One Drop of Blood Too Much - The Beginning

Chapter 5 - Brilliant madman or mad genius?

At home I met Gunwoo in a bad mood.

"Where have you been?!" he hissed when I ignored him and almost on eyelashes walked toward the sofa. "How can you take one thing from police station for two hours?!"

"A lot happened..." I muttered, keeping my eyes closed.

"What? What happened?" his voice softened. Only now he must have seen in what state I returned. Burned clothes and scratches after the fall wouldn't have come from non-problematic weapon recovery.

I told him everything that happened at the police station. He also wasn't pleased that we left ruins of the building.

"It's bad they've escaped," Gunwoo said when I finished. "If they're really Hajoon's subjects, soon you'll be in real danger."

"They were too strong for being impure," I noted. "Also, they didn't seem to behave like animals. Is it possible there are more of us? The pureblood?"

Gunwoo hesitated. I frowned. He was hiding something.

"Hyung," I pressed him. "Sooner or later I'll know. It'd be better to know it from you."

"Recently I found out that Hajoon is preparing an army," my guardian answered quietly. "It's not sure for now, but all units of hunters and military are on standby."

"Standby for what?"

Gunwoo threw me a grim look. "For war, Minho. For war. It seems Hajoon's ambition is too difficult to change. He wants to become the last vampire in the world and nothing will stop him."

"How can he become the last vampire in the world if he wouldn't have anything to feed on? He must know it! Pureblood vampire or not, he needs to eat, just like humans –"

"Minho-yah," Gunwoo interrupted me strictly. "I know what Moon Hajoon is capable of. I wouldn't be surprised if he invented different kind of food source."

"But still..." I stopped and curled on the sofa. "I'll never forgive him for what he's done..."

Gunwoo's expression softened again. He sat beside me. "That's why I don't want you to walk around vampires. It's safer when –"

"But I'm also a vampire and I can't change it, no matter how much I want it!" I growled, showing him my back. "That's why I can't sit doing nothing when others pay for our mistakes."

Gunwoo reached out to me but I rejected his hand and ran to my room.

***

The next day I went to Hyunjin. Classes were still cancelled because of the last situation, so we had a lot of free time. After fifteen minutes I reached the base of genius.

Hwang Hyunjin was sixteen, like Jisung, and was already a genius in science. He was the one who created our weapons. Since I've met him, I was wondering whether he was brilliant madman or mad genius.

"Minho-hyung!" I heard when I came into the garage. "Just in time! I have a surprise for all of you."

Hyunjin had medium length black hair, usually spiky, and always full of energy eyes, that were three quarters of the day hidden behind goggles. Now he was in his work apron and his hair tips were burned. I think you know what I meant now.

"Hi, Hyunjin-ah," I said and saw Jisung and Changbin at one of the metal tables. "How long have you been here?"

"Around ten minutes," Jisung said.

Changbin was hugging his sword affectionately. "Hyunjin, you're the best!" he whispered.

Hyunjin laughed and reached his hand to me. I gave him my gun. "For guns you need to wait a bit," he said. "Come in few days."

"Great, thanks."

"So, if you're temporarily unarmed, the surprise will be for you!" He took something from a drawer. It was an object similar to yoyo. It was black and had holes like Swiss cheese.

"What's this?" I asked, taking the yoyo. But then I felt anxious.

"It's a vampire repellent. Great weapon. If you pull the twine, a sound hearable only by them will come out. How long I looked for sounds they hate!"

"What... What does it do to them?" I asked hesitantly.

"Well... it makes them suffer. Unfortunately it can't kill them immediately, it can only scare them off for a while." Hyunjin grabbed the end of the twine. "Do you want me to demonstrate it?"

"No!" I screamed suddenly. They looked at me surprised. "I mean... why? There's no reason to use it if there's no danger around, right?" I laughed. Did they buy it?

Hyunjin glanced at me but said nothing, returning to his duties.

I looked at the vampire repellent reluctantly. Not good. Hyunjin gave it to me for protection until my weapons are fixed. I couldn't use weapon against vampires that will also have the same effect on me...

"Hyung, are you feeling okay?" Jisung asked when we were going back. "Since we left Hyunjin's base you didn't say a word."

"I'm fine," I muttered, touching the repellent in my pocket. "I'm fine..."

Jisung was staring at me for few seconds but he eventually gave up.

"Amazing!" we heard from behind. "Brilliant!"

"Would you stop admiring it so much?" Jisung hissed and took away Changbin's sword.

"Hey, you'll scratch it!"

"With what?"

"With your claws, you monster! You could cut them from time to time. You look like a vampire!"

I flinched. I looked at my nails, then glanced at my friends. Would they behave differently if they knew?

"Hyung!" they shouted at the same time. "Say something!"

I smiled and passed them without a word. I wonder.

"Lonely and misunderstood," suddenly I heard a whisper in my ear.

I took a few steps back abruptly, looking around and taking out vampire repellent. After a moment I lowered it. I forgot I couldn't use it. Anyway, there was no one on the street beside me and the duo.

"Hyung-ah, something's wrong?"

"No. Everything's fine –"

"Poor baby vampire," again I heard this voice, as if in my head but I still didn't see anyone. Then I realized the voice was fading away. "So many problems..."

Then it died down. I looked around confused and my lip began moving. But it wasn't from anger but fear. It has been a while since I felt that way. Besides, only now something in my head assured me I KNEW this voice. But I couldn't remember from where...