𝗙𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗘 【 𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗷𝗮𝘆 】

chapter six

The night Heeseung was turned into a vampire was the moment everything went down.

The forest was eerily silent, the once-vibrant sounds of nature now muted by the thick fog that had settled over the trees. Heeseung’s body lay motionless on the forest floor, the cold earth beneath him leeching away what little warmth remained in his body. His breaths were shallow, each one a struggle as his vision blurred and darkened at the edges. The attack had been sudden, brutal, and he had fought with everything he had, but it hadn’t been enough. The vampires had left him broken, his life force slowly ebbing away as the wounds they inflicted drained him of his strength.

Heeseung’s skin grew pale, his lips turning a sickly shade of blue. His heartbeat was faint, irregular, and his body shivered uncontrollably as the life was slowly sucked from him. He could feel the darkness creeping in, the cold embrace of death wrapping around him like a shroud. He was losing himself — losing everything he had fought so hard to hold onto.

But just as the last flicker of consciousness was about to fade, a shadow moved through the fog, swift and silent. Jongseong. He was there, his expression a mask of fear and desperation as he rushed to Heeseung’s side. Kneeling beside him, Jongseong’s hands trembled as he checked for signs of life, his heart pounding with dread. Heeseung was barely breathing, his pulse weak and erratic, and Jongseong knew he had to act fast.

“Stay with me, Heeseung,” Jongseong whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He carefully lifted Heeseung into his arms, cradling him as if he were the most fragile thing in the world. With a surge of strength, Jongseong carried him through the forest, moving with speed, driven by the overwhelming need to save him.

They arrived at a secluded cabin hidden deep within the woods, a place Jongseong had kept secret, a sanctuary from the outside world. He pushed open the door with his shoulder, carrying Heeseung inside and laying him gently on a bed in a small, dimly lit room. Jongseong worked quickly, gathering what little he had to tend to Heeseung’s wounds. He applied pressure to the deepest cuts, hoping to stem the flow of blood, but he knew it wasn’t enough.

Hours passed, the room silent except for the ragged sound of Heeseung’s breathing. Jongseong watched over him, never leaving his side, his worry etched into every line of his face. Heeseung’s condition remained critical, his body cold and unresponsive, his mind trapped in a haze of pain and confusion. Jongseong could only wait, praying that Heeseung would find the strength to pull through.

Eventually, Heeseung’s eyes fluttered open. The room was dimly lit, and for a moment, he was disoriented, his mind struggling to make sense of his surroundings. His body felt different, his senses heightened in a way that was both exhilarating and terrifying. Every sound, every scent, every sensation was amplified, overwhelming him with a flood of stimuli.

But the most disturbing change was the hunger — a deep, primal need that gnawed at him from within. His body trembled with the intensity of it, his throat burning with an insatiable thirst. Heeseung’s vision sharpened, and as he looked around the room, he caught sight of his own reflection in a nearby mirror. His eyes were glowing with an intense, unnatural red, the telltale sign of a vampire in the throes of bloodlust.

Panic gripped him as he struggled to understand what was happening to him. He could feel the transformation taking hold, the last remnants of his humanity slipping away as the vampire instincts surged to the forefront. Heeseung clutched at his chest, trying to steady his breathing, but it was no use. The hunger was too strong, too overpowering. He needed blood, and he needed it now.

The door creaked open, and Jongseong stepped inside, his expression one of concern and relief at seeing Heeseung awake. But as soon as Heeseung’s eyes locked onto him, the hunger took control. In an instant, Heeseung was on his feet, moving faster than he had ever moved before. He lunged at Jongseong, pinning him against the wall with inhuman strength, his fangs bared, ready to sink into Jongseong’s neck.

Jongseong’s eyes widened in shock, but he didn’t struggle. Heeseung was so close he could hear the rapid beat of Jongseong’s heart, the scent of his blood filling his senses, driving him to the brink of madness. But as Heeseung’s fangs hovered inches from Jongseong’s skin, a flash of recognition broke through the haze.

This was Jongseong—his Jongseong. The one person he had sworn to protect, the one person he had loved above all others. The thought of harming him, of taking his life to satisfy his own monstrous urges, was unthinkable. With a cry of anguish, Heeseung pulled back, his mind battling against the overwhelming need to feed.

Desperate to regain control, Heeseung bit down on his own arm, the sharp pain slicing through the haze of bloodlust. The taste of his own blood filled his mouth, but it did nothing to quell the hunger. It only intensified his agony, the conflict between his desire to protect Jongseong and the vampire instincts driving him to kill.

Jongseong watched in stunned silence as Heeseung hurt himself, the pain evident in every line of his face. “Heeseung…” Jongseong whispered, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and sorrow. He reached out, gently placing a hand on Heeseung’s shoulder, trying to calm him. “It’s okay. I’m here. You don’t have to fight this alone."

Jongseong’s words hung in the air, but instead of bringing Heeseung comfort, they seemed to unravel something inside him. The weight of his transformation, the fear of what he had become, and the overwhelming hunger gnawing at his soul suddenly became too much to bear. His breathing quickened, his chest tightening as the room began to spin around him.

“I… I can’t…” Heeseung stammered, his voice cracking. His hands began to tremble uncontrollably, his vision blurring as tears welled up in his eyes. “I can’t do this… I can’t… I’m losing control…”

“Heeseung, listen to me,” Jongseong said urgently, trying to catch his gaze, but Heeseung’s eyes were wide with terror, darting around the room as if searching for an escape. Jongseong gripped his shoulders, trying to ground him, to pull him back from the brink. “It’s okay, you’re safe. I’m here. Just breathe with me, okay? Just focus on my voice.”

But Heeseung’s panic only intensified. His breaths came in rapid, shallow gasps, his heart racing as if it were trying to tear itself free from his chest. His body shook violently, and he clutched his head in his hands, squeezing his eyes shut as if that could block out the world around him. “No… no, I’m a monster… I’m going to hurt you… I can’t stop it… I’m going to hurt you…” His words tumbled out in a frantic, disjointed rush, laced with pure fear.

Jongseong’s own heart twisted painfully at the sight of Heeseung’s breakdown. He’d never seen him like this — so vulnerable, so terrified. Desperation clawed at him as he tried to soothe Heeseung, his own hands trembling as he gently cupped Heeseung’s face, forcing him to look at him. “Heeseung, please, just breathe. You’re not alone. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise. Just breathe with me, please.”

But Heeseung was too far gone, lost in the spiraling panic that had gripped him. His chest heaved, his breaths turning into ragged sobs as he struggled to find air. The room seemed to close in on him, the walls pressing in from all sides. He could feel the hunger gnawing at him, the darkness threatening to consume him entirely, and it was all too much.

“I can’t… I can’t do this…” he choked out, his voice barely more than a whimper.

And then, as the panic reached its peak, Heeseung’s vision went black. His body went limp in Jongseong’s arms, his breath hitching one last time before he fell unconscious.

Jongseong’s eyes widened in alarm as he felt Heeseung’s body collapse against him. “Heeseung? Heeseung!” he called out, his voice trembling with fear. He quickly lowered Heeseung onto the bed, checking his pulse, his breath catching in his throat until he felt the faint, steady beat beneath his fingers. Relief flooded him, but it was quickly followed by a wave of concern.

Jongseong sat beside him, gently brushing the damp hair from Heeseung’s forehead. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “I should’ve been here sooner… I should’ve protected you.”

For a long moment, Jongseong stayed there, keeping vigil over Heeseung as he lay unconscious, his breathing slowly evening out. The room was silent now, the earlier chaos replaced by a heavy stillness. But even in the quiet, Jongseong’s heart ached with the knowledge of what Heeseung had gone through, and what he would still have to face.

As Heeseung slept, Jongseong kept his promise, refusing to leave his side. He would be there when Heeseung woke up, just as he had promised. He would protect him, no matter what it took — just as Heeseung had always done for him.