Vampire Eugene
Eugene sits upon his throne of bone, gazing at the gathered ladies from a nearby village. For some reason, about forty years ago, the villagers around his dwelling had come up with the idea that offering him a virgin female every once in a while would appease his hunger and protect them from his fangs. Though Eugene still hunted several of their townsfolk if it pleased him, he wasn’t going to disabuse them of the notion. Female flesh and blood was particularly sweet and supple, especially from the younger women. Being fed pleased him, even if it didn’t entirely satisfy him.
The women tremble before him, as the village translator does his best to calm them down. He almost never spoke to the townsfolk, and those who heard his voice were never alive for long. However, ten years ago, he’d spoken English and found the confusion and terror of the people hilarious. It had become his greatest entertainment. In response, they had hired a young man who was fluent in Western Languages two years ago. To Eugene’s horror, the young man was witty and smart. Enough that even an old vampire like Eugene couldn’t help but grow fond of the silver-tongued boy. Gwansoo had grown comfortable to an almost insulting degree around Eugene, but he was under no false impression as to the true nature of his Master. He had been witness to enough of the vampire’s feedings to avoid feeling any kind of sense of security around the ancient creature. He knew that whoever was selected among the ladies would be promptly torn to shreds. If they were lucky, of course. Sometimes, his Master was perverse enough to play with his food.
Gwansoo had only seen it once. Eugene now did him the courtesy of asking him to leave if he was in a cat-and-mouse mood.
Still Gwansoo does his best to calm them down. His master does not like hysterical women. In one instance the villagers cannot forget, the women had been so vocal and upset, Eugene had slashed the throat of the lot in anger. All twenty women, they said, dead in a flash. Gwansoo has been calmly talking to them about nonsensical things for the past few minutes, as his Master lounged and watched them all behind hooded eyes.
Now, his Master stood, his head slightly cocked to the side. Gwansoo follows his Master’s golden gaze, which falls upon a lady who sits at the very edge of the group. She stands apart in her finery, sitting upright and primly on the cold wooden floor. It’s the granddaughter of the wealthiest man in the village. Most of the nobles have sent their daughters off to “study abroad”, but Lord Go believed in no such things. Lady Go Aeshin must have turned seventeen this year, for her to be offered to the vampire. She sits with her hands folded in her lap, her gaze fixed on the wall just beyond the throne of bones. She doesn’t even flinch when Eugene comes to stand before her, his cloak pooling like a shadow barely an inch from her knees.
When Eugene points at the loudly wailing woman, then waves his hand, Gwansoo obeys. He’s made his choice.
The rest of the women are escorted out by wan, unhappy slaves, but Lady Go Aeshin stays kneeling. The Master is still standing before her, and it would be rude if she should exit without being directly dismissed. Gwansoo, as he ties the now screaming woman, wonders if good manners have ever been the death of anyone. His eyes search his Master’s face, but Eugene is inscrutable. Bowing, he makes his exit, dragging Guidan out. She will be locked and fed properly until it pleased his Master to feed on her.
Eugene continues to stare at this defiant young woman, interested in spite himself. There have been many women over the course of his existence. Some have approached him, seeking to share his eternal youth. Others have begged him to be their lovers, hoping his hunger would be appeased by sexual favors. He had killed every single one of them. As all of them, without exception, had stank of fear.
This lady, though, sat entirely devoid of fear.
He crouches before her, seeking her gaze. She meets his eyes, then demurely lowers hers. She is behaving as though he were simply a human noble. Perhaps she doesn’t understand his nature? His lips curl in distaste, wondering if her bravery is based on idiocy or ignorance.
Gwansoo is already at the door. “Gwansoo, bring her here,” he says in English, his eyes glowing faintly. The lady’s eyes slide up to his and she starts in surprise. His golden eyes are luminous as he allows for his hunger to show. His fangs elongate at the prospect of a meal, and he relishes in the way her eyes round in terror. To her credit, she doesn’t flinch away from him, standing her ground as she watches him. Gwansoo brings the screaming victim to his Master, but merely leaves her halfway across the throne room. He knows Eugene well enough that, once the feeding starts, the vampire will be unable to differentiate between friend or foe. At least, until he is sated. However, Eugene doesn’t instantly dive for his victim, staring at Guidan as she squirms where Gwansoo made her kneel. He jerks his head toward the lady, “make her watch.”
Gwansoo runs across the room, sliding in place and apologizing as he forces Lady Go Aeshin to turn and look as Eugene circles hungrily. “He wants to you watch, my lady,” he whispers urgently, wanting the lady to understand how important this is. This isn’t the first time Eugene has taken two victims, forcing one to watch as the other dies. It is a particular game the vampire enjoyed. And should the second victim look away, that victim suffered a long, agonizing death. “You must watch. If you don’t, he’ll make you pay dearly for it.”
Go Aeshin’s eyes are wide, but there’s a determined light to them that gives Gwansoo hope.
Together they watch in abject horror as the feeding begins, the throne room echoing with the terrified screams of Eugene’s victim. She thrashes where she kneels and Gwansoo knows his Master is being particularly vicious this time. Sometimes, he’s kind to his victims, giving them an instant and painless death. Guidan seems to have awoken something primal in him and the vampire feasts with a warped pleasure as he feeds on her flesh, blood and pain. The crunch of bone makes Gwansoo flinch and a tremor run through Go Aeshin’s body where she still kneels.
Eugene rises, his eyes still glowing somewhat as his hunger recedes. It’s rare for the vampire to finish the entire body in a single sitting. Eugene stalks with deadly grace toward his crouching translator and kneeling guest, his cloak sweeping behind him and soaked in blood. Eugene rarely eats messily, but his face, white chemise and chest are all covered in bloodstains. His tongue darts out across his bottom lip, catching the beads of blood that remained in a single swipe. He smiles, his fingers curling outwards, signaling for Gwansoo to get away from his guest. Gwansoo jerks to his feet and bows, beating a hasty retreat.
Eugene comes so close that his cloak brushes the lady’s knees. Her hands are still on her lap, but clenched around her skirt. Eugene observes her with interest, crouching once more to seek out her gaze. She meets his eyes just as fearlessly as before. Though she does have a scent about her that speaks of fear, it doesn’t have the same rank odor Eugene knows.
“You are not afraid,” he remarks in Korean, the words perfectly fluent, natural and understandable.
She blinks, clearly not expecting him to speak in Korean, but rallies admirably. “No.”
“Why?” he asks, his bloody hand reaching out. She leans back a bit, but manages to stop herself from retreating. There’s no disgust on her face, but she doesn’t look pleased as he stains her cheek almost perversely. A budding desire blossoms in Eugene’s bosom, something foreign, but not unwelcome.
“I am angry, rather,” she confesses, if a little unwisely. “But I’m not afraid of you… of death.”
Eugene isn’t sure if that’s heroic or stupid. He tells her so, and smirks when her incensed gaze pierces him. Not even Gwansoo dares to look him in the eye like this. “I see,” he says, mockingly. “And why aren’t you afraid?”
Aeshin stops, thinking her answer through. Her brow furrows and Eugene finally puts a word to the desire in his cold, rotten heart.
“Noble ladies live lives like flowers,” she says softly, touching the delicate pattern on her skirt. They’re peonies, and Eugene wants to touch them. He stops himself, remembering the state of his hands. He might have wanted to taint her cheek and skin, but he respects her clothes. They’re a symbol of her status and her virtue; he would not destroy that. “I will live like a flame, instead.”
Noting her word game, he smiles faintly. “Flare, then go out?” he asks, wiping his hands on his cloak. She nods slightly, and he stands, offering his now clean hand. She stares at it, wondering at the elegance of a hand which had, not too long ago, torn a woman apart with ease. Aeshin takes his hand and he pulls her to her feet, gently leading her to the door. She stands at the threshold of his throne room, appropriated from the Joseon king well over a century ago. He smiles at her again, and Aeshin breathes deeply. Reminding herself of the scent of blood that shrouds him like a shadow.
“Come back tomorrow, my lady,” he invites. Aeshin wonders if she really has a choice. His grip on her hand tightens, evaporating the idea of free will. “Please.”
Aeshin nods, hiding her small smile. The vampire’s interest, at least, would discourage her grandfather’s recent attempts at forming an alliance with the Kim Family. His invitation has marked her, one way or another, and Aeshin wonders what his interest in her will bring.
“I’ll be here,” she says, stepping out. The slaves usher her down the dark courtyard, leading her back out the palace walls. She looks back only once at the pale figure still standing beneath the awning, almost hidden entirely from view under his black cloak.
Eugene watches her go, as the feeling curling in his gut spikes.
Anticipation…
