A Feast For The Vampires

XXXI

“The famous Rhodes Isles killings has been fully rekindled after twelve years. It hasn’t been up to two weeks since the body of one Mr. John Mikeelson had been found at the local shopping mall. And just yesterday, the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Mikher were found at the seaport, brutally murdered in cold blood. Sources say that the death had been caused by a cannibal who simply wanted their body parts, seeing as just their hearts and other internal organs had been taken. And—”

Dae-yang looked away from the television as it was suddenly switched off. She turned her head and her breath thinned at the sight of her father and mother.

“Abeoji! Eomeoni! When did you return?” She unwrapped her arms that were hugging her legs to her chest and dropped her legs to the tiles. She stood up from the sofa and rushed to her parents. “I missed you,” she chirped cheerily, wrapping her arms around them.

“Dae-yang. How are you my child?” her mother asked, stroking her shoulder length hair.

“Fine.” She moved back and stared from one face to another. “I miss you guys so much.”

“We miss you too.” Her father pulled her head to the crook of his neck for another hug. Then he held her at arm’s length. “How many times have we told you to lock up the kitchen door? It’s dangerous around here.”

“And stop taking the remote to the kitchen,” her mother said, waving the remote in her hand.

Dae-yang bowed in respect, her face warm in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I’m very forgetful.” She straightened her back and stiffly shrugged a shoulder. “Besides, the door has been spoilt for a while now.”

“And you hadn’t called to ask for money for its repair?” her father asked, watching her as she picked up their bags.

“And with all the killings going around”—her mother pointed at the television with the remote—“I wouldn’t want you getting caught up in its mess.”

Dae-yang nodded with a tight-lipped expression, turning to walk up the stairs. “Um... why are you guys here? I thought that the Hunter Council had sent you guys on a mission in Egypt? Why the sudden return?”

Her parents gazed at each other and spoke softly in Korean, their eyebrows lifted. She turned to stare at them, her brows pinched together. Because she knew little Korean, she could only understand words like “tell” and “danger.” She quirked a brow at them when they stopped talking, both of their eyes on her.

“Well?”

“Apparently the Pristines and Hunters had come together to discuss some critical matters,” her mother said quietly, folding her arms over her chest. The frown on her face deepened as she said, “and from what I’m hearing, Aurum von Caedis has awakened.”

Dae-yang nodded rapidly at that, her ponytail jumping up and down. “Yes. He had performed at his recent show in Ashville.”

“Oh yeah, that reminds me. How was your trip to Ashville?” her father asked as they continued their walk up the narrow stairs.

“It wasn’t... exactly... alright...” She dropped their bags in front of the door they stopped at. “Um... Well you see... We had a very big case of rabid Level Os.” She turned to them and reeled back at the sight of their ghastly expressions. They held onto her and started checking her body. “I’m fine. I’m fine. We—”

“It’s not fine. My poor child almost got killed,” her mother said as she palmed her face, searching for scratches and marks.

Her father’s face seemed old as he thoroughly checked her body. “Why had the school gone to a place full of ca—”