Sacrifices || Jackson Wang \ Han Sanghyuk au

• Chapter 10 •

It was not the subtle sound of Jackson's snores next to me that woke me up on 17th day before Lord N's judgement. Nor was it the sunlight that peered in through my curtains, blanketing over the two of us, but the loud slam of the door hitting the wall and the booming voice of Hyuk over the silence settled in my room.

"Hey, Yue, do you know where Ja-" I jolted straight up in my bed, a slight squeal emitting out from my mouth at the sudden intrusion. Hyuk's round eyes widened and one of his hand grabbed the door knob while the other clenched tight at his side. "Sorry to interrupt."

I laughed lightly. "You weren't-" But he was already gone, the door slammed shut behind him. I swore I could hear him muttering all the way down the hallway.

Jackson was outside before I was, and when I stepped out in the yard I was instantly grabbed and pulled to the side by an ecstatic Hoseok. "Hyuk's like some miracle child, I swear." His breathing was rushed and he hung his head low like he was already worn out, but a huge smile stretched his face.

"How so?" I didn't even need to ask, the noises coming from a few yards away being enough. I watched as Leo, whom wasn't as flexible as me but at least twice as fast, attempted to attack the boy to only get flung over his shoulder, landing awkwardly on his side a few feet back. Hyuk launched himself at Jackson, landing the elder flat on his back.

Everything seemed okay, until I noticed how Hyuk's teeth bore out and how he basically growled at Jackson like he was some type of rabid animal. Jackson, though, laughed it off and pushed himself from Hyuk, regaining stance and patting the younger on his back. "Great job."

"Thanks." Hyuk spit out, and it threw me aback. His normal happy demeanor was replaced with some type of new vampyre angst. It wasn't like him. He stormed away from the two, cutting in between Hoseok and I before stopping and glaring at my brother. "I'm done for today." He said simply, making Hoseok chuckle.

"It's only been an hour. You aren't that-"

Hyuk's voice was filled with so much stress and anger as he cut my brother off. I even noticed how Hoseok backed up at his tone. "I said, I'm done." And with that, he walked off, but not into the house, but down the street to become only a blur in the distance.

Leo and Jackson were next to us in an instant, Leo's ragged breathing loud in my ears. "What was that about?" He questioned, bending over and placing his hands on his knees, exhausted from the sudden surge of strength that pulsed through Hyuk.

"I don't know." I shrugged. He'd been acting weird since he barged into my room.

"You think he'll be back?" Jackson asked from behind me. He had to be, and if he didn't then he'd be force to feed on humans. He'd be back.

"He's going to have to."

***

I hadn't worked the bar in days, and somehow the sound of the tap filling glasses and the loud voices of drunks singing and dancing, relaxed me.

"Can I just have a shot of whiskey?" A man asked softly from my side and I glanced over, smiling wide and nodding. "Make that two please."

I brought them to him, the shot glasses sloshing in my hands. I slid them across the counter before he grabbed both of them, and I watched as he slid one back to me. "Name's Jiyong. You are?" His fingers wrapped around the tiny glass and lifted it in for me to touch mine to it.

I contemplated it, but his soft brown eyes seemed to only promise warmth, so I followed suit and tapped my glass against his, running it across the counter one last time before tilting my head back and downing the all too bitter liquid. "Yue." I introduced myself once the bad taste left and was no longer clinging to the insides of my mouth.