#Elyzabeth Ivanovich

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : END |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- How are you, Jimin?

- Bad, Mamie Ivanovich. I feel like a thousand stakes are looping through my stomach and heart.

- That's fine. That's good. Very good indeed.”

The sorcerer is taken aback when the old lady sits down opposite him. Her mischievous little eyes seem delighted to hear this, and Jimin bites his lower lip. He feels caught in an abyssal nothingness that suffocates him, while the old lady laughs. She turns to rummage through the shelf behind her, pulling out several small flasks which she stacks in front of her large, already boiling pot, as if expecting something like this to happen.

Jimin watches, lost, as she tosses the various vials into the pot. His little hands flail about, giggling with pleasure at each added ingredient.

“- Do you know, my little Jimin, what makes a sorcerer a real sorcerer?

- A grimoire? The ability to use it? Doing good, too.

- No, I don't know. Otherwise, everyone would become a sorcerer. What makes a good sorcerer is his innate knowledge of magic and what he does with it.”

Jimin frowns, trying to figure out where this mindless conversation is leading them, as the old lady throws the last vial into the pot. Tiny shards of glass fly out, sparkling like snowflakes before the sorcerer's astonished eyes. His grimoire, hitherto inert, seems to react to this sorcery. It jerks open, magically filling its missing pages. Everything happens very quickly. The potion explodes into confetti, and it's already over. The book rests gently against Jimin's legs, under the amused gaze of the old woman, who beckons him to take a look.

Jimin can't believe his eyes. Spells pile up in the grimoire and he can't hold them back. He feels lighter, even if he's still burdened by the guilt of having caused his parents' death. Mamie Ivanovich watches him in silence, then holds out her own grimoire, worn by life and years.

“- Soon, my dear Elyzabeth will have mine. I'm not eternal, you know? Neither was your mother. Faced with Heisukei, she gave everything so that you could recover her powers and your own. This cursed being didn't steal your mother's powers. He simply copied them, then erased them from your memory. That's what distinguishes the two of you. Go, trust yourself and accept this gift. For now, these are just words, but soon you'll see the path become clearer and the way open to you.”

With these enigmatic words, Jimin leaves the old lady's house to return to Yoongi's apartment. Yoongi seems tense, still preoccupied with running his company under the yoke of Damarro, an odious man who doesn't deserve this power. Jimin places a hand on Yoongi's shoulder, and Yoongi returns a tender glance, their lips softly meeting. Outside, the storm has given way to a shy sun, summer slowly returning to warm the air.

“- I know how to put an end to this charade.”

Yoongi doesn't ask for details and follows Jimin. He beckons the others to join them in the throne room. Jimin gently takes his lifelong friend's hand and places him on one of the last vacant thrones, immaculately dressed in white, before curious onlookers. The sorcerer then opens his grimoire, and hitherto forgotten spells dance in his mind, telling him what to do and what to say. The hitherto white book turns yellow, its pages take on a violet hue, then in a flash of tangerine-scented light, an explosion occurs. When everything calms down, Jimin looks exhausted, but less so than Taehyung, who is breathing heavily. His eyes have become a strange mixture of pure white and black outlines.

“- Taehyung, are you all right? Jimin, what the hell have you done?!

- I've restored him to his original form. And his powers! He was never human.”

Jungkook and the others seem bewildered by this revelation. Jimin, frustrated, launches into an explanation, like Elyzabeth and Yoongi before him. Heisukei had taken over the angels' powers, putting the others into a deep sleep and depriving them of their gifts. This altered their memories, leading to a rise in racism between the different mystical races. Heisukei had masterfully manipulated this weakness, and Jimin felt guilty. Only he has the formula to restore the angels' powers and reveal Heisukei's crimes to the world.

Taehyung quickly recovers from the transformation, and with a resolute expression, he pounds the table, melting Jungkook with his little scowl.

“- Let's put an end to this charade and reveal Heisukei's crimes.

- Now that he's deprived of all power, thanks to Jimin recovering his grimoire, he won't be a smartass for much longer.”

In truth, they don't even have to look hard to find Heisukei. The arrogant man he once was has disappeared. He's now a fallen old man, screaming to be let go as he's dragged onto the stage. The townspeople, realizing the extent of the deception, are horrified. Heisukei is still struggling when the rope is wrapped around his neck, putting an end to all the absurd laws he had imposed.

-x-

Two years have passed since the last mayor took power in a flash. The inhabitants had to adapt to the changes that followed. Everyone has come to accept, albeit sometimes with difficulty, that humans never existed, and that angels have taken their place. Taehyung has expanded his business to match that of the Jeon company, and the Underworld has regained its rightful place. At this very moment, the new mayor is speaking in the office of the head of the local press, Mr. Kim.

“- So, Mr. Jeon, aren't you feeling too much pressure in your new role as mayor? Your predecessor's actions have left some… indelible memories.

- I wouldn't say I'm not nervous, Mr. Kim. But… I feel ready to help our community, as it should be. - You do? And what are City Hall's plans?

- To create new places for Mr. Damarro's orphans. And offer more opportunities to the less fortunate, like zombies.”

Like two magnets, the two Jeons move closer together, observing each other, and finally, the tablet slips away, abandoned on the sofa, as they pick up where they left off earlier in the day. Life resumes its course, in the end not so different from what it was before.

[kelluarts]

Some wip of my most worked piece for around… 10 years ? Almost not joking…

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XXVI |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

Taehyung felt very small in Damarro's home. The new mayor, or rather king, as he now wished to be called, had bought himself a magnificent house over the years, a veritable palace that easily made you dizzy just looking at the interior. The place was gloomy, and several portraits of people the new angelic vampire had never heard of seemed to judge him with every step he took to reach the small sitting room he was shown. Jungkook had made it very clear that he didn't approve of this interview. But Taehyung had insisted. After all, what could Heisukei do? Everyone knew he was there. The journalist had returned to work a week earlier, so he simply couldn't refuse to come and do it. Heisukei would suspect something, or worse, might take a dislike to them. Besides, he was curious: why would he want an exclusive interview now, rather than anywhere else in town? Obviously, Heisukei must have a plan, something dangerous, but Taehyung knew deep down that he wouldn't do anything, for one obvious reason. He cared about his job. After all, killing a journalist in the middle of his work would be frowned upon, and it would jeopardize everything he'd built up in just two weeks. Impossible, not for someone as full of himself as he was.

“- Mr. Kim, punctual as always. Take a seat, I'll be with you in two minutes.

- Take your time, Mr Damarro, I'm in no hurry and I've cleared my schedule just for you.

- How generous.”

Damarro was gleaming, looking a good dozen years younger, which made Taehyung wince. But he made no comment, remaining rather upright and professional, his new state-of-the-art tablet in his hands. Jungkook had insisted on giving him one, since he was so stubborn about taking notes with a pen. Heisukei joined him, offering him a cup of coffee, which Taehyung politely declined. He had promised his over-protective husband that he wouldn't take anything offered by this being he found repugnant. Quickly, they both got to work.

“- I'm ready to start.

- Perfect. Tell me, Mr. Damarro, may I call you that?

- Of course you may.

- Well, Mr. Damarro, how does it feel to be taking over?

- Well, I accept my role as best I can, you know. I was as surprised as you were when I took over. Monsieur Choi had it all planned. The poor man… Who'd have thought he'd take his own life?

- Aren't you afraid that the locals might find your methods a little too… brusque?

- No. And even if they do, there's not much I can do about it. This town needs order, needs someone willing to do the wrong thing, you understand?

- Is that why you've introduced this new zombie law? All zombies must be chipped and can be used for personal purposes. If I understand correctly, they won't have any rights?

- Yes, the right to stay where they are. Nobody likes zombies, they're slow and even more useless than humans.”

The wine glass Namjoon held between his fingers shattered with a crash, startling even her husband as he read aloud their new mayor's nonsense about his race. His fingers ran angrily through his pink hair, as he resumed a more natural posture, trying to calm himself so as not to send the tablet he'd just bought flying. Seokjin watched him in silence, before finally joining him, hoping to help him regain a shred of calm. Taehyung apologized half-heartedly. The interview had been a load of garbage. Mr. Damarro was a cold man who had no qualms about talking about the executions he himself had ordered. In just one week, he'd taken power and already forty-two people had lost their lives, for trifles. He wasn't a king, he was a tyrant.

“- Getting angry won't change anything, we have to wait for a breach to knock him off his pedestal.

- Before he turns me into a poodle, that would be welcome.

- By the way, I think that collar looks great on you.”

The comment seemed to hit the nail on the head, as Namjoon rolled his eyes, letting Seokjin come up and tenderly kiss his lips. The couple whispered things to each other that no one wanted to hear. Taehyung turned to give them some privacy, while Jungkook rolled his eyes, obviously more upset that he couldn't do the same thing because of the table between them, than by the couple setting each other on fire in the corner of the room.

“- Anyway, at least we know what Heisukei wants.

- He didn't weigh his words, as if he were convinced that no one could stop him.

- And he's not necessarily wrong.”

Elyzabeth raised her first glass of alcohol in a long time to her lips, before sighing in an attempt to calm herself. Her store had become a veritable battlefield, since her ex-husband had forbidden anyone to employ zombies. The exhaustion of having to manage everything alone could be read in her gestures. Heisukei was a veritable open wound, gaping and festering. An evil being who thought she could do anything. She bit her lips before resuming her tirade.

“- Right now, he's got the whole town to himself. Few dare to rebel.

- To avoid ending up as fodder for those… things he has at his beck and call. They're just humans who think they're Mystics. Nothing more.

- But they have the strength of Mystics, there's no denying it.

- Finally, Yoongi was able to kill one of them with his bare hands.”

This information had eluded them until now, and Elyzabeth wrinkled her nose as Namjoon finally returned to the table, much calmer. Seokjin sat on his lap, and nobody seemed to want to ask about this sudden change of mood. Namjoon was the first to speak, stroking his lover's hips to soothe his nerves, already ready to explode again at the mere thought of their new leader.

“- If they're this fragile, it means he hasn't managed to transform them completely. They're just guys who think they're us.

- But in this case, we can prove that Heisukei lied too.”

All eyes fell on Taehyung, who was rereading the articles about Mister Choi's death. In truth, nothing in the report stuck. The state of the body was inconsistent with the alleged hanging Heisukei had seen. Yet he was certain that vampires couldn't die like that. Jungkook had already taken a bookshelf to the head because of Kiyeon, and he hadn't even had a bruise. So a vampire cut in half by a hangman's noose…

“- Okay, but he'll fight back. Even if he did kill him, it doesn't prove anything. Just that Choi was pretending to be a vampire when he wasn't.

- But it's a start. All we need to do is find evidence to incriminate him in his own lie. And convict him of the same crimes he condemns.”

Jungkook nodded, accepting this plan, since it was her wonderful husband who had decided it, and everyone eventually parted, too tired to refuse anything. Taehyung looked out of the car window, playing with his fingers, before Jungkook's hand came to reassure him tenderly. His red eyes burned, a pleasant yet unfamiliar burn.

“- Pull over, Jungkook.

- Pull over? Why?

- Just do it.”

The car pulled into the woods near the house, the vampire turning on the warnings to try to figure out what was taking his husband, before seeing him throw himself at him. The kiss was far from tender, let alone superficial. It was as if Taehyung would die within hours. His body was seething, he wanted the vampire to devour him right there, right now, and he didn't mind. The act was wild, completely animal, leaving the windows fogged with their shared passion. When he and Taehyung had eaten their fill, the heat in Taehyung's belly vanished, and he felt as if he'd eaten a full meal. He put his clothes back on and resumed his proper place.

“- I hope this happens more often.

- Don't talk nonsense, will you?

- Never.”

The car set off again, and the vampire gave little glances to his husband, who was now feeling a little cramped in this car. He was sure that Jungkook hadn't finished his meal. And for sure, Taehyung would have trouble talking in the morning.

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XXIII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

It was much more serious than they had imagined. Taehyung looked at the big seats, where Yoongi had led him and Elyzabeth, indicating that they were going to have to have a big talk with everyone Jungkook was surprised to see his lover, as were Seokjin and Namjoon, who looked at each other without knowing what to say. However, the witch didn't seem surprised by the secret hiding place, in fact she was delighted to be granted access at last. Without waiting, she settled into the small seat just to the right of where Hoseok usually sat. The seat, perfectly sized for her, clearly indicated that it had originally been designed for her. This was all becoming far too strange for Taehyung, who didn't really dare move. None of it made sense. It was too many emotions in one lifetime. Jungkook came over and indicated that he could sit on his lap. He didn't hesitate, finding comfort in his lover's protective arms, which made him shiver softly. He took deep breaths, trying to calm the panic attack that enveloped him, threatening to suffocate him.

“- Can we find out what this charade is?

- It's time to put an end to all this. Don't you think so, Elyzabeth?

- I agree.”

Everyone was surprised. Yoongi and Elyzabeth stared at each other, probably deciding who would speak first. Finally, Yoongi decided and spoke first, settling comfortably on his throne where his stone had ceased all activity, like those of the others.

“- A thousand years ago, a similar situation arose. And we had to deal with it.

- What are you talking about? I'm only two hundred years old.

- You only have two hundred years of memories. No reality.”

Jungkook wrinkled his nose, obviously angry and ready to retaliate, but Taehyung stopped him by gently pressing his fingers against his arm. Rather than lash out at the specter, Jungkook preferred to inhale Taehyung's sweet smell. Everyone remained silent, as if the first person to speak would trigger a cataclysm. Finally, this time, Elyzabeth spoke after carefully weighing her words. Taehyung could calm the vampire down easily, but she didn't want Seokjin or Namjoon to jump down her throat. She wouldn't be able to defend herself in such a situation.

“- Heisukei Damarro is not a real sorcerer. He proclaimed himself a great sorcerer to take power, having absorbed some of Jimin's powers. And those of Taehyung's mother.

- Nonsense! Taehyung is human! We'd know if he wasn't! Vampires can only marry their own race or humans!”

Namjoon slammed his hand down on the table, startling the poor witch, while Yoongi was already preparing to intervene if necessary. Against all odds, Seokjin laid a hand on Namjoon, turning gently to the witch and Yoongi, clearly convinced by their tale. A question was burning his lips, and he couldn't wait to ask it.

“- If all this is true, what happened a thousand years ago, and why don't we remember anything?

- Heisukei Damarro. By stealing Jimin's powers, he also took his unique ability to bend time. Among the most powerful sorcerers, the real Park family practiced neither metamorphosis nor animal creation. Their specialty was traveling or returning in time without leaving a trace.”

Elyzabeth pinched her lower lip and lowered her head, a little ashamed. She'd always known. Their childhood memories, their moments in life, everything had been altered by this foul being. For Elyzabeth, the revelation had come one morning. When she opened her eyes, she realized it was all a lie. All those years spent with Heisukei had been nothing but hot air. He had lied all this time, hoping to steal her divinatory function and thus change her destiny. She shook with rage at the thought, but a warm hand calmed her. Jimin, as surprised as the others to be there, said nothing for the moment and simply took the seat next to Yoongi, where Yoongi had told him to sit. Like everyone else, he found it hard to believe the information that had been revealed to him.

“- Let's assume you're right. What happened a thousand years ago? He stole spells and then what? It takes more than simple sleight of hand to affect beings as powerful as us.

- He also stole the vital essence of a Mystic, taking their life in the process.

- And what was that?

- Your last seat. Angels.”

Angels… Taehyung felt an enormous weight at the mention of this word, as if something were trying to escape from his insides. He bent double, his breath caught, while Jungkook panicked, trying to figure out what it all meant.

If such creatures had existed, there would be records, documents. They were just legends, nothing more. No one had ever proven their existence. Beings so luminous they could light up Hell itself, with divine power. Everyone was at their service. Their laws were nothing but gentleness and compassion. They only wanted a world where everyone loved and helped each other, but they had disappeared centuries after their appearance, leaving only a seat hidden deep in the catacombs. Taehyung felt his head spin. Everything became a blur before Elyzabeth placed her hand against his forehead. The pain evaporated like tiny flakes, and he blinked several times. The white jewel reacted to its owner, glowing so brightly as to blind the assembly. The room, previously gloomy and dark, was transformed into a magnificent mixture of white and black, each crystal regaining its vivid color under the stunned gazes of all.

“- Taehyung didn't become a vampire, because he's the only Mystic capable of such feats. Just like Lily and Miyako, the first and only Mystics never to mix. He's their direct descendant, his blood already mixed with that of vampires and angels.”

Yoongi nodded, as if to confirm everything Elyzabeth had just said. He looked at Jimin. Everyone seemed lost between confusion and reality. Now that the last throne had regained its owner, the whole assembly had to regain its memories too.

They were going to give themselves time to analyze everything and answer all the questions that would be asked, unfiltered. Taehyung was the first to speak, still groggy from everything around him. He moistened his lips in an attempt to speak normally.

“- Heisukei attacked us. He almost killed Jimin, but Granny Park barely saved him… Thus piercing all sense of reality… I… What does a being like Heisukei want?

- Power. Which no one has ever wanted to give him. Lily, your mother, was an incredible woman. She refused to marry him, so he wanted to marry my mother. He couldn't do it either. Born human, he couldn't tolerate it. So he decided to create his own race. If a human like him could become a sorcerer, others could go even further without blood ties. He succeeded in creating hybrid vampires. But also, as you've seen recently, ghouls and zombies.”

Yoongi ran a hand through his hair, glancing at Jimin to see how he was holding up. He was rather pleased that Elyzabeth was telling all, although she was surprised at Taehyung's reaction. He should already have known.

“- The potions we made you drink, which made you sick, should have made you understand.

- You poisoned my husband?!

- We had no choice. For him to understand and get his blood back, his real blood, he had to die! If we hadn't, then Heisukei would have won.”

Silence fell again, the information hitting them like heavy clubs. Finally, to avoid any drama, they took the tacit decision to leave the meeting. Everyone realized the extent of the lies they had been living. But that didn't give them any way of fighting Heisukei, or even of knowing what to do. After all, now that he was mayor, it was going to get complicated. Apart from waiting and keeping a low profile until they found an opening, there was nothing else they could do.

The decision was unanimous, but Taehyung felt his heart tighten in his chest. He'd lived in this house a century before, with Jungkook as his husband. The couple would have some catching up to do, that was for sure.

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XXII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

As in his dream, everything is perfectly in place. The white furniture, the gilding on the walls, the crystal chandeliers. The rich vampire's teams had done a titanic job. Everything was clean, which was no mean feat when he thought back to their first visits. Taehyung didn't know where to put his eyes, spinning around a little, he wanted to touch everything, to soak up this very special atmosphere. Something here made his whole being vibrate, it was electrifying. Like a child in search of treasure, Taehyung circled the building, touching every piece of furniture, breathing in every particle of air he could. He pushes open every door, under the amused gaze of his husband, who follows him like a shadow. At first, the vampire wasn't entirely sure about the white atmosphere, which contrasted particularly sharply with the usual dark atmosphere of his lodgings. But Taehyung had made his little face, the one Jungkook can never upset. He'd have to make do with all this immaculate white, which would be difficult to clean if anything were to happen to anyone. Preferably to one of Heisukei's men.

“- Are you listening to me?

- Of course my love, I find this idea particularly interesting, even.

- Oh really? I should call now then, I'm sure they'll be delighted to do so.

- Do what?

- Ah, you see you weren't listening! Who'd want a swimming pool as a home!”

Jungkook felt foolish, but he couldn't hold back his laughter at his husband's joy. Taehyung had regained his color; he was alive again and in perfect health. It was good to see him back to his normal self. Driven by the dark force that is love, he came to kiss her. His soft lips had the pleasant taste of wild strawberry, and Taehyung didn't take long to respond, wrapping his arms around the nape of his life partner's neck. Still, many questions had been piling up without any real answers for some time. Taehyung had been resurrected as a vampire normally, which meant he logically needed his partner's blood to survive. But for some reason, Taehyung neither wanted nor needed it. His teeth didn't look like bloodthirsty fangs, and he didn't have to wear any gadgets to go out in broad daylight. Grandma Ivanovich had said it was nothing, that they'd figure it all out in time. But Jungkook was still worried. He'd rather die than see his husband go back to the way he was before they got married. The two stay glued together, while Taehyung looks at the closed door of one of the many guest rooms.

“- This will be Jimin's room until we figure out what's going on with his identity papers.

- All right, then. Where will our room be then?”

Without thinking, Taehyung takes his hand, leading him into the secondary wing. The small castle fascinates the vampire, especially as her husband seems to find his way around easily. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel he'd been here before. The feeling of the familiar had enveloped him from the first day they'd visited, as if they'd lived in the building years before. Taehyung left his hand just long enough to push open the two doors leading to a huge bedroom, the black four-poster bed right in the middle standing out, but obviously Taehyung had heard his lament of a man living in the dark usually. It was luxurious. A large, rich and powerful family must have lived here, and Jungkook imagines how happy their lives must have been. Surely this was what drove him to come and cling to his husband, kissing his neck, his shoulders, running his hands against his body so intoxicating. When was the last time they'd done anything more sensual than watch each other change? No idea. But the idea of being alone in their new home gave the vampire wings, and it wasn't Taehyung who stopped him.

“- Luckily it's just us. What would people say if they saw you, Mr. Jeon?

- That my husband is a work of art and I want to take care of him. If others think otherwise, then they can burn in hell.

- Poor Monsieur Jung, only taking the souls you've fallen.

- I can't help it, I don't make the rules of hell.”

A yelp passes Taehyung's lips as he's thrown against the bed, but he doesn't complain, on the contrary. He participates in the undressing, lets himself go when Jungkook touches where he knows his husband is going to lose his mind. The exchange is initially tender, as they rediscover and tame each other, before it becomes animalistic. Their bodies interlock, slamming into each other in the violent purity of the moment, Taehyung's voice so husky it soars, and Jungkook's teeth marks make his head spin. The exchange is as languorous as it is short, leaving both men breathless as Jungkook rolls beside him. The particular warmth of Jungkook's fangs planted in his flesh makes him shiver, and he turns to the vampire, watching him.

“- We've lived here before.”

Jungkook opens his eyes again, curious and lost at what his husband is telling him, glaring at him to understand what he's telling him, while Taehyung puts his clothes back on a little hastily. This time, the vampire is worried. He clutched his husband's wrist, helping him to calm down over this new information, as delirious as it was impossible. Taehyung was a human, he hadn't been born like Jungkook, a hundred or two hundred years before, yet he seems convinced of this, his brain seems to be spinning at a pace even he can't keep up with.

“- What do you mean, we've lived here before?

- I've got to go and see Elyzabeth. I've got to talk to her.

- Talk to her about what? What's going on, Taehyung?

- I just figured out why I've been having all these strange dreams.”

He takes Jungkook's face in his hands, kissing him like he's never kissed before, all his feelings mixing in this exchange, making Jungkook weak. He grips his hips, deepening the kiss, which nevertheless remains all too light for his liking. Taehyung steps back, not wanting to waste any more time. He rubs his nose against Jungkook's, still lost, before slamming his lips against the vampire's again and disappearing without a trace other than his sweet perfume, which Jungkook inhales like a drug. His eyes gaze at the empty room.

“- What dream is he talking about?”

It's almost two o'clock when he enters the witch's store, taking inventory, as usual when someone comes in. However, it wasn't her laughing or even happy look that greeted Taehyung, and he wrinkled his nose. The young woman's belly had grown, made round as a balloon by pregnancy. It seemed to tire her, but not enough for her to make that sad, completely downcast face, as if her lover had let her down two weeks short of giving birth.

“- Lizzy, is something wrong?

- Hoseok is unreachable… He won't answer any of my calls.

- And you went to see him?

- That's the biggest problem! His house is gone.”

Taehyung remains shocked by the announcement, Elyzabeth looking like she's about to cry, and he frowns. Hoseok would never really have abandoned her two weeks before giving birth, without ever leaving any news. He hadn't known the demon long, but that didn't seem to be in his character. He pinched his lower lip, whatever he had to say could wait, his friend needed support. He joined her behind the counter to take her in his arms, trying to find comforting and reassuring words.

“- You don't have any news, do you? Jungkook hasn't mentioned it?

- No. He didn't tell me anything about Hoseok, nothing unusual anyway.

- Something must have happened… None of his establishments are staying either… What if he was…

- No. He's not dead.”

Two cries of terror pass their lips as Min Yoongi raises his eyes to the sky, clearly irritated that nobody ever pays attention to the presence of ghosts. But he keeps his unpleasant comment to himself, his beady eyes against the two bodies trying to regain their emotions. Taehyung is the first to speak.

“- Do you know that humans are easily cardiac? And pregnant women, easily surprised? What would you have done if I'd died and she was in labor?

- As far as I know, the wedding ceremony is here to turn you into a vampire. As for Elizabeth, all I'd have to do is call an ambulance. Or deliver her myself.”

The reality of the matter made Taehyung nod gently; he wasn't exactly wrong about the statement, but he couldn't quite agree with it either. After all, he was nothing like a vampire.

“- I thought you were away for several months?

- Something made me come back early. Jimin isn't at home, and his loan was canceled. I can't reach him.

- Jimin is safe with the Jeons for now. There's been… a problem.

- Problem? A catastrophe! I've been told I no longer have a secretary! And my business is in the hands of our new mayor!

- … New mayor?”

Everyone looked at each other, trying to understand what was happening, one point at a time. Taehyung and Elyzabeth knew about Jimin, since he had come to ring their doorbell after crying his eyes out, announcing that he had lost everything, right down to his furniture. But obviously, the announcement of the new mayor was a discovery for both of them, looking at each other, trying to figure out if Yoongi wasn't playing a bad joke.

“- Heisukei Damarro is our new mayor. It was on the news this morning.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XXI |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- What are you doing here?

- A routine visit, nothing more.

- I didn't know lawyers were allowed to go around bars, it must be bad for the CV.”

Heisukei only gives a small laugh, which makes Hoseok wrinkle his nose. Crossing his arms over his chest, he settles more comfortably into his office chair, looking for the slightest sign in this abject individual that would give him some meaning to this whirlwind visit. But there was nothing in the lawyer's body language to make him understand why he'd set foot in his establishment. This made him rather nervous. The demon remains on his guard, knowing that Heisukei could have been up to anything, just for fun.

“- I've reread all our laws, you know.

- Good for you.

- And I've never found a law that explains why demons like you can't come back to Earth, open businesses, steal the work of honest people.”

Hoseok remained silent for a few seconds, before slowly straightening up. The audacity of this individual will always amaze him. A bitter chuckle passes his lips as he lets his chair slide back to his feet. He'd never liked Heisukei, and it wasn't just because he was his girlfriend's ex-spouse, although that was part of it. No, he didn't like Heisukei because something seemed wrong with him from the first time he'd met his gaze, something he hadn't yet put his finger on.

“- I'm sorry to hear that you don't yet know how to read our laws. So I invite you to do so and come back later.

- Oh. I don't think you'll be here to greet me anyway. After all, as the mayor stipulated in his last mandate, we no longer accept any unauthorized individuals on our territory.”

Hoseok gazes at him with dark eyes, but says nothing. He watches the three men escorting Heisukei into his office. They smell bad, worse than a rotting zombie, which sends shivers down his spine. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on. Yet Hoseok remains calm, much more so than he would have expected in such a situation. He takes his jacket and one of his best bottles from the shelf, joining the door without being asked.

“- It's been a long time since I've had a vacation. How generous of you.

- I'm delighted we finally understand each other.

- But don't expect to profit from my establishments. Hell has no shortage of your kind, Mr. Damarro, don't you ever forget that.”

When Hoseok walks through the door, he doesn't need to do much for the entire building, along with hundreds of other businesses, to disappear. All that's left is a lot of empty, unkempt land. Heisukei stares into space for long minutes before tapping his foot on the dusty ground, railing against the whole planet, and everything he can.

“- Mr. Damarro…

- What now?

- The mayor wants to see you.”

He takes a deep breath, then simply nods. The journey is silent. None of his guards really dares to speak, and they're all almost relieved when they arrive at the town hall. The town's central building had lost some of its splendor, but Heisukei doesn't dwell on the old building. He walked through the corridors as if he owned the town hall, wrinkling his nose and eyebrows at the sickening scene before him: Mr. Choi, the old vampire who couldn't bear to lose his establishment, was naked, accompanied by a demon. He hisses through his teeth, expressing his disdain, and the young woman quickly disappears into black dust, causing the new mayor to grumble.

“- I was having fun! I wasn't expecting you for at least two hours.

- Let's just say my visit was cut short. What's wrong?

- I still haven't taken back the establishment that was stolen from me. Why? You promised me power and control!

- The Jeon family played their cards faster than I thought. Unfortunately, someone didn't inform me that the wedding season was about to open.

- As if I could. You know very well I have no way of knowing.”

Heisukei refrains from commenting on this stupid mistake. He should be more careful now that he'd stirred up the anthill. Surely alienating the major families wasn't a rich idea. But when you're like him, impatient, you want it all, right away. It was probably stupid, but that was part of his charm after all. He tugged at his jacket, feeling a whiff of disgust as he watched the old man put clothes back on, then walked over to the window, looking at his empire at hand.

“- Your business is ruined, you'll never get it back. The Jeon family did it right. Get over it, we've got work to do, and something far more important than your stupid press.

- What a waste, a thriving business in the hands of a fake vampire. What a shame.”

Heisukei lets out an unpleasant, knife-like laugh, turning to the old man. He glares at him, disgusted by this filthy being. There had always been something disgusting about this odious character. But he was a useful pawn, one he could manipulate to his heart's content without having to fear the consequences. He knew the time would come, and he looked forward to the moment when he would crush him like a common insect. The old man stepped back, obviously not that stupid. Heisukei blew out his breath to relax, looking out over the city again. Soon, everything would be his. His big day would come, and no one would be there to stop him. Taehyung and Jungkook's wedding was just a futility, nothing more. If that idiot Lysa had played her part properly… That's why he didn't like entrusting important tasks to stupid pawns, because afterwards, you had to pick up the pieces. He moistens his lips, turning back to the old man, a little calmer.

“- What about the Kim mansion? Did you have it demolished as requested?

- Actually… that is…

- That what? The tone startled the man, who lowered his head, like a child caught at fault. - Mr. Jeon stopped by City Hall this morning… and…

- And what?

- He bought the mansion from my secretary… during our meeting.”

The office passes through the window, making a hell of a noise. This will most certainly appear in the papers the next day, because of those rapacious journalists incapable of respecting people's privacy. But it goes right over the sorcerer's head, his anger exploding as he waltzes around the furniture, under the terrified gaze of the mayor, who is looking for a corner to hide in.

“- I gave clear instructions. I'm surrounded by incompetents.”

The bookcase flies out, crushing the old man under the floorboards. Heisukei pisses even more at this umpteenth stupidity. Blood drips between the shelves, and he stands there for a minute contemplating the lifeless body. The first generations of vampires were really fragile, and this makes him nauseous. What a waste. He adjusts the folds of his jacket, before stepping out of the office under the appalled and terrified gazes of the secretaries.

“- Mr. Mayor has had an unfortunate accident. Please notify the emergency services.

- Yes, sir…

- From now on, I'll be at the head of the city. Send out a press release. I'll be giving an interview first thing Friday.”

Like little ants, the two vampires hurried to obey his orders, running in all directions, clumsy and indelicate. Heisukei couldn't understand how such an inferior species could be treated so well. This would be one of the first things he'd put in place: only superior beings would be entitled to the best things, the rest are just insects, malleable people. They don't need rights, just to serve those above them and keep quiet. He feels soothed by this thought, calmly rejoining his car.

“- Kim's Restaurant.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XIX |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

Finally, the D-day arrives like a blessing. The wedding ceremony is scheduled for the night when the stars align at exactly midnight. It's then that the human can lose any shred of humanity and become one of the beings of the night. And it's fair to say he was looking forward to it, for he'd never felt worse in his life. His pallor was frightening, as if he were in the terminal phase of a long illness. A light breath escaped his lips as he applied foundation, with the help of sweet Elyzabeth, now pregnant and probably impatient for her own release. His hands pass over his whitened lips. He really was scary. A thousand questions swirl in his mind about the others going through the same thing as him. He was startled when the door opened behind him, revealing the adorable silhouette of his pet zombie. Choi-Mi really was too cute in her little black dress, her medium-length hair tied back in a side ponytail held together by a dark red ribbon, matching Jungkook's own.

“- Mister Jeon seems much more nervous than you. Do you need any help?

- No, thank you, Choi-Mi. But come, I'll help you.”

The zombie approaches slowly, and Taehyung reaches out to tie the bracelet she hadn't managed to fasten properly. The zombie looks at him, obviously full of questions, and finally her slow voice echoes softly, drawing a warm look from Taehyung.

“- Does this mean you won't be needing my services anymore?

- Of course we will! Who'll make my morning chocolate or sort my files for my important meetings? Becoming Jeon Taehyung doesn't mean you'll become any less indispensable. Do you promise?

- Promise.”

He gently pats the zombie's head, his heart lighter at seeing her reassured. She leaves the room, more cheerful, after telling him that everyone is waiting for her. In truth, his heart sinks as the door closes. He runs a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair, again contemplating his gray complexion.

Taehyung didn't know what awaited him. He'd always been human. Would he have to feed on fresh blood? Come to think of it, Jungkook mainly drank his own blood and couldn't live without it. Did this mean he would become dependent on his husband?

A slight gasp escaped again as a familiar person entered the room. Mamie Ivanovich, her eyes moist with small tears, joins Taehyung and places her hands on his frail shoulders.

“- Look at you. You're beautiful. Ready to take the plunge? I may not be as vigorous as I used to be, but I can still take you to the altar.

- Thank you. I think I'm ready. I think I'm ready, yes.”

One last glance at the glass, then he stands up, a little unsteadily, and slowly makes his way to the large square, magnificently decorated for the occasion. Black and red dominate. The guests are numerous, and Taehyung feels his head spin as he strides forward, head held high. The ritual hadn't been explained to him, but the bright red eyes of his future husband send shivers down his spine.

Jungkook looks him up and down before licking his lips, quickly becoming serious again. He helps Taehyung into the chair already set up for him. In front of them, on the altar, are two stemmed glasses: one, surrounded by a snake with pure emerald green eyes; the other, adorned with the image of a woman praying to a tree, a figure that seems strangely familiar to Taehyung.

Opposite them, Dracula Jeon himself, Jungkook's father, dressed in traditional Asian garb, visibly stained with crimson blood, probably that of the gutted raven behind the glasses. The congregation fell silent as the priest spoke.

“- Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to seal the union between these two beings. My son, Jeon Jungkook, and his soul mate, Kim Taehyung. Let us begin our ceremony without further ado. Jungkook, accept the corrupted blood of your soul mate and purify it into better blood.”

Jungkook takes the snake-encrusted glass between his fingers and drinks Taehyung's blood, taken that morning. His eyes, already glowing red, seem to pierce the darkness and shine as brightly as the moon itself. He says nothing, but Taehyung doesn't need to speak to understand that something is bothering him.

A strange warmth invades Taehyung's chest, as if something is trying to get out of his ribcage. A heavy weight suffocates him, but he takes it upon himself for the ceremony, looking up when Jungkook's father turns to him.

“- My dearest Taehyung, drink my son's blood to purify all your ills and grant you the right to eternity. With this, you will become a full member of our race and take our name.”

He shudders as he picks up the glass with the woman engraved on it. Her face is familiar, but he can't remember where he's seen her before. Without much thought, he drinks, apprehensive, surprised by the sweet taste of blood. When he's finished, he feels strangely weak. Everything spins around him, and the glass slips from his fingers. The horrified stares of the guests surround him, and Jungkook catches him just before he collapses, tumbling into the limbo of a world he knows all too well.

The same woman as in his other dreams, only this time she's an adult. The manor house around him bears a striking resemblance to the Jeon family home, only much brighter: the white of the walls, the pearly white of the furniture, everything seems warm and familiar. He had lived here, or at least, he had the impression of having lived within these walls.

His fingers gently caress the hall furniture, while he can hear the young woman talking, looking at her husband, the vampire she had hated so much.

“- He's beautiful. What do you think of our little Taehyung?

- He's perfect. Just like my darling wife.

- Don't be silly.”

The young woman's cheeks pinken, but Taehyung frowns. The child has her face, her eyes. And he doesn't quite understand what they're trying to tell him. Who was this woman? A supernatural being? A mystic? A human? His fingers tremble, as he sees her worriedly looking at the infant. He has the urge to speak, to scream out the questions that pierce him, but everything blurs before Taehyung abruptly opens his eyes, surrounded by several looks reassured to see him alive.

“- Taehyung, how are you feeling?

- … Better than before. What happened?

- You fainted at the ceremony, but don't worry. You've got rid of all your ills after all.”

Grandma Ivanovich smiles gently, stroking his shoulder before giving the newlyweds time to catch up. Jungkook doesn't wait to kiss him, caressing his now warm cheeks, breathing in his sweet smell, as he looks about to cry.

“- I was so afraid of losing you… Your heart stopped beating! You've been dead for over two hours…

- Isn't that what normally happens?

- Not for that long! The transformation happens more quickly. About ten minutes, maximum.”

Taehyung pinches his lower lip, but he feels like himself again, not just a shuffling zombie. He rests his hand against his own chest, strangely feeling his heart beating, which makes him frown, while Jungkook smiles at him.

“- This has never happened before. But I don't care. The most important thing is that you're all right. That's all.

- … Jungkook.

- What's up?

- I know where I want to live.

- You do?

- Yes, I do. Tomorrow, let's go. Promise me.

- I promise. Now rest.”

Taehyung smiled at him, pulling him against him, breathing in his familiar scent, wrapping himself around the vampire's body, who tenderly stroked his back and kissed his forehead, hoping that the hardest part was behind them, at last.

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XVIII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- Aside from our favorite demon, no hybridization stories have ever been heard. Vampires usually keep to themselves.

- Yet his eyes were shining, just like theirs.

- His blood doesn't taste like ours.”

The head of the store ghoul is enthroned in the middle of this large table, while five pairs of eyes gaze upon it. Silence falls after Seokjin's words, and he looks slightly puzzled. Without saying a word, he climbs onto the table to examine it more closely. The damage caused by Yoongi's arm has rendered him unrecognizable, but the smell of the ghoul is still there. Namjoon is the first to speak, looking curiously at her husband.

“- Is something wrong?

- It's not a ghoul. It looks and smells like one, but it doesn't have the distinctive features of a ghoul.

- What are you talking about?

- This person used to be human. He wasn't born a ghoul.”

The silence falls again, even more tense this time, as Jungkook straightens up, making his chair creak on the floor. Visibly annoyed by this revelation, he remembers how illegal it is to conduct research of this kind. No one had ever dared mix species like this. Either you're born a Mystic or a Human, the laws are clear: a Human can't become a Mystic, let alone the other way around. Jungkook strikes the ghoul's head violently, rolling it to the ground, then crushes it under his heel to ensure that this abomination can do no further harm, under the silent gazes of the others.

“- Let's remain vigilant. Whatever happens, this scientist who thinks he's invincible will have to pay with his life for this ridiculous farce.

- What should we do if we come across any more?

- Eliminate them. No scruples.”

Everyone nods before the meeting ends on this grave note. Jungkook returns to the large family home and, without too much difficulty, finds Taehyung sitting on one of the Jeon family's large sofas, in front of the fireplace lit especially for him. Taehyung has been ill for a week now. He looks pale and slower, but he can't help smiling mischievously as his husband approaches. He accepts Jungkook's tender kiss, letting him lower his lips to his throat, until a coughing fit interrupts, making Jungkook worried. His cool hands rest on Taehyung's flushed cheeks, and he indulges in this tender moment.

“- You went to see Grandma Ivanovich?

- Yes. She said it was normal. The treatment's working.”

Jungkook nods gently, unconvinced, before joining him on the sofa. He lets him lie against him, stroking his hair tenderly. He's worried, but also impatient. In three days, it'll all be over. They'll say “I do”, the stars will be perfectly aligned, and Taehyung will officially join the family. This will mix their bloods once and for all, and alleviate the vampire syndrome. Taehyung should then regain his usual form, and they can finally leave this overheated house, abandoning the burning fireplace in the middle of summer. Jungkook remains silent, listening to Taehyung's heartbeat. Sometimes, he imagined this little heart stopping, sinking to an imperceptible rhythm before chasing away this absurd idea. It was impossible, Taehyung couldn't die in his arms, not before their wedding and their hundred years together. Taehyung seemed to sense his lover's concern as he straightened up to kiss him gently. Jungkook's hands rest on his hips, bringing them together for a more intimate moment.

“- Don't worry. Whatever's on your mind will be fine, okay?

- I hope so… Have you found our future home?

- I've seen a few interesting proposals. We'll visit after the wedding.

- Oh yes, I think my mother will go crazy if we stay here any longer.”

Taehyung couldn't help laughing. They'd already left Jungkook's too-small apartment, where the neighbors were constantly complaining about the human's footsteps. They'd had to move into the Jeon family home temporarily, until they could find a new place to live. But the grandmother seemed tired of all this energy in such a small being, and to avoid a family conflict, they had decided to look for a new home. Finally, Jungkook broke the mood with a deep sigh, and gently slapped Taehyung's thighs, telling him to follow him to the bedroom. Taehyung straightens up to follow him, but suddenly collapses with a thud, as Jungkook looks on in shock.

“- A simple malaise is not fatal. It's common with this kind of syndrome.

- Isn't there anything we can do to help him? He seems to be suffering at the moment.

- Unfortunately, only your union can really help him. But I can increase the dose of treatment for the next three days. He shouldn't have any more problems.

- Thank you, Miss Ivanovich.

- Don't worry, everything will be fine.”

The old lady raises a reassuring hand before placing a new bottle on the coffee table, along with a glass of cool water brought by the staff. Taehyung smiles, gently apologizing for putting everyone on such alert, but Jungkook immediately cuts him off by shaking his head.

“- Don't ever apologize for being sick because of me, okay?

- Okay.”

A thin smile spreads across Jungkook's lips as he escorts Miss Ivanovich to the front door, under the worried gaze of her own mother. After closing the door, the old lady, with an enigmatic smile on her lips, snaps her fingers to make her broom appear and disappears into the clear night. Jungkook takes one last look at his mother, who also disappears without a word. He remains in thought for a moment, confused by the conversation, before returning to the bedroom. Taehyung is waiting for him, already asleep and even paler than before. As a matter of principle, Jungkook puts a hand on his belly to make sure he's breathing before falling asleep himself, not without difficulty.

-x-

Since the incident in the store, Yoongi and Jimin hadn't spoken to each other. On the contrary, they avoided each other like the plague. The specter always found an excuse not to talk to Jimin, and vice versa. This tense situation had led to a cold, distant relationship. So it was with surprise that Yoongi opened his door to a visibly soaked Jimin, his lower lip split and one eye swollen, who had seen better days. Yoongi remains silent for a moment, before shifting to let him in, troubled by the sight.

“What's happened?

- Nothing's happened.

- Jimin…

- The creep had buddies.”

Jimin's voice breaks slightly, and Yoongi nods gently. He needs no further explanation, immediately understanding the situation by observing Jimin's outfit. Frustrated, Yoongi clenches his fists, but remains silent. He then heads to the kitchen to bring him ice and clean clothes, which he places on the small chest of drawers in the hall.

“- Get changed. And put this over your eye.

- Thanks.”

Jimin remains silent after that. He grabs the clothes while looking at Yoongi, a little confused. Certainly, he wasn't going to change in the middle of the hall. So Yoongi indicates the bathroom with a nod, certain that the young sorcerer needed a shower and, probably, a drink. While Jimin washes up, Yoongi waits in the living room, a bottle of soju on the coffee table and two glasses ready. He's determined to share a moment with his secretary to cheer him up and perhaps break the ice between them. Jimin eventually joins him in the living room, sits down opposite him and they drink without exchanging a word. The silence is heavy, weighing on Yoongi, but he says nothing. It's only when Jimin moves closer and their lips meet in a burst of passion that the barriers fall. Clothes slide quickly to the floor, letting their bodies intertwine, meet, tame. It's a beastly, intense act, and they keep coming back for more, until they can no longer offer themselves to each other.

When the sun begins to caress Yoongi's face, he frowns. He realizes the mistake he's just made. An expletive escapes his lips as he throws his glass against the dresser in a fit of deep frustration.

“- Fuck! What an asshole!”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XVII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- What do you think of this one?

- It's okay.

- Okay. How about this one?

- It's good too.”

Yoongi looked at Jimin. Yes, it was he who had asked his secretary to come and keep him company while he found his new suit, and the spectre had thought he could spend some time with him to make up for that stupid blunder he'd made two weeks earlier. But Jimin wasn't very receptive, still clinging to his phone. He didn't even look up when Yoongi asked him the question, the proof being that the spectre hadn't changed a thing. Frustration showed in his eyes, and he finally let out a deep sigh, seeking the attention Jimin stubbornly denied him.

“- If you didn't want to come, you should have said so.

- And get me fired? No, I'm fine.

- I just… This threat only concerns your work, not personal outings. And this is just a joke.”

Jimin can feel the frustration, the anger, but also the hurt in Yoongi's voice. Yet he tries to remain impassive, pursing his lower lip as he finally glances at the specter. He was wearing a ravishing red suit with a black shirt. He was handsome enough to outshine the bride and groom, that's for sure. But Jimin kept his comment to himself, trying not to let his gaze linger too long on the specter's curves, before clearing his throat.

“- I think you should buy this one. It's better than the others.

- What about you? Have you found yours? You're a witness, aren't you?

- Yes. And no, not yet. Why not?

- Find one that suits you, I'll pay.”

Jimin opened his mouth to protest, but Yoongi stopped him, before resuming the contemplation of his own suit. They were in a luxury boutique, where each suit must have cost three times Jimin's salary, but he decided to please Yoongi anyway and set off in search of the rare pearl. The wedding wasn't far off now, barely a week away, and his best friend was about to change his surname. It was both exciting and terrifying. Everyone was hooked on the news, and the big Jeon wedding was going to be broadcast on TV to mark the event. Everyone still remembered the eldest Jeon's big wedding, a party that had been celebrated by vampires for an entire month. Jimin still remembered the complaints of his best friend, who had been forced out of work by Mister Choi, and who had insisted on covering the event himself.

Jimin's fingers brushed the soft fabrics as he searched for the colors Taehyung had indicated for the witnesses: red and black for the vampires, white and ecru for the humans. Jimin had to choose a white suit. All the ones in this store were sumptuous, unparalleled in beauty, and as he tried to decide which would suit him best, a salesman approached him, a charming smile on his lips, making Jimin uncomfortable. Jimin wasn't a racist, but ghouls always put him on the defensive. Unpredictable, some thought they could do anything because they had the right to harvest for food, and abused it.

“- Can I help you?

- Unfortunately, no. Not yet.

- Please don't hesitate to call on me. I'll support you in your choice.

- Thank you.”

Jimin leaves the white suits to explore other styles and move away from the curious gaze. He lets his eyes wander over the various suits again, flinching slightly when a hand grabs his hips. The salty smell typical of the species sickens him, and Jimin pushes the ghoul away a little less politely, his eyes flashing, as he backs away, now more on the defensive, wondering what could have been going through this man's head.

“- Don't touch me.

- Oh come on, don't be coy. I know you want this.

- A suit. That's all I want.

- They all say that, and then they want more.”

Jimin shivers with fright, looking around for Yoongi, but he doesn't seem to be there. So he turns to the ghoul, who certainly had a name, but Jimin had no desire to know it. He raised his hand, ready to defend himself with a spell. He'd probably turn him into a frog or a rabbit if the man tried anything more. The other seems almost amused by his reaction, and the ghoul takes a step forward, his eyes shining with an unsettling glint. Ghouls don't have glowing eyes; only vampires do, inherited from their ancestors. So why did this ghoul have glowing eyes?

This destabilized Jimin enough for the ghoul to grab him, covering his mouth with a dry hand, terrifying him completely. Jimin tries to struggle, unable to concentrate on casting a spell, convinced that this was the end for him. But blood spatters the white suits as Yoongi's hand passes through the ghoul's head. Jimin screams in terror, now that he's free, backing up and knocking over shelves, while Yoongi stares at the dead man with an indescribable expression.

“- Damn it.”

-x-

Elyzabeth was reading one of her many books on her high shelves, when the new head walked through the door of her store. Her eyes were already raised to the sky, while Heisukei seemed delighted to see that she was still there. The man seemed about to tell her the best news in the world, as he joined the counter under the witch's dubious gaze. No words were exchanged before she decided to close the book with a wave of her hand, leaving him to hover, while Elyzabeth finally turned to him.

He was elegantly dressed, which was rare for him. His suits were usually aged or downright awful, which meant he'd probably attended a meeting of vital importance to him. Good for him, Elyzabeth didn't care now, but curiosity burned: why on earth had he come here?

“- Heisukei.

- Mr. Damarro for you. Sluts aren't allowed to call me by my first name.

- And your kind aren't allowed to set foot in my store.

- My kind? I thought we were the same. Wizards understand each other, don't they?”

Once again, she rolled her eyes before joining the counter. Potions and shelves closed with a snap of her fingers, making it clear to Heisukei that she wouldn't sell him anything, even if he begged her on his knees. This seemed to make the man in front of her laugh. Elyzabeth wondered how her father could have made him a friend. When you knew both men, you knew they couldn't stand each other in the same room: too full of themselves, too sure of themselves. Supposedly perfect beings, just because they had a big name. Heisukei disgusted her, but she said nothing more, waiting for him to speak, either to make a fool of himself or to be venomous, as usual. But this time, he remained strangely silent, delighted. Finally, he handed her a piece of paper signed by his father. Gregory Ivanovich was an acerbic man, enough so that Elyzabeth had cut all ties with him since her marriage to Heisukei. Clearly, this man had no shame.

“- What's this?

- The agreement between Gregory Ivanovich and myself. The store is mine.

- Oh? Really?”

A laugh crossed Elyzabeth's lips as the paper caught fire under Heisukei's surprised gaze. She shook her head negatively, as if trying not to laugh, before finally letting out a mocking glare. Her usually tender gaze seemed much darker this time, and she pointed a threatening finger at this man who was clearly worth less than half a liter of frog juice.

“- Let me be clear, Heisukei: get the hell out of my store. Gregory has no right to it, a human has no power over such things. Get out of my life without making any more waves. - You little pest. How dare you speak to me like that? Do you know who I am, or do I need to remind you?

- You're nothing but a rat. Go back to your naive little teenage girls. But don't think you can come and take what you've never had a right to.”

Surprise, anger and then amusement crossed Heisukei's eyes, as a bitter sneer escaped his lips. He looked at the witch with his characteristically evil expression, before turning his back on her, adding a final word.

“- We'll see, when I ascend to the mayor's office. I'll shut this dump down.

- In your dreams.

- Wait and see, you'll be begging me to take you back."

The door slammed as Elyzabeth pinched her bottom lip, running a hand through her hair before resting it on her gently rounding belly. A slight smile grazed her lips as she already imagined this little being moving, kicking. For the moment, it wasn't moving yet, but it was a real morfale, like any growing demon.

“- Did you see that? It's a good thing your daddy isn't like him. A real brainless idiot.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XVI |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- Welcome. I apologize for the mess, I've never welcomed a human into my kitchen… You look a little peaked, I hope it's not contagious?”

Taehyung feels small in Seokjin's restaurant, his dream tasting bitter against his lips, but he doesn't comment on it. The head of the ghoul family looks absolutely nothing like any of the photos he'd seen recently. His hair pink, his skin gray, his teeth sharp, a shiver of terror runs down his back as the restaurant chef has a mocking laugh.

“- Come on, take a seat. I promise, I only bite those who have signed a contract.

- Mr. Kim…

- Oh, don't call me Mister. Call me Jin, Jungkook's friends are my friends, so imagine his lovers.”

Taehyung smiles, a little reassured, before settling into the chair presented to him, in front of him an ordinary round table. Everything is simple and calm, and he would have thought he'd seen a much more eccentric establishment. But the reality is quite different: the ghouls' restaurant is a traditional place, with tatami mats on the floor, wooden walls and a rustic table. The establishment, passed from hand to hand, has retained its old-fashioned charm. Even the bottles of water presented here seem to date back ten centuries. And the bouquet of flowers engraved in the crystal makes him cringe. He lets his fingers run against the object, pensive as Jin himself comes to present the three starters he had in mind.

“They're beautiful, aren't they? The bottles were blown into the mountain behind, there used to grow lilies like no other.

- Don't they grow there anymore?

- Not for at least six centuries now.”

A disappointed little “oh” passes Taehyung's lips, as he sets the bottle back down on the table, resuming what he'd come here for in the first place. The wedding appetizers seem simple. Simple hard-boiled eggs with salad around them, a plate of pâté for another, and the last one looks like something Taehyung doesn't even want to touch. The human seems a little disappointed; his own restaurant section showcased the ghoul's culinary prowess, and he's treated to such mediocre starters? Taehyung wrinkles his nose, under the laughing gaze of Jin, who doesn't seem surprised by his reaction. In fact, he already seems ready to defend himself.

“- Jungkook asked me for simple things. I present simple things.

- How about a traditional entrée? I saw you had some on the menu.

- Oh, so you're ready to test your culinary skills? Tell me the piece of your choice, and I'll introduce you to another world.

- … I was thinking duck? It's… a bit surprising duck, isn't it?”

Seokjin looks at Taehyung a little frustrated, his smile fading, as he nods a little, taking note in his order book, muttering things like yes, the duck was surprising. But he makes no negative comment on the fact that Taehyung doesn't choose human. Dishes barely touched leave as they arrived, to be replaced by the main course. More traditional touches make their way onto the plate this time, and Jin seems to have followed Taehyung's wishes, as more meat and effort have been put in. This time, the human seems far more attracted to the meals, even hesitating to put them all in his mouth at once. The first main course is a bowl of noodles in three flavors, with the noodles themselves providing all the flavor, and the meat just a plus. But Taehyung has a preference for the second course; the colorful plate is gorgeous, the beautifully cut vegetables seem to make a circle around the chicken, every bite is heavenly, before Taehyung points to it under a reassured look from Jin.

“- The second one? With modifications?

- My grandmother's allergic to zucchini, so can we use bell pepper for her instead?

- No problem. The new starters will be here soon, then we'll move on to the cakes. In the meantime, let me treat you to your wedding appetizers.”

Taehyung smiles at him, waiting for the amuse-bouches to be laid out in front of him before pecking into them. The restaurant room is silent, so it surprises him when he hears a deep voice pass by, and two hands rest against his eyes, before withdrawing as abruptly as he screamed in terror.

“- Oh shit, I'm sorry. I thought you were Seokjin! I forgot you were coming for the tastings.

- Taehyung? Is something wrong? Oh.”

Kim Namjoon runs a hand through his hair as he pinches his lower lip, clearly sorry for scaring off one of Jin's customers. The ghoul huffs and puffs, reassured that no one will try to eat the vampire's future husband while his back is turned. Gently, he comes to kiss the zombie, under Taehyung's surprised gaze. It was no secret that Namjoon and Seokjin had been a couple for almost ten years, but it still surprised him to see them together. After all, outside of their intimacy, the two men were devoutly silent, hardly ever showing anything sentimental.

“- Will you keep my difficult guest company? I've got some entrees to finish.

- I'd love to.

- And don't scare him any more than you are now, will you?”

Namjoon sighed this time, and dropped nonchalantly in front of Taehyung, giving him a hard stare. Or maybe it was just the natural zombie look, he didn't know. There was a slightly heavy silence as Taehyung hesitantly picked at his appetizers before Namjoon spoke up.

“- Have you thought about seeing a doctor?

- I was going to after the wedding tastings.

- Yeah, well, feel free to go. You really don't look well.”

It was a fact of life; he hadn't known it could show so much on his features, but he wasn't feeling well. He felt nauseous, and the idea that he might have been poisoned passed through his mind, quickly withdrawn by the fact that there was no reason for it to happen. He'd never done anything to Seokjin or Namjoon, other than marry their vampire friend. So normally, he wouldn't end up as blanquette for lunch. Besides, he'd been feeling ill all morning; it would be hypocritical to say otherwise.

“- Don't scare my guest away, I don't have much time before the wedding.

- Excuse me for saying things that are really true, but he looks like he's going to fall ill any minute.

- You do look pale. Eat this and I'll give the bits of cake to Jungkook. Go and see Granny Ivanovich. She'll be able to help you.”

Taehyung looks disappointed, but he doesn't make any bad comments, agreeing to go and get treated. When he has the packet of cold medicine, he returns to the warmth of Jungkook's house, far too small now that he thinks about it to accommodate a newborn. He can see him facing the fair in front of him, the walking mess of a newlywed's life with child making him laugh softly, as a soaked Jungkook emerges from a bathroom looking more like a lake now.

“- You're home? Ooh, you look awful.

- I know, I've got a bad cold.

- Well, you get some rest then, and I'll go tidy up. And see if there are any bigger houses. We're barely turning in here.

- You bought enough stuff for the next eighteen years too. You should have told me, I would have come.

- I know, I know you did. But I wanted to do right by my son, you understand?”

It sounds almost like a reproach, but Taehyung doesn't have time to say anything. He pinches his lower lip as he watches Jungkook run off to do something else, before finally going to the bedroom, the only place untouched by the Kiyeon storm. He eases himself into bed, taking two of the tablets which he swallows without water, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Sleep would do him a world of good, and he'd forget all the little aches and pains of the day.

“- Are you still here?

- You're the one who came to this side of the border, you don't belong here.

- Don't you have a home? Or even parents?”

The same scene again, the two children stare at each other, the rain seems about to fall, and Taehyung can still only be a spectator. The scent of lilies envelops him, and he recognizes the ones that were on the bottles in the restaurant. His nose wrinkles; it was impossible for him to have this kind of dream, only divinatory wizards could see the old days so clearly. Yet he could almost touch the petals with his trembling fingers, or pluck one. A thunderstorm rages in the distance, rousing him from his torpor, as Miyako looks at Lily, finally handing her something Taehyung can't see.

“- Here.

- What's this?

- Just take it. You never know when to stop asking questions, do you?

- I don't want it, keep it.”

The little vampire sighs, tossing the book to the ground, before turning his back on her to run elsewhere, away from the rain. Lily takes a moment to reflect before picking up the object, reading the lines with a slightly surprised expression.

“- It looks like a lousy book.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XIV |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- Elyzabeth. I need your help.”

The young witch looked up with eyes sparkling with curiosity at the new arrival in the store. Jimin seemed to be in the midst of a personal storm: sweaty hands, shifty eyes, he was on the verge of imploding. Elyzabeth gently pointed to one of the seats opposite her. The store was rather quiet today, enough for her to pour herself a cup of very sweet cinnamon tea. Jimin politely refused the cup despite the young woman's adorable pout, who didn't quite understand why but eventually let it go. Nevertheless, she offered him a cake. This time, Jimin accepted, biting into it with a kind of rage, before resuming his train of thought.

“- Min Yoongi is going to kill me.

- What did he do this time?

- You mean what didn't he do? No criticism, no inappropriate remarks, no uninvited intrusions into my home.

- Isn't that what you wanted?

- Yes, of course it is! But at the same time… It's weird, it's like he's up to something.”

Elyzabeth looked at him with a thin smile as Jimin dropped his head on the table with a sound of intense frustration. He was at his wits' end, overwhelmed by wedding preparations and the upcoming birth of Elyzabeth's baby. Taehyung had made the front page of the local and TV papers, and the news had already circled the globe three times. She was divorcing Heisukei, and Jung Hoseok was about to become a father, a real bombshell in both worlds. Not to mention Lysa, who had totally disappeared with Jungkook's son. It wasn't a great loss for Jimin, but he could sense that it was affecting Taehyung, eager to make his relationship work. Jungkook, on the other hand, was determined to find his son and raise him properly.

Elyzabeth remained silent, letting Jimin calm down before speaking in a softer voice than usual, playing with the liquid in her cup.

“- Maybe he knows something? Or maybe he's just giving you time to get your life back in order before coming to harass you again.

- Showing kindness? Never. Min Yoongi is a workaholic, with no feelings for anyone but himself.”

The words were harsh, and Jimin seemed to regret having uttered them. He'd always had a soft spot for Yoongi, which was obviously a secret only to him, who didn't seem to care. Jimin and Yoongi had met five years earlier, when Jimin was still a teenager. He had come across one of Yoongi's old records, and it was love at first sight. Jimin had fallen head over heels in love with the man, to the point of wanting to know everything about him: his life, his death, his business, his plans.

He'd always nurtured the somewhat lopsided hope that Yoongi would only have eyes for him. But Yoongi, a ghost in his own right, was absorbed in his work, and obviously, love had no place in his agenda.

A chuckle escaped Elyzabeth's lips. These two were soul mates made for each other, but she'd never spoken to them about it. It wasn't her role to upset their destiny, even if sometimes she felt like shaking them into finally opening their eyes.

“- Did you talk to her about it?

- No, I haven't. What do you want him to tell me anyway?

- Try to communicate a little more, both of you. You'll see, everything will be better.

- I don't know, he just… He never listens to me, and it always ends in a fight.”

Jimin looked desperate, his head rolling back onto the table. Elyzabeth sighed softly, stood up to stretch her back, and went to the back of the store. She returned with a pink-and-blue sachet, giving off a strong scent of tangerine and orange, which she handed to Jimin, a little lost.

“- Here, he ordered this two weeks ago and never came to pick it up.

- Do you want me to become his personal stooge?

- No, I don't want you to. I want you to make a gesture of kindness, and let a real conversation take place between the two of you.”

Jimin simply nodded, taking the bag with a sulky pout before leaving the store, not sure he'd gotten the help he'd hoped for. Elyzabeth sighed softly, picking up her cup of tea again and sniffing the sweet smell it gave off.

“- Elyzabeth, Heisukei will be here soon.

- I know, Grandma.”

-x-

Min Yoongi's home looked like a still-life setting, mixed with an idyllic scene: a natural waterfall flowed into a man-made lake surrounding the house. Jimin had never set foot in Min Yoongi's home, and it had to be said, it was a little confusing. The setting wasn't what you'd imagine for a rich man's home. It was a small villa with a balcony overlooking the city, plants drooping down the walls. It looked like the home of a woodland witch, if such things still existed. The scent of flowers relaxed him a little as he timidly rang the bell.

The door opened quickly, but Yoongi didn't appear. After a moment's hesitation, Jimin stepped inside, removing his shoes as the door closed behind him. Inside, the atmosphere resembled that of haunted houses in horror movies: dusty white sheets covered the furniture, the magnificent parquet floor seemed to date from another century, and Jimin felt very small.

“- Mister Min, are you there?”

No answer.

“- It's Jimin… I've got a cupcake delivery for you.”

He searched for a switch, or anything that might turn on the lights. His fingers slid along the rough walls when, suddenly, everything lit up. Yoongi appeared, book in hand, with a stern yet curious look on his face, surely wondering what Jimin was doing at home.

“- Didn't anyone ever teach you that you should never enter a haunted house?

- Not really…

- Well, now you know. It's not safe. You could get hurt.”

The concern in the rapper's eyes relaxed Jimin a little, who pretended to grumble as he held up the bag of sweets, eliciting only a slight eyebrow raise from Yoongi, whose stern look relaxed slightly.

“- Do the Ivanovichs do home deliveries now?

- No. I'm doing the mother-to-be a favor. I'm doing the mother-to-be a favor.

- So the rumors are true? Miss Ivanovich is pregnant?”

This didn't seem to surprise Yoongi, and Jimin placed the bag on the table. A heavy silence fell, and Yoongi, indifferent, plunged back into his book. Jimin, for his part, felt uneasy. Dealing with his feelings was difficult, but keeping them to himself was even more so. Finally, he nodded and made the most difficult decision of his life.

“- So, see you at the office?

- I'll see you there.

- Perfect.”

Yoongi arched an eyebrow as he watched him go. He pinched his thigh to punish himself for his stupidity. Acting detached was clearly not the best of seduction techniques. He had to restrain himself from catching up with him, just to smell his scent or touch his soft, warm skin. A sigh escaped his lips as he dropped his book without writing anything in it.

In another part of the mansion, a servant whispered to Yoongi:

“- Mister Min?

- Not now.

- Mister Jeon is waiting for you. All that's missing is you.”

Yoongi ran a hand through his hair before reaching a hidden door behind the dilapidated stairs. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the immense estate to take his seat at a table surrounded by his peers. Everyone was staring at the multicolored, previously faded crystal, which suddenly began to glow.

“- Gentlemen, we are entering a new era. The prophecy is about to come true.

- Is it not rather a curse?

- The stars will align perfectly on the day of the celebration of new vows between a vampire leader and a human.”

All eyes turned to Jungkook, who remained impassive.

“- I won't annul my marriage to Taehyung for such nonsense.

- So, why are we here?

- Lysa's been found. I need your help to get my son back.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XIII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

Jung Hoseok had no real ritual in his daily life. He lived a little from day to day, hoping to find good company or simply a few souls to serve him. It must have been around midnight when the doorbell rang, making him look up at the mansion's grand clock. The Underworld wasn't a very welcoming place. No one really liked to visit Lucifer's son in person, preferring to meet him in the beauty of the world above. So Hoseok dragged his feet to the huge doors, at least three times his size, wondering who could be bothering him at such a late hour. He hoped his surprise guest had a good reason to spoil his intimate moment with his pot of mint chocolate chip ice cream. An Ivanovich, obviously.

“- Elyzabeth?

- I… I need to talk to you… Can I come in?”

The demon's eyes gaze down at her. She's barely dressed in a nightgown that doesn't even cover her properly. She seems to have undergone the greatest ordeal of a lifetime, and Hoseok has to contain himself so as not to come out of his lair and go destroy the creep that was his beloved's husband. Without hesitation, he steps aside to let her in. She's shaken, shocked, trembling, and seems on the verge of collapse as she struggles to calm her asthma attack. Hoseok stays by her side to make sure she's all right, snapping his fingers to order his imps to bring him something to warm the new arrival, and quickly. He helps her settle on the sofa, then runs to fetch a cup of hot coffee, accompanied by small cookies homemade that very morning, waiting patiently for her to calm down so he can resume the conversation.

“- Heisukei kicked me out. He doesn't want to see me anymore, ever. He's going to ask for a divorce.

- What happened?

- He found out you and I were having an affair.

- How did he find out? That journalist creep said it? I swear I'm going to…

- No, you won't. Taehyung had absolutely nothing to do with it. Heisukei came across the pregnancy test I took.”

It takes a moment for the news to reach Hoseok's brain. His gaze remains lost for a second, before his eyes suddenly widen. He turned completely towards her, trying to understand what she had just said. Elyzabeth was pregnant. She hadn't slept with her husband in two years, since he'd made the despicable decision to cheat on his wife with one of his sophisticated magic students. Hoseok was the only man she'd had in bed since that incident. That could only mean one thing.

“- You're pregnant with my child.

- Who else do you want me to be?”

She stared at him, probably wondering if he had enough intelligence to raise a child. Hoseok, for his part, allows a smile to form on his lips. But his eyes also caught the marks on Elyzabeth's body. The bastard had surely tried to make the baby disappear. Hoseok couldn't stay calm and abruptly stood up, ready to put an end to the rotten wizard's life, but Elyzabeth's wounded little hand held him back, preventing him from committing a crime on her behalf. Obviously, Hoseok wasn't risking much, but she preferred not to take any chances. She couldn't see herself telling their future child that her father had turned to sushi. Elyzabeth played with her fingers, while Hoseok immediately calmed down, a million incoherent thoughts crossing his eyes. Then, a radiant smile finally lights up his face.

“- I'm going to be a dad.

- Yes.”

They both burst out laughing before kissing. They would no longer need to hide, no longer need to remain in the shadows. Hoseok felt the irresistible urge to pick up the phone, to call that despicable human and tell him the big news. He wants to shout it from the rooftops, hold a press conference, let the world know that he's about to become a father. But Elyzabeth brings him back down to earth. It was one o'clock in the morning, and Taehyung was with Jungkook. That meant they either had to sleep or… make babies. It was a bad idea to interrupt a vampire in the midst of procreation; it would be signing his death warrant. Very bad idea. Hoseok, like a euphoric child, couldn't settle down. He was going to be a father. But there was no room ready, no place to welcome a baby. And if it was a wizard, it would need daylight to grow properly. If it was a demon, it would need the dark corridors of the Underworld and fallen souls. No one had ever heard of hybridization between a demon and another species. Normally, the baby had to be either one or the other. Not both. Yet Hoseok had a doubt, if only for a moment, as he looked at his divining witch, as if she already held the answer.

“- No, you know I can't guess my own future.

- Let's ask Granny Ivanovich.

- Why should we? There's never been any problem with that.

- But there's never been a vampire marking a human before either.”

Hoseok's words make sense, enough to make Elyzabeth hesitate for the first time. She remained silent before nodding. The very next day, she would go with Hoseok to consult their future. And that of the little being growing inside her womb. Elyzabeth couldn't help smiling as she placed her hand on the new life. Hoseok embraces her passionately, wrapping his fingers around her belly as if he were holding the universe itself in his hands.

“- We're going to have a baby. A little being… Who do you think he'll look like?

- Me, of course.”

Hoseok puts on a falsely outraged face, which makes Elyzabeth burst out laughing. He follows her laughter with a loving hug. Hoseok promises himself: even if he had to destroy the world for this baby, he'd do it without hesitation. The world would disappear beneath his fingers if he had to. It was still very early when Hoseok and Elyzabeth went to old Mamie Ivanovich's divination salon. Mamie Ivanovich was an elderly woman, one of the oldest witches still alive in the world. Many rumors circulated about her, but she never said anything. Some thought she was science itself, others that she came from a time long past. She also possessed the largest grimoire of any witch. A grimoire so imposing that it couldn't levitate in front of her like the others; she had to put it on a desk. But to be perfectly honest, Granny Ivanovich didn't need it for this kind of séance. All she needed were a few candles and closed curtains. Everything took place in smoke and silence. She was not to be disturbed during her work, or face severe reprisals. Many people had already been banned from her salon for a simple misplaced laugh.

“- Oh, my children, I see a lot of problems with this pregnancy.

- Problems, Mamie?

- Nothing insurmountable, of course. But beware, shadows of evil will try to get in your way.

- What shadows of evil?

- I don't know.”

The old woman seems doubtful, searching the thick mist for more precise information. Unfortunately, for some time now, the magic of divination had become uncertain, unreliable. Not to say almost imperceptible. Mamie Ivanovich blew on the candles, stroking her chin in the manner of the great sages, her eyes marked by a life too full of knowledge. Knowledge was sometimes not the best solution, but it did make it easier to face challenges.

“Young people, a historic turning point is approaching. The world as we know it is about to change. Beware of the wolves that will devour you, fight for the right causes and you'll be saved. Or let the shadows swallow you up. The choice is yours.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- No one has ever heard of two markings. A vampire can only have one soul mate, otherwise it would become anything.”

Elyzabeth crosses her arms over her chest, her slightly panicked gaze fixed on the window. She puffs out her cheeks before snapping her fingers and rummaging between the pages of an old book. Her finger slides across pages that smell of mint and poppy, then she wrinkles her nose further, visibly frustrated. She moves her finger again and sighs deeply.

“- In any case, no witch has ever heard of it.

- So, what's that on Lysa's shoulder?”

Jungkook runs a hand through his hair, restraining himself from letting his bitterness show. He knew that Taehyung was his soul mate. He'd understood it the day their eyes had met in that nightclub. Lysa had already tried to brand other vampires, but she'd never managed to get a real mark. This made him angry. He drops onto the sofa, both hands running through his hair, as Elyzabeth's accusing gaze falls on him, without her saying a word. She has that expression of someone who thinks “I told you so” while remaining judgmental without escalating the situation.

“- Taehyung gets sick when we don't talk.

- I know, Jimin told me.

- I can feel when he's not well, every change of emotion bursts like fireworks inside me. And I don't know how to handle it.

- Learn to dance to the same rhythm as his. You're doing a shaky tango. Try to make it natural. Explain things to him, lay a solid foundation.

- He'll never listen to me… I scared him… I hurt him.

- Then apologize. I'll find out about Lysa's mark. Maybe other witches have heard of it, who knows?

- Okay, fine. Okay.”

Resigned, Jungkook rises from his chair, grabs his suit jacket and heads for the exit. He understands why Elyzabeth was taking small glances outside. As he passes the Ivanovich house, he notices Heisukei's large, dark car parked directly opposite. Their eyes met and glanced at each other from a distance before Jungkook arrogantly looked away, returning to his own car without creating a fuss. To be honest, he'd never liked Heisukei. He found him a strange, elusive specimen. In his eyes, Heisukei should never have joined the witchcraft faculty; it was a bad idea. But Jungkook had no say in the matter, his father being the head of the circle at the time. Even though the majority had voted against his admission, no one had ever understood how he'd gotten the job. Probably another deception, but that didn't matter to Jungkook at the moment. His priority was to reach Taehyung, apologize, and find the right words. Whatever happened, they were in this together.

In front of Taehyung's house, all seemed religiously calm. Jungkook doesn't even have time to knock before the door opens on a distraught Choi-Mi.

“Choi-Mi?

- Mr. Kim is not well! Not well at all!

- Calm down, take me to see him.

- I can't take…

- Why can't you?

- Mr. Kim isn't here. I don't know where he is! Has he deserted me? He abandoned Choi-Mi?”

Jungkook felt his blood boil, looking around the impeccably tidy apartment. He notices a note that the zombie must have read. He tries to reassure her and rushes to read the letter. He reads it carefully twice, wrinkles his nose and sighs with relief. Looking at Choi-Mi, who was in tears, he smiled gently. These zombies were so sensitive, almost like children, which amused Jungkook.

“- Taehyung hasn't abandoned you, Choi-Mi. He's just gone for some fresh air. He'll be back in an hour.

- Oh. He wrote this?

- Yes. Can't you read?”

Without embarrassment, Choi-Mi shrugs, answering that no, she'd never found it useful. Jungkook nods with a smile, holding back a laugh. For a moment, he observed Taehyung's apartment, a place where her scent was omnipresent. With every breath, he felt as if he could smell him near him. He gently asks Choi-Mi to return to her duties. She happily complies, dragging a laundry basket to the terrace with difficulty, which makes Jungkook laugh. He heads for the bedroom, glancing around. It's a simple room: a double bed, two bedside tables, a dressing table. He moves closer to look inside, touching the colorful clothes, a far cry from the dark tones of his own wardrobe. He lets his fingers glide over the fabrics, inhaling Taehyung's scent like a drug. He doesn't realize Taehyung's presence until Taehyung restrains his hand, preventing him from giving in to his urges.

“- Not on clean clothes, Jungkook. Let's see.

- You're home.”

As if in disbelief, Jungkook seems relieved to see Taehyung. He kisses him passionately, but quickly calms down as he feels Taehyung tense under his fingers in a way that wasn't pleasant. The human's pleading gaze made it clear that he didn't want to be hurt, which drew a tender, ashamed smile from Jungkook, aware of the fear he may have aroused in himself.

“- Taehyung, listen to me.

- I'm…

- I'm sorry. I behaved badly. There's no excuse for it. But you can't hate me. I don't know your feelings, I don't know what you're going through or how you're going through it. But I know how I live it, and I'm not happy when we fight.

- I don't understand myself, Jungkook… I'm never like this! I'm afraid of everything that happens to me, of what it does to me…”

Jungkook takes him in his arms and helps him make himself comfortable on the bed. He strokes his back, trying to relax him, then closes his eyes to immerse himself in their shared scent.

“- When a vampire of my blood marks someone, our bloods mingle. I need your blood to survive, but you need my bites too. Otherwise, you'll suffer from Corrupted Blood Syndrome.

- Let me guess, you feel sick to death?

- Exactly. Your blood now contains vampiric toxins. That's what makes you sick when you're away from me. Our bloods are mixing, and that can be deadly for a human.”

Taehyung nods, digesting the information, before staring at the ceiling. He nibbles his lower lip, plays with his sleeves, then finally asks the question that burns him.

“- What about Lysa? How does it work?

- I can only mark one person. It's to preserve the pureblood line.

- It's not going to get much bigger with me.

- That's true.”

The atmosphere relaxes. Taehyung watches Jungkook, caressing his lips to reveal his fangs. They're white, shiny, and Jungkook nibbles gently on Taehyung's thumb, making him laugh. The vampire revels in the moment. Taehyung has a million questions on his mind, but he finally finds one that particularly burns his lips.

“- Does this mean… you're in love with me?

- Yes, it does. I'm completely crazy about you.

- Because of the branding?

- No. Because… Because you're just the person I need. Whether I were a vampire, a human, or even a mop, I would have chosen you.

- You're comparing me to a mop?”

Taehyung's fake pout makes Jungkook panic, but Taehyung bursts out laughing. Surprised, the vampire joins in the infectious laughter before rolling on top of him to kiss him. They're like two inseparable magnets, and Taehyung's arms encircle Jungkook as their hearts beat in unison. Yet Taehyung still wonders if vampires really have a heart beating in their chest.

“- What now?

- We get rid of Lysa. Then we'll get married. And nothing will ever come between us again.

- I never want to feel this weak or terrified again. I want us to be able to communicate without you threatening to kill my friends.

- … I promise I'll never do it again. It was small of me. I should never have threatened Elyzabeth… or Jimin.”

Taehyung nods softly, letting Jungkook kiss him again, this time with more depth. Their bodies melt together in a sensual waltz, interrupted abruptly when Choi-Mi enters the room without any embarrassment.

“- Is Mr. Jeon having dinner with us tonight? I'm planning to make bibimbap and lemon rice.

- … Yes, Choi-Mi. I'm staying for dinner tonight.

- Very well, then. You have one hour to complete your activities. I'll pick you up for dinner. Please try to be dressed.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : XI |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

Jimin raises a surprised eyebrow at the last sentence, lost in seeing the spirit chief in his living room, rolling his eyes at the carnage that has been wrought. Jimin recovers quickly, and with a snap of his fingers puts his house back in order, before clearing his throat. Yoongi looks around, hands deep in his pockets, a slight bitter laugh on his lips.

“- Jungkook really screwed up, huh?

- What the hell are you doing here?

- You didn't come to work.

- I've been busy.

- I can see that.”

No mockery in Yoongi's voice, who simply walks around the house before returning to Jimin, who seems to be trying to figure out what his boss is doing here in such a humiliating situation. Jimin looks down at his hands, playing with his fingers as he tries to remain stoic, while Yoongi fixes him with an unusual gaze, as if trying to fathom his soul. Finally, his boss looks away, pointing at something in the ceiling.

“- There are cameras. Your landlord obviously installed some to spy on you.

- Excuse me?”

Jimin goes from shyness to terror, scanning where Yoongi is pointing, looking for something that might indicate the presence of a camera, but he sees nothing. Spied on? Normally, all his spells are working properly. No camera should be able to penetrate his defenses, no one should be able to spy on him. But Yoongi only has to float to the wall to detach a small device, showing it off proudly before looking falsely apologetic. Jimin runs a hand through his blond hair, cursing himself for not having seen anything. He took a few deep breaths, then kicked a chair that was just lying there, anger driving him mad. How could he have missed this? Jimin feels sick, nauseous, and Yoongi comes over to pat his shoulder sympathetically.

“- I've notified the police. Mr. Kim will do something about your landlord.

- Mr. Kim? Namjoon? The direct chief of police?

- Yes, himself. Your landlord did something bad. He'll get the worst sentence, believe me.

- Which one?

- Being served sushi at the restaurant of Seokjin, Namjoon's husband, let's see.”

Jimin blinks a few times, opening his mouth only to close it again, as he listens to his boss tell him what's next. Yoongi has a house to offer him, or rather to lend him, somewhere in the rich districts. In reality, Yoongi didn't give him time to answer and took him straight to the villa, which was obviously abandoned. Everyone had already heard of this place; it was Min Yoongi's old house, the one that had gone up in flames when he committed suicide. But Jimin says nothing, the incident seems to have been repaired, leaving the place now welcoming. The modernity is also reflected in the colors, with white and black, which makes Jimin nod gently.

“- So?

- What's up?

- Do you like your house?

- Yes, I like it… I think so.”

Yoongi looks proud while Jimin looks small. He's a bit sullen as he visits; he doesn't really like the idea of being offered a place to live. Jimin has always lived on his own; he's never been given anything as a gift, apart from an expensive sweater he couldn't refuse from Taehyung for a birthday years ago. Yoongi notices this, so he clears his throat.

“- Can you pay me back if you feel like it? Give me the price, and I'll deduct it from your salary.

- I'll… Okay. Yes. That sounds good.”

A smile finally appears on Jimin's face as he looks around, his eyes searching for the slightest imperfection or place where he could put his things. He seems delighted by this new opportunity, exhilarated by the idea of finally having a home of his own. Jimin had never thought he'd one day become a homeowner, far too entrenched in his tidy little life, going round in circles for years.

“- Perfect. I'll send you the papers tomorrow.

- Perfect.”

Taehyung's head spins as he searches for a landmark. The black sheets of Jungkook's bed wrinkle his nose. He straightens abruptly, looks around, trying to figure out what's going on. He'd said he didn't want to see him anymore, so why has Jungkook kidnapped him again? Frustrated, Taehyung abruptly straightens up, but his breath catches when he sees Jungkook standing in front of the window, cigarette in hand, throwing the smoke outside. The scene is nothing special, just Jungkook living it up, but Taehyung gasps for breath, trying to say something, but nothing comes. Jungkook raises a cold eyebrow at him, then leaps to join him, holding back to hug him.

“- You're finally awake. How do you feel?

- What am I doing here? Why are you here too?

- Taehyung, listen to me…

- I won't listen to you. I don't want to listen to you! You're a liar! A heartbreaker! I thought I was special!”

He throws a pillow in his face, and Jungkook lets him, hurt by Taehyung's words, but says nothing. He wants to let him express his anger. Slowly, he moves closer, raising a hand to touch him, but Taehyung pushes it away and hurriedly stands up. Jungkook is frustrated, a terrifying frustration. He slams Taehyung against a wooden panel, hitting him with a violence that cracks the door and makes the human bleed. But neither speaks, nor cares; Taehyung is too shocked, and Jungkook too angry to care. Jungkook's eyes aren't red as usual; they glow terrifyingly, a deep red. A bloody red that sends a long, icy shiver through Taehyung's body.

“- You don't understand, Taehyung, do you? You don't understand a thing.

- Don't I? Then enlighten me. Go ahead, since you seem to know better than me.

- If you do it again, I'll destroy the world. I'll kill your best friend and feast on his blood. Then I'll drain Elyzabeth of her blood, and if that's not enough to appease my anger, I'll attack everything you hold dear.”

Taehyung understood from Jungkook's acid voice that he was telling the truth. It wasn't an idle threat. And for the first time in his life, Taehyung feels genuine fear grip his throat. A squeak of submission escaped his lips, as Jungkook towered over him completely, bringing his eager mouth to his throat, reveling in the divine nectar that flowed easily down his throat, soothing him better than any antidepressant. Taehyung moans a little more; it's not the usual gentle, kind bite that makes him euphoric, it's a painful, burning bite against his skin. He tries to push it away, tears in his eyes, but Jungkook holds firm, clinging shamelessly to his throat.

“- You're hurting me! Stop this!

- You belong to me, Taehyung, you understand? Mine.”

The vampire scares him, freezes his blood. So he remains silent, growing smaller under this oppressive aura, his trembling tears running down his cheeks as Jungkook restrains himself from doing worse, from rushing him further. Taehyung trembles in terror, which finally makes Jungkook realize the interstellar bullshit he's just committed. He shakes his head abruptly, as if awakening from an unfamiliar torpor, and knocks on the wooden door, which shatters with an explosive thud. Jungkook turns his back on Taehyung to calm himself, taking deep breaths, before speaking in a hoarse voice.

“- Go away.

- Jungkook, I…

- Go away! Go away! Before I do something I'll regret even more.”

Taehyung doesn't say it twice, turning his back to quickly make his way to the exit, under the sorry and surprised gaze of Jungkook's mother. She watches her son with an accusing eye, but also with a mother's concern.

“- Jungkook. You can't do that.

- I don't know what to do, Mom… I can't control myself… I don't…

- The problem lies elsewhere. Don't fight him. Fight with him.”

Jungkook raises a tearful eyebrow at his mother, as she comes to embrace him in a purely maternal gesture. Jungkook responds with the rage of a self-disappointed son.

“- I'll call Granny Ivanovich. Everything will be all right. But you, do something for Lysa.

- You can count on me to be a good son this time. I won't let you down.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : VIII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“- Hi, gorgeous, what are you doing here?

- Don't I have a right to want to come and see you?

- What will your husband think if he finds out?

- He's away with his little students, I think he's more interested in looking up their skirts.

- So what are we waiting for?”

Jung Hoseok caresses the witch's cheek, coming to kiss Elyzabeth with all the tenderness he could muster, and she doesn't wait to respond. The two looked at each other, tenderness and love mingling, before Hoseok began to look around, under the amused gaze of the beautiful Elyzabeth, who also looked on with a light laugh.

“- What, your lover can fall on us?

- If my lover was Kim Taehyung, I'd be in trouble, this meddling guy wanted me to tell him about our relationship.

- Oh, so you're afraid of the big bad human, who takes photos and writes articles?

- Have you seen what's written for Jungkook?”

She tries not to laugh any harder, before following him to a more discreet place, in his large office, it was completely painted black, a red desk, thick curtains on the windows prevented any light from getting through, leaving a subdued office in very dark colors reminiscent a little of the underworld. Hoesok was not just any demon, he was the son of the evil one, Lucifer and Lillith had made only two children, twins, Hoseok was the youngest by two minutes, his sister Dawon, a ravishing young woman, deceitful, running the bars of her little brother's establishments, Elyzabeth had only seen her a few times, so she didn't really know what to think of her, except that Dawon gave her bad shivers, yet her line was calm, no bad thought would ever touch her in her life. But Elyzabeth still stayed far enough away from the demon, just in case.

“- It wasn't that bad. You're making a big deal out of it!

- Because it was supposed to be discreet, and what's more, it's fake.

- But he's with one of the cousins, isn't he?”

Hoseok's eyes lift to the sky as he looks at Elyzabeth, pulling her against him. He returns to kiss her more deeply, caressing her face before running his hands more intimately up her blouse, opening button by button to see the pretty peach bra winking at her. But when he comes to kiss the little breast, Elyzabeth puts her finger against the demon's forehead, gently pushing it away.

“- Oh, didn't they even offer me a drink before banging me? I'm outraged. Lassy said you were more gentlemanly with her. Don't you do that for married women?

- You know I don't. Would you like a drink?

- One of your secret cocktails, the red and black ones, with the little fairies in them.

- Perfect.”

Hoseok turns her back on her, before heading for the large bar behind the desk, under her lover's amused gaze. She takes a tour of the place, relearning where every little detail is, her smile slowly widening. Demons weren't like all the other creatures on this earth, they didn't have zombies at their service; when they were born, they learned to summon an imp, small creatures that could have angelic features, as well as real little demons. Hoseok being the son of Satan, he could summon four, or even five at the same time. But Elyzabeth didn't like imps: they were vicious creatures, incapable of doing good. Of course they were very loyal to their summoners, responding to their every command, but often in their own way, and not always reliably, so Hoseok hid them, or gave them leave when she was here.

“- The little beasts aren't here?

- No, they're just out for a breath of fresh air.

- Great, so no one's coming to bother us.”

Hoseok smiles, his back to Elyzabeth as he makes the cocktails requested by the beauty. When he returns, he at a moment's hesitation in front of the new scene presenting itself to him, Elyzabeth had visible too hot with his clothes, having decided to all removed, not keeping on it the pretty little together fishing, with the little cat tail to the level of his buttocks, graciously accepting the glass of alcohol he tends to him.

“- So this is how it's done? We ask for a drink and get undressed?

- Did I say that? I can't remember, I think I'm having memory problems.

- Is there anything I can do?

- I've got an idea, yes.”

A thin smile passes Hoseok's lips, as the glasses are both abandoned against the coffee table, the two bodies joining the leather sofa for a night that looks to be quite comfortable for both bodies, who only let go of each other in the early hours. Hoseok walked her to the door, surprised to see Taehyung, his little smirk on his lips, his notebook already in his hand.

“- What do you want, Human?

- The Human? I do have a first name. Or at least a name.

- I'll be the Leech. What's up?

- You accepted the interview for your new prostitutes, don't you remember?

- Tch. They're in cubicle 12.”

And Hoseok went back to his office, visibly irritated under Taehyung's ever-so-snideways smile, returning to the said booth almost jumping for joy. He had no scruples, it was true, but only for the vampire, he had a heart all the same, then Elyzabeth was his friend, she deserved better than a front cover for her hidden passion with her lover, the little witch already had enough to do in her life, so there was no question of coming to give her more, just because Mr. Jung didn't know how to keep his penis in his pants. After interviewing the girls, Taehyung made his way to the exit as he had entered, surprised to see the big black car and the four men seemingly waiting for him in front, he glared at them, wrinkling his nose, before continuing on his way, but not for long, two of the four standing in front of him, while the other two stood at his back.

“- Mr Kim. Mr Jeon is waiting for you.

- Tell him I'm busy.

- He said it wouldn't be a valid excuse. We have to bring you in.

- What for?

- We can't tell you.”

Taehyung looked at them, before blowing out his nose, he decided to try and continue on his way, but failed to outrun them, being thrown a little forcibly into the car. And no matter how much he screamed or moaned about not wanting to go there, nobody listened. He'd never been to the Jeon mansions in his life; humans couldn't just wander in and out of the Mystics as they pleased, they needed a pass, or an official invitation, to avoid any outbursts. Businesses were centralized, so that everyone could work at equal strength, but Mystics and Humans weren't housed in the same places, so it's surprising to see the size of the house. The books more or less explained the traditions of all the mystics, without saying too much, as a kind of war had formed over the years.

“- Mister Jeon is waiting for you in the living room."

Taehyung doesn't have much say in the matter, so he enters the gigantic mansion, now understanding why Jungkook's apartment was so big, there must have been at least a hundred rooms. He felt very small here, like a wisp of dust, as zombies were already greeting him, taking his coat and shoes and showing him where the living room was. Everything looked old, dark and gothic. Taehyung seemed hallucinated, the furniture must have cost enough to support a family for at least ten generations without ever having to work, and above the fireplace a large family picture dating back to a distant era, with the four members of the family painted on it. Jungkook hadn't aged a day, but his baby cheeks had softened a little.

“- Jungkook was adorable back then, wasn't he? My little cork is coming up big. I'm Mrs. Jeon, but call me MiSun, will you?

- Pleased to meet you, Mrs Jeon, I'm Kim Taehyung.

- Jungkook's been talking about you. Excuse my husband, but he can't be here tonight, I hope you don't mind.

- No, no, I don't mind. I just want to… Why am I here?

- Did Jungkook forget to tell you? Well, come on. Everything's in the kitchen, follow me.”

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| Bad Temptation : VII |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions, sex

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

“Pass?

- Here it is!”

Taehyung proudly displayed the press invitation hand-delivered to him by Jungkook, who had more than explicitly asked him to come and cover the biggest event of the century there, as he had promised only a week before, when Taehyung's article had come out, he had announced the event: the takeover of the Jeon company by the youngest member of the family. It was a highly prized event, with a code of ethics peculiar to vampires, and all races of mystics were invited, leaving Heaven Town's elite to strut their stuff with their heads held high. Rarely were humans allowed past the doors of the reception hall, so whispers were already being heard as Taehyung picked up his official press bracelet. It was an intimidating atmosphere, the kind that grabs you by the throat, as Taehyung makes his way between all the people present, with difficulty, everyone curious to get a glimpse of this human. The pressure builds in Taehyung's ears, stronger and stronger, until the hand of someone well known rests against his back, the smell of flowers and babies intoxicating him before he even realizes who is behind his back.

“- Come on, have a little common sense, give Mr. Kim a break, will you? The interviews don't start for another hour, so you'll have plenty of time to feast your eyes on him then.

- Mr. Jeon…

- Call me Jungkook, you're here as my friend.”

Taehyung blushed, friends, he wasn't really sure he could wear that label, they didn't do half the things they did with his friends, at least he'd never done it that way with Jimin. At the thought of his best friend, Taehyung became curious; he'd said he'd been invited, of course, and had been forced to come by his boss. So he went around the heads, escaping Jeon's surveillance, who until now had kept a barrier around him, as if he were afraid someone would jump out at him. A thin smile passes his lips when he finally meets the slightly frustrated gaze of the now blond-haired man. Jimin seems to light up completely at the sight of Taehyung, and he abandons the hors d'oeuvres and various petit fours, to join him in a friendly embrace.

“- So the rumors were true, you really were officially invited by Mr. Jeon. The first human journalist invited to this event. A class act.

- Don't exaggerate. Come on. There were… Absolutely no one else.

- Exactly, no one else has ever been invited here.”

Taehyung had always heard about him from Jimin, but had never actually seen him. He was shorter than he'd thought, red hair, icy eyes, a burgundy-red suit that set off his slim hips. Yoongi was a ghost, which meant he must have died violently, and Taehyung had read when he was younger that he had committed suicide by setting fire to himself in his apartment. On the evenings of the full moon, so once a month, the spectres took on the form of their dead, thus confirming whether or not the death was the right one. Not everyone became a specter, so when the presence of the elder of the great family dissipated, another took his place. Yoongi would sit at the table of seven for two centuries, before he had to give way. Two thousand years of power, without a comma, Taehyung found the rules fascinating, but he'd never sought to know any more. Yoongi wasn't known for his unbridled carnal passion, or for his shameless frolicking like some others, Hoseok for example, who was known for his numerous female companions, bribing them to join his harem, making them work for him as prostitutes. Demons weren't entirely known for their savoir vivre, nor their good sitting, but Hoseok didn't break the rule, and shamelessly revelled in his notoriety with women.

“- But that doesn't mean you're welcome here.

- I'll take your word for it, Mr Min, don't worry.

- Perfect. Jimin, don't forget the files for tomorrow morning, and don't drink too much.”

Like the specter he is, Yoongi disappears through the crowd, obviously proud of having made his little comments, Jimin raises his eyes to the sky, letting out an expletive about his boss, before blowing through his nose, resuming his eternally adorable smile as he looks again at his best friend.

“- Don't mind him, he's back from the dead even more embittered than when he was alive. Shall we go round the buffets?

- Please.”

They went from confectionery, to petit fours, to the banquet prepared by the city's best restaurateurs, the ghoul family, led by Kim Seokjin, the chef. The evening was quiet, everyone chatting away, and the little human wasn't on everyone's lips for a long time, much to his delight. Until he met the hard gaze of a man he hadn't noticed until now. A shiver ran down his spine as Jimin smiled.

“- Taehyung, I'd like you to meet the most sought-after sorcerer of them all, Mr. Damarro Heisukei, professor of sorcery at the Sorcerer's University.

- I'm delighted to meet the man everyone's been talking about, and it's always good to have a face to put on a pseudonym.

- Nice to meet you too, Mr. Damarro. Elyzabeth speaks very highly of you.

- My wife is a charming woman, isn't she?”

It was a lie, Elyzabeth never talked about her husband at all, the proof being Jimin hadn't even introduced him as such, but Taehyung smiled politely, something about this man gave him the creeps, a sort of bad feeling, as if this guy had something on his mind, all the time.

“- Fortunately, the new generation is opening up more and more, and it's good not to have the same faces all the time. A little new blood never hurts.

- What a strange turn of phrase, you're making vampires out to be simple people devoted to incest.

- Isn't that why the company skips a generation?”

Taehyung had never seen him before, and from Jimin's look, he didn't really know who he was either. He didn't have any of the basic features of vampires, or sorcerers for that matter. Ghouls had rather gray skins. The pinkness of his, his blond hair and his slight smirk, proved that he was more of a zombie. But Taehyung's journalistic soul got the better of him, his eyes lighting up at the big bombshell Mr. Damarro had just dropped. An incest story, it was a scoop that fell from the sky, without him even having to ask. But he remained silent, knowing to stay in his place so as not to get into trouble.

“- Only rumors, nothing more. Don't sully the Jeon name at one of their events, will you?

- I'm just saying out loud what everyone else is thinking.

- Take care of yourself, Mr. Damarro. Your family has already sullied its name, and you were lucky to get up so quickly, so don't lose your chance. The fall from the podium hurts.”

The threat is clear in the zombie's voice, and Heisukei turns pale, pinches his lower lip, before simply nodding, smiling less sincerely, more shyly.

“- You're right, that comment wasn't entirely appropriate, please excuse me. Not that the conversation's unpleasant, but I have to go. Mr. Kim, Jimin.”

Heisukei leans in respectfully, raising his glass of champagne, before turning away to join another part of the crowd. Taehyung and Jimin remain silent, watching the Zombie, who breathes softly before smiling a truer smile, his gaze settling on Taehyung, glowering at him, before simply turning his back as well and disappearing. That look Taehyung hadn't been able to decipher, he pinched his lower lip, but didn't have time to really wonder, Jungkook appeared in front of him, a breath passing his lips before he gave a much more charming smile.

“- Are you coming? The event's about to start.”