Last Snow: Ch. 4

A/N: There is a short question and answer session at the end of the fic. Please take the time to read it to clear up any questions. Hope you guys enjoy! ^^ Please review!

Last Snow
Chapter 4: Proposition

There were several moments in my life when I felt utterly mortified. There was that one time when my cute neighbor saw me hanging my underwear on the line, and another when my dad sent me to get my chest x-rayed by the old graying doctor at the local hospital, but none of those moments could even begin to compare to the mortification I felt when I saw Minho's eyes on me, standing there naked and vulnerable.

His eyes were dark and dusky, and a trickle of fear tickled my body. I didn't like the way he was looking at me.

I screamed, this time in surprise and embarrassment. I grabbed the shower curtain, wrapping the plastic around my body like a toga. My movements were sluggish and my mind was hazy, like I was coming down from a recent high. It was an unfamiliar and unwelcome feeling.  

"What are you doing?!" I yelled.

Minho didn't say anything.

My legs quivered as he moved closer, and I moved further away, back tensing when I felt the cool tiled wall behind me. Water was still pelting my body, and a few stray drops hit Minho.

"Minho?" I tried.

I didn't know what to expect or what was happening, but when I saw Minho wordlessly step into the tub I felt the world go cold as I realized what exactly was about to happen.

He was going to rape me.

I screamed again, this time louder, hoping that maybe one of the other vampires might take pity on me and come rescue me. I twisted my body away from his, grabbing the bar of soap sitting on the edge of the tub as a weapon.

I yelped as a hand grabbed me, twirling me back around, and shoving me under the shower head. The shower curtain fell away from my body, and I aimed the bar of soap at Minho's head when his eyes strayed from my face to my chest. He easily ducked the object, scowling formidably at my attack.

'Shit, shit, shit. This was not happening. This was not happening.' I thought. I was distraught, and I was  walking a very fine line between going delirious or berserk.  

A foreign hand grazed my breasts, grabbing my free wrist, and a thigh was shoved between my legs, effectively pinning me to the wall.

I trembled, tears blurring my vision, and the water still falling.

A hot breath ghosted over my cheek to my ear.

"Just because we haven't touched you yet, doesn't mean we won't if you encourage us." Minho said. There was anger in his voice, but it was strained; as if he was holding himself in check.

I looked at him with a clueless expression on my face, lower lip still trembling, and he swiped his thumb over my philtrum. He flashed me his red thumb.

"Taemin is a fledgling, things like this make him lose control. They make him insane."

My eyes widened in shock when I realized my nose was bleeding, a steady stream down  my chin, curling around my breasts. He had pushed me under the shower head to wash it away.

We locked gazes.

"What does it do to you?" I whispered. The fear was still there, but it was layered with concern. Concern for what would happen to me if I pushed him too far over the edge.

His eyes skimmed over my wet body, and my face flushed with embarrassment.

"What are you implying?" I demanded, borderline hysterical.

"Shut up!" Minho hissed, slapping a hand over my mouth.

I bit it, hard. He yelped, and pulled his hand away.

I didn't care if I was too bloody loud. I was standing before him naked and he was watching me with his hawk-like eyes.  And after the odd scenario that I had just witnessed I felt nothing short of violated and dirty.

"Get out! Get OUT!" I screamed.

He narrowed his eyes, shoulders defiant.

My lower lip quivered, chest flaming with anger. In all my life, other than my doctor, no one had ever seen me nude.

Most girls at  my age had already long given into their carnal cravings. But I hadn't, and I had my reasons.  

For me stripping off the physical layers, also meant tearing down the walls holding me together. It was the exposure of both my body and myself. It was a weakness.

"Please," I said, my lips moving on their own accord. "Let me have this little bit of dignity. Please leave." I begged, voice raw.

He stilled, eyes watching me carefully. I kept my eyes downcast, unable to meet his steady gaze.

"Ten minutes," He agreed quietly, releasing his grip on my wrists. He stepped out of the tub, spinning on his heel, and walked out of the bathroom.

My legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed to my knees, grabbing the plastic shower curtain as I drooped. I pulled it to my body like a safety blanket.

I pressed my body to the tiled wall of the shower, heart pounding, and a few tears escaping my eyes

Everything felt so surreal. A dream I couldn't wake up from – a nightmare.

I clenched my fist in my lap, and a drop of blood fell on my creamy skin. I grimaced at the picture. Another drop fell, this one larger and redder. I raised my hand to my nose, and swiped the wet liquid pooling on my upper lip. I pulled it back and stared at my stained fingers.

My fingers trembled, and my tears fell harder.

What was happening to me? What were they doing to me?

'Dad, where are you?'
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I took my time coming out of the bathroom, trying to will away as much time as possible so I wouldn't have to see Minho.

Fortunately for me he wasn't waiting.

Relief warmed my core, and I sighed before fully flopping onto my mattress, and rubbing my face in an exhausted manner. Things were getting out of hand.

Something was wrong with me, and it had everything to do with that vision. My cheeks went hot on remembrance.

It didn't make sense. It didn't make sense because the vision I had seen (could it even be considered a vision?) felt too real to be a mere flaw of imagination. It was real. It had to be, because the face shining back at me in that man's eyes, was the girl that was in the photo from before.   

What I didn't understand, was why it  felt so real to me? It was as if I was experiencing the same emotional pleasures as the girl, and who was the man barking out orders? I didn't even want to try to comprehend the whole nosebleed thing.

I sighed, the questions swirling in my head.

"I said ten-you took fifteen." Minho claimed, voice monotone and dull.

I jumped, whisking around to see the brunette leaning against the door frame with a bored expression on his face. He lifted his eyes from where he was inspecting his nails to meet mine and I blushed. He gave me a pointed look and I willed the blush to disappear, glaring at him vehemently. He had some nerve trying to stare me down after the episode in the bathroom.

"Why are you here?" I asked, throwing a sheet over my face. It was hard to look him in the eye. I felt naked all over again.  

'What are you doing to me?'  My mind whispered fiercely.

I peeked out from the top of the sheet to address him.

He titled his head, nodding to a tray by my mattress. "Lunch."

I clenched my teeth. "I'm not hungry." I ground out.

'Leave!' The voice screeched inside me.

"I have strict orders to make sure you eat, so eat." He commanded.

He needed to leave. No matter what his orders were, he needed to get out. Before I broke down. Before I screamed.

"I'm fine." I said shortly.

He opened his mouth to retort, but froze mid-speech, like he was in sudden deep thought. "I have to go." He said after a few moments.

"Then go." I said stiffly.

He gave me a glare. "I'll leave your tray behind." He commented, and without another word he left.
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"Get up." He said coldly.

"What?" I asked.

Key reached for my arm, dragging me off my bed and into the hall outside of my room.

"Wait! Where are you taking me?!"

"Keep quiet." Key snapped.

I pressed my mouth into a thin line, following him just as he had asked. Fear prodded at my stomach, and the thoughts of this possibly being my last evening on Earth ran rampart through my head. It took a significant effort on my part to not start kicking and screaming as he pulled me down the hall of my room and up a flight of stairs.

He continued to drag me through his house, passing by various doors and expensive looking decor. Everything was exceptionally fancy and high class. I was beginning to miss my dingy prison cell.

We stopped in front of a random black door, and Key wretched it open, flinging me inside in one sweeping motion. I fell hard against the carpeted floor.

"Don't touch anything." Key said sharply and slammed the door shut.

I groaned in exasperation. Tell me something new.

Sighing I glared at the door before huffing and spinning on my heel. I let my eyes roam around the room I had been ungracefully shoved into, deciding make myself welcome while the host carried out his business.

It looked like an office, with tall rolling bookshelves full of brightly colored mangas, pastel novels, and ancient leather bounded books. There was a table on one side, supporting a white laptop and stacks of intimidating papers.

The drapes were pulled back; enough to let through a beam of light. Everything had a golden wash to it, ethereal and the epitome of perfection. I touched the drapes hanging over the large windows, and pulled them back. A halo of light surrounded me. I looked out into the wilderness, taking in the orange sun and the different hues of yellow dancing in the sky. I leaned in to trace the lines.

'Stunning.' My mine ushered.

The door slammed open, and I jumped, whirling around.

"Key! What's going on?!" Taemin asked as he stumbled inside.

The next thing I knew Taemin was standing right in front of me, eyes wide, and mouth partially open.

"Why are you-"

"I brought her here." Key explained in a clipped tone, coming into my line of sight. He slammed the door shut with more force than necessary.

"Oh." Taemin said. He appeared wary.

They both quieted and turned to stare at me. I tugged at my dirty shirt self consciously.

"What?!" I snapped. "Are you finally going to get rid of me?" I tried to sound nonchalant, like it had no effect on me whatsoever if they had in fact decided to complete the deed and be done with me, but the slight tremble in my voice and my quivering knees gave me away.

Taemin scowled, and Key rolled his eyes before staring at me. His gaze was penetrating and it was as if he could see straight through me, looking for an opening.

"Taemin already told you about her, right?" Key asked with no preamble.

My heart skipped a beat.

"She's dying." He further explained, not waiting for me to respond.  

My mask of indifference settled in place. "Why are you telling me this?"  I inquired. His question was odd and unexpected.

"We have a proposition to make." Taemin said, butting in. He leaned against the office desk taking up one side of the room, picking up a thin manilla envelope hidden between a stack of loose papers.

"Unless you're going to release me and let me go home, I'm not interested." I countered, watching him with guarded eyes.

"We can't offer you freedom. You already know too much about us." Key imputed, flanking by Taemin's side.

"But there are...other options. Far more satisfactory if I do say so myself." Key explained, neatly plucking the envelope from Taemin's fingers, and holding it out to me imploringly.

I took it from him hesitantly.

"I must say, your background was quite detailed-explicit even." Key said, far too amused for my liking.  

It was a trigger for me to dive into the tiny slim piece of paper within my grasp. So I did just that, peeling back the closure and the top.

There were  several sheets of paper inside, and I chanced a glance at the two vampire's leaning against the desk top. Both of them were smirking, Key's exceptionally meaningful, and Taemin's the definition of pure eagerness.

I pulled out the the stack with a huff of annoyance.  A glossy picture peered back, the face of a young woman with black hair and familiar brown-black eyes. My eyes widened in surprise.

'Mom?'

My fingers trembled as I stared at the photo and the worn face. Her hair was let down in a pin straight fashion, her personal fashion signature, and her pink lips were curved into a fragile smile. It was her. No one else could smile like her. No one else could replace her.

"Ah, but that's not even the best part." Key said sweetly, walking over to where I stood, and shaking me from my thoughts. He pulled out another sheet from the stack in my hands, slapping it down on top of my mother's picture.

My heart stopped.

The papers fell from my hands, the image of my mother laying on top, and the photo in my hand bringing up memories that I thought I had long forgotten.

The taunting, deep, ruddy red eyes was all I could see.

"His name's the Puppet Master....he's your mother's killer." Taemin informed me.

"Wah, wah, waaah..." Key said in a dramatic fashion. Taemin gave him an amused look. ("What? I've always wanted to do that." He said with a brief smile. Taemin rolled his eyes.)

"We'll help you find him, your mother's killer that is." Key started, ignoring the red haired vampire teasing him.

"Better yet, we'll help you kill him...for a price." Taemin finished.

Kill him. I could finally kill him, and avenge my mother's death. I could finish what he started, and be free of the nightmares that plagued me. I could be free.

But with the help of the same creatures that had killed her in the first place.

I pulled my gaze away from the picture. "Tempting but -"

"I don't think you understand." Key interrupted. "You can't kill him – none of your pathetic kind can."

"I don't need them to kill him. I can kill him on my own." I gritted out.

"If you really could, wouldn't he already be dead?" He challenged.

I flexed my fingers angrily. I could take him out with a solid punch if I could get close enough to mess with that pretty little face of his.

Key didn't look the least bit phased. "You don't even know where to look let alone kill him."  

"And you do?" I hissed.  

"I wouldn't be putting up the offer if I didn't." He said.

I snorted. "You kidnapped me, tore down my village, and destroyed my entire life.  Do you honestly think I'd help you after what you've done?" I asked furious.

"We didn't touch your petty little village." Key snarled, eyes glowing a dim red.

"Key," Taemin said. He held a hand to Key's chest, holding him back. "Stop it. You're not helping."

Key continued to glare but obediently fell back. His red eyes were still glowing, tantalizing as ever, but the hatred hidden in them was unimaginable.

"I still don't understand, where do I fit into the equation?" I let the photo in my hand go, not bothering to watch it flutter to the ground and overlap my mother's innocent face.

"Your men shot her, the girl dying in our home, under your father's instructions. We want you to fix her." Key explained bluntly.

"The Hunters only attack vampires. Why would they attack your Pet?" I spat out distastefully.

Pets were a common thing in the vampire world – innocent humans captured by vampires to serve their seethes and to feed them accordingly. Most didn't go willingly, there were very few who did, and those few were usually Provoked. The Hunters were well aware of that fact, which is why they took great care in attacking seethes. And that girl from the picture, looked more human than anything I had seen before. She had to be a Pet. Why else would there be a human in this particular seethe?  

Key was scowled, eyes a brighter red, but Taemin had donned a knowing smirk.

"I think you should tell her."

Key shot Taemin a disapproving glance.

"She'll find out eventually besides, who's she going to tell? It's not like she can run off to her precious daddy and tell him." Taemin said condescendingly.

Key sighed, and my curiosity was piqued.

Taemin turned to me. "The girl from the photograph, she's one of us."

I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. "What are you – "

"She's a turned." A new voice said, and my eyes locked with Jonghyun, blonde hair swept to the side, and somber eyes boring holes into mine. He was leaning against the door frame, having sneaked in amidst the conversation  

My heart quickened.

"A turned..." I whispered in shock.

I stared at them horrified. "You turned her?" I asked, voice low. "You made her a monster?!"

They'd turned an innocent girl. They had taken her life.

Silence ensued, but Jonghyun's eyes never left mine.

"You're the lowest of the low. You took her life. You killed her." I hissed.

A flame of rage came to life in his eyes, and the thought of being attacked fleetingly crossed my mind.

"We're not the only monsters in this room. You're the ones who shot her." His said. His voice was biting and crisp.

My mouth parted, but Jonghyun cut me off. "She used to be human – she used to be like you. Doesn't that mean anything?"  

I pursed my lips, and a pang of regret rattled my heart.

'But she's a turned.' My inner voice said. I was conflicted.

"She's a vampire now. She's a killer."

His eyes flashed, and before I knew it he had a gun aimed in my direction. "It took me four shots to kill the Hunter who shot our girl, how many do you think it'll take for me to kill you?"

My eyes widened, and my heart started hammering wildly in my chest. Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes and my lower lip trembled.

"Let's count them and see." Jonghyun said when no one answered. He clicked the safety on the gun off.

"If you kill me, your turned is as good as dead."  I said quickly.

He stilled, cocking his head to the side, a winning smirk filling his face. "I told you, they're a lot more responsive when they're put under pressure." Jonghyun purred at Key. "Keep talking."

"The antidote, I know it. My father told me in case I ever had a run in with one of the bullets." I said hurriedly, eying the gun trained at my face with apprehension.

"So it doesn't just work on vampires?" Taemin asked.

I shook my head yes slowly. "The Hunter's League is using new weapons as part of their new reign – guns filled with bullets soaked in a liquid poison. It's deadly. It kills its victims slowly, inside out supposedly. The period of torment is almost a month."

"How humane." Taemin's sarcasm was scathing.

I paused. "I can help her."

"That wasn't our question." Key interrupted. "The question is, will you help her?"  

My heart was pounding erratically in my chest, and I realized I honestly didn't have an answer prepared. I didn't know what to say.

"Why should I help you?" I asked. The question was earnest, and I looked at them with wonderment. How much did this girl mean to them?

"I love her." Jonghyun whispered, silencing the entire room."If I didn't, I wouldn't have stooped this low to talk to you."

That hurt. It hurt a lot, but the meaning was clear. I was an obstacle. An obstacle they wanted to get rid of. And she was an obstacle they wanted to revive and protect. She was something important.

I swallowed, still processing what he had said.

"Why now? You've stuck me in that prison cell for weeks. Why are you asking me for my help now?"

"Of course the original plan was different – kidnap you an use you as bait for the antidote, but the League is taking too long to give us a response. Not to mention the fact they're might not even be the chance of an antidote being handed to us. Too risky." Taemin said dismissively.

I nodded my head slowly.

"So, your answer?" Key drawled, bending over to pick up the sheets strewn before my feet. He grabbed my hands, and placed the sheets in my hands, the image of my mother strategically placed on top, and the image of her killer peeking out at an angle from behind her.

Mom, I could avenge her. I could put her death behind me. I could move on, but only if I let them in. I could only win with their help. How far was I willing to go?

I bit my lip lightly. "I need time."

The answer was vague but it was better than nothing.
"And here I thought our argument was rather convincing on its own." Key commented, rolling his eyes.

"How much time?" Taemin pressed.

I paused. "A night. That's all I need – one night."

Silence again, and finally a sigh of acceptance from Key."Very well, Taemin could you take our guest back to her cell?" He asked.

Taemin nodded.

I handed Key the papers.

A glint appeared in his eyes. "Keep them. You might find something interesting."

I hesitated but tucked them back into their large envelope.  He nodded at Taemin, our cue for us to leave.

Taemin led the way, and I carefully evaded Jonghyun's dominating presence by the door.

He gave me an analytical look and I shuddered at the cold sweat collecting on the back of my neck. One thing was for sure, I was in for a sleepless night.
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Jonghyun closed the door behind them, eyes locking with Key. "Why the sudden change in plans?"

"Taemin's idea."

Jonghyun smirked. "Is that the reason for your concern?"

"No," Key said quietly, a look of worry etched on his features.

Jonghyun noticed and gave him a skeptical look. "There's something bothering you."

Key frowned. "Don't you think it's odd?"

"That the girl didn't cave in?" Jonghyun inquired.

"Not that," Key whispered. He hesitated."I can understand the girl's reason for wanting him dead – avenger her mother's death, but...what's Taemin's?"

"He wants him dead, almost as badly as she does. Do we need a reason?"

Key shook his head thoughtfully before sighing in both understanding and agreement. He straightened from his slouched form, shuffling a few scattered papers into a thin stack.

Jonghyun stalked over, joining him in his work. It was the closest Key was going to get to an apology for what the boy had been up to for the past few days.

"Where's Onew?" Jonghyun asked.

Key smiled at him faintly. "Sleeping." He said.

Jonghgyun nodded, accidentally knocking over a picture frame on the desktop. He cursed under his breath, brushing back a few pens as he flipped over the frame, intent on setting it back in its rightful place. His grip weakened and a flash of pain painted his face.

Key glanced over his shoulder at what had caused his emotional outburst. His eyes softened.

"Still?" Key asked quietly. The question in his voice was apparent.

Jonghyun ignored him, flipping the picture back down, and left the office.

Time was running out.
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Ba-dum.

Onew's eyes flew open. He'd heard it, the soft whisper. The same whisper that lulled him to sleep on many sleepless nights, and was now responsible for keeping him awake.

He couldn't forget it.

Ba-dum.

His breath caught in his throat, his hands hurriedly pushing back the sheets. He jumped out of the bed, forgoing his house slippers, and threw open the door leading to the hallway of first floor bedrooms.

Ba-dum.

He raced to the familiar door at the end of the hall, a usually quick feat, extending into an endless moment of time.

Ba-dum.

He launched open the door to the bedroom, taking in the white bookcase of novels, the stream of moonlight filling the room, and at last the empty bed, piled with a collection of dirtied bandages.

The familiar ache in his chest returned, the one of fear and foreboding. Something was wrong.

Ba-dum.

His heart thundered in his chest. He dashed out of the room, following the sound through the house.

His nose picked up notable scent in the air, rich and smooth.

It was blood.

He ran faster, bypassing the image of a red hand print smeared across a wall.

Ba-dum.

He bounded down the stairs and past the kitchen, making a beeline for the front door.

He acutely noticed it was no longer locked tight like it usually was, and that it was ajar. It was waiting for him.

Ba-dum.

He was outside in the blink of an eye, running through the maze of trees with practiced precision. The sound was growing louder....and scent of blood was growing stronger.

His heart pounded wildly from in his chest.

Ba-dum.

He skirted around another clump of trees into a forest opening, and was overwhelmed with the stench of blood that rolled over him. He paused in his running, holding his breath, and staring at the scene before him with wide eyes.

There was blood-so much blood, painting every crevice of the opening. A few animal carcasses laid scattered about, most of them deers. Their limbs were haphazardly thrown here and there, the skin of their bodies sagging against their bones, and their necks torn from the rest of them. Blood spilled from the openings.

It was sickening.

But it wasn't the dead bodies that made Onew pause, but rather the woman in the center of the graveyard, brown hair falling like a curtain over her face as she greedily drank from the deer beneath her.

Onew moved to her, his feet crunching over a few dead leaves and a few twigs.

Ba-dum.

The woman froze, slowly raising her head to meet his gaze. She tilted her head curiously at his scent and unfamiliar face. Then she grinned, a wicked red smile, blood dripping from her lips and down her neck, and eyes a dark crimson.  

"Minah..." Onew breathed out.

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Q/A:


Why did Minho appear in the shower scenario?

First of all, please recall that after the protagonist pulled out of er 'dream' sequence, there was the sound of the door bursting open and the scene she was invisioning 'shattered.' Basically the moment she screamed in the scene, she screamed in the real world too. Minho, thinking something was wrong and smelling the blood, ran to her to get rid of the blood before Key or Taemin smelled it.

Why did they kidnap the girl?

They kidnapped the girl in order to threaten her father, who is a Head Hunter, into giving them an antidote for the dying female vampire. Unfortunately it was taking too long for the Hunter society to decide whether or not to provide them with the appropriate cure, so they decided to take a difference course of action. Plus they didn't think they would provide them with the cure anyways.

Why does the protagonist hate vampires so much?

Not only does the protagonist hate vampires because they're blood sucking killers, but one of them killed her mother – also referred to as the Puppet Master.

Who is the dying female girl?

The dying girl as seen from the photo, is a turned vampire that SHINee personally turned themselves.

What do you mean by Provoke?

Provocation is a Talent that can be learned by several older vampires. It's subdues victims by making them attracted to the vampire trying to use it on them. It is a two step process which includes wonderfully smelling pheromones and hypnotic eyes. It is incredibly strong.

Why was the main character not Provoked?

The main character was not Provoked because she is the daughter of a Head Hunter and was trained to avoid it.  

What is a Talent?

A Talent is a special ability each vampire has as part of their vampirism. Only strong vampires have such Talent.

What is a Pet?

Pets are humans that vampires take in as their blood providers. They are not looked highly upon, but are pitied because they are usually forced into their...new occupation.

What exactly is causing the dying female vampire to die?

The female vampire was shot by a deadly bullet fired  by a Hunter that was commanded to shoot her under the orders of the protagonist's father.