Chapter Text
Kihyun rested his feet upon the cherry wood desk in his private study. A large smile spread across his lips as he analyzed his surroundings. Two large cherry wood bookcases lined the walls on either side of him. A blood red carpet covered the floor. On the opposite wall, a large painting of him dressed in a blood red blazer and black dress pants adorned the wall. He remembered the day he sat for the painting. It had been several days after he had been officially given the title of Crown Prince of Necro Kingdom.
He reclined further in the red velvet arm chair. It had been a wonderful night. Every few weeks, he took time out of his busy schedule to partake in one of his favorite hobbies, terrorizing humans. It was unfortunate he didn’t have more time during the night to enjoy the activity.
“Kihyun!”
Kihyun glanced at the king standing in the doorway fashioning a black suit and red cape.A tiny grin crossed his lips as he gave the king his undivided attention. He wondered when the older vampire would come find him. Normally, King Sungnam liked to have last minute conversations with him before sunrise.
“Sungnam,” Kihyun said. “Isn’t it a wonderful night?”
Sungnam, crossed his arms a single brow raised. Kihyun chuckled. He guessed the other didn’t come for small talk. He sat up in his seat, eyes drifting toward the dark ruby red gems glistening upon his sire’s crown. It was exciting to know that he would wear the same crown sometime in the future.
“Where’s Hyungwon?”
Kihyun shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t know. Perhaps he is in the garden writing his poetry again.”
“He has been neglecting his feeding again,” Sungnam said. “You need to do something about it. I would hate for word to get out that there are any problems with my clan.”
Kihyun snorted.
“I wouldn’t worry about rumors. They are too afraid to dare speak badly about you.”
Sungnam slammed his hands upon the desk, blood red eyes glowing.
“What I said isn’t a joke,” he said, voice stern. “You will find Hyungwon and make him feed immediately.”
“I don’t understand why I have to deal with all the problems. Hyunwoo hyung is way older than me. He is your first fledgling.”
“Yes and he is my first disappointment,” he said, standing up. “You are the crown prince for a reason. I want you to keep the others in line. Don’t disappoint me, Kihyun. Now, I’ll be leaving.”
Sungnam glided across the floor, blood red cape trailing behind him. The door slammed behind him. Kihyun groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. He hated menial tasks. As a crown prince, he shouldn’t have to worry about anyone else’s diet.
Kihyun got up from his chair, eyes narrowed. His ‘wonderful night’ had turned into a nightmare. He walked toward the door, anger brewing within him. When he found Hyungwon, he would make sure the younger fledgling felt his full wrath.
He opened the door and entered the corridor. The first place to check would be the garden. He hadn’t been joking when he suggested the location to the king. Hyungwon enjoyed writing poetry and reciting it to anyone who wanted to hear it. King Sungnam thought Hyungwon was foolish. He believed poetry was only for humans. Strangely, Sungnam never stopped Hyungwon from pursuing the activity for some unknown reason.
“Father seemed upset.”
Kihyun glared at the other vampire standing by the opened door.
“Why do you always eavesdrop on all my conversations, Changkyun? Shouldn’t you be doing something more productive? And for the record, he isn’t anyone’s father.”
“This is productive,” Changkyun said. “You are the crown prince. Father said I would be next next in line for the throne. It makes sense to learn everything I can now.”
“Don’t get too comfortable with the king's throw away compliments, Changkyun,” Kihyun said, voice filled with amusement. “You know I’m the only one capable of being king.”
Changkyun pouted.
“Wipe that pout off your face and help me find Hyugnwon.”
“Is he in trouble?”
Kihyun looked at him. “Why does that matter?”
“Because it does,” Changkyun asked, arms crossed.
Kihyun rolled his eyes. “Fine, don’t help. At Least go be useful elsewhere.”
“I’m going to follow you,” Changkyun said. “You seem angry.”
Kihyun glared at him. “Why don’t you go bother Hyunwoo hyung?”
Changkyun chuckled. “Hyung, isn’t here right now. You know at night he stays out extra late to rescue humans.”
Kihyun smirked.
“What a terrible thing to do,” Kihyun said, walking toward the garden. “Hyunwoo hyung should be grateful I haven’t told the king about his extracurricular activities.”
Changkyun chuckled. “I think he knows. I think he doesn’t like hyung very much and wants him to stay out of the way.”
Kihyun didn’t understand Hyunwoo. The older fledgling had everything. He was supposed to be the crown prince. Unfortunately, he showcased his true nature and disappointed the king. King Sungnam had been so disappointed he decided he needed a new heir.
“I’m going to warn Hyungwon that you are coming. He should get a head start Changkyun said, staring out into the lush green garden from the first floor window of the castle. “He’d appreciate it.”
“Go away, Kyun,” Kihyun said, walking out the door to the garden.
Kihyun took a moment to glance at the moon illuminating the garden floor. After a second, he turned his attention to Hyungwon seated on the grass. A small notebook rested in front of him. The younger fledgling ran his fingers through his curly brown hair. Kihyun frowned at the debris dirtying Hyungwon’s royal attire.
“Do you know you're pathetic?” Kihyun asked, walking closer. “Has anyone ever told you that, Hyungwon?”
Hyungwon looked over his shoulder, a tiny smile on his lips.
“The king told me. Actually, he reminds me everyday.”
Kihyun paused, unsure what to do with the newfound information. For several seconds, he stood in the garden. Hyungwon returned to his notebook and scribbled down a few words before looking up at the moon. Kihyun frowned, inching closer.
“Why don’t you just feed already? What has it been four days? Five?” Kihyun asked.
“Why do you care about me, Prince Kihyun?” Hyungwon asked, writing down more words.
“I don’t care.”
“He does.”
Kihyun glared at Changkyun who stood in the doorway. Changkyun grinned, fangs glistening under the moonlight. Kihyun rolled his eyes. He wished Changkyun would stop saying he cared about anyone. The only individual he truly cared about was himself.
“King Sungnam gave me the task of coming to find you,” Kihyun said. “It’s very annoying and I wish Hyunwoo hyung would just be assigned these dumb tasks not me.”
Hyungwon laughed.
“I’m sorry. Am I interrupting your busy schedule?” he asked. “Were you in a meeting?”
“No.”
Hyungwon looked at him. “Interesting. Aren’t you always in those boring meaningless political meetings?”
“They aren’t meaningless, Hyungwon,” he said. “You would know about it if you listened during our clan meetings.”
Hyungwon nodded. “Where is Hyunwoo hyung?”
“Rescuing humans again,” Changkyun said, amused.
Hyungwon's smile grew as he wrote. Kihyun frowned. Hyungwon looked up to Hyunwoo. He thought Hyunwoo was heroic. The other fledgling respected him for going out of his way to rescue humans.
“That’s good,” Hyungwon said, voice soft. “That’s good to hear. One day I would like to join him when I have the energy.”
“You’d have more energy if you fed regularly,” Kihyun said, arms crossed.
“Would I?” Hyungwon asked. “That’s strange because no matter how much I feed I still feel tired.”
Kihyun got quiet.
Hyungwon closed his notebook. “Sing me a song, Kihyun.”
Kihyun glared.
“No.”
Hyungwon turned his blood red eyes toward him, a soft smile on his face.
“Kihyun,” he said, voice soft. “Sing me a song.”
“You are clearly delirious and need to be fed,” Kihyun said, ignoring the request. “If you don’t want to go on a live hunt, at least get a meal from the private storage.”
“Ah, live hunting is a wonderfully horrific activity,” Hyungwon said. “I remember my first live hunt with Kyunnie. I think I cried for a week. The king hated it.”
Kihyun frowned, remembering the day. Hyungwon and Changkyun had only been vampires for three days. The king encouraged the newer fledglings to feed from the private blood storage. After several days of stored blood, he decided to take them on a live hunt. Changkyun had done well. Hyungwon had the opposite experience. Kihyun still remembered how Hyungwon locked himself in his room and cried for a week.
“Hyung,” Changkyun said. “Just feed. You haven’t been well.”
“When am I ever well, Changkyun?” he asked. “I mean I was well when I was human. But now not so much which is very funny because vampires are supposed to be these amazing beings. Can’t say I feel amazing.”
“You are being dramatic,” Kihyun said. “And you are getting on my nerves. You need to feed.”
Hyungwon narrowed his eyes. “Or what? You aren’t king yet, Kihyun. You can’t make me do anything. So if you aren’t here to enjoy the garden, then I suggest you get out of my sight.”
“Why must we do this every week?” Kihyun asked, eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you tired? Don’t you just want to be a normal vampire for once? Don’t you realize how frustrating this is for me?”
“Do you want to hear my poem?” Hyungwon asked.
“I do.”
Kihyun glared at Changkyun.
“What? Hyungwon is really talented,” Changkyuns said. “He’s always been a master of words.”
“I call the poem A great loss,” Hyungwon said.
Kihyun’s frown deepened when Hyungwon recited his poem. Every single word made him mad. He wished the king would ban Hyungwon from poetry. The other prince was wasting his time instead of practicing traditional vampire ways.
“The poem is about you by the way,” Hyungwon said, getting up from the ground. “I really do think your turning is a great loss for humanity, Kihyun.”
Kihyun grabbed Hyungwon’s wrist before he could walk away. He was sick and tired of Hyungwon’s nonsense. Every week he had to leave his office or a meeting or any other activity to go find Hyungwon. He no longer wanted to waste his time. Hyungwon needed to understand.
“If you don’t feed, then I'll find your little secret and expose it to the king.”
Hyungwon’s eyes widened.
“What?”
Kihyun smirked. “You heard me.”
“Stay away from him,” Hyungwon said, blood red eyes narrowed. “Don’t you dare lay a single–”
“Oh,” Kihyun said amused. “Calm and collected Hyungwon is getting upset. Interesting. Did you really think your secret was going to stay a secret? I know more than you realize.”
“Secret?” Changkyun asked. “What is going on?”
Kihyun’s grip on Hyugnwon’s wrist tightened. “Hyungwon found himself a little human friend.”
Changkyun’s eyes widened. “Hyungwon, you can’t. We’re princes, royalty. We don’t mingle with humans unless it’s to feed. You know that. Father told us that.”
“I don’t care what that heartless menace said,” Hyungwon said . “Leave Minhyuk out of this. He did nothing wrong.”
“Do you know he has very sweet blood?” Kihyun said. “What am I saying? He is your friend. I'm sure you already knew that.”
A look of pure horror crossed Hyungwon’s face. “You–you met him?”
Kihyun smirked, enjoying the look of terror on Hyungwon’s face.
“Of course, as the crown prince one of my many responsibilities is to look out for the other princes, my brothers. And let's just say I may have held a brief conversation with Minhyuk in a town located an hour from here. He’s very kind. I see why he is your friend.”
“You can’t tell the king, Kihyun. Please,” Hyungwon said, eyes on him. “Please, you can’t. He’s the only person who understands me. I won’t let you take that away from me.”
Kihyun rolled his eyes. “Just feed and I'll leave your filthy human alone.”
“He isn’t filthy. He has a heart of gold,” Hyungwon said.
“Gold heart,” Kihyun said, amused. “What a stupid thing to say.”
Hyungwon didn’t respond, eyes narrowed.
“Well, I’m not going to repeat myself again. Go feed,” Kihyun said. “Start walking.”
Hyungwon hissed, eyes blood red. Kihyun raised a single brow. Hyungwon turned around and stomped across the green grass toward the door. Kihyun shook his head, amused. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and followed after the other vampire. Changkyun followed closely behind.
“Hyungwon is very annoying. I thought Hyunwoo hyung was the most annoying, but I was wrong,” Kihyun said. “I don’t even know why Hyungwon was turned in the first place?”
“Father turned us because we all have potential,” Changkyun said.
Kihyun sighed. He wondered when Changkyun would stop calling the king ‘father’. It was such a pesky habit. The king was no one's father. He was their sire and that was it. As they walked,he began to wonder if Chagkyun calling the king ‘father’ had something to do with him being turned into a vampire at a young age. Hyungwon and Changkyun had turned around the age of 18. Kihyun turned at the age of 25.
Once they reached the private blood storage, he spotted Hyungwon seated at a small wooden table. Oftentimes, Kihyun would sit in the quiet storage when he needed a moment of peace. He took a seat across from Hyungwon as he took sips from a glass.
“You should be thanking me,” Kihyun said, resting his head upon his palm. “Vampires can’t survive without blood.”
Hyungwon glared at him.
“The day I thank you is the day I respect you.”
Kihyun frowned, getting up from the small table. “Watch him Changkyun. He has to finish the entire glass. I’m going to my office.”
Changkyun took a seat across from Hyungwon. “Of course, hyung.”
Kihyun exited the storage and entered the main corridor. He came across the king talking with a royal advisor. The king looked at him carefully. Kihyun knew what he wanted to know.
“Changkyun is watching Hyungwon now,” Kihyun said. “He is drinking.”
“Fantastic,” King Sungnam said. “Actually, now that I think about it. Changkyun reminds me of you. He has been very impressive over the three years he has been my fledgling. He’ll be a great crown prince one day.”
Kihyun looked at him.
“No worries, Kihyun. In the future, you’ll be king of course,” he said, amused. “I could never let anyone have that title before you. You’ve proven to me you are capable.”
Kihyun nodded.
“Sungnam?”
“Yes, Kihyun?” Sungnam asked, waving the advisor away. “Anything you wish to ask?”
“Hyungwon said he didn’t respect me.”
The king cackled.
“And that bothers you?”
Kihyun frowned.
“It shouldn’t bother you. Hyungwon’s words hold no weight around here,” he said. “I fear he may be following in Hyunwoo’s footsteps. It’s a shame. I remember the potential I saw in him. Now, I’m not sure what I’m seeing anymore. Honestly, I should get rid of him. Actually, I should get rid of Hyunwoo too.”
Kihyun stopped walking. Sungnam turned to look at him, a single brow raised. Kihyun tried not to show any sign of concern on his face. Actually, he wasn’t concerned. All he cared about was the throne. Yet, there was something strange within him that wouldn’t go away.
Sungnam smirked.
“Don’t tell me you are fond of any of them,” Sungnam said. “When I said you’ll have new brothers years ago, I didn’t mean anything serious. We’re a clan, yes, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we care for each other. We all have goals and need each other to achieve these goals.”
Kihyun nodded.
“So don’t let fondness cloud your head,” Sungnam said. “Look out for the other princes because I asked you to do it. But don’t get carried away. You are only doing this to make sure no one thinks my clan is falling apart. We are strong. We are the Son Clan. We have a reputation to uphold. Understand?”
“Of course, my king. I won’t disappoint you,” Kihyun said.
Sungnam grinned.
“Of course, you won’t. Now, why don’t you get some rest. The sun will be up in no time.”
“Yes, my king,” he said.
Sungnam smiled and then disappeared down the corridor. Kihyun sighed heavily, resting his back against the wall. On his right, the door to the storage room opened. Changkyun walked out, holding Hyungwon’s hand. Kihyun rolled his eyes. He wondered if the king ever gave Changkyun and Hyungwon the ‘care for no one speech’.
“I had Hyungwon drink another glass,” Changkyun said. “He still wasn’t looking well.”
“That’s good.”
“You okay?” Changkyun asked.
“I’m going to bed," Kihyun said.
“Oh, okay, sure,” Changkyun said. “We’ll head to bed too.”
Hyungwon removed his hand from Changkyun’s hand and glared at him. “I drank like you asked. So you better stay away from Min.”
Kihyun smirked.
“No worries, Wonnie. As long as you don’t test my patience your secret will remain a secret. Just don’t step out of line again.”
Hyungwon didn’t respond. Kihyun turned away from the two youngest fledglings and walked toward his room. On his way, he passed Hyunwoo’s room, a frown on his face. He wished the older vampire would stop risking his own life for humans. It wasn’t worth it. He opened his door and fell upon his satin blue sheets, his circlet falling off his head. His eyes drifted close just as the sun peeked over the horizon.