Blood Bank

A w a k e n i n g - 7

"I wanna come too!" Aera pouted. "Joon please!"

Namjoon pretended not to hear anything. He continued to put his gear on and arranging his Telum. He felt a tug on his equipment and looked back.

"Get back in bed Doll Face, you need to rest." Namjoon said. "I'll have Hoseok come by later to watch over you."

"But Joon I'm perfectly fine! Let me go on the mission with you." Aera argued. "What if this case is related to my parents' disappearance?"

"Look, I promise to take you on the next one. I don't want anything bad to happen to you since you're in that shape." Namjoon said. "Please Doll Face."

"Fine then." Aera muttered. She stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her. Namjoon sighed and ran a hand through his dirty blond hair.

The doorbell sounded, signaling that Hoseok arrived. He opened the door and saw his friend dressed casually.

"I'm a little late, I thought I should buy some food for Aera." Hoseok said. He walked in and placed the food on the table. "Speaking of Aera, where is she?"

"She locked herself in her room. She's not happy that I'm not taking her on the mission." Namjoon answered. "Please talk to her for me. I'll make it up to her when I get home."

"Leave it to me!" Hoseok chirped. "By the way, it's rare for you to take a mission alone."

"It should be a quick one. Someone reported seeing a Nightwalker." Namjoon said. "He didn't kill his victim so right after I'll go question her."

"Is this related to what happened before?" Hoseok asked.

"The Nightwalker in the description fits perfectly. That's why I can't bring her." Namjoon said. "Call me if there's an emergency you can't handle. I'll be back by morning."

"Take care!" Hoseok said. Namjoon looked up in the direction of Aera's room before exiting the house.

Hoseok sighed and looked at the food he brought. He wondered to himself how on earth he got caught in a situation like this, but it didn't matter. He cared for his friends.

He took a bag of chips and some fizzy drinks and rushed to Aera's bedroom. He knocked a couple of time and heard shuffling from the inside.

"Go away Joon!" Aera shouted.

"It's not Namjoon." Hoseok answered through the door. Moments later, the door cracked open. Aera peeked through and was somewhat relieved not to see her best friend.

"You actually came." Aera said. She opened the door wider and let him in. Hoseok smiled and passed her the snacks. "You know, you could have just gotten in without me noticing."

"That's rude and I respect your privacy." Hoseok said. "I'm not like Jiminie."

Aera turned the TV on to some comedy show and took a seat beside Hoseok. It was quiet, too quiet for Hoseok's liking.

"So what made you throw a tantrum before I came?" Hoseok asked. Aera nearly choked on the chips at his question.

"Joon didn't want to take me. He keeps saying that I'm unwell and should rest." Aera mumbled. "It's been like that for the past few weeks and at this rate I won't find any clues about my parents."

"You need to understand him, he's just trying to protect you." Hoseok said. "And you're not in the shape to fight any Nightwalkers alright? Look you still have the wound on your neck."

"He's so overprotective." Aera grumbled.

"That's because he—" Hoseok cut himself off as he realized what he was about to say. He could end up getting his ass whooped by Namjoon Telum.

"Because he what?" Aera asked.

"N-nothing." Hoseok stuttered. His eyes flashed red, making Aera's eyes narrow.

"I've known you long enough that when you lie your eyes flash red." Aera said. "What were you going to say?"

"I heard that you found some clues about your parents' whereabouts. Maybe I can help with that." Hoseok said. Aera decided not to press on. She needed all the help she could get after all.

"Well all I have together right now is that we were at the Tomb of the Fourth Vampire King and they were able to take out a couple of Nightwalkers." Aera started. "But there's something that doesn't make sense to me."

"What is that?" Hoseok asked.

"Joon says that I hit my head hard and whatever happened after was a dream." Aera said. "But it all felt so real. There was a S-class Nightwalker and then this pink-eyed guy. Then... I saw him."

"Who him? Joon?" Hoseok perked up at the foreign information.

"Well, I haven't told Joon about it but there was this guy. He didn't seem human that's for sure." Aera answered. "When the pink-eyed nightwalker tried to drink my blood, he suddenly appeared and saved me. He healed my wounds here!"

"But why do you still have the gauze there then?" Hoseok asked.

"Joon said there cut is still fresh. He's the one who changed the gauze." Aera mumbled. "It all felt so real though. I know it was but... if it were real then that would mean my parents are dead."

Aera nearly jumped out of her skin when a loud crash came from outside of the house. She clutched onto Hoseok whose eyes were glowing red. The house was quiet as he waited for the next sound.

Hoseok quietly got up and moved to the window. He scanned the surroundings, trying to look for what caused the sound. There were a couple of shadows moving around but he couldn't sense another presence. A moment later, a figure jumped from the tree and banged on the window.

Aera grabbed the silver gun on her bedside table and loaded it. Hoseok, on the other hand, wanted to play it safe. He couldn't fight if Aera was here. It was too dangerous for her if he lost control.

The intruder broke in the same moment Hoseok rushed out the door. In his arms, he carried Aera. He dashed down the stairs looking for a place for Aera to hide.

"The moment I let you go you call Namjoon understood?" Hoseok instructed. Before Aera could even agree, she was sent flying out of his arms. She hit the wall with a thud.

Hoseok, on the other hand, struggled to keep up with the intruder's blows. He was incredibly fast, but not faster than him. He grabbed a silver knife despite it burning his skin. He slashed his chest and sent him flying with a kick.

"A wanted Nightwalker?" Hoseok blurted out. He raised his hand, ready to stab his chest.

"Hoseok don't!" Aera shouted. The vampire looked back and saw his wide-eyed friend. She ran past him, ignoring his protests.

Aera approached the intruder and removed the hoodie. She knew it was the boy who saved her from the pink eyed Nightwalker.

"Aera what are you doing back away from him!" Hoseok said. He blinked a couple of times and realized something.

Whoever the intruder was, it was sure he was a vampire.

But why didn't the wound he inflict heal yet?

Aera rolled up her sleeve and cut her wrist with the silver knife. The thick royal blue liquid seeped out, making Hoseok's eyes widen. She placed her hand near the intruder's mouth and nose. In an instant, he shot up and drank the blood that came out of her wrist.