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“You have got to be kidding me,” Hyunjin hisses as he scurries forward.
Jeongin flinches, swiveling on his heels as he turns to stare wide-eyed at his Maker stomping through the underbrush with his fangs bared. “Ah, Master–”
“What the fuck are you doing out here, Innie?” Hyunjin reaches out once he’s within range, his nails scraping the skin over Jeongin’s nape as he wraps his fingers around the back of the neck. “You’re too close to the wolves’ encampment. What if they had caught your scent, hm? Do you think they’d hesitate to tear you to shreds?”
Jeongin swallows in fear—a habit he still hasn’t shed from his human days. The blood in his veins is still red enough that he appears pink under the waning crescent moon. “I-I just. Master, they- there’s one of them–”
At once, fear ripples through Hyunjin like a lance. His own eyes widen as he processes the sight in front of him: Jeongin’s pupils are dilated, black eclipsing the dull red of his recent feed. His hands tremble in the cold night air, despite his immunity to such human conditions. Jeongin glances away from Hyunjin’s face, trying to twist his head as his nostrils flare.
Then, most damningly, he licks his lips.
Hyunjin lets his eyes fall closed, inhaling deeply to attempt to calm himself. He doesn’t need the oxygen—his lungs have long since stopped requiring it—but when he’s stressed, he finds himself repeating the same centering techniques he’d used in his own human years.
“Tell me,” Hyunjin grits between his teeth, eyes still closed as Jeongin whimpers, “that you did not imprint on a fucking wolf, Jeongin.”
A pathetic whine answers him, and Hyunjin shoves his hand away, pushing hard enough on Jeongin’s neck that he stumbles backward. Hyunjin’s eyes open as his fledgling falls, landing on his knees with a dull thud.
“How did this happen?”
“He– he was running.” Jeongin coughs suddenly, as if he took in too much air at once. “I wandered too far from the manor, following the path of an owl.”
Hyunjin shuts his eyes again, pressing his thumb and forefinger to his eyelids, pressing hard enough to pop stars into the blackness of his vision. “An owl?”
“Yeah, the… the one you said was pretty last night.” Jeongin is quieter when he says, “I wanted to catch it for you.”
Hyunjin sighs, letting his arms fall away. He blinks up at the stars. One of them winks at him—coy, as if it too knows that Hyunjin can never stay mad at his fledgling. “Okay,” he huffs, bending his knees to crouch down and look Jeongin in the eyes. “How did you come across the wolf?”
Jeongin sniffles. His eyes are glistening, despite his body’s inability to cry. “I was up in a tree, and he ran underneath it.” He tries to crane his neck around again, and Hyunjin looks past him—toward the tall, wooden fence line 100 meters away. “I didn’t know he was a wolf, Master, I swear.”
“I know, aegi,” Hyunjin sighs, reaching out to pull Jeongin closer. He tucks the boy to his chest, petting over the soft ginger hair. “That’s why it’s called an imprint. No one chooses their imprint.” Hyunjin thinks back to his own imprint and shudders, remembering the lashings he’d taken in punishment. He refuses to be as harsh with Jeongin as his own Maker had been with him.
Jeongin nuzzles into Hyunjin’s chest, fingers curling in his blouse. Hyunjin’s lip curls, thinking about the silk wrinkling in those long fingers, then he shakes his head.
“You know there’s only one thing left to do now, right?”
Jeongin pulls his head back, and Hyunjin’s hand slips down, thumb grazing the boy’s face. “What?”
Hyunjin stares into his eyes, gripping the ball of Jeongin’s shoulder as he answers. “We have to petition the pack.”
The guard at the gate of the North Star pack’s compound levels a spear at Hyunjin’s throat, canines bared as he growls.
Hyunjin fights the urge to growl back. “We need to speak to your alpha,” he seethes, jaw clenched so tightly that he worries he’ll snap a fang. “Surely, you can fetch him for me?”
The guard’s eyes narrow. “A dog joke. How original.”
“Be a good boy, now, puppy,” Hyunjin mocks, just because he can.
“No,” the guard says, lip curling up in a snarl.
This time, a growl does slip past Hyunjin’s teeth. “Listen here, mutt–”
“Enough!” A loud voice booms. Hyunjin turns his head, looking toward the open gate where a trio of wolves are approaching. The one in the center is broad—shorter than Hyunjin—with his arms exposed even despite the late November air. “Yunho, what’s going on?” He stops, reaching over to put a supportive hand on the guard’s arm. The other two wolves flank him, one shorter, one taller.
The guard—Yunho—juts his chin toward Hyunjin. “The fanger wants an audience with the pack alpha.”
Hyunjin sneers. Behind him, Jeongin makes a noise that sounds suspiciously like a squeak. Hyunjin feels his hand wrap around his wrist, Jeongin’s fingers squeezing hard enough for the bones to grind together.
“Let him in.”
Hyunjin’s face drops as he whips his head back toward the beefy armed wolf.
“What?” The guard’s spear dips, aimed instead at Hyunjin’s belly as he balks at the other man. “Hyung–”
“It’s fine, Yuyu,” Arms says, turning around to walk back into the camp. The other two wolves don’t move, eyes locked on Hyunjin. “Well? You coming, Fangs?” Arms calls over his shoulder.
Hyunjin’s feet move immediately, before his brain catches up, tearing himself free from Jeongin’s grasp. A low snarl rumbles past his lips when he passes the other two wolves, and he reaches back to grip Jeongin’s wrist tightly, pulling his whelp to his side. “Stay where I can see you,” he mutters, barely audible—it doesn’t matter, Jeongin will hear him anyway.
So, apparently, will the wolves.
“Afraid we’ll eat your underling?” One of the other two wolves asks from behind them. It unsettles Hyunjin to have them there, hot on his heels. He casts a glance over his own shoulder, meeting the eyes of the shorter one. One of his chubby cheeks lifts with his smirk.
“Don’t worry,” the one he can’t see says. “We don’t eat children. We’re not vampires.”
Hyunjin turns around and bares his fangs faster than the wolves can react, getting into the face of the man—boy—behind him.
“Taki!” Someone shouts. There’s a tremor in the air, a vibration that Hyunjin isn’t sensitive to, but familiar all the same.
An Alpha Command.
Taki, the wolf in front of Hyunjin, doesn’t cower at the promised threat from Hyunjin, but he does flinch at the Command. “Hyung,” he begins on a whine, eyes darting past Hyunjin and then widening. “Papa.”
A taller wolf comes over—taller even than Hyunjin, though not by much—and grips Taki by the bicep. “Come on. Let’s go find your mother, hmm? Maybe he can teach you some decorum.”
“Thanks, Fuma,” the sleeveless man behind Hyunjin says. Hyunjin turns around slowly, eyes narrowed into slits when he does. The man sends him a tight smile. “Please accept my apologies for young Taki’s behavior. He’s only recently come of age and still has a lot to learn.”
Hyunjin takes a moment to think about it, observing the man’s features in the village lighting. It’s a bit brighter than where he’d stood in the open gate, and now that Hyunjin can see him better, he’s surprised to find the man handsome. A plush mouth sits below a broad nose, small, warm brown eyes staring back at him—expectantly.
Hyunjin nods, then takes a step forward. The man’s shoulders droop, near imperceptible, as if he’d been expecting a fight.
Jeongin’s hand slips into Hyunjin’s, threading their fingers together. They follow Arms through the village toward a rotunda. There’s another guard stationed at the door, a girl with twin daggers at her hips whose eyes go round when they approach.
“At ease, Ryujin,” Arms tells her as he steps closer. “Is Hongjoong inside?”
“Oppa–”
“It’s okay, Ryu.” Arms lays a hand on her forearm. “Can you please tell Jackson that Taki’s off duty for the rest of the week?” The girl nods and then, with a nervous glance at Hyunjin and Jeongin, leaves. Arms opens the door to the rotunda, gesturing for Hyunjin and Jeongin to follow him.
There’s a loud growl that reverberates inside the single round room once Hyunjin’s foot crosses the threshold. He looks past Arms to see a stern looking wolf leaning over a table littered with papers and a tablet. Jeongin gasps, loud enough that everyone in the rotunda stops to look at him, Hyunjin included.
“Y– you have tablets?” Jeongin asks timidly. Hyunjin’s brows pinch as someone laughs behind them.
The wolf leaning over the table straightens as he laughs. “What? Of course we do. We’re not neanderthals, we keep up with modern technology.” His face settles as his laugh tapers off. “Don’t you?”
Jeongin presses his lips shut and side steps, tucking himself behind Hyunjin—who closes his eyes and sucks at his teeth before answering. “Yes, we do. I think some of our coven members have more… antiquated views on werewolves though, so please forgive my progeny for his mistake.”
The wolf at the table—who must be the pack alpha, with the way the other wolves stand at attention facing him—gestures at Jeongin. “He’s yours? He’s young, it seems.”
“Yes,” Hyunjin answers truthfully, sensing no point in being coy. “Not that we have to report our Turns to you, but Jeongin came to me willingly.”
“Is that true?” a voice from the side asks. The sleeveless wolf, standing beside them, angled toward Jeongin. “Did you ask for his bite?”
The indignation in Jeongin’s voice when he answers makes Hyunjin smile.
“What? You– you think he Turned me against my will?” An incredulous huff leaves his fledgling’s mouth. “Master would never do that. No one in the coven would!”
Hyunjin squeezes his fingers, still intertwined with Jeongin’s behind his back, then lets them go. “I understand that it may be a difficult concept for you to understand, but most vampires don’t Turn people against their will, considering the eternal ties between sire and progeny.” He tilts his head, brows raised as he adds, “I’d imagine there’s many things you don’t understand about our kind.”
The alpha rolls his shoulders back. “And you wanted to come educate us out of the goodness of your long-dead heart?”
Hyunjin sighs. “My fledgling imprinted on one of your wolves.”
Arms walks closer to the pack alpha. “Imprinted?”
Hyunjin nods. “It’s like an obsession. In the first year of a new vampire’s life, we imprint on another being, and they become our singular focus. Most imprints fade within a few months, but some can last as long as a year. Usually, vampires imprint on a human, and the best course of action is to convince them to be a feeder.”
“How?” the alpha asks, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Asking,” Hyunjin answers, rolling his eyes. “If that fails, the fledgling’s Maker can put the imprint under thrall, but that’s less ideal.”
“Why?” the alpha pushes, and Hyunjin bares his teeth, just slightly.
“You’re asking a lot of questions.”
Arms interrupts them. “Just answer it.”
Hyunjin sighs. “The blood tastes better when it’s given willingly. Thrall bypasses consent, and while it doesn’t taint the bloodstream with fear like an unwilling bite does, the human body doesn’t flow as freely in thrall. Some sort of self defense mechanism, I presume.” He waves his hands in the air, as if to emphasize his presumption.
“Are imprints only ever feeders?”
“No. Often, they are companions. Some fledglings imprint upon other vampires, usually indicating that they crave the emotional connection more than the blood. Other times, imprints can be sexual partners. Usually, it’s a combination of all three.”
“So, you’re here to ask for one of my pack members,” the alpha correctly deduces, “right? That’s why you’re here.”
“Yes.” Hyunjin takes a deep breath again, steeling himself to make his pitch. “I know it’s unconventional–”
“Has a vampire ever imprinted on a wolf before?” Arms interrupts. Hyunjin blinks, staring at him for a moment before responding.
“Not that I know of. It just happened shortly before we arrived at your gate. If I thought I had the time, I would bring Jeongin back to the Coven Mother to ask, but I didn’t want to risk it.”
“Risk what?”
“Separating a fledgling from their imprint can induce a sort of… psychosis.” All of the wolves in the room straighten, chests pushing out, shoulders setting. The chubby cheeked wolf who’d escorted them steps closer to Hyunjin and Jeongin. Hyunjin extends an arm out, keeping it low and unthreatening. “I promise, he’s harmless right now.”
“Are you sure?” Hyunjin isn’t looking away from the wolf encroaching on Jeongin’s space, so he’s not sure who asks this time.
“There would be signs.” Hyunjin angles his body between Jeongin and the wolf, then glances over at the pack alpha. “I’d be happy to share the information, plus much more, if you’d allow us to speak to the wolf he imprinted on.”
“I can’t promise that whoever it is will agree to this,” Arms says, which confuses Hyunjin. Isn’t the other one in charge? “But I can concede to a conversation. Do you know which wolf?”
“Um,” Jeongin clears his throat. “He’s actually in here right now.”
Hyunjin turns around to face his fledgling.
“He is?” Arms asks. “Who?”
And then he watches Jeongin swallow, lip trembling as he says, “well, um. It’s you.”
Hyunjin’s neck nearly snaps as his head spins toward the buff-armed wolf, standing next to the alpha, as his eyes go wide.
“Oh,” the wolf says, and his alpha grabs his bicep immediately, desperation in his voice when he calls the man’s name.
“Chan,” the alpha nearly begs. “Chan, no.”
Arms—Chan—turns to face him. “Hongjoong, I have to–”
“No, you don’t,” Hongjoong, the alpha, hisses back, yanking Chan’s arm to pull him around, dragging him back from the table. “You don’t have to do this at all, actually.”
“Think about it, Joong– they’re willing to trade information. And maybe this could improve relations between the pack and–”
“Not like this, Chan,” Hongjoong grits out, glancing over at Hyunjin before he says, “You’re the pack alpha, for fuck’s sake!”
And that makes Hyunjin grit his own teeth, slowly tilting his head until he can lock eyes with Jeongin. Jeongin, who stares at the wolves with wide, red eyes, lower lip trembling in fear. You just had to imprint on the fucking alpha, Hyunjin thinks, his eyes falling closed as he centers himself once again. He’s tuned out the wolves, if only momentarily, as the memories of his own imprint flood his mind.
“You imprinted on your Maker?” the cruel voice of his sire rings in his ears, a delighted laugh raising his hackles. “Fucking pathetic. Can’t even find a human to eat properly, can you, Hyunjin? You need Daddy to do everything for you?”
A hand slips into his, and Hyunjin opens his eyes to see Jeongin beside him, his fingers squeezing Hyunjin’s encouragingly. I’m sorry, he whispers, and Hyunjin sighs, using his free arm to wrap around Jeongin’s neck and bring the boy closer.
“It’s okay, Jeongin-ah,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to Jeongin’s forehead. “I’m not mad, I promise.”
Someone clears their throat, and Hyunjin drops his arm from Jeongin to take a single step back. Chan and Hongjoong are watching them, so Hyunjin once more angles his body in front of Jeongin.
The action makes Chan smile slightly.
“How long?” Hongjoong asks.
“Pardon?”
“How long will you take him?”
“We can work out the details,” Hyunjin offers. “The manor is close enough that he doesn’t have to stay there–”
Jeongin whines, and Hyunjin uses their entwined hands to jerk him closer, shutting him up.
“He doesn’t have to stay the whole time,” Hyunjin amends with a sidelong glance at his progeny, “but three months would be the minimum.”
“What about full moons?” Hongjoong questions, which makes Chan roll his eyes.
“Really?” Chan smacks the back of his hand into Hongjoong’s stomach. “I’m going to blame the fact that your mate is pregnant on this bout of protective behavior.”
Hongjoong scoffs. “A man can’t be protective of his pack leader?”
Chan rolls his eyes again. “Not like this.” He shoves his hand out, waving it toward Jeongin and Hyunjin. “You heard them. They clearly value consent, at least more than we assumed, and you know I can take care of myself.”
“Debatable,” the chubby cheeked wolf retorts suddenly, which makes Chan gasp.
“Changbin!” he admonishes, and Changbin snorts.
“Oh, come on, hyung! You’re a great leader, but you’re shit at taking care of yourself.”
“I’ll do it,” Jeongin mumbles, just loud enough for everyone to look at him. His voice is stronger when he says, “I mean it. If– if Chan comes with us, I’ll take care of him.”
Hyunjin reaches over to pinch his fledgling’s cheek, cooing slightly, laughing when Jeongin swats him away. “I will, too. As Jeongin’s imprint, no other vampire would be able to touch Chan, so he’d be safe. We have human staff who cook and clean and look after each other during the day, and he’d be able to leave the manor while the sun’s up.”
Chan’s face lights up, and he turns back to Hongjoong. “See? Perfectly safe!”
Hongjoong looks unconvinced. “I still don’t like it, hyung.” He presses his fingers into his eyes. “Why are you so eager to go? Like a lamb to the slaughter.”
Chan flounders, mouth opening and closing wordlessly for a moment before he makes a squawking noise. “Aren’t you curious?”
And really, Hyunjin shouldn’t laugh. But he does. He laughs, loud and obnoxious, surprised by the absurdity of the entire situation. Hongjoong looks over at him, something akin to confusion—or maybe disgust… abject horror, even—on his face.
Chan laughs as well, their laughter the only sounds in the room.
“Well,” Hongjoong says with a heavy sigh. “At least you’ll be in good company. You’re both fucking nuts.”
The walk back to the manor is quiet.
Chan is with them, a small bag slung over his shoulder with some clothes and basic necessities in it. He’s calm, too, which Hyunjin appreciates, because Jeongin is anything but.
His fledgling is a ball of excitement between them.
Hyunjin can tell Jeongin wants to talk, to ask Chan questions, but the hand Hyunjin has wrapped around the nape of his neck keeps him from doing that. Every time Hyunjin feels Jeongin’s body priming itself for conversation, he squeezes his fingers.
Not yet, he’d said. Wait until we get home.
So, Jeongin is waiting. Not as patiently as Hyunjin would like, but he’ll take it.
“There are some things you should know before we get you settled in,” Hyunjin breaks the silence as they cross over into the manor’s perimeter garden. “There are seven vampires who live in the manor: Jeongin and I have the east wing mostly to ourselves, plus a few of the guest rooms where the human staff and feeders live. In the west wing, we have Seonghwa, who is our Coven Mother, Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Minho and Felix.”
“They’re together, Minho and Felix,” Jeongin adds, and Hyunjin sighs, dropping his hand.
“Really?” Chan asks, grinning warmly at Jeongin. Hyunjin can practically feel Jeongin’s excitement through their sire bond.
“Yeah! Minho-hyung is kinda scary when you first meet him, but he’ll warm up eventually. He’s totally whipped for Felix, so as long as Felix likes you, Minho will leave you alone.” Jeongin giggles, then adds, “Oh, don’t worry, Felix likes everyone. He’s really cute and fun.”
Hyunjin bites back a snort. Felix is the most terrifying vampire he’s ever met, capable of ripping someone in half (Hyunjin’s seen it happen exactly once before, maybe 50 years ago when their home was attacked by hunters), but sure. Cute and fun.
“You said something about humans?” Chan tilts his head forward into Hyunjin’s view to get his attention.
“Oh, yes. Haewon is our head of house, she keeps track of everyone and will help you with anything you need. She’s been with us for the past decade so she’s very knowledgeable about vampire habits and such. If you leave the manor during daylight, please just let her know before you do.”
“You meant it when you said I could leave?” Chan asks, surprise visible on his face.
Hyunjin nods, leaning down to unlatch a low laying gate as they enter the main gardens. “Of course, I did.” He holds the gate open for Jeongin and Chan, closing it behind them and falling back into stride. “You aren’t a prisoner. Jeongin will inevitably be very clingy, but you have a say in everything that happens. He won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with, and if he does, you call for me.” He bares his teeth, both a promise to Chan and a threat to his fledgling.
“Master, I would never!” Jeongin cries, and Hyunjin can practically see the tears that would be in his eyes were he still human.
Sucking his teeth, Hyunjin pets a hand over Jeongin’s head, smoothing down the ginger strands. “I know, baby. I still wanted Chan to hear it anyway.” He flicks his eyes over to Chan, who nods in understanding.
“Thank you, Hyunjin-ssi,” Chan says, and Hyunjin waves him off.
“You don’t need to be formal with anyone in the house, Chan. Jeongin still uses them because he’s young. But, for all that they are stodgy curmudgeons, vampires don’t give a shit about Korean honorifics.” He inhales suddenly. “Unless you're introduced to someone with a title—then, you use that title. Seonghwa doesn’t enforce his, but should we have visitors, just use a vampire’s title, understood?”
“Yes,” Chan replies, “I understand.”
“Good.”
Luck is on their side, as Haewon is on the back patio as they approach. She’s watering the herbs that she grows in the planters, so Hyunjin calls out to her and introduces her to Chan as they approach.
“Should I prepare a guest suite for Chan?” she asks, and Hyunjin watches Chan and Jeongin glance at each other.
“Um–”
“I thought–”
Hyunjin interrupts the brief silence after they both stop abruptly. “Imprints usually cohabitate with their fledglings,” he starts, “but that’s entirely up to you, Chan. You can stay in a guest suite until you feel comfortab–”
“It’s okay,” Chan blurts out, his cheeks flushing in the moonlight. “Um, ha. I mean, I’m okay with it.”
Hyunjin blinks, then his eyes dart over to Jeongin—who is practically beaming at his imprint.
“Are you hungry?” Haewon asks, gesturing for them to follow her into the house. Hyunjin holds the door open for Jeongin and Chan, who glances behind himself, as if to ensure Hyunjin made it in.
“Um. Not– not right now, thank you,” Chan replies. Haewon still guides them through to the kitchen, showing Chan where it is and how to find the basics.
“We have this fridge for beverages—water bottles, juices, soju, et cetera. If there’s something you prefer but we don’t have it, please let me know so that I can get it for you.” Haewon gestures to a large cupboard. “This is for snacks and quick meals. I make two meals per day, at sunrise and sunset. Usually, all of the humans in the house try to make it, so I can introduce you to everyone all at once, but I understand if you want to settle in first. You’re free to eat anything in this cupboard, but stay away from the personal bins in this one,” she opens another door.
Jeongin leans over. “Some of the residents here get snappy with each other over their snacks.” Chan giggles when Jeongin does.
“That's right. Chan, I'll set aside a bin for you, and you can come shopping with me tomorrow to get whatever things you'd like to keep on hand.”
“Oh, that's so nice, you don't have to–”
“Channie,” Hyunjin tuts. “You're a personal guest to my progeny, not just an in-house feeder. Please, let us take care of you.”
Chan swallows, glancing at Jeongin. Hyunjin watches the way his expression softens, any hint of discomfort bleeding out when he locks eyes with Jeongin and smiles. “Alright.”
“Perfect. If there's anything else you need, just text me,” Haewon says finally, asking for Chan's phone so that she can add her number. “I'll add you to the group chat for the manor, too.”
“Thank you, Haewon-ssi,” Chan says with a bow.
She waves him off. “Please, you can be casual with me. Welcome to Park Manor.”
Jeongin drags Chan away then, excited to show him to his—their—quarters.
“He seems nice,” Haewon says, reaching into the short fridge under the counter—the blood fridge. She pulls out a bag, lifts it up as an offer. Hyunjin shakes his head.
“No, thank you, Wonnie.” He glances out of the kitchen, toward the stairs. “I hope so. You know I worry about Jeongin.”
Haewon chucks the blood bag back into the cooler, then shuts it. “Ah, that’s because he’s your baby.” She laughs when he mocks her, his eyes rolling up as he mimes speaking gibberish and wobbles his head. Haewon leans over to slap his elbow. “He is! You’ll never have another first progeny, and you adore that boy.”
Hyunjin sighs. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“Sunrise in forty minutes, by the way.”
Hyunjin nods. “Yeah.” He closes the distance, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead. “Thanks for looking out for us, Haewon.”
She laughs again, returning his hug. “Ah, Hyunjin-ssi. It’s my pleasure.” A pause. “After all, where else would I make such a good salary?”
Hyunjin sucks his teeth, pushing her away with a laugh of his own, fighting a smile.
“Goodnight!” she calls out through her laughter as Hyunjin makes his way out of the kitchen. “Sleep well!”
Hyunjin wakes up the following evening feeling refreshed.
Lily greets him just after sunset, slipping into his room before the automatic shutters open.
“Jinnie,” she whispers as he holds open his sheets, inviting her in. She cuddles up into his arms, tucking her warm nose into his neck. “Do you want to feed?”
Hyunjin hums, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “I probably should,” he murmurs. “I’m not quite hungry, but I didn’t feed yesterday.”
Lily angles her head back, exposing her throat. “Haewonnie didn’t let me feed anyone yesterday because of my exam, but I took it this morning and I passed!”
“I’m proud of you, bear,” Hyunjin says, running his hand down her back.
“Prove it,” Lily goads, fisting her hand in the sheets. “Come on, Jinnie, please?”
Hyunjin chuckles darkly. “You didn’t want to crawl into Minho and Felix’s bed? I know Lix is your favorite.”
“That’s not true! I love all of you equally,” Lily pouts, her lower lip jutting out, and Hyunjin coos, poking it.
“You and Felix have the whole Aussie homeland thing going on.”
Lily rolls her eyes, then hitches her leg over Hyunjin’s hip, throwing her weight into it to get Hyunjin on his back. She lands on top of him, her ponytail hanging over her forehead as she sulks down at Hyunjin. “That’s not fair. Felix is like, so old. We grew up in different Sydneys.”
Hyunjin laughs, scrubbing a hand down her face. “Baby bear, Felix is half a century younger than I am.”
“Yeah, but you wear it better,” Lily purrs, her hand pressing against his naked chest as she slinks down, lowering herself onto him. “Come on, oppa. Please? Don’t make me beg.”
“Begging doesn’t work on me anyway, Lils.” Hyunjin reaches up, tugs her ponytail back. “You’re not even my type.”
“That’s what makes it fun,” Lily says with a wicked smile. Hyunjin shakes his head. She’d be a dangerous vampire, if she ever asks to be Turned. Felix would do it in an instant, too, soft on Lily like no other. “Come oooon. Just once, oppa?”
Hyunjin sighs, then flips them. Lily lands on her back with a gasp, and the sheets slide off of Hyunjin entirely. “I’ll feed,” he tells her, dragging his lips along her jaw, “but I’m not going to fuck you, bear.”
“But–”
Hyunjin sinks his fangs into the warm skin of her neck, eyes rolling back as O positive floods his mouth. Lily whimpers, writhing against him as his venom seeps into her bloodstream. It affects everyone differently, Hyunjin knows, but most often a vampire's venom acts as a stimulant, an aphrodisiac. The endorphins that flood a human’s body during the bite make their blood sweeter, more addictive. It’s why Hyunjin shifts his thigh, pressing his knee up against Lily’s groin for her to grind down on. He has no desire for her, no ache to fill a woman with his seed, but he gives her this respite, hand cradling her head as she gasps and shudders against him. He tastes her orgasm in her veins before he feels it happen, the oxytocin hitting like vampire heroin.
Hyunjin unhinges his jaw after he drinks his fill, lapping at the wound until it clots. Lily’s chest heaves, legs trembling around Hyunjin’s thigh. “Oppa,” she whispers, raking her fingers through his hair when he sinks his forehead onto her sternum. She’s shaking too much, her heart rabbitting against her lungs.
“You need a blood builder,” he grunts, arm reaching out for his phone. He ignores Lily’s protests when he moves, rolling off of her to grab the phone off of his bedside table. He unlocks it, swipes into the manor’s group chat, then types out a quick message to Haewon. “Do you need me to carry you downstairs?” he asks, glancing over his shoulder at Lily.
She grins wickedly. “Yes,” she says, pushing her lower lip forward in her perfected pout.
Hyunjin rolls his eyes. His phone pings, and he looks back at it. “Okay,” he answers, putting it back on the table and pushing off of the bed. “Up you get, baby bear.”
Lily squeals as she’s lifted into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her damp panties press against his abdomen, and he narrows his eyes at her when she blinks up at him innocently.
“I’m never going to fuck you, Lils,” he tells her as he carries her out of the room.
She scoffs. “You will. One day.”
“I’m gay,” he reminds her.
“That’s what Minho said, too. And yet–”
Hyunjin sighs. “That,” he interrupts her pointedly, “was because Felix wanted to watch, not because of you, princess.”
Lily shrugs. “It still happened.”
Hyunjin stops to look at her, foot paused at the top of the stairs. “What happened to the sweet, innocent little girl we raised, hmm?”
“I grew up,” she snaps, hand raising to tug his hair. “I’m nearly 24 now, oppa. I’m not twelve any more.”
He's tempted to call bullshit, to say she's still a baby—his baby—despite they way she'd climbed into Felix's lap and begged him to fuck her on her twentieth birthday, but instead he shakes his head. “You'll always be a sweet, innocent human to me, bear,” he murmurs, stepping down onto the carpeted stairs. “Just that scared little orphan we found running through the forest.”
Lily rolls her eyes, but she gnaws on her lip and remains quiet.
Haewon waits for them in the kitchen, a blood builder smoothie already waiting on the table. “Drink it,” she says firmly, pointing to the smoothie glass. “All of it. And then I'll clean you up.”
Hyunjin sets Lily down in the chair, nostrils flaring as he picks up on the shift in Lily's scent. Does she even know how affected she is by Haewon's presence? Maybe if she accepted her attraction to the older housekeeper, she'd stop throwing herself at Hyunjin.
“Yes, ma'am,” Lily mumbles, reaching for the smoothie. Hyunjin ruffles her hair, dipping down to kiss her forehead.
“Thank you for the feed, bear,” he says, lips moving against her skin. “Stop being such a menace. Love you.” He takes his leave, chuckling softly when he hears Haewon moving across the kitchen, tutting at Lily as she begins to fuss over the girl.
Hyunjin glides back up the stairs, intent on washing up and checking in on Jeongin, before he sees Seonghwa approaching the landing from the west wing. “Hyunjinnie,” Seonghwa croons, arms extended out as Hyunjin shifts his course. “How’s my baby brother tonight?”
With a fond sigh, Hyunjin presses a kiss to Seonghwa’s cheek. “I’m well. I was about to go check on my progeny and his imprint.”
“Ah, yes. Haewon informed me before sunrise. Is it truly a wolf?” Seonghwa’s eyes flicker across the way, down the east wing’s hall toward Jeongin’s room. “Is it safe?”
“Yes, he’s a wolf. His name is Chan, and he seems eager to learn more about us. I doubt he’s a threat at the moment—his curiosity seems to outweigh any potential urge to harm us.” Hyunjin lets Seonghwa tuck him under his arm, a little side-hug cuddle that he’s always found comfort in. Seonghwa and Hyunjin share a Maker, and when Hyunjin’s imprint was triggered, their Maker all but dumped him at Seonghwa’s door. His blood brother took care of him, nursed him to full strength, held him through the dry sobs and screams for his imprint in the middle of the days when they were supposed to be resting.
Seonghwa hums, pressing his lips to Hyunjin’s temple. “Are you not worried about Minho?”
Hyunjin sighs. “If it were anyone else, I think I would be,” Hyunjin answers, straightening and mourning the loss of Seonghwa’s arm around him. “But you know how tender he is with Jeongin. I don’t think a werewolf imprint can knock Jeongin off the pedestal Minho has him on.”
Seonghwa laughs softly. “Very true.” He angles himself toward Hyunjin again, hand coming up to cradle his face. “Either way, keep an eye on them. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will, hyung,” Hyunjin promises, lips puckering to kiss Seonghwa’s thumb as it smooths over his mouth.
“Come spend some time with me in the drawing room when you get a chance, yeah?” Seonghwa teases, his arm dropping as he takes a step closer to the staircase.
“Of course. After midnight,” Hyunjin promises. Seonghwa smiles, then descends down the stairs as gracefully as ever.
Hyunjin stops by Jeongin’s room before he returns to his own quarters.
He doesn’t knock—he never has. He decides that maybe he should start, though, because the sight that greets him when he slips inside Jeongin’s dimly lit room shocks him.
Jeongin’s head hangs off the foot of the bed, mouth open wide, smeared with blood. His fangs all but sparkle as he pants, eyes squeezed shut, moans punched out of him with every slap of skin on skin. Chan is between his thighs, naked chest shiny with blood. His hips piston forward as he grunts, almost animalistic, hands gripping Jeongin’s thighs to pull him down on his cock—his stupidly thick cock, red and glistening. Coated in blood, Hyunjin realizes, a small shiver dancing along his spine. So much blood.
Hyunjin’s eyes rove over Chan’s bare skin, looking for bite wounds. Surely, with this much blood, there must be multiple… But Hyunjin can’t find any, seeing no source for all of the blood that coats his fledgling and his imprint, seeping into the sheets.
A sudden thought alarms him more.
Is it Jeongin’s blood?
Panic stricken, Hyunjin surges forward, crossing the large room in two long strides to shove Chan back, away from Jeongin. The wolf lands with a grunt against the headboard, and Jeongin gasps, crying out in pain.
“Master!”
Hyunjin whirls, falling to his knees next to Jeongin’s head, cradling it immediately in his hands. “Did he hurt you? Innie, where did–”
Chan growls from the other end of the bed, a low, rumbling noise of possession that has Hyunjin’s head snapping up, vision tainted red. He’ll kill the wolf without remorse, without care for the war it will start, if Chan so much as harmed a hair on Jeongin’s head.
“Hyung!” Jeongin sobs, shaking in Hyunjin’s hold. He rolls onto his side, crowding into Hyunjin’s face. “What– why? Hyung, why did you–”
“Did he hurt you, Jeongin?” Hyunjin demands, trembling fingers gripping his fledgling's shoulders.
“No! Oh, god,” Jeongin wails, hands slipping as he reaches for Hyunjin’s face. “No, Master, it's not– it's not me, it's not mine.”
Hyunjin’s nostrils flare, tilting his head into Jeongin’s open palm, and his mind finally slows enough for the scent to register.
Blood.
He feels his eyes dilate.
Human blood, but not quite. Something deeper, something richer. Decadent, like cultured french butter atop a perfectly seared steak, just a twist of citrus and herb and salt.
Hyunjin’s eyes flutter shut as his mouth parts against his will. “It's his,” he murmurs, moaning softly when Jeongin’s thumb presses into his open mouth, dragging his lip down. Hyunjin's lips pucker reflexively, mouth closing against the pad of the thumb as Hyunjin swallows.
There's blood on his tongue now, sticky sweet, saliferous and sanguine, smeared into him by Jeongin’s desperate hand. Hyunjin’s eyes roll back, and then he snaps them open.
“Oh, little wolf,” he lilts, lips curling as he watches Chan's snarl drop, eyes going wide. “You taste divine."
“He heals,” Jeongin says, an audible sort of wonder in his voice, “so fast, hyung. He doesn't get weak, he just gives and gives.”
Hyunjin looks back at Jeongin, takes in the sight of him. Vermillion eyes stare back, practically glowing. His cheeks are flushed crimson, so vibrant that Hyunjin's heart pangs in his chest at the memory of Jeongin’s lost humanity.
“What?” Hyunjin whispers. “What do you–”
“His werewolf healing,” Jeongin supplies, as if it's obvious. “Hyung, he's the perfect feeder. He heals, almost immediately.”
Hyunjin’s head pivots back to Chan. “Well, isn’t that interesting.” He stares at the wolf curiously, watching his chest heave. Chan’s own fangs are descended, chocolate brown eyes gleaming as he stares back. Now that Hyunjin is looking, he’s once again stricken by how beautiful the man is—plump pink lips, a sharp jaw, and a strong nose. His body is perfect, rippling muscles under creamy, smooth skin. Hyunjin has a sudden urge to paint him, to capture Chan’s stunning form in ink and oil.
Chan trembles, his eyes fluttering closed as he slumps into the bed, seemingly no longer feeling threatened by Hyunjin’s presence.
“Hyung,” Jeongin whispers, and Hyunjin turns back to his fledgling. “Can, um. Can we, y’know… get back to–”
“Oh.” Hyunjin’s eyes go wide. Of course. He interrupted them, after all. If he could still blush, he thinks he might have done so. “Yes, sorry.” Hyunjin rakes a hand through Jeongin’s hair, leaning forward to press his lips to his forehead before standing up.
He’s halfway to the door when he hears his name. “Hyunjin-ssi.” Chan has crawled back to Jeongin, pulled him up into Chan’s lap as they both stare back at Hyunjin. “I won’t hurt him,” Chan says softly.
Hyunjin doesn’t respond, but he nods once. Then, as an afterthought, he tilts his head. “Make sure he doesn’t take too much. He’s young and prone to bloodlust. If he becomes too much, you come find me.” His eyes flick briefly to Jeongin, grateful for the understanding in the fledgling’s eyes. “You subdue him enough to find me, do you hear me, Chan-ah?”
Chan nods, his arms tightening around Jeongin as he dips his head down. “I understand, Hyunjin-ssi.”
Hyunjin finds Seonghwa in the parlor.
“Did you know about the werewolves’ healing speed?” His body vibrates with some foreign sensation. He vaguely remembers it as a human emotion, but it's been so long that he cannot determine which one.
Seonghwa nods. “I did.”
“And you didn't think to tell me?”
“Respectfully, baby brother,” Seonghwa sighs, “I couldn't risk it.”
“What?”
“Christian,” Seonghwa says simply. Hyunjin flinches like he's been struck. Seonghwa tuts at him. “I'm sorry, aegi, I didn't mean to startle you.”
“Then why did you say it?” Why did you bring him up? Hyunjin doesn't add, but Seonghwa’s face twists in sympathy anyway.
“Do you remember his obsession with that feeder from 1865?”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes, a pit opening in his stomach. He was Turned in 1882, but he knows his Maker’s history anyway. “Rosella?”
“Yes,” Seonghwa confirms as Hyunjin slinks over to sit beside him on the settee. “Rosie was a werewolf, but Christian didn’t know that.”
“How?”
“Well. She was also my friend.”
Hyunjin’s head angles to look at his brother. “Your friend?”
“I befriended her during our first feed. She was so scared, and her blood was acrid. I tried to put her in thrall, but– did you know that werewolves are thrall-resistant?”
Terror lances through Hyunjin. “What?”
Seonghwa nods again. “Yeah. She wasn’t going under, so I had to find another way to make her supplicant. And so, I pulled back and I brought her to my chambers. I put her in bed, wiped her tears, and let her sleep through the night. Christian was furious about it, screaming at me so loudly that he woke her. Rosie clung to me, cowered behind me, but I didn’t let him hurt her. It was enough to gain her trust. She told me just before sunrise, begged me to keep her secret safe. So I did.”
“I don’t understand. How did she get in his head?”
“He fed from her a few days later. I had managed to establish her trust, and I promised to keep her with me for the full moons, so she was a lot more pliant and subdued. When Christian finally fed from her, she stayed docile, trying to stay under the radar, if you will.”
“But it didn’t work,” Hyunjin murmurs. “She drew his attention anyway.”
“Yes,” Seonghwa confirms. “He drank from her as deeply as he could, and she didn’t sway. So he drank and drank, then drank some more.”
Realization hits Hyunjin. “He figured out she was healing.”
Seonghwa nods his head. “He did. He became obsessed with her, kept her chained to his bed. No matter what I tried to do, I couldn’t save her. I don’t know exactly what he did to her, but it was bad enough to send her out of her mind, and by the next full moon, she’d managed to put a blade in her own neck.”
“Oh, Seonghwa,” Hyunjun reaches over, squeezing his brother’s hands. “I’m so sorry.”
“I was, too.”
“How can you stand him, knowing he did that to her?” Hyunjin asks.
It takes Seonghwa a while to answer. “Though we adapt well, vampires are still not welcome in this world. I have always been hesitant to cut him off… unnecessarily."
Hyunjin scoffs, but then dips his head in apology. “Respectfully, dear brother. There may come a time when it is necessary.”
Seonghwa frowns. “I’m aware,” he whispers softly, and Hyunjin doesn’t feel like he needs to say anything further on the matter, watching the way Seonghwa’s brow furrows.
“Where’s your son?” Hyunjin asks benevolently to change topics, and Seonghwa’s mouth curls in a fond smile.
“Minho took him to Jeju,” Seonghwa answers. “It’s their anniversary this weekend and Felix wanted to go somewhere fun. They’ll be gone for a couple of weeks.”
“Ah. No wonder Lily was in my bed this morning.” He sighs. “How long has it been now, for Lix and Minho?”
“Twenty years.” Seonghwa slouches against the settee’s back. “I can’t believe my little gremlin found such a good partner.”
Hyunjin snorts. “You know they’re psycho together, right? Like, they’re definitely not monogamous. Or sane.”
“Aegi, we’re immortal beings. Monogamy is unnatural for us.” Seonghwa rolls his head over to look at Hyunjin pointedly. “Our entire existence revolves around lust and pleasures of the flesh, dear brother.”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes. “Speaking of,” he slaps his hands to his thighs as he stands up. “I’m going to go find Wooyoung to blow off some steam. Or Yeosang. Or both.”
Seonghwa gives him a knowing smirk. “Have fun.”
Hyunjin crawls out of Yeosang’s bed before the automatic shutters open the next evening.
Yeosang and Wooyoung are still fast asleep, tangled up together in an unending knot of limbs. Hyunjin leans over to poke Wooyoung’s tongue through his open mouth, grinning when Wooyoung swats him away. Then, he bends down to grab a pair of sweatpants from the floor, just so that he’s not naked in the halls.
He’s grateful for that decision when, at the top of the stairs, he runs into Chan.
“Oh! Hyunjin-ssi, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you,” Chan says apologetically, hands flying out to grip Hyunjin’s elbow to stabilize them both. His eyes flick down to Hyunjin’s naked chest and then back up quickly.
“It’s alright, Chan-ah.” Hyunjin casts his own glance down, taking in Chan’s appearance, dressed in jeans and a sweater. Another duffel bag hangs off of his shoulder. “Are you just getting back?”
Chan nods, letting his arms fall away from Hyunjin. “I went home, to prove to the pack that I’m alright. Everyone was very happy to see me so soon.”
“Good, maybe this arrangement will benefit both our clan and your pack,” Hyunjin says, finding that he means it.
Chan agrees. “Yeah. Maybe some time soon, you and I could talk?” Hyunjin’s face must twist in confusion, because Chan stammers and continues. “Um, for– for me to ask questions… and answer any of yours, hopefully.”
“Ah, yes. Yes, of course.” Hyunjin glances down the hall toward Jeongin’s door, then back to Chan. “How are you settling in here? Is there anything you need?”
“No, everyone is so nice. I’m–” he pauses, cheeks flushing scarlet as his eyes drop to the floor. Cute. “I’m quite comfortable with everything.”
“Oh, wonderful. Well, don’t let me keep you from Jeongin,” Hyunjin says, taking a step toward the stairs. “I’m going to go find someone to drink from.”
His foot is halfway to the next stair when Chan stops him. “Wait!”
Turning slowly, Hyunjin lifts a brow. “Chan-ah?”
“What– uh, ha. What if I fed you?” he finally chokes out, face red and gorgeous.
Hyunjin freezes. “I… I don’t think that’s a good idea. You– you’re Jeongin’s imprint. It would be wrong to wield my power as his Maker to feed from you.”
“Oh.” Chan nods weakly. “Yeah, okay. I understand.” He smiles feebly.
“Thank you for the offer, though.” Hyunjin dips his head, then turns back to the stairs. “Have a good evening, Channie.”
“You too, Hyunjin-ssi.”
Lily is in the kitchen with Haewon and Younghyun, one of their feeders that doesn’t live in the manor. Hyunjin smiles, happy to see fresh meat—no pun intended. “Look what the cat dragged in,” he grins as he saunters over to Younghyun, draping himself across the human’s back.
Younghyun laughs, hand coming up to grab Hyunjin’s arm as it wraps around. “Jinnie, looking beautiful as always.” He angles his head to kiss Hyunjin’s cheek, which makes Hyunjin giggle.
“Are you here for anyone specific?” Hyunjin croons, letting his hand trail down Younghyun’s chest, fingertips dancing over the fly of his jeans.
Younghyun grabs his hand, lifting it to his lips with a smile. “Just you, baby.”
Lily groans. “We’re right here, you know.”
Hyunjin bares his teeth at her, fangs descending. “It’s nothing Haewonnie hasn’t seen before.” Haewon sticks a finger up in the air to emphasize his point, even with her back turned as she stirs a pot on the stove. Hyunjin snickers. “Do you want to watch, Lils? Do you want to see why I’ll never fuck you, sweet girl?”
Younghyun yanks Hyunjin’s arm, pulling him around to topple in his lap. Hyunjin lands as gracefully as he can, the edge of the island counter digging into his back as Younghyun bends into him, crashing their mouths together. A moan slips free as Hyunjin’s head bows back from the force of the kiss, his hands scrambling to find purchase in Younghyun’s shirt.
He’s not pent up—not since he spent the pre-dawn hours with Wooyoung and Yeosang—but still, a thrill shoots through Hyunjin. Younghyun is always enjoyable, both as a feeder and as a lover. The idea of spending the evening riding him and luxuriating in his consumption sounds like the perfect thing to Hyunjin.
“Take me upstairs,” Hyunjin murmurs against Younghyun’s mouth.
Younghyun doesn't hesitate. He grips Hyunjin's thighs as he stands, still licking into Hyunjin’s mouth.
“Honestly, I'm impressed just as much as I'm disgusted,” Lily says, so Hyunjin blindly reaches out and shoves her. He aims for her face, but he lands short and finds her shoulder. She yelps and swats him away.
“I'll bring up a tray full of dinner once it's done,” Haewon calls after them as Younghyun carries Hyunjin out of the kitchen.
Hyunjin drags his mouth down Younghyun’s jaw, suckling at a spot just under his ear while Younghyun climbs the stairs. Fangs graze the skin with a promise, one that Hyunjin isn't patient enough to wait for—they're just a few steps away from Hyunjin’s door when he breaks the skin, coaxing forth that delicious elixir of life from his lover.
Younghyun groans, stumbling as Hyunjin begins to drink. He trips and catches himself on the wall, pinning Hyunjin against it hard enough to detach his mouth. “Fuck, I'm–”
Hyunjin captures his lips, swiping his coated tongue over Younghyun's, feeding him his own blood. His lover moans, hips bucking into Hyunjin’s, and Hyunjin returns to his neck to drink further.
“Jinnie, baby– wait, we gotta–”
Hyunjin sucks harder, and Younghyun's knees tremble. Hyunjin’s back slides a few centimeters down the wall, and he makes a noise of disapproval. “Come on, hyung,” Hyunjin teases, using the term of affection Younghyun prefers most—despite the fact that Hyunjin has lived over a century, he was 25 when he was Turned, and Younghyun is 32. “You can do better than this?”
Younghyun laughs, turning his head to kiss Hyunjin. “Brat,” he chides between kisses. “I'm not as young as I used to be.”
Hyunjin pulls away, letting Younghyun dip down to kiss his own neck as his head falls back against the wall. “Say the word, baby. You know any one of us would sire you, if you so chose.”
His eyes are as soft as his smile when Younghyun pulls back, leaning in to kiss Hyunjin just as tenderly. “If I didn’t know any better, I'd say you liked me.”
“Oh!” Someone nearly squeaks down the hall. “I'm sorry, I-”
Younghyun steps back as far as he can without dropping Hyunjin, and they both turn toward the voice. Jeongin and Chan stand frozen just outside of their door, a blanket thrown over Chan’s arm and their hands clasped together.
“Hi, Younghyun-hyung,” Jeongin says with a small wave.
“Hey, Jeongin-ah,” Younghyun smiles back, slowly releasing Hyunjin’s legs until they're touching the floor. Once Hyunjin is standing on his own, Younghyun turns to Chan. “Who is this?”
“Ah, this is Channie, he's my imprint. Chan, this is Younghyun, he's one of our regular feeders,” Jeongin introduces them, and Hyunjin watches Chan and Younghyun bow at each other.
“Where are you both headed?” Hyunjin asks, to be polite. He’s wiped off his mouth, but his eyes keep darting back to the bite on Younghyun’s neck, steadily leaking down the pale expanse of skin.
“We’re going to lay in the garden and Channie’s going to teach me the constellations!” Jeongin beams, tucking himself into Chan’s side, even tilting his head down to rest it on the wolf’s shoulder. Something bitter and wicked twists in Hyunjin’s gut, serpentine and green with envy of his fledgling’s imprint, but he tamps it down, kicks it back into the dank cavern with the ghost of his own imprint. He’s thankful that Jeongin won’t ever experience what he went through, no matter how painful it is to be reminded.
“That’s lovely! Maybe you could take a bottle of wine down with you,” Younghyun suggests. “I’m sure Haewon has some to pick from.”
“Oh, wolves can’t drink.”
Everyone freezes after Jeongin says it—Hyunjin in disbelief, Chan in panic, Younghyun in confusion.
“What?”
“Werewolves,” Jeongin clarifies, “they can’t drink—well, I guess they can, but it doesn’t affect them.”
Younghyun tilts his face toward Hyunjin, eyes wide. Hyunjin forces a smile, then bites his lower lip. Younghyun turns back to Jeongin and Chan with a slow nod. “Okay, yeah. Sure, why not.” He blows out a breath, then brings his hand up to the bite on his neck. “Oh, babe, we gotta–”
“Yep,” Hyunjin cuts in, stepping over to the door. He gives Jeongin and Chan a small wave. “Have fun, kids,” he says as he opens the door. Younghyun says his own goodbye to them, then he’s crowding Hyunjin deeper into the room and shutting the door on the others.
“Werewolves?” he asks with round eyes.
Hyunjin rolls his own. “You’ve been feeding and fucking a vampire for the past decade, are you really going to draw the supernatural line at werewolves?”
Younghyun’s arm snakes out, hand wrapping around Hyunjin’s throat. “Why are you so hostile?”
“I’m not hostile, I’m hungry,” Hyunjin snaps, shoving Younghyun back as he retreats farther into the room. The sweatpants come off easy, and he arches his back as he climbs onto his bed before laying down on his side and patting the mattress. “Come on, hyung, come make me feel good.”
Younghyun tugs his shirt over his head, uncaring of the way it smears the trail of blood on his neck. “You’re kind of a bitch sometimes,” he tells Hyunjin, with no real anger in his tone.
Hyunjin grins wickedly, laying back against his sheets to watch as Younghyun pops the button of his jeans and drags the zipper down. “Yeah,” he answers, his arms bent beside his head, the back of his hands pressed to his cheeks in the same cutesy way he’s seen Lily do to Felix, “but you like me this way.”
Younghyun’s jeans hit the floor, and then he’s stalking over to Hyunjin. “I do. I really fuckin’ do.”
A week later, Seonghwa seeks Hyunjin out, finding him in his art studio an hour after sunset.
“Christian just sent correspondence,” Seonghwa says, extending the letter in his hands. Hyunjin sets down his brush and takes the parchment, scanning the familiar elegant cursive of his Maker’s writing. “He’s coming to visit.”
“Tomorrow?” Hyunjin’s eyes close as he takes a deep, centering breath. He tries to focus on the soft jazz playing from the record player in the corner, one of his favorite vinyls. “Maybe I should go visit Heeseung.”
“And leave your fledgling here?”
“No, I would take him with me.”
“What of his imprint? Do you expect Heeseung’s clan to take in a wolf?”
Hyunjin sighs, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose and pinching. “No.”
“You could send Chan back to his pack while you’re away,” Seonghwa offers.
Hyunjin shakes his head. “I couldn’t do that to Jeongin. The imprint bond is too strong, he’d go mental. To be torn from one’s imprint is…” Cruel. Barbaric. Nefarious. “I won’t hurt him like that, Hwa.”
Seonghwa’s mouth purses in understanding, a light nod of his head as he sits on the chaise beside Hyunjin’s paint mixing station. “Then, we’ll keep him safe. We can ask Heeseung for help, maybe Jay and Jungwon can stay with us for a few nights.”
“Has Jungwon returned from the Council?” Hyunjin asks.
“Yes, last night. I was visiting with Seung when he arrived back at the compound. He said the meeting went well.”
Hyunjin’s brow raises, and he smirks at his brother. “Visiting with Seung?” He lets out a laugh when Seonghwa huffs. “Did he have any special gifts for you?” Hyunjin wags his brows, and Seonghwa shouts.
“You’re horrible, I hate you,” he says through his laughter, picking up a paint rag from the table next to him and throwing it at Hyunjin’s face.
“You’re not denying it, though!” Hyunjin's mouth drops open when Seonghwa mimes zipping his lips. “Since when? Come on, Hwa, since when?” he pushes when Seonghwa shakes his head.
“Yah!” Seonghwa slaps away Hyunjin’s hand when he reaches out to pinch his cheeks. “Since the winter solstice. Happy?”
Hyunjin coos. “Are you? I haven't seen you take a lover for this long in decades.”
Seonghwa shrugs, but the genuine smile on his face betrays the nonchalance. “He's very good in bed.”
Hyunjin lets out a holler, genuine excitement pouring out of him as Seonghwa dissolves into a fit of giggles. His strong, elegant big brother, over four centuries old, giggling like a teenager. It warms Hyunjin’s heart.
He asks more questions, getting all of the juicy details of his blood brother’s budding relationship, before Seonghwa eventually turns the tables on him.
“When was your last feed?”
“Last night. Mingyu stopped by to offer.”
Seonghwa raises a single eyebrow. “Kim Mingyu? The mayor's son?” Hyunjin shrugs, not meeting his eye, and Seonghwa laughs inelegantly. “Ah, you always did like them beefy.”
Hyunjin lifts his chin with a sniff. “I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Uh huh, sure,” Seonghwa teases. “I'm surprised you haven't taken a bite of Channie yet.”
Hyunjin scrunches his nose. “That's– Chan belongs to Jeongin,” he says, shaking his head.
“Jeongin would share. He loves you.”
“Of course, he would share. I'm his Maker.” He would do anything I asked of him.
“That's not what I meant, Jinnie,” Seonghwa sighs. “Jeongin loves you for more reasons than your blood tie.”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes. “And you? If it were Felix, would you ask him to share his imprint with you?”
Seonghwa sighs again, fingertips pressed to his temple. “Felix did share his imprint with me once out of the goodness of his heart, because he’s an angel. But we both know that he sees himself as my biological son, and as such, his feelings for me are not inherently romantic.” Hyunjin scoffs, which makes Seonghwa lift his head. His hand drops and the glare he sends Hyunjin is withering. “Are you being obtuse on purpose, dear brother?”
“I’m not–”
Seonghwa cuts him off. “Why do you think Jeongin chose you to sire him? He had his pick, he could have asked any one of us. He sought you out, begged for your blood.” Hyunjin shakes his head, but Seonghwa is relentless. “Did you not realize how he looked at you?”
“It was just a crush,” Hyunjin snaps back. “It didn’t mean anything. I saved his life, I took away his pain. Whatever he feels now is just gratitude, respect… maybe awe.”
Seonghwa stares at him for a moment, and then takes a deep breath. “You’re not him, Hyune. You’re not Christian.”
Hyunjin’s eyes widen at his brother’s words. “What?”
“It’s not the same—you won’t hurt him.”
“No, I won’t,” Hyunjin agrees, “because I won’t taint him.” I won’t touch him with my ruinous hands, won’t watch him suffer because of me.
Seonghwa simply stares, mouth pressed into a line. “I fear you’re a bigger clodpoll than I suspected.”
“A what?”
“A dolt, dimwit, a dummkopf—an idiot, Hyunjin." Seonghwa points at him, and Hyunjin clutches at his chest. "You're an idiot.”
“Seonghwa!” Hyunjin protests as his brother stands. Seonghwa steps closer, his hand curling around Hyunjin’s chin to lift it upward.
“I love you, aegi, you know I do, so I’m not meaning to hurt you when I say any of this.” His free hand points to the door, toward the stairs in the center of the manor. “That boy is in love with you, and if you don’t acknowledge that soon, you’ll hurt him just as Christian hurt you.”
Hyunjin flinches.
Seonghwa’s thumb soothes across his cheek. “I know,” his brother croons. “I know you don’t want that. If you truly have no interest in the boy, you have to tell him, you have to let him process it, and now, with his imprint, would be the perfect time.”
Hyunjin lets his eyes flutter shut, leaning into Seonghwa’s hand. “Wouldn’t that put Chan in danger?”
Seonghwa lets out a little chuckle. “I think Mistress Moon works in mysterious ways,” he says, tone laced with amusement. It makes Hyunjin’s brow furrow, and when he opens his eyes, Seonghwa is biting back a smirk. “Don’t you think it’s interesting that, for seemingly the first time ever, a fledgling has imprinted on a werewolf?”
And Hyunjin did. He did think it was interesting—vexing, even. Spent much of his time this past week wondering what the fuck it meant, chewing his lip raw as he lost himself to his thoughts and oil paints and deliberated why in the fuck it was his fledgling to eschew the norm.
“It’s time to evolve, aegi,” Seonghwa says, thumb shifting to press Hyunjin’s mouth closed before he can retort. “Whatever that means for you, figure it out.”
Seonghwa’s words linger long after he rakes his hands through Hyunjin’s hair and steps away, closing the double doors to the art studio behind him softly. The vinyl record Hyunjin has had playing scratches, a clear request to be flipped, but Hyunjin remains on his stool.
Evolve.
It’s ironic, he thinks, for Seonghwa to use such a word. Vampires cannot evolve, not the way humans do. There is no biological procreation, no offspring without a bite. Some of the most efficient vampires are the oldest, the ones who’ve learned to survive, and it’s fledglings that die most often.
And yet.
What if there’s truth to Seonghwa’s statement? An evolutionary advantage to Jeongin’s imprint on the wolf?
He doesn’t know much about werewolves, but Hyunjin supposes that’s what Chan is here for, to learn from Hyunjin and teach him about the wolves in return.
“I guess I need to speak to Chan, then,” he mutters, shaking his temporary paralysis off as he reaches for his paintbrush. “Tomorrow, before Christian arrives.”
This time, he knocks.
It’s Chan who opens the door, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he swings the door wide. “Hyunjin-ssi,” he says, almost in surprise. “Good evening.”
Hyunjin bows slightly. “Good evening, Chan-ah. Did you sleep?”
Chan nods. “I tend to sleep a few hours during the day with Innie.”
Innie.
Hyunjin's lip curls away from his teeth involuntarily, and he tries to shift it into a smile, stiff and awkward as it is. “Wonderful. Do you have some time to talk?” Chan’s eyes widen, and Hyunjin feels compelled to continue. “I had some questions about your kind, so I'm hoping you'll join me in the study.”
“Uh,” Chan scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah, of course. Um. Can I get some food first?” His eyes flick back into the room.
Hyunjin nods coolly. “Yes, take your time. You can bring food into the study, there's a small table to sit at, plus a few very comfortable couches. And Jeongin can join us, once he's done in the shower.”
Chan straightens. “I forgot how good vampire hearing is,” he says, trailing off in a short laugh. “Innie doesn't seem to have that.”
“He's still a whelp,” Hyunjin says, unable to hide the fond smile. “Our senses sharpen with time. He'll get there, eventually.”
Chan nods, a smile playing on his mouth. “Okay. We'll meet you in the study in… 30 minutes?”
“Great, see you then.” Hyunjin dips his head, then wanders back toward his own quarters to grab a sketchbook. He stops in the kitchen as well, gratefully taking the mug Haewon holds out to him.
“Just warmed this up, thought you might like to have a snack while you talk to Channie.” She smiles when Hyunjin’s brow furrows. “I overheard you when I was bringing down the linens from the guest room.”
Hyunjin grips her shoulder, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “You’re my favorite person.”
“I know,” she teases. “I can bring some tea in later, to keep him comfortable.”
“Thank you, Wonnie.”
Hyunjin drops his hand, cradling the warm mug as he wanders into the study. He takes his time picking out a vinyl for the record player, something low and calming with a lot of string instruments that he never fails to smile at. Then, he settles onto his favorite chair, reaching for his phone to open his thread with Felix and answer the waiting messages from his best friend.
The door to the study opens some time later. A smile still on his lips, Hyunjin sends a quick goodbye to Felix, promising to text him before sunrise.
“Master!” Jeongin chirps happily, scurrying into the study.
“Hi, Jeonginnie,” Hyunjin answers, laughing when Jeongin perches onto the low sofa across from him. Chan walks into the study behind Haewon, who carries a tray full of food.
“Really, Haewon-ssi, you didn’t have to carry it all the way here,” Chan says, his face as troubled as his tone. Haewon rolls her eyes fondly, setting the tray down on the coffee table between Hyunjin and Jeongin.
“Nonsense, Chan-ah,” Hyunjin interrupts before Haewon can reply. “That’s what we pay her for. Plus, she likes to dote on the humans of the manor—you wouldn’t take that enjoyment from her, would you?”
Chan’s eyes go round as he stammers, and Haewon sends Hyunjin a knowing glance. “It’s true,” she says, turning to smack his abdomen lightly. “This is my house to keep, my charges to care for. Let your noona take care of you.”
Chan immediately bows in gratitude. “Ah, thank you Haewon-ssi.”
“Please just call me noona, Chan-ah.”
Hyunjin watches the adorable way Chan’s face scrunches up, but then he’s nodding and bowing again, letting Haewon pass him as she exits the study with one final request to call for her if they need anything.
“Thank you again, Wonnie,” Hyunjin tells her just before she closes the door. He turns back to his guests, gesturing for Chan to sit down. “Come on, Channie, take a seat.”
Obediently, Chan does, sitting down beside Jeongin and reaching for the bottle of water on the black tray.
“Since I want you to eat, why don’t you ask me a couple of questions first? That way, I can answer, and you can listen while you eat?” Hyunjin suggests, pointing at Chan’s meal. “Eat.”
Chan picks up his chopsticks, glancing up at Hyunjin as he reaches for a piece of meat. “Okay. Um. You kind of already explained about the imprinting process and willing participation, but you mentioned something about… thrall? What is that?” he asks, just before he shoves the meat into his mouth.
Hyunjin hums. “A thrall is someone who has been placed under a vampire’s command, bent to their will. Thralls do not act of their own volition, except for bodily functions like eating and drinking, using the toilet, even basic hygiene. They are most often used for feeding, but some old vampires will thrall a lover.” Hyunjin can’t help the way his mouth twists, nose scrunched in distaste.
“Isn’t that violating for the human?” Chan asks, his chopsticks pausing above the rice bowl.
“Yes. Back in the day, vampires didn’t care. They were creatures ruled by their bloodlust, unchecked by nature or society. However, as time went on, things changed. As new vampires were made, we began evolving—new moral values, older vampires killed by hunters or their progeny. Now, while thralls still exist for feeding, it’s generally looked down upon to sleep with a thrall.”
“Thank God for that,” Chan murmurs, chewing on some kimchi. Hyunjin nods in agreement.
“There are still plenty of ancient vampires around, but they tend to stay in more remote areas, often relying on their progeny to hunt and bring back humans. Unfortunately, one such vampire is going to show up here at the manor, most likely just before sunrise tonight.”
“What?” Jeongin straightens, his face falling slack. “Who?”
“My Maker,” Hyunjin answers grimly. “He sent correspondence to Seonghwa—we are Made of the same blood, the same sire. Christian hasn’t been to the manor in nearly a decade, so you’ve certainly not met him before.”
Jeongin makes a cute little pout, his arms crossing as he sinks back against the sofa. “Isn’t he like, a real jerk?”
Hyunjin laughs into his hand. “Yes. Which is why I need you to be on your best behavior. Keep Chan out of Christian’s sight, if possible.” He glances over at Chan. “Do you have some way of masking your scent?”
Chan blinks, eyes flicking down to the ground as he thinks. “Um. I can… well. I can run back home to get some herbs we use. And maybe…” His cheeks flush pink as he glances over at Jeongin. “I mean. I can cover myself with Jeongin’s scent as well.”
Hyunjin nods. “Whatever you can do. Hopefully, Christian will not pick up on your wolf. He won’t be drawn to any of the humans in the house,” except for Lily, if she continues her habit of throwing herself at vampires, he thinks, “so as long as you don’t stand out, there’s nothing to worry about. We will have some friends staying with us in the guest suites of our wing, though, just for additional security.”
“Who?” Jeongin asks as he tilts his head.
“Jay and Jungwon are coming,” Hyunjin answers, “and Heeseung will be in Seonghwa’s chambers.”
Jeongin gasps. “Heeseung and Hwa?”
Hyunjin’s mouth curls into a grin. “Yes, it seems my brother has found a man who tickles his fancy.”
“For how long?”
“Nearly a year, if you can believe it.” Hyunjin sighs wistfully, a dreamy smile on his face. “Good for him, honestly.”
Chan quietly eats his food, chewing as he watches Hyunjin and Jeongin gossip. When there’s a break in the conversation, he asks, “who is Heeseung?”
“Oh, he’s the leader of another vampire household nearby. They are our closest compatriots, and they were all too willing to assist us for this occasion.”
“Hold on,” Chan chokes. “Are they coming because of me?”
Hyunjin sighs. “Chan, I don’t think you understand how dangerous of a situation this is.” He stares into Chan’s eyes as he leans forward. “You’re very lucky that Jeongin hasn’t lost control. A feeder who heals so quickly, who regenerates—that kind of information could lead to your entire species being hunted.”
Chan’s mouth rounds as the full weight of that statement settles, understanding seeping into every pore. “Oh my God,” he whispers, shrinking in on himself. Jeongin sits up, scooting closer to him and curling an arm around Chan’s back. “I– I didn’t even think about–”
“I know,” Hyunjin says ruefully, settling back into his chair. “I wish I could say that my kind could be trusted with that knowledge, but I recently found out that they cannot. It’s why I need you to lay low while Christian is here.”
“We will,” Jeongin says, squeezing Chan closer to him.
“Good. Let us protect you.”
Chan makes a face. “Usually, protection is my job,” he says, an awkward laugh following the words.
Hyunjin sucks his teeth. “Well, now you’ve got us to protect you, and by proxy, your pack as well.” He leans forward again. “I promise, nothing bad will happen to you for as long as I exist on this plane.”
Chan swallows visibly, reaching for his tea with unsteady hands. “Th-thank you, Hyunjin-ssi.”
“You can just call me hyung, Chan-ah,” he responds, sending the wolf a sincere smile. “We’re a pretty comfortable clan, if you hadn’t noticed.”
Chan’s cheeks turn pink again, which Hyunjin finds absolutely adorable, yet also devastatingly appealing. The reminder of all that tantalizing blood…
No. He’s Jeongin’s imprint, not yours.
“Ah, thank you, Hyunjin-ssi– hyung,” Chan corrects himself, bowing his head and tugging on his ear with his free hand. “I’ve, um. I’ve been pack alpha for so long that I don’t really know how to turn it off. But, I’ll try… for you, and for Jeongin.”
Hyunjin is so endeared. “How old are you, Channie?”
“I just turned twenty nine,” he answers, squaring his shoulders. “I know that’s old for an unmated alpha, but– my pack has always been more important.”
“Is it?” Hyunjin asks. Chan’s head whips up, something intense in his eyes that makes Hyunjin clarify his question. “Old! To be unmated! We—us vampires—well we have no clue how wolf packs work.”
Chan exhales shakily, tension leaving his body as he does. “Yeah,” he nods, taking a sip of his tea again. “Most matings happen between eighteen and twenty-four, sometimes later if the pair has an age gap. Do you remember Hongjoong? My second-in-command.”
Hyunjin nods his head. “I thought he was the alpha leader.”
Chan laughs. “That’s part of our strategy, yes. Well, he’s about my age, just a year younger than me, but his mate is twenty-four.”
“The pregnant one?”
“Yes, good memory,” Chan compliments, and Hyunjin absolutely does not preen on the inside. “Seungmin had been promised to Hongjoong basically since childhood, but Joong wanted to wait until the omega was adult enough to consent to their mating, so they had their ceremony just last year.”
Hyunjin leans forward. “What’s an omega?”
Chan chokes, coughing a little, and Jeongin gives him a couple of hearty slaps to his back. Chan shoots him a fond smile in gratitude, taking a sip of water to clear his throat. “Oh, um. Omegas are. Well. They are the werewolf reproductive subgender.”
“Reproductive?” Hyunjin tilts his head. “What, like a woman?”
“Sort of—that’s a primary gender. We have secondary genders as well; alpha, beta, omega. Omegas can be male or female, or neither at all. Same for alphas and betas.”
“So, alpha isn’t just your position?” Jeongin asks.
Chan leans over to kiss his cheek. “No. I’m an alpha, yes, but I’m the pack alpha as well. In my absence, Hongjoong has taken over, so he’s actually the pack alpha right now, and he’ll–”
“Sorry,” Hyunjin interrupts, having finally remembered his voice. “Did you say that both men and women of your kind can create life? Like… with wombs?”
“Yeah,” Chan confirms, and Hyunjin tries to wrap his mind around it.
“Where does– sorry, I don’t mean to be crass, but where?”
Chan barks out a surprised laugh, his face once more flushing pink. “Um, there’s… male omegas have both. Err, both parts.”
“Oh.” Hyunjin attempts to picture it, but his brain is failing him. “Is it bad that I’m curious? Like I’d want to see?”
Chan laughs again, high and squeaky—maybe a bit forced. “Oh. I mean, I guess not? I could– ha. I have a pack member who would probably show you, if you’d like. Jisung—he’s Changbin’s mate, you met Changbin—well, Jisung’s endlessly curious about vampires so if you bargained with him, he’d show you.”
“And how would Changbin feel about that?” Hyunjin cocks a brow, remembering how the escort guard had looked at him.
“Truthfully, as long as you were respectful, I don’t think Changbin would care. They’ve been mated forever, they have a great relationship. He’d want to be in the room to keep an eye on you, but Changbin doesn’t actually see you as a threat.”
Hyunjin’s upper lip curls instinctively. “He should. Your whole pack should.”
Something in Chan’s tone softens when he says, “probably.” Then Chan smiles, tender and warm, aimed directly at Hyunjin. “But I think you’re much more likely to protect a wolf than you are to tear one apart.”
It cuts him down, strikes him to the core. Hyunjin’s belly aches, a phantom sensation from a life he hardly remembers. Chan must know it, too. He casts his eyes down, despite the smile still tugging at his lips, and when he glances up through his lashes, Hyunjin feels another ache—this time below his sternum, a hollow pit of despair that he quickly buries, clearing his throat and reaching for the mug of lukewarm blood at his side.
A few hours later, Hyunjin’s brain is full of new information.
Chan helpfully provides answers to whatever questions Hyunjin has, even when he gets a little sleepy, pulling his legs up and tilting sideways to lay his head on Jeongin’s thigh. He doesn’t drift off, but Hyunjin winds down their conversation anyway, promising that they can pick up another night.
“I hope so, hyung,” Chan says, a shy smile on his face. “I’ve enjoyed talking to you.”
Hyunjin’s still smiling despite himself as he wanders into the kitchen after dropping Jeongin and Chan off at their quarters.
“Ah, if it isn’t my youngest son.”
The hair on Hyunjin’s arms stands on end. He lifts his head, smile dropping as his eyes find his Maker’s form.
“Christian,” Hyunjin greets him coolly.
His Maker laughs, almost incredulously. “Have you forgotten your manners, Hyunjin?”
Hyunjin curls his lip into a sneer, baring his teeth. “You haven’t had reign over me in more than a century, Master,” he hisses, tensing when Christian rises from the stool. Hyunjin hadn’t processed anything but his Maker’s face when he’d entered the room, but once Christian moves, he sees Seonghwa and Heeseung sitting on the other side of him. Haewon is at the stove, stirring a small pot over a burner.
Christian steps into his space, just shy of Hyunjin’s own height. “You look well, Jinnie.” Of course he ignores Hyunjin’s words.
“Wish I could say the same,” Hyunjin mutters under his breath, rolling his eyes when Christian grins at him.
“It’s been—what, eighteen years?” Christian’s hand wraps around Hyunjin’s nape, pulling him down to press their cheeks together, kissing the high point of Hyunjin’s orbital bone. “I don’t think I’ve seen you since Jackson’s cheeky little Twilight-themed masquerade ball in 2008.”
“It’s been such a peaceful eighteen years,” Hyunjin deadpans, wincing when Christian laughs directly into his ear.
“Oh, Hyunjin, you’ve always been absolutely hysterical!”
Hyunjin shoves his Maker back, cutting off the laughter that makes his skin prickle. “What do you want, Christian?” he sighs, pressing his fingers into his eyes, rubbing hard. “Why are you here?”
“I came to see my two favorite children,” Christian says, the jovial tone dropped for something that instead makes Hyunjin want to shiver and cower. He does neither of those things.
“Well, only one of them lives here,” Hyunjin says, gesturing his hand past Christian’s shoulder to wave toward Seonghwa. “Momo still lives in Kyoto.”
Christian bares his teeth, fangs descending as a snarl burbles out of him. Hyunjin clenches his fist not to react, not to give him the satisfaction. “You insufferable imp. Why can’t you just fucking behave? Be grateful for a Maker who still cares about you.”
Hyunjin scoffs. “Cares? You think this is caring?” His arms fly out to the side, then he brings them forward to shove Christian’s hand off. His hands shake as his voice rises in volume. “I was three months Turned and you dumped me at Seonghwa’s doorstep.”
Christian bristles, eyes narrowing. “I di–”
Hyunjin cuts him off, seething. “You did. You discarded me—called me defective because I imprinted on you. As if I had any control over that, as if I chose to.” He pokes a finger into Christian’s chest. “You abandoned me at the most vulnerable time in a vampire’s life, and you think you deserve gratitude? Please. You’re a sorry excuse for a Maker.”
The kitchen is silent. Hyunjin drops his hand, chest heaving—a phantom ache of adrenaline in his veins.
Christian stares back at him, an equal mix of disbelief and rage simmering in his eyes. “Well,” he says quietly, smoothing down the lapels of his brocade silk button down shirt. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the coffin. Or maybe it’s just too close to sun-up for you. We can try to have a respectful conversation in the evening after you’ve slept.” He turns on his heel, sauntering back over to Seonghwa to press a kiss to his forehead.
Hyunjin huffs, clenching his fists, as he listens to his Maker ask which guest suite he’ll be staying in. Haewon interjects, extending an offer to show him to his rooms, and Hyunjin has had enough. With a pointed glance at his brother, he bows his head to Heeseung and departs the kitchen.
Back in his room, he lets out a frustrated groan, picking up a black gilded throw pillow from his chaise and throwing it at the back of his door. It doesn’t abate the rage simmering below his skin, so he strips his clothes and throws himself face-first into bed, just as the automatic shutters activate. Even still, he reaches over and unthreads the ties of his bedcurtains, pulling the heavy red crushed velvet closed on all sides, enclosing him in pitch darkness to match his mood.
There’s a body pressed to his back when Hyunjin wakes next.
He turns, looking over his shoulders, trying to make out any features in the sliver of lantern light that peeks through the bedcurtains. All he can make out is the curve of a speckled shoulder. “Lix?” he murmurs, twisting around fully.
Felix shifts, wrapping his arms around Hyunjin’s waist. “Shh, the sun’s still out,” he says. The familiar deep rumble of Felix’s voice soothes something in Hyunjin that he hadn’t realized had frayed.
“Where’s Minho?” Hyunjin asks, sinking into the comforting embrace of his best friend.
“Still in the coffin. Haewon said she’d unlock it at sunset.” Felix runs a hand down Hyunjin’s back softly. “She also told me what happened with Christian.”
Hyunjin ducks his face below Felix’s jaw. His skin is warm, still kissed by the sun. When Felix was Turned, Hyunjin finally got confirmation of what he’d long suspected: Felix is special. A daywalker. He’s immune to the sun, a reward from Mistress Moon for being such a good-hearted soul. The freckles on his skin stayed vibrant and plentiful.
“He’s the worst,” Hyunjin grumbles. “I hate when he visits.”
“I know. That’s why we cut our trip short.” Hyunjin lifts his head, but Felix’s hand splays across the back of it, stopping him. “Don’t even try to say anything stupid like ‘you didn’t have to do that.’ You know damn well that we weren’t going to leave you alone to face that jerk.”
Hyunjin feels lips press to his temple, and he sighs, the fight draining out of him. “I’m not alone. Hwa is here, and Heeseung, too.”
“I heard,” Felix giggles. “I knew eomma was sneaking out to meet someone, but I never imagined it was Heeseung-hyung.”
“He seems happy, though.”
Felix hums. “Good. Eomma deserves it.” He squeezes Hyunjin, threading his fingers into his hair. “Come on, let’s get some sleep.”
Hyunjin needs very little convincing, and the next time he blinks awake, the bedcurtains are being yanked open unceremoniously.
“There’s my little kitten,” a teasing voice rings out. “Oh, Hyunjin, you’re here too.”
Hyunjin groans against the onslaught of the bedroom lights. “It’s my room, Min.”
Minho’s teeth glint with his grin as he flops down into the bed with them, landing atop Hyunjin, who grunts. “I missed my Yongbokkie.”
Felix giggles, shifting to climb over Hyunjin and into Minho’s lap. “Hi, Daddy,” he mewls, that sweet-soft tone reserved only for his lover.
Hyunjin manages to pull himself free from their tangled legs, rolling over to grab his phone just as the sound of lips smacking together joins Felix’s little giggles. There’s a message from Haewon asking if Hyunjin needs to feed tonight. It’s been two days, and with the rage from last night, he’d probably burned through quite a bit of satiation. Begrudgingly, he asks her to set up a feed for him.
“Jinnie,” Minho calls out. Hyunjin locks his phone, putting it back on the nightstand as he rolls over to answer. Felix has turned around in Minho’s lap, lower lip caught in his teeth—fangs descended. Minho’s chin hooks over his shoulder, a wry grin splitting his face. “Wanna have a little fun before breakfast?”
Hyunjin grins back. “First one to make Lix cum gets to fuck his face.”
Minho laughs, one of his hands sliding up to wrap around Felix’s throat. Felix makes a high-pitched whine. “Okay. And what will you do when I win and I claim his mouth?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” Hyunjin smirks, shuffling closer. “I’m gonna ride him.”
Two hours later, Hyunjin slinks down the stairs.
He’s got a lazy smile on his face and a fresh set of puncture wounds on his neck. Haewon slaps his exposed stomach when he saunters into the kitchen, laughing at him as she shakes her head.
“I see Yongbok-ah wasted no time getting his teeth in you,” she says, nothing but affection in her tone. He chuckles, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to pull her into a quick hug. She smacks his arm where it winds around her head, fighting for her freedom and squealing. When she wrenches herself free, she points a finger menacingly at him. “You’re on thin ice, Hwang,” she teases, and he laughs again.
“What’s this?” Christian’s voice cuts through the kitchen as he enters, followed by Jungwon and Jay from Heeseung’s clan.
The laughter seeps out of Hyunjin immediately. “Nothing,” he says coolly, clearing his throat.
Christian rakes his eyes down Hyunjin’s form—the luxe satin robe, loosely tied, barely keeping him modest. Hyunjin grabs the edges of the robe and folds them tighter, arms crossed over his chest as Christian narrows in on the bite on his neck. He sucks his teeth in disapproval. “You shouldn’t let anyone feed on you, Hyunjin.”
“Not even your grandchild?” Minho says, voice as hard as steel as he walks in from the hall. Felix is tucked behind him, a cautious but friendly look on his face as he peers round to smile at Christian.
“Hi, halabeoji,” Felix greets gently.
Christian’s face softens exponentially. “Yongbok,” he says, stepping toward the couple to pull Felix into a hug. “Seonghwa said you were on vacation.”
“We were,” Felix confirms. “We got back around noon.”
Christian tuts again, smoothing his hand over Felix’s hair, down his cheek to cradle his chin. “I missed you. How are you? Is Minho-ssi still taking care of you?”
Minho’s upper lip curls away from his teeth, baring the points of his fangs where they poke out of his gums in warning. Felix laughs quietly, one of his hands moving to lay over the hand Minho has on his hip. “Yes, halabeoji. Nothing’s changed, Minho takes excellent care of me.” He glances over at Hyunjin. “As does Hyunjinnie, who allowed me to feed from him this evening.”
Christian’s eyes drift back over to Hyunjin, something like irritation on his features when Hyunjin beams back brightly. “Anything for you, Lixie.”
Felix giggles, and Christian sighs, turning back to face Felix. “Yes, well.” He clears his throat, pinching Felix’s chin before dropping his hand. “Will you join me in the study for a while? I want to catch up with my most special grand-progeny.”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes behind Christian, which makes Felix smile wider as he shifts, stepping into Christian’s side and taking his outstretched elbow. “Absolutely. Come, you must tell me about your travels as well.” Felix guides them out of the kitchen without hesitation, stopping only to press a quick kiss to Minho’s mouth. Minho follows them out immediately.
Hyunjin turns to Jungwon and Jay once they’re gone. “Hey, good to see you both.”
Jungwon reaches over to give Hyunjin a quick hug while Jay bows at him, then they’re both sitting down. “How’ve you been, Hyunjin?” Jay asks after Haewon hands him a warm mug.
“Good, other than the obvious.” Hyunjin takes a seat across from them. “How have you both been? How’s Ni-ki? Is he still struggling with his bloodlust?”
“No, thankfully,” Jungwon answers. “Jake’s helped him a lot with that, to be honest.”
“That’s good.”
They chat idly for a bit, stopping only to wave Yeosang over when he wanders into the kitchen.
“Where’s Woo?” Jay asks as Yeosang sits beside Hyunjin.
“He's still in the study. He didn’t want to leave Minho and Felix.” Yeosang glances over at Hyunjin. “Your Maker’s kind of awful.”
Hyunjin snorts. “Kind of?” There’s a few chuckles as he shakes his head. “I really appreciate all of you being here to help keep him busy.”
“Hey, man, no worries,” Jungwon says, reaching across the table to punch Hyunjin’s arm softly—affectionately. “You know we’ll always help you guys out. Mistress Moon knows, you’ve all done it for us.”
Hyunjin smiles back. “Ah, that was nothing. I think we’ve all struggled with control before.”
“You? Out of control?” Yeosang teases. “Jinnie, you’d have to unclench a little. You’ve got such a tight grip on your restraint, I don’t think you could ever lose control.”
Hyunjin grins back at him sarcastically as Jay and Jungwon laugh a little. It’s not mocking or condescending—these are his people. Yeosang is sixty years older than he is; has been a part of Seonghwa’s coven since before Hyunjin was Made. Hyunjin trusts him implicitly—him, Wooyoung, Minho, Felix, Seonghwa, and all seven of Heeseung’s clan.
But Yeosang is right.
Hyunjin hasn’t ever taken a hand off of the reins, lest he lose any bit of control ever again. His imprinting was so traumatizing that he’ll never allow himself to be unmoored like that.
Ever.
Jeongin’s noise of excitement breaks through his thoughts, and he turns to see his fledgling scurry over. Chan is already in the kitchen, standing with Haewon near the counter where she’s plating food for him, a fond smile on his face as he watches Jeongin throw his arms around Jay’s shoulders.
“When did you get here?” Jeongin asks, wonder and indignation warring in his voice.
“Last night, after your Maker had sent you and your human back to your quarters,” Jungwon answers, reaching over to fluff Jeongin’s hair. “We didn’t want to disturb you.”
“No, it’s okay, I understand,” Jeongin replies, moving to hug Jungwon next. He moves to sit in the chair beside him. “I know my Master is worried for my safety while his Maker is here.”
Hyunjin nods once, a small smile on his face when Jeongin looks at him. “Of course, I worry, Innie-yah.”
Jeongin beams back at him, then his eyes go wide. “Oh! Channie!” He holds a hand out as Chan approaches, gesturing at the others. “You've met Yeosangie before, but this is Jay and Jungwon.”
Chan sets his plate down on Hyunjin’s other side, bowing deeply to the two new vampires. Hyunjin can see his heartbeat, the veins in his neck pulsing. “Hello, nice to meet you.” Then he looks at Hyunjin. “Is it okay for me to sit here?”
Hyunjin pats the chair, shoving it back from the table to help Chan get comfortable. He could have chosen the seat at the end in order to be closer to Jeongin, but Hyunjin suspects Chan might believe Seonghwa will show up. He won’t take the head of the table because this isn’t his home, isn’t his pack.
“So, Chan,” Jungwon starts. “How did you meet our Yeni for him to imprint on you?”
“In the woods,” Jeongin says.
Jay’s brows pinch together. “What were you doing in the woods?” he asks, looking over at Chan, who chokes on a bite of rice.
“Oh,” he says, taking a sip of water, then clearing his throat. “I’m, uh. I’m a wolf, from– from the local pack.”
Jay tilts forward, his brows nearly shooting into his hairline as Jungwon gasps. “Seriously?” Jungwon looks toward Jeongin, then to Hyunjin, then back to Chan. “Why don’t you smell like a wolf, then? Normally, wolf scents are pungent and—no offense—repulsive.”
Chan laughs once. “None taken. Most packs live a lot more primal than we do, very connected to their wolf forms. My pack is young, though. We split off from the East Valley pack a few years ago and we live decently modern lives.”
“You live in huts,” Jeongin says with a fond roll of his eyes, which makes Chan clench his jaw and swat at Jeongin across the table playfully, laughing in disbelief.
“Yah! Not everyone! We’ve been building cabins and other outbuildings. It’s just a slow process. A lot of my pack members have jobs in town.”
Hyunjin finds himself surprised by this information. “Really? Is that why you split from your former pack?”
“Yeah.” Chan picks up a piece of seaweed, using his chopsticks to wrap it around a chunk of meat and some rice. “A lot of my generation didn’t like the outdated habits of the old pack– things like arranged marriage and limited contact with humans,” he says, just before shoving the seaweed bundle into his mouth.
“That’s so interesting. I only knew one wolf, in my human days,” Jay says. “We met at the river where I did the washing for my family, and we became something like friends. She was always very nervous about it though, and I just thought it was who she was. Paranoid.”
“She was probably worried about her pack finding out,” Chan offers. “I’ve heard stories of Elders who’d punish their pack members if they had contact with humans, even if it was accidental. There’s a story about a lost omega meeting a group of humans in their wolf form and getting hurt that was used to try to discourage pups from being curious about humans.”
“That’s awful,” Yeosang says softly.
Chan shrugs. “It is, but I understand why. A lot of pack Elders are just uninformed. They don’t understand how the human world has evolved—modern technology, cars, phones, things like that—so it scares them. We don’t shy away from learning new things in my pack.”
“I never would have imagined that centuries-old vampires have a better understanding of human tech than the wolves do,” Jungwon muses.
Hyunjin sucks his teeth. “Of course we do. We blend into society easier, even if we’re limited to when the sun’s down. We all used to be human.”
Chan turns his head toward Hyunjin, a tiny smile on his face. “Yeah, exactly. Us wolves have been so isolated from human civilization for so long, it’s going to take a while to catch up.”
“I can help, hyung!” Jeongin offers enthusiastically. Jungwon ruffles his hair and Jay mumbles ‘cute’ under his breath as Hyunjin smiles back at his fledgling.
“So good for your imprint, aren’t you, aegi?”
Jeongin’s eyes flick over to Hyunjin, rounding slightly as his mouth drops open. “Oh– yes, Master. T-to make you proud.”
Hyunjin frowns. “You always make me proud, Jeongin.”
Jeongin’s mouth slams shut, cutting off a noise that Hyunjin can’t decipher. He doesn’t have the time to analyze it anyway, because the side entry door out to the driveway opens, and Younghyun steps through it.
“Ah, Younghyun-ssi, good evening,” Haewon greets him, and Hyunjin straightens in his chair.
“Looks like my dinner is here,” he murmurs to the table as he stands. The other vampires laugh, but Chan’s brows furrow as he looks from Younghyun to Hyunjin and back. Not knowing what to make of that, Hyunjin gives the table a dismissive wave then steps over to Haewon and Younghyun. “Hi, handsome,” he murmurs, a wide smile on his face as he’s swept into Younghyun’s arms and kissed.
“There you are,” Younghyun murmurs, hands splaying wide on Hyunjin’s hips. He lets Hyunjin pull back despite the fingers threading into his hair, then he glances over at the table. His eyes widen slightly, and he lifts one hand to wave. “Hello, sorry– did I interrupt?”
“No, we just have some guests staying here for a few days and we were chatting a bit. It’s okay, we can go up to my quarters,” Hyunjin tells him, voice pitched low. He knows everyone but the humans will still hear it, but it’s meant for a human anyway. “Come on, I’ve been waiting all evening.”
Hyunjin slides his hands out of Younghyun’s hair and grips one of his arms instead, dragging him out of the kitchen. Once they’re at the stairs, Hyunjin lets him go and darts up the staircase, giggling when he hears Younghyun’s gasp of surprise. Judging by the sudden sound of heavy footfall, the human must speed up behind him, but Hyunjin manages to reach the bedroom corridor before he feels hands on his body, spinning him around and pinning him to the wall.
“Caught you,” Younghyun announces, chest heaving. He exhales hard, warm breath fanning over Hyunjin as he leans in to capture his mouth in a firm kiss. Hyunjin moans into it, hitching his leg up, lifting the other to match when Younghyun grips his thigh firmly. He’s pressed into the wall, suspended in his lover’s arms, and he lets his head fall back when Younghyun shifts him higher to drag his mouth down to Hyunjin’s throat.
“I missed you,” Hyunjin gasps, fingers threading back into Younghyun’s hair.
“It’s been nine days, baby,” he laughs, nipping his teeth into Hyunjin’s throat. Hyunjin tugs at his hair, lifting his head enough to drag his own mouth up Younghyun’s jaw.
“No one tastes as good as you,” Hyunjin whispers into his ear, licking the shell before grazing one of his fangs over the edge. Younghyun shivers, and Hyunjin moves to suck a mark below his lobe, right at the hinge of his jaw. “Take me to bed, let me drink from you, hyung.”
Obediently, Younghyun does.
An hour before sunrise, they’re laying tangled in Hyunjin’s sheets. His head rests on Younghyun’s chest, fingers trailing through the hair below his lover’s belly button, amused by the way it makes his cock twitch when Hyunjin tugs on it.
“I met someone yesterday,” Younghyun says, apropos of nothing.
Hyunjin shifts to look at him, propping up on his elbow and leaning his head into his hand. “Oh?”
“I don’t know where it will go, but we have a date tomorrow.”
Hyunjin nods. “I assume, like before, this means our arrangement ends. Out of courtesy to the possible partner.”
Younghyun smiles sweetly at him. “You know I’ll come back if it doesn’t work out.”
Now it’s Hyunjin’s turn to smile. “For your sake, I hope it does. You deserve happiness, hyung.”
Younghyun’s hands on his waist tighten, pulling Hyunjin down for a kiss that’s far too soft. “I could be happy with you,” he murmurs. “If you let me.”
Hyunjin sighs, bittersweet. It isn’t their first time having this conversation, but he truly does want it to be the last—not for his own convenience. He’s quite disappointed to lose a favored feeder. However, his affection for the human transcends his own greed, so he means it when he replies, “you know I can’t.”
Younghyun sighs gently. Resignation, Hyunjin hopes. His hand shifts up to pull Hyunjin down, cradling his head onto his shoulder. “I’ll miss you, baby.”
“I know.” And he does. Hyunjin knows exactly. And he’s still a vampire, a creature of greed and vanity, so it doesn’t stop him from answering honestly.
“I’ll miss you, too.”
Hyunjin sulks in his quarters for half of the following evening.
Haewon comes to check on him a couple of hours in, offering to find him another feeder, but he turns her away with gratitude and a promise that he’s fine.
What actually gets him out of bed is the sound of the grand piano from the great room floating up the stairs some time after midnight.
Hyunjin reaches into his closet, pulling out the first top he finds: a tight black shirt with long sleeves and a slouchy high neckline. He often pairs it with dark red jeans, so he finds those too, quickly dragging a brush through his hair and smearing some balm on his lips before feeling suitable enough to overcome his sour mood.
The song being played gets louder as he approaches, and he recognizes it as one Jeongin favors. Usually, Seonghwa or Yeosang are the pianists in the house, but Jeongin has played a few times since he moved in, and Hyunjin greatly enjoys hearing his fledgling play.
He rounds the corner into the great room with a smile on his face, but it drops when he sees the audience inside.
Christian stands near the piano, one hand on the top of it as he watches Jeongin play. Seonghwa sits on the settee nearest to him, while Heeseung and Jay stand behind it. Jungwon sits beside Seonghwa, elbows propped on his knees, hands folded in front of his chin.
Wooyoung and Felix sit opposite of them on the long couch on the far side of the piano. Yeosang lays out across the remaining length, his head nestled in Wooyoung’s lap, while Minho leans against the wall just inside the archway of the room. His head swivels to look at Hyunjin, brows furrowing as if to communicate concern, but Hyunjin ignores it, instead staring at the center of the room, the small dais where the gilded piano lives.
Jeongin sits there, at the piano, with Chan on the bench beside him. Jeongin is focused on playing, but Chan’s face is tight, lips pursed as he watches Jeongin and flicks his gaze to Christian periodically. Then he notices Hyunjin. The relief that washes over his face is almost comical.
Jeongin’s eyes raise then, fingers faltering on the keys as his eyes widen and the music stops. “Master!” he cries out, the same delight and wonder on his face as always when he sees Hyunjin. “You’re here, you came!”
Hyunjin forces a smile despite the terror thumping at his chest. “Of course I did, aegi. I will always be here to listen to you play so beautifully,” he says, and he means it. He steps closer, following the curved side of the piano to approach his fledgling and Chan—the side opposite of Christian. “What’s the occasion?” he asks as he comes to a stop, an arms-length away from Chan—a quick reach for the wolf, two strides to make it to Jeongin, should any threat arise.
“I met your lovely progeny this evening,” Christian says, the words weighted with subtext. You procreated without me, without telling me. “He’s a peach. Offered to play for us, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear my youngest grandchild display one of his talents.”
Hyunjin barely resists the urge to snarl. “Jeongin is not your grandchild,” Hyunjin hisses, baring his teeth as he steps closer, behind Chan now. “You have no claim to him, he is not your legacy—he is mine.”
Christian laughs incredulously. “And you are mine, Hwang Hyunjin, despite your stubborn insolence,” he says, face contorting into an all-too-familiar rage. Hyunjin’s hand reaches for Jeongin’s shoulder, a move that makes Christian angrier. “You’ve always been an ungrateful brat! I should have never Turned you. I wouldn’t have, if I had known what a pathetic excuse for a vampire you’d become–”
Hyunjin does snarl this time. Seonghwa interrupts them.
“Appa,” his brother croons gently. “We talked about this. You can’t use force with Hyunjin, you have to respect him.”
“Why?” Christian snaps, head whipping around to face Seonghwa. “He doesn’t respect me, why should I–”
“Respect is earned,” Hyunjin says. “You’ve done nothing to earn any from me.”
Jeongin squirms under his hand, and Hyunjin notices Chan’s hand reaching over to grab Jeongin’s, twining their fingers together. It calms his fledgling ever so slightly.
“I’ve done nothing? What about the Change? I gave you my bite, my blood–”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes. “Oh my God, give it a rest, would you? It’s been a hundred and forty three years since then, and you’ve barely spent any of that time acknowledging me. You cast me aside during my imprint, moving on to your next Make. How is Soojin, by the way?”
Christian sneers. “Well, she didn’t imprint on her Maker, so she’s not broken like you.” There’s a gasp somewhere in the room, and Jeongin tenses under Hyunjin’s hand as Christian gestures his way. “Thankfully, your first-borne didn’t inherit your defect, so maybe you’re not entirely useless.”
“Appa!” Seonghwa hisses. He’s standing now, face twisted in anger. Heeseung is beside him, one hand on Seonghwa’s back, and Jungwon has straightened up despite still being seated. Jay stands at his side. “That’s quite enough. You promised to behave, but you’re just antagonizing him. If you can’t be nice, then I’m afraid I will have to find other sleeping arrangements for you.”
“You would kick your Maker out of your home?”
“It’s his home, too,” Seonghwa points out. “I will not let him be insulted in it. If you don’t think you can get along, then we will pack your things and get you settled over at Heeseung’s before sunrise.”
“I have a very lovely guest suite,” Heeseung adds calmly. “And three live-in feeders for your convenience.”
Christian scoffs, glancing around the room. His eyes rake over Hyunjin, down to where his hand squeezes Jeongin’s shoulder, then over to Chan. Hyunjin can’t see the wolf’s face, but whatever is on it makes Christian straighten, smoothing down his lapels as he shakes out his hair. “I can’t believe you would send me to stay with strangers, Hwa.”
Seonghwa’s face softens, only slightly, when he says, “I would come, too, appa.”
Christian doesn’t answer for a moment, but then he nods. “I’ll… try harder. To get along with Hyunjin.” He glances over, locking eyes with Hyunjin. “If that’s acceptable to him.”
Hyunjin sneers. “Stay away from my progeny,” he demands. Christian’s eyes flick down to Jeongin, then over to Chan. Hyunjin’s other hand clasps around Chan’s shoulder. “And his imprint. If you touch Chan, I’ll kill you myself, Master.”
Christian looks back at Hyunjin in surprise. Something flickers in his gaze, and then a sly grin spreads across his face. It fills Hyunjin with dread, but he refuses to let anything show. “Okay,” Christian agrees, too easily. “Deal.”
Seonghwa steps up to him then, cupping his elbow to turn him toward the hall. “Come on. Let’s go hunt, you’re too pent up.” He ushers Christian out of the room, Heeseung and Jay following closely behind them—a wall, a barrier between Christian and the room.
Jungwon pauses next to the piano on his way to follow them. “You okay, Jinnie?” he asks, concern pinching his brows.
Hyunjin shakes his head, relaxing his grip on Chan and Jeongin. “Yeah. Yeah, thanks.”
Jungwon nods, then he’s out of the room as well.
Hyunjin moves around to the side of the piano where Christian had stood, needing to replace his presence as he looks at Jeongin. “Aegi?”
“I’m okay,” he says, a shaky smile on his face as he looks up at his Maker. Something wobbles in his voice, and Hyunjin thinks if Jeongin could still cry, he’d be doing it now. “Is it– is it true? Did you imprint on him?”
“Oh.” Hyunjin supposes he’d never really told him that. The rest of the house knew—the other vampires were all older than him, had already been living here when Hyunjin showed up. Except Felix, but he’s been with them so long that he knew Hyunjin’s history, too. “Yeah, I did.”
“And he rejected you?” Jeongin asks, voice full of hurt. Hyunjin hates it, hates that his own past is causing his progeny pain.
“Rejected is too nice,” Minho chimes in, pushing off the wall as he walks closer. He leans over the top of the piano on his elbows. “Christian brought him here, dumped him at our door, told us to take care of it.”
“What?!”
“There’s cruelty in that man like no other,” Yeosang says from the couch. Wooyoung nods in agreement.
“It was awful. We didn’t know if Hyunjinnie would even survive.”
Hyunjin watches Jeongin, whose eyes are wide and glistening—he really looks like he’d be crying if he could. Hyunjin still remembers the sight. When Jeongin turns back to look at him, Hyunjin can practically see the tears spilling over his lashes.
“Master,” Jeongin whispers in horror, reaching out for his hand. Hyunjin takes it.
“Don’t– aegi, don’t call me that. Please?” he begs, throat raw. “I’m not– I don’t, I couldn’t ever treat you like that.”
“You wouldn’t. You wouldn’t! Hyung–” Jeongin's hand grips his tighter—more desperate. “Hyung, it’s okay. I’m sorry, I won’t.”
Hyunjin nods, looking away. “Thank you.” He clears his throat, glancing over at the other coven members, smiling weakly. “I think I'd like to take a walk. Would anyone like to join me?”
“I would,” Chan says suddenly.
Hyunjin whips around to look at the wolf. “What?”
Chan glances around, licking his lips before his brow pinches slightly and he looks back to Hyunjin. “I don't think you should be alone. For your safety.”
Hyunjin just blinks, staring dumbly back at the alpha.
“Stay with Jeonginnie,” Minho interjects. “Yongb– Felix and I will accompany Hyunjin. I'm the strongest resident of this house, and Christian would never try anything against Hyunjin in front of Felix.”
Chan's lips purse, relaxing only when Jeongin slides his free hand into Chan’s lap, seeking one of his own. “Minho-hyung is right. They can take care of hyung. I need you with me,” Jeongin says. Chan's face softens, a warm smile blooming as he leans forward to press a gentle kiss to Jeongin’s mouth.
“You're right, jagi,” Chan murmurs, and Hyunjin looks away, despite his ability to still hear when Chan says, “don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.”
Felix sidles up to Hyunjin, looping their arms together as he reaches for Minho. “Come. We’ll take the path past the cemetery so you can appreciate Lord Park’s mausoleum.”
Hyunjin can’t help the fond little laugh that bubbles out of him. “That would be lovely. Maybe I should grab a sketchbook. I always talk about doing that.”
“I’ll get it for you,” Minho offers, stepping away toward the stairs. “Do you want your pencils or chalks?”
Hyunjin smiles wide, incredibly fond. He loves his coven. “Just the graphite pencils, they’re in the leath–”
“The leather wrap on your desk, got it,” Minho says, taking the stairs two at a time. “Meet you outside.”
“You’ve got a good one, Lix,” Hyunjin sighs as they turn toward the large wooden door.
Felix giggles. “Yeah.” He knocks his shoulder into Hyunjin’s. “You wanna date him, too? You know we’d be happy to have you forever.”
Now it’s Hyunjin’s turn to giggle, shoving playfully at Felix. “Nah. I’m not relationship material, you know that.” He hums thoughtfully, breathing in the scent of the night air as they step out onto the front porch.
“I don’t think that’s true,” Felix says, the frown on his face evident in his voice even before Hyunjin turns to look at him. “Don’t sell yourself short, Jinnie.”
Hyunjin shrugs, avoiding a response. He lets his arm slip free from Felix as he floats down the steps, tilting his head up to look at the moon. Her waxing crescent shines through the thin canopy above, and his eyes close briefly, basking in the glow of Mistress Moon. He’d missed her presence when she’d gone dark, as he does every new moon.
“Oh, you didn’t make it very far, did you?” Minho calls out from the doorway, pulling it shut behind himself. He has Hyunjin’s pencils and sketchbook balanced in the crook of his elbow. “I thought you’d be closer to the tree-line by now.”
Hyunjin spins on his toes. “Lix, I’ll race you?” He doesn’t wait for confirmation—just turns back around and darts forward, laughing when he hears Felix curse. The weight on his chest lightens as he runs, hair whipping back in the wind, hearing Felix’s footfalls fast approaching.
If nothing else, Hyunjin has his coven. His family.
Several days pass by uneventfully after that.
Hyunjin doesn’t see Christian. He knows his Maker is still staying at the house, but his loved ones do an excellent job keeping Christian preoccupied. He hears from Haewon that Seonghwa even takes Christian into the city for an evening, staying at a hotel downtown and bringing him to a party at the nightclub Seonghwa favors.
Hyunjin feeds on Lily one evening, relying on Felix’s assistance to keep her from getting handsy with him. She sits on Felix’s cock and only squirms slightly, and then when Hyunjin drinks his fill, he sits beside Minho on the chaise at the foot of the bed in the couple’s room. He lazily jerks Minho off as they watch Felix plow Lily into the carpet. Hyunjin feeds Felix his cock afterward, and he hisses only slightly when Felix’s fangs puncture the skin over his pubic bone. He cums quickly, the fluttering tightness of Felix’s throat as he gulps down Hyunjin’s blood around the intrusion of his cock still rooted in his mouth enough to make Hyunjin finish faster than usual. The four of them end up in a messy pile of naked, sweaty limbs on the large bed, and Haewon brings in sustenance for Lily that Minho force-feeds her when she tries to insist on sleeping instead.
The following night, Jinsol returns to the house—one of their feeders who attends the local university and comes to stay with them periodically. Hyunjin feeds from her on her second evening home, sitting on his lap in the study in front of the fire, his mouth pressed to her neck from behind as she tells him and Lily about her courses at university. She giggles when Hyunjin finishes, pressing a kiss to his cheek and letting Lily drag her into the kitchen for nutrition—and to flirt with Haewon. Lily is always much bolder with Jinsol around, less afraid of the sting of rejection from the head of house.
Now, Hyunjin wakes up on the last full evening Christian is meant to be staying, stretching wide and grinning even wider. He dresses slowly, rifling through his wardrobe to pick something that feels right. A gauzy white button down beckons him, the sleeves billowing when he pulls the hanger free. Hyunjin pairs it with dark navy denim, a pair of jeans that hug his ass so tightly he wonders if other people can see the dimpling of his glutes when he turns to the side.
The kitchen is empty when he steps inside. Not even Haewon’s there, and Hyunjin frowns. Before he can question it, the side door opens, and she bursts through.
“Oh! Hyunjin,” she startles, hand pressed to her chest. “There you are. Come quickly, I think Jeongin needs you.”
If it were possible still, Hyunjin fears his pulse would stumble. “Is he okay?”
Haewon is already back out of the door, but she beckons him closer, needlessly—he’s already hot on her heels. “He’s fine, just– just distraught. It’s Chan.”
Somehow, it doesn’t appease the fear churning in Hyunjin’s stomach. “Chan?”
Haewon doesn’t say anything, just reaches for his arm and pulls him into the forest. He hears Jeongin not too far away, a desperation in his voice that makes the hairs on Hyunjin’s arms stand on end.
“Hyung, hyung, please. It’s okay, it’s just me,” Jeongin begs, the wet sound of tears thick in his tone. “I’m not– Channie, it’s me, it’s your Innie-yah.”
Chan doesn’t answer, but there’s a low rumbling growl that reverberates through the trees. Hyunjin’s panic heightens as they break through to a clearing, and the sight in front of him nearly stuns Hyunjin.
Jeongin’s on his back, dirt smeared on his hands and knees, across the high plane of his cheeks. He looks terrified, arms held out over him, reaching toward the figure looming over him.
No. Not a figure.
A wolf, silvery grey glinting under the light of the full moon. Its lip is curled up, baring the sharp points of its teeth as it drips saliva with every exhale. The tops of its snout scrunches up fiercely, blood red eyes pinned on Jeongin.
Hyunjin moves forward without thought. “Yah!” he shouts at the wolf, trying to get its attention. “Get off of him!”
Jeongin gasps, hands windmilling over to splay out toward Hyunjin. “Hyung, no! It’s Chan, it’s– he’s not going to hurt me, it’s just Chan-hyung!”
Hyunjin stops in his tracks. The wolf turns to him, growling in earnest now as it—he—repositions himself over Jeongin. Hyunjin’s own mouth curls. “Chan? What–”
“It’s the full moon,” Haewon says from behind him. “Chan was trying to return to his pack and Jeongin followed him out.”
“He didn’t tell me,” Jeongin chokes. “I didn’t– I didn’t know. I was afraid he was leaving forever.”
Hyunjin’s chest aches when Jeongin sobs. He sinks to the ground, collapsing onto his knees and slowly shuffling forward to reach for Jeongin. Chan growls low again, but he doesn’t make any move to stop Hyunjin, and gradually he reaches his progeny.
“Aegi,” Hyunjin whispers, pulling Jeongin’s head up onto his thighs. “Shh, baby, it’s okay. See? I’m right here, Channie’s right here.” He wipes at Jeongin’s cheeks, further smearing the damp dirt, and runs his hand through Jeongin’s hair soothingly.
The wolf’s growling quiets down. Chan pads closer, large paws on either side of Jeongin’s elbows as he lowers his snout to snuffle at his chest.
“Oh,” Jeongin startles, his hands pausing in the air. “Hyung? Chan-hyung?”
The wolf huffs, casting a quick look at Hyunjin before he closes his eyes and settles down on top of Jeongin. Jeongin gasps softly, hands flying into the fur behind Chan’s ears when the wolf rests his head onto Jeongin’s chest.
“Oh… oh, hyung,” Jeongin whispers. He tilts his head up toward Hyunjin. “He’s so soft.”
Hyunjin is still reeling, in disbelief of the past few minutes, so his brain can’t offer up anything other than, “yeah?”
Jeongin nods eagerly. “Yeah! Hyung, pet him.”
“Ah,” Hyunjin swallows. “I don’t know if that’s–”
Chan’s eyes open. They’re no longer red, having shifted into the same warm chocolate color that Hyunjin recognizes. Another huff of air leaves the wolf, his mouth opening enough for a keening yip to escape.
“Oh my God,” Hyunjin says automatically. “You sound like one of those husky puppies in all the internet videos.”
Jeongin laughs, the force of it jostling Chan’s head until he lifts it, and he cocks his head to one side as he looks at Hyunjin as if confused. Hyunjin laughs softly, unable to hold back the urge to sink his fingers into the wolf’s fur any longer as he reaches out to pet Chan.
“You’re right, aegi,” Hyunjin murmurs. “He’s very soft.”
Chan’s eyes close and his head leans into Hyunjin’s hand as he scratches his nails just under the shell of his ear.
“What a sweet little domestic moment you’ve created here, Hyunjin.”
Hyunjin’s blood chills in his veins at the sound of Christian’s voice. He tightens his hand in Chan’s fur and bares his teeth as he turns toward the sound.
Christian leans against a tree on the other side of the clearing. He spins a dagger in his hands, the tip of it twisting into his finger just enough to draw blood. “I was wondering what was going on in this house, why my favorite son was acting so strangely, dragging me away from the house at every opportunity.” He sucks his teeth. “I’m disappointed in Hwa, honestly.”
“What did you do to him?” Hyunjin demands.
“Me?” Christian shrugs. “Nothing. He’s still inside with his lover, feeding on one of the humans.”
Hyunjin glances over to Haewon, who has tucked herself to the closest tree. “Wonnie, go check on Seonghwa.”
She nods, turning toward the house, when the dagger flies through the air with a whistle and pierces her shoulder. Haewon falls to the ground with a pained cry.
“Haewon!” Hyunjin lunges forward, pulling himself free of Chan and Jeongin. Chan growls then, his head swinging toward Christian.
Jeongin cries out. “Hyung–”
Christian cocks his head. “That’s your hyung, is it?”
Hyunjin gets to his feet. “Stay the fuck away from them.”
“Or what?”
“I’ll kill you,” Hyunjin snarls. The edges of his vision tint red as he stares at his Maker.
Christian throws his head back to laugh. “Am I supposed to be afraid of you, Hyunjin?” he asks between laughs. “You– you’re not as strong as I am. I’m eight hundred years old, you can’t touch me, knave.”
“You motherfucker,” Hyunjin spits. He fuckin’ hates this guy. “Maybe I should just kill you anyway, to prove that I can.”
Christian hisses at him. “Just you and the cur, then? Moon knows you can’t do it alo–”
Chan leaps at him, tackling him to the dirt. Hyunjin hadn’t even seen him get up. He glances over to Jeongin, who has scrambled to his own feet now that Chan isn’t on top of him, ducking down beside a large boulder. Content that his progeny is safe, Hyunjin looks back to where Chan has Christian pinned to the ground, teeth embedded in his arm as Christian screams. It allows Hyunjin enough time to approach Haewon, pulling her upright and propping her against the closest tree.
“Are you okay?” he asks, crouching down in front of her.
Her face pinches in pain. “It burns,” she winces.
“His blood was on the blade. Your body is trying to fight the toxins.”
She licks her lip, then looks up at him in a rare moment of vulnerability. “Will I change? Will it Turn me?” she asks, worry evident on her face.
Hyunjin shakes his head. “There wasn't enough blood. It’s just going to hurt like Hell.”
Haewon purses her lips but nods her head once. “That’s fine. I can handle that. No disrespect, but I don’t want to Turn—I don’t trust you boys to find a suitable replacement for me.”
Hyunjin snorts a laugh, leaning forward to kiss her cheek, and then there’s a loud crying yelp from Chan as he’s thrown across the clearing. Hyunjin’s back on his feet immediately, stepping over to check on the wolf. “Chan!”
Chan clambers onto all four paws again, shaking his head, then he’s growling louder than Hyunjin has ever heard anything growl. The fur around his head puffs out, Chan’s eyes flashing red again, staring over Hyunjin’s shoulder.
Jeongin screams from behind him.
“You really shouldn’t let your kids out of your sight when they’re so young, Hyunjin,” Christian says, his hand wrapped around Jeongin’s throat when Hyunjin turns back toward him with a threatening snarl.
“Unhand him,” Hyunjin grits, teeth gnashing against themselves.
Christian grins wickedly, his other hand coming around to Jeongin’s chest. The blade of another dagger reflects the moonlight, and Hyunjin realizes with a sudden lance of horror that his Maker has twin daggers made of silver.
“Oh, good,” Christian drawls casually, dragging the tip of the blade down Jeongin’s sternum. “You know what this is. It’s much less satisfying to have to explain my threats to people.”
“Just how often are you threatening fellow vampires, then? For you to carry silver blades.”
Christian’s grin widens, showing the sharp points of his fangs. “Often enough.”
Chan growls again, the volume rising when Christian presses Jeongin’s face to his, drags his mouth across Jeongin’s jaw until he’s whispering something into his ear that makes Jeongin sob. He attempts to shake his head, to protest, but Christian digs the tip of the blade into his chest deep enough to make Jeongin scream again.
Hyunjin’s vision goes entirely red. He barely hears it when Chan throws his head back and howls—he’s already moving.
He barrels into Christian, knocking him off of his feet. All three of them go flying backward into the forest beyond the clearing, Hyunjin landing on top of Christian. Jeongin skids to a stop beside them, and when he looks over, Hyunjin swears his life flashes before his eyes. Jeongin’s chest is bleeding, a deep gash from the silver blade cutting across his skin from sternum to armpit.
“Chan!” Hyunjin shouts in desperation. “Chan! You have to get him out of here!”
The wolf bounds over, panting heavily. He’s got streaks of blood in his fur that alarm Hyunjin, but Chan still leans over and closes his maw over Jeongin’s uninjured shoulder, hooking into the fabric of his shirt as he begins to tug Jeongin away.
Underneath him, Christian stirs, and Hyunjin redirects his attention, rearing his fist back to land a punch to his Maker’s stupid fucking face.
“You bitch!” Christian roars as Hyunjin does it again. He lets his fist fly, aiming for the glittering fangs that stole his own life.
“Fuck you! Fuck you, you fucking asshole,” Hyunjin spits, just before he catches a blow to the jaw. He stumbles back, falling off of Christian’s prone body, and he wipes the corner of his lip as Christian pushes up.
“Ungrateful whelp,” Christian grunts, attention focused solely on Hyunjin. Over his shoulder, Hyunjin sees Chan still slowly dragging Jeongin toward the house, and then the best possible thing happens: his coven arrives.
Felix and Wooyoung are the first ones he sees running towards him, with Jay and Minho hot on their heels. And then Seonghwa, Heeseung, Jungwon, and Yeosang behind them.
Hyunjin sighs in relief. It’s enough of a distraction for Christian to get another swing in, and Hyunjin falls backward from the impact. Christian climbs over him.
“Defective, useless–” he seethes, pummeling his fist into Hyunjin’s face again. “I should have left you bleeding in that alley. You’ve been nothing but a nuisance, a waste of my blood. I hate your existence."
Hyunjin’s head snaps to the side with another blow, then his Maker’s weight disappears. His eyelids are too heavy to open, but he hears Seonghwa yelling, Wooyoung shouting—is that Chan? A loud growl makes him open his eyes, sitting upright so fast that he almost smashes into Minho hovering over him.
“Chan–”
“Whoa, Jin, hold on,” Minho starts, but Hyunjin’s already looking toward where he saw Chan last. Felix is there with him, lifting Jeongin onto the wolf’s back, laying him down and arranging him safely before he slaps the wolf’s flank and sends him running. Chan glances back just once, finding Hyunjin’s gaze and nodding, as if to reassure him that Jeongin will be okay.
Minho’s hands make quick work of checking him for injuries, a long exhale of relief when he doesn’t find anything life-threatening.
Life-threatening. Oh, no… Haewon.
Hyunjin whips his head around, finding her still slumped against the tree. She’s pale, but her chest still moves with shallow breaths. “Hae– Haewon,” he rasps, which catches nearby Yeosang’s attention. Yeosang follows Hyunjin’s line of sight, running over to where the housekeeper is, and then he swears.
“Yongbokkie, need your help!”
Felix races over, and together, they get Haewon to her feet. “Let’s get her inside,” he says, throwing a glance over her head to Hyunjin and Minho. Minho nods at him, waving one of his hands in a gesture to usher Felix away.
“It’s okay, jagi, we’ve got it covered. Take care of Wonnie.” Minho helps Hyunjin to his feet as Felix and Yeosang all but carry Haewon inside. “What the fuck happened?” Minho finally asks Hyunjin.
He levels a look at his bond brother. “Christian knows, he knows what Chan is, and he threatened them. I had to– Minho, I had to.” Hyunjin swallows, glancing over at where Seonghwa is still shouting at their maker, who’s being restrained on both sides by Heeseung and Jungwon. Wooyoung and Jay stand behind Seonghwa. Christian sneers back at Seonghwa with unrestrained contempt. “He’s not going to stop until I’m dead. If I don’t– Minho, he’ll kill all of us, look at him.”
Minho turns to watch, and after a moment, he swivels back to Hyunjin. “You love Jeongin.”
It’s not a question.
“Yes.”
Minho’s eyes narrow. “You love him more than a Maker loves their progeny.”
Hyunjin hesitates, but then he nods. “I do.”
There’s a moment of quiet between them, and then Minho nods in return. “I would rend the entire world for Felix, tear it asunder. Nothing could stop me from getting to him, from protecting him.” He brings his hand up, claps it onto Hyunjin’s shoulder. “If they try to say Christian isn’t a threat, I’ll assist you in putting him down, even if we have to chase him to the ends of the earth.”
Hyunjin’s mouth quirks up in the corner. “Careful, Minho. That almost sounds like you love me or something.”
Minho shoves him by the hand still on his shoulder. “Shut up. Let’s go kill this asshole.”
Seonghwa turns to look at them as they approach, his chest heaving in anger. In all the years that he’s known him, Hyunjin has never seen his brother angry.
“Hwa…”
Seonghwa holds up a hand. “I’m not mad at you, Jinnie,” he says, somehow reading Hyunjin’s thoughts and assuaging his worry. “I’m– I’m unbelievably disappointed in our Maker, however.”
“Oh, please,” Christian sasses. “As if any of this is my fault. You lied to me, Seonghwa—you let this harlot convince you to lie to me.”
Seonghwa whirls around, storming closer to Christian. “This harlot is my brother, first of all,” he snaps, arm extended in Hyunjin’s direction.
Christian shouts in frustration. “And I am your Maker, your sire. Yet you disrespect and disobey me for him!”
“He’s never been the monster you try to make him out to be, Master.” Seonghwa stands up straight, looking down his nose at Christian. “In fact, the only monster I see here is you.”
It takes exactly three seconds for that to process, for Christian’s face to crumple in rage. Then, his body goes taut with it, and he manages to overpower Jungwon and Heeseung’s hold on him. Christian shoves them aside, charging toward Seonghwa.
Everything happens incredibly fast after that. Hyunjin moves without thinking, angling his body between his brother and their maker, and Christian slams into him. They fall backward, rolling in the underbrush. Hyunjin lands on his back, and Christian ends up on top of him. Hands curl around his throat, nails digging in hard enough for blood to well up. Hyunjin struggles against it for a second, then he hears his name being called. He manages to look just as Minho slams the handle of a knife into his outstretched hand.
Hyunjin’s fingers close around the wood.
Not a knife.
The dagger.
With all of the force he can muster, Hyunjin surges up and plunges the dagger into his Maker’s chest. Christian’s eyes blow wide in surprise, mouth falling open briefly before he closes it and coughs, a splatter of blood spraying out onto Hyunjin. It covers his face, but he pushes the dagger deeper, burying its hilt in the blackened heart of the man who created him—but not the man who made him.
His brother’s face swims into his vision as someone pulls Christian out of his hands. Seonghwa’s hands cradle Hyunjin’s face, pulling him closer until they’re both wrapped around each other, and Hyunjin realizes that Seonghwa is shaking.
“What the fuck, aegi?” Seonghwa mutters, his hand cradling the back of Hyunjin’s head. “What– don’t ever do that again, fuck.”
Hyunjin trembles as he grips Seonghwa tighter. “What, kill our Maker? We only have one,” he tries to joke, but Seonghwa tugs his hair harshly. “Ow!”
“Don’t jump in front of me when a psychopath is rushing at me, brat,” Seonghwa hisses, shoving away from him. The fond smile on his face belies the irritation in his tone. There’s blood smeared on his cheek and chin now.
Hyunjin smiles back wryly. “Do you plan on being in the path of many more psychopaths, then?”
Seonghwa rolls his eyes, then pushes up to his feet. He holds a hand out to help Hyunjin up. “I’m sorry for this, Jinnie-yah,” he says. “Is Jeongin okay? Can you feel him?”
Hyunjin freezes, fear paralyzing him anew. “Oh, God. Jeongin, he–”
“Go!” Seonghwa pushes Hyunjin, his face still covered in blood. “We’ll take care of this, aegi. Go to your progeny.”
Hyunjin turns without protest, his legs moving before he can even truly process what happened, what he’s done.
He has to find Jeongin.
Desperation claws at Hyunjin, climbing up his throat until he’s choking, gasping for air.
“Jeongin!” He runs through the manor gardens, taking the outside stairs two at a time until he’s through the heavy wooden door. His hand slips on the wrought iron handle, wet and trembling. “Oh, God,” he mutters to himself, finally pulling the door open.
The foyer is dim, the normally gleaming marble floor dulled under the hazy hue of the lowered lighting. There’s blood on the floor, drops that splattered every which way, some smeared into hurried footprints. He follows them up the stairs, half-crazed, to the still open door of Jeongin’s room. Relief crashes into him as he sees Jeongin on the floor, head cradled on Chan’s burgeoning thighs. Chan, back in human form, has his forearm pressed to Jeongin’s mouth, and Hyunjin can see the movement of his throat as Jeongin swallows down the alpha’s blood.
“Jeongin,” he gasps weakly, stumbling across the threshold. Jeongin’s closed eyes fly open, dull black gleaming under the harsh overhead lights that Chan must have thrown on in their rush to get inside. “Oh my God.” Hyunjin falls to his knees, hands still shaking as he reaches out to touch Jeongin.
Jeongin pulls away from Chan’s arm, blood shining on his lower lip when he responds. “Master—hyung.” If he could sob, Hyunjin is sure he would, his sweet little baby. Jeongin makes a noise in his throat and raises up, throwing his arms around Hyunjin. “Hyung, you’re alive. I thought—I thought he–”
“No,” Hyunjin interrupts, wrapping his arms around his boy. He tucks his face into the hair over his ear, inhaling deeply. “No, baby, he didn’t hurt me. He’s never going to hurt anyone ever again.”
Jeongin does sob then, tearless and gut-wrenching. Hyunjin’s fingers tighten as he shushes his progeny, but Jeongin continues to wail. “Master,” he chokes, and Hyunjin wants to rip his own heart out of his chest.
“I’m here, I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” he promises, running his hands along Jeongin’s back, one hand threading into his hair to scrape lightly over his scalp. Jeongin quietens down, sniffling as he leans back. The wateriness of his eyes makes Hyunjin furious, a deep seated anger taking root in his belly. He wishes Christian was alive again, if only so Hyunjin could rip him to shreds anew. “I’m right here, aegi.”
Jeongin sniffles again. “He was going to kill you. He told me he would, a-and–”
Hyunjin shushes him from the moment Jeongin says kill, but it doesn’t work, so he leans forward and cuts him off, pressing their mouths together briefly. Jeongin snaps his mouth closed, staring back at Hyunjin in shock. “It’s going to take more than one psychopathic asshole to take me from you, Jeonginnie.”
Jeongin’s mouth parts slightly, a surprised little gasp escaping him. “Wh-what?”
“I’m so stupid,” Hyunjin says, the hand in Jeongin’s hair sliding around to cradle his cheek. “To not see it, to push you away. Hyung’s been cruel to you, hasn’t he?” His thumb brushes the apple of Jeongin’s cheek, wishing desperately he could watch it flush in that beautiful way it did when Jeongin was still human. His gorgeous boy.
“I– I don’t understand,” Jeongin says quietly. “Why did you kiss me?”
“Because I’m an idiot,” Hyunjin answers. “I’ve been in denial of my feelings for you, for fear of ending up like–” He cuts himself off, pressing his lips into a tight line.
Jeongin makes a strangled noise of protest, his hands flying up to Hyunjin’s face, holding him firmly. “You’re not. You’re nothing like him, hyung.” He shakes his head so vehemently that it shakes Hyunjin’s own hand free. “You’re the best Maker anyone could have.”
Hyunjin snorts a laugh. “Ah, silly aegi. I’m your only Maker. You have no basis for comparison.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Jeongin protests, squeezing Hyunjin’s face until his lips pucker out from the force. “It’s– I’d still choose you, hyung. I’ll always choose you.”
Hyunjin stares at him then, taking in the desperation in his tone, in his eyes—what a fool Hyunjin has been, to look his boy in the face and refuse to see him. “You love me,” Hyunjin says, unable to hide the wonder in his voice. Jeongin blinks, head snapping back as he releases Hyunjin. “No, don’t– I’m not mad, I’m… honored. In awe. Undeserving, probably.”
He doesn’t get to continue, for Jeongin shoves him backward angrily. He’s still reeling from it, trying to understand where he went wrong, but then he’s got a lapful of Jeongin, knees slotting around his hips. “Don’t,” Jeongin practically snarls, gripping Hyunjin’s shirt tight. “Don’t you dare say you don’t deserve something, especially me. I love you, hyung, I have loved you since before you gave me my life back, and I will love you even after I’m gone. Don’t you see that I’m yours?”
Hyunjin straightens up, pressing closer to Jeongin. “I do now,” he whispers, curling his hand around Jeongin’s nape, bringing him down to press their lips together. “I’m sorry for making you wait.”
Jeongin whines into his mouth. “It’s okay,” he whispers back. “I’d wait for you for centuries if it meant I still got to love you.”
Hyunjin snaps.
In a blur of movement, he has Jeongin on his back, licking into his mouth with a hunger to rival his deepest bloodlusts. Hyunjin’s tongue dips into every centimeter of Jeongin’s mouth, the dull echo of his latest feed still lingering—
Chan.
Hyunjin breaks the kiss with a gasp, head whipping up to search the room. He locks eyes with Chan, something indiscernible in the wolf's gaze.
“Hyung, what–” Jeongin starts, tilting his head to follow Hyunjin’s line of sight. “Oh. Channie.”
Chan's eyes drift down to Jeongin, a smile spreading on his face. “Told you, Innie.”
Hyunjin glances down in time to see the tongue Jeongin sticks out, hearing the wolf giggle slightly. Then Jeongin is looking back at Hyunjin. “You know, hyung,” Jeongin starts in a deceptively calm tone—the voice he uses when he wants something. “If I'm yours, then so is Channie.”
“What?” Hyunjin shakes his head. “No, no he's your imprint, baby.”
“I know. But he's yours, he's ours, just like I'm yours and I'm his, too.” Jeongin squeezes Hyunjin’s bicep. “You should go kiss him.”
“I–” Hyunjin trails off, swallowing drily.
“Don't worry, he wants it.” Jeongin tilts his head back to look at Chan, so Hyunjin follows suit. “Don't you, Channie?”
Suddenly, the look on Chan’s face makes sense, glaring as if in bright neon: hunger.
“Chan-ah,” Hyunjin husks, pushing up to his knees, still straddling Jeongin’s thigh. He cocks his head, licks his lip. Grins wickedly when Chan’s eyes track the movement. “Come here, pretty boy.”
As if pulled to Hyunjin by a metaphysical leash, Chan moves. He falls forward onto his hands, crawling the short distance to them. He stops beside Jeongin’s head, and Hyunjin’s hand snakes out to grab his chin.
“You want this?” he asks the wolf, teeth gritted in restraint. God, Hyunjin hasn’t ever been this turned on before. “You want me, too?”
“So bad,” Chan whispers back, earnest in his admission. “Please, Hyunjin-ssi.”
It’s a wondrous thing, Hyunjin thinks, to see this big, powerful werewolf—a pack alpha, no less—beg for him. He’s but a simple creature, power thrumming in his veins as he leans forward, pausing just shy of Chan’s mouth. To his credit, Chan doesn’t close the gap, doesn’t take what he hasn’t earned.
Except he has. Chan’s earned it, in the way he accepted their deal; in the way he’s cared for Jeongin so tenderly; in the way he’s slotted into their lives, their home, so effortlessly—as if he belongs there.
Because he does.
Chan is theirs now, and they are his in return.
“Come here,” Hyunjin demands. “Take what you want, puppy.”
There’s a small whimper before Chan’s mouth crashes into his own, a desperate and claiming kiss that has Hyunjin sprawled out on his back beside Jeongin faster than he can process. Chan growls, one of his hands coming up to curl into Hyunjin’s hair as he tugs on it harshly. Hyunjin moans right into his mouth, lifting his legs up, allowing them to curl around Chan’s waist.
The wolf licks past his lips, and his tongue catches on the tip of Hyunjin’s fang. Blood drips from the cut, and suddenly the bright flavor of Chan blooms on Hyunjin’s tongue. Smoke and herbed butter; citrus and salt. A dry-aged steak, one of the delicacies his human father had rewarded him with after he’d been accepted into university.
Hyunjin surges up to meet the kiss, pushing Chan until he can climb into the alpha’s lap. Chan’s hands grip his thighs, fingertips tightening and digging into the flesh. Chan drags his mouth away, scraping his blunt teeth across Hyunjin’s jaw.
“Bite me, Hyunjin,” he grunts, the hand still in Hyunjin’s hair tightening again as he directs Hyunjin’s mouth to his neck. “Feed and heal. Please?” he tacks on when Hyunjin hesitates.
The taste of Chan’s blood straight from the vein is more potent, decadent and gluttonous in the way it makes Hyunjin grunt, nails digging into Chan’s shoulder where he pulls him closer. He drinks his fill, until his eyes roll back and his cock kicks to life. Still, Chan holds him close, pulls their chests together and keeps Hyunjin’s head in place with a firm hand.
Until a second hand slides under it. Jeongin’s long fingers coax Chan free, and a soft, silky voice whispers into Hyunjin’s ear. “That’s enough, Mast– hyung. You have to stop now, but you can have more later.”
Hyunjin snarls, a quick lash of sound that startles even himself. His mouth pops open, and he withdraws from Chan’s skin, pulling back slowly.
“Good. Good hyung,” Jeongin coos, and then he’s bringing Hyunjin’s head down to meet his own for another kiss. Jeongin licks the taste of Chan out of his mouth, coaxing a litany of moans and mewls from Hyunjin that he didn’t know he could make.
“Fuck, aegi,” he whispers, breaking the kiss before he falls out of Chan’s lap. He glances back at the wolf, at the way Chan watches them with desire written so clearly on his face. “Bed. On the bed, now. Please.”
Chan helps him up onto his feet, and Jeongin wraps his arms around his waist to carry Hyunjin over to the bed as he giggles.
“Wait, wait! I need to–” he glances down at his clothes for the first time since everything happened. The gauzy white shirt is splattered with blood, torn in some places, and the denim of his jeans is covered in dirt and debris. “Baby, don’t you dare put me in bed in these filthy pants.”
“Fine,” Jeongin huffs, setting Hyunjin onto his feet. Together, they strip him of the dirty clothes, first the shirt and then the jeans, though it takes longer than it should. Jeongin moans when Hyunjin’s shirt comes off, leaning forward to mouth at a clavicle as he shoves his hands down the back of the jeans to palm at Hyunjin’s ass. It makes Hyunjin fumble, head falling back to let Jeongin lick and suck across his skin as he slowly shimmies out of his pants.
Thankfully, Chan steps behind Jeongin and begins working the fledgling out of his clothes too. By the time Hyunjin falls backward into the sheets, all three of them are down to just their underwear.
Chan still has his hands on Jeongin, standing at the side of the bed as they both stare down at Hyunjin, who spreads his arms over his head and arches his back, pushing his chest upward and licking his lips.
“How are we going to do this?”
“Hyung, respectfully, if I don’t get to fuck him first, I might actually die,” Jeongin says, which makes Hyunjin splutter as Chan laughs.
“Ah, yeah don’t worry, baby, I won’t take that from you.” Chan leans over to bite Jeongin’s cheek playfully. Jeongin catches his face with his hands before he can retreat, kissing him. Chan makes a little noise of surprise but melts into it, and Hyunjin feels his dick twitch just watching them together.
Hooking his thumbs into his briefs, he shoves them off his hips to free his cock, drawing his legs up to remove them all of the way. The movement doesn’t draw attention, so Hyunjin balls up his underwear and chucks it at the sides of Jeongin and Chan’s head. They break apart suddenly, Chan’s hand catching the fabric as they look down at it.
“That’s real sweet,” Hyunjin says coyly, wrapping his hand around his aching dick, “but if someone doesn’t get inside of me very soon, I’m going to become a problem.”
Jeongin groans when Chan pushes him, falling forward onto the bed between Hyunjin’s knees. “Hyung,” he whines, “let me do it. Please?”
Hyunjin bends one knee up, planting his foot on the bed. “Come get it, aegi.”
The first lick of Jeongin’s tongue on the tip of Hyunjin’s cock makes him exhale in relief. Jeongin bats his hand away then envelops the head and takes him entirely—down to the base, nose pressed into his pubic bone. Hyunjin nearly shouts, body bowing forward as he gasps, fingers burying in Jeongin’s hair to—stop him? Hold him closer? Hyunjin doesn’t even know.
“It’s good, right?” Chan says from above Hyunjin. He has walked around the bed, now standing within reach near Hyunjin’s head. “He did that to me too, the first time. Surprised the hell out of me, this sweet looking little angel swallowing me down like a whore.”
Hyunjin’s eyes slam shut as the visual fills his mind, a wanton moan spilling from his lips when Jeongin bobs his head up then back down. “Oh my God.”
The bed shifts above his head. “He wasn’t a virgin, but he said he hasn’t been with anyone in the past year,” Chan murmurs, leaning over Hyunjin. “Do you know why?”
Hyunjin opens his eyes slowly, trying not to let them roll backward as Jeongin keeps sucking him down. “N-no,” Hyunjin pants, fingers tensing when the point of Jeongin’s tongue presses into the underside of his shaft on the withdrawal, flicking upward over his frenulum. Jeongin swirls his tongue over the head, suckling on the tip, then reopens his mouth to deep-throat Hyunjin once again.
Chan smirks when Hyunjin moans. “He’s been waiting for you, beautiful.”
Hyunjin gasps, eyes rolling when Jeongin swallows around him, the fluttering of his throat around the entire length of his cock nearly enough to have him finishing, and he tugs on the hair in his hands. “Wait, wait, Jeonginnie baby, stop. I’m gonna–”
Jeongin pulls off of him with a wet pop, chest heaving. “Hyung? Did I hurt you?”
Chan laughs, just a little mean, as his hand comes down over Hyunjin’s hair. “I think he’s just a little sensitive. Isn’t that right, pretty boy?”
The noise Hyunjin makes is downright embarrassing.
Jeongin grins. “Hyung feels good?”
Hyunjin nods. “So good, aegi,” he rasps, moving his hand to thumb over the high plane of Jeongin’s cheek. Jeongin turns his head into it, pressing a kiss to the palm of Hyunjin’s hand.
“Good,” he preens. “I want you to feel good—want to be the one making you feel good.”
Hyunjin smiles. “My good boy.” Jeongin grins up at him, and Hyunjin decides he has to be a little shit. “What about Channie? Is he allowed to make me feel good, too?”
Jeongin, however, doesn’t react the way Hyunjin expects. He surges up, climbing over Hyunjin and flattening him to the bed. “Of course, hyung. I told you, he’s mine and I’m yours, just like you’re ours.”
“That’s right,” Chan agrees.
“Okay,” Hyunjin says, glancing between the two. “Enough sappy shit, I need one of you inside me right now.”
“I need to prep you–”
“We’re vampires, aegi,” Hyunjin points out. “I’ll be okay, just fuck me already!”
Chan laughs. “God, you’re bossy.” He leans over Hyunjin as Jeongin shimmies out of his underwear. “Bratty little bottom, aren’t you?”
“Who are you calling little?” Hyunjin asks, gripping his own cock. He knows what he has, knows he’s big—long and just thick enough to make his partners struggle to take it. Well. Except Jeongin, apparently.
Chan just stands back up to shove his underwear off. Hyunjin can’t believe his eyes. He rolls over, pulling his leg up over Jeongin to lay on his stomach and stare forward at Chan.
At Chan’s stupidly massive cock.
“What–” Hyunjin has no words. “How?” He’d seen it before, when he walked in on them, but he wasn’t up close to it. There was no sense of scale. Now, in front of his face, it’s huge.
“Oh,” Jeongin says, a note of wonder in his voice. “Yeah, um. It gets bigger, too.”
Hyunjin turns to stare over his shoulder at Jeongin. “It what?”
“There’s a knot, the base inflates and– well, you’ll see.”
Hyunjin’s still staring at Chan’s cock when he feels Jeongin move into the space between his legs. Chan’s pretty hand wraps around the girth of it—fingertips barely touching—while Jeongin pushes one of Hyunjin’s thighs, coaxing him to bend his knee and allow him better access. Fingers brush over Hyunjin’s dry hole, then return a second later wet and warm.
“Gonna fuck you now, hyung,” Jeongin says, pushing his spit-slick fingers into Hyunjin gently.
“God, please,” Hyunjin answers, his eyes fluttering closed at the delicious stretch of his hole. “Fuck. Oh, aegi, that feels so good already.”
“Yeah?”
Hyunjin hums. The fingers disappear, but they are quickly replaced with something bigger. The head of Jeongin’s cock notches into him, and Hyunjin moans, soft and low, as he’s breached. “Holy shit,” he groans, head falling forward as he focuses on the feeling, the torturously slow drag of every ridge and vein as it enters him. It’s dry, but it’s incredible. “Baby, fuck.”
“Hyung,” Jeongin warbles. His hands find Hyunjin’s hips just as he bottoms out. “Oh my God.”
“Is it as good as you pictured, angel?” Chan asks, and Hyunjin blinks his eyes open to look at the wolf. He’s smiling, looking over Hyunjin at Jeongin.
“Better.”
Hyunjin is so fond, so in love. “Channie,” he chokes, licking his lips when Chan looks down at him. “I can’t kiss him in this position, will you kiss him for me?”
Chan’s grin widens. “Gladly,” he says, kneeling against the edge of the bed to lean over and pull Jeongin in for a kiss. It pushes Hyunjin forward when Jeongin leans in, and he finds himself face to face with Chan’s cock.
He gives in to the urge to taste it, tongue darting out to lick the tip, swallowing the little bit of precum that dribbles out immediately. Chan hisses, the soft kissing noises coming from above Hyunjin’s head halting, and that now-familiar hand in his hair returns.
“That’s it, sweetheart,” Chan croons, coaxing Hyunjin down farther. “God, your mouth.”
Jeongin makes a low noise, and then he’s withdrawing his hips and fucking back into Hyunjin. The movement jostles Hyunjin, shoves him forward onto Chan’s cock. He gags, which makes Chan swear above him.
“Fuck.”
“Hyung, I’m not– I’m not going to last. Not this time.” Jeongin thrusts into Hyunjin again and again. “I’ve wanted it too long.”
“It’s okay, little love,” Chan coos. He thrusts into Hyunjin’s mouth opposite of Jeongin’s pace, even though Hyunjin can’t fit the entire thing inside yet. With every stroke though, he gets closer. “I can take over when you finish, and you can get him off with your mouth, how’s that?”
Jeongin whines, and then there’s the wet smack of lips above Hyunjin.
He feels so full—physically and emotionally.
Hyunjin shoves his hand under him, repositioning his aching cock to rub against the sheets with every thrust, the delicious friction paired with the fullness in his ass and mouth making his eyes roll back. On the next thrust in, Chan pushes in all the way, the last little bit of resistance from Hyunjin’s throat all but disappearing.
“Oh my God,” Chan gasps. “Innie, fuck, I’m–”
Hyunjin’s mouth is already full to bursting, Chan’s cock taking up all of the space and beyond. He’s lucky that vampires don’t need oxygen, because every airway is blocked.
And then, it gets bigger.
The base of Chan’s cock swells against Hyunjin’s lips and teeth, stretching him impossibly wide. Chan cries out, his fingers in Hyunjin’s hair tightening so harshly that Hyunjin yelps, the noise barely escaping him. His fangs descend instinctively in response to the pain, and Chan makes a strangled sound somewhere between a scream and a moan as the fangs puncture him, piercing the swollen flesh.
The ferric tang of blood blooms in Hyunjin’s mouth, and he moans as he attempts to swallow it down.
“What the fuck, I’m– Holy fuck. Hyunjin–” Warmth fills his mouth and throat, blood and cum as Chan pulses inside of him, gasping and heaving as he shakes above Hyunjun. “Shit, fuck, shitshitshit.”
Jeongin’s thrusts go erratic as Chan judders to a stop. The thick base of his cock—his knot, Hyunjin presumes—locks him inside Hyunjin’s mouth, so they’re both jostled as Jeongin fucks him, pace increasing to something fast and rough. The grind on the sheets and his own clenching abdomen paired with the just-shy-of-painful drag of Jeongin’s hot cock inside of him has Hyunjin fast approaching his climax, but it’s the constant stream of Chan’s blood still pouring into his mouth like ambrosia that sends Hyunjin over the edge.
Jeongin stutters to a stop almost immediately after him, squeezing at Hyunjin’s hips and muttering, “so– tight, fuck!” And then he collapses onto Hyunjin, sprawled across his back.
If he were still human, Hyunjin thinks the sex with Chan and Jeongin would kill him.
“So much for fucking him after you finished,” Chan murmurs.
Hyunjin flicks his eyes up, meeting the warm chocolate brown that he loves so much. He can’t answer, due to, well. The knot in his mouth really puts a damper on speech.
Jeongin has it covered, though. “Who says you can’t just fuck him when your knot goes down?”
Hyunjin attempts to nod, but the movement causes his fangs to sink deeper, and Chan gasps. “Fuck. That shouldn’t be so hot.” His hand moves to cradle Hyunjin’s chin, thumbing at the swell of skin around his lips, the protrusion of his knot through the walls of Hyunjin’s cheek.. “I’ve heard of other alphas knotting a partner’s mouth, but I’ve never been able to do it.”
“Why?”
Chan’s thumb draws back, following the line of Hyunjin’s jaw. He presses it into the hinge, and Hyunjin winces at a sudden stab of pain. “Because of that,” he says. “I think it dislocated his jaw.”
“Oh, no. Hyung,” Jeongin says, petting over the back of Hyunjin’s head. “Are you okay?”
Hyunjin starts to nod, then remembers what happened earlier. Instead, he raises his hand, giving them a thumbs up.
“Poor baby,” Chan whispers softly. “I bet the blood is helping, though.” Hyunjin hums in agreement.
Jeongin pushes up off of him then pulls out slowly. He helps Chan get onto the bed slowly, a concerted effort from the three of them to get comfortable until Chan’s knot deflates, which Hyunjin is surprised to find out can take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour.
“It’s a full moon, so it’s a little more unpredictable,” Chan tells them. “If you were my mate, it would be quicker, for repeated matings.” He pets over Hyunjin’s hair, an affectionate little gesture that makes Hyunjin want to just fall asleep here, laid between the wolf’s legs with his head nestled on Chan’s thigh.
“Do you think–” Jeongin cuts himself off. Hyunjin reaches for his hand, trying to encourage Jeongin to finish his question. Jeongin squeezes it, and Hyunjin squeezes back. “Do you think it’s possible to have a mate that isn’t a werewolf?”
Chan makes a soft noise, looping his arm around Jeongin and dragging him closer. “I’m not sure. I can ask around, find out if it’s ever been done before.”
“Oh,” Jeongin exhales, then leans in to tuck his face into Chan’s neck. “I mean, if that’s– if that’s something you want, of course.”
Chan tuts. “I’m not going anywhere, angel.” He glances down at Hyunjin. “I’m here for as long as you both want me.”
“What about your pack?”
“What about them? They have Hongjoong. Plus, I’m not far. I can– I can have both, I think.”
Jeongin pushes back to look at Chan in surprise. “Both of us?”
“I meant– well, yes, of course both of you! But I mean the pack and my happiness with you and Hyunjin.” Chan shifts, settling deeper against the headboard. “I don’t know how, but I have a gut feeling that everything will work out.”
Jeongin sinks back down, melting into Chan’s side. “Me too, hyung. Me too.”
Twenty minutes later, Chan’s knot deflates enough for Hyunjin to unhook his fangs and pull off of him. Chan immediately presses his jaw closed, fingers on either side of his face as he waits for Hyunjin to heal. It only takes a few more minutes, and then Chan has Hyunjin flat on his back, kissing him so deep that Hyunjin is once again grateful that he doesn’t need oxygen.
There’s still cum in his ass when Chan reaches down to slide a finger into him, and then he smears it around the rim, just before pressing the blunt head of his cock against it. Chan fucks him slow, slower than he’d expected, but Chan grunts that he’s trying not to blow a knot again, which makes Hyunjin shove at his shoulders until they flip over. Hyunjin plants his feet on the bed and rides Chan, grabbing for Jeongin and kissing him. Chan eventually convinces Jeongin to ride his face, and when Hyunjin cums on Chan’s cock, his knot fills, locking them together again. Jeongin spills onto Chan’s chest as well, then he cleans it up with his mouth and feeds Hyunjin the scraps, first on his fingers and then on his tongue.
“One of these days,” Chan pants, face flushed, “I’m going to fuck Jeongin while he fucks you.”
Hyunjin grins down at him, tongue darting out when he raises a single eyebrow. “Promise?”
Chan growls, rolling them over as delicately as possible as he grinds his still inflated knot into Hyunjin’s prostate over and over until Hyunjin cries out and finishes a third time, his poor, spent cock spurting weakly.
“You’re an asshole,” Hyunjin gasps, once he regains brain function.
“I think the correct term is service top,” Chan responds, which makes Hyunjin groan.
“Get a werewolf boyfriend, they said. It’ll be fun, they said,” he deadpans, which makes Jeongin laugh from beside them, while Chan puts on his best sad face and pouts at Hyunjin. He groans. “Oh my God, stop with the puppy dog eyes, I’m just kidding!”
Chan breaks out into a giggle when Hyunjin rolls his eyes. “Boyfriend?”
Hyunjin bites his lip, looking over at Jeongin. “I mean. Yes? Both of you, though. Please.”
Jeongin leans in for a kiss. “Absolutely, yes. I love you, hyung.”
“I love you, too, baby,” Hyunjin says, biting his lip and kissing his nose. Then he turns to look back up at Chan. “I don’t– I don’t think I know you well enough to be in love with you yet, but I can feel it, just under the surface. I think you’ll be easy for me to love.”
Chan lowers himself to capture Hyunjin’s lips in a sweet kiss. “I can love you enough for the both of us for now,” he says. “I know so much about you because of Innie, and I feel confident about my feelings. I don’t mind waiting for you to catch up.”
Hyunjin thinks, if his heart could still beat, that it would stumble right then and there.
The next evening, the three of them finally manage to peel themselves out of bed an hour after the automatic shutters open. Hyunjin drags his lovers into the bathroom to share a shower, one that goes cold when he’s bent over the bench by Chan, who licks greedily at his abused hole until he can slip his fingers inside and prod at Hyunjin’s prostate. Hyunjin falls apart with Jeongin in his mouth and all four of Chan’s fingers plus his tongue in his ass.
They’re sprawled out on the couch in the study when Seonghwa finds them. Chan’s tucked into one corner, a novel in his hand and his gorgeous profile on display for Hyunjin to draw from the other corner, his sketchbook in his lap with his legs outstretched over Jeongin’s body. Jeongin lays between them, his head on Chan’s lap and his hands rubbing Hyunjin’s feet.
“Your pack was here,” Seonghwa says as he sits in the armchair on the other side of the low table, his lips pressed together in an expression Hyunjin is very familiar with. “Last night, as we were burning Christian’s body. They heard your howl and demanded to know what happened. The one in charge…” He tapers off with a huff, and Hyunjin fights a laugh.
“You met Hongjoong,” Hyunjin presumes, amused when his brother scowls.
“What an insufferable little man!” Seonghwa bites. “Is he always that unpleasant?”
“He was probably so difficult because he was worried about my safety,” Chan sighs, the book laying page-down on the arm of the couch. “I’m sorry. Was he awful?”
Haewon steps into the room carrying a tray full of snacks. “Actually, no, Hongjoong-ssi was quite nice.”
“To everyone except me!” Seonghwa huffs, which makes Haewon giggle as she sets the tray down in front of Chan.
“You weren’t exactly your usual diplomatic self, Hwa,” she reminds him, reaching over to pinch his cheek affectionately before sitting in the armchair beside him.
Hyunjin watches with fascination as his brother flusters, unable to come up with an answer. How interesting.
“Anyway! Everything was fine once we explained what happened, so that’s enough about the wolves. Tell me about you,” Seonghwa waves a hand at them. “You look happier. I assume everything is okay with the three of you?”
“Everything’s great, dear brother,” Hyunjin smiles back at him. “We’re together now, all three of us.”
Haewon shrieks happily, clapping her hands together as Seonghwa whoops with joy. “Finally! I’m so happy for you, aegi.”
“Thank you,” Hyunjin answers, then glances at Haewon. “And you? You’re okay?”
She presses a hand to her shoulder. “I’m okay. A little sore, but Felix fed from me to make sure all of Christian’s blood was gone, and then I taught Lily how to make the blood builder smoothie for me. I should be back to normal in a few days.”
“Thank the Moon,” Seonghwa says. “While I would happily have Turned you to save you, I don’t think this house would run without you during sunlight hours.”
Hyunjin watches as Haewon laughs, reaching out to shove at Seonghwa playfully. Then he looks over at his lovers, his boyfriends, at their smiling faces.
Life is actually so fucking good.
xx