Chapter One (1/1)

Kim JongIn never thought he'd lose his life by drowning. A stake through the heart, maybe, or burnt to ash by the sun - but never by drowning. Not that it wasn't something many vampires feared: their cells, after all, were so dense and solid that their bodies were much heavier than water and therefore sank instantly.Well, that was exactly what had happen to him. One minute he'd been wandering along the river . Now he was enfolde in its icy cold depths. He could paddle and splashed all he wanted, but his weight pulled him under the water without regard for his efforts. All his strength worked against him.There was nothing to hold onto. The river stream was too violent to fight back. The river was mainly used as tourism, yet there's no boat or ferry passed by that night. The noise of the traffics on the bridge drifted to him, deadened by the water in his ears. Even if he screamed, they wouldn't hear him. They were too busy to care what happen around them. It was one of the reasons he'd been prowling the streets despite the huge crowd. In a drunken crowd, there were more than a few morsels that would turn into prey, more than a few juicy necks he could feast on without being discovered.All year he'd been careful, never feeding when the streets were busy, always making sure his victim wouldn't remember what had happened. Only during his too absorbed in a club, when nobody cares what happen after consuming too much alcohol, did he gorge himself on the plentiful bucket of humans.Had he been careless this time? Had somebody seen him? Why else had he felt a hand on his back, pushing him into the stream? Merely accident by a drunken passerby or a deliberate act by someone who knew what he was? Had the Guardians of the Holy Waters finally caught up with him? The Guardians - he and his brethen feared them. Nobody knew how the secret society of merchants and nobles had come into existence. However, for the last one hundred years of his life, he'd seen more and more of his fellow vampires fall prey to them. Many of his friends had vanished one night, never to be heard of again. They'd either died at the end of a stake through their hearts or drowned as he was about to.had the hand that he briefly felt on his back belong to one of thye elusive Guardians? Elusive, because despite all investigations he and his kind engaged in, all they'd ever been able to discover was their symbol: a cross intersected by three waves. His brethen had only eve captured one member of the Holy Waters, but he'd not disclosed much more than their name and their symbol, which he wore on a black onyx ring, before he'd escaped them by killing himself and take his secrets to the grave.Were the guardians behind his ordeal? Had one of them pushed him, knowing he'd drown? And what did it matter now? In a few minutes, he would be dead, his immortal life over. He would rot on the bottom of the river, his body never rising on the surface, even as it decomposed, the denseness of his cells and bones making sure nothing of his being would ever come to light.Kai reflected on his long life, a life longer than any humans could have wish for. He was leaving his only family he had, his cousin by blood Kris behind. But there was no person who loved him or would cry a tear for him. His life was empty. With a last breath, He gave up his struggle and allowed the water to take him. ************************************************************** Do KyungSoo heard the sloshing of water in the otherwise quiet canal and asked her trusted personal assistant to go down the stream and look over it while his controlling the yacht. He was taking a rest after a very long week on his company new project. "Yes, young master," he then answered and moved to the edge of the yacht to see what was down there.His eyes peered into the darkness, the occasional light from the traffic up upon the bridge throwing eerie shadows along the narrow passage. "Do you see anything?""There seems to be something in the water, just ahead of us," JongDae answered."Quickly, stop the boat," His heart beat faste at the thoughts that entered his mind. "Tell me what you see.""Somebody appears to be in the water, master."The tight fist of fear gripped him, and before he knew it, he divested herself of the jacket that kept him from the chill or the night air from his body and dropped it onto the seat next to him . "Is it a child?""No, larger. A man."A sense of Deja vu struck him, his heart reminding him of his own loss. Without hesitation, he took of his shoes then felt JongDae's hand on his shoulder."No master, he'll be too heavy for you. You can't rescue a man. A child, yes, but not a grown man," he was looking at KyungSoo fragile figure, didn't want anything to happen to the only heir.KyungSoo turn to him. He wouldn't be deterred by his assistant concern. JongDae had to understand that he had to do this so no one would feel the pain he had to endure. So no one would be as lonely as he was. "I can't let anybody drown. you know that."He nodded and. despite the darkness, he jnew JongDae expression would be sad. But he wouldn't stop him. He lost his only brother, the rightfully heir before him, had drowned in the river less than a year ago. The wealth his brother left did nothing to appease his loneliness.As he took of anything that could make his movement blocked, the cold October air blew his figure. But all he could think of was the man whose hands were the only things now visible above the water as if he wwas holding on to an invisible rope. If he could save him,maybe he would finally be at peace and accept what had happened. Accept MyungSoo's death."Hold on," KyungSoo begged, " Just hold on a few more seconds." He prayed he wouldn't be too late."I will help you," Jongdae's voice came from behind.He Shook his head. Just because he needed to do this foolish thing didn't mean he would endangered his loyal assistant. "No, you're not a strong enough swimmer."As he pulled the yacht along side the drowning man. A moment later he felt hands on him."What?" was he going to stop her after all?"A rope. I'll tie it around you."JongDae expertly tied a rope around his waist while he scanned the dark water for the man. Without a glance back, he jumped into the river,feet first. The icy cold water hit him like a slap in the face. He held her breath and let himself be pulled into the depths on the murky river stream waterKyungSoo couldn't see. He kicked his legs and reached his hands out feeling for resistance. Nothing. He dove deeper when finally, his fingers encountered into something. A piece of fabric. The soaked woolen cloth was heavy. He pulled on him and relieved, the weight behind it cornfirm that he found him.