Chapter 7:

The car ride with Taehyung was tense to say the least. You sat rigid in your seat as Taehyung stared straight ahead, driving the car calmly. You were on your guard, clenching your fists stiffly in your lap. You knew in the back of your head that Taehyung wouldn't try to bite you or kill you for several reasons, the main one being he would be poisoned if he tried, but that alone didn't comfort your unease. He was still a predator. And he had yet to make you feel safe in his presence. He hadn't bothered to hide his hatred for you at all.

As you approached your apartment, the feeling of dread started to increase exponentially. You were dreading having to explain to your friends why you had to move out. More importantly, you were dreading having to lie to them. Not that they would believe you if you told the truth anyway.

Taehyung pulled into a parking spot close to your building and made to open the door. before he could open his door, you grabbed his arm suddenly, feeling a park of panic pass through you. Taehyung turned to give you a scathing glare. You cleared your throat.

"Can you let me go inside first?" You asked hopefully. Taehyung narrowed his eyes.

"Why?" He demanded. You swallowed and released his arm, facing front again.

"I just... I need to talk to my friends alone to try and explain what's happening." You said softly, trying to keep your hands from shaking. Taehyung settled back in his seat and continued to glare at the side of your head.

"You can't tell them the truth." He said tersely. You let out an annoyed huff.

"I know." You snapped. "I just... I'd rather do this alone." You added, a little softer. Taehyung rolled his eyes.

"Tough. I'm coming with you." He turned to open the door and you whipped your head around to glare at him.

"Please." You grabbed his shoulder. "I'll be fine in there, you can watch the door. I need to break this to them in private. They're my best friends and this is going to be really hard on all of us." You explained, hoping to get through to him. Taehyung glanced at you over his shoulder and rolled his eyes, unamused.

"Nice speech. I'm still coming with you, though." He deadpanned. You gaped at him as he opened the door and stepped outside, completely unbothered by your demands.

"Can't you have an ounce of compassion for one second?" You exclaimed, unbuckling your seatbelt. "I'm about to turn my life upside down and they are my family. I have to lie to my family, can't you let me do that on my own terms?"

Taehyung narrowed his eyes and leaned down from outside the door, one hand on the door and the other on the seat. You leaned back slightly out of pure instinct, even though he was a good foot and a half away from you.

"I don't know if you've been paying attention, so allow me to spell it out for you." He snarled, flashing his fangs. "I don't give a shit about your stupid feelings. My job is to keep you physically safe. Not to deal with your PMS. Now, get out of the car."

He slammed the door, making you flinch. You clenched your fists and gritted your teeth, trying to compose yourself. You pushed the car door open and shut it harshly, glaring at Taehyung, who was standing on the sidewalk. He was staring straight ahead, his eyes narrowed and his jaw locked. You marched in front of him, without looking to see if he was following or not. As you reached the entrance to your apartment building, your anger faded as the dread creeped back in. You took a deep breath, trying to control your emotions before opening the door and walking in.

"Y/N!" Almost immediately after stepping inside, arms were thrown around your neck and you nearly fell back from the force. You received a mouthful of Katie bushy brown hair as she gave you the biggest bear hug.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" She exclaimed, stepping back from you. You saw over her shoulder that Selena was standing not far off, staring behind you with her jaw slightly open.

"Um... who's that?" Selena asked, pointing. Katie glanced up and she gasped, her face flushing. She stepped back, allowing you to enter the apartment, her eyes fixed behind you.

"H-hello?" Katie whispered, her previous bravado gone. You turned to see Taehyung leaning in the doorway, smirking at your two friends. You gritted your teeth, watching as he gave each of them a low, intense stare.

You would have to be blind if you hadn't noticed how good looking Taehyung was. Unfortunately, you'd also seen him with red eyes and fangs, which was even more terrifying in the face of someone that attractive.

"Hello, ladies. I'm Taehyung." He bowed, politely, looking each of them up and down seductively. You stiffened, feeling indignation and a bit of fear creep up in your stomach.

"He's nobody. Ignore him." You said quickly. Taehyung cast you a warning look and you shot one right back. "He's just helping me pack. Treat him like a pack mule." You continued, ignoring his scowl.

"Pack? Pack for what?" Katie's question drew your attention back to her and your face fell. You swallowed, looking between your two friends solemnly.

"I'm moving out, guys..." You said softly, bracing yourself. Selena and Katie were silent for a few moments, looking at each other and then back at you.

"What? Why? Where are you going?" Katie demanded. You sucked in a sharp breath and swallowed, trying to straighten out the lie that you'd rehearsed in the car.

"I-uh... I recently found out that I have family in the area." You said, being both as vague and close to the actual truth as possible. It wasn't technically a lie. You had found out about family that lived in the area, they just weren't alive anymore. Selena tilted her head in confusion.

"Family? I thought... I thought your parents..." She trailed off and you gritted your teeth, looking away for a second. You collected yourself, swallowing the lump in your throat, before looking back at the two of them.

"Apparently, I have some long distance relatives that I never knew about." You explained solemnly. "They never knew about me either until recently. They're offering to let me live with them for free." You knew that the best lies were founded in the truth. If you could make the lie convincing enough and close enough to the actual truth, then it would be better for everyone. Selena and Katie both stared at you in utter shock and disbelief.

"So... you just decided to leave?" Katie whispered, clenching her fists at her sides. "What about us? You know that we're going to have to find a new roommate and figure out how to make up for your share of the rent." She said indignantly. You bowed your head feeling guilt and shame swell in your stomach. This was more than just leaving your friends, you were also screwing them over since they relied on your share of the rent to afford the place as well.

"I'll pay for the next two months' worth of rent, so you guys don't have to worry about it right away." You said quickly. You figured if you were about to get everything you needed paid for, the least you could do was help out your friends. "I know this is short notice, but I can't pass up this opportunity. I mean... it's my family." You pleaded, feeling sick to your stomach. It was such a manipulative tactic to go after their compassionate side like this, but what choice did you have? Selena and Katie were both quiet for a few minutes as they processed the information.

"So, does that mean... are you leaving school?" Selena asked finally, breaking the silence. You looked up at her and shook your head quickly.

"No, no, I'm staying in town. I'll still be in school. This just takes a lot of financial pressure off me." You reassured, taking a step forward with your hands outstretched. You had no intention of cutting them off completely. "I'm really sorry, you guys." You added, bowing your head again.

"I just... I feel really blind sighted by all of this." Katie whispered softly. She looked away and you could see that she was trembling. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" You sighed sadly.

"I didn't know this was going to happen until yesterday." You explained quietly. That was the truth. You had no idea that any of this was going to happen until less than twelve hours ago.

"So, who's he? A relative?" You blinked when Selena pointed behind you.

"Him?" You turned to look at Taehyung, who raised a curious eyebrow at you. Even he wondered what your response would be. "He's... he's a distant cousin. Like twice removed, I think. He came to help me pack." You said tersely, turning back to your friends.

"I'm... I'm really gonna miss you." Selena looked up sadly at you. You exhaled sadly and moved toward her, wrapping her in a hug.

"I'll still be around. We'll still hang out all the time." You said, trying to stay upbeat, even though you felt like your heart was plummeting into your stomach.

"But it won't be the same, will it? No more midnight chats or late night ice cream runs." Selena whined softly. She sniffed and you felt tears well up in your eyes. Katie joined your hug and the three of you embraced each other tightly.

"It won't be the same but... we're still friends. Best friends. Sisters." You said firmly, squeezing both of them as tight as you could, as if they were a lifeline. There were sniffles and lone tears as the three of you hugged some more until finally you heard someone clear their throat behind you. You scowled instantly, knowing who it was, and turned around to see Taehyung giving you an annoyed look.

"Hate to break up this adorable get-together. But we need to start packing." He said unapologetically. You glared at him, releasing your friends from their hug.

"I told you to sit in the car. You can wait." You snapped, causing his eyes to glint dangerously. He took a step forward, like to intimidate you, but Selena piped up from behind you.

"Y/N, you don't have to be rude." She scolded, placing a hand on your shoulder. She looked up at him. "Sorry about all this, it's just hard to lose one of your friends." Selena smiled and strode forward. "Can I get you a drink? We have soda." She offered politely. Taehyung pulled his aggressive gaze from you and up to your friend. His eyes softened and he smiled dreamily. You saw a touch of pink on Selena's cheeks.

"Water would be great." He said huskily, giving her a flirtatious smile. Selena gulped and nodded quickly.

"Coming right up!" She exclaimed.

You scowled as you watched Selena guide Taehyung into the kitchen. You did not like this. You definitely did not like the idea of Taehyung anywhere near your friends. He was volatile, dangerous, and unpredictable. You were sure that if given the chance, he would feed on them without blinking. You had to make sure that he didn't lay a finger on them.

You caught his arm before he could disappear into the kitchen and he paused, looking back at you with raised eyebrows. You scowled and pulled him back.

"Leave them alone." You ordered, digging your nails into his arm. Taehyung turned around and leaned down towards you, towering over you.

"I'm not doing anything. I'm just getting a glass of water." He said with a smirk and a quirk of his eyebrow. You gritted your teeth.

"Don't play dumb. Stay away from my friends." You repeated, yanking at his arm. Taehyung glanced down at where your hand clutched his arm and he smirked. You felt your face flush in anger, but you held onto his arm anyway.

"What if I don't want to? What are you going to do about it?" He moved closer to you, causing you to stumble back. You tried to stand your ground, glaring up at him as menacingly as you could muster.

"I swear to God, Taehyung, you leave them alone or—"

"Or what?" He demanded, cutting you off.

You pursed your lips, hesitating. Taehyung grinned, showing off his pearly white fangs, knowing he'd won. He'd called you bluff, there was really nothing you could do to stop him. But that didn't mean you weren't going to try.

"That's what I thought. Now... are you going to let me go... cousin?" He smirked, looking down at your hand on his arm. You bristled as he chuckled to himself and pulled out of your grip.

You watched him disappear into the kitchen and released a breath that you'd been holding for too long. You leaned against the wall, suddenly feeling very tired. You closed your eyes, trying to compose yourself. You had to stay strong, there was no room for a breakdown. Not yet, anyway. You clenched your fists and steeled yourself before pushing yourself off the wall and walking into the kitchen.

Katie and Selena were both sitting around the counter, leaning into Taehyung, who was smiling between the two of them, swirling a glass of water in his hands. You narrowed your eyes as you noticed how infatuated your friends seemed with him. Taehyung trailed a finger under Selena's jaw, and she shuddered. You stomped your foot, drawing Taehyung's attention.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" You demanded. Katie and Selena didn't acknowledge you and instead continued to stare at Taehyung like he was a god. Taehyung smirked.

"Just having a little fun. Your friends are very pretty." He trailed a hand along Selena's hairline, brushing a strand behind her ear. You gritted your teeth, realizing that they were being compelled.

"What did I just say? Leave them alone." You snarled, taking a few menacingly steps forward. Taehyung wrapped a hand around Selena's neck, and you halted in your tracks.

"I don't want to." He said cruelly, tilting your friend's head to the side so her neck was exposed to him. You swallowed hard.

"Too bad. We're here for a reason, so are going you going to help me pack or not?" You said quickly, taking another step forward. If he even thought about biting your friends' neck, you would tackle him. Sure, it might not do anything, but you weren't going to take any chances.

Taehyung rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed huff. He leaned back and released Selena's neck, giving you a bored look.

"Fine." He waved his hand and Selena and Katie both shook their heads, as if coming out from a daze. They looked around a second in confusion and then back at you, their eyes clear.

You clenched your fists, trying to keep your composure, even though you were furious. Controlling people for the fun of it was something you couldn't fathom. You could never imagine taking the will of someone else out of necessity, let alone for the fun of it. Taehyung was obviously too far gone. He was nothing but a cold-blooded monster, uncaring from anyone. He was a shell of his former human self and you hated him.

"I need to start packing." You announced, crossing your arms. You glared at Taehyung, who gave you a shrug and a smirk.

"I-I wish I could stay but... Caden is supposed to meet me in a few minutes." Katie mumbled. You turned your gaze to her abruptly.

"Caden is coming here? Why? Didn't he just blow you off not two days ago?" You demanded, glaring at her. Katie sighed and pushed a hand through her hair.

"Yes, but he's coming over to apologize. I think he's really sorry about how he treated me, and he wants to make things better." She explained, giving you a reassuring smile.

You exchanged a look with Selena and pursed your lips.

"Sure, whatever you say. I'm going to start packing." You muttered, turning away.

"I'll help you." Selena announced, following you.

You and Selena made your way to your bedroom in a strange, tense silence. You pulled your three suitcases out of your closet and started packing your clothes away.

"Are you taking your furniture?" Selena asked, touching your desk chair. You shook your head.

"No, I'm just going to take my clothes and my school stuff. You guys can keep everything else." You replied softly.

Selena nodded and helped you by packing up your desk and dresser. The two of you packed in silence, both of you thinking about the events that had happened and how they would relate to the future.

"So... that guy. He's not really your cousin, is he?" Selena said slowly, making you snap your head up in surprise.

"What? No, he is." You protested. Selena raised an eyebrow at you.

"Come on, Y/N. A 'distant cousin'? I know you're kind of flustered, but that was bad even for you." You looked away, blushing. Out of all the lies you'd told her, you were surprised that this was the one that busted you. "Is he... more than a friend?" Selena prodded curiously.

"He's... it's not like that." You said quickly, feeling a little suck to your stomach. "He's just a friend that came to help me pack up."

"Well, he's really hot. Is he nice?" Selena grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. You swallowed hard, trying not to show how scared you were. The last thing you needed was one of your best friends crushing on one of your vampire bodyguards.

"Selena, trust me. You don't want to get involved with him. He's not... he wouldn't be good for you." You said firmly, hoping to steer her away from liking him. Selena smirked at you.

"Why? You want to keep him all to yourself?" She teased. You flushed hard.

"What? No, not in a million years. You just... you have to take my word for it. He's not someone you want to be involved with." You warned, hoping to be both as clear and vague as you could. Selena's smile faded slightly at your ominous tone.

"Well if he's that dangerous, then why are you going with him?" She asked, scrunching her eyebrows together.

"He's not dangerous. He's just..." You sighed, a little annoyed at how observant Selena was. "He's gay." You said suddenly, the idea popping into your head. Selena raised her eyebrows.

"He is? But he was totally flirting a second ago." She said in surprise. You shrugged.

"Yeah, he's very flirty but he's definitely gay." You deadpanned, nodding your head.

"Huh." She looked away and then let out a dramatic sigh. "Why are all the hot one's gay?"

You cracked a sad smile and zipped up your suitcase. As you finished packing all your clothes and affairs in your three bags, you heard someone lean against the doorframe of your bedroom.

"Are you done?" You turned to see Taehyung standing there, his arms crossed. You glared at him and nodded, dragging your suitcases to the door. Taehyung snatched the largest on out of your hand and stalked down the hall. You and Selena followed behind him with your other bags.

As you emerged back into the living room, Katie was opening the front door to reveal her douchebag of a boyfriend, Caden on the other side. You scowled as he walked in, giving Katie a less-than-enthusiastic embrace. Caden was a handsome young man with sandy brown hair and deep chocolate eyes. He was the typical frat boy who wore polo shirts and khakis every day. He looked up to see You and Selena both scowling at him.

"Caden." You muttered in an unfriendly tone.

"Y/N. Selena." Caden's eyes panned over to Taehyung and his gaze hardened. "Who's are you?"

"None of your business." Taehyung snapped coldly. He turned to glance back at you. "Y/N, I'll take your stuff. Meet you at the car." Taehyung grabbed the suitcase in your hand and disappeared out of the front door. Caden watched him go, a sharp expression on his face.

"Caden?" Katie asked hopefully. He turned back to look at her and scowled.

"Why do you have a stranger in your house?" He demanded. Katie raised her eyebrows in surprise and opened her mouth.

"First of all, he's not a stranger, I invited him." You snapped, cutting Katie off. "Secondly, don't yell at Katie when you're the douche who treats her like shit." You added, stepping forward. Caden rotated his head to look at you and then squared his shoulder, stepping closer intimidatingly.

"You want to say that again?" He growled menacingly. You crossed your arms, glaring up at him. You weren't afraid of him. You'd faced real-life vampires, so some douche with a superiority complex didn't faze you at all.

"Yeah, you're a douchebag and you don't deserve Katie." You snarled at him. "And for the record, you don't have any kind of say on who comes to visit our apartment, so why don't you butt out?"

"Shut up, Y/N. This isn't even your apartment anymore."

Your eyes widened and you whipped your head to look at Katie in surprise. She was glaring daggers at you, clutching Caden's arm. Caden looked between you two curiously.

"What do you mean? Are you moving?" He asked, looking at you with a spark of interest.

"Yeah, she's moving out. She dropped that bomb literally five minutes ago and now she's leaving." Katie said angrily, giving you an accusing glare. You sighed at her sadly.

"Katie..." You started.

"I don't want to hear it, Y/N. Don't yell at my boyfriend. Come on, Caden, let's go." She looked away from you and pulled at Caden's arm.

"Sure thing, babe." Caden kissed her cheek and let her lead him to the door. He paused at the entrance to glance back at you, a smirk on his face. "Have a nice life, Y/N." He winked and you bristled as he disappeared out the door. Selena touched your shoulder to comfort you.

"Don't listen to her, okay? She's just upset. She'll come around." She said softly. You sighed and looked down at the floor.

"I know... it's just... she lets him walk all over her and then she yells at me for standing up for her." You mumbled, rubbing your arm sheepishly. Selena gave you a hug.

"One day, she'll see how toxic he is. We just have to be there no matter what." She smiled at you and you returned it weakly. The two of you stared at each other for a few minutes, the weight of reality settling back down on your shoulders.

"So... I guess this is it?" Selena said, breaking the silence. You nodded sadly.

"Yeah. I'll see you soon, okay? And I'm really sorry about this again."

"It's okay, Y/N. I hope you have a great time getting to know your family."

You hugged and you squeezed Selena tight, feeling a lump form in your throat.

"I love you, girl."

"I love you too."

You pulled your third suitcase with you and walked back outside the apartment, looking over to see Taehyung leaning on the side of his car, inspecting his fingernails. He looked up to see you walking toward him and his eyes hardened. He grabbed your bag away from you and tossed it into the trunk.

You got in the shotgun seat and looked up at your apartment building, letting a few tears slip down your cheeks. You wondered if you'd ever see this place again.