Avenoir || BTS

25

"Aye aye, Captain," Taehyung mocks a salute, "Ready to leave, m'lady?"

The streets are damp with rain, and it's slightly drizzling. Taehyung insisted on driving there. He seems to prefer it to teleporting. You don't see me complaining. The man's hands are ethereal. If I could afford it, I'd pay to see him drive. 

However, I would definitely not pay to go through shady, narrow streets. Something cold drops on the back of my neck and trickles into my shirt. I jump at the intrusion, my hand clinging onto the closest thing to me, which happens to be Taehyung's arm. He stops walking, fingers brushing shyly brushing against my nape. 

I stiffen as he invades my space like he owns it. 

Again, you don't see me complaining. It's not every day you get to be so close to a hot vampire. I'm not going to pretend he's not attractive. 

"It's just the rain," he says, amused. 

I push him away. Or try to, anyway. He simply keeps my hand in place, dragging me along with him. The smell of the sea gets stronger, and everything gets damper. I hate the squelch of my shoes on the wet ground but love the strong, sweet smell of Taehyung. 

It's not overbearing like the deodorant teenage boys seem to bathe in. It smells like cake and white chocolate, but not quite. 

After a minute, the cramped alleyways disappear and the pier comes into view in the distance. 

"Once we're done with this, let's go somewhere," he says. 

I raise an eyebrow in question. He chuckles nervously, pushing his strawberry locks out of his eyes.

"Wherever you want," he says, "I know how it feels to be locked up in the name of protection. You deserve a break from it." 

As he speaks, flickers of memory burst in my mind, forcing me to almost walk into a pole if Taehyung hadn't pushed me back. I'm sure he says something, but I can't seem to focus on him. It's his memories I look into. 

"-for your own good. Please, understand," a woman bows, quickly hurrying out of the room. 

The walls are high, the floor is stone and the four-poster bed is massive with a pretty white net cascading down. But Taehyung doesn't focus on it long, much to my displeasure. I'm seeing through his eyes, instead of watching from afar. 

It makes the experience personal like I'm intruding. 

Taehyung starts slipping on a few rings on his fingers, a tired sigh escaping his lips before he gets up. The swish of robes against the stone floors and the rhythmic tapping of his boots is all that is heard as he walks down the halls. The servants are silent, almost unnoticeable as they work. 

Taehyung takes a deep breath before he opens a heavy set of doors. The throne room comes into view, the king and queen perched ever so elegantly on the thrones while they talk to ministers and advisors.

"Crown prince, you are late," the king says in a disconnected tone. 

"I apologize, father."

Gone is the warm undertone I usually associate with Taehyung's voice. Stripped of feeling, he says the words like a robot before walking to his seat. 

I am no crown prince. 

"You look rather dull, Taehyung."

He perks up, offering a small smile to his mother. God, she's beautiful. 

"I miss Jin. And I miss the world beyond the palace walls." 

"I truly am sorry, Tae. We are only doing this to protect you. You know what happened to Jin. We can't let that happen to you, as well."

I'm brought back to the present when Taehyung yells my name. 

"What happened? What did you see?"

I point at him. 

"Me?" he asks, and I nod. 

I take my phone from my pocket. 

I saw your past. I think it was from when you were human. 

His expression dulls, and he sighs. Shouldn't he be excited to know? Vampires don't remember their memories from when they were human, so he just gained a part of himself. 

"I remember," he says, as if reading my thoughts, "You can't tell this to anyone, Y/N, but I remember my human life. Only Jin knows about it. He's my brother. As much as I'd like to explain, we're running out of time. James isn't exactly patient."

I nod, letting him lead me toward the pier.  Standing at the very end is a short, stout man who I know to be James. I gulp, the prospect of danger suddenly making its way into my thoughts. 

"I'll wait here," Taehyung says, standing where the pier begins, "I won't let anything happen to you."

He squeezes my hand before letting go. I don't let myself think as I walk toward James. He doesn't seem evil, despite what he had done to Taehyung. Appearances can be deceiving, though. No one would look at Jimin and think he's a deadly vampire. They'd think he's a harmless, fluffy marshmallow.

"Hello, Y/N. I've been waiting to meet you."

The wrinkles near his eyes crinkle when he smiles. He's so normal. He watches curiously as I type on my phone.

I can't say the same. 

"Oh, you can't speak?" he asks with a frown, "What happened? Or do you not want Taehyung to listen to what you have to say?"

None of your business. 

"Ha, feisty," he chuckles, "You're just their type."

I roll my eyes, hating the small talk. He smells faintly of cognac and spices, and it gets more overwhelming the more I pay attention to it. 

Cut the crap. Were you planning on ever telling the boys that you are Helen's father?

It's like the world stops, for a minute. A few things fall into place, and a few things fall out. James' composure is one of them. Wide-eyed, he grabs my shoulder, though gently. All too soon, I find a chest pressed against my back, an arm banding across my ribs and pulling me back, away from James' hand on my shoulder. 

"Don't touch her," Taehyung snarls, "We made an agreement. You will not touch even a single strand of her hair or I'll tear your head off."

Although the threat is not aimed at me, I shiver in his hold, weirdly safer than I've ever felt in these past few months. I pat Taehyung's arms, ordering him to let go of me. When he doesn't, I lean my head back and glare up at him. He calms down, stifling a giggle. 

"Cute," he mumbles and still doesn't let go. 

James watches too closely, too carefully, as if we're specimens under a microscope.

"Why do you say you want Helen back, Taehyung, when the girl you need is right in front of you?"