The sight of Jin squaring off should have told him everything he needed to know. The vampire had had no intention of returning home-without Ahn-Bo, apparently. The very idea that his friend thought that there was a place for him was ludicrous. There would be nowhere in Joseon that would accept him for what he was. And he wouldn’t blame them. He was a monster and shouldn’t be around people. Most importantly, the one person who still cared for him. Jin was all Ahn-Bo had left.

“Ani!” he said again, turning away from where his friend had sat beside him so that he wouldn’t reach for him again. It was the loudest his voice had been, though far from a shout. His voice cracked at the effort. “I am a monster, Jin-a. There is no changing that. I have…” and here, his voice filled with tears as the grief filled his throat and overwhelmed him entirely. But his friend needed to know the truth so that he could put away this childish idea of his.

“I… I killed my own-” his voice had lowered to a hoarse whisper filled with self-loathing. “-sister. No one can ever be safe. Not even you.” His eyes burned with unshed tears.