Darker Blood

Chapter thirty-four

Hoseok pov~

I twirled the fork in my fingers, staring down in boredom at the few flavored noodles scattered across my plate. Sighing, I let the fork fall, unable to even feign interest in the food. Namjoon's eyes twitched for me for a moment before he stood, slamming his hand on the table. I frowned as he left in a huff. But, then again, he was always moody about something.

"You're not going to eat?"

I looked up, seeing a very nervous Inori. I sat up straight quickly, shaking my head. "Nah. Just don't feel like it."

She nodded nervously, avoiding my gaze like the plague. "What are you going to do then?"

I frowned. "Where's Jungkook?"

She shrugged, muttering something about 'sleeping'. "He wanted me to talk to others."

I smiled. "That's a good idea. Please, sit." I gestured towards the chair Namjoon had just left vacant and she sat down stiffly without speaking.

"I am sorry, about Yoongi.."

I crossed my legs, pushing the plate of cold food away from me. "It's fine, don't worry about it."

"You turned him didn't you?"

I nodded, wondering why she had such a sudden interest. "There's always a bond between the original vampire and the person they turned. But once one of them dies, the bond is severed.."

"Bond..?"

I nodded blankly yet again, staring at a small stain on the table. "Nothing too major. You'd feel each other's emotions, and they could call out to you if they needed help."

"Did it hurt when Yoongi died?"

"Not as much as it hurt me watching him."

She gulped, quietly uttering another apology which I dismissed with a hint of anger. "How have you gotten over it..?"

"There are certain rules about vampires and dating." I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the freezing table, the cold barely grazing my skin however. "First of all, a vampire and a human is not a good mix."

She frowned, scowling slightly. "That's none of your business."

I shrugged. "I'm just saying if it was me, I wouldn't do it. Plus, it's not wise for two vampires joined by a bond of any kind to date. Because if one of them dies, it wrecks the other."

"You didn't answer my question.."

I squeezed my hands around the side of my own face, looking at her with a mild expression. "Hm?"

"How did you get over his death so quickly?"

I stayed silent. I will not tell her that. Physical comfort was the only thing that worked. My eyes glanced over towards the door to the enclosed area, where we put the husks when we're done with them. I sighed to myself, knowing Jin would scold me yet again. He had special privileges with the police force, so a couple disappearances every now and then would be brushed over. But going through seventeen in two days? No chance would he stay silent about this one.

She sighed, leaning her arms on the table. "Don't tell me, then."

I glared. "I'm not telling you for the sake of your own peace of mind."

Now, she stayed silent, looking down at her hands. I smirked to myself. "I could hear you guys last night, you know."

Her cheeks flushed bright red and I cackled at the sight of her fierce embarrassment. "I.. I-"

I cracked up in laughter, banging at the table top in amusement at her stuttering panic for words.

"Stop that!" She hissed, glancing around in case any of the others came out.

"You think I'm the only one that knows?"

She sat back in her chair, embarrassed and horrified, only adding to my amusement. "Nah," I shook my head, finally regaining control over my breathing, "I don't think anyone else heard. My room is right next to his, that's why I heard."

Before she could speak or even blush any fiercer, Jimin came walking in, a limp body in his arms. Her eyes switched over to him, in a curious yet judgmental way. He glanced down at the shell of the girl he was holding, walking towards that same door I refused to tell Inori about.

"What happened to her?"

Idiot girl. Why do you meddle?

"Nothing." Jimin said stiffly, his eyebrows narrowed to the point you couldn't tell the difference between them.

"Did you do that to her?"

He scoffed, flashing a glare at me before walking through that same door. Inori whipped around in her seat, still looking in horror.

I sighed, annoyed that the one thing I'd tried to cover up was blown open in a matter of seconds by a careless move by Jimin. "Don't freak out."

"I'm not freaking out." Her forehead pressed against the table and her breathing came in shudders. She was clearly freaking out.

"You don't have to worry, okay?" I reached out a hand towards her, unsure how to comfort a girl when they're like this. "You're not only here to be a meal or a physical comfort to Jungkook. He wouldn't do that to you."

Her fists clenched and her breathing became shallower as she delved into a panic attack. I cursed out loud in frustration. How the fuck do you snap someone out of a panic attack?

Without thinking, I pulled her wrist towards me, sinking my nails into the skin. She choked in pain, trying to pull it back but I refused, pinning her to the table. She sobbed, the attack finally dying down as the whimpers of pain became the only thing to escape her. She pleaded for me to let go and I listened, watching her blood spurt all over the table from her hand. She shivered, clutching onto it, tears stinging the edges of her eyes.

"Why did you do that?"

"To snap you out of it.." I retracted my nails, doing my best to ignore the blood splattered on the table.

Jungkook walked in, frowning at the thick scent before glaring at me. Inori stood quickly, reassuring him as he wrapped his hand over hers, healing the wound in a gentle gold glow. I watched them both leave the room quickly, blood still scattered over the table. I sighed to myself, beginning to feel sleepy.

Taehyung walked in, a bag of candy in one hand and enough candy in his mouth to make his cheeks protrude.

"You're gonna get pimples if you eat that much sugar."

He shook his head, making his cheeks jiggle as he tried to suck more on the candy in his mouth. With a muffled and indistinguishable voice, he held the bag out to me and I accepted, taking a couple.

"Do you think he'll turn her eventually?"

Taehyung shrugged, swallowing hard on the candy I'm sure was barely dissolved yet. "I dunno." His eyes switched to the blood on the counter for a minute.

I nodded absentmindedly, deep in thought. She heals on her own, and she can't feel the cold but I can't figure out what she is. What if she's just a weapon here to get all of us?

"You can't keep thinking that it's her fault that Yoongi is gone."

I scowled, standing quickly, although that was exactly what I was thinking. It was not my intention to dislike her, but I cannot overlook that simple fact. And, if it was because of her, which of us would be next?