Sacrifices || Jackson Wang \ Han Sanghyuk au

• Chapter 13 •

When Jackson and I had both arrived back within the tense atmosphere of my house, Leo was nowhere to be found. Hoseok, though, was perched upon the sofa, awaiting our arrival, the faint sounds of Hyuk training by himself in the brisk evening air. "We should talk."

It wasn't in the tone in which Leo had, but his voice held concern, promise. Tables had turned, and it seemed that Hoseok, the brother that I had lived the majority of my life disapproving of, was the one that I could depend on.

"Hoseok.." Jackson began, stepping in front of me, blocking me from the pain of my brother's lecture, but at this point, it was okay.

So I sat, my thin legs crossed beneath me. I placed myself next to Hoseok, breathing in the care in each of his words. "You know why Leo is so upset, right?"

I did. And with Jackson sitting on the floor in front of me, his fiery eyes watching me intently, I knew exactly how it felt for someone you love to be ripped away from you.

***

It was exactly 58 years ago, and although that disease that imbedded itself into the vampyre immune system was seemingly burned out by the Royal Guards, somehow it had made it's way back in the roughest of ways.

Leo and Areum had their wedding ceremonies in late of 1947, and although I was bitter with self pity, I accepted the woman into our home, our clan, with open arms and a mind full of opportunity. That was, until, years later, her normally silver irises became a sickening green, and her mouth dripped blood, even when she hadn't fed.

"Leo, she needs to leave. We will get sick." Though I loved Areum, and she was at this point, my sister, I valued my life more than to be around such an illness that could kill me too. An illness I almost died from even when I hadn't had it.

Though it pained him beyond anything, Leo knew that her life was rearing an end, and he was helpless to fix it. He wasn't just risking his life, but my life, as he kept Areum's sick body in our cabin.

He'd pace, hours on end, searching his mind for ways to save his bride. Leo stayed up late at night, reading books about medicines and studying very old scrolls about our healing powers. And although I kept my distance, and visited very few, I could tell that the longer she remained sick, the more he changed.

But one day, I came home, praying that my old Leo would be home, not the man that wore his body as a suit, full of worry and anger. And he was home, a smile broad upon his face as I entered. "Yue." His arms pulled me in an embrace, that to this day, I won't ever forget. "Areum.. She's better."

I didn't believe it. It didn't make sense, because even the Royal Family had yet to find the cure for the plague, but when I saw her, the silver to her eyes was there once again.

For years, he never told me what he's done to miraculously change the fate of my sister, until one day, I came home too early to find Areum's fangs buried deep into my brother's wrist.

I'd heard of such things, vampyres feeding on one another in times of need, it was only used to prevent starvation, but the side affects were dyer.

At first, the vampyre drinking the blood would grow incredibly strong, which finally clicked in my head as to how she was no longer ill. And then, a bond would be created, attaching them to their giver, almost like a parasite. In stories I heard of people slaughtering whole human towns to keep their giver happy. And very lastly, as long as that bond was created, and intact, the death of the giver would kill the other vampyre along side of them.

There was no law forbidding it, it was too rare and old of a practice to pose any sort of threat to the system, so they left it. But that didn't stop N from capturing people and killing them if he found them in the act.

I was terrified as I watched her fangs drip with my brother's blood. But as Leo caught sight of me, he jumped up, pulling me out into the living room and explaining the consequences of what they did. I vowed right then, I'd never do anything of the kind.

We lived in secret, until one day, a knock on the door in the midst of winter ripped us from our secluded reality, and Jungkook, of all guards, took them both to stand trial.

Weeks past, and my worries grew, not until spring had came, flowerless, did my brother arrive back home, Areum missing at his side. He spoke no words, but I knew at how he studied her journal and cried on late nights, that N had taken her away.

He didn't know what N would do. Nobody did.

***

That night, we had decided that Hyuk would train in the night, alone, practicing a form of defense that Hoseok insisted upon. The boys would work within the bar, making themselves even more useful to Leo and I.

"My eyes burn." My brother whined out, reaching behind me, grabbing a liquor bottle from the shelf and pouring it into a glass to mix.

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Maybe if you didn't decapitate everyone you fed from, you wouldn't have to wear contacts."

Hoseok glared at me, and I stifled another laugh as his eyes were a less frightening blue shade.

As the night continued on I came to a realization of how great Jackson was at bartending, even better than I. His smile and warm personality had every woman in the bar in line for him to pour them drinks. And for some reason, I couldn't watch how they swooned over him. How he played into it.

"What can I get you, Noona?" My boyfriend.... My ex boyfriend winked at the woman before him. Her cleavage thick and her eyes bold with makeup, and though she was beautiful, I found her hideous.

She loved it, her hand reaching out, drawing circles upon the top of his. "How about an apple martini, sweetheart?"

He only nodded, winking at the lady, his fake blue eyes probably causing her heart to shake. I stared at her as he turned away, fishing out an apple martini. She was glued on the sight of his toned arms and it made me sick.

"Let me get just a scotch." The voice came from my side, and when I turned around, my knees felt weak at the sight of who was before me.

My head throbbed and at first, I thought it wasn't real, a dream maybe, a figment of my imagination, but no. I was never that lucky. Jeongguk sat behind the counter in front of me, his hands folded in themselves, and a grin plastered on the length of his mouth. "A scotch please."

I fixed it for him, focusing on my grip and praying that my being would quit it's shaking. "Why are you here?" My voice was so low against the loud music that I wasn't sure he heard me.

He dipped his finger in the shot, twisting  and twirling it, playing with my feelings like this was some sort of sick game. He could sense my fear. "I'd thought I'd check up on my favorite clan. I see Hoseok is in town." His eyes fell from mine to my brother, who was across the way, tending to other's.

"He's going to help train Hyuk." He smirked, downing the shot and requesting a second.

"Your pet has a name, huh?" Jeongguk laughed at himself, unfolding his hands and laying them flat against the counter. "It's good that you are training him, Jung Yue. He'll need it."

I bit my tongue, watching his bitter eyes flicker. Then, as if on cue, my wrist bent backwards, cracking and shattering. My vision went white with pain, but I couldn't scream. Not here. I couldn't bring attention to him. But Jackson was there at my side in seconds.

"Who are you?" He hissed, taking notice to the silver in his eyes and then, I'm sure then, he put it together, his words shaking slightly.

"Jackson Wang. I'm sure this isn't your fight. Based on the red underneath those contacts, I'm not exactly sure why you associate with this one either." Jackson started to protest, but Jeongguk continued. "I've come, Jung Yue, to bring news from the castle." His eyes trained on me. "Lord N has shortened your deadline. You have ten days to bring us your, prize, and then the two of your fates will be determined."

Then he was gone. The normal hustle filling in the silence as if he never were here, the only remembrance being the bleeding of my wrist and his words replaying in the back of my mind.

Ten days.