🕯️let it go: niki
a vampires bleeding series: six / seven
pairing: niki x afab!reader
word count: 8.2k
synopsis: with the surrounding area of dorian's location being exposed, the seven boys continue to search where the missing pack members are while niki continues his normal school life, befriending you. the closer you and niki get, the more secrets that get revealed.
genre: friends to lovers/enemies, vampire!niki, vampire!reader, angst, some fluff.
warnings: mentions of blood, swearing, betrayal, cutie pie niki ♡
☾ jungwon(1) | jay(2) | jake(3) | sunghoon(4) | sunoo(5) | niki(6) | heeseung(7) ☽
Niki knelt down, his fingertips brushing against the grass. The wind blew his blonde hair across his face, his eyes narrowing down at the open water below him. Searching for any clue.
Jake suddenly appeared beside him, his arm resting on Niki’s shoulder.
“Find anything yet?” His Aussie accent rushed out.
Niki nodded, “Yeah, a whole lot of nothing still.”
Jake sighed, “Keep searching, the entrance has to be here somewhere.”
Niki stared at his hyung, seeing the desperation on his face to find his mate.
“I need to find her…” Jake whispered.
Niki rubbed Jake’s back, “I know hyung, I know.”
Niki understood how Jake was feeling, obviously not to the same degree, but still understood.
That hole of having __ and __ being gone hit all of them. The only difference is Niki and the others don’t feel the pain that Jake and Sunghoon feel. There’s a pinch of something, but it doesn’t affect anything else.
The worst part of all this was Niki couldn’t help but feel disconnected from everything that was happening.
He wanted to get the girls back just as much as everyone else, but he also felt like this was major bullshit.
Maybe it was because Niki didn’t believe in soulmates.
Not like there were a lot of seventeen-year-old forever vampires anyway.
A girl is the whole reason Niki ended up as this undead being in the first place.
It was the day before Niki’s birthday. Snow was falling from the sky, it was the perfect day to confess his feelings. It was his first-ever crush. Walked her home from school that day and was attacked in broad daylight.
Niki survived, she didn’t.
The vampire venom spread through Niki’s body way too quickly, turning him into a monster.
The first thirty years were hell. Niki couldn’t control his blood thirst and killed multiple people in the process.
It wasn’t until another thirty years before Heeseung and Jay found him. He was on the hunt for human blood, the previous human blood stained on his clothes, face, and down his neck. Niki ran into the two of them on his way into the town.
Heeseung could feel the bloodlust and Niki felt like he was in danger. The only vampires Niki ever encountered were the ones that almost killed him, and the ones he’s had to fight just to get a bite in. Heeseung could sense Niki was terrified, mostly because of how he looked.
Vampires usually don’t like being exposed, and Niki was terrified his time was up. Heeseung and Jay would kill him, tear him to pieces, and burn his body.
“It’s okay…” Heeseung whispered, “I can see what you’re thinking, it’s all over your face.”
Niki backed away, holding a hand up, “Nah, don’t you fucking come near me.”
And man did it take Heeseung and Jay a lot of time to talk Niki into calming down. Eventually, they adopted him into their pack.
Niki remembers walking into the safe house for the first time, seeing four other faces stare at him, but welcoming him nonetheless.
It was the first time Niki felt at home since he was turned.
And hundreds of years later here he is. Fighting to protect an even bigger family. Even if he doesn’t believe in a lot that’s going on.
Again, there aren’t many other vampires stuck in their teens anyway. The possibility of Niki even finding a soulmate (if they even exist), is very slim.
“We need to go,” Jake sighed and snapped Niki out of the past memories.
Niki nodded, standing tall beside his hyung.
Jake was holding back his emotions, Niki could feel it. That bond tugged hard.
“Hyung, we will get __ back.” Niki reassured him, “Once we find where his entrance is and when __ can produce a stronger masking of our scent with her elf magic, the easier it’ll be to get in.”
Jake nodded, rolling his eyes, “Aren’t I the one that should be comforting you? I’m the older one.” Jake chuckled, draping his arm around the younger’s neck, “Come on, let’s go.”
—
Niki spun the soccer ball on his fingertips, tossing it up to the ceiling, spinning, tossing it again, and spinning.
He was sprawled out on the couch, mind in a faraway place.
The front door opened, and the sound of bags dropping to the floor and shoes being kicked off echoed in the apartment.
Niki leaned his head over the armrest of the couch, “Welcome home hyung.”
Heeseung glances down at the maknae, “Don’t you have your own home?”
Niki sat up, spinning the soccer ball in his hands, “I mean, yeah.”
Heeseung sat at the kitchen table, sliding out of his doctor's coat, “Don’t you have school tomorrow? I’ll have Sunoo come pick you up.”
“Hyung no!” Niki pouted.
Heeseung raised a brow, noticing a duffle bag sitting in the corner by the couch.
“Niki..”
“Heeseung, they annoy me.”
Heeseung let out a small chuckle, “Yeah?”
“It was fine when it was just me and Sunoo, but after __ moved in…”
Heeseung sighed, he knew why Niki wanted to be here. Heeseung knew of Niki’s history and how it all took place, being around a cute cuddly couple probably isn’t his favorite thing in the world right now.
There’s enough on his plate with unfortunately attending high school again, dealing with the major loss the pack has taken, on top of his roommate's mate moving in. The kid has a lot going on.
“Plus, you’re here alone, so I am here to keep you company.” Niki smiled, trying to win his hyung over by acting cute.
Heeseung wasn’t buying it.
“Hyung, you’re my legal guardian anyways. This would just make it easier.”
Heeseung knew Niki had a point. The only problem Heeseung worried about was Niki being alone.
Heeseung always had to be at the hospital, and when he wasn’t, he was searching with the others to find the entrance to where Dorian was hiding. Niki didn’t always attend the search parties, so if he wasn’t at soccer practice, he would be at home by himself.
Niki continued to pout until Heeseung gave in.
“Fine, but nothing changes, you’re still attending school.”
Niki didn’t like the school idea but was happy to stay with Heeseung either way.
—
Niki dropped his head into his palm, staring off out the window.
His classmates all talked amongst themselves about the latest trends and the soccer games coming up.
Niki tuned out the noise, ready to just get the hell out of here.
Niki knew his classmates gossiped about him, about how he always kept to himself unless spoken to. how he is really good at soccer and thinks he’s “the king” or something. They even make fun of his brothers, and that’s one thing Niki has to bite his tongue on.
Niki didn’t see the point in trying to make friends at these schools. Niki will continue living an immortal life and losing friends along the way, so it’s best to not make any.
Get in and get out as Jay would put it.
There wasn’t any point to any of it no matter what, he’d just change schools again once he graduated or if his family moved again.
“Okay class, settle down!” The homeroom teacher yells, the room of teenagers quieting down. “We have a new student joining us today.”
Niki slightly glanced over to the entrance to the classroom, curious to see the new student just as much as the next person.
Niki slowly lifted his head from his palm, lips parted and eyes slightly widened.
You stood at the front of the class, glancing around at your new peers, eyes connecting with Niki’s.
You were a vampire. Niki couldn’t believe it. Another vampire that was his age and just so happened to be in the same class as him?
What are the odds?
You introduced yourself to the class and then waited for the teacher to assign you to an open seat.
You kept eye contact with the blonde vampire in the back of the class as you walked to your seat.
Your new classmates already seemed to take notice, their whispers being “Do they know each other?”, “she’s the first girl that has gotten Nishimura’s attention”, “They have to know each other, there is no way.”
You finally broke eye contact once you sat in your seat, looking amongst the teenagers around you, wondering how mortals can care so much about things that shouldn’t matter.
Niki looked back out the window, once again dropping his head into his palm.
Niki could feel your gaze on him throughout the school day. He couldn’t help but wonder if you too have struggled to find other vampires the same age.
During lunch, Niki made it a mission to find you.
You sat on the floor in between two bookcases in the library, eyes closed and earbuds blasting music into your eardrums.
A slight tap came to your shoulder, you opened your eyes and looked up, seeing Niki standing beside you.
You pulled your earbuds out, raising an eyebrow at him, “Yes?”
“Uhh…” Niki didn’t think this far. He pushed his hair back, looking at the other bookshelf in front of you, “Mind if I sit?” Damn, he was so cheesy.
You nodded, “Go ahead fellow blood drinker,” you teased, a smile formed on his face as he sat across from you.
Niki tried to read you, thinking if he stared at you long and hard enough he could figure out every answer to his question without actually having to ask.
You looked him up and down, “Nishimura, if you have something to say just say it, I’m not going to bite.”
Niki glared at you, “That’s the best vampire joke you could come up with?”
You shrugged, “I saw the chance and I took it.”
He took a deep breath, trying to find the right words.
“Sorry,” was all he could say, “I have never met another vampire that was well…”
“Stuck in a seventeen-year-old's body for eternity?”
Niki nodded, “Yeah…exactly.” He was in awe at how you understood.
“Makes it harder for us to find mates, that’s for sure.”
And you lost him.
Niki slumped back against the bookcase, gently laughing.
You didn’t understand what was so funny, “What are you laughing about?”
Niki shrugged, leaning his head against the bookcase, making eye contact with you, “I don’t believe in soulmates.”
You furrow your brows, “You don’t?”
“Nope.” He looked away, reading the titles of the books.
“Do you not believe as a whole, or just don’t believe in a soulmate for yourself?”
Niki lifted his head, seeing how serious you were about that question.
He didn’t know how to answer it. All he could do was stare at you.
“You’re in a pack,” you said, “And those in your pack have soulmates, that’s why you can answer my question.”
It wasn’t hard to tell that Niki was in a pack. Pack hunters have a totally different energy.
Niki decided to dodge the question, slowly leaning back against the bookcase, “What about you? In a pack? You kinda give off that solo vibe.”
You tuck your bottom lip between your teeth, deciding how to answer the question, “I am indeed solo. Just do my own thing.”
“I was solo once, and it wasn’t fun.” It surprised Niki how easily he was able to talk to you to even bring up his old past.
You smiled at the embarrassment on his face, he was too cute.
“Anyways, I am Nishimura Riki, but I go by Niki.” he held out his hand, “We didn’t properly introduce each other yet.”
You stare down at his hand, then back up at his face, “What time period are you from, Niki? A handshake?”
Niki rests his hand down, softly scoffing, “I’m two hundred and ten.”
You snorted a small laugh, “Damn you’re old.”
Niki smiled, clicking his tongue, “Yeah? and you?”
“I’m only a hundred and fifteen.” you gave him a silly smile.
“Wow, a whole ninety-five years younger than me.”
You both laughed, “Unfortunately we are still seventeen.” you said.
Niki nodded, “Yeah, well this is the first time I have been okay with being stuck at seventeen.”
Your heart skipped a beat. Staring into his eyes.
Niki quickly shot up, startling you.
“Well, lunch is almost over, head back to class?”
Before you could answer, your phone buzzed in your skirt pocket, “Uhh I am actually going to skip the rest of the day, I have some moving things to do.”
Niki clicked his tongue, “Damn girl first day and you’re already skipping the rest of the day?”
You shook his head at him teasing you, “Shut up and get back to class Nishimura.”
Niki smiled wide as he walked away.
“Oh! Niki!”
He stopped and turned to face you, waiting for you.
“I am Y/N,” you softly waved a hand at your side, “I didn’t tell you my name earlier.”
“Well, Y/N,” Niki said, “I’ll see you around then.”
He disappeared, only to poke his head back around the bookcase.
“Actually, want to hang out? Like after my soccer practice today? Or even tomorrow? Or whenever you prefer.”
You nodded, “Yeah I would actually love to hang out. It would be nice to make some friends. But I can’t tonight, so tomorrow?”
Niki nodded in agreement, “Tomorrow then.”
And he officially disappeared this time.
You pulled your phone from your pocket and read the messages.
dni: have time for a chat?
you: oops can’t sorry! school work…bummer.
dni: Y/N
you: ?
dni: now
you sigh, dropping your phone in your lap.
—
Heeseung stood by the table, Sunoo and __ were at his left, Jake and Sunghoon on the right.
A notepad with directions and any hints to lead to Dorian was written on it along with a map of the surrounding area.
Heeseung covered his mouth with his hands, staring down at the map.
“What about here?” Sunghoon asked, pointing at a specific point on the map.
“No, Niki and I already checked there,” Jake answered.
Heeseung’s eyes searched every inch of the map, trying to piece together where to find Dorian.
Sunoo groaned, “We’ve been doing circles. There’s nothing but open water. We’ve gone diving multiple times as well to see if it’s under but it’s clearly not.”
Sunoo’s mate sighs as well, rubbing his back, “I wish I could help find a more specific area…”
“No, __ it’s okay,” Jake said, “You’ve already done so much to help.”
Sunghoon dropped his face in his hands, frustration isn’t even close to describing how he was feeling.
“Where are the others right now?” Sunghoon asked.
Heeseung sighed, “Jungwon and Jay are searching the area right now. The girls are at Jay’s apartment and Niki…I don’t know.”
“I am right here,” Niki says, overhearing as he was walking inside the apartment, “What’s going on?”
“Just still trying to find where Dorian could be hiding.” __ said.
Niki walked to the table, his eyes scanning the map, shaking his head, “I feel like we’ve looked everywhere.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Niki slumped down into a chair, his brain wracking the memories of running through the area, trying to pinpoint anything. But nothing ever came up.
“Let’s call it a night,” Heeseung finally said, “We’ll change searching shifts for tomorrow and just keep looking.”
“It’s unfortunately all we can do…” Sunoo softly whispered, looking over at his hyungs, seeing their heads hung low, just wanting their mates back.
Sunghoon pulled his phone from his jacket pocket, staring down at the lockscreen photo of himself and his witch mate. He silently begged for any hint so he could find you.
There was a small tapping sound just then. Everyone’s heads perked up, their ears on high alert. Eyes quickly roaming.
The apartment fell silent and the six of them listened as the tapping continued.
Niki slowly turned his head towards the window, his brows furrowing at what he was looking at, “A raven?”
Everyone turned to look at the window, a large raven sat at the windowsill, with a paper rolled and tied to its neck with a red string.
Sunghoon quickly shot up from the chair, “It’s from __.”
Sunghoon rushed to the window, opening it and letting the raven hop inside.
The raven stood still while Sunghoon untied the paper from its neck and once it was free, it flew back out the window.
Sunghoon watched as the raven flew away, his heart breaking.
“What’s in the note, hoon?” Jake asked, appearing beside his best friend.
Niki followed behind, hovering over his hyungs shoulders.
Sunghoon unrolled the paper, a smile forming on his face.
“It’s coordinates.”
“What?” Heeseung rushed over, taking the paper from Sunghoon’s hands, and reading the coordinates written.
Everyone rushed back to the map.
Heeseung grabbed a marker, lining up where the coordinates led, and landed in the middle of the forest.
“We found it,” Heeseung whispered.
Jake fell to the floor, face covered by his hands, “We finally fucking did it.”
Sunghoon grabbed his chest, clinging to his white tee shirt, “My hex girl risked sending a raven…god, I love her…”
“Sunoo, call Jay and Jungwon, and let them know what we found.” Heeseung asked, Sunoo immediately jumped from the table and dialed one of their numbers, “And __, can you use the paper that __ wrote on to find exactly where the coordinates lead? To get a picture of what we are looking for.”
The elf took the paper in her hands, rubbing her thumbs over the ink written on it, and nodded, “I can, but it might not be enough, I might get only a small enough vision, nothing we haven’t already gotten.”
Heeseung gripped the marker in his hands, feeling like their two steps forward were also a step back.
“What if we also used this?” Sunghoon lifted a black feather up into the air, “Something told me to take a feather from the raven…that it would somehow help. Since it’s __’s raven, and the bird clearly had to have been in that area for her to call it and then send it to find me.”
Sunoo’s mate rushed to Sunghoon, taking the weather and feeling it with her hands, she smiled wide, “This is plenty, it has __’s magic all over it. It will work.”
Sunoo returned, “Jay and Jungwon are on the way here. I told them everything.”
Heeseung nodded, “__, start the process of the searching magic, so once the other two show up we can fully start.”
Niki felt a rush of adrenaline, they had waited for so long to find Dorian and put him down. They still didn’t fully know what he was planning, or why he wanted the pack dead, but Niki couldn’t help but finally feel relieved that it would be over soon.
Heeseung noticed a difference in Niki, that he was more upbeat and not as quiet as normal.
“What’s with you?” Heeseung asked, causing Niki to stutter in his seat.
“Huh?”
Heeseung studied the maknae’s eyes, “You met someone.”
The others' attention looked at Niki, his face turning a soft shade of pink.
“I met another vampire today…she’s my age.”
Sunghoon let out a whistle, “Well look at that.”
Niki shook his head, “It’s not like that, she’s super cool.”
Heeseung could already tell what it was from Niki’s reactions, but he knew the maknae had to discover everything himself.
The topic dropped once Jungwon and Jay showed up, their mates following right behind them.
“Get us updated,” Jungwon said, leaning his body against the table, “Have we started the searching process?”
“Not yet, we waited for you,” Sunoo answered.
Jungwon nodded, “Let’s get started. Once we have a clear vision of where this place is at, we will scope it out tomorrow and then will make an infiltration plan and get that son of a bitch the following day.”
Everyone was in agreement, and the hunt for Dorian officially started.
—
You stood in the alleyway, blood dripping from your fangs as you licked your lips, wiping the remaining blood from your face on the back of your hand.
You looked down at the sacrifice of your meal, feeling the small inch of pain of what you’ve just done, but had to do. You needed to eat to survive, after all.
You tilted your head to the side, “It’s about time you showed up.”
Dorian walked from behind you, looking down at the body on the ground, “Awe, you didn’t leave any for me?”
You rolled your eyes, “Again, you kept me waiting. Wasn’t going to continue playing with my food until you showed up.”
“Watch your mouth, Y/N.” Dorian stepped over the body, leaning against the wall, his eyes shooting daggers into you, “get me updated.”
You sigh, standing in front of him, “Nothing has changed. They still have no idea where to find you.”
Dorian clicked his tongue, “Not yet. Our pretty little witch prisoner sent out a raven earlier. That’s what I was dealing with and why I was late.”
You crossed your arms, not caring about this war Dorian started with himself and one of the most powerful vampire packs.
“Why go this far? I thought you said the falling out between you and them was ancient history.”
“Oh it is, but that doesn’t mean I am over it.” Dorian walked closer to you, “I need their power, their mates. The moment I kill their mates in front of them and then kill them and take in every ounce of power they have…I will be unstoppable.”
You looked away from him, “All this just to be the Vampire King.”
“Exactly!” He said, taking your jaw between his fingers and forcing you to look at him, “That’s why you’re going to lure them in with their little one.”
You shoved him off you, “I told you I don’t give a shit, fight this on your own.”
Dorian was quick on his feet as he was now standing behind you and a knife was pressed to your cheek, “Did you forget your place? Hmm?”
You took a deep breath in, letting a soft “no,” leave your lips.
“Good.” Dorian released the knife and his grip on you, “Win the youngest one over, I don’t care how you do it as long as you don’t mate with him.”
You shook your head, “It won’t happen, he doesn’t believe in soulmates.”
Laughter erupted from Dorian, “What a shame.”
You couldn’t get Niki’s soft smile out of your mind, how much hurt that was held in that smile from his past trauma, but also the happiness he held in it as well because of the ones who saved him.
It felt wrong to hand over Niki and his pack to Dorian. You already knew he was going to use the mates as his wild card to bend them to his will.
But you knew you also couldn’t defy Dorian.
Dorian starts to walk away from you, his voice echoing down the alley, “Do your job and lure the youngest in. Their power will be mine.”
—
Niki nervously tapped his foot against the floor, his eyes darting to the clock every five minutes.
The school day couldn’t go any slower.
His heart raced every time he would catch you staring at him. The way you would smile at him and push your hair behind your ears. It was driving him insane.
The school bell rang, and Niki was the first out of the classroom, you followed right behind him.
“So blondie, what is the plan for today?” You asked, keeping up with his pace.
“I have soccer practice first, so I figured we could hang out once I’m finished?”
You nodded, “I’ll even watch the practice.”
Hearing those words was enough to pull at Niki’s heartstrings, quickly shook his head and shoved that feeling down.
Niki also noticed how everyone was staring at the two of them. You also noticed.
The whispers filled his ears. One by one making comments on how he finally wasn’t a loner, that they wondered how much he paid you to hang around them. Pointless bullshit after another.
“Niki,” your voice tuning him back to reality, pushing the whispers away, “Just ignore them, they aren’t worth the time.”
He knew you were right. Niki smirked to himself, remembering they are just mortals wasting their lives with pointless bullshit. They had a short time. Niki had eternity.
You sat in the bleachers, watching as Niki and his teammates did their stretches and warmups.
There was another crowd of girls gushing over how cute all the boys were. Niki’s name came up, catching your attention.
“Nishimura is so cute in his practice uniform~” one giggled.
“I know! Gosh, I wish I was brave enough to ask him out, think he would say yes if I did?”
You groaned in disgust, feeling a small hint of jealousy. The girls were pretty, and you couldn’t help but think how nice they would look standing next to Niki.
His arm wrapped around them, his bite mark sitting beautifully on her neck.
You snapped yourself out of your thoughts but still passed a glare at the girls.
Little did you know Niki watched the whole interaction.
He smiled warmly at seeing you getting worked up over some mortal girls.
The coach called the players over, telling them a neighboring school came for a practice match.
Niki couldn’t focus. His brain was in a million different places. Mostly back with you. How you’re sitting in the bleachers watching him and how bad he was sucking right now.
The other team was winning. Niki couldn’t stay focused long enough. His teammates were even giving him hell for not being on his “a game”.
You could sense he wasn’t feeling okay. Your heart pulled to him and you wanted to run across the field and give him the biggest hug.
But you knew you couldn’t. So you settled for the next best thing.
“NIKI!!!!”
Niki turned to you when hearing his name fall from your lips.
All it took was making eye contact with you, for that little stupid string of fate to wrap around you both from across this field.
Niki stood in place just looking at you and how big your smile was.
You felt it too. The pull of that knot of fate.
Before the knot could fully be tied, Niki’s coach called to him, gaining his attention back.
You let out a breath, slowly sitting back down in the bleachers.
You stared down at your black Converse, and a thought crossed your brain.
“Dorian will kill me too.”
—
You and Niki walked side by side, the cool night breeze blowing your hair into your face.
Niki took the opportunity to pull your hair behind your ears, slowly rubbing his thumbs against your cheeks.
You tried to not look at him, wanting to push whatever fate had in store for you away. You couldn’t do this. It would get you both killed.
Niki noticed your difference in mood. You wouldn’t look at him. Talk to him. Barely agreed to walk with him.
“Y/N.” he called for you, “Look at me, please.”
“I can’t…Niki.”
Niki sighed and looked off into the distance, “Is it because I told you I don’t believe in soulmates?”
You start to say something, to tell him the full truth. But you stopped.
Niki looked back at your face, watching you struggle to look anywhere but him hurt. He wanted your eyes on him, and only one way popped into his mind.
Niki quickly leaned down, placing his lips gently on yours.
You backed away quickly, making eye contact with him, “What the fuck, Niki?!”
Niki smirked at your reaction, getting what he wanted, “It got you to look at me.”
You groaned, throwing daggers at him with your eyes, “So you think kissing me was the way to go!?”
Niki just kept smiling at you, “I think I am ready to believe in soulmates.”
You relaxed your body, looking at him with such care, “What?”
He nodded, “I am ready to believe in soulmates.” he walked back to you, closing the gap. One hand rests on your waist while the other holds your face, “It took meeting you for me to realize it. I thought long and hard after you asked me if I didn’t believe in soulmates for myself, and you were right. The night I was turned, I was going to confess to the first girl I ever loved. But I watched her get murdered in front of me, thinking I was next but well..here we are. I stopped believing in love and the only love I accepted was from my pack. But one by one I watched as they each found a mate. Maybe I was just jealous because I am two hundred and ten stuck in a seventeen-year-old body for eternity and there aren’t many others stuck in the same situation.”
You tried to hold back the tears after hearing Niki’s past story and what he went through.
“So finding a soulmate felt useless to me, that was until you walked into the classroom yesterday…Y/N, I know you felt that knot too. That pull of those stupid ass strings of fate…”
You slowly nodded, forcing yourself right now to not give in to it.
Niki brushed your hair out of your face and wiped the small tear that came from your eye, “be my mate, Y/N. We have eternity to figure everything else out.”
The pull was stronger and harder to fight.
You wanted to be with him. Wanted to show him love and care. To spend that eternity to figure life out with him.
Niki leaned his forehead against yours, “I already stopped fighting it…let it go.”
You closed your eyes, stood on your tiptoes, and connected your lips to his. The string of fate sealing its knot.
Niki smiled into the kiss before giggling and breaking the kiss.
You looked up at your soulmate, his cute face bringing every ounce of joy into your own soul.
Niki’s phone started vibrating in his pocket.
He quickly glanced down, seeing a spam of messages from Heeseung.
heeseung: We found it. Sunoo and Jay just returned. Come home ASAP!! Like right now.
“Everything okay?” You asked, quickly glancing down at Niki’s phone, seeing the messages.
“Yeah, I just have to go home, my brothers are looking for me.”
Niki planted a soft kiss on your forehead, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
And then he vanished.
Dread filled you. They did it. They found where Dorian was hiding, where YOU were hiding.
“Didn’t I tell you to not mate with the young one?”
Your heart stopped, panic settling in.
“No no, Y/N. Better calm down before he senses something is wrong.”
You knew he was right. and The last thing you needed was Niki to find out everything.
Dorian appeared in front of you, the biggest smirk on his face.
“This is a very big turn of events, who knew this whole time you were falling for the younger one? Hmm?”
Dorian’s words angered you, “You’re the one that’s had me stalking them for who knows how long now! This is your fault!”
“Oh no, sweet Y/N,” he softly snapped, pinching your face, “This is fate's fault. I had no control over it. Don’t you know you don’t pick your soulmates? Fate does.”
You shoved him away, trying to keep yourself as calm as possible so Niki doesn’t sense anything. Or even worse, his whole pack sensing something wrong.
“Now what to do, what to do.” Dorian circled around you.
“I won’t do it. Whatever it is, I won’t do it.”
Dorian stopped walking, “Excuse me?”
You took a step back, but Dorian was way too quick.
His hand met your throat, and your back to the pavement.
“You really needed to be reminded, huh little one? Did you forget who created you?!? I DID!” Dorian’s voice growled. The memory of the night he nearly killed you but decided at the last minute that you’d be a perfect puzzle piece to his game.
You gripped both hands around his wrist, trying with all your strength to push him off you. But nothing worked.
“Hahahahaaaa! See, Y/N? The power that I have obtained just from that dhampir and witch alone. Imagine the power I’d behold once that damn pack is gone!”
Your eyes widened, shaking your head, “No please.”
“It’s too late, your little mate will be killed with the rest of them. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to keep you alive until the world ends to suffer for the pain you just caused.”
Tears swelled your eyes. You just got your soulmate, and you’ll soon lose him too.
“Now that I also know they have found where we live, I think it's time to lure them in, ya?” Dorian balled up his other fist, “You’ll go find your mate, show them what I have done to you, and lead them to our home. That damn elf of theirs has masked their scents, but since you’re connected to them.”
You blacked out after that sentence. Doing everything you could to hide the pain so Niki wouldn’t come running.
—
Everyone ran around Heeseung’s apartment gathering all the supplies and weapons needed.
Niki helped Sunghoon and Jake pile the supplies into backpacks.
“It’s almost time,” Jungwon announced, “The earlier we hit his compound, the better.”
Niki wondered if you could feel the stress he was feeling. The pain of being away from you. He wondered if his brothers had noticed.
He wanted to tell them. To at least let them know.
He shoved a few blood bags into the backpack, his brain on the fence about what to do.
“Hey,” Heeseung tapped his shoulder, “Everything okay?”
Before Niki could answer, he sensed you.
Niki dropped the backpack and ran to the front door, swinging it open.
You looked up at your soulmate and watched how his face shattered at how you looked.
Niki pulled you inside, slamming the door behind you.
He embraced you in his arms and all you could do was cry. Not just because of how badly you were physically in pain, but because of the fate that awaited you both.
“Hey hey, Y/N, what happened?!” Niki tried to calm you down, running his hands through your hair.
Jay and Heeseung were at Niki’s side in a second, removing you from his arms.
“STOP!” Niki yelled, using all his strength to get his brothers away from you.
They took a step back and they watched Niki drop to the floor with you back in his arms.
And that’s when the others felt it.
Heeseung sighed, “This is Niki’s mate.”
Niki was able to calm you down and sat you on the couch while he knelt in front of you.
This was the first time you’d been up and close with the rest of his pack.
Now that you were connected to them, you could feel just how powerful these vampires were.
Heeseung knew something felt off. If Niki and you were bonded together, why didn’t the rest know? Heeseung remembers feeling the exact moment when each member connected with their mates. Why was Niki’s story so different?
Niki brushed your hair away from your face, his heart broke at seeing how you looked, how bruised and cut up you were.
“Who did this to you?” Niki whispered, fighting back his own tears.
You did as Dorian told you, “It was Dorian.”
The room fell even more silent, and all eyes were on you.
“He was stalking Niki and me tonight. He told me as he attacked me that he wanted Niki. He wanted the rest of your mates. I don’t know why or what for, I was just so confused. He let me go and I only felt safe finding Niki.”
Heeseung clocked your story. Putting it to the side for now.
Jay examined you, making sure your healing function was working and the elf mate offered to help speed up the process.
Heeseung pulled Niki to the side, “When did this happen?”
Niki raised a brow, “I told you all that I met another vampire.”
“Not that.” Heeseung softly snapped.
Niki knew what he was talking about, “It just happened, like right before you spammed my phone. There were other important matters and I didn’t want to distract anyone. We need the girls back and to destroy Dorian, mostly now that he was targeting me to get to you guys and now hurt my mate. I’m done playing games.”
Niki walked back over to you, and all Heeseung could do was analyze.
After you were healed up, the leader of your new pack was ready to move out.
“We need to leave. Now.” Jungwon said, then turning to his soulmate and planting a soft kiss on her lips.
Jay did the same, telling the girls to behave and not leave the apartment.
Sunoo and his elf mate dangled their fingers together and were the first two out of the apartment.
Niki watched Jungwon and Jay and say the final goodbyes to their mates, telling them they would be back soon.
Niki knelt back down to you, “You need to stay here with them.”
You shook your head, “No! I want to fight as well!”
Niki kissed your forehead, “I can’t lose you.”
You gripped his forearms, hands shaking. You need to be there to stop Dorian if he tries to hurt Niki. You can’t allow it.
Niki released you from him, following his brothers out the door.
You cursed to yourself, standing up and leaving the apartment.
—
Finding the entrance to the compound was easy thanks to __ magic.
Niki followed behind his brothers and they snuck their way inside.
Jake and Sunghoon were on the lookout for where they could be keeping their mates.
The compound was a lot bigger than they expected. Heeseung figured Dorian made it like this purposely to keep anyone from finding him.
They eventually came to a throne room. The room was painted red and was barely lit.
“Keep your guard up,” Jungwon said, “I have a bad feeling about this place.”
“As you should, Won.”
All the vampires hissed, seeing Dorian walk into the room.
Niki’s fist tightened, seeing the man who was responsible for hurting you.
Dorian looked at each of them, a small tsk releasing from his mouth, “I am so disappointed, where are the humans?”
Jungwon stepped in front of everyone, his fangs retracted and hands pulling out his weapon, “Don’t speak about our humans!” He hissed.
Jay followed right up behind Jungwon, his jaw locked in place.
Dorian laughed, “The only one who brought their mate was Sunoo, never thought you’d be into elves.”
Sunoo gritted his teeth, pushing __ behind him.
“Give me back my witch!” Sunghoon screamed, “Give her back to me!”
Dorian raised a brow, seeing Jake step beside Sunghoon, “I want my dhampir back as well.”!
“Hmm, well of course.” Dorian snapped his fingers, two portals opening. Two vampire women stepped through, holding the witch and dhampir at knifepoint.
Sunghoon and Jake tried to rush to their mates, Jungwon and Jay grabbing a hold of them.
Heeseung analyzed everything. Something was off. Dorian wouldn’t just hand them over that easily.
The women threw the witch and dhampir across the room, Sunghoon and Jake being at their side in seconds.
Sunghoon embraced her, “Oh my beautiful hex girl.” He cried out, holding her weak body tightly against him.
“You saw my raven?” she spoke, touching her hands to his face.
Sunghoon nodded, “I did. We received the raven.”
Jake pulled the dhampir up to her feet, her strength barely there to even stand.
“Baby, my Luna Nova,” Jake pulled her to him, tears staining his face, “I won’t ever let you go again.”
Jay and Jungwon pulled Sunghoon, Jake, and their mates behind them.
That’s when Heeseung noticed it.
“This is a trap.”
Everyone looked at him. Dorian’s smirk gets wider.
“Hyung!” Niki called out, “What do you mean this was a trap?!”
Heeseung studied the room more. This wasn’t just some normal room.
“He put a magic barrier in this room that only amplifies his power and weakens ours.”
Jungwon gritted his teeth, “That's why you gave us the girls back so easily!”
“Oh, how correct you are!” Dorian snapped his fingers again, and a small flame appeared at his fingertips, “Your pack is the strongest out of all the vampire packs. Not to mention you now have a dhampir, witch, and elf in your ranks as well. You guys are a powerhouse!”
Jay rolled his eyes, “Get to the fucking point!”
“With you all out of the way, no one can stand in my way of becoming the Vampire King.”
Heeseung furrowed his eyes, “You’re afraid one of us will take the throne?” he hissed.
Dorian shrugged, “Of course. The last thing we need is your pack in charge.”
“And what makes you think you’re so fit to be king?!” Sunghoon snapped, finally getting his witch back to her feet.
“Because I achieved what no one else has. I killed an entire coven and stole all their secrets. Got the blood of humans to use and even stole some magic from your witch and strength from your dhampir. I inherited it all. I will kill each and every one of you then challenge the vampire king for his throne. The world will know no peace.”
Niki clenched his fist, “No one will follow you!”
The ladies at Dorian’s side giggled, clearly showing where their loyalty was.
“Don’t worry, Nishimura. I have plenty of other people in this compound already devoted to me…ain’t that right, Y/N.”
Niki’s heart dropped seeing you appear from behind Dorian.
Your eyes were swollen from crying. You couldn’t even look at Niki. You already could feel the bond between you two shaking.
Dorian pulled you to him, hand gripping your chin.
Niki ran forward, Jay and Jungwon having to hold him back. He hissed as his fangs sharpened to a point.
Heeseung knew the moment you stepped foot inside the apartment that something was off. You have the power to mask yourself from not just everyone but also your pack.
“Let her go!!” Niki yelled, fighting against his brothers to get free.
Heeseung quickly turned around, receiving a nod from the elf.
She secretly was tearing the barrier down. It was time to fight.
Dorian noticed right away, the feeling of his power fading.
Everyone pulled their weapons out, ready to rush Dorian.
“Wait STOP!” Jungwon screamed, seeing Dorian’s dagger connected to your throat, “He’ll kill her if we move.”
Niki fought to stay in place.
“Drop all your weapons. NOW!” Dorian yelled.
One by one everyone got rid of their weapons, the women collecting them quickly.
Niki kept his eyes on you, but the more he looked, the more he realized how he was played.
His soulmate was his enemy.
Dorian noticed Niki’s reaction, “Hmm you finally pieced the puzzles together huh? Your soulmate betrayed you. Not just right now either. She’s been stalking and following you guys around.”
Heeseung clenched his jaw tighter, “That's how our locations kept getting leaked.”
Dorian nodded, “You even called it too, saying a mole was watching from a distance. Bravo.”
Niki took a step forward, but the dagger against your neck broke the skin, your blood collecting on the dagger.
“Don’t move, I’ll kill her right here in front of you.”
Niki shook his head, the old memories returning. Seeing his first love being drained and killed in front of him. He couldn’t go through it again. He can’t.
Heeseung’s eyes were roaming all over the room, noticing the women who were once at Dorian’s side were gone.
That’s when Heeseung sensed it.
Heeseung ducked down, pulling his hidden blade from his boot, grabbing the woman, and holding her to his chest. He stabbed the blade into her shoulder, and blood slightly painted his face, as her screams filled the room.
Sunghoon and Jungwon were able to catch the other woman, tearing her apart.
Dorian furrowed his eyes, anger filled him as he watched one of his followers get murdered. Eyes flooded back to Heeseung.
“Release the girl!” Heeseung yelled, “And I’ll return your follower.”
Niki kept his eyes on you, waiting for the right second to grab you from Dorian.
Everyone slowly moved forward. The witches and dhampir's strength slowly return. The witch set her hand a blaze, while the elf built a barrier around her pack.
Dorian was back into a corner(literally).
He snapped his fingers, and a portal appeared.
Heeseung slowly shoved the blade further into the woman’s shoulder, her screams getting louder.
Dorian needed a better plan, mostly since his strongest vampire was being held against Heeseung’s chest.
“Give me my follower back first, then I’ll let go of the little one.”
Niki whipped around to his hyung, begging with his eyes to let go of the woman.
Heeseung knew the game Dorian was playing and took a step forward, his brothers following.
Dorian released a laugh, “Oh well this was fun, but I have things cooking in another place. I was expecting the barrier to hold. Oh well.”
He put one foot in the portal but stopped at Niki’s cries.
“GIVE HER BACK!”
Dorian laughed some more, releasing you from his grip.
“Silly teenager, I created her. I turned her into what she is now. I gave her eternal life. Her loyalties are to me!”
Niki moved forward, his arms stretched in front of him, “Y/N, please. We’re soulmates…choose me again. Please choose me again.”
You wiped the blood from your neck, refusing to look at Niki. You knew Dorian wouldn’t stop until you all were dead. And the only way to keep Niki safe was to betray him.
You didn’t move from Dorian’s side.
“Y/N…”
Dorian’s laugh filled the room, “I told you. Maybe your bond doesn’t run as deep as you thought.”
Dorian stepped through the portal, you following right behind him.
“Y/N!!!” Niki screamed, causing your heart to break.
You looked at him one last time, “Just let me go, Niki…you have to let it go.”
Niki fell to his knees watching you disappear with Dorian.
“Fuck.” Heeseung mumbled.
Everyone stood in place, not knowing what to say or do. They could just watch their maknae stare off into the distance.
“If you’re going to kill me, go ahead and get it over with!” the woman hissed, squirming in Heeseung’s arms.
“Hmm…” Heeseung hummed, pushing the blade further in, “I have other uses for you.”
They placed a bag over her head and tied it tightly.
“Where to now?” Sunghoon asked, pulling his witch closer to him.
Jungwon looked at Heeseung for confirmation, only speaking after he nodded, “The new safe house.”
—
The woman was thrown into a chair and tied down, the bag being removed from her head.
She blinked a couple of times to refocus her vision, seeing Heeseung standing in front of her.
She squirmed in the chair, quickly looking around the empty room.
“Where the fuck am I?”
Heeseung let out a laugh, “That’s a fucking funny joke.”
She gritted her teeth, the pain in her shoulder returning.
Her blood was still attached to Heeseung’s face and clothes, and it completely covered her entire clothes.
Heeseung placed his right boot between her legs on the chair, leaning on his right leg, “Tell us where to find Dorian.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
Heeseung pulled out the same blade from earlier out his back pocket, placing the cold silver against her jawline, it burned her skin.
“This blade was made special for me. Made with the same type of silver that’s used to kill us.” He pressed the blade closer, watching as she gritted her teeth. Heeseung removed the blade, asking her one more time, “Where is Dorian.”
She refused to answer, instead, laughter filled her lungs.
“You won’t find him. He succeeded in his experiments to become the strongest vampire. And once he kills the vampire king, he will be stronger than you pack and kill you all.”
Heeseung chuckled, “What makes you so sure that he could kill the vampire king?”
“Look at what he has achieved,” she tilted her head, “He’ll kill the vampire king, kill you all and save me.”
Heeseung laughed more, “That’s pretty fucking hilarious actually.”
She furrowed her eyes in confusion. Staring up at Heeseung. The facial expression he was making scared her.
“How is this so funny?” she asked.
“Because,” Heeseung tilted his head up, his fangs slowly came to a point, his tongue licking his right fang as his eyes turned a different color. It wasn’t the shade of crimson that normal vampires have, but it was bright gold. And the only vampire that has bright golden eyes was…“I am the vampire king.”
She gasped, seeing how bright golden his eyes were. Seeing six pairs of crimson eyes glowing behind him.
Heeseung smirked down at her, as the fear settled in.
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