Yuchan's veins burn. The others have assured him that the burning will cease after a while, that the poison tearing through his bloodstream will settle and cool, but for now all he can do is squirm as waves of heat wrack him. Muffled voices break through his hazy awareness — he thinks that's Byeongkwan leaving, someone else taking his place. They've been taking turns with him, making sure there's someone with him until this first, worst part of his turn is over.

Junhee takes him in his arms and holds him steady, a presence as grounding as he is tantalizing. Yuchan remembers that he smelled good before his turn, heady with cologne and charisma; now, the overpowering scent of his blood drowns out anything delicate, like too much salt in a broth.

"Hurts," Yuchan whimpers, clutching at Junhee's arms. "Junhee, it hurts."

Junhee runs a hand through Yuchan's hair, murmuring nonsense.  He draws Yuchan up to sit on his lap.  Even the silky fabric of his loose pants and open shirt is agony against Yuchan's over-sensitized skin. Yuchan squirms like his body can't decide whether he craves more contact or needs to get away — Junhee makes the decision for him, holding him in place with firm hands on his hips.

"I can give you a little more, baby," Junhee says, taking Yuchan's chin in his hand and forcing eye contact. "But you have to be good for me, and stop when I say."

Yuchan nods frantically. He thinks he'd say yes to anything Junhee asked of him, especially in that tone he has that brooks no argument, even from the others. His heart gives an exaggerated, painful throb when Junhee smiles at him, teeth glinting in the low light.

"Good boy." He threads his long fingers into the shaggy hair at the nape of Yuchan's neck, taking a firm grip. "Come here, then."

He guides Yuchan's lips to his neck, where his scent is most potent, and the sound Yuchan makes isn't human. He'd be embarrassed by the way Junhee laughs at him if he weren't so out of his mind with hunger and need.

"Junhee, please, please, can I?" he babbles, fangs out and ready, self-control hanging on by a thread and no more. It will be such a sweet relief to fill himself up, to slake his thirst, he knows it will be and won't Junhee just let him?

"Go ahead, baby," Junhee murmurs, petting the back of Yuchan's neck, and it's all he needs to sink his teeth in.

Junhee groans, one hand locked onto Yuchan's thigh in a tight grip and the other keeping a firm but steady grasp on his hair as he drinks and drinks. Junhee's blood sparkles in his throat, warms his stomach like liquor, just on the edge of pain. It coats his tongue in iron and richness, something he has yet to learn the name of, dusty and comforting. He wants to stay here forever, the warmth of flesh surrounding his fangs and Junhee's hands keeping him secure. He's safe here, even if he's burning up inside.

"Yuchan," he hears, but it's distant beneath the rushing in his ears, the fire in his belly, "Yuchan, stop, that's enough."

Never enough.

He'll never have enough of them, of the four of them, filling him up with whatever parts of them they're willing to give — their blood, their flesh, their love. He whines and struggles and sucks sweet ichor from Junhee's neck, every swallow making his head swim and his body burn.

"Yuchan, stop."

And Yuchan stops, because there’s no other choice but to listen.  He's not human anymore, but Junhee's mesmerism is the strongest of any of theirs by far, strong enough to pierce through the bloodlust that had taken him so fully.

"Please," he whines, and gasps when Junhee takes him by the chin and forces Yuchan to meet the depth of his eyes.

"Calm down, baby," Junhee murmurs, voice still laced in power.  "Focus on me. I've got you."

And because Junhee says it, it must be true.  He's their coven leader, after all, he's going to take care of Yuchan just like he promised.

All at once, he's aware of the burning arousal in his belly, as if it was hiding just beneath the surface of his hunger.  Yuchan whines again, squirming down on Junhee's thigh, unable to put his need into words.

Junhee kisses his forehead.  He whispers soft things, coaxing Yuchan to lie back down, but Yuchan resists, shaking his head and reaching out to cup Junhee's face, wanting more. Junhee obliges, kissing Yuchan hard enough to bruise.  It's enough, barely — he lets out another moan, feeling weak with relief.

"There you are," Junhee murmurs in his ear, stroking the side of his face.  Yuchan leans into the touch, desperate, burning.  Junhee pulls him close, pressing lips against his cheek, temple, eyelids, nose, forehead, mouth.  His skin is blessedly cool every place he touches Yuchan.

"Need you," Yuchan croaks, voice little more than a rasp, barely audible above the static in his head.

“I’ve got you,” Junhee repeats, low and syrupy-thick, and Yuchan’s hips jolt as a hand wraps around his cock.

Junhee holds him close, keeps kissing him, and Yuchan craves even more, writhing until his bones feel like they’ll break from the force of his need. The heat under his skin is frantic, wild — it escapes him in sighs and small whimpers.

“It hurts,” Yuchan hiccups, unable to stop himself as he ruts down, “it hurts, Jun—”

“I know, baby.  I’m sorry.”  Junhee thumbs over the head of Yuchan’s cock, slick with his precum and sweat, and Yuchan keens.  “Come on, come for me and it’ll feel better, I promise.”

Yuchan shakes his head, taken fully by the sudden, gripping panic that when he reaches his peak it won’t end — that it won’t quell a thing and instead he’ll just go up and up and up until he burns like a wildfire and there’s nothing but ash and bone left in the bed with Junhee.

“No, Junhee, please—”

“Trust me,” Junhee coaxes, ducking to kiss at the soft, thin skin of Yuchan’s neck, just over the scarring where he’s been bitten time and time before.  “Then you can sleep, I promise, just let go, Yuchan.”

Yuchan can’t deny him — not when he twists his wrist and kisses his jaw and lets the mesmer creep into his tone just enough that Yuchan’s body acts before his mind catches up.  He tenses and writhes and comes all over Junhee’s hand, nails scraping over Junhee’s shoulders hard enough to pierce the skin.

He’s hazy when he comes down — not so desperate, but still with hunger and need and heat thrumming in every part of his body.  It’s quelled enough that he’s sleepy, clutching at Junhee and pouting when Junhee doesn’t immediately lie down next to Yuchan and spoon him.

“Sweet boy,” Junhee laughs, stroking Yuchan’s cheek with his clean hand, “I’m going to get one of the others to stay with you.  Go to sleep, okay?”

“Why can’t you stay?” Yuchan demands, though he sounds ineffectual even to his own ears.

“Because I have more important things to do than lay in bed with our baby.”  Junhee grins widens as Yuchan’s pout deepens, but he softens almost immediately, running a hand through Yuchan’s sweaty hair.  “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

“Promise?”  Yuchan’s losing steam fast, barely able to keep his eyes open.  He still feels feverish, but it’s just an undercurrent to his exhaustion now.

“Go to sleep, Yuchannie.”

“Mm.”

He’s barely awake enough to register when Sehyoon slips in behind him, comforting presence just enough to send him the rest of the way asleep.  He’ll wake up soon enough, burning and desperate and thirsty beyond imagining, but for now, it’s quiet.