●=|Curse|=|TaeJoon|=●
●=|Vampire|=●

°•●•°

The life of Eternity is a gift. Born again from the red drops out of endless war, fighting to live and begging to die.

He had been chosen. He was the one to be reborn again.

°•●•°

A bright light awakened him, gasping for the air lost in his lungs. The smell of rotten corpses roamed like smoke, the feeling of soft flesh against his hand...

There is a loud ringing in his ears, his eyesight is blurry, and his heart pounds in his throat so loudly it's taking over with his ears.

Looking at what his hand is touching, he lets out a gasped scream. His voice is rusty and rough, not used to it anymore.

It was a corpse. A bloody, fleshed, burnt corpse.

The eyes rolled back, sunken deep into the sockets, mouth half opened with rotting black teeth, a nose half stuck to its bone.

Instantly awake and scared, the poor man tries to remember.

He's lying in a crater full of dead men and women, a bright white light shining on his face.

The man quickly and shakily jumps up to his feet, groaning and gasping at the pain in his limbs.

His legs feel like they're broken, his arms twisted to grasp onto his bloodied side, his shirt soaked and dried with old and new blood and dirt.

He lets out a shaky breath, feeling death looming over him as his vision grows dark.

It doesn't disappear. Instead, those small red drops on the ground seem so bright to him. Lighting up, like it wants him to find the source.

The smell is hypnotizing, sweet and fresh like honey, thickened with jelly.

The man staggers towards the smell, following the trail of red. In the distance, a shadow of a body screams vague words. It's a woman. Her back is turned.

Inside her body are the same red bright lights. Her heart was the biggest of all. It smells healthy, pumping blood at a worrying pace.

The man stumbles further, grabbing the woman by her shoulder. The woman looks at him, shouts something vague, and then embraces him in her arms.

His ears pound with fear. His face is at those red illuminate veins. He grabs onto the woman her dress, pushing her tightly into a trap and bites down onto her tender skin.

Soft and easy to mark, the man's newfound thirst is stilled by a small amount.

The black vision fades, the red slowly dimming down. His breath quickens when all becomes clear to him.

"Kaelin?" He asks, his hands starting to shake at the familiar face and the horror he sees. "Kaelin... No!"

"Taehyung..." The woman sobs. Her face is stained with wet tears, her eyes red from crying. "What have you done?" she coughs softly.

Her body drops into the man's arms, a cry of pain falling from her dry lips as she holds onto him.

"Kaelin! No!" Taehyung, the man, rips off a piece of his shirt and holds it tightly against the open wound. "Hold on, Kaelin! Hold on!"

She smiles at him, laying her hand against his.

With a shaky breath, her hand falls to the floor. She's dead. Her body was full of life, drained so easily, now lifeless and grim.

Taehyung embraces his sister in a tight hug. "I am so sorry, Kaelin... I'll find out who did this to us. I promise you! I will find them!"

"You killed her! Leach!"

A sharp voice pierces through the air, ringing in Taehyung's ears.

"No! No! Let me explain!"

"Die Leach!"

Taehyung quickly ducks away when the gun is fired his way. He runs from the firearm, down into the walkway under the buildings. He recognizes this place...

He follows the path, and the voices of many other military forces are now much clearer. They're catching up to him.

Through the exit of the building he runs, not sure of where to go.

"Leach! You won't live!"

Another Priwen guard was right around the corner, holding a gun to him.

"Please, you have to listen to me! I'm trying to make sense of this!"

Taehyung grabs the man by his arms, staring at him with desperate eyes.

The man pulls the trigger, but it only clicks, no more bullets left to shoot. He starts to panic, screaming the same words over and over.

"Die Leach! Die!"

Taehyung's eyes shake with confusion. A small ray of sunlight rises into the space, hitting his arm.

Small cracks appear in his skin, glowing as if lava was stuck in his skin. Parts of it turn into a rash, black and red ashes turning and raising up his arm.

Taehyung screams in pain, staggering out of the sun.

"The sun will do the rest of the job!" The guard laughs, running away to grab backup.

Taking deep, shaky breaths, Taehyung runs into the nearest hallway and out to an entrance above him.

The sun felt like it was burning him to the bone.

He climbs up a ladder into the warehouse. His head pounds with pain, the black vision quickly closing in.

This time, he sees little ones.

Outside of the warehouse, small critters squeak for food.

"Kaelin... I promise to never take another human life again. I promise."

Taehyung runs up to the critters, snatching one up and sinking his grown teeth into the furry skin.

He hates it. This new thirst, instinct, and pain. Desire to kill. But he loves the taste. So much so that after discarding the first rat, he snatches a second one.

Once again, the black vision fades, this time leaving him more comfortable.

The footsteps are running closer. Taehyung rushes out to find a few abandoned houses in quarantine. He rushes to check all the doors.

Broken, locked, blocked, or destroyed. All except for one.

Taehyung reluctantly enters the house, quickly pushing the bookcase in front of it for some extra weight.

He takes a deep breath, taking a quick look around. Some old pictures, books, but most furniture destroyed.

In the second room, there is a broken fireplace, in front lays a dead decayed body. Just like those from before, it's burned.

Taehyung closes his eyes and blindly goes upstairs. Finding another bookcase. A door completely destroyed and blocked and an open door to the bathroom with a ripped piece of wall, giving him access to the other rooms.

Taehyung looks at the broken mirror.

He looks so... dead.

Deep dark circles under his eyes, hid blue and red veins standing out under his skin, his brown hair dry and dead. His once hazelnut eyes were now a mixed blueish yellow.

Whatever he became, it wasn't pretty.

He remembers the shadow. It plays out in front of him like he was there, watching.

Looking through a space, a shadow behind him, killing him by a bite. His own words echo in his head.

"I have so much left to accomplish."

Taehyung looks down at his hands, sighing and turning to the broken gap in the wall.

In the next room over, there is a man sitting in a chair. His blood is splattered on the walls, and there is a gun on the floor.

Death from suicide.

Taehyung takes the gun, his heart pumping in his head. He checks for bullets. 5 left.

He walks over to the barely intact bed and lays down. He can't deal with the pain. He murdered his own sister...

He points the gun to his chest, takes a deep breath, and shoots.

°•●•°

No, no. The crows aren't ready to pick at his body yet. Bleeding is such a gorgeous humane feature, yet we fail to realize it belongs to all of us.

It shows a lot about a mortal, their blood.

And you should know, Doctor Kim Taehyung.

°•●•°

Another moment of awakening with pain. Taehyung feels his chest, a sob and whine leaving his lips.

"This is impossible! Have I lost touch with reality? Am I mental?!"

Taehyung gets up with a sigh and rubs his hands on his face. The bed is soaked with blood. He has the bullet hole in his chest, yet he's alive.

How?

The voice in his head just before he awake. It must be his maker.

Defeated, Taehyung decides to leave. He stumbles down the stairs, eyes widening when there is banging at the door.

They must've heard the gunshot. Of course. He was hiding. And he was hoping he'd have died.

Taehyung breaks through the door to the outside, finding the stairs completely shattered.

His sight darkens again, and Taehyung fears the worst.

"Reaching all with body is simply weak, and a mortal thing to keep."

The same voice roams in Taehyung's brain, echoing around.

One second, he was on the ground, the military reading their weapons to kill him.

The next, up by the nearest platform outside, dark smoke disappears from his body like a cloud.

Taehyung groans and clamps onto his head with a tight grip. "My head... Who are you?!"

He gets no answer.

What does it matter. He's safe now...

One look over the city, and he knows.

This is Busan...

°•●•°

The part by the docks looks horrible. It's grey and empty on the streets. Taehyung follows sight to the one person he sees. Although that person, too, is dead.

He's seen so many corpses, have the streets of Busan become a mausoleum?

Taehyung kneels down by the corpse and turns the head. The blood on his hands of fresh. This happened recently.

His sight darkens again, his head hurting. No, not again... He glances down at the corpse and then notices the blood trail.

It's bright. If he can resist taking it, maybe he can figure out where the killer is, and maybe, his maker.

Taehyung follows the blood. The streets are empty. Only one house lit up is where a handprint of the victim's blood seems to be left.

He enters the open door. There are three people inside.

A woman, a drunk man, and a bartender.

"By Lord's sake! You look horrible, sir!" The bartender says when Taehyung enters.

Taehyung looks down at his shirt. A massive pool of blood where he shot himself, a trail running down his neck and one in his shoulder from being shot by the Priwen.

"Yes, excuse my appearance. It's been a long night."

"Do you need a drink? I've got plenty."

"No, thank you. I'm not... not thirsty." Taehyung sighs. "There is someone I'm looking for. Has anyone come in here tonight?"

The bartender shrugs. "The only one is a man who came in a bit ago. Didn't say hello or get a drink. Thought it was kinda rude, actually."

"Where is he now? I have questions."

The bartender points up the stairs. "First door to the left. He rented for the whole week."

Taehyung goes to walk the stairs.

"And sir. Please, no funny business. This is a respectable establishment."

Taehyung nods and goes upstairs.

He immediately hears voices from the door, listening in carefully.

"No, no, no! I've said enough! There is nothing I can do!"

"You know options are limited here with the tools and space we have. We have no choice."

"There is nothing I can do, please. Any other option?"

"Well... there is -"

The voice cuts off.

"We have an eavesdropper."

Taehyung freezes. How'd they know?

"Might as well come in! Whoever you are!" The voice is louder.

Taehyung takes a deep breath and opens the door.

He almost screams when his skin feels the same sunburn again, this time from something different.

The holy symbol of Christ. A cross.

"Stop! Vampire! What do you want?"

There is only one man... where is the other?

Taehyung gasps. "I- I need a- a word! With anyone!" He coughs, scratching at his burning skin.

The man lays the cross down and sits at his desk. He smiles. "That's something I can do for you!"

Taehyung looks down at his skin. The burn slowly fades and heals.

The man points for him to sit down, which Taehyung obliges.

"Now, who are you?" The man asks.

Taehyung sighs. "I... I don't know, sir."

"Sir, you've come into my room in the middle of the night pale as a corpse and shaking like a tree. Please, indulge me."

Taehyung gulps. "Someone is going around. Murdering, assaulting, biting them."

"They speak of a vampire, like you." The man shrugs. "That's what I'm after."

"A vampire?" Taehyung chuckles. "No, no. That's impossible."

"Believe what you must." The man shrugs again. "But you are a vampire nonetheless."

Taehyung frowns. "You seem like the expert. If you're not a vampire, who are you?"

"My name is Kim Seokjin from the Brotherhood of Saint Paul. I'm here to find the shadow who is killing these people."

"Shadow... Yes, indeed. A shadow indeed."

"Now, may I ask why you're here?"

Taehyung nods. "I followed a blood trail from a recent victim. It led me here."

"Ah! You thought I was your aggressor! That makes it clearer." Seokjin smiles. "But I'm clearly not who you're looking for. Maybe someone downstairs knows something more for you."

Taehyung nods and thanks the man for his time. When he stands by the door, he turns around. "There was someone else in this room before I came in. Where is he now?"

"I believe you are mistaken. I am the only one here, you see?" Seokjin smiles. "Now please, I have some work I have to finish."

°•●•°

Back downstairs, Taehyung finds the barmaid. He nods her a small hello, and she gives him one back.

"I have some questions, if you don't mind?" Taehyung asks.

The maid shrugs. "I'm but the barmaid, sir. If you want a chat, you should talk to Daehyun. He owns the bar anyway." She says, pointing to the bartender.

Taehyung shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but the man I was looking for isn't here. Are you sure no one else came in tonight?"

"Well..." The barmaid leans in. "Samuel came in tonight. Samuel Tellon. An old friend who Daehyun is very loyal to."

"Why would Daehyun lie about that?"

"He was very aggressive tonight. Usually, there's no bad bone in that man's old body, but tonight... it was unexpectedly scary."

Taehyung nods and thanks her. He walks back to the bartender, who smiles at him.

"Did you find who you were looking for?"

"No, but are you sure no one else came in tonight?" Taehyung's words are slightly cold. His eyes pierce through Daehyun's.

Something in Daehyun's demeanor changes. He relaxed, nearly dropping the glass he was cleaning. He stares right back at Taehyung, shaking his head.

"Samuel was here tonight."

"Your old friend, yes."

"He's not my friend anymore." Daehyun sulks.

"Why's that?"

"He became very angry at us. He hit Jaimy, all because of her skin color. We had an argument. He destroyed my property, my glasses and bottles. I threw him out."

Taehyung tilts his head. "Where can I find him?"

"You can check the docks. He's always in his boat or by the other side of the docks."

"Thank you. I hope business returns." Taehyung nods at him, leaving the bar.

He takes a right from there, knowing where the docks are. By the docks are three boats.

Two of them are empty. The other has a corpse. The boat is the nearest to the docks across the river.

Taehyung examines the corpse. Slashed, bitemarks the same as him. There is a note on the seat. It reads his last moments, telling Taehyung Samuel escaped to the warehouse.

The warehouse. That's right there across the river.

Taehyung sees a small window of space. Maybe...

He takes a deep breath and runs towards it, praying he doesn't get wet. It works! Through a small cloud of smokes, he once again reappears on the other side.

He climbs through the window, immediately hearing muttering voices.

One of a man and the other with growls.

Taehyung opens the gates, catching the attention of the now deceased Samuel.

His face looks rotten and molten. Saggy skin that opens his eyes wide and a wide mouth with dull and sharp crooked teeth.

Taehyung messily dodges Samuel's sudden attacks.

"He's mine!" Samuel growls rudely. His head sways, drunk on the high of murder. "My prey... My flesh!"

"Prey?" Taehyung grunts.

He looked over at the man Samuel was crouching next to. A young man unconscious by a bite the same as other.

Taehyung dodges another stumbling attack. "Samuel! Remember who you are!"

"My prey!"

"He's not who he used to be."

Taehyung looks around at the strange voice. He sees a young man standing above him on the edges of the broken stairs.

"Skal are not as resiliant as us."

The man disappears in a cloud of black smoke and reappears right behind Taehyung, stabbing a sharp piece of wood through the attacking Samuel.

The man sputters and growls, falling to the floor as he slowly bleeds rotten blood.

Taehyung gasps at the blood that splatters on his clothes. Looking at the man who gives him a friendly nod.

He stands tall, dressed in a fancy white blouse tucked into a black corset, long black pants going down his long legs reaching black loafer shoes. He wears a black and red detailed coat draped over his shoulders, reaching down his legs to almost the ground.

His hair is shaved down his sides, sweet burgundy brown hair swept back to reveal his full face. Dragon sharp eyes piercing through Taehyung's own with full soft lips.

"Your voice... You're the man from the bar!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The man chuckles.

"Then... Are you the same as me? Can you help me?"

"I believe I already have." He gestures to the now dead Samuel.

"Please!" Taehyung begs, grabbing the man's arm as he is about to disappear. "I don't know anything. I'm but a mere child learning the limitations of my own body."

The man tilts his head. "You truly are a newborn. I thought you'd become a Skal."

"What is a Skal?"

Again, the man gestures to Samuel. "Go check on his victim. I'm sure we'll meet again, Doctor Kim Taehyung."

Taehyung reaches out for him, but the man already disappears in his smoky cloud.

Taehyung sighs, feeling hopeless. He turns and checks on the man Samuel was hurting.

"Are you alright, sir?"

"Samuel was a good man, I could've saved him..."

The man's head is tilted down, no energy to keep his own head up. Taehyung feels his pulse.

"Sir, try to focus on my voice. I'm a doctor. I can help."

"Samuel did nothing wrong. It was the Lord who wanted it the way." The man mutters.

The man wears a cross necklace. He looks like a priest.

The sound of water moving catches Taehyung's attention. He looks up over the fence, where a small dock can be seen. On the approaching boat sits a familiar man.

"Sir Seokjin?"

"Marvelous!" The man laughs, steering his boat to the dock. "Bring him here. You should come too, from the looks of it."

Taehyung shakes his head a little in disbelief. How did he know? He helps the poor man up to his legs and carries him to the boat, where Seokjin lays him down on a blanket.

"That poor Samuel, he was a good man." Seokjin sighs.

"Everyone says that, but what that was didn't look good." Taehyung comments. "I'm going to check his body. Maybe something is off."

"I'll be waiting."

Taehyung, while walking to the body, keeps an eye on the broken top floor for the strange man.

Even as he takes Samuel's mutated blood sample, nothing.

With what he needed, he got into the boat, and they drove off into the canal.

°•●•°

The rain softly falls down into the boat as Taehyung changes his bloodstained shirt for a clean one and a long dark navy coat, gifted by Seokjin.

He comes sitting with the other man, who glances at him every once in a while.

"Thank goodness you were here. Else poor Mister Jeon would not have made it." Seokjin says with an optimistic smile.

Taehyung looks down at the man, who is half awake and clutching his patched chest.

"The man I saw. He was with you before I came in, wasn't he?"

Seokjin looks at him and chuckles. "It's not polite to talk about a gentleman behind his back. Although I will say that Sir Kim loves his privacy."

Sir Kim? So he has a reputation.

Taehyung nods. "I see... Thank you. For the clothes."

The man chuckles again. "Only the best for Doctor Kim Taehyung!"

"How do you know my name?"

"You became very famous here. The best cardiologist from Daegu, moving to Busan to join the war in France! Your research brought us much to heal. Which is why I am here with an offer."

Taehyung tilts his head. "I'm listening."

"I own the hospital not too far from here, which is where we will make a bed for Mister Jeon and take the sick. The plague came back. Stronger this time." Seokjin says. "With your skill, we can cure more people. In return, we will provide you with a room and a safe place to stay and do your research."

That he never thought about. Of course, he was declared dead at war. Many people have his name, so changing it was not necessary. Maybe people would recognize him? Only time would tell.

Seokjin reaches his hand for a shake, which Taehyung accepts. It sealed the deal.

"We will provide you with plenty of blood for your survival-"

"I will not drink of humans. Not out of skin and not within." Taehyung interrupts. "I refuse to hurt more than I've done."

Seokjin nods, understanding his reasoning. "Very well." He smiles, just glad to have met his idol, and steers closer to the hospital.

°•●•°

Upon arrival, a nurse greets the doctor. She takes wounded man and helps him up the stairs.

Taehyung looks at the man and sighs, feeling guilty for not being able to help sooner.

There's more to worry about, though.

By the docks of the river is loud yelling. A commotion that could end badly if not solved.

Taehyung walks up to them, groaning and grabbing his head when his vision pounds in sight. His heart beats in his eyes as his vision pulses into color and greys.

The shouting fades, and the man near the water stumbles away, cursing under his breath as soon as he sees the doctor coming.

The man who's still standing and yelling is clearly stupid-drunk, murmuring, and shouting at Taehyung when he walks by.

"Hey! Weirdo! Stop staring at me and get me some help, dumbass!"

"Pardon?"

"You heard me! You came from the hospital didn't you?" The man slurs. "Help me then!"

Taehyung frowns. This man has no manners at all, but he's clearly drunk. His vision pulses again and his head pounds as the veins in the man's neck slowly become more and more vibrant.

The voice in his head comes back, stronger than before. Its like someone is holding his shoulders and turning him into a monster.

"Embrace him... You need the energy. "

Taehyung glances at the man's neck, following the veins down to the heartbeat in his ears.

He gulps when the man steps closer and grabs his arm, shouting at him.

He can feel his mouth salivating, aching for a gentle bite. He shakes his head and grabs the man's arms.

"Sir, you are severely intoxicated. Please find shelter and rest. Go home."

The man grumbles something under his breath and then stumbles away with the vampire watching him from afar, making sure he doesn't tumble into the water.

After that ordeal, he shakes his head at the voice and once again decides to take the life of a rat instead, sinking his sharp fangs into the fur.

He discards it into a corner and rolls his head back, sighing deeply and wiping the blood from his lips.

"Why must you torture me so?" He groans at the voice that's quieted down. He gets no response, of course.

Taehyung hurries towards the hospital, rushing up to the gated entrance where he is once again greeted by the nurse.

They bow, and Taehyung fixes his coat.

"Doctor Kim? I'm Jeon Jungkook. A nurse here at the hospital."

The nurse takes off her bloodied gloves. Taehyung's eyes snap towards it, watching the dried stains on his clothes.

"We have a room made for you, second floor at the end of the hallway. Do you know of blood transfusions? Perhaps the plague?"

Jungkook turns on his heels and motions for the ekon to follow him.

"Yes! I am- apologies ma'am." Taehyung bows when he bumps against another nurse, who quickly rushes off to another patient.

The outside of the hospital is filled with tents that have beds with patients and medicine on standby.

The inside is a mess. Posters covering the boards about the war and beds rolling left and right.

There is a young man stumbling about, hissing at people with a terribly husky voice.

"Please go talk to some patients if you can. We need the help." Jungkook glances at him. "If you need me, I'll be on duty in the left wing, ground floor."

Jungkook quickly walks off, turning before hitting the corner. "And doctor Kim, thank you."

Taehyung gives the troubled nurse a gentle smile and watches the patient growling at him.

He tilts his head. The patient wobbles, putting more weight on his left leg and trying to stand straight and intimidating.

His dark hair is a mess, and his face is covered in bruises. He's deadly pale and has dark circles under his eyes.

Terminally ill, Taehyung notices. He can smell a hint of decay in his bones.

"What are you starin' at?" The patient snarls. "Careful mortal. I'll hurt you."

Taehyung frowns. "Pardon me?"

"I'll hurt you, mortal! Get out of my way!"

"I'm not sure if I'm following. Mortal?" Taehyung asks, stepping to the side.

The patient crosses his arms. "Yes, you mortals are mere bloodbags for me! But I spare you for your kindness."

Taehyung hides a grin. "Thank you. I much appreciate your mercy. If I may ask, to what am I in the presence of?"

The patient smirks and bares his teeth, growling. "Isn't it obvious? I am a vampire. Creature of the night!"

Taehyung bows his head. "Of course, how foolish of me not to see. I apologize."

"Good! Now leave me be."

Taehyung watches as the patient stumbles off, and he sighs. The poor man believes he is a monster like him. His teeth were humane, and he smelled human.

"Don't pay him any mind."

Taehyung turns to see a woman with a horribly disfigured face. Her nose is half gone, and her cheeks sagged and wrinkled from impact with a busted lip.

"It's what makes him happy." She says. "And what keeps me from killing myself."

"Why's that?" Taehyung asks. "May I ask what happened?"

The woman smiles a little. "The war. I was a soldier. Got hit with a big one, right through my cheek. Doctor Seokjin managed to fix me up as good as possible, but I'll never be the same."

Taehyung nods. He gets it, fighting the war and all. She looks like she's gone through a lot.

"Sometimes I let him bite me. I play along." She chuckles. "He's a good guy, that Hoseok."

"Are you in need of treatment?" Taehyung asks. "You seem to need it."

"Painkillers, if you got em, sir." She sighs. "It keeps burning."

The vampire nods and takes the stairs up, finding his room and fixing up some of the chemicals together. He knows his medicine and it's clear these people need it.

There is a knock at the door, Jungkook's voice coming from outside of it.

"Doctor Kim, there is someone outside for you. He asked for you specifically... Strange man."

"I'll be there in a bit. Thank you."

Taehyung finishes up the medicine and rushes back down the stairs, handing the painkillers over to the soldier who thanks him, before he goes outside to see who wanted to see him.

He looks around the tents, finding a familiar face kneeling by one of the beds.

Laying there is an old man, coughing and thanking them for the medicine.

Taehyung eyes the man up and down, who stands up and turns his head to face the vampire.

"Young ekon. You've made it safely."

Shivers run down Taehyung's spine at hearing the voice again. The man who stabbed Samuel earlier and told him he helped him before.

The man wears the same attire as before, but now wearing a black coat over his shoulders. He must be rich, or at least not far off it.

"It's you..." Taehyung breathes, taking a few steps into the tent.

The man chuckles. "You remember me. And you seem to be doing quite well in such a tempting place."

Taehyung frowns. "Tempting? Doing quite well? Are you mocking my choice of arrival?"

"Of course not." The man smiles. "I believe it to be admirable." He lays his hand by his throat. "A lot of other young ekons would have gone mad. Mad with temptation."

The vampire drags his hand back to his side and holds the other out to him, which Taehyung hesitantly takes.

The vampire's dark eyes have a strange hue to them, like there is a hint of mischief and deceit. But he can't place a finger on it.

"It's a pleasure, doctor Kim." The vampire chuckles and places his hand in his pocket.

"You are like me, are you not?" Taehyung asks. "A vampire?"

The man nods. "You must have questions."

"If some." Taehyung snarls. "What have I become? How shall I live? How is this being in my head torturing my will?! What is happening to me?! Who are you?"

The vampire chuckles. "The name is Namjoon. Kim Namjoon. I'm a vampire, just like you, and willing to help you. You left quite the impact on me, Mister Kim."

Taehyung growls, taking a deep breath and fixing his posture. This is no time to get mad at someone.

Even more, this man helped him. There was no reason to be mad at him.

"It's a pleasure." Taehyung sighs. "I wished I'd have been left to rest instead, though. This isn't exactly what I'd expect."

"Didn't we all?" Namjoon smiles. "You are strong, but I believe there is more to do with you. Do meet me at my mansion tomorrow night. I have many things to consult with you."

Taehyung tilts his head a little and nods. "And where will that be?"

"Just by the bridge. Kim's estate. You can't miss it." Namjoon smiles and takes his leave, fixing his coat and walking by the hospital gates.

The old man who he was working with, who seems to be fast asleep.

Thinking over the vampire's words, Taehyung returns to his room to rest.

°•●•°

Namjoon shuts the door to his house, locking it behind him with a sigh. It echoes around him, bouncing against the wooden walls.

He glances at the many paintings he has hanging. Many originals were painted by famous painters he once knew. Some he painted himself, some a long friend.

This new vampire interested him. A new ekon. A young-blood. It's been a while since he's sensed someone with such power.

Whoever his maker is must be powerful. Who knows how bad the maker will make it for him? But his eyes hadn't changed.

A single human life. That's all that had been taken. But it'd only been one day, as far as he'd known. How long could this newly born vampire deny his bloodlust?

Namjoon has no clue. He's troubled with it, sighing and looking at the head of the fireplace.

It shows an old painted portrait of when he first started to learn how to paint.

His daughter, back when he was still human, was his world. Everything was to make her happy.

When his daughter became twenty-three, an attack took place. But Namjoon was there. He stopped the attack, but was hurt in the process.

After centuries of trying, the voice has faded. But only once he came into his full power. Killing humans, feeding, and eventually, turning a human into a nee ekon.

He's lived with guilt, pain, misery, grief and rage. But there was a day where he had to tell his wife and daughter.

That they were getting older and grey, but Namjoon hadn't changed at all. It was confusing, to say the least.

But they understood, or so he thought. He never did. When the time came for people to start getting suspicious, he faked his death, took on a new name and played himself as a worked in the Kim family house.

That's how it went. Day in, day out, for years and years. He took care of his family and was there at his wife's funeral.

And then it was just him and his daughter. She got married, had children, grew old and happy, then passed away as well.

That was the only child Namjoon had, and the last time he dedicated himself to a human relationship. To any relationship.

Namjoon walks up the stairs to the second floor, dragging his feet along the pleasant carpet of the halls into his workshop.

There's a singular window to the right, bringing the moonlight into perfect view onto the wooden ezel. An empty canvas is sprained onto the stand, the cabinet against the wall filled with paints, old and new, and drawers filled with brushes and pallets.

Namjoon smiles a little to himself and grabs his trusty equipment, taking a slow look at the other paintings in the room, finished, drying, and unfinished.

He sets the brush against the white plane, finding that perfect image and angle in his head to copy, awaiting the arrival of the next moonrise.

°•●•°

Taehyung groans when he is awoken, Seokjin shaking him awake with vigor.

His head pounds, his throat aching from the dry deserted breath. He growls, feeling the sharp teeth on the tip of his tongue.

"Doctor Seokjin. What do you need me for?"

"I know that you said you would not drink human blood, but," Seokjin smiles brightly, pulling out a wine bottle with a flower etiquette, "no one said anything about animal blood! You need the energy."

Taehyung looks at the bottle. The thick liquid inside sways side to side and he yawns.

"Animal blood?"

"Yes! There are plenty of rats around the city now, and due to your immunity for diseases you will be safe from the plague! It's the perfect solution!"

Seokjin beams with pride and happiness, as if he just discovered the cure for the eternal curse.

How can anyone be rude to that?

Taehyung hesitantly takes the bottle from him. It doesn't glow as much as human blood does, but it should do.

"A word, Doctor." Taehyung says, holding the bottle by his side.

"Of course." Seokjin takes a seat at his desk, crossing his hands. "What's on your mind?"

The vampire thinks back to his encounter with the ekon. He was so casual about it. "This vampire, Namjoon. He came to the hospital. He was with an older man at one of the tents."

"Ah, yes. Kim Namjoon. What's with him?"

"So you do know him?"

"It has no use lying to what you now know." Seokjin shrugs. "And besides, I've always been fascinated by your kind." He lays his hand on a few books. "And Mister Kim has been kind to inform me."

Taehyung shakes his head a little. "He invited me to his mansion next moon fall. I was wondering if I could go since I've been here only a night."

Seokjin looks up at him and nods. "He doesn't just invite anyone into his home. As far as I've heard, he lives alone. He isolates himself. Let him trust you, and don't break it. You have my permission anytime, Doctor Taehyung."

Taehyung nods his head goodbye, glancing at the bottle in his hands as he shuts the door.

He gulps, feeling his fangs sharpening along his tongue. He moves the bottle around, tilting his head and watching the blood sway from side to side.

He frowns and shuts his eyes, dropping the bottle to his side.

The air around him turns cold, even to his skin, sending shivers down his spine.

"Open your eyes, ekon."

Taehyung twitches. There is a bad feeling in his stomach. Like a paracite gnawing in his acid.

"Open your mind. This? Is this truly to your taste?"

Taehyung gulps and feels a cold sensation hold his hand, trembling down his fingers to the blood.

He opens his eyes to a degree, looking at his feet instead.

There is a dark red smoke surrounding his hand. The world around him has darkened like before. He recognizes it now.

The pain in his throat, the darkness in his mind, the hunger in his eyes.

The smoke looks like an arm. He eyes it, going up to find the smoke in a humane form. The smoke flows like long hair, a deep glow coming from where the eyes should be.

"You are a vampire now, my child. You are worth more. You are my champion. Act like it. Now."

Taehyung gasps and breathes in, his lungs tasting the blood and smoke of the mysterious figure that disappears within him.

The darkness fades, and quickly, everything turns back to normal. Except for his thirst.

He licks his lips and sighs, grabbing his throat. He lets out a gentle hiss through his fangs, caressing their edges with his thumb.

"Doctor Kim- Am I interrupting?"

Taehyung quickly turns on his feet, staring at Jungkook's stained apron. Fresh blood. Human blood.

He gulps and shakes his head. "No, my apologies, nurse. A welcome gift from Seokjin."

"I see..." Jungkook huffs. "Well, I could use your help. We've been expecting new orders of medicine but are missing some boxes. The driver notes thieves. Would you be so kind to pick them up? They've been found by the docks."

Taehyung nods. "Of course. I'm on my way."

"I appreciate it." Jungkook smiles at him. "Truly."

°•●•°

The streets of the docks have become duller. Taehyung walks through them, hands in his pockets.

The scent of blood is all over the place.

Since his arrival at the hospital, it's been a bit easier to handle the pressure. Not by a lot, but enough to not run at them. Not like with his sister.

What was he thinking? He knows the answer to that himself. Nothing. His body was not his own, and it was clear to both him and the creature that now claims to be his master. Or well, that he is its champion.

He's wretched with guilt, the pain of having to endure the death of his sister, not having seen his mother yet, and the pressure of this bloodsucking paracite. What could this mean for the rest of his life? Shall he live amongst the others - if there even are some? Will he hide in the sewers? He can't live as a doctor for long now. It's but a matter of time before he truly loses himself to the monster.

"Just by the bridge. Kim's estate. You can't miss it."
"You are strong, but I believe there is more to do with you."

Right...

Taehyung glances at the bar he started his strange journey at, waving back at the bartender who gives him a slight grin. The vampire frowns when he looks down at the doormat. It reeks of blood.

Now that he thinks of it, much more reeks of blood. It reeks of a massacre.

Taehyung snaps to where the smell comes from, standing frozen in his spot for a few seconds. Should he go? What if it turns him insane? What if that monster shows up? But what if people got hurt?

He's doctor. He has responsibilities.

Heavily set in his shoes, Taehyung walks towards the smell. Up the stairs into a small plaza, where his heart pounds. The strings of blood wrap around him like a puppet. Upon his arrival, three Skal glare at him.

They growl and hiss, claiming their prey as their own. Taehyung stares down at the citizens that choke in their own pool of blood, their hearts no longer audible.

His vision blurs faster than before, wishing he brought the wine and never went to look. His feet are planted in the ground, glaring up at the Skal for a mere second before looking back down at the crime scene.

The creatures seem afraid, cowering back and eventually running away, dissappearing into the shadows of Busan.

Taehyung feels a cold hand rub his shoulder as once again the strange shadow stands before him, this time offering a hand. Taehyung doesn't move and turns his head away, sighing when he covers his mouth with one hand and stuffing the other in his pocket.

Fangs... Assholes.

"There is no denying who you are now."

"I refuse." Taehyung snarls. "You can hunger me, you can thirst me, but you will never make me give in to your pathetic antics!"

The creature tilts its head and laughs. "Every time we see, I get closer. You will not be rid of me unless you do as I tell you. All I ask, all I want, is one thing. For you to feed."

Feed. A complete joke. Humans are not prey. They're not his victims. But he's different now. He's not human anymore. Does that make a difference? Can he still eat normal food?

He shakes his head and turns away from the creature and skal, leaving the medicine up to someone else. He's leaving to the only other vampire that he knows.

°•●•°

The door is quite large compared to the ones in the streets by the docks. The red paint covers the surface, keeping space for the brick gateway around it and the stairs leading up to it.

Taehyung sighs and shakes his head, knocking on the door. He's a vampire now. Namjoon is the only other one he knows who could possibly help him.

After a few minutes, the door opens. Namjoon gives him a kind smile and steps side. "Come in, Doctor. Be welcome."

"Must I be invited into homes now?" Taehyung grins.

Namjoon shakes his head. "No. Would you like some tea?"

"Thank you."

Namjoon's house is a comfortable one. A mansion to many, but filled and decorated to be tighter and cosier. There were many pictures and paintings that Taehyung recognizes from famous artists, and Namjoon's familiar face.

The two take a seat on the sofa by the fireplace, and Namjoon stirs his tea with a soft smile.

"Can we even have tea?" Taehyung asks, glancing down to see his reflection in the drink.

Again, Namjoon shakes his head. "No. But I enjoy it, although I sadly can't keep it in."

Taehyung gulps and sighs, setting the tea down on the table in between them. Namjoon is silent. It seems he didn't ask Taehyung over to talk.

"Why did you invite me?" Taehyung asks.

Namjoon looks at him. "You have questions. I'm here to answer them, ekon."

Taehyung looks back at him. Namjoon has a different hue in his eyes. His eyes are redder, more pained and filled with regrets.

"What happened to you, Namjoon?" He asks. "Your eyes, your skin. You're so hurt. Why?"

Namjoon chuckles. "I thought this was about you?"

"I thought so too."

The older vampire sighs deeply and sets his tea down. "I was turned by the founder of Busan. I was one of its first residents, and came from a well known family. He wanted my sister's hand, she refused. I protected her when I needed to, and it ended with me like this."

"You had a voice in your head too?"

Namjoon nods. "That is our maker. The one who bit us. Who cursed us. They try to guide us to become true vampires, which he succeeded to do with me." His voice lowers, regret sinking in his throat. "I killed so many innocents that it became unbearable to stop. I was addicted to human blood, and it took me centuries to kick off from it. I watched my family die as I descended into madness after my daughter's death."

Taehyung gulps. Daughter. He had a kid. "I'm sorry." He mutters. "My maker is telling me I'm it's champion."

"They all do." Namjoon growls. "We are their successors. Their heir. Their name and label of ownership."

That voice. The shadow he's been seeing. That's his master? What was he to do? Obey it and drink? Kill innocents?

Namjoon chuckles a little at the way Taehyung's face pulls and lays his hand on the man's thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry." He sighs. "You can learn to ignore it. But the only way to silence it is to taste."

"So then," Taehyung mutters, laying his own hand on Namjoon's. "Is this why I am blinded by thirst? My sight turns dark and all I want is... blood." Taehyung looks down at his hand and sighs.

Namjoon shakes his head. "Seokjin gives me blood from deceased patients. Died or taken for research. He's the one keeping me as healthy as I've been." He says. "I've been feeding on the rats here, which is barely enough to keep me sane."

Taehyung glances up at the tea on the table and back at the other vampire's hand.

Feeding on rats? For the rest of his immortal life? How would that keep him sane?

°•●•°

When Taehyung leaves Namjoon's mansion, there is an eery tension around him.

He's being watched. He smells it. The slight hint of fear in one of their hearts. Taehyung takes a deep breath and quickly turns away, flipping up the collar of his coat and rushing back to the hospital.

"Kill them."

Taehyung looks away from the shadow, even as his sight blurs once more. His own undead heart pounds in his chest. The weight becomes heavier, the weight of his humanity.

"Champion." Taehyung growls. "That's me, right?"

"Yes." The shadow answers. "My champion."

"What do I have that your other spawn don't? Am I smarter? Or am I more dangerous? Why can't you leave me alone?"

The shadow chuckles and quickly fades into the dark, reappearing in front of him.

"My champion is all. Everything. I chose you from a mountain of bodies. The least you can do is taste life again, right? They're right there."

Taehyung takes a deep breath and bites his lip, scowling at the shadow. He doesn't want it. But the temptation grows.

Holding onto his humanity is becoming a burden. What is stopping him from feeding? Himself? Namjoon? Seokjin? No one is physically here to hold him. It's not like those midnight drunks will be missed... right?

"Good." The shadow laughs. "You see, these are but a small part of your powers. Watch what happens when they grow."

Taehyung hisses under his breath and covers his mouth, quickly rushing further back to the hospital. Halfway through the gates, his eyes widen, his fangs pressing through the skin of his fingers. His blood runs cold, his head snapping back to the scene.

Murder.

Taehyung nearly laughs, slowly dropping his hand from his lips to his head, tugging at his hair. He should stop. Turn away and run. Call Namjoon's name or beg the shadow to kill him.

But his humanity is dragging him down to hell. His vision pulses, guiding him to the rose colored sweetness not far from him.

"I'm proud of you." The shadow says.

With every slow step Taehyung takes, the shadow seems to grow, towering over him like a sin when his shoes tap into the blood of the three men.

No one made it out alive.

Taheyung looks down at them and turns his head away. He bares his fangs with a hesitant growl and nearly bites into his own finger to stop himself.

"Taehyung! Stop!"

In the distance, Taehyung can see the vampire's face, hurrying towards him. Panicked, Namjoon screams his name.

But Taehyung's humanity faded with the distraction, baring his fangs at the other vampire with a loud hiss and kneeling down into the pool of red. His hands grab onto one of the men and lift him up, piercing his teeth into the skin just as Namjoon falls to his knees besides him.

The vampire shakes him, growling at him and scolding him gone, pushing him away from the body and forcing Taehyung and his victim to part.

Taehyung covers his ears, crying out in pain when the shadow around him bursts into a maniacal fit of laughter.

"Yes! YES!"

Namjoon again grabs his shoulders, raising his head to glare at him. "Don't listen to it. Listen to me."

The vampire looks back at him, eyes widened with fear and panting. Blood runs down from the corners of his lips, dripping onto his coat. He's afraid.

Namjoon sighs and wipes the blood away with his thumbs. Taehyung's eyes have changed. Their dead hue has turned lively. Red. Heavenly pink, faded. He will never be the same.

Slowly, Taehyung calms down, releasing his ears and gulping the swallowed blood down his throat. He sags down and looks at the blood covering his hands.

"I'm sorry." Taehyung mutters. "I... am so sorry."

"Don't be." Namjoon chuckles. "You did what it told you to do. Just like I did years ago."

"What will happen to me now?" Taehyung gulps, quietly laying his hands on the vampire's.

Namjoon looks down at the bodies and growls, shaking his head. "First things first, we must inform Seokjin immediately. You won't be able to work in the hospital for a few weeks."

"But I-"

"Next, you will move in with me. I will teach you how to hunt and control your thirst, now that your maker is gone. You will cry, you will want to kill me."

"What?"

"I'll be by your side, ekon." Namjoon smiles. "I will hold you in my arms when you mourn, I will hunt with you in your darkest hours. But this must be done now."

Taehyung nods and quickly gets back up on his feet. "Very well... Let's hurry then."

°•●•°

Upon returning to the hospital, Taehyung's thirst was sated by little. He was lucky Namjoon was there, holding his hand.

Jungkook was suspicious, but refused to comment. Instead, he doubled down on the work, not understanding Taehyung's leave after two mere days.

Seokjin, however, was ecstatic to hear Taehyung had grown, and quickly made sure to not tell a soul of his new immortality. After all, vampires were still hidden.

Seokjin went far, even offering a daily blood supply, but Namjoon quickly turned that down with a sharp hiss after Taehyung's deep breath.

Namjoon helped moving Taehyung's stuff and whatever he needed. Although he would not be able to perform surgeries, he would be able to help craft medicines, which helped out the hospital as much as he could.

And that was that. Taehyung moved into Namjoon's mansion, where he was given an old room. He was ready. Namjoon smiles, fainting the final stroke of his sketch of the portrait of the young ekon sleeping in the next room.

Whatever the following years would bring, Namjoon knew one that was set in stone.

He would never be alone anymore.

[=|THE END|=]

Questions of the Chapter:

Who is Taehyung's maker?

How long has Namjoon been alive?

Why is Seokjin so excited about vampires?

Does Jungkook know?

What did Taehyung do before he died?

What happened when Taehyung drank human blood?