Eternity

Error

There was seemingly nobody around besides the woman who's slim fingers were laced with mine. The thin white dress hung passed her knees and flowed like the petals of a flower in the soft spring wind. Her laugh filled the empty air as she looked up at me,

"Why are you staring at me?" She asked in her soft clean voice, a smile creeping to her lips. I smiled and pulled her closer embracing SoYoung in my strong arms. Tears stung my eyes as I looked down at her frail body, so small within my arms.

"I love you..." I whispered as I kissed her head, the wind howled through the trees and whipped at our bodies.

"I will always love you." I whispered again barely audible above the sharp violent winds. Suddenly the wind became warm and tugged at SoYoung, she looked up and smiled through the tears running down her soft cheeks.

"I love you too...." she mumbled as her body seemed to fade into petals that were carried away by the harsh winds.

A harsh knock on the locked door tore me from the dream. I shook my head harshly in an attempt to clear the nightmare with no avail, the image of her fading into the cold air was seared into my memory. I had failed her, lost her to the harsh world, or she lost me.

"Come on Wonshik... you've been locked in there for almost two weeks, you must be starving." The youngest of the men stated in his unique smooth voice. At his words my stomach growled making me sick, our 'food' was the life essence of human beings, the very blood that sustains their existence.

"Come on... Hakyeon will get pissed off if you just stay there and starve to death" he whined before his footsteps could be heard retreating. I sighed and walked towards the door, I couldn't do anything else but obey.

"Hmm so you are alive eh" a man named Hongbin pointed out in cooly as I left the room, he was an impossibly attractive man with dark eyes and a perfect, prince like smile. He was on guard duty and looked incredibly bored of his position.

"Hakyeon will be pleased" he laughed as he lead the way down a long eerie hallway making me question Hakyeon's home further. Who would live in suck a creepy dump, I thought he had pride. We walked through a set of double wide doors into a large room lit by torches. In the middle of the vast room sat a long fur table occupied by the four remaining residents of the impressive mansion.

"Hmm take a seat Wonshik, this is now your home after all". Hakyeon said from the far end of the table, I complied and sat in the high back chair nearest to Leo. Leo ignored me and continued his conversation with the youngest of the household, Hyuk. The atmosphere was calmer than I expected, and when ken brought out the food I was genuinely pleased. It was a rare steak served with garden vegetables and rice, surprisingly less gruesome than I expected.

"Well stop staring and eat" Hakyeon instructed with a small smirk, "or is your curiosity overwhelming you?

"Eh yeah... I thought..." I started but was rudely interrupted by kens laugh.

"You thought that we only eat people, huh?" Ken questioned while stifling his laugh.

"Well you're wrong" Hakyeon continued over the snickers and laughs of the remaining men, "yes we do drink blood, and require it to survive, but we only need to consume it once or twice a month. You see we are able to consume 'human food' as well, although we generally eat for pleasure, or satisfaction." He finished with a small smile before he started to cut his steak. I watched him silently, questions playing in my mind aching to be asked.

"What, what happens if I refuse to drink blood?" I asked unable to remain silent, the men stopped eating, I froze and looked down at my rejected steak.

"You won't refuse... your instinct won't let you," the leader explained his intense gaze never wavering. "You see you have already experienced this instinct, when you attacked SoYoung. We are immortal as two weeks locked within your room with no water should have taught you. It can be seen as both a blessing and a curse, but as you mature you will soon learn that it is nothing but pain. As you should know there is only one way to die when you are one of us, starvation, and no matter how strong your self control may be your instinct will always win."

"We all want death... do you think you're the only one who is consumed by disgust and guilt for hurting someone, drinking their blood. There is nothing I want more than to die, and you have no idea how many things I've tried." Leo explained darkly, his eyes hidden by his dark hair. "We begged for life, for revenge, love or glory. We asked for this, and thus we must live with the conveniences."

"He's not wrong... we all regret this" ken mumbled his voice full of uncharacteristic sorrow. I had nothing left to say as I pushed the now chilled steak away, I finally understood my mistake.