Daehyun’s father strides up to us in slow, graceful steps. The closer he got, the more uncomfortable I became. There’s something about his aura that will make anyone weak drop to their knees, but no one here is like that, not even the Dolls. They seem to be unaffected, but I know deep down they can feel the same dread I’m feeling.

  It’s hard keeping my composure as he stands next to Daehyun. This is the man that forces Daehyun to drink human blood, knowing that he doesn’t want to. This is the man that Daehyun feared for me to see. This is the man that caused harm to his own son.

  Daehyun straights and keeps his head high, but I know he’s pretending. I can see his gloved hands shaking and his breaths are quickening. I want to tell him it’s going to be okay. I want to take his hand and squeeze it, but seeing Mr. Jung standing in front of him makes me cower. This man is dangerous, more dangerous than that vampire, Himchan.

  “Daehyun, I’m glad to see you have arrived on time.”

  “I always do, Father. You know it’ll be bad on my reputation if I don’t show some sort of responsibility.”

  “Responsibility? There is a rumor that your Doll is not marked with our family emblem. Why?”

  “I didn’t think it’s necessary. He is, after all, mine, Father.” Daehyun’s voice is trembling.

  I don’t understand why Daehyun is saying those things to his father. Daehyun could get seriously injured if he continued this any further. I want to warn him, but he knows his father the best. So I keep my distance and just listen to them.

  Mr. Jung glares at him and notices me. “Is he the reason why you refused to take the Doll I chose for you? She is of high quality, and you will find no other. You truly are becoming more like Minseok everyday.”

  Just what did Minseok do to cause these vampires to say things like this?

  Daehyun drops his head. “Do not speak about Uncle that way, Father. We are nothing alike. He is a much better vampire than I will ever be,” Daehyun mutters the last sentence, only loud enough for me to hear.

  Mr. Jung doesn’t react from not hearing Daehyun’s last words. Instead, he an eyebrow and crosses his arms over his chest. “And you still call him uncle? You need to understand why he disappeared, only then you will realize why I’m reprimanding you. You may not understand it now, but once you see the true intentions of humans, then you will see why they must be put into their place.”

  Daehyun makes a fist and takes a deep breath. “I’m trying to believe you, but I can’t. Not every human is bad. I learned that through-”

  Smack!

  Everyone’s eyes avert towards us.

  I stand, stupefied with eyes wide.

  A red mark forms on Daehyun’s left cheek. He stands there with his head down and bangs covering his eyes. I see him chewing on his bottom lip either from holding his anger or his tears. His pheromones doesn’t leak, so I assume it’s the latter.

  “You know nothing! The humans are the one who brought us here, and they deserve to be chained up just like us!” Mr. Jung yells, drawing more attention to us.

  I didn’t notice earlier, but Mr. Jung also had a Doll with him. She’s tall and beautiful with long, blonde hair, but with an icy glare. In an instant, she says things with her eyes, causing everyone to return to their usual conversation.

  “No,” Daehyun finally musters up.

  Mr. Jung leans forward. “What?”

  Daehyun raises his head and in a stern voice, “I said no. I don’t believe you. They may have chained us up here, but we at least have the freedom to do whatever we like here as long as we don’t kill anyone. They have it worse, Father.”

  It’s so hard to wrap my head around this whole situation.

  “You are too naive, Daehyun.”

  “Maybe if you didn’t cheat on your wife, then I wouldn’t have been born and I wouldn’t be a nuisance for you!” He shouts, but this time no one turns their head.

  Mr. Jung stiffens. His nose flares and his eyebrows furrow. “I will not tolerate your attitude, Daehyun. If I didn’t see any potential in you, I would have had your mother killed along with you.”

  This breaks him. I know it does because his knees buckle, but he catches himself and reveals his red eyes and sharp fangs. “Well, it’s too late for that, and you already announced that I will be inheriting the bank. You damn well know you can’t train the others because they already have their own business. I will do everything you say, but that does not mean I will agree with your beliefs.”

  This seems to stop Mr. Jung from pressing this conversation even further. In fact, he says no more and motions his Doll to follow behind before returning to the party.

  When he’s gone, I step closer to Daehyun but don’t touch him. No matter how much I want to comfort him with a simple touch of a hand, I keep my place and just talk to him. “Daehyun, are you okay? If you need to get out of here, we can leave.”

  He shakes his head. “No. I’ll be fine. Just give me a minute. I think the Blood Moon is approaching soon that’s why my emotions are going everywhere. I think it’s best that you keep your distance from me for the meantime because I can’t stand your scent right now. It’s making me feel sick.”

  That’s not the case. The Blood Moon is approaching which means the vampire’s primal instincts are coming out. Daehyun shouldn’t be resisting, but he’s doing this for me because he doesn’t want to bite me. Reluctantly, I nod. “Okay. I’ll stay away from you, but if I get any sort of uneasiness, I’m going to find you. You need blood or else you’ll go crazy.”

  “I’ve done this before, Youngjae. Do not worry about me.” His words did not match what I see. The expression on his face didn’t convince me, yet I still take a step back. No matter what he does, he can’t deny that he’ll be craving blood once the moon fully rises and is aligned with the sun.

  I don’t say a word and watch him go, disappearing within the crowd. I make my way to the rest of the Dolls, but then someone blocks my way. “Yongguk.”

  He gazes at me with his stern eyes. In his hand, he holds a glass and hands it to Himchan who comes up behind him.

  “Ah, Daehyun’s Doll. Where is our little Young Master?” Himchan comments with that same mocking tone. He takes a sip and away the blood that remain on his lips.

  I get an uneasy feeling. “He told me to walk around.”

  “He told you that? Interesting. I thought he would be very protective of you and wouldn’t want you to wander without him. After all,” he grabs my chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to look into his dark orbs, “I may just take the opportunity and drink your blood out of spite.”

  If I wasn’t under Daehyun’s care, I would’ve spat on Himchan’s face. I don’t, of course. Daehyun’s reputation is on the line if I do, and I don’t want to make matters worse than it already is. I whip my head to the side to get out of his grasp and glare at him. Who does he think he is?

  Himchan snickers. “Daehyun’s father was very upset after speaking to his own son. I wonder what makes you so special for Daehyun to bring you here and defend you.” He takes a step closer as I take a step back and leans in. He sniffs me. As he speaks, I can smell the blood coming from his mouth, “You do, however, have a strange scent on you. I can’t tell if it’s human or vampire, but I know you’re no vampire considering how alive you are.” His eyes shift to the rose on my chest. “Yes, you must be very special.” He leans away and his eyes look past me. Turning to Yongguk, he says, “Yongguk, I will be back. I have a few matters to attend to.”

  Yongguk nods and Himchan leaves without another word, bumping onto my shoulder on purpose.

  I glare at his back and rub my shoulder. Jerk. What did I ever do to him? Realizing that I’m alone with Yongguk I look at him. It doesn’t seem like he’s been tortured like the other Dolls. In fact, he’s completely healthy and clean shaven. I scan the area to see if anyone was paying attention to us, but there are none. Why is he here? He’s the last person I expected to see here and the last person I want to see. Bringing myself close to Yongguk, I utter, “What are you doing here? Are you here to check up on me to see if I'm still alive?" My voice is stern while looking dead into his eyes. No. I don't my old self to return.

  Yongguk smirks. "The past comes back to haunt you," he mutters more to himself than to me. "No. I’m not here for you. I have personal matters to attend to, but it's none of your business. You betrayed us and that's all there is to it." There’s some kind of sadness in his voice.

  My blood boils, but I control myself by clenching my fist and digging my nails deep into my skin. Personal matters? Just what are they up to? “I’m not the only one who feels betrayed,” I spat.

  He rubs the back of his neck where the emblem of the snake is tattooed onto his skin. "You're being quite cold to me, Youngjae. You used to look up to me when you first started out. What happened?"

  What happened? He knows damn well what happened! "You're one of them." They’re the reason why I’m locked up in here, and Yongguk knew everything about my secret that is why I had to do what I needed to do no matter how much it would hurt me in the future.

  "And you used to be one of us. You knew the rules, and yet you did whatever you liked. Look where you are now. It's dangerous here especially with blood like yours. Vampires will kill to have a taste of it."

  I bite my lip. “I should just have ran away with him.”

  “And we would track you and killed both of you. You know how strict they are, and I promise you I said nothing about Luca. I don’t know how the boss found out, but I told him nothing.”

  “Don’t lie to me. I told you everything because I trusted you, and you’re the only one who knew about my secret. Everything was perfectly fine until I confessed everything.” I’m getting weak as my voice is fleeting with every word. I want to forget everything about my past, but seeing Yongguk here is bringing them back.

  “Youngjae, you know you’re like a little brother to me. I would’ve never told Kang about your secret. Someone must've listened in on our conversation and told him. I would never hurt you.” He grabs my shoulders. Although his bangs cover most of his face, I can tell he’s completely sincere with his words. Yongguk’s always been like that. He’s always honest with me, and if he says he didn’t do it, then he didn’t do it. It’s just a part of me is angry at him because he didn’t stop me from confessing, and he didn’t stop them from taking Luca away from me. If only I was stronger, then I would have thought of something to end it. But I also had my family I needed to consider.

  Tears are starting to form in my eyes as my emotions take over me. There’s so many what ifs and if I could change the past, then none of this would happen. That also means I would have never met Daehyun. I wonder what my life would’ve been like without him.

  “Hey, it’s not good to cry now, Youngjae. All eyes will be on you tonight.”

  “I know.” My blood is so different, so vampires want a taste of it and also, it’s the reason why I’m immune to pheromones. I in a deep breath and wipe my eyes to make sure no tears make their way down my cheeks. It really is hard getting mad at Yongguk. “Can you really not tell me why you are here?”

  He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Youngjae. It’s protocol and it’s for your own safety. You’re no longer one of us, and I don’t want you to get involved anymore especially after that incident.”

  “I see.”

  “All I can say right now is beware of Kim Himchan. He’s hiding something, but every time I try to get to the bottom of it, someone in his mansion would interfere as if he knows I’m observing him. There’s nothing strange about Daehyun, is there?”

  I shake my head. Daehyun is a mysterious character, but that’s just about it. There’s nothing suspicious about him. He’s just a broken soul that needs someone to repair him.

  “I would still be cautious when you’re with him. Every vampire can be a threat, and I’m not talking about them drinking our blood." He pauses and shakes his head. "I’m speaking too much. We have to stop here or else someone may overhear.” Yongguk distances himself with me. “I don’t know if we’ll ever see each other again after tonight, but if we do, that means something terrible has happened.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he says, “Let’s hope we don’t meet after tonight. It’s for the best.”

  “I still don’t understand.”

  I want to question him. I want him to tell me everything that he knows, but I can’t. Himchan comes back with the same glass in his hands. His eyes are glowing red just like everyone else in the room.

   It’s almost time. Where’s Daehyun?

 "Go along, little Doll or else I'll be the one biting you tonight," Himchan sneers.

  I get away from them, giving one last worried glance at Yongguk. He simply nods expressionless and takes Himchan's glass to prepare for the event to come.

  The vampires become restless and their fangs begin to show. As if on cue, the Dolls return to their owners and stand patiently beside them. There’s an uneasiness on their face, but they hide it within their blank stares. Red eyes illuminate the dark ballroom and their white fangs poke out from the corners of their mouth. I can hear some of them panting as if they can’t wait to get a taste of their meal.

  My mind is occupied to find Daehyun. The other vampires are of no importance. I have to be next to Daehyun because I know the blood he’s been drinking is not enough. He may get sick when drinking human blood, but mine is different, and I’m positive that he won’t feel sick after drinking mine. After all, it’s not fully human.

  As my eyes scan the place, I can’t seem to find Daehyun anywhere. I spot his father at one side of the ballroom, grabbing his Doll’s hair to make sure it doesn’t get in the way when it’s time for the feast. I push through the crowd and receive hisses from the annoyed guest, but I didn’t care. All I’m focusing on is getting to Daehyun. He needs me.

  He’s nowhere to be found, and even when I call out his name, there’s no response. A few vampires would ask me where my master is and if I can’t find him, then why don’t I just let myself get my blood from them. Of course, I ignore them and continue my search. I just don’t know where to find him.

  Daehyun. I hope you’re safe.

  Since he’s not in the ballroom, I make my way to the other parts of the mansion. I expected someone to stop me, but no one does as the Blood Moon is at it’s peak. All at once, I hear the vampires hiss and the humans groan as their sharp fangs pierce their skin. I flinch at the sound and can clearly smell the blood as there are many guests in one area.

  I let my instincts take me to him just like when I first learned about Daehyun’s scars. There’s just something in me that can track where he is. I just don’t know how I know. My feet takes me down the never-ending hall. I turn a few corners before settling in front of a door that’s like all the others: plain with nothing but a golden door handle.

  I twist the knob and push the door. There, I see Jung Daehyun curled up in a ball on top of a small bed. The Moonlight casts a spotlight on him and I can clearly see him. His eyes are shut tight, and he’s hugging himself as his body trembles. Sweat drips down his forehead. His breathing is labored and his fangs are clearly showing as he takes huge gasps of air.

  I come up to him and place a gentle hand on his arm. “Daehyun.”

  His eyes fly open, revealing the dark red glow. He shoots up and pushes me away from him. “What are you doing here, Youngjae? I told you to stay away from me!” He nearly yells, but then groans and presses a hand on his forehead.

  I don’t like seeing him like this. I kneel before him and grab his gloved hands. “And I told you if I ever felt unsettled, then I will come and find you. Were you not listening to me?” He needs to stop taking matters in his own hands and trust others.

  He shakes his head vigorously. “I don’t want you to see me like this. This is the first time I can’t resist the effect of the Blood Moon. Please get out before I hurt you.”

  “You’re not going to hurt me. If you continue on like this, you’re going to cause more pain to yourself.”

  “I said get out!” He shouts and pushes me again. His pheromones leak as if he was threatening me.

  I fall over and land on my . There’s no way am I going to leave him. No matter how stubborn he is, I am probably ten times more stubborn than him. My eyes scan the area and I find a dresser.

  I walk up to the dresser and find a small pair of scissors for clipping. I roll up sleeve and place the blade to my wrist. “I’m not leaving until you drink my blood. I know what happens when a vampire doesn’t drink blood on the Blood Moon. I don’t know how you did it in the past, but if you don’t drink blood now, you will go berserk.”

  “Youngjae, don’t. Please,” he pleads, yet his eyes are at my wrist.

  This is going to hurt. I close my eyes and make an incision on my wrist. It’s not deep enough to cut an artery, but it’s enough to make my blood drip down my hands.

  Daehyun groans and clutches a handful of his hair. He screams and his fangs grow sharp.

  I stand there, letting my blood drip to the floor. He’ll have to give in sometime. “Dae-” I didn’t even finish my sentence when he grabs my hand and pulls me close to the bed.

  His tongue runs from my fingertips up to my wrist. This sends strange sensations throughout my body and goosebumps crawl along my skin. His are almost sensual and I can’t help but let out a soft moan as he my wound. One hand grabs the back of my hand while the other rubs along my arm, occasionally squeezing it as if that’ll help the blood flow.

  “Daehyun,” I pant. Ah, what is wrong with me?

  He doesn’t seem to hear me and continues with his actions. When there’s no blood left, he looks up at me, still with a hungry gaze, so I loosen my tie and the top of my shirt, pulling it to reveal my neck. This time he doesn’t hesitate and pulls me down so I’m kneeling in front of him. He leans down and I can clearly feel his breath against my neck.

  My heart quickens and my mind becomes foggy. What is this feeling? I have never felt like this in so long. I close my eyes and wait.

  Daehyun my neck, sending a shiver down my spine before a sharp pain courses through me. I wrap my arms around him and dig my nails into his back. I can’t help but groan in pain and pull him closer to me. The feeling of his tongue my neck to prevent any blood from slipping down to my clothes and the sounds of his lips my skin sends me to euphoria.

  I’m a ert, aren’t I?

  A moan slips as Daehyun gently nibbles my sensitive skin. It almost seem like he’s no longer my blood, but just as I have these thoughts, he stops. He kisses- No. He presses his lips against my wound and rests his head against my shoulder. “What have you done to me, Yoo Youngjae?” He mutters into my neck.

  I don’t reply and hold him close. What have you done to me, Jung Daehyun?

  I don’t know how long we stay in that position. I just listen to Daehyun's rhythmic breathing and his soft lips still pressing against my neck. When the Blood Moon passed, everything was back to normal. Daehyun distances himself from me, but his legs are wobbly when he walks. I try to help him, but he refuses my assistance.

  We don’t return to the party, to my relief, and head straight to the carriage when Daehyun’s servant was waiting patiently for us. My wrists and neck feel sore, so when we sit inside the carriage, I begin rubbing the two wounds. Surprisingly, no blood seeps through my wrist. Let’s just hope that the blade wasn’t rusted because I don’t want to deal being sick and sent to the hospital. As I rub my neck, I feel a small pain and figure that I have a bruise there. Great. This is more or less like a hickey.

  I open my mouth to talk to Daehyun, but he avoids me by staring to the side. He fiddles his fingers and bite his bottom lip. I close my mouth and we sit in silence.

  Then, “Your blood is different from the others,” Daehyun comments, “But why? I don’t feel sick.”

  “It might be mental,” I say. That only answers the second part of his question.

  He says no more about the topic and once again, the carriage ride is quiet.

  When we arrive at the mansion, Zelo is the first one to greet us. Well, actually, he’s the only one. He bows low to Daehyun, “Welcome back, Young Master.”

  “Zelo… I told you to get some rest. Why are you still awake?” Daehyun scolds.

  “I can’t sleep until I know you are alright. I know Youngjae is with you, but I want to see you in person.” Zelo spots the wound on my wrist and the bruise on my neck. “Youngjae-” He stops and drops his gaze. “I will be going to my room now that I know you are safe, Young Master.” He bows once more and paces up the stairs to his room.

  Daehyun stands in his spot. “You may go ahead and change first, Youngjae. I will go after you.”

  I do a single nod and make my way to my room without a word. I grab a change of clothes and head to the bathroom. There, I check myself in the mirror, pulling down the collar of my shirt to find a purple mark forming there. I press a finger against it and flinch. “This is going to be here for a while,” I say to myself.

  I begin stripping my clothes away and as the suit falls to the floor, I can’t help but be reminded of Daehyun’s uncle as the rose is clearly in my view. Just what is the history behind this suit? I think no further and put on new clothes and get ready for the night. I exit the bathroom and find the hallway empty. There’s no sign of Daehyun anywhere. As I near my room, I think to myself, Should I tell Daehyun that I’m done? No. I shouldn’t. Once there, I find myself standing in front of Daehyun's door. I raise a hand to knock, but I stop myself and take a deep breath. I think it’s best if I leave him alone for now. I make my way to my room in defeat and fall, facedown on my bed. My face is buried deep into the pillow and I scream. There’s something wrong with me. I need to end these thoughts of him. I can’t let history repeat itself. I just can’t.

Author's Note:

  End of the Blood Moon segment. I hope it wasn't too disappointing after waiting so long >.< So, I wrote down my plan and it looks like this will be 20 chapters, and since I have a plan, that means I will be able to finish this story! :D I'm so happy to see you readers sticking with me. It makes my day knowing someone is out there reading this! Till next time!

With Love,

LokiCraze123

  (P.S. I actually had fun writing the part where Youngjae gets bitten hahahhaa.... >.<)