Mark had needed to see for himself.

After all he’d been through, all he’d sacrificed, and the casualties along the way, he’d needed to see in person. Maybe he’d needed to just come and find closure with the last bit of the puzzle that he could solve on his own.

But Kyuhyun? There was no way Mark could even begin to guess what Kyuhyun was there for. He was too much of a mixed bag of emotions--too unstable as of late to be predictable. Though very much under stably so.

Still, coming to see Siwon’s eldest sister, and then new head of the ninth family, Sooyoung, had been unavoidable for Mark. Even if Kyuhyun hadn’t asked him to come, in spite of what had happened only days earlier, Mark probably would have found his way anyway.

“There he is,” she said with such weariness, directing their eyes to the white vase situated high on the adjacent wall of the somber feeling room. There were dozens of other vases and boxes and obvious urns surrounding Siwon’s, but his stood out even amongst them. It was a little shocking, actually, that she’d been able to keep the ashes, and that they’d been placed amongst the remains of other family members. It almost seemed a faux pas, but Mark certainly wasn’t going to judge.

Next to him, Mark heard Kyuhyun in a sharp breath.

“I …” Mark broke off before he could say anything significant. Siwon had been a traitor. He’d lied and he’d been responsible for so many deaths, or at least played a part in that responsibility. If Siwon had been stronger, and less greedy or desperate, Mark’s family would be alive. But in the end Siwon had tried. He’d become an ally and he had given the last moments of his life to try and save Mark’s.

Now Siwon was dead, someone with answers and power, and the ramifications were significant. Mark wondered how many more people would he lose. How many more would die before the end?

Softly, Sooyoung said, “I know. It doesn’t seem real.”

To Mark, Sooyoung was a real beauty like her brother. But most of her beauty came from the way she carried herself, how she’d so effortlessly taken over for her brother and situated herself as Mark’s ally, and how she continued to be strong even with her brother’s ashes in a vase in front of her.

Taking a small step forward, Mark asked, “They’re saying it’s suicide? Officially?”

“Of course they are,” Kyuhyun interjected, eyes narrowed. “We know this faction of rouge vampires runs deep, Mark. But we have to assume they have members everywhere, and can easily manufacture a lie like this.”

“My brother,” Sooyoung cut in coolly, “would never have committed suicide. Not even to save our family’s honor. He was devout. He would never have crossed that taboo.”

Mark almost gave a chuckle. A devout vampire. It was always a little jarring and funny to come across one. They did exist, no matter how few in number, but the conundrum of what they were, and what religion denounced them as, hardly seemed as if both could be accepted within a vampire.

“He didn’t,” Mark told her seriously, and it wasn’t the first time he had denied the officially cause of death given. “He knew he’d been poisoned. He knew someone had targeted him deliberately because he was about to come clean.”

The problem was, Mark could see how the idea of suicide had been so easily accepted as fact. When Mark’s uncle had been exposed, and all of his nefarious behavior dragged up for the whole of vampire society to see, him small web of cohorts had been exposed as well. Including Siwon. The larger group, the one still hiding in the shadows, was burrowed too deep, but Siwon had been linked easily. And all the other small players, vampires Mark hadn’t even known or been aware were involved, had all mysteriously taken their own lives as well.

It might have been plausible, if Mark didn’t know Siwon and what kind of person he was, to think that he might commit suicide to try and save his family the shame of them being linked to Mark’s uncle.

But that just wasn’t Siwon.

And there were too many other sudden suicides for it to be anything but suspicious.

Sooyoung made a frustrated noise.

“If he had spoken up sooner,” Kyuhyun interjected, sounding angry, “this could have been avoided. Live could have been saved. But he chose to keep silent, and to be a willing participant until almost the end.”

“Don’t,” Sooyoung warned Kyuhyun sharply.

“I will do what I want,” Kyuhyun shot back to her, and Mark sighed.

They were all still too emotional. Most of them were still angry as well..

“We shouldn’t be fighting,” Mark cautioned.

After some moments of silence, Sooyoung said, “I do understand what my brother did. I understand that he betrayed our family, the fourth, the sixth, and god knows how many others. I know he was a part of something shameful, and because of his actions his name has been struck from our records forever. My brother ceases to exist now, and that is the greatest punishment we have. Can’t that be enough?”

Kyuhyun gave a hoarse cry. “Because of Siwon my sister is dead! Mark’s family is gone. And you think that simply rewriting history is enough?”

“Why?” Mark asked suddenly, and by the lack of an immediate answer, he knew he’d caught them off guard. So he asked again, “Why was Siwon participating from the start? Why did he give up the vital information? He never seemed like the type of be cowed by threats.”

Even Kyuhyun admitted quickly, “He certainly wasn’t.”

It seemed possible to Mark that this was all worse for Kyuhyun than himself. Siwon and Kyuhyun had shared a kind of bond, regardless of the tension in it, that vampires rarely allowed themselves to have. They’d loved each other deeply, trusted each other explicitly, and shared almost everything. Mark had been betrayed by an essential stranger in Siwon, but Kyuhyun had been betrayed by a brother.

“Then what?” Mark pressed. “I think that’s important to know now, and we can’t exactly ask Siwon.” No vampire, not in the history of their species, had been able to communicate with the dead. And like the humans, no vampire could ever be certain about an afterlife, or a lack thereof.

Kyuhyun’s shoulders fell, which meant he certainly didn’t know.

More curiously, Sooyoung’s face warped into something that resembled fear.

“You know?” Mark asked uncertainly.

Kyuhyun asked, “Why are you hesitating?”

“Because,” she said, sounding mournful, “you already hate Siwon so much. I don’t want you to hate him anymore. I’m scared his soul won’t be at rest if I tell you.”

Kyuhyun considered her words, as did Mark, and then finally he decided, “I need to know as much as Mark does. What compelled Siwon to turn traitor?”

It was certainly not what Mark was expecting when Sooyoung turned to Kyuhyun and gave him a pointed look, stating plainly, “You did.”

“Excuse me?” Kyuhyun demanded.

She shot back, “My brother never would have allowed himself to be threatened. He himself was not afraid to be in danger, and he knew both my sister and I certainly didn’t need to be protected. We still don’t. This family raises warrior queens, not helpless maidens.”

“Then they threatened Kyuhyun?” Mark guessed. For Kyuhyun, to protect him, Mark could imagine Siwon making a deal with the devil.

“Hardly,” Sooyoung nearly snorted out. “My brother never saw Kyuhyun as someone helpless or in need of protection, either. No, Mark, no one threatened Kyuhyun. But they did promise Siwon that if he did what they said, if he gave them the right information, then they could give my brother the one thing he wanted more than anything else in the world.”

“Me,” Kyuhyun ground out.

So it wasn’t extortion then, it had been bribery.

And Kyuhyun had been the prize.

Mark knew a little what it felt like, to be the object of someone’s affection, to be viewed as something to be obtained. Mark had spent time in his own right being considered someone’s prize.

It didn’t feel good.

“Siwon told you this?” Kyuhyun demanded roughly.

“Before he died,” Sooyoung confirmed, nodding. “I talked to him just before he died, and he told me everything. He said Mark’s uncle cut the deal himself, on behalf of a larger benefactor, and if he fulfilled his part of the deal, then you’d be his.”

Without warning Kyuhyun spun on heel, and almost at a run he was racing from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Mark flinched at the sound of the heavy wood rocking behind him echoing Kyuhyun’s anger.

Mark looked back to the white vase. “Siwon had no right.”

She replied, “He knew that in the end. Maybe he even knew it from the start.”

When Mark turned back to her he could see the sadness in her eyes, even if there wasn’t a hint of wetness.

“Did Siwon know that giving up that information would get my family killed? Did he know it would ruin Kyuhyn’s family as well?”

Sooyoung shook her head, and Mark believed her, even as she said, “Siwon made a selfish, incredibly stupid mistake, but not even for Kyuhyun would he have knowingly led to the deaths of innocent parties like Kyuhyun’s sister and your siblings. My brother knew that there was going to be a show of force against the council with the information he provided, but he was under the impression that it would just be a scare tactic. He was told it would be a scare tactic.”

“And he believed that?”

Sooyoung said, “I think he made himself believe that.” She sighed heavily and turned more fully to Mark. “You should understand, my brother has been in love with Kyuhyun from the moment he first saw him. To Siwon, the moon rose exclusively for Kyuhyun. My brother would have abdicated his title to be with Kyuhyun, and faced the scorn and ridicule from our family gladly in return. It pained him deeply that Kyuhyun loved your sister, Grace, and couldn’t return his feelings. In that regard, can you imagine what this sort of deal looked like to him?”

It should have looked like a deal too good to be true.

But in a way, Mark did understand. He just didn’t think Kyuhyun would.

“So that was the proposed deal?” Mark asked. “Siwon gives up some information, follows some directions, and what, Kyuhyun just magically changes his mind about who he loves? Sooyoung, you can’t force someone to love someone else, and I don’t think there’s any way Kyuhyun could ever be swayed from Grace.”

Flatly, Sooyoung said, “I don’t know the details. I don’t know the specifics of how Kyuhyun was just going to be handed over to Siwon. I only know that’s what was intended to happen. Siwon would get Kyuhyun. Siwon would get what he most wanted in this world, and all he had to do was let go of some highly critical information.”

She sounded ashamed of Siwon, ashamed of everything that had happened, and Mark knew the feeling.

“But him giving up that information got Grace killed,” Mark pointed out. “Siwon had to know that Kyuhyun could never love someone, under any circumstances, who was responsible for that loss.”

Sooyoung nodded. “That’s why he hid his involvement. Because he knew he was ruined, and he knew that Kyuhyun wouldn’t just hate him if he found out … Siwon truly feared Kyuhyun might try to kill him in response.”

Somberly, Mark said, “Kyuhyun loved Grace very much. He loved her in the way that vampires don’t really know how to love anymore.” It didn’t seem like Grace returned the severity of those feelings, but she’d liked Kyuhyun enough, been wholly dedicated to him, and even she’d admitted that he was a very good match. In time, Mark believed she would have grown to love Kyuhyun in return.

“Our father died as well,” Sooyoung reminded. “Siwon was directly responsible for our father dying, and that’s not something that he bore easily. I can see it now, I remember the weeks directly afterwards, and the haunting look he always seemed to have on his face. I didn’t know what it was then, but I do now. Siwon never intended for people to die. He never wanted Grace or your family or our father to die. It hurt him terribly to know he played a part in it all, but he kept quiet because he didn’t know what else to do. And because he understood once you get into bed with the devil, you can’t get out so easily.”

Mark gave a soft, agreeing sound.

“I shouldn’t have told him.”

“Hm?” Mark asked.

Sooyoung said, “I shouldn’t have told Kyuhyun that Siwon’s near obsession with him is what caused all this. That’s the kind of admission none of us can come back from.”

Slowly, wanting to be sure with his words, Mark said, “Siwon didn’t cause this.”

“He--”

“No,” Mark insisted. “Siwon did not cause this. He played is part, he was one piece of the puzzle, but this didn’t happen because of him. It didn’t even happen because of my uncle. This happened because of one person and only one person, and that’s what we’re gathered here today to talk about. It’s what we have to figure out.”

Sooyoung crossed her arms in a defiant kind of stance. “This woman. This woman who is a puppet master of sorts. The snake charmer.”

Mark nodded. “She orchestrated everything with my uncle, with Siwon, and with countless other people who we don’t even know about yet.”

“All right,” Sooyoung said, turning her back on Siwon’s vase. “Lets go see if we can find Kyuhyun. You all came here for a reason, and we don’t have a lot of time.”

Mark leaned pressure on his leg, on the knee his uncle had shattered, and gave a quiet groan. It was beginning to feel like his knee was a physical reminder of the pain he was still hoarding deep inside. Neither were going away as quickly as he liked, and both would leave lingering phantom pain.

Neither was it safe for so many of them to be gathering in one spot. This wasn’t something sanctioned by the council, and who knew how many members of the council were trustworthy to begin with. That made the meeting that much more dangerous. They couldn’t afford to draw the attention of certain others, at least not yet.

“There’s Kyuhyun,” Mark said, pointing down the long hallway when he and Sooyoung turned a corner. Kyuhyun was talking quietly with a tall, dark haired boy that Mark had next to no experience with, but had been vouched for by both Kyuhyun and Sooyoung.

Taekwoon.

“We should start quickly,” Sooyoung said, her gaze not straying anywhere near Kyuhyun. It was a small irritation to Mark who thought they needed to be stronger than ever as a group, and not weak in the slightest if they were going to work together towards their goal.

“Prince Mark,” Taekwoon greeted him, head inclining a bit. “I’m pleased to finally meet you formally.”

Mark returned the gesture and replied, “Prince Taekwoon. Kyuhyun speaks highly of you.”

Mark didn’t know much about Taekwoon of the third family. Mostly he knew that Taekwoon had come to the head of his family suddenly, just like Mark had, and for the same reason. He was quiet and unassuming, hadn’t really dipped his toes into the political landscape of the council just yet, and was rumored to be very level headed. He didn’t seem the sort to get involved in any kind of revenge pact, but here he was.

“In here,” Sooyoung guided bringing them into a dark study and latching the door tightly behind then.

The four of them sat on sofas and armchairs, facing each other in stony silence for longer than Mark felt comfortable in, none of them truly knowing how to start.

Surprising himself, Mark cleared his throat and boldly stated, “I think we’re all here for the same reason: we want to avenge the people who were taken from us for greedy, horrible reasons.”

Kyuhyun interjected, “This must stay between the four of us. Mark, that means no telling Zhou Mi. Our safety depends on this.”

When Kyuhyun had proposed the meeting between the four of them, and Mark had agreed, he hadn’t imagined he’d be going anywhere without Zhou Mi, or Hoya and Dongwoo for that matter. In the days since the vote had occurred, and the mess that had resulted afterwards, Mark had had three very distinct shadows. It had been four until Jackson had been forced by his furious parents to return to Hawthorne ahead of Mark and the others.

Zhou Mi certainly blamed himself for Mark being separated and isolated by his uncle, then attacked. It was written across Zhou Mi’s face each and every time he and Mark met eyes, but Mark thought that was ridiculous. Zhou Mi had been swarmed the second the fighting had broken out ,and it had taken everything in him just to hold his own. It wasn’t his fault ,and Mark refused to blame him.

It was just as much that he laid no blame on Dongwoo and Hoya. They’d done their best to get to him as quickly as possible, but the fighting had been insane. Jackson had told Mark afterwards that it had been too difficult to tell friend from foe, and most vampires had simply gotten caught up in bloodlust. The violence and the spilled blood had tripped most of them up, and it had been vampire for vampire, with few alliances.

It was really something of a miracle that Mark’s allies, his most precious people including Kyuhyun, Jackson and Zhou Mi had all managed to band together through the chaos. They’d watched each other’s backs, held off their attackers, and then come for him when they could.

“He’s my match,” Mark told Kyuhyun sharply. And Zhou Mi had been privy to their shared information from the very start. For all the ups and downs Mark and Zhou Mi had had, his loyalty was certainly not in question. It never would be.

But for the meeting, for the four of them, Kyuhyun had said Zhou Mi couldn’t be there. It was a meeting for the heads of their respective families, and the information being discussed between them was enough to get any of them killed.

Zhou Mi was not a security threat. He would not leak information, intentionally or otherwise. But Mark wanted to prove himself to the others. He wanted them to know that he respected their wishes and could be a strong fourth to their alliance. So he’d left a thunderous Zhou Mi behind and come alone. At least it was something that Mark hadn’t seen Changmin or Minho anywhere.

“And you trust him,” Kyuhyun agreed, “so do I. But this is for our ears only. We can revisit the topic at a later date, but for the time being, we ask that you respect this decision.”

As if to further sooth the situation, Taekwoon insisted, “I won’t be informing my match, either. The risk is simply too high, for us or for the ones we care for.”

Taking a deep breath, Mark nodded. “Okay. For now, just the four of us.”

“Then the issue at hand,” Sooyoung interjected, “is the fact that we have a rouge group of vampires apparent set on the matter of ending the peace between humans and vampires. That can’t be allowed to stand.”

Taekwoon said, “They attempted things justly this time. Even if they manipulated and killed and dishonored us all, they did so within the confines of our laws. I doubt they’ll do so next time.”

“Agreed,” Kyuhyun said. “So we need to work quickly to find out who they are.”

“There’s a Her,” Mark pointed out. “She’s the one in charge. Whoever this Her is.”

Sooyoung folded her hands in her lap. “Siwon spoke of a woman. He never saw her face, he never heard her voice, and he had no direct contact with her, but through the others, he heard a woman referenced many times. She’s most certainly the one in charge. She gave the orders. She orchestrated everything. She should be our target.”

Frowning Mark asked, “But who is this woman?” He felt frustrated over the whole matter. “My uncle spoke of a woman several times, but gave nothing away.”

“Mark,” Kyuhyun said, looking to him. “Tell the others what your uncle kept saying during your final confrontation.” He softened a little, considering the pain associated with the memories, and added, “Please, if you can.”

Nausea was welling up in Mark at the mere idea of revisiting those words, but he knew he had to. Outside of Siwon who was now dead and gone, Mark was the only one with any kind of information on the mysterious woman.

“He rambled a lot,” Mark cautioned, “and I think he was panicking. He was … not himself.”

“Go on,” Taekwoon urged.

With a little wince, Mark closed his eyes to remember, “My uncle kept saying that he had saved me. He thought I should be grateful because of what he’d done. This woman, she’s the one who made him do all this … kill all these people. And I think I was supposed to die to, according to my uncle, but he saved me from her. At least that’s what he said.”

“But why?” Sooyoung questioned.

“Maybe …” Mark broke off. He dared to hope that maybe it had been because his uncle had truly loved him. But he certainly wasn’t sure enough to say it aloud. And he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be saved if it meant others had to die. Especially if those others were his family.

“Go on,” Kyuhyun said.

Mark nodded. “So he said a lot about saving me from her, and protecting Henry and I from her. That tells me that he didn’t agree with her--or at the least didn’t like being told what to do. Maybe he didn’t even want to do what he was. You have to know, my uncle was never one to be told to do anything. He set his own rules, formed own ideas, and he was an utter control freak. To be told to do something .. .and for him to follow direction … there’s something else going on here.”

Sooyoung pointed out, “If this woman was bribing Siwon, maybe she was coercing your uncle in some way.” Her eyes narrowed darkly. “Don’t get me wrong, I loathe and despise the memory of your uncle, Mark. The things he did … I’m sure you understand why I feel the way I do. But if this woman had something on him, if she was forcing his hand, then we need to consider how many others might be in the same position at the moment.”

Sharply, Mark offered, “On more than one occasion, not just the last time I saw my uncle …alive… he talked about how our family had to pay their debts. He was always saying things about debts and making things right.”

Musing out, Taekwoon said, “Vampire debts are a very serious matter.”

Mark nodded in agreement. “But my uncle would never have let himself fall under the thumb of a serious debt.”

“Not nationally,” Sooyoung insisted. “But what if it was out of his control?”

Shaking his head, Mark said, “It doesn’t make sense. I can understand the seriousness of a debt, and my uncle would be honor bound to fulfill it if he was called up on to do so. But all of this? There’s no way all of this would be worth a simple debt. There’s just no way.”

Kyuhyun arched a quizzical eyebrow. “A life debt would.”

“Life debt?” Mark echoed.

Sooyoung and Taekwoon gave agreeing nods.

Kyuhyun continued, “Your parents were betrothed to each other due to a life debt, correct?”

In the most crude and blunt way, Mark knew his father had been handed over to the fourth family to pay off a life debt. A life for a life. A life debt was the most serious matter in vampire society, but incurring a life debt was no light matter.

“So you think,” Mark asked, “that my uncle would have done all this, even if he didn’t want to, even if he didn’t agree with the means, to pay off a life debt?”

“It’s possible,” Taekwoon said.

Mark looked between the faces. “But who’s life debt? Who’s life debt would my uncle be repaying? Mine? He said he saved me from her. Is it my life debt he was paying?”

“No,” Kyuhyun dismissed immediately. “It would be your debt, if that were the case, to repay. And if you were a small child, it would be your parent’s.”

“Then who’s?” Mark pried. “Who would my uncle dare to indebt himself for?”

Sooyoung shrugged, and neither Taekwoon nor Kyuhyun seemed to have any possible answers for him.

“No matter the reason for your uncle’s actions,” Kyuhyun decided moments later, “the fact remains that he was only one small piece of a much larger puzzle. This woman may be the one controlling everything, but it must be safe to assume that she has many, many associates who are helping her. We are vastly outnumbered, without even knowing how many, and this is a problem for us.”

“What if we just went to the council?” Taekwoon asked. “Or at the least, to the head of the first family? This is a matter that can’t go unresolved.”

“What if he’s in on it?” Sooyoung challenged.

Taekwoon looked at her in disbelief and Mark himself wasn’t sure.

The thirteen families, for the most part, were on even ground. They were the vampire aristocracy and could all trace their lineage back to the era of the first vampire. But the first family was sacred in a way. Its members were descendants of the first vampire, blood descendants in the same way that Mark and only a few others were. They were of the same family, and considered beyond reproach in most ways.

“This stays here for now,” Kyuhyun stated, voice rising slightly. “Until we know more, and can be more sure who our enemies are, we can’t risk anyone outside the four of us.”

“This woman,” Sooyoung said, “has her claws deep in influential vampires. Mark’s uncle had quite the sordid past, but he was a very prominent member of our society. My brother was a direct heir when he was brought in, and the head of his family later on. She isn’t manipulating those of average standing.”

“She’s serious,” Mark insinuated.

“I’d say,” Kyuhyun bit out.

“So what do we do?” Taekwoon asked. “How do we proceed?”

“I don’t know,” Mark said honestly, feeling completely lost. “But we have to do something. This is just the beginning. And look how much we’ve already lost. Everyone here has lost family to this woman, and it’s only going to get worse.”

Tapping out a pattern on the table, Kyuhyun mused, “Mark, it falls to you to shoulder a large portion of the burden. Your uncle was directly associated with this woman. He must have left some evidence of her identity. Especially if he was being coerced in some fashion. We need you to find something--anything.”

Before Mark could reply, Sooyoung was saying, “So did Siwon, and I’d bet anything he hated how he was being used, especially when he realized what his actions had brought about. I know my brother. He was one to fight fire with fire. There’s no way he didn’t look into this woman. I can’t say if he found anything, or left any proof, but if it exists, I’ll find it.”

Teakwood pursed his lips for a moment, then stated, “There are very few vampires who would be powerful enough to orchestrate something of this magnitude. I can begin to compile a list and cross-reference that with any of them who’ve had any real activity as of late. Some of them have direct ties to the council and should be prioritized as possible candidates. Also, having a specific gender is helpful.”

“Good,” Kyuhyun agreed.

“What about you?” Mark asked. “What can you do?”

“I’m going to trace the money,” Kyuhyun stated, giving Mark a firm nod. “Any operation of this scale, with the resources involved, required a good deal of it. Money always leaves a trail, and as the head of my family, I have access to a good deal of financial records. What I don’t have access too, I can find other methods of obtaining. If someone is buying men, buying resources, and buying power, I will find them.”

Quietly, and sounding a little heartbroken, Sooyoung said, “These people, and this woman, killed Siwon at the first hint of him spilling their secrets. They’ll do the same to us in less than a second if this gets out. We need to be very, very careful.”

“It’s why I insisted on it being the four of us,” Kyuhyun told her. “We have no deadman’s switch .We have no failsafe. If we draw attention to ourselves, we will be killed.”

“Don’t you think that’s extreme,” Mark protested. “No matter who this woman is, there’s no way anyone could get away with killing four heads of families. No one.”

Sooyoung argued, “Isn’t that what’s already occurred?”

Taekwoon asked, interrupting the two of them, “Are we in agreement that, for whatever reason, this woman’s ultimate goal is war between the vampires and humans?”

Mark agreed, “It does look that way.” Maybe this woman wanted to wipe out the humans, or maybe there was simply the lust for war and destruction. In either case, the ultimate goal had to be conflict between the two species.

“Then,” Taekwoon continued, “I don’t think it’s beyond this group, led by this woman, to move against us if we stand in their way. Their goal is a complete breakdown of the barely sustained peace between humans and vampires. She has already shown a willingness to move against heirs, heads and whole families. She will likely kill us if there is any realization that we know the slightest bit of information.”

Sooyoung cut out to Kyuhyun, “Maybe if you’d shown some self control in dealing with Mark’s uncle, we might have more answers than we do now.”

Taekwoon said certainly, “He wouldn’t have spoken about this if he was sworn to silence in his life debt.”

Mark could see Kyuhyun prickling at the accusation of carelessness, so he interjected quickly, “Sooyoung, Kyuhyun saved my life. If I choose to believe anything my uncle said, then he was protecting me from this woman for as long as he could. But not at the expense of Henry. He was going to kill me to keep me silent--to keep Henry safe. If Kyuhyun hadn’t been there, I would be dead. He … he did what he had to.”

“I didn’t do it lightly,” Kyuhyun said harshly.

“But it probably wasn’t too difficult for you,” she shot back.

“Enough,” Taekwoon said in a tired voice. “We can’t dissolve our partnership into petty arguments.”

Slowly Mark stood, giving Taekwoon an appreciative look. “I think, also, we’ve lingered here long enough. I have a plane to catch, and we all have work to get started on. We should plan to meet again in several weeks, or whenever is safest.”

Kyuhyun stood as well. “We’ll maintain only minimal contact initially, and again, tell no one of our suspicions.”

In just a few more minutes Mark was headed away from the room, away from Taekwoon and Sooyung, and towards where he had a car waiting for him outside.

“Mark,” Kyuhyun said, stopping him in the foyer before they went their separate ways.

“Don’t worry,” Mark sighed out, “I won’t tell Zhou Mi, even though you know he’d cut out his own tongue to keep our secrets.”

Kyuhyun gave him a soft smile. “It’s not that, and yes, for the record, I do know. But this is about building trust between the four of us, and it’s better built when our circle stays as small as it is at the moment.”

“Oh,” Mark eased out.

“I …” Kyuhyhun looked uncertain. “I haven’t had a chance to speak to you about what happened. Sooyoung said it, and she wasn’t far from the truth. It wasn’t hard for me to kill your uncle, and part of me enjoyed it. I can’t be sorry for how I feel.”

“And,” Mark told him, arms around himself, “I meant what I said in there, too. You did what you had to. You saved my life. And honestly … I’m a little thankful. If my uncle were still alive, maybe we’d know who this woman is. Maybe not. But there’s no way I could have killed him. I tried. But even to save my life, I couldn’t have killed my uncle. And I’m not sure I could feel anything anymore for Jackson or Zhou Mi if they’d been the ones to do it. I think in a way I needed it to be you, and you needed it to be you, too.”

“Mark …”

“It’s better this way,” Mark insisted. “We both got our closure, and we can both move on.”

It wasn’t that simple. It wasn’t nearly that simple. But for the moment, it was enough.

“I just …” Mark exhaled deeply. “I just don’t think the pain is ever going to go away. I never thought someone like my uncle, who was so important to me, could be the one responsible for manufacturing all those human threats. All those times I was hurt, or scared, or thought I would die, it was him. Even if he was doing it just to scare me into voting a certain way, it felt real at the time. It was real for me.”

“We were very lucky,” Kyuhyun insisted, “that this human threat was something false. it could have easily been real. Some day, it will be. However for now, as much pain as it does cause you, be thankful your uncle attempted to frame the Human’s First organization for your attacks. Be thankful we didn’t go to war over something untrue.”

“I guess you’re right,” Mark reasoned. “If ever there was something to be thankful for, it’s that for the moment, the humans aren’t a threat. The laughable thing is that it’s our kind that’s the threat now. That’s ridiculous, right?”

“Do not dwell wholly on that,” Kyuhyun said, looking concerned. “As long as there are those of us here to fight for peace, any pessimism is premature. And Mark?”

Mark reached for the front door, ready to get back to Hawthorne, back to Jackson, and back to his life. “Hm?”

“Happy birthday. It’s your sweet sixteen tomorrow, isn’t it?”

Mark hardly felt his sixteenth birthday was worth recognizing, not with everything that had happened. But oddly enough, it felt really good to hear the words from Kyuhyun. It was only more of a confirmation that Kyuhyhun was so utterly important to him.

“Thanks,” Mark told him, then pulled open the door and headed away from the house.