𝟏𝟕𝟕𝟐 | 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲

- ♦♦♦ -

Rain poured down from the sky in a wild uproar as red sailed through the streets. His eyes flickered with something darker, something dangerous as he dragged the woman closer. Her chest staggered, breath shallow as fear suffused her with every tremor in her body. Her scent pulled at him, intoxicating, thick of life fading into death, mixing with the salty tang of blood already spilled in the streets. It was all around him, pulling at the crooked end of his teeth.

He let the woman's breath hitch in his ear, her pulse beating erratically against his fingertips as he placed them gently on her throat. The tingle of warmth remained there like a delicate rhythm of her heart that he knew would soon stop. He could drain her, wipe her out of existence, and sate this gnawing that had been festering in him for too long since he'd awakened. But Hongjoong's presence gnawed at his very being, pulling his attention away from the fragile human in his grasp.

Seonghwa's hand tightened for a moment as his fangs elongated, but the warmth of the woman's skin no longer seemed as inviting. He could hear the distant cries, the frantic pulse of chaos, and the sound of something inhuman rushing through the streets. His gaze shifted, darkened as his mind momentarily wandered.

With a final glance at the woman, Seonghwa stood up and let her fall limply to the ground. He didn't spare her another look when his senses moved with the malevolence that seeped into the cracks of the street.

The ancient vampire followed the stains washing into the cracks of the stones, the water seeping into his clothes as he passed down the streets. Eyes followed him along his path, hiding in crooks of buildings as blood painted the town red.

Seonghwa's gaze narrowed with the sharpness of a blade, and he turned, slipping through the wreckage of the street without hiding his true nature anymore. The hood of his cloak had slipped from his head, revealing what blood-red eyes steered through soaking bodies on the ground. A man, still screaming in pain, reached for his help, but when he crossed his eyes, he stumbled away in fear.

Hongjoong was closer now. Close enough that Seonghwa could feel the vibrations of his presence touching his core. The blood of the town pulsed under the vampire's feet as he bounded faster, knowing that only the cornered predator was aware of how to evade his pursuer.

Drool started gathering in his mouth once the metallic taste of blood hit him as he rounded the corner of a crumbling building. Raw and thick, clinging to the walls and essence of earth. Hongjoong had not yet finished, and Seonghwa could see his prey— cornered against the ground. Blood-streaked hands held him down, brutally honest as they did not spare him any chance to live for longer.

Seonghwa let him finish tearing the strings of flesh apart before he got over and ripped him from the torn tissue of bubbling blood. He growled loudly at the man tumbling into his arms, addled for a moment as to why he wasn't able to get away. Drenched in water, his dark hair clung to his face, mouth revealing his stained fangs he bared at him in return. But Hongjoong did no more, his body giving in to Seonghwa's superior strength.

"Seonghwa!!" a voice cut through the heavy rain, making the vile creature in his hands turn his head at the sound. Once his eyes caught Yunho's gaze his expression softened for a short moment. "Stay back, Yunho."

His fledgling halted his motion, eyes going over the blood running across the ground, "What...what happened? There are dead bodies everywhere— I think the-" His eyes suddenly landed on Hongjoong. Then flickering up at Seonghwa with a look of pure shock drenched under the water.

"Unfortunately, we have a little problem here that needs our attention," Seonghwa concluded, giving Hongjoong a rough push forward.

"No, Seonghwa!"

"We will have to bring him with us," he continued to Yunho's disapproval.

Yunho's face tightened, his hands balling into fists that he tried to hide in his clothes, "You cannot bring him with us. He's someone else's— he-he does not belong with us."

At Yunho's stern tone, Hongjoong broadened his stance as he looked the other up and down. Seonghwa tightened his hold on him and pursed his lips, "We do not have another choice."

Lowering his head, Yunho bared his teeth in a burst of vexation, his weight driving him a step forward as his fists dived deeper down into his shirt. "He is not your responsibility, Seonghwa," the younger hissed before raising his head once again when the reverberating sounds of yelling and grinding metal rumbled down the streets.

Yunho strode forward, grabbed Seonghwa's shoulder, and pulled him closer. The act caused a loud growl to tear through Hongjoong's body as he hauled himself forward, attempting to land an attack on Yunho. Fingers slipped for a moment too long, and the two tumbled into puddles of water, rolling across the ground as Yunho deflected the sudden attack. Pushing forward, Seonghwa bounded into the fighting pair, yanking Hongjoong back once he had pried his arms around his shoulders. Roughly, he twisted his arms around on his back and lifted his foot to step on Hongjoong's neck, pressing his face down into the grimy water.

"Well, he is now. I'll figure out what to do with him later," Seonghwa said, looking over at his fledgling. Growling loudly, Yunho leaned over and spat the soiled water out of his mouth, "San is going to kill him."

Seonghwa did not respond immediately, his expression darkening as he glanced at the struggling corsair beneath his foot. He squirmed around, but the weight on his neck held him firm, his hands clawing at the ground in desperation.

♦

San's body clung to the door handle once Seonghwa pushed the door open, eyes wide with worry as his brows were lightly gathered. However, as soon as his gaze flickered down at the bloodied man shoved into the great entrance hall.

His eyes instantly flared with red as he looked up at Seonghwa again, audibly unbelieving of what he was seeing. "What have you done?" he whispered.

Suddenly, Yunho burst through the doorway and got in front of San before he could do anything stupid. His hands quickly grabbed around his shoulders to hold him back.

"You turned him." San's gaze was turning into something darker. "You turned him into one of us."

Seonghwa did not flinch, did not waver in his stance once the words hit him. But neither did he give San his full attention when he pulled Hongjoong with him towards the grand stairway. "I did not turn him. I found him like this."

Yunho's voice interrupted, softer, but just as firm when San started to struggle against the hold on him, "We do not have time for arguing. The Kingsmen, they saw us." Seonghwa could taste the raging anger in the air, sense the taut, trembling muscles trying to hold any burst from happening.

San wanted to argue further, but Seonghwa already moved with a sense of purpose, "Pack everything you can carry. We leave now." The command was sharp and clear. "We will discuss this later. There's no time for more of your protests."

Drops of blood and water trailed behind them as they made their way down the dark hallway toward Seonghwa's chamber. A tight hand steered Hongjoong around, forcing him to sit on the bed while he rummaged through chests and drawers to find the currencies he had stocked.

"Ye be exactly as I remember ye."

Halting his movement, Seonghwa startled at the sound of the rough voice for a moment, finding himself falling into remembrance of the captain's merciless hands. Seonghwa ignored his call for acknowledgement, moving to the chest by the far side of the room, pulling open its heavy lid, and beginning to rummage through it with practiced efficiency. Inside, there were piles of gold coins, folded bundles of cloth, and other supplies—currency from a dozen different lands, hidden away for moments just like this.

"I am afraid your face does not hold any memories for me," Seonghwa said with uninterest, pulling out a pouch and filling it with the currencies.

A cold hand grabbed his jaw, making Seonghwa swallow a gasp. Light fingers gently turned his head around, making him look into the one eye of a man who should not be alive anymore. The corsair's laugh was a silent, rasping sound, like the grinding of old wood. "Ye be such a pretty face," he said, his voice rich with dark amusement. "I'd never forget a face like that, Seong'wa."

"Who are you even?" hissed Seonghwa, trying to pull away from the captain's unyielding grip, but the hold on his jaw tightened, forcing him to remain still.

"I should be askin' ye that," his hand, now gentle, caressed Seonghwa's cheek as though there were some twisted affection buried beneath the harshness of his touch, "Ye was meant to 'ave died by me blade, beauty. An' yet, I still find ye 'ere— waitin' fer me like a good little wench."

Seonghwa clenched his teeth, refusing to let the waves of old fear drag him under. His voice came out as a whisper, strained but defiant. Hongjoong could do him no harm now. "You're dead."

The captain's laugh came again, louder this time, as though the idea of his own death was the most amusing thing he'd ever heard. "Be I?" he crooned. "I think I be very much alive. An' I 'ave come aft fer what been always mine."

Seonghwa bristled, the sharp edge of his nails biting into his palm, though his face remained impassive. His blood-red eyes locked on Hongjoong's dark, taunting smile, covered in smudges of blood "I came aft to find out the truth, Seong'wa. The truth o' who ye really be."

Suddenly, Seonghwa grabbed his wrist and twisted Hongjoong's hand away from his face with a sharp, fluid movement. His fangs were dangerously visible, a flash of ivory in the dim light of the room, though he quickly suppressed the urge to rip the corsair's throat out, finding a way to end his life one time for good.

"You do not even know what you are yet," Seonghwa said stiffly, the calmness of his voice betraying the storm inside. "You are still fresh, and so... fragile. I do not have time to teach you the truth right now."

Hongjoong's lips curled into a slow, mocking smile. The ancient vampire reached out to pull at the leather patch across his one eye, tugging it off his head in one swift motion. The captain was left with a stunned expression on his face, his eyelids fluttering at the sudden exposure to a new way of seeing. His breath hitched for just a moment, an involuntary reaction, revealing a change of power that Seonghwa hungrily feasted on. "This is what you have become."

Before Hongjoong could say anything more, Seonghwa turned sharply, sweeping toward the door, "We leave now," he said. "There will be no more questions, Hongjoong. Not tonight."

Seonghwa's gaze lingered on the rooms he passed through as if committing it to memory. This place would soon be abandoned—just another stop on their ever-moving journey. Another house of ashes.

∞