Bad Blood [NoRenMin] ✔

38

"Now then," Taeyong says. He has this smug look across his face, arms crossed as he keeps his gaze set on Hendery and Taeil. He was expecting to surprise them; this was the new plan, according to Taeyong. The fact that they were more than displeased with the situation was pleasing to Taeyong, it was clear to all of them. "How about it? No killing, and you can have them back in one piece."

Hendery tilts his head. He's contemplating the offer. Stepping forward, he gestures back. "How about you give them back. No strings attached. No promises made."

Taeyong rolls his eyes. "And why would we do that?"

They were expecting this. Hendery turns to face them again, and as he does, there is movement around them. Jaemin doesn't know where they come from, but the next thing he knows, one after another, Hendery and Taeil are joined by a group of people; vampires, Jaemin tells himself until he zones in on their faces and his heart completely stops for a single moment. His eyes meet Renjun's own, and in that moment, he wishes he were anywhere else but where he was right now. Renjun has a grim expression across his face and when they make eye contact, the grim expression shifts into a blank stare. But his eyes are screaming.

"No." It's Jisung. His voice pulls Jaemin out of his little trance and he looks over in time to see Jisung with one of the most pained expressions across his face. Kun has a hold on his arm, keeping him back, it would seem, while Xiaojun has switched to holding onto Johnny. "What the fuck, no!" Jisung screeches, his voice a high pitch of desperation and disbelief. Jaemin follows his gaze to a vampire to the left of Renjun. Most of his hair falls to the left of his face and the lesser of it to the right, separated by the path of his hair. Full, thick lips pull firmly into a line and his eyes are set on Jisung. He stands beside a boy Jaemin recognises from campus, but Jisung is staring strongly at the guy beside Renjun. He's dressed in denim and dark colours that has him standing out somehow and the longer Jaemin stares, the more he notices similar features.

"You didn't tell me he would be here," the guy speaks to Hendery. He sounds angry.

"I wasn't sure," Hendery replies sympathetically, though the smile betrays his tone. "But isn't this a wonderful family reunion, Jaehyun?" he asks in pure amusement. He's gaze is set on Jisung now.

Kun pulls Jisung back until they're at the back of the group, but Jaemin cannot help but worry. He knew how much Jisung cared for his brother; how much he looked up to him and how much he truly despised the vampires for taking him away. The fact that he was alive (or at least sort of) and standing right in front of them, Jaemin couldn't begin to imagine how that felt. He could only imagine it must hurt. Mourning a family member's death only to find them right there, standing and breathing as though they were still alive. He can relate with Jeno, sure, but he feels as though losing his dad this way would have been much more painful. He shakes his head as he catches Hendery lifting his hand. There is movement again, and Jaemin freezes.

"You really think we wouldn't notice our boyfriends missing?" Hendery queries as Lucas and Jeno walk out, each with a hostage of their own.

"Haechan," Jaemin murmurs. It takes everything inside of him not to dart forward.

Taeyong cusses loudly as his eyes fall onto Doyoung. With everyone occupied, it's Jaemin who has to rush to his side and hold him back. Though Taeyong is much stronger, Jaemin somehow manages to keep his ground and hold him tight. "Give him back," Taeyong hisses.

"Give them back," Jaemin corrects quickly. His eyes fall accusingly onto Renjun whose eyes dart toward the ground.

"No." Hendery, whose hand is still in the air, moves his hand toward them in a pointing gesture. A smirk graces his face, and in an instant, it's gone and his eyes have turned shades darker. "How about a trade? Hostages for hostages," he suggests.

"Why would we trust you?" Xiaojun asks. Hendery's brows lift in surprise.

"Because we have one thing in common. We want our hostages as unharmed as you want yours," he reminds. "So, do we have a deal?"

Jaemin looks up at Taeyong who is seeming to contemplate the offer. Jaemin doesn't see him saying no, though. His eyes are racing as he thinks, and anyone would be able to tell that all he was thinking right then was that he needed Doyoung unharmed. The only possible way to ensure that was this particular offer.

Finally, he lifts his head. "Fine. Deal."

The hostages are forced to make their way forward until they're all face to face. However, none of them look close to trusting the other hostage holders. Hendery must predict this because he nods. "On three."

"One," Taeyong starts off.

Hendery smiles. "Two."

"Three!" they yell together.

The hostages are switched. Haechan and Doyoung are on their side and Johnny and Ten have returned to the side of the vampires. But just as Jaemin starts over to Haechan to check whether he's okay(and Taeyong is ready to pull Doyoung over from Xiaojun), there's a deep chuckle. Hendery's laugh is scarier than his eyes, at that moment. Taeyong turns around. "Now to the matter at hand," Hendery says. "I need the key to your bar. Which one of you has it?" They're surrounded. While Taeil is standing in front of Johnny and Ten, the others have dispersed and are now surrounding their group, and Jaemin can't help but think how dumb they have to had been to believe this wouldn't happen. He looks at Taeyong but nobody looks at him. They're all looking at each other, but not at him. They knew Hendery would come after the key, they expected this.

Jaemin twitches.

"Ah," Hendery says, "The pretty new blood hunter has it then?"

Jaemin steps back instinctively. Hendery is smirking as he gestures his hand in a movement that says 'go'. "Get him," Hendery says, so softly yet a scream in the silence around. For a moment, Jaemin is frozen. He doesn't know where to go.

Taeyong's hand clamps down hard against his shoulder and he's practically shoved in the direction of the only opening (he notes how each of them have taken on a vampire of their own as a means of distraction.) "Go, Jaemin, go!"

And sure as hell, Jaemin runs. He prays they buy him enough time.