Running in My Veins: Jicheol SVT AU ✓

Chapter 21

"We're at Joshua hyung's place," Jihoon says, "You were poisoned with silver."

"Ri...right," Seungcheol whispers, his eyes starting to fall shut again.

"No!" Jihoon exclaims, "You can't fall asleep! You need to stay awake, Seungcheol." The vampire groans, but forces his eyes to stay open. Jihoon breathes a sigh of relief and starts to help him slowly sit up. "How bad is it?" Jihoon asks.

"Horrible," Seungcheol mutters, "I don't like silver..."

"Well, you're not supposed to," Joshua says, returning with three bags of blood in his hands, "It does kill you." Seungcheol nods and lifts up a shaky hand. Joshua passes him the bag and Seungcheol brings it to his mouth. Before he bites down on it though, he looks towards Jihoon. "Can you go to the other room?" Seungcheol asks.

Jihoon scoffs, "No, I'm not going anywhere until I know you're okay. I don't care that you're drinking blood, Seungcheol. I thought I made it clear when you first told me about what you are. I don't care that you're a vampire. Now, freaking drink the blood before you die!!!" Seungcheol nods his head and brings the bag to his mouth. His teeth come out and he bites into the bag. He drinks at a steady pace. As he does, he starts to look a bit better than he had before. Jihoon watches him drink, not really caring that he's drinking blood. The only thought going through the human's mind is if Seungcheol is going to be okay or not. He could care less if it was blood or freaking pee, as long as it got Seungcheol back to his normal self. Soon enough, Seungcheol finishes the first bag which Joshua takes from him. The human hands him another which Seungcheol accepts without a second thought. This time, he drinks more eagerly, quickly downing the blood. "Want another?" Joshua asks when Seungcheol finishes the new bag in seconds. The vampire shakes his head and passes the empty bag back to his friend. Joshua takes it and makes his way to the kitchen to trash it. "Feeling better?" Jihoon asks.

Seungcheol nods, "Thank you."

"I didn't do much," Jihoon says.

"You took me to Joshua," Seungcheol says, "You did more than enough."

"How did this happen anyway?" Jihoon asks, "Who shot you with liquid silver?"

Seungcheol sighs, "I don't know. I was investigating a scene where multiple vampire killings took place. I went off on my own and next thing I know I'm hit with this dart laced with silver."

"That's weird," Jihoon mutters.

"Do you think it was a hunter?" Joshua asks, returning to the living room having discarded the empty bags and put back the extra blood.

"Maybe," Seungcheol says, "Our number one suspect for the killings have been the hunters, but I don't think a hunter would stick around at the scene of the crime. Especially since they had to have known we would be coming to check it out."

"I thought that hunters and vampires made a peace agreement," Jihoon says.

Seungcheol nods, "We did, but recently there's been a lot of vampire killings in the human world. My father and his advisors are set on it being the fault of hunters."

"Do you think it's the hunters doing?" Joshua asks.

Seungcheol frowns, "I don't know what to think. The hunters we've spoken to have denied it, but they could have been lying for all we know. All the evidence points to humans doing this. I mean it has to be them. Who else could kill a vampire?"

"But..." Joshua says.

Seungcheol purses his lips together, "But...just between you and me, I have no idea why, but I feel like the hunters have nothing to do with this. We've had that peace agreement for a millennium. Why break it now? So suddenly? It doesn't add up. Not to mention this attack on me. Hunters are good at what they do, but they can't keep their heartbeats silent or their footsteps. I should have been able to sense it, but I didn't. I didn't notice the dart coming at me until it was too late."