“Let’s go see if we can find you something in the kitchens.” Yoongi says, leading Jimin away.
~
In the kitchens they find one of the other human survivors already there eating a bowl of stew at a small table off to the side. There are a few vampires rushing around, and it looks to Yoongi like they’re trying to figure out how to cook for a human.
The noble looks up when she spots Yoongi and Jimin enter and waves them over. “You’re Baron Park’s youngest son, right?” She asks when they stop before her. Jimin’s face darkens a little and he gives a stiff nod. The woman’s mouth twists in pity. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
Jimin doesn’t say anything and just stares at the ground, and Yoongi can tell this is something he doesn’t want to talk about. To change the subject, Yoongi motions to the woman’s bowl. “How’s the stew?”
“Not half bad,” she says, mixing her spoon around. “The cooks of my husband’s estate are much more skilled, though.”
Yoongi holds back his eye roll and flags down one of the vampires in the kitchen to bring Jimin a bowl. He nods and rushes off to obey, and Jimin slides into a chair at the opposite end of the table. Yoongi sits beside him and they share a look when the woman immediately launches into her life story and how important her husband is.
“If he’s so important, why didn’t he come with you last night?” Yoongi finally bites out once Jimin is halfway done with his stew. The scandalized look that crosses the woman’s face makes Jimin muffle a snort of laughter into his food. Yoongi grins at him and ignores the woman heatedly telling them that her husband is sick so he sent her in his stead, a very important role, if they must know.
Finally, she finishes her food and leaves the two of them with a dark mutter about disrespecting your elders, and Yoongi doesn’t have the heart to tell her that he’s probably older than her entire lineage combined.
“She’s so annoying,” Jimin states, idly licking his spoon off with a cute pink tongue. The sight almost gives Yoongi an aneurysm and he has to quickly change the subject or risk popping an unfortunate boner in the middle of the kitchen.
“I am sorry about the loss of your father and brothers,” Yoongi says quietly, and Jimin’s mouth turns down in distaste.
“I’m not,” he mutters, almost too quietly for Yoongi to catch.
“What?” Yoongi blinks at him, wondering if he heard right. “Why not?”
Jimin shrugs half-heartedly and tugs the neck of his red velvet robes up higher. Yoongi recognizes it as Taehyung’s, and he guesses the vampire loaned it to Jimin. Something about the action is off, the way Jimin hunches his shoulders and ducks down into the robes.
“Jimin?” Yoongi asks quietly, eyes landing on the high neckline of the robes. Before he can stop himself, he’s reaching out and tugging the hemline down, causing Jimin to jump and squeak in surprise.
“What are you doing?” The human demands, trying to twist out of Yoongi’s grip. He’s too late though, because Yoongi has pulled down the back of the robes far enough to see Jimin’ shoulders, and what he sees makes his stomach drop.
Layered across his shoulders, in varying degrees of healing, are what can only be whip marks. Some are so old they’re but faded white scars, while the freshest looks like it can’t be more than three days old.
Yoongi’s breath gets caught it his throat, and he gently brushes his thumb along a pale pink scar on his shoulder blade, making Jimin shiver and let out a little whine. “Jimin.” Yoongi breathes, staring at the myriad of scars and feeling a rage unlike any he’s ever felt before take him over. “Who did this?”
Jimin finally succeeds in wrestling his robes away from Yoongi, and he pulls the neckline securely up around his throat. “It’s not a big deal,” he says quietly, making Yoongi’s fists clench at the meekness of his voice.
“Was it your brothers? Your father?” Yoongi demands, voice low and dangerous.
Jimin’s bottom lip quivers and he leans into Yoongi’s space, seeking comfort. Yoongi has to stop himself from wrapping his whole body around Jimin, aware of the curious eyes of the kitchen vampires on them. Instead, he unclenches his fists and takes both of Jimin’s small hands in his own.
“They thought I was weak,” Jimin says in a whisper. “They said I needed to man up and stop acting like a woman because I like dresses and singing and flowers.”
Yoongi’s jaw clenches and he has to take a second to close his eyes and control himself. “I’m going to kill them,” he growls in an undertone.
This elicits a weak giggle from Jimin. “They’re already dead.”
And doesn’t that just make Yoongi’s blood boil. He wants nothing more than to tear the Park men to bloody shreds so they can never hurt his Jimin again. “I hope they’re burning in the lowest pits of hell,” Yoongi hisses, fighting it when his fangs start to lower.
“Without a doubt,” Jimin says, pushing his now empty bowl away.
Yoongi stands and pulls Jimin to his feet. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Jimin bows to the kitchen vampires as they’re leaving and they all coo at his cuteness. Yoongi leads him out of the giant stone kitchen with its massive ovens and back up countless flights of stairs until they come out on Eliska’s moon garden.
Jimin gasps when they step outside and into the stone garden of nighttime blooming flowers and herbs. The half moon shines down on them and a large fountain in the middle gives of the sweetest sound of trickling water. From up here they have an unobstructed view of the rocky plain and out into the forest, and to another mountain range beyond.
“It’s beautiful,” Jimin breathes, staring around him in awe. “You can see for miles!”
Yoongi smiles at the look of amazement on Jimin’s face and leads them over to a carved stone bench to sit down. They sit in a comfortable silence for a while until an incredibly unpleasant thought hits Yoongi.
“Sweetness, you know…” Yoongi tries, not sure how to bring it up. Jimin looks up at him curiously.
“What?”
Yoongi takes a deep breath and looks off at the horizon. “The council is probably going to send you and the other nobles home soon.”
Jimin clutches at Yoongi’s arm desperately. “No!” Yoongi looks at him in alarm, and Jimin shakes his head vehemently. “I can’t go back.”
“But, as the last remaining of your father’s sons, the rule of your father’s estate passes to you,” Yoongi says with a frown.
“No it doesn’t,” Jimin says quickly. “I have one more brother left. He had to stay back because he’s sick with fever, but the title will pass to him.”
Yoongi eyebrows furrow at this new information. “But, you should still return home.”
Again, Jimin shakes his head violently. “If I go back, I’ll have to marry Lord Janek’s oldest son, and he’s even worse than my father and brothers,” Jimin tells him, and Yoongi’s eyes widen. “They probably think I’m dead like the rest of my family. Can’t I just...stay? They don't even have to know.”
Yoongi hesitates, but Jimin’s wide, pleading eyes makes him crumble. And the thought of possibly having Jimin permanently is too good to pass up. “I’ll talk to Seokjin about letting you stay. He’ll have the most sway with Sabien and the rest of the council.”
A look of pure relief crosses Jimin’s face and he sags against Yoongi. His overwhelming scent of orange blossoms and spice and sweetness almost makes Yoongi drunk, and he has to stop himself from burying his face in Jimin’s neck and scenting deeply. Yoongi hesitates a moment before he gingerly wraps an arm around Jimin’s shoulders. The human sighs contentedly and snuggles closer to Yoongi, who can’t control the wild racing of his heart.
They stay like this for a while until Yoongi notices when Jimin starts shivering slightly. “Come on,” he says, causing a sleepy-eyed Jimin to stir. “Let’s go inside.”
Jimin grumbles in discontent but allows Yoongi to pull him to his feet. They head back into the darkened halls of the fortress, following the flickering sconces in the wall. Yoongi leads Jimin back to his room and regretfully informs Jimin that he has to go on patrol now.
Yoongi smiles at the way Jimin pouts at this. “Do you like to read?” Yoongi asks him, and Jimin nods, eyebrows raising in curiosity. “If you’d like, I can have Taehyung bring you some books from the library. We have some very interesting things you might enjoy.”
Jimin smiles brightly at him, and it's so pure and breathtaking that Yoongi stops breathing for a second. “I’d like that,” the human says, fluttering his pretty lashes at Yoongi.
Yoongi swallows dryly and nods. “I’ll send him by, then. Have a nice night, Sweetness.”
Jimin blushes that beautiful shade of pink and smiles shyly. “Be careful out there,” Jimin says quietly, and Yoongi’s chest feels warm at his concern.
“I will.” Yoongi replies with a small smile. He makes sure Jimin has locked his door behind him before setting off.
~
Jungkook and Hoseok are already waiting in the courtyard when Yoongi arrives in full armor after finding Taehyung and sending him to the library. He takes the reins of his horse from a foot soldier and swings into the saddle as the gates are slowly raised.
“So,” Jungkook begins casually, walking his horse closer to Yoongi. “You and that human?”
Yoongi freezes in putting on his helmet and bristles at the youngest Death Dealer. “What?!”
Hoseok nudges his horse closer too. “Oh, come on. You’re not exactly subtle about it.”
Yoongi glares at his two subordinates and shoves his helmet on roughly. “Shut the fuck up.”
The two of them begin snickering, but Yoongi takes that moment to kick his horse into motion and gallop through the gate. It takes a moment for Hoseok and Jungkook to snap out of it and follow him.
Yoongi is thankful for the seriousness of the patrol or he knows the other two would be teasing him mercilessly. As it is, they both fall silent and focus on the task at hand, for which Yoongi is grateful.
~
Yoongi is returning to his room after a long night of patrolling when that sickening honey scent reaches his nose. He turns the corner to see Fiona leaning against his door in a sleek black gown. Her eyes light up with mirth when she sees him, and she peels herself away from the door and slinks up to him.
“There you are,” she purrs, and Yoongi’s nose wrinkles in distaste. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Yoongi rolls his eyes and steps around her. “I’m not interested, Fiona.”
She grabs his arm and pulls him to a stop. “Just one second, Min Yoongi,” Fiona growls at him. “I’m not finished with you.”
Yoongi yanks his arm out of her grasp and scowls at her. “Well, I am finished.”
The next thing Yoongi knows, he finds himself slammed up against the wall and Fiona is pressed flush against him. Then her lips are on his, and Yoongi’s brain short circuits for a second.
He roughly pushes her away with a grunt, and Fiona stumbles back with a gasp. “Get the fuck off of me,” he spits at her, fangs sliding down.
Fiona recovers her composure quickly and narrows her eyes at him. “Is it because of that human? Is that why you refuse me?”
Red fills Yoongi’s vision and his fists clench. “He has nothing to do with this,” he hisses with venom.
“It is,” Fiona breathes, staring at Yoongi in shock. “He has your heart.”
Fiona’s words hit Yoongi right in the chest, but he doesn’t let it show. “Stay the fuck away from me,” he says viciously. “And him.”
Fiona’s eyes narrow and her lip curls in disgust, but she just lets out a loud huff and spins on her heel. Yoongi watches her stalk down the hall until she’s out of sight. He locks his door behind him and rubs at his lips in disgust, trying to rid them of her sickening taste.
Yoongi changes out of his armor and washes his face, debating on whether or not to go see Jimin. He decides against it because it's almost dawn and the human is probably already sleeping.
Once he’s in bed and has extinguished all the candles, Yoongi curls up under his covers and tries to wipe the memory of Fiona’s kiss from his mind. When he falls asleep, it's to the image of Jimin’s sweet, blushing face smiling at him.
~
When Yoongi goes to Jimin’s room the next evening to escort him to the kitchens, the human swings his door open after just one knock, startling Yoongi.
“Yoongi!” Jimin exclaims, his smile wide and eyes bright. He has a huge, ancient leather-bound book cradled against his chest.
“Evening, Sweetness,” Yoongi says with a smile. “Hungry?” Jimin nods enthusiastically and all-but skips out of his room, book hugged to his chest. “What have you got there?” Yoongi asks, eyeing the tome curiously as they begin walking down the hall.
Jimin grins and holds it out to show it off. “Taehyung brought it for me. It's all about the history of the vampires, and it's so interesting!”
“Oh yeah?” Yoongi raises a brow at Taehyung’s choice of reading material.
“Is it true that Alexander Corvinus was the first immortal?” Jimin asks, looking up at Yoongi with wondering eyes.
“It is,” Yoongi says, smiling at Jimin’s enthusiasm.
“And that his sons became the first vampire and Lycan ever?”
“Mmm-hmmm,”
“And that vampires and Lycans are truly immortal? They never get old?”
“All true.”
“How old are you?” Jimin asks, watching Yoongi intently as they turn the corner and pass down another hallway.
Yoongi’s lips twist while he thinks. “Um, about eight hundred and seventy three, give or take a few years.”
Jimin stops in his tracks, eyes going impossibly wide and his mouth popping open. “E-eight hundred…” he gapes at Yoongi. “You’re so old!”
Yoongi throws Jimin a fake affronted look as he begins walking again. “Thanks.”
Jimin’s face turns red when he realizes what he said. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he says quickly, jogging to catch up with Yoongi. “It’s just, you don’t look that old.”
Yoongi waves his hand airily. “The perks of immortality.”
Jimin falls into a thoughtful silence as they arrive at the kitchens. Once he has a plate of freshly roasted pig in front of him, Yoongi continues answering his rapid fire questions, leaning back in his chair and simply enjoying Jimin’s company.
~
“Let me get this straight,” Seokjin cocks his head at Yoongi after hearing his request. “You want to me to convince the council to let Baron Park’s son stay? A human?”
Yoongi rubs uncomfortably at the back of his neck and nods. “I do.”
Jin purses his lips and regards Yoongi in suspicion. “Why? Are you planning on turning him?”
The thought has never actually occurred to Yoongi, and he stares at Jin blankly. “Uh, no,” he says after taking a moment to process. “He just doesn’t want to go back home.”
Jin doesn’t looked moved. He quirks a brow and crosses his arms. “But why do you even care?”
“He’s just…” Yoongi sighs in annoyance and pinches the bridge of his nose, not used to trying to express his feelings. “Important to me.”
Seokjin’s eyebrows raise and he gapes at Yoongi, which makes the younger vampire bristle. Is that thought so crazy? That he could care for someone?
“Quit giving him a hard time,” a deep voice speaks up, and Yoongi and Jin turn to see Namjoon seated at the table of the couple’s private quarters, scribbling intently at a weathered scroll. Namjoon looks up at his mate and gives him an unimpressed look. “Just accept the blessing of Yoongi caring for someone and don’t question it.”
Yoongi is about to bite out a spiteful retort, but Jin lets out a thoughtful hum and turns back to Yoongi. He watches him for a long moment, calculating, until he finally nods. “Alright. I’ll talk to the council.”
Yoongi lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Thank you,” he says genuinely, and Jin smiles at him.
“Of course.”
~
Yoongi takes the next few days simply to get to know Jimin, and the more time he spends with the boy, the harder he falls.
Yoongi is sound asleep one early morning when the door to his chambers creaks open. Immediately alert, Yoongi shoots up in bed, expecting to see Fiona come to try to seduce him again.
Instead, he sees a soft, pink face peering at him from the door, blonde hair falling in his eyes and teeth nervously worrying his bottom lip.
It’s Jimin.