For the rest of that day, each boy took turns watching over me, usually holding a 3 hour shift each. Even as I slept, someone was in the room with me to make sure I didn't do something drastic. Now, I understand that sounds a bit... creepy, but it was alright with me. I felt a whole bunch safer, actually, to know that one of them was in the room. Did you know that vampires don't sleep? They told me that sleeping is for those who need to escape reality. They said that since they already have what they've been dreaming for, they don't need to doze off. Such charmers those boys are... such charmers indeed.

For a whole month, I didn't speak word to Damien. I couldn't even look at the boy. But I have caught him on multiple occasions watching over me. I don't know if I should be scared or angry. Scared for the safety of the Princes or angry at how ridiculously outrageous Damien is acting. I guess a little bit of both sounds best.

If you're wondering, which you probably are, my family has yet to visit me. I insisted that they not waste their time and money. Anyway, it's about to be my birthday soon... so I hoped to ask for a day off to go into the village and surprise them myself. We'd continuously write letters to each other though, which was the best we could do. Mother said that she had been getting so many new things from the palace and that our house didn't even have enough room anymore. Father was ecstatic to finally have his own little workshop for his tools, and opened up his own sort of carpenter's workshop next to Mother's clothing store.

I couldn't possibly be any happier due to the fact that they truly were reaping the benefits of me working for the King.

The Queen and I also began our master plan to change the little things in the village. We had already made plans to increase the lighting power, so every house could have artificial light bulbs instead of candles to rely on. We also arranged for the local school to be enlarged, and provide education for all children in both specialized and general fields. Then we were working on enhancing the overall beauty and appearance of the area, by fixing any potholes that could damage carriages and placing more trees and flowers all over the place. Queen Jenny is an incredibly lovely person. She's had these plans for years, you could tell, but could never really execute them herself. My appearance must have been such a wonderful thing in her eyes.

Anyone could see how her eyes twinkled a different way whenever she spoke of her old life in the village. She was extremely proud of her past.

I had just finished all of my duties that day, it was the start of a whole new schedule for me. The King insisted that I be based out of the kitchen now and I am in charge of all of the deserts for every meal. It's not as bad as I had expected, since I wasn't running around like a headless chicken anymore. I absolutely loved to bake... it brought me back to my life outside the walls.

As the sun began to set, I was already washed and everything to go to bed. I was just sitting on my bed, reading one of the books from the library, as I munched away on a big bowl of fruit. My hair was in a low loose bun and I wore my favorite white pajamas. Then, the doorknob started to rattle. I had closed the curtains that day, so I couldn't possibly be able to tell who it was. They couldn't have been able to tell if I was even in my room. The rattling wasn't a gentle one either, it was a desperate rattle.

Fear engulfed my entire body. Do I move? Do I hide? Do I run for it?

I decided to hide under the bed, just in case they were someone I did not want to see. Creeping under the bed was easy, I was a small girl and the bed was a huge space. I could see their feet, shoes that I didn't even recognize at all. At first, I thought it would be one of the boys, but the boys would have been screaming my name by now, so that thought was thrown out the window. Second would have been Damien, heh, who am I kidding? He wouldn't dare speak to me right now, unless it was an apology. He wouldn't even apologize on his deathbed.

"Hello~" the humorous voice laughed. "Hello? Where are you?" He tapped his foot on the wooden floor. I observed his steps carefully. His boot had little crosses on the heels, so distinct and unique.  "I know you are in here, you have to be."

This voice was not one that I recognized at all.

"Where are you little human?" The taunting tone in his voice, it scared me immensely. "Maybe you're here... or maybe here..." His footsteps echoed like my own heartbeat. "Or here."

At that moment, he poked his head under the bed. I immediately rolled out of the bed, grabbing the nearest sharp object I had. Luckily, I brought a knife to cut the apples with, so I had one on my table. My eyes enlarged as I realized he had dark red eyes and fangs. His grin was evil, greedy. In his grasp was a blade, probably to kill me with. He wore classic clothing, just as lovely as any prince. He was on the right side of the bed, while I was on the left. If I ran now, would he catch me?

"See, I told you I knew where you were," he laughed. "Didn't think I could smell you huh? People sure weren't kidding when they said someone in this kingdom had a heart that pumped sugar." This stranger his lips menacingly, taking a step closer to me.

"Get away," I ordered.

"Do you really think I'll listen to you, child?" he started wildly laughing. "You are a weak little human and I am a vampire. We'll see who wins over who."

"I said," I growled. "Stay away." In reality, I was shaking in my pajamas. I felt immense fear just looking at him. The aura that surrounded him was unlike what I had experienced ever before.

"Why are you making things much more complicated than they should be?" he sighed. "Just let me kill you and I'll be on my way."

"Get out!" I screamed. In one swift motion, I picked up the book and tray of food and launched it at him.

I took this opportunity to leave my room as swift as possible. But my kind of swiftly, wasn't fast enough. As soon as I took two steps into the hallway, I was pinned against the wall with great force. He had his cold hand around my neck, holding me at least 6 inches off of the ground. I felt powerless. My own hands loosened and let go of the knife I was so desperately grasping on to.

"I told you," he whispered into my ear, sniffing my exposed neck in the process, "I told you not to make things complicated, and here you are, doing exactly what I just told you not to do."

"Let... me... go..."

"Afraid I can't do that," he snickered. "I was sent to kill you, and I can't go back until I do. Sooo... don't worry, the pain may only be there for a few seconds, but will go away once your body numbs and you die."

His free hand exposed the blade he had been holding the whole time. Its sharp ends closer and closer to my body. I closed my eyes. I couldn't scream. I couldn't fight back. I was... defenseless. And as good as dead.

A second later, the grip around me loosened and I crashed to the ground. I opened my eyes to see a figure ontop of the stranger, beating him as hard as he could.

"Sophia! Run!" Sunggyu's voice ordered me to. "Go get the others. I'll handle this one!"

I froze. I couldn't just leave him here.

"RUN!"

I followed his orders and dashed into the next room, which just so happened to be Hoya's. But he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Then I heard another crash in the hallway. I turned back around to notice that at least three other Princes were fighting with other figures I'd never seen before. I couldn't possibly hide, hiding wasn't even allowed to be an option. They could smell me.

Vases and mirrors broke alongside frames and tables. Everything was swift, too much for my eyes to handle. I pressed my body against the wall, with my hands raised over my mouth, staring at what was happening. Then, two figures appeared right in front of me in a blink.

"Woohyun! Myungsoo!" I exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" Woohyun asked. "Did they touch you?"

My hands wrapped around my neck, I didn't say a word. He understood what that meant.

"As far as the seven of us know they only sent them, but we aren't sure. Since one of them got past us and did end up in your room, we have to be extremely cautious. No matter what happens," Myungsoo told me. "Do not leave our side and stay behind us at all times."

I nodded. "Okay..."

Hoya appeared also, to support his brothers. All of them kicked and attacked, Woohyun and Myungsoo sort of acting like shields. It felt like I was watching something in fast motion. Everyone was so swift and precise; it was hard to see who was winning. The boys were putting up a big fight though, I could tell. The strangers weren't more powerful than them in anyway, and nowhere near as clever with ways of attack. It was a good plan to distract them first so I could escape. But as soon as the three of us were about to run, another one appeared and nearly bit Sungjong, so Woohyun and Myungsoo leaped to help their youngest brother. I was left defenseless.

"Damien! Damien!" I called. "Damien! I know you're here! Damien please!"

But nothing happened. I was desperate. I didn't care about how angry I was at him. I didn't care what would happen after. I just... I wanted to live.

"Damien help me please! Help them!" I was near to tears at this point. "PLEASE!"

He listened to my calls because at that moment, he ran to my side with his weapon, a steel rod with knives attached to both ends. They looked just as sharp in the moonlight. "Stay close, got it?" he coldly told me.

"Yes."

"Sophia!" Sungyeol yelled while pointing behind me.

 One vampire was already just three to four feet away from me, leaping in the air. Damien extended his arm, and flicked his weapon as hard as he could, right into the vampire's torso. I couldn't tell if it was in his heart or not, but he just keeled over, not moving after that. The blade of Damien's weapon was completely covered in his blood, which also escaped his body to form a puddle around him. His entire body darkened and his veins popped out like a dehydrated one. I was shocked. What just happened?

In another blink, at least three more butlers ran from the hallway. They had their own individual weapons, one had a sword like a knight, another with two small blades attached to chains, and the last had a bag filled with knives shaped like stars. What I witnessed was much more complicated than I could have ever imagined. Each person had a different point of expertise; together all of them were unbeatable. Damien held onto my hand tightly, just so I wouldn't get in the way or get hurt. He'd occasionally pull me to somewhere a tad safer, but remained in fighting distance. His swiftness with his weapon was unbelievable. Together, the butlers proceeded to help all of the boys, eliminating each vampire until the last one stood by himself.

It was the one who attacked me.

Damien remained right in front of me, just enough to try to shield me from looking into the stranger's eyes. One of the hunters had his hands chained down, so he couldn't move. The others had their weapons ready to attack just in case he attempted to escape. His grin didn't falter at all.

"Who are you?" asked Sunggyu. The figure refused to answer. Sunggyu grabbed a hold of his collar and punched him in the face. "I asked who the hell you are."

"It's not important, now is it Prince Sunggyu?" the figure laughed. "I believe it does not matter whom I am."

"It does matter!" Dongwoo kicked him in the stomach. He leaned forward, gasping for air. "You tell us who the hell you are."

"I am no one," you could tell the figure was trained for this kind of situation.

"He's from the Lee family," Sungjong pointed out. "The three crosses on the shoes are trademarks of their killers."

Hoya turned to look at his eyes. He was dark, angry, and hungry for revenge. "The Lees huh? What the hell do they possibly want with her dead?"

"They noticed you guys taking a liking to human of all things during the annual banquet," the figure maniacally laughed. "Jealousy, I must admit. She is absolutely captivating. And her veins are just pumping the sweetest blood of all. Surprised none of you have actually attacked her yet. Surprise surprise , just surprises all about this damn family."

"Don't you dare speak of her like she's disposable," Myungsoo punched him on the other side of the face. "You filthy, disgusting dead piece of society."

"I am merely doing my job," he slyly grinned. "A job just the same of those hunters you have working for you. You traitors to your own kind. Why not just use us? We are a thousand times better than any human."

Damien took a step forward, just enough for his weapon to slice a thin line of his face. "Says the vampire whose entire group just got slaughtered by us."

"Are you so sure?" he grinned. "I wonder why your parents haven't joined the fiesta yet."

We all looked shocked. Oh my God! The King and the Queen! None of us could move. We couldn't even fully put together what we just heard. The boys didn't budge. Why didn't any of them run towards their parents rooms? Someone's footsteps echoed down the hallway, another figure I'd never seen before. He looked zombie like.

"I did as you asked," his robotically spoke, with no emotions.

"Good," the original laughed. "See? This is why you shouldn't leave your kingdom unattended to at all times. Once again, the real vampires win. "

"Are you so sure?" Tablo's voice echoed. He and Queen Jenny emerged from the shadows, both covered in blood. Tablo's eyes looked strained, concentrated. "Your little friend here thought it would be funny to try to kill the Queen as she slept. I do not like my family being put in danger at all. Now this is going to be an issue, isn't it?"

"What the hell?!" the original vampire yelled "You cannot possibly!"

"Possibly what?" the other of the two stangers, who was clearly under Tablo's control, asked. "Under my control you ask? It is possible. You assassins need to do some damn research before attacking my family so blindly."

"Take them to the dungeon. Lock them up and make sure they are covered in salt water. Stuff it down their throats if you have to. Inject it in them. You make sure they are as weak as they can be," the King ordered. "Now."

The butlers nodded.  I held tightly onto Damien's hand. He stood still, not budging. Slowly, he lifted his head to stare at me. I could feel the anger in his eyes.

"Now you see why I said stay away," he told me. "Now you see what I'm trying to protect you from."

I didn't utter a word. I couldn't. No matter what he told me, I wasn't going to distance myself from the Princes. After a few seconds, I raised my hand to touch his cheek. He was bleeding from a small cut on his face.

"This doesn't mean all is forgiven," his tone changed. He pulled his hand away from my hold and turned his back to me. "Let's go boys. We need to take care of someone."

The original figure tried to put up a fight, before Tablo stared into his eyes. He lost sight of reality and disappeared into fantasy, which was when he started to follow Tablo's every order. The chains on his hands echoed down the hallway. Queen Jenny ran up to me, holding on to as tightly as she could.

I finally had time to process what just happened. Someone was actually trying to kill me. They sent in a team of vampires to eliminate me. Oh my God. I didn't even do anything wrong. All because of that banquet... but I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today if I had not gone... That stupid memorable moment truly changed my life drastically; brought about both miracles and dangers.

As I realized all of the factors, I burst into tears in the Queen's arms. She held me tightly, similar to how Mother would when I was younger. Damien was just as cold hearted as before... but at least he came to help. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't. He's been so distant for a month, I barely recognized him. The way his eyes twinkled as he killed each and every one of them; it was of satisfaction. He was happy to exterminate them.

He was proud to be a killer. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

BACK TO MY GOOD OLD KICK CHAPTERS. i like this one. but keep in mind there is a one month jump from last chapter to this one ;w; i promise since Myungsoo and Woohyun sort of had their own chapters, that each boy will ;~; hehe~ 

i like this one. it shows the skill of them and the skill of Damien has a hunter. ashfajskdhfa; wait till next chapter, which will be posted in a few hours. i'll explain a bunch :D okay; bye bye~

feedback is much appreciated~

@chibbiz-that was a short chapter, wasn't it! d: ajksdfkjas; awe thank you so much <3

@Oknamstar-fhsajkfh OH YEAH BB. but it seems like sophia is such a infinitehoar doesn't it ahdfkjasd 

@mlmjdd-thank you so much <3 i don't want my story to be all just about a certain feeling you know, i want you guys to feel happy too ! lol

@BeautyDarkAngel-OH YEAH THEY DID FAHDKJFAH why yes, they do. i'll explain it all later ;w; hehe DAMN YOUR PRESUMPTIONS. i mean it's not spot on with this chapter but it was so damn class. XD i had already written this out when you had commented and im just like >______> how do you know. lol. CONFLICT. 

@LeePeppers-Woohyun=numbahoneflirt. lol. oh boy. i wonder what will happen when myungsoo finds out ajskfhaskf hhee~ thank you :D