I awoke and I am still alive. I am still cold and lying under a pile of blankets. My sister is no longer at my side. My room is dark.

“Dance with me Jaejoong.” It was Yunho’s voice in the dark.

“Why won’t you let me be?” My throat was dry.

“Come here.” Yunho demanded.

“Yunho just let the weak be and leave me alone.” I softly turned to my side.

“Jaejoong come here.” Yunho was more insistent. He stepped towards me and threw off my blankets and pulled me to my feet.

I stood upon weak legs. I swayed just a little. Yunho grabbed at my robes and pulled them apart. He pulled me to him and held me close. His body felt like fire against my icy skin. I could not push him away because I was too weak and so I allowed him to hold me.

“I can barely hear your heartbeat.” He whispered into my ear.

“It is you who quieted my heart and made my skin cold. Now you are taking responsibility by warming me.” I held to him tighter. “It was you who fed on the servants.” I rested my head on his shoulder.

“I did not want to but being this close to you my thirst became multiplied. After having been with you my thirst for you grew. I could not control myself. I was hoping you would open your arms to me. Do not reject me Jaejoong.” He kissed my cold neck. “I love you.”

“Your body is warm. You have fed tonight too haven’t you? Who were your victims?” I ignored his kiss.

“The concubines.” He answered weakly.

“You want to right a wrong and you have killed all our slaves and now our concubines. It would be better if you just throw yourself into your enemy’s arms and ask them to kill you for all you have done.” My body was no longer shaking from the coldness.

“Do you hate me?” He asked.

“How can I hate someone who has travelled five hundred years just to find me? I remember the love we shared but I can’t go back to that life. What if I become what I was and kill kingdom after kingdom? I don’t want to cause destruction.” I pulled away and looked into his glowing emerald eyes.

“Don’t humans cause destruction as well?” He whispered.

“Yes they do but what takes an army can easily take one immortal to accomplish and humans don’t live long. The destruction they cause will be small compared to what an immortal can do.” His face was getting closer to mine.

“You’re afraid.” Yunho’s breath was hot on my cold lips. “Don’t be.” His lips were soon at mine.

He kissed me. It was quick and innocent. I turned away.

“Don’t do this.” I buried my face in his neck.

“You are afraid that you might become what you were back then but you won’t.” His hand caressed my back.

“How do you know?” I pulled my arms around him.

“Last time it was a demon that made you. Don’t you remember who much you changed afterwards? You became very different. You were filled with hate, rage, and anger. When you gave me this gift you did not give me any of that. I am still that same person that loved you. This time let me return the favor.” He held me a little tighter.

“What if you’re wrong?” I am starting to feel light. I can see the edges of my vision go dark.

I hear him say my name and then I hear nothing. I am overcome with darkness.

Suddenly I feel my body rocked with immense pain. I want to scream but the pain would not allow me to. My body writhes and contorts in pain. I feel as if I cannot breathe. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. I can taste blood. My heart feels as if it is being squeezed and suddenly it stops. My breath whispers away from me and my skin turns cold. I am not shivering anymore. My body feels different.

I open my eyes and find that I am no longer in my room at the palace but somewhere different.

“Finally!” I hear Yunho’s voice nearby.

“Where am I?” I sit up.

“You are home.” Yunho smiled. “Remember when you were mortal there was a place that only you and I knew. It was our place.”

I look around and cannot recognize anything maybe it’s because of the long years. The memories of my past come back to me and if feels as if my mortal years were merely a dream. Was my sister even real? Was my father real?

“This place I cannot remember it.” I notice that I am on a bed and step off of it.

“That is because it has changed in the last five hundred years. Where the trees stood a fire has burnt them down. Where a small spring ran is now dry land.” Yunho smiled and pulled me into his arms.

I pull away. “You made me immortal even when I said I did not want to be.” I pushed Yunho away. “I do not want this life. When they pulled my limbs from my body did you see me fight them?” I turned away. My anger is boiling. “I do not want this life. I did not fight those creatures that killed me because I rather die than become this!” My fist clenched at my side. “Why?” I turned to him. My hand shook.

“I had too because you were dying. I could not lose you again.” Yunho whispered.

“Whose fault was that? If you had not come back I would have a different life. I would have had a mortal life.” I wanted to hit him but I restrained myself.

“If you want to hit me then do it. I did what I did because I did not want to lose you. Don’t you understand?!” Yunho grabbed my arms. “I love you and this love I have for you is centuries old. I cannot just throw it away. Jaejoong, I need you because this does not make sense to me, this eternal life. Not unless I have you does this loneliness disappear. Please I am begging you do not turn away from me.” He pulled me into his arms.

I fought him and tried to free myself from him but my weaker immortal body did not match his strength. I tired easily. I leaned against him. His warm skin just inches from my lips. I bit into him and drank from him to weaken his body. Instead of weakening him I was able to see all his efforts to find me. My head filled with his knowledge. I pulled away.

“You were the one who was putting these memories in my head. You came to my room night after night and you sat outside.” I looked to him.

“I did not put them there. I just helped you remember. Being close to you helped you remember better. I sat out there because I knew it would help.” Yunho touched the place I had bitten and it was nearly healed.

“You also were the one who put the idea of my sister taking me to where the old kings lie. You were there all along. You were in my dreams and in my reality.” I looked down. There was more but it was faint it was a sort of pain.

“Do you understand my heart now Jaejoong?” Yunho took my hand. “There is no corner of this world that I did not search for you. Five hundred years it took me to finally come back home and by chance I felt you here. My heart has broken every year since you were killed.” Yunho placed my hand on his chest. “Being able to hold you and to touch you is something I have been waiting this long for. Please Jaejoong do not take that away from me.”

“Am I supposed to give up everything that I am just for you?” I whispered.

“Have I not done the same? Maybe it would be better if I did run into an army of my enemies and let them destroy me.” Yunho turned away. “Say it and order me to do so and I will. I promised my life to you and I still keep that promise. Tell me to do so and you will be done with me.”

I can hear the pain in his voice and I can almost feel his exhaustion. I remained silent.

“I am exhausted and I am in pain. My heart is old but it is hurting. I am afraid of being without you any longer that even death scares me because it means I have to leave you. If your heart has changed than tell me so that I can walk into the arms of death because I cannot live without you anymore.” Yunho kept his back towards me but lowered his head.

My heart was aching and my mind was racing. “I have the memories but I don’t have the feelings. Forgive me” I bit my lip once those words left my mouth.

I could see a quiver run through Yunho’s body. “Then I shall run into a group of my enemies.” He begin to walk away.

I took his arm and turned him to me. His face had tears of blood that poured from his eyes. He turned his head from me.

“Don’t look at me like this. It is embarrassing enough.” Yunho attempted to pull my arms away but I did not let him.

I wiped away his tears and leaned closer to him. “Show me how to love you again.” I whispered.