Hongjoong briefly awoke when Mingi climbed from his bunk and shook him along with its frame. The merchant got dressed quietly and set out with his bundle, so Hongjoong let his eyes drift back shut. He slept restlessly since he got turned, not quite dreaming but not quite awake. It felt more like a meditation, but it was haunted by spells of chills and darkness. He doubted he needed as much rest as he did when he was a human, but he clung to the feeling of lying down for a while and emptying his mind. 

Wooyoung snored loudly over in the other bed. He lay sprawled like a starfish as he rested from their journey and Hongjoong appreciated how he managed to relax despite their mutual curse. 

Ultimately, sleep drifted too far from him to chase anymore and the dread caught up. Hongjoong escaped the sweet scent filling their room to wander downstairs into the eatery of the tavern. Though he declined the offer of food, he sat at the bar for a while, reading the papers of the day. Talks of new streets and inventions, of political coups and burglaries. No news about a rampaging vampire, so maybe Hongjoong was the only one who had been seized that night. 

After he read through the most interesting parts of the paper, Mingi was not back yet and Wooyoung still slumbered. Hongjoong believed to feel eyes on him, probing for his identity, trying to guess his secrets. He tried not to look suspicious as he glanced around, but his fingers were tight around his cup.

A group of old men playing a card game in a booth. A silent traveller with a duffle bag by his side. A woman smoking a cigar and reading. Hongjoong met her eyes briefly, shyly, immediately glimpsed away. 

But a moment later, he heard the click of her heels on the wooden floors, closing in on him. He gulped, hoping it wasn't written in his face what he was. When gentle fingers tapped his shoulder, he meekly looked up at her.

"Hey, handsome," she greeted him as she pressed out her cigar in the tin cup on the counter. Her smile was playful, her eyes more mature than his. 

Hongjoong briefly considered her getup, not the traditional garbs of a married woman, but a sleek travelling dress. Paused at the slender line of her neck above her collar.

A few minutes later, they stumbled their way to her room. Her hands in Hongjoong's hair, her warm lips breathing enticing promises into his mouth. Hongjoong was never like this in the past, never sought diversions, nor did he stand out as particularly attractive to other people. But she lolled in his grip when his gums ached and he distracted the painful knot of hunger in his throat by unbuttoning her blouse. 

Though it was agonising to see the expanse of supple flesh and hear the flutter of her heart so closely, it was also good practice for Hongjoong not to submit to his instinct. He relished the passion, too busy with the sex to mind the hunger anymore.

When the heat finally simmered low between them, she rested on his arm and Hongjoong's mind was blissfully empty of his gnawing doubts. He wished he could ask Wooyoung how he dealt with the constant dread of being a monster, but he might simply not overthink it as much.

They parted outside the room and this time when Hongjoong went downstairs, he found Wooyoung at the bar. He grinned knowingly when Hongjoong showed up, teased him about it, but their laughter was light.

When Mingi returned with the sunrise, they packed their bags and travelled on. Mingi steered the coach first for the next stretch of their journey. Oxford wasn't far now and they might reach it in two days. 

Today, Hongjoong needed to keep the window open a bit to endure the sweet scent from Wooyoung. It was hard to focus around him, both for his smell and his flirtatious words whenever Hongjoong met his gaze. Since he wouldn't freeze as a vampire, Hongjoong gladly let the crisp air in. 

Travelling at night had been haunting in the past. Frightening. As a human, Hongjoong worried every night who might be lurking in the shadows and eyeing him. In the end, none of that paranoia mattered. He couldn't save himself when the moment came and died twice that night. 

Now, the darkness was soothing. He knew nothing more dangerous than he himself lurked in it. The day, with its bright light and many humans who exuded that addictive smell, was much more threatening to him now. It gnawed on his sanity, made his fingers twitch and his teeth ache with the need to bite.

No, the night was safer. Safer to get lost in. Safer to hide.

"You're cute when you frown. Something on your mind?"

Hongjoong peered at Wooyoung. He was sprawled out on the bench, his coat open and the belts hugging his waist on display. Despite autumn dawning on them with a chill from the sea, he insisted on leaving his shirt halfway open, exposing his smooth chest and the protruding veins of his neck.

For a moment, Hongjoong allowed his eyes to linger. Swallowed heavily at the sight of his neck, his exposed skin. Wooyoung was playful. He often moved into Hongjoong's personal space, often teased him. 

Would it be dangerous if Hongjoong refused blood for too long? Would he turn into a wild beast and attack anything in sight? Surely, it was better if he tried Wooyoung's blood before that to distract his gums, right? The thought of drinking the blood of a living being coiled disgust in Hongjoong's stomach, but at least Wooyoung knew what was necessary. Could guide him. 

But he would have to confess for that. Would have to give in to the vampirism. Could he do that?

Hongjoong clutched his fingers to each other to regain his focus. 

"Nothing much," he mumbled. "Just thinking about when we might arrive."

Wooyoung grinned slyly, as if he also had ideas on what to do once they encountered the next town, but Mingi slowed the carriage down to a leisurely trot before he could share his thoughts. His voice called for them in the darkness, so Hongjoong hurriedly opened the window to peer his head out in his direction.

The night lay silent and dark around them. Moths bumped into their swaying lantern and Nug huffed against her strain. She would need a break soon.

Mingi's face was shadowed by his hat when he leaned around the edge of the carriage. Hongjoong could feel the heat of Wooyoung's body by his side as he listened in.

"Someone's been following us, but they might just be taking the same road," Mingi called to them and instantly, a shudder crept down Hongjoong's spine. He peered into the night behind them, down the road, but he couldn't see anyone there. Was that why Mingi had been picking up their pace for the past hour?

"A carriage?" He asked, but Mingi shook his head. 

"On horses. They didn't take us over and matched our pace. Let's wait here until they travelled past. Better to stand our ground than get our wheels destroyed," he suggested. Without needing confirmation, he steered the carriage to the side of the road so they were out of the way of any other travellers and instead stopped on the grass.

Hongjoong slipped back inside and exchanged a look with Wooyoung, who heard everything. 

"He's right. Let's see which madman hunts us through the night," the vampire said and opened the door to join Mingi. It seemed to be a common business for them, to defend their belongings and try to intimidate any highwaymen enough to leave without blood spill. Wooyoung closed his coat to cover his many knives and Mingi had a blunderbuss in his big pack, so he sat down with his duffle between his open legs, not exposing his weapon but keeping his hand near to draw it quickly. 

Hongjoong rubbed his palms over his pants. His body forgot how to sweat, how to make his heart race and the blood pump through his ears, but instead, his senses were heightened by the threat to his life. He smelled the bunny hopping around in the grass. Could tell there was an old apple tree down the road that bore rotting fruit. His fingers twitched where they positioned themselves before the carriage and Nug to make sure no one wrecked their transportation method.

This life wasn't for Hongjoong. Even knowing he had access to superhuman powers, Hongjoong wasn't used to threatening situations. He usually hid at home and didn't face dangerous strangers. He might not die now, but fear still held him in its icy grip.

It only took a few minutes before the riders came. Three of them, and they trotted at a slow and determined pace. Hongjoong spotted them first and glimpsed over at Wooyoung to assess his expression, but he kept his face masterfully blank, so Hongjoong tried the same. 

Mingi pretended they had just sat down for a break and some food and drink. They tried to look inconspicuous, but their warning frowns were shadowed by the haunting light of their lantern.

The three riders slowed their horses in front of them. The moon turned their skin deathly pale and sharp eyes studied the travelling group. They didn't look like robbers, which was a relief. Their clothing was of sturdy wild leather and the saddles on their horses lined with expensive silks. 

Odd time to be out for people of money.

"Ho there," Wooyoung greeted them with his roguish grin. He looked more like a robber than them. Did they lose their way?

"Beautiful moon for a trip, isn't it? You going past?" Mingi also asked, and one of the three replied.

"Catching up to you, actually. We picked up on an interesting smell and wondered who was faring through the night," he replied and Hongjoong was silent as a grave so he wouldn't give away his panic as the others talked.

"Oh?" Mingi made and the next moment, a grin flashed their way. 

In the bright full moon, their long fangs were ivory. Too well-tended for just anyone. Too hungry. 

Hongjoong stiffened. He wasn't sure if the other two saw it, but he could feel the eyes of the strangers boring into him, studying him. Knowing what he was by smell. 

"Are both of them your blood bags, brother? How greedy to keep two," the woman with them snickered behind a gloved hand. Red rimmed their eyes. Hunger. 

Hongjoong was about to spring to his feet and run. He didn't know where to, but he would have to leave. Would have to disappear into the forest and hope no one would find him. 

But no, they smelled just one vampire, two companions. His scent had not manifested yet. He was safe, he was safe.

Before he could twitch, Wooyoung replied lazily.

"Oh, you know how it is. The irresistible charm of a vampire. We are a trio of lovers committed to sharing the sanguine gifts. They taste magnificent," he said, and while the vampires paused at his blunt reply, they accepted his reply.

Was this real? Did vampires keep human companions for their blood?

Keeping hidden and casting his eyes away, Hongjoong pretended not to be one of them. If they attacked, he might be the turning leaf. They couldn't know.

"Well trained... Indeed, they are a beautiful pair. But we hungered for long. Could you share a bite with us? We can try to let them live," the first man asked politely and Mingi also looked pale by now, having realised what they were. Who else was mad enough to travel the night?

Again, it seemed as if they were staring straight at Hongjoong with those eerie, soulless eyes. His every muscle was tense.

"I'd rather not," Wooyoung replied, sounding piqued. 

The woman barked a cruel laugh. 

"You are not the one who decides," she replied darkly, slipping from her horse. The other two followed suit and Hongjoong shot up from his seat, torn between fighting with Wooyoung and bolting. But he couldn't take all three of them at once, could he? What if Mingi got hurt in their care? They had a deal, and he knew about Hongjoong's secret. Would rely on him. 

The vampires grinned sinisterly through the shadows as they approached the group at the pace of predators. They had to be older than Hongjoong, probably even Wooyoung. Knew how to get their will. Poor Mingi would get sucked dry, even if Wooyoung and Hongjoong made it out of there.

Hongjoong threw Wooyoung a panicked glance, urging him to come up with something. The rogue was crouched, his fingers behind his back to draw his blade, but he hesitated to attack. Was he weaker than them? How did he know?

"Please, stay seated. We just want a little sip," the woman purred at them before the shadows suddenly suffocated their lantern and Nug neighed in fear at the incoming darkness.