Euphoria

6 - confessions

When you regain consciousness, you're lying on a soft surface.

"Y/N," a male voice murmurs, tinged with desperation, "Y/N, come on, please, you have to wake up." Your head is propped up, probably on someone's lap, and shaking fingers comb through your messy hair. "Jin, she's not going to die, right? Please tell me she's going to make it. She has to."

Die?

You realize that you have no idea where you are, and you have no recollection of what happened and how you got there. For some reason, your eyes won't open, but you're secretly grateful – a part of your hazy mind has managed to figure out that it's Jeongguk's lap you're lying on. He has nice thighs, you think distantly.

"I don't know, Jeongguk. I'm sorry." Seokjin's voice is strained. "It's been long time since I've used so much magic in one go. This is precisely why I'm a vet, not a surgeon. Healing spells on humans take up a lot of energy, and I've never had to heal injuries so serious before."

"She almost died, Jin! I don't know how I'd live with myself if she died because I was too late." The young vampire sounds like he's close to tears. "I should've started following her after we tracked down that damned leech. I put her in so much danger, I-"

"It's not your fault, Jeongguk." The witch's words are quiet and reassuring. "It could've happened to anyone, not just Y/N."

"Yeah, but it happened to Y/N!"Jeongguk protests.

You finally muster the energy to open your eyes. "What happened?" Your voice is disgustingly raspy, but your throat hurts, and you don't know why.

Seokjin smiles, relief clear in his eyes. "Oh good, you're awake!"

His eyes promptly roll into the back of his eyes and he collapses neatly onto the
couch behind him.

"Oh gosh," you say, eyebrows furrowing in alarm, "is he okay?"

Jeongguk looks down at you. "Y/N, you almost died, and you're asking him if he's alright?" He shakes his head with a smile that is both fond and awed. "You really are one of a kind, Y/N."

You frown up at him. "But I can't remember what happened..."

"You were attacked, Y/N."

You think long and hard, and everything seems to fall into place, pieces in a jigsaw puzzle made of memories finally clicking together. You were going home from work when you felt like you were being followed. With your luck, you were – by a vampire, by the haunted look on Jeongguk's face.

That's as far as your faulty memory goes.

"After you fell asleep yesterday morning, Jin and I spent the day trying to track down whoever turned me. He's surprisingly good with advanced tracking spells. I found out I wasn't the only person they turned – apparently, they have a fetish for young adults walking alone at night." It does make a little sense, but you don't tell him out loud. "I had to get justice. Not just for myself, but for everyone who was forcefully drained and turned because of that guy." Jeongguk sighs in frustration, raking a hand through his hair. "We never could've guessed he'd go after you next."

"But I'm alive." you point out. "If that vampire is as dangerous as you said, how am I still around?" Granted, you don't remember enough to tell the tale, but you know for sure that your heart is still beating in your chest. "I'm still human."

"That's because Jin and I intervened. I fought the vampire while Jin got you back here to heal you. I have to admit, that's the most I've ever been injured in a fight." He smiles shyly. "The sound of your heart beating made it all worth it, though." He puffs out his chest. "I never lose."