Days later—clouds hung heavy and low as I cycle to Uta’s house. It was a short distance to ride. I knocked and waited for a few minutes. That was longer than I would wait for him or Alfred to get the door.

Where were they? And why were they taking long to get the door?

I knocked with all my might again and didn’t have to wait long. The door swung open and there stood Alfred. A tan, skinny, old man with a pair of unusually shaped neon green eyes with cat-like pupils surrounded by black irises.

“Good evening, Alfred.” I rocked on my boot heels.

“Good evening, Miss Ji-Hye. Come in, come in. I’m sorry I took long. I was busy,” he explained.

“It’s okay. No harm, no foul.” He smiled. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been well. And yourself?” He asked.

“Hanging in there.”

“I suppose it’s all we can do. The boys are inside the study. Shall I take you?” He offered.

“It’s all right, Alfred. I can take it from here.” He didn’t protest, though I was expecting him to. He returned to whatever he had been doing.

I heard Yasu and Uta talking as I approached the study. Yasu had been at Uta’s house for some time now. It was fun, fun, and more fun. We joked and laughed and danced all the jolly day long. We didn’t end up in an intense argument about some nonsense every time we spoke to each other.

Uta was laughing at a joke Yasu had told. I was not sure how long I stood listening, but the mournful sound of an aching voice brought me back to reality. I looked in the study to see it covered with books—on the floor, chairs and the desk. Yasu was lying on the couch with one-foot dangling over the back, a book on his stomach and another in his hands. He wasn’t looking at the book. There was a word for that expression on his face. Frustration. My boyfriend stood in front of the huge bookshelf, searching for something. He looked sexy. The mournful voice came again, though it didn’t appear as if the guys heard. I knew the sound was coming from Uta’s uncle. Although he told me not to go to the basement, and I promised I wouldn’t, my curiosity was getting the best of me.

I hurried away before they noticed me. Uta’s uncle wouldn’t want anyone to see him at his worst. I almost felt guilty doing what he hated. I walked through the small passage that led to the basement and opened the door at the end of the corridor and proceeded to his room. They secured with iron bars. There was a lock on the bars. Oh, great! I gazed around, looking for a key, but there wasn’t one. I knew shouldn’t be here without protective clothing, but… I wanted to see him. I removed my jacket; wrapped both my hands in it to protect myself and stepped closer to the doorway. Even in my tall boots, I’m unable to see Joe. I reached for a paint bucket I saw in the passageway and placed it before the doorway. I stepped into it and steadied myself. I still couldn’t see Joe. I tried to peep on both sides of the room but each time I attempted; the bucket tilted. I tied the left sleeve of my hoodie around one bar to support my weight and to keep me from falling.

The room was about the same size of a prison cell. It looked cold and lonely. A small cot with a basin, and a table were the only items I could see. With one last attempt, I leaned to the side, trying to catch a glimpse. I gazed down at the paint bucket, hoping it’ll not fail me. It wasn’t far off the floor, but I didn’t want to fall. Upon returning my gaze—a pair of intense blood-red eyes stared right back at me. I froze as Joe’s eyes held me in place. I couldn’t move.

His eyes didn’t leave mine, and I could not look away. Why couldn’t I move? I wanted to scream for help, but not even that would come. What was he doing to me? Joe lifted his arm and oh my God! I didn’t want him to touch me. I tried to undo the knot when he made a rumbling sound and chilled and stopped me. He opened his mouth, and I saw his fangs extending. I swallowed hard. They were bigger than Uta’s and bloody. I will die at the hand of my boyfriend’s uncle. A man who once adored me but now done recognised me.

“Feisty!”

“Yasu!” I yelled. “Please. Get me down.”

“What the hell are you doing? Do you have a death wish?”

“Can you lecture me after you get me down—Idiot!?”

“Idiot? You tied yourself to a bar with an infected vampire inside and I am the idiot? I thought time make people wiser. I see that’s not the case with you.”

“We’re having this conversation now?”

“It seems. Apologise.”

“What?”

He folded his arms. “Apologise. Or I will not help.”

I was inches away from crying. On another day, I would have called Yasu bluff, but I was not taking any chances now.

“I am sorry.”

“Aren’t you submissive?”

I didn’t see him coming. I only felt his hands undoing the tie I made. Joe roared, and this time he sounded and looked like an angry animal. I realised it hadn’t been such a clever idea to tie my hand to the bar. Joe edged toward me, closing what little space there was. His fangs merely inches away, and I screamed aloud, although he hadn’t touched me yet.

Then I heard him saying, “No!” Yasu startled Joe. “Touch her and I murder you!” He threatened through clenched teeth.

Joe stared at Yasu as if trying to remember him. His fangs disappeared, and he stepped back into darkness. My heart was pounding fast in my chest.

Yasu surprised me by laughing. “You’re an adrenalin junkie. A normal human wouldn’t do what you did. But I suppose you’re not normal.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

He dropped my hoodie in a trash bin. With his inhuman speed, Yasu left the room and within seconds he was before me with a damp towel.

“Clean your face and hands.”

I did as he ordered, taking it from him. The towel smelled of sanitiser. I tossed it in the trash when I finish using it. Looking away from the bin, my right hand met Yasu’s face. I only heard the impact of my slap; my watery eyes blurred his expression and everything else.