Jaejoong narrowed his eyes.

There was nothing but piles of ash and flying dust. L bit his lips in fear. He could hear Jaejoong's lover growled in his ear, warning him that he'd be her snack tonight. He clasped his hands together, both trembled badly. "My Lord, I am very sure they were here. I didn't know..."

A low chuckle escaped Jaejoong's lips. L stopped talking and looked. He didn't look angry, nor was he pleased either. "Of course they were here. Now they're dead." Jaejoong spat out the sentence hatefully. "And the dead can't do the talking, can they?" L shook his head. He'd be dead tonight, sweats trickled down his chin. He'd be really dead.

"Well, this is bad," Jaejoong made a clicking sound with his tongue. Who knew what his mind was thinking at the moment. Jaejoong had always been an unpredictable man, with awful mood. He could be pissed off by a mere word, and suddenly laughed in amusement when somebody was killed. He was known as the 'Cold-blooded', killer without mercy. "She's gone, and your only informants are dead. What do you think we should do?"

"M...My Lord," L staggered with his word when Jaejoong's lover pushed him forward to kneel down. Fortunately, there were only three of them now. L didn't know whether or not he should be glad that the number was less. He could be killed and his body tossed around to God-knows-where, without anybody knowing. Now, that was sad. "I can bring you elsewhere. My Lord, please have mercy..."

Jaejoong didn't say anything. He was looking down, observing everything without missing an inch. There was a faint smell from the piles of ashes. He smelt a familiar scent among all of these, and he sniffed it out, trying to figure out who the scent belonged to.

Of course it would be none other than his beloved brother.

He hissed, a scenario forming in his head, and it wasn't one that he liked. His brother with his girl. He shook his head in annoyance.

Jaejoong suddenly interrupted, as if L never said anything at all, "Well, thank Heaven I have a clue here," He picked up a piece of cloth from the ground. L's eyes widened as the smell of it stung his nose. The smell was poisonous, and he knew exactly who it belonged to. "You see, my dear brother decides to have a little hide-and-seek game with me, thinking that he won't lose this game."

L breathed in and out. His knees were pressed down to the ground even further, making contact with the soil. His mind was thinking, deep and hard. Jaejoong only had one brother, infamous for betraying the whole vampire court to become the Enemy of all. Sehun was Jaejoong's only brother and their father's favorite son, which explained Jaejoong's raging jealousy. He was scared that Sehun would one day come back and reclaim the throne, even though the chance of it was little to impossible.

"My smart brother, he must be hiding the girl somewhere," Jaejoong grinned maniacally, "I will find them both. As for you," L snapped his head up when Jaejoong called out for him, "I will spare your life for tonight. If I ever catch you in my path again, trust me, I will make you regret it, with any way possible."

Shivers ran down his skin. L never expected Jaejoong to let him go so easily. Sweats trickled down his forehead when he finally realized what was happening. Jaejoong was giving him a second chance. After he stupidly reported this news to him. He ignored Jaejoong's lover's unsatisfied mewl and stood up.

"Thank you, My Lord, thank you," L repeatedly bowed down in front of Jaejoong and hesitantly took one step back. He glanced at Jaejoong one last time before he turned around, ready to run away from the scene, or better yet, teleport out of this place as soon as possible.

"Wait," Jaejoong's voice stopped him from going. L froze in his spot, fear gripped his heart all of a sudden, and he had a reason to be scared. Jaejoong let out a low chuckle and brushed his fingers against his lover's hair, "I changed my mind. Darling, why don't you go and eat him now?"

L paled.

***

Kai was in the dark alley. He was waiting for a specific someone to show up. He wasn't normally patient, but for this one, he could be.

Not long after, Luhan appeared from the shadows, his dark grey robe was particularly eye-catching because he stood close to Kai, who chose to wear casual human clothes. Luhan's eyes were eerily cold and tired, and Kai noticed that. Kai always noticed things others couldn't.

"I'd never expect you to call me," Kai's tone was mocking. Luhan shrugged it off, he didn't have time for small chitchat, even with a former friend.

"Did you hear about Kahi's murder?" Luhan asked, straight to the point. Kai's eyes twitched at the mention of the name. Not a lot of people had the name 'Kahi' so Kai was assuming that this Kahi was the old famous witch he heard of. "She was... killed?"

Luhan observed Kai's shocked reaction. He didn't seem to know if the murder, but it could be a lie. Kai was a master of manipulation, he had his way of deceiving people, and be very charming about it. Besides, Kai loved to twist the truth and danced around it. "Don't lie to me, Kai." Luhan growled, "Have you heard of it?"

Kai shook his head. He was clearly surprised of the news. Not a lot of people could kill a powerful witch like Kahi. She was old, and knowledgeable, people feared her. She lived in secrecy and had completely given up on the whole war between the Shadow creatures and the Fallen. No one was supposed to bother her, so why now? Why now when she had nothing to do with the Shadow creatures anymore?

"Wasn't expecting this news, Luhan," Kai replied, seemingly concerned for a second, but then, it was gone. Kai would have made a perfect Fallen if he chose to be one. "I haven't been in contact with a lot of people lately. Are you expecting to hear a 'yes' from me?"

"Definitely," Luhan stared at him, his eyes unblinking.

"Oh, or maybe, you're expecting something more? A confession that I killed Kahi?" Kai mocked him. Luhan didn't reply. It was true though. He was expecting to hear that from Kai.

"Too bad, Luhan, I don't have any dirty business with the witch. I am genuinely surprised that someone can kill her... Are you sure the killer is not a Fallen? Because not a lot of people can match her power."

Luhan snickered, "Did you order someone to do it for you? Since you're so scared of getting your hand dirty and all..."

"Ouch, Luhan, you hurt me there," Kai feigned a hurt expression, but Luhan knew this didn't affect him one bit. "I said I didn't. Today is the first time I hear of the news. Kahi is not my business. She never got in my way, as I was with her. Maybe you should start suspecting someone else before you come and find me for this... trash talk."

Luhan hummed, still in doubt, "That's too bad, I would have had my pleasure dealing with you." Kai's eyes darkened, "Then why don't we do it now? A duel between the two of us. Haven't it been long enough since the last one, Luhan?"

Luhan shook his head and chuckled darkly, "I'm not wasting my time with you. If you don't kill her, then I'm off to find the killer and punish him. I don't have time to play with your silly little game."

Kai watched as Luhan's figure slowly disappeared. His mind was thinking about what Luhan said. Kahi was killed. The murderer was unknown. What was the purpose of it? He shook his head in displeasure. Maybe it was time to stop playing around the town and actually started to stalk around...

***

Sehun had realized a few things after last night's incident.

First, he couldn't leave her in the human world anymore. It was too dangerous. The human world now held as much danger as his own world. To have his house's protection spell broken by some lowly ghouls had awaken his conscience. If he had to choose between keeping her here and in the Shadow world, Sehun would choose to bring her back to his world.

And Sehun would have to explain to her why they had to go, and the risk of going to the Shadow world. Besides having to fight many, many dangerous battles there, there was another risk Hana had to take. She had to sacrifice her whole life in this world. To forget about her father, and her friend, Miyoung. Forgetting friend was one thing; forgetting family, however, was one brutal decision she had to take.

"When are we leaving?"

Hana looked at Sehun with one look he knew too well. She stared at him blankly, as if her tears had dried out and she couldn't cry anymore. Sehun knew that taking her with him would sacrifice a piece of her heart, and it would tear her apart slowly.

"Soon, after I settle down some things with Luhan."

Hana nodded, looking out to the window, and clutched onto her only bag pack. She filled the bag with a few clothes, necessary items like flashlight, pads, and a small knife. There were a lot more things she wished to bring, but couldn't. She imagined their journey to be harsh and long, and she didn't want to take any more burdens.

"Will my father remember me?" Hana whispered to Sehun, and he stopped unpacking his things. The thought of her father was enough to bring tears to her eyes, but it never fell down her cheeks. Her eyes were glassy, but she refused to cry anymore.

Sehun didn't answer, and that alone, was enough to answer her question. No. Her father wouldn't remember her. Was she crying? No. But why did she feel something wet against her cheeks? "No, stop!" Hana took one step back from her spot when Sehun walked up to her, "Please don't say anything, and don't do anything! Let me be, Sehun," her words were almost hysterical, but she tried hard not to freak out, "Just let me be, please."

Sehun wasn't going to reassure her that it was going to be okay, because it wouldn't. He watched as Hana turned her back to him, and leaned against the window for support. He watched as she tried to be strong, and she failed miserably, as always. He sighed heavily. How many more times would he watch her cry helplessly?

"Ouch!" Hana suddenly exclaimed, her tears stopped when she felt a sudden stinging pain in her waist. Sehun looked at her in alarm. "Arghhh!!!!!" She yelled, her back straightened. Now something was pricking her skin, burning it with fire. "What is happening?!!!!" The pain intensified. It grew stronger, like a strong acid, ripping her skin, tearing it slowly, but painfully.

"What's wrong?" Sehun caught her hands when Hana was about to fall down. The pain was unbearable now. It spread from her waist to her whole body, "Make it stop! Please! Make it stop!" Her eyes widened in pure horror, "It burns! Sehun, it burns!"

Was this one of the Marking symptoms? Sehun didn't know because he never cared. He never observed such things. And he never turned anyone to be a vampire before, so of course he was clueless. Nonetheless, he asked, "Where does it hurt? Tell me."

"My... Freaking... Waist..." Hana gasped for air. She clutched onto her stomach and wriggled under Sehun's touch. Sehun lifted a bit of her shirt, just to check if anything was wrong with her waist, and then he saw it. His eyes suddenly widened, quite unusual for the normally cold Sehun.

What he saw was a Mark, a huge Mark, and it was alive. It was moving on its own, slowly, like a painter's runny ink, it spread everywhere. And Sehun knew the Mark so well, because he grew up with it. Sehun lifted more of her shirt, enough to see her entire back, but still covering her front. Hana struggled under him, but he held her still.

His cold fingers brushed her warm skin, and the pain lessened.

"It flies, up to the sky, with the feet planted to the ground," Sehun recited one famous phrase from the ancient book in his library. The Mark was starting to resemble a flying creature, which was supposed to be a bat, but it looked much more like a dragon. This Mark was the vampire's Mark, because it meant greed, pride and power.

Sehun's face paled down considerably. He wasn't expecting Hana to be Marked by a vampire. And with this Mark on her skin, it would only be a matter of time before his brother claimed her as his. No, she wasn't going to be just any vampire, she was going to be the Queen of them all.