Vampire! Engen x Female! Reader: Holding On To You Part 1
Word Count ~ 4566 Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence Notes: So, this is my first gendered work, but it's like that for plot reasons that happen in the second part (and maybe third part). I'll switch back to a GN reader for the other oneshots this month. Anyway, I Got lost in the sauce once more with this one, but trust me, it should all come together by the next chapter. Happy Spooktober everyone!
Monsters, demons, anomalies, or what the beings themselves preferred: Supernaturals. They're diverse creatures of unknown origins who hide in forests, caves, water, or sometimes amongst humans. Some are friendly, some solitary, and others malicious, but to the Hunters, they're all aberrations that must die.
Hunters convinced the masses that Supernaturals were a threat to the human race. They spread exaggerated news of atrocious acts committed by Supernaturals while erasing the good deeds of others. It took several years, but the constant stream of anti-Supernatural propaganda caused mass hysteria. Parents worried their children would be kidnapped by a dryad or drowned by an undine, and farmers thought their livestock would be sucked dry by vampires. All of this led to Hunters rising in power across the country. They'd influence politics to favor their organization and gain financial backing from local governments.
Frankly, you disliked the Hunters. A year ago, when you woke up in a field with no memories, they harassed you constantly, trying to reveal you as a Supernatural. Nothing came of it, but it was such a jarring experience that you decided you wanted nothing to do with the lot of them. The notebook in your possession confirmed this. It explicitly said to avoid Hunters and those who associated with them. You had no qualms with this.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans because the most persistent Hunter in your village decided to follow you into the woods. Ruthren was always a thorn in your side. The second you were introduced to the town, he claimed you were a witch who eats children. As it turns out, baby-eating allegations are difficult to shake off.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the witch. Going out to find more ingredients for poison?" Much to his displeasure, you ignored him, so he pressed on. "Or maybe you're meeting up with your monster friends."
You sighed loudly. "Ruthren, I'd rather have my leg gnawed off by a hellhound than listen to you blaber on. So, if you'll excuse me, I have plants to pick."
As you turned to walk deeper into the forest, the sound of a flintlock cocking made you freeze. Slowly, you turned around. The crazy bastard had pulled his gun out.
Blood drained from your face. Ruthren had killed for less consequential slights before. There was no doubt in your mind that he'd pull the trigger and create some bogus story to justify your death. Sure, there'd be a bit of a fuss, but Hunters were practically untouchable by the law.
"Let's talk about this," you forced out. Adrenaline pumped through your veins as you backed away gradually. For every step backward, Ruthren took two forwards. He was serious. As subtly as possible, you slipped a hand into your bag. A knife was definitely in there somewhere.
"Oh, you're remorseful now?" Ruthren asked with mock sympathy. "Well, it won't do anything. I've hated you since the moment you stepped foot in town. There's no way you're human, but since you've managed to bewitch everyone, I'll blow you open and prove you wrong."
When a tree met your back, your hand slipped under the notebook and found the knife. Ruthren was fifteen feet away and closing. There'd be only one opportunity to sink the small blade into his throat. Blocking out the sound of crunching leaves, you started to count down.
Three. A stick snapped, but it wasn't Ruthren who'd stepped on it.
Two. There was a red blur in your peripheral vision.
One. Ruthren was five feet away and ready to shoot.
Zero. The crazed smile on the Hunter's face slipped away as a gloved hand pierced through his chest while a knife embedded itself in his neck.
Bloody mist spattered your clothing as you watched life disappear from the scumbag's eyes. More importantly, who had just impaled him? No regular human could do something like that so effortlessly.
Once the corpse fell to the ground, the stranger was revealed. He was a handsome young man with brown hair, piercing blue-grey eyes, and a scarred face. A red and black cape covered his imposing figure, but what was really eye-catching was his long canine teeth. The man was a vampire.
You gazed at the blood-covered vampire. Despite his appearance, he didn't seem particularly dangerous--at least not to you. Ruthren would beg to disagree, but he was dead and couldn't say anything. Snapping out of your thoughts, you realized you hadn't thanked the man for his help.
"Ruthren would have blown my head off if you hadn't shown up. So, uh, thanks. Could I get your name?"
The mysterious man stayed silent. His eyebrows were furrowed, and the glowing blue of his stare was so intense it made your skin prick. Maybe he just wanted you to leave so he could drink the Hunter's blood.
"Well, you don't have to share if you don't want to," you amended. "I'm going back to town now, so thanks again."
"Wait." You froze. "There's blood on your clothes. If you return like that and this guy," he kicked Ruthren's corpse for emphasis, "never returns, they'll kill you on the spot. It's quite easy to accuse people of being Supernaturals after all."
A groan escaped your lips. "You're right, but it's not like I have anywhere to go. With my luck, I'll stumble into another town and get accused of being a Supernatural again. Either way, it's a losing situation."
The vampire stared at you for a few more seconds before saying, "Come with me." He turned and began to walk deeper into the forest without waiting for your response. With few other options left, than to follow the man, you grabbed your bloodied knife and ran to catch up.
Walking through the forest was a struggle. Thick roots hindered your progress at every step. Meanwhile, the vampire who'd saved you strolled through so casually that it was as if he was on a completely separate path. Before you could ask him to slow down, the brown-haired man's stride lessened, allowing you to keep him in sight. Not once did he look back, though.
After hours of walking, your mysterious savior came to a stop. As you closed the distance between you two, a dreary castle appeared. It was the largest building you'd ever seen (which wasn't saying much considering your memory loss, but it was undoubtedly massive). The large gate creaked open as if it were expecting your arrival.
You tentatively stepped through the entrance. Inside, the building contrasted greatly with the bleak outside. There was a colorful array of individuals, from a witch in purple to a man with a pumpkin on his head. Other Supernaturals were hanging around and playing games. The moment they noticed the vampire entered, they swarmed around the two of you. A flurry of greetings and questions were directed toward the man.
"Welcome back!"
"How was hunting?"
"Who's that lady?"
Instead of responding, the man raised his hand, and the crowd immediately silenced. "Where's Rachel?" he asked.
A young dryad in a green dress popped out from behind a plant and shouted, "Here," while waving excitedly. The young girl slipped through the crowd and stopped in front of you.
"Show her to a room," the vampire ordered. "She'll be our guest starting today." Without sparing you a glance once again, the enigmatic man walked through the crowd, which separated for him.
You didn't have much time to think before Rachel grabbed your hands and started shaking them around. "It's nice to meet you, uhhhh. What's your name?"
"I wish I knew," you smiled bitterly. "I can't remember anything at all."
Rachel frowned for a second before her sunny disposition came back. "Then how about this? Until you remember your name, we'll call you (Y/N)!"
You repeated the name a few times. Maybe it was Rachel's overflowing positivity, but you felt happy. The new name filled a part of your heart that yearned for normality.
"I like it. Thank you, Rachel." The dryad beamed. You could have sworn the seemingly permanent blush on her face intensified. Her happiness was undoubtedly infectious.
"C'mon, after I show you your room, I'll give you a tour of this place. It's huge, so I don't want you getting lost," she giggled. Without warning, Rachel grabbed your arm and started to drag you around. You tried to slow down, but she was much stronger than she looked. One yank and your arm would come clean off.
Rachel's first stop was the garden behind the castle. Hundreds of different plants grew wildly across the expanse of land. It was gorgeous. A laugh slipped from the blonde dryad as she saw the shocked look on your face.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I take care of all the plants here. Whenever I feel lonely, I come here." A sad look filled her eyes for a fleeting moment before she shook it off. "Anyway, let's continue with the tour."
She showed you the grand dining hall where meals would be served. You wondered how meals for so many Supernaturals were prepared, but apparently, spirits took care of the cooking and other household chores.
"But just in case you feel a little hungry, here's the kitchen," Rachel presented with a flourish. Inside, there was the witch you saw before. She was cooking what seemed to be an ungodly amount of food. When questioned about the witch, Rachel laughed and said that was an everyday occurrence.
Finally, you were shown your room on the second floor. It was spacious enough to be a house in the village you used to live in. How could all of this be for one person?
"Are you sure this is mine?" you asked incredulously. "This is way too big for one person."
"Of course, it's yours, silly! You're our guest," Rachel giggled. "If you need anything, I'll be in the room next to you. On the off chance I'm gone, Engen is in the only bedroom on the third floor."
"Engen?"
"That's the lord of this castle. He's the one who brought you here." You blinked. Every thought in your head vanished. Noticing the blank look on your face, Rachel continued to speak. "Engen doesn't talk much, so don't feel bad. He may be private with his affairs, but he saved everyone here from Hunters. I can't think of anyone we'd trust more with our lives than him."
A soft smile spread across your face at Rachel's words. Engen was a good leader. It was still a mystery as to why he saved you, though. What possessed him to save a human? You pondered the question as you said goodnight to Rachel and slipped into bed. Whatever the reason, you were glad Engen saved you.
Weeks flew by, and you found yourself adapting well to life in the castle. No one was bothered about a human living with them. In fact, many were quite friendly. You quickly befriended the gluttonous witch, Ihwa, and the man with a pumpkin on his head, Vector. Alongside Rachel, those were the people whose company you stayed in the most. Engen, on the other hand, seemed dead set on avoiding you. Every time you tried to approach him, he'd disappear into his shadows.
"It's just so frustrating," you complained to Vector one night. "Do I have the plague or something? I can't even get a word in because he ignores me."
Vector stayed silent for several seconds before responding. "That's strange because Engen asked me to make sure you were comfortable here. Why he would save you just to avoid you is beyond me."
A sigh escaped your lips as you laid your head on the cold table. It would make sense to stop trying to engage the vampire, but something inside you kept drawing you to him. Damn him and his contradictory actions.
The door to the castle bursting open snapped you out of your thoughts. Through it came the other vampire, Baekji. She was breathing heavily and covered in scratches. You and Vector dashed to catch her before she fell down.
"What happened?" Vector asked as he rummaged through his medical bag.
"The forest is swarming with those Hunter bastards. I was trying to feed on an animal, but they saw me and tried to kill me. Barely made it out alive," Baekiji groaned.
"They won't find the castle, right?"
"No," Vector answered while bandaging Baekji, " Ihwa placed an enchantment circle around it. No one with ill will towards Supernaturals can see this building. You're actually the first human to be able to see it."
"I'm so hungry," the orange-eyed vampire suddenly whined. "It's been too long since I fed." She glanced at Vector, who quickly covered his neck.
"Not a chance, you blood-sucker. How many times do I have to tell you you can't even get sustenance from another Supernatural's blood?"
"But it tastes good," she grumbled. "Maybe I should turn you into pumpkin pie."
You watched the two bicker before speaking up. "I wouldn't mind if you drank some of my blood, Baekji. I don't want you to starve."
Her eyes lit up. "Really, (Y/n)?" You nodded in confirmation. With your permission, Baekji closed the distance between you two, but before she bit into your neck, she noticed something and backed away.
Curious as to what made her stop, you turned around. Shadows were twisting menacingly across the floor, but Baekji's eyes were focused elsewhere. Standing at the top of the stairs was Engen. His eyes were glowing blue as he glared down.
When Supernaturals feel intense emotion, their eyes glow. That was something you'd observed firsthand in the past few weeks. A mischievous jinn named Bagna once made the mistake of touching Ihwa's food. As you shielded him from the witch's wrath, the blazing red of her eyes almost scared you into letting Ihwa kill the foolish jinn. The rage in her gaze was nothing compared to Engen's, though. His anger was cold enough to chill the entire lounge. Time seemed to slow as you held eye contact with the man.
Without warning, Engen turned and started towards his room. The shadows reverted to their original positions, and the temperature no longer felt abnormally cold. Simultaneous breaths of relief came from you, Vector, and Baekji.
"I thought I was going to die," Vector cried. "You should have known better than to have touched (Y/N), Baekji."
"So this is my fault?" she cried incredulously. "I just..."
You tuned out their altercation. Everything about the situation was too overwhelming. Maybe a trip to the garden would help. Quickly mumbling goodbye to the two Supernaturals, you made a beeline towards the back door.
Immediately, the smell of flowers filled your nostrils. Its calming effects washed over you as you found a small table to sit at. Times like these were perfect for reading. Digging into your bag, you found the dilapidated notebook that'd been with you since you woke up with no memories. Most pages were illegible or blank, but the last thing written inside was "We love you." Seeing those words never failed to brighten your mood.
"Mind if I join you?"
You turned around to see Rachel approaching the table. She had a small white flower in hand. Even though there was a smile on her face, the melancholic in her eyes was evident.
"I don't mind at all," you said, gesturing toward the other chair. The dryad murmured a quick thanks before plopping into the chair. Rachel sat in silence until she decided to speak.
"Is it true that Hunters are searching the forest for Supernaturals? Some others were talking about what happened to Baekji, and I can't help but worry."
"From what Baekji told me, yeah, it's true."
Rachel suddenly slammed her fists on the table. The unexpectedness of the noise scared you out of your skin. Neither that nor the crack in the table was significant, though. Comforting Rachel was the top priority. As you hugged the blonde girl, she released her frustrations.
"Those damn Hunters already took my family from me once. Why are they trying again? Why can't they leave us alone?" Rachel sobbed.
All you could do was listen and rub comforting circles on her back. Years of pain wouldn't be solved with empty words of consolation.
When Rachel calmed down slightly, she thanked you and left for her room. The defeated slump of her shoulders was heartbreaking. It did strengthen your resolve, though. The Supernaturals in this castle treated you like family, and you'd be damned if you sat back and let a single one die.
As you walked inside, Ihwa pulled you aside and handed you a packet of red liquid. Wasting no time, she said, "Give this to Engen. It's synthetic blood that should barely sustain him. I'm out of ingredients now, but it'll buy them some time. Anyway, I've got to go force-feed this to Baekji. She's too picky."
With that, you were left gobsmacked. You were the worst option out of everyone who could deliver the fake blood. Based on Engen's past actions, the vampire would take one look at you and choose to starve. Nevertheless, you found yourself knocking on the door to his bedroom. It creaked open. Taking that as a sign to enter, you tentatively stepped inside. A glance around and the room was empty. Of course.
Before you could turn to leave, a pair of arms wrapped around your waist. The sudden contact made you jump. You tried to slip out, but whoever held you tightened their grip.
"Don't leave me again," they whispered lowly into your ear. That voice was one you'd rarely heard but couldn't forget. Engen was hugging you, but why? After avoiding every attempt to speak to him, this was uncharacteristic. And what did he mean by again?
You wiggled futility, but Engen's grip was far too powerful. It wasn't uncomfortable, though. In fact, had the situation not been so dire, the hug would have been pleasant. The thought made your cheeks heat up. Chiding yourself for having useless thoughts, you tried to negotiate with the vampire.
"I promise I won't leave, but please let go."
"No."
"But I have to give you something important, and I can't give it to you if you keep holding me."
There was some grumbling, but Engen finally released you. Looking at his face, you realized the reason for his strange actions: Engen was delirious. A haze filled his eyes, and he seemed flushed. He needed to eat immediately. Quickly, you thrust the packet towards the scarred vampire.
"Drink this. It should make you feel better."
Without hesitation, Engen downed the whole packet. His face screwed up at the taste (maybe Baekji wasn't being dramatic), but he no longer looked as flushed. Unfortunately, the clouds in his blue-grey eyes were still there.
"Are you still hungry?"
Silence.
"Well, I don't mind if you drink my blood."
Now, that elicited a response, but not a verbal one. In a second, Engen's face hovered near the junction between your head and your neck. His warm breath caused goosebumps to form on your skin. Slowly, he bared his fangs in preparation for the bite. Your eyes clenched shut, and your heart felt like it was trying to escape its confines. A quiet whimper left your mouth as you waited for him to sink his fangs into your neck.
But nothing happened. A quick look at Engen made it clear he had regained his clarity, but he was still breathing heavily. Before you could question the man, you were shoved outside the room.
You stood there for a minute, processing what the hell had just happened. Everything from Engen's sporadic behavior to your own decisions didn't make sense. So many questions filled your brain, but those weren't important now. Blood for Baekji and Engen was the first priority.
The plan was to sneak out in the morning and hunt a deer. An animal of that size could sustain both of the ailing vampires. Of course, that was easier said than done. Hunters were swarming the forest, so animals were hiding. You also had to find a way to transport the deer (if you found one) back to the castle. Sitting in the kitchen, you tried to find a reasonable method, but nothing came to mind. A groan left your lips as you swallowed another mouthful of polkweed and hellebore extract.
"Is everything alright?" It was Bagna.
"I wish." You ended up spilling everything to the young jinn. Surprisingly, he sat and listened in quiet contemplation. At the end of your rant, Bagna stayed silent for a few more minutes before coming to an epiphany.
"There's a pegasus that roams around here. It loves honey cakes more than anything. If you go out with a few, it may help you out. Also, there's a wagon and harness in that creepy shed no one touches."
"Thank you for everything, Bagna!"
The jinn was caught off guard by your sudden hug. It was a nice contrast to being yelled at for a prank.
"It's nothing. Just helping out 'cause you saved me from Ihwa a while back," he said bashfully.
"Well, I appreciate it anyway," you grinned as you left for your room.
In the morning, you woke up early to avoid arousing suspicion. Armed with a bow and arrows, your bag, and a surplus of honey cakes, you slipped outside. The shed wasn't hard to find, but dragging the wagon out was. Wiping the grime off your hands, you started the next phase of the plan: finding the pegasus.
Turns out that didn't take much because the moment you unwrapped the cake, the winged horse descended instantly. It glanced at the harness, then the cake, and snorted loudly. You took the snort as acceptance and began to strap the horse in.
"Could you, uh, do something about the wings? I'd rather not get shot by a Hunter."
The pegasus snorted indignantly, but an offering of cake changed its tune. Within seconds, its wing folded down and blended into its hair. With that settled, it was time to hunt.
Hours passed uneventfully. You were able to catch a few small animals but nothing substantial. Even the Hunters you encountered were relaxed. Other than a few questions, they didn't seem to suspect someone who didn't flee upon seeing them.
Frustrated with the lack of success, you leaned on a tree. Where were all the deers? Maybe it was time to return. The pegasus seemed slightly irritable, and you were almost out of cake.
Suddenly, a brown figure limped by. It was an injured deer. You apologized mentally before raising your bow and letting the arrow fly. The arrow lodged itself firmly into the animal. Within seconds, life left its eyes. Setting your weapon and bag in the wagon, you rushed to the carcass. You gestured toward the pegasus to come closer because carrying the deer was nigh impossible with your strength. It took an embarrassingly long time to shove the animal onto the wagon.
"Perfect, now let's hurry home," you said to the steed while feeding it the last of the cake.
"That's a fine horse you got there." A Hunter slid out from behind a tree. His tone was playful, but his eyes were alert. This man was dangerous. "The name's Cyrus," he continued as he held out his hand for a greeting.
"Thank you," you smiled while shaking his hand. Hopefully, Cyrus would only ask some questions and leave like the other Hunters.
"What brings you out here? It's pretty dangerous since Supernaturals are on the prowl."
"Ah well, some people in my family are sick, so I'm trying to sell some game to buy medicine."
"If that's the case, I'll buy whatever's in your cart."
You balked as he pulled out a sack full of coins. Cyrus called your bluff.
"What's the matter? Why are you hesitating? Or," The playful smile on his face turned malicious, "We are looking for a woman with (Y/H/C) hair and (Y/E/C) eyes. Apparently, she was last seen in this very forest! What a coincidence, wouldn't you say?"
"Yeah, what a coincidence," you forced out. "I'll accept your offer, by the way. It was just so generous that I was shocked."
Slowly, you assessed the Hunter. Not once did his hand leave his gun. If he decided to shoot right now, you'd be dead. This was just like the Ruthren situation, but this time you were unarmed.
When you pretended to reach for the coins, Cyrus drew his gun and fired. Nothing happened, though. The gun had misfired. Using his hesitation, you slammed your elbow into the Hunter's nose and kicked him in the shin. Despite this, he still managed to grab your wrist.
"Run away," you screamed at the pegasus. Wasting no time, the creature sped off toward the castle. Getting blood to Baekji and Engen was your priority.
"You bitch," he growled. "I should have killed you right away."
A sharp pinch to Cyrus' arm made him release his grip. You didn't wait around to make a snarky comment. Tree branches whipped at your face as you ran away while bushes clawed at your legs. Everything hurt, but the sound of heavy footsteps in pursuit motivated you to keep going.
Meanwhile, people were starting to notice your absence at the castle.
"Have you seen (Y/N)?" Rachel frantically asked everyone. "I haven't seen her all day."
Most people had no idea. Bagna, on the other hand, looked guilty. This didn't go unnoticed by the dryad, who quickly turned on him.
"Where is she, Bagna? If this is another of your tricks, so help me, I will use you as fertilizer for my garden."
The glow of her eyes made the jinn shrink. Rachel was terrifying when she wanted to be. Things didn't end there, though. Shadows began to writhe, and the temperature dropped. Engen had arrived. Each step he took sent a jolt of fear down Bagna's spine.
"What's this about (Y/N) going missing?" the vampire growled. Even with unwell health, he was petrifying.
"She went out to hunt animals this morning," Bagna confessed. "I helped with planning but didn't think it would take this long."
Both Engen and Rachel glared menacingly at him. Had it not been for the noisy neighing of the pegasus outside, the jinn might have perished (again).
Everyone rushed outside expecting to see you, but the wagon was empty, save for the dead animals and your bag. If your things were here, where were you?
"I'm going to look for her," Engen stated.
"In that state, you'll die in an instant. Especially since the sun will weaken you as well. Drink some of the deer's blood first," Ihwa said flatly. She'd never seen the vampire act like such an idiot.
Engen didn't respond, grabbing the deer carcass and sinking his fangs into it. He quickly drank his fill and tossed the body at the silver-haired witch.
"Give the rest to Baekji."
With that, he slipped into the shadows of the forest. There were many Hunters, but none could match a revitalized Engen. He slaughtered everyone who stood in his way. For the first time in decades, Engen was afraid. He couldn't lose you again. Or so he thought.
When he finally found you, there was a bullet passing through your chest.
Thanks for reading! See you on Friday!
- Mis