red sun || lee felix

ch. 8 /// compulsory

A pair of long hands reached toward me, and something glowing red glinted in the darkness.

I wheeled backward onto my ass and pushed myself away with my feet.

Fei Ngai, my creator, stepped closer, stood over me. Her every detail was exactly as I remembered, pitch black bob framing her face, expression cold and hard, the long darkened scar falling from her hairline, through her eyebrow and across her crooked, once-broken nose.

"Jesus, Felix, get up." She reached down to take my arm, but I yanked it away and scrambled to my feet.

"Don't touch me," I shouted. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Would you like the unabridged version or no?"

"Make it quick."

Her nostrils flared a little. "I would be pleased if you were to... aid me in my plan of action."

I nearly growled aloud. "You're asking me to come back? What part of me running the fuck away from you don't you understand?"

A bit of movement to my sides, low snarls. I took a step back, raising my hands.

"How many do you have now?" I asked.

"Eighteen."

"You brought them into the city?"

"I'm not an imbecile, they're miles away. These are Seojun and Taya. Sam is upstairs. They're not newborns, but they've found a connection with my cause and chosen to assist."

"Then why do you need me?"

"Your gift."

I narrowed my eyes.

"My seconds-in-command are not in possession of special abilities, and the newborns can barely control themselves. I didn't realize how... useful your gift was until I didn't have it at my disposal. It would be convenient in the pursuit of other recruits, for containing the young ones."

"I don't want back in and you know it."

"I also know you're not the best at deciding what's good for you. I'm telling you to think, to actually consider it."

"I won't change my mind."

"Don't do that, don't be stupid."

I was trying to be strong but I just wanted to curl into a ball. She always managed to make a kid out of me.

Another vampire flew down the stairs and whispered to Fei in Russian.

"Your friends are coming," she said to me, a hint of a smile on her face.

"Will you let me go?"

"Yes. You need to think about my proposition. Will you tell your new coven about this?"

I just walked past her, up the stairs.

"Think, Felix," she said evenly. "Don't just cut and run again. Don't be a child."

I kept walking, and then running, up the hallway, out the door. I had to stop for a moment. My brain was a light show, flashing too fast in front of my eyes. I doubled over and held my face.

"Felix!"

I looked up. Seungmin and Chan were crossing the road, coming toward me. I ran to meet them.

"You okay?" Chan asked, looking me up and down.

"Um, yeah. I got too close to the blood."

"I'm sorry about that. A chap came in with a handless arm, he left quite the scene in the waiting room."