The Turning

(Sixteen)

I.M threw a punch at Chul's stomach, fueled by his immense hatred for the larger vampire. He gritted his teeth. Chul was an unnecessary obstacle that needed to be removed. A large fist clipped the side of his chin. The force of the impact nearly knocked him off his feet, but he was able to keep his balance.

He dug his nails into the flesh of his palms, eyes narrowed at Chul. On his right, Shownu tried to pull the larger vampire to the ground but failed. The council member was stronger than them by several centuries, but it didn't stop I.M. The council harmed his fledgling, Hyungwon. They needed to be taught a valuable lesson.

A fist collided with I.M's forehead. He flew backward, knocking his head against the wall. Hyungwon screamed from shock. I.M analyzed the younger vampire, worried. After checking on Hyungwon, he gave him a reassuring smile. The last thing he wanted was to worry him.

"Ah, I.M. I remember you."

I.M frowned, turning his attention to the owner of the voice. A vampire, dressed in torn black jeans and a sleeveless white tee, stood before him. The other vampire ran his fingers through bright electric blue hair, amusement shining from his eyes. I.M ignored the newcomer and looked for Shownu. Seconds later, he found their leader. Shownu was on the ground and Chul's thick foot was on his back. A knot formed within his chest.

"Ah, I guess the great Shownu we've all heard about isn't so great after all."

I.M narrowed his eyes at the vampire standing in front of him. "Don't you dare insult Shownu. He is a great leader."

"Perhaps, but he isn't so great anymore. It's a shame really. But I guess it makes sense, the whole MX clan is falling apart at this point. I mean you were stupid enough to create a sixth vampire. And look at all the chaos you caused."

I.M stepped away from the wall. "For your information, the MX clan isn't falling apart. We have a strong bond and we will never fall. And for the record, I'm glad I created a sixth vampire. He belongs in our clan."

"Wow, I.M defending his clan. How surprising. I remember a time where you could care less about MX. You've truly changed."

I.M frowned, confused. The other vampire acted like he knew him personally. For a second, he searched his brain for answers. The name Namil came to mind. His eyes widened. When he was a younger vampire, he had been reckless. Part of his bad behavior involved him staying out past curfew. One day he ran into a vampire Namil from another district. They bonded over their shared hate for their clans. After years, I.M grew closer to the MX clan and stopped hanging around the troubled vampire.

"I plan to continue defending my clan. They have helped me so much. And I'm not leaving here without bringing our youngest member home. I'm going to take him away from this place. And I'm not going to let you get in the way, Namil."

"Oh? So, you do remember me?"

"I wish I didn't."

The other vampire glanced at Hyungwon. "Poor little lost fledgling. I can't say I know exactly why he is here. But I can say I don't care. I'm being paid generously to make sure no one harms Council Hangil or gets in the way of his plan. So, I guess we have differing goals. You want his freedom, but I don't."

I.M glared, red eyes focused on him. "Move out of the way or else, Namil."

"You don't scare me, I.M. I'm years older than you. You might as well just go home and leave your fledgling here. Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Sixth vampires are a waste of space."

I.M lunged forward, grabbing Namil's shoulders. Long thin fingers wrapped around his wrists. A pair of dark blood red eyes stared into his own. A tiny grin formed upon Namil's thin lips as he threw I.M out of the room. He soared through a crowd of vampires fighting and crashed against a wall. If he hadn't been a vampire, he would have been severely injured. He moved away from the wall, eyes narrowed. He wasn't going to let Namil distract him from his goal.