Chapter Text
The four of them should have looked out of place, four Thai citizens poking around the small Korean police station. Phayu uses his powers to convince the personnel that they belong there, giving them some vague idea that they belong to an international police organization.
They are shown to the evidence locker and given access to everything the police have on Davika's case. When they opened the file for the boys suspected in the case they notice a red X across the photos.
“This had to be done after the case was closed for no one to notice.” Phayu says.
“Does that mean Davika has been here?” Rain asks.
They pull the cases of the other victims and find in each case the suspect has the same red X.
“Didn't Davika's uncle say that she used to come to the station with him?” Sky asks.
“That means she must have at least some of her human memories left.” Pai says.
“I have an idea,” Phayu says, “Wait here and keep looking to see if anything else stands out.
Phayu asks around the police station to see if there have been any recent victims of sexual assault where the suspects were set free. He finds there are three cases. He returns to the evidence locker, and they pull those three cases. They find what they are looking for in the second case. The man Yu-Jun, accused of assaulting a university student, has a large red X across his photo.
Phayu calls Saifah and Heam to have them locate the man while the others put everything back. On their way out Phayu convinces everyone that they were never there.
Yu-Jun is currently at his office where he works as an executive assistant. They wait outside the office building for him to leave. They are following him when Rain stops, “There is someone there, I can feel their emotions.” He looks like he might cry. “So much anger and pain.”
“Where exactly?” Phayu asks.
Rain points to a seemingly empty spot ahead of them. Phayu closes the gap quickly and says, “Show yourself.”
A woman near them stares in shock as there is a shimmer and a teenage girl appears.
“Go about your business, you didn't see anything out of the ordinary.” Phayu tells the woman. She shakes her head and walks off.
It would be easiest to tell the girl to sleep but carrying a sleeping girl through the streets would require him to command even more people to ignore what they see. Instead he says, “Come with me.” He grabs her hand in case the command itself isn't strong enough.
Rain scowls when he sees Phayu holding the girl's hand. Rain is an empath, and he knows how Phayu feels about him, that Rain is the only one he desires. However, as amazing as his sweet boy is, he is also a fledgling vampire. The base emotions like jealousy and lust are strong in the fledglings. Phayu smirks a little at the second thought.
Davika does follow him without protest, but she takes one longing look back at her prey.
Phayu whispers something to Pai and then turns to Rain, “Let’s get her back to the house for now, then we will figure out what to do.”
“What about Sky and P’Pai?” Rain asks, they are already heading in the other direction.
“They are on a hunt.” Phayu says. Rain's eyes widen with understanding. “They will make their own way back.”
They bundle Davika into the car they borrowed from Heam and take her back to the Korean clan house.
Inside Heam leads them to her office.
“Sit,” Phayu tells the girl. She sits in a chair across the desk from Heam. Phayu stands with his back to the door and Rain curls up on a sofa in the corner. He seems to be uninterested in the proceedings, but Phayu knows he is monitoring the girl's emotions.
“Your name is Davika?” Heam asks. The girl remains silent and Phayu shifts intending on ordering the girl to answer. Heam shakes her head, and he resumes his position against the door.
Finally the girl nods and says in a small voice, “Am I in trouble?”
Heam studies the girl for a moment and then says, “I wouldn't say you are in trouble, just that there are some people not happy with your public displays.”
“Oh,” Davika says, “I just hate them so much. When I see those evil men that hurt women or children it makes me want to strike out against them.”
Heam nods, “It's normal for a fledgling, a young vampire like yourself, to have trouble controlling your emotions. Did the one that changed you explain anything about our world?”
Davika shakes her head at this, “I only saw him once.’
“Why don't you tell us what happened from the beginning.” Heam says. “Start with what you remember from your human life.”
“I only remember hazy things before the day I was attacked.” She concentrates, “I think I lived with my uncle, and he was a cop or something. I don't really remember but I remember the police station he worked at. I know I was in high school because I was there that morning. One of the girls said something to me and I think it upset me. I left early and was going home to do my homework. I passed a convenience store, and those two college boys were outside smoking. They said something, but I tried to ignore them and walk past.” She shudders and takes a deep breath.
“You are safe here,” Heam reminds her.
Davika continues her story. “One of them grabbed me and put me in their van while the other kept watch. I looked around for someone to help but there wasn’t anyone around. I thought I saw some people across the street but if so they didn’t help me. Those boys took me to an abandoned house and they, they…”
Rain shifts uncomfortably, Phayu knows he can feel the girl’s distress.
“It’s okay,” Heam says. “What happened after that?”
“One of the boys had a knife. He cut me with it and said that everyone would think I did it myself and even if they didn’t their fathers were rich and they wouldn’t get in any trouble. Then they just left me there to die. I waited for it to happen but then there was a man there, except he wasn’t a man. He asked if I wanted to get revenge on those boys and other humans like them. I said I did and changed me.” Davika says.
“Do you remember anything about the vampire that changed you, even the smallest details?” Heam asks.
“He was young, I think he might have been Thai. I remember he wore a silver necklace with a T on it. It had a blue stone in the center.” Davika says.
Heam freezes. “Are you sure it was a T? Not a cross or something else?”
“It was a T, I stared at it while he changed me.” Davika says.
Heam nods, “Thank you, you have been very helpful.”
“What will happen to me now?” Davika looks scared again.
“I would like you to stay here with us.” Heam tells her. “You can become part of the clan and we will teach you how to hunt more discreetly. We even have a couple computer experts here that will make your trips to the police station unnecessary. They can easily find the sort of prey you prefer.”
“You would do that for me?” Davika asks.
“Of course and if I’m not mistaken Pai and young Sky are waiting outside with a gift for you.” Heam says. Why don’t you go see while I speak with Phayu and Rain.” Heam smiles at the young girl.
Phayu had told Pai to follow Yu-Jun and if he saw an opportunity to bring him to the Clan’s house. Apparently, he had done just that.
“You recognized something from the girl’s description. The necklace?” Phayu asks.
“I’m surprised you don’t. You are familiar with the Theerapanyakul clan, correct?” Heam says.
“Of course, they are the second biggest clan in Thailand after P’Pakin’s.” Phayu says.
“Then you might have heard the story of how his middle son sired a boy he was infatuated with without his father’s permission? Don’t get me wrong, I've met the leader of the Theerapankakul clan, and I wouldn’t trust the man to turn my back on him. However, it turns out in this case Korn was correct. Tawan betrayed the family, almost killed his sire, and disappeared without a trace. The necklace Davika described is the one Tawan received when he was sired.” Heam says. “I’ve since heard that Kinn has found his true mate, but they are still searching for the one that betrayed them.”
“So you think that the vampire that sired Davika is this Tawan.” Phayu asks.
“Could be,” Heam answers. “If so, I’m sure the Theerapankakul clan will welcome him home with open arms.”
Phayu can just imagine. P’Pakin is known for being vicious to his enemies, but that is nothing compared to the reputation of the Theerapankakul Clan.
“So what are you going to do?” Phayu asks her.
“Find Tawan, if it is him, and send him back to Thailand to face the consequences of his actions.” Heam says.
“You think he will just go?” Phayu asks.
“I think I know someone who can convince him.” Heam says. “Isn’t that what you do?”
“What’s Tawan’s power?” Rain speaks up for the first time since entering the office.
“It’s actually very similar to Phayu’s.” Heam says. “Phayu control’s people’s minds where Tawan can control their bodies. He’s extremely dangerous.”
“How do you get close to someone like that?” Phayu asks.
“Sky.” Rain says. “Could he use his shielding abilities?”
“The fledgling has the power to shield himself?” Heam asks. “That’s a rare ability.”
“Not just himself, others. He put his shield around me and P’Phayu couldn’t tell me what to do.” Rain says. P’Phayu raises an eyebrow at this, and Rain says quickly, “I mean with his powers. It worked for P’Pai too.”
Phayu explains, “P’Pakin suspected that Sky might be able to shield others, but we left Thailand shortly after he was sired, and we didn’t get a chance to test it. So, we have been experimenting with it since we arrived. Rain is correct, Sky could shield us from Tawan’s powers.”
“It only has to work long enough for P’Phayu to speak to him.” Rain says, giving Phayu an admiring look.
“So how do we find him?” Phayu asks.
“Leave that to Sang Woo, if anyone can find him, it’s our resident genius.” Heam says.
Sure enough Sang Woo gets a lead by watching surveillance cameras around the area where Davika had been taken by those two boys. Tawan has apparently been trolling that area for victims. Why he decided to change Davika instead is a mystery. He isn’t exactly the heroic type.
“There,” Sang Woo says, pointing at a live feed from a street camera, “that’s him, right?”
“That’s the one who changed me,” Davika confirms.
“We’ll take Saifah with us this time,” Phayu says, “It couldn’t hurt to have his power to back mine up.”
“I’ll come as well.” Heam says, “Just in case things turn ugly.”
So the six of them head to the area of the city where the camera captured Tawan. Sang Woo directs them to which way he went from there. Finally they end up in front of a group of abandoned warehouses.
“Which one?” Pai asks.
“Do you feel anything,” Phayu asks Rain.
Rain closes his eyes and concentrates. “It’s faint but I feel something from that warehouse,” he points to the one at the left, “I think it could be a powerful vampire.”
“Be ready Sky.” Phayu says.
Heam summons a thick fog so that they can’t be seen approaching the warehouse. Inside there are broken pieces of glass and abandoned equipment not valuable enough for the owners to take with them. Phayu looks at Rain who points to a set of stairs in the corner. There is a loft with some old, empty offices. They search them and find blankets and an old mattress. It looks like this warehouse might have become a refuge for some of the homeless of the city. It seems like Tawan might have come here to hunt.
They find him at the end of the row stalking a young woman, not much more than a girl, protectively cradling a child.
“Stop.” Phayu orders.
Tawan whirls around and Rain feels the odd sensation of being in a bubble he can’t quite see. That’s what Sky’s shield feels like. He feels a pressure against him and realizes that Tawan is trying to use his power.
“Tawan, sleep.” Phayu says firmly and the man drops like a rock. In the end it’s a little anticlimactic. Rain had expected there to be some big fight like in the series he and Sky had watched together last night.
“What about them?” Rain asks, looking at the woman and the little girl.
Phayu tells them to forget what they have seen, but of course that’s not enough for his empathetic mate.
“Do you have somewhere you can go?” Rain asks the woman. “Why are you here?”
“We ran away from my husband.” The woman says. “I wanted to go to my parents, they live in a small village, but we left in the middle of the night with nothing. I was afraid he would wake up and catch us if I tried to take money from his wallet.”
Phayu reaches into his pocket and hands her a large handful of won that P’Pakin had given him to cover expenses.
“Go straight to your parents,” he tells the woman. She nods and leaves with her daughter.
They take Tawan back to the clan house where Heam locks him up. They will take him back to Thailand with them tomorrow and turn him over to the Theerapankakul clan. Phayu will just make sure he sleeps until then so he can’t cause any trouble.
That night Saifah makes a surprising announcement. “I’m staying with the Korean clan. I’ve already talked to P’Pakin who had given his blessing.”
“Oh, why?” Rain asks in confusion.
“Because he’s found his true mate,” Phayu says. “Heam really can control the weather.”
“Oooooh,” Rain says understanding. “Congratulations P’Fah.”
“What about the rest of you?’ Heam asks them.
“I promised Rain a ride on a ship.” Phayu says. “Maybe we’ll even sail around the world. We have forever after all.”
Rain smiles sweetly at Phayu and whispers, “forever.”