Once the Taeyeon and the others could see the HQ, they have the faintest feeling of dread. She looked at the perimeter through binocular but not even a single staff or soldier is around. "This is weird." She muttered as she turns to look up at the rooftops but there are no snipers as well, "Do you think it's a trap?" Yoona asked before looking at Taeyeon.

"Only way to find out..." She pressed her earpiece to call on Hyoyeon and Yuri, "Hyoyeon, Yuri? What's the situation?" But the other line only sends white static noises. Taeyeon pressed her earpiece again, "Hyoyeon? What's the situation?" She repeated but it only gave her white static noise. This is weird, no one's answering in the other line, she had the feeling that some of Catharine's got them. She couldn't help but to grit her teeth, "I think they got Hyoyeon and Yuri." Taeyeon spoke to them before sighing and looked back at the HQ. "We can't go back now." She told them, even though Taeyeon wanted to go to Hyoyeon and Yuri's location, they can't waste their time to save them.

Taeyeon felt a hand grabs on her shoulder, she tilted her head to see Stephanie with a determined eyes, "Let me find them, I'll make sure I'm gonna drag them here with me." Stephanie told her lover. She knows that Taeyeon wouldn't allow her but she grew more reliant on others than her bravado and individualism, Taeyeon truly is a great leader and made Stephanie grow more and more trusting towards her sisters, no man is an island she once said. No one's going to be left behind.

Taeyeon has no choice, she sighed and gave Stephanie a kiss. Their lips once again touched, Stephanie wrapped her arms around the shorter vampire before they pulled away before looking at them. "I'll be back before you know it, Taeyeon. And I need Wendy so she could see where Hyoyeon and Yuri is." She smiled before looking at Seohyun, "I trust that you will take care of my Shorty until I come back." Then she steps back and starts going to the opposite direction, "I'll be bringing Joy and Wendy with me." She winked at them before they went to find the two vampires.

The others that were left behind starts to go inside the HQ, they were being cautious of their surroundings in case they were ambushed by their own soldiers or enemies as they get further and deeper to where the sphere is stationed. Seohyun and Yoona went beside on Taeyeon as they went further to the HQ, it looks like the interior of the headquarters seemed gloomy than the last time they entered here. It seems someone is expecting them.

Yoona looked through the GPS where the sphere is located but it slowly jammed the signal, she tried to smack it gently with her palm few times but it is not working. "Dammit, someone's jamming the signal from outside." She complained before she showed it to Seohyun, "Someone planned it and they knew we're after the sphere." The younger vampire told her.

The hallway seems quiet, not even staffs are present in the area, not even soldiers patrolling around. Something is really not right in this place. They continued to walk where they are going to, Taeyeon tries to calm herself down as she felt the dread feeling creeping from her feet. A radio static starts to boom inside the headquarters, it was her. Vivian.

"Ah, welcome my dearest friends! How are you three faring? Hope you don't mind me helping you to find the sphere."

"It's Vivian alright." Taeyeon growled and looked up to find the speakers from each platforms, "You devil, where are you hiding?" She clenched her fists and looked around to see one camera at the top right corner with a red light blinking to know that it was working. They could only hear her faint chuckle before she speaks again, "We don't need your help to find the same thing you also wanted." Yoona told her before she heard Vivian chuckled.

"So you figure it out? Genius of you. But since you know where to find the sphere, it would be boring if you'll just go there smoothly and take it away from here, you know?"

Then the headquarter's lights starts to go off and the three vampires changed into a fighting stance, "Seohyun, Yoona... Stay with me." Taeyeon commanded before they sticked together as they await for something to happen. But she noticed that she couldn't heard their answers, Taeyeon turned around to see that the two disappeared, "Seohyun? Yoona?" She called the two couples but there are no answers. She called them out again but she could only hear her own voice echoing, this is not good.

She heard fainting sounds from behind and saw the elevator door in front of her, it was not there before but it was telling her to get in. Taeyeon's curiosity grew as she cursed through her thoughts of what is going on, it looks like some sort of illusion. But it looks like Hyoyeon's but much more dreadful and more nightmarish, something like from a psychological thriller with more scarier transitions.

As she goes closer and closer to the elevator, the more louder the faint voices ringing all over her. She took courage of it before she entered the elevator and only shows the two colored buttons, one red and one blue. Is this a trick? Taeyeon thought to herself, she had to think first on which button she should be about to press. Red signifies danger, blood and violence. Blue signifies peace, calmness, humility.

Red reminds her the horrors of her past, the ones that gave her fears of losing someone, the blood that was on her hands are from those who were killed by her, the regret of leaving someone behind. It was all Taeyeon's despair. However, Blue reminds her the things that made her life more blissful and calm, those times she made the right choice to give her family some happiness they deserve, those time where her family pulls her up whenever she feels down, she can't leave without them, without her... Stephanie.

She takes a deep breath before she clicks the red button where she knew she had to face her fears, her despair must come first. She did horrible things in the past, only to protect her family from anymore bloodshed.

"So you choose the red one? Interesting."

Taeyeon looked up to see the camera on the ceiling, she just smirked at Vivian who is watching over her. The elevator starts closing its doors and going down, the rumbling sound could be heard from inside but that is only natural. "You only came here to mess up, right?" Taeyeon asked her while waiting for the elevator to stop, she could only hear the cackling sound from the other line as the elevator goes down.

"Yes and no. I do like seeing you doing your best to get what you want, I don't like people bore me with just simple actions, simple tasks and getting more at ease of what they are doing. I do want them to feel the thrill and how desperate they are to get what they want."

Seriously, who is she? Ever since I first met her with Catharine, I could sense nothing but dread... she's not human, nor even a vampire or any supernatural being. The shorter vampire thought to herself as she listened to what Vivian is talking to her, she really do like playing people and how despicable she is to control those who are around her. If she is here, then Catharine is here as well...?

She glanced up to the camera again before she asked, "If you're here, then you're with Catharine. I want to speak to her." Bold and firm, Taeyeon kept her stoic face straight to the camera. "You two planned this all along, Catharine wanted to bring back all what was taken from her. Revenge is her answer and she did it pretty well." She clenched her fists, "She was the one who set us up to a trap--"

"Catharine is dead, and soon, you will."

She suddenly stopped when she heard of it, but when she was about to react, the elevator stopped to its destination and the door opened. From outside it is still pitch black, Taeyeon would prefer staying in the elevators but their life is at stake. Vivian starts talking again.

"There's someone waiting for you... and she is very excited to meet you."

Then after that, the line cuts off and that is the last time Vivian would talk to her. There's no going back, Taeyeon must face this someone. She took a deep breath before she steps out of the elevator and starts walking through the pitch black darkness, she doesn't know where she is heading until she heard fainting sounds all around her again. Those voice, they were familiar, Taeyeon kept walking and never looked back. She used her power to flash a light from her hand to see nothing but a matte black floor, she kept on moving.

She doesn't know how long she would walk forward but the faint voices kept getting louder and louder. After a mile of walking, she saw a mahogany door, it looks familiar as if Taeyeon used to look at it from before. Since she is a vampire, some parts of her memories were completely buried by the happy memories she got with her family. The door in front of her, tells a story of who she was before.

Her fingers slowly reached for the knob, soon she slowly gripped and turned it. Once she opens the door, a ray of light flashes upon her...

The door opens and she saw a very old renaissance living room, Taeyeon walks in and everything around this place is very familiar to her, as if she has been here before. The chairs, the floor, the fireplace, they are all familiar to her. "What is this...?" She muttered as she had the feeling of joy and sadness at the same time. Taeyeon suddenly turns around as she heard the laughing voices of two children.

"Hyoyeon! I'm coming for you!" Says the girl with a brown hair and has braided hair, she giggled as she was looking for her little sister. It was Taeyeon back when she was a human, they used to live happily in mansion with their father and their mother. Hyoyeon on the other hand, her hair is darker than her older sister as she was born a few months from her from another woman. Taeyeon never resents her father for having another wife as she never met her biological mother when she was born, Taeyeon's mother died from childbirth and she needed a mother-figure for her and Hyoyeon. The younger girl just giggled behind the chair until her older sister found her and squeals, "Found you!" She chuckled and pulls her out of the chair.

The younger one pouted and scratched her head a bit, "You are always easy to find me, how did you do that?" She asked and only Taeyeon grinned in front of her. "You're hiding in the same place, Hyoyeon. Next time, find a better place to hide." She patted the smaller girl's head gently with a gleeful smile on her face. The door opened in front of them and there was her mother, "Mother--" Taeyeon called her but when she sees the face of their beloved mother, they knew those vampires are back again.

"Hyoyeon, Taeyeon. Listen to me." Their mother's look so wary and scared, as if something will happened the next time they are going to see those expression, she walked over to the two and caressed their cheeks gently. "Listen to me, whenever you see strangers with black cloaks... you need to go where your father used to hide with the two of you." She smiled before looking back at the door that was opened by a group of vampires, wearing black cloaks just as their mother told the two. He was pale, fangs coming out from his lips and his eyes were lifeless, as if it had been already dead.

Their mother put the two girls behind her and the two were hiding behind her back, clutching at the hem of their mother's dress. The vampire looked at the two children behind their mother, he smirked and crossed his arms. "You have two beautiful kids, Mina." Then he walked away, making a breather for the mother before looking back at the kids. "Mother? Who is that?" Taeyeon asked her but she just smiled and answered, "They are the ones that your father is working for." Then her gazed went to Hyoyeon. "But remember what I said, hide when you see those strangers, is it clear?"

The two nodded in sync, "Yes mother, we will." They promised and hugged her. "And promise me that you two will always rely on each other, no matter what."

Taeyeon and Hyoyeon never knew what was coming...

When they were both 16 years of age, Taeyeon seen the strangers in black cloak again, she dragged Hyoyeon to the secret room where their father used to hide them there in case those vampires came to collect what they owed to her family. The two sisters hide under the floor board to avoid getting seen by the vampires, the two witnessed what had happened to their parents.

They were mercilessly cut their throats and drink their blood as the price of not getting the dues paid, the reality they're in, will no longer be the same again. Taeyeon covered Hyoyeon's mouth to shut her from wailing as they watched what those vampires did to them, it is gruesome, unnerving and cruel. From that day on, she swore to hate the vampires...

"Such a twist of fate, isn't it?" A familiar voice was heard from behind, the shorter vampire turned around to see the transition has changed from a lively renaissance room into a pitch black room. Taeyeon's eyes widen as she saw someone in front of her, it wasn't Hyoyeon... but her body double. "Hyojeon..." She uttered her name as she stared at her. Hyojeon's eyes weren't the same eyes she used to look upon on, it was now tainted with hate and disgust. She's no longer their sister, no longer the one they used to cherished.

Her eyes were purple, like the darkness surrounding them, flodded with rage, hate and disdain. "Hyojeon, why did you do it?" She asked her, as she already knew who she is. "Why did you became the Black Swan? Why did you drag us to that horrible cave? Why did you put us to sleep for four years?" Taeyeon asked her question only Hyojeon could answer, because she was the one who had gone hating them.

"I did what I had to do, Taeyeon..." The hybrid's fists clenched as she glared at the one she loathes the most, "You all should deserve death, but Catharine doesn't like you all getting your brains fried in that machine I worked on, she's such a fool to trust us... She's such a fool to trust Vivian, now look where she is now."

"What did that had done to you, Hyojeon?!" Taeyeon growled, she never expect that those words would come out of . Clearly, Vivian is behind all these. These whole mess was all Vivian's doing! The younger woman laughed grimly, it echoed the whole place they're in, "Vivian did all she could to train me, to make me who I really am. She had done good than Catharine's way of teaching me to become stronger, than you scolding me every time I made a mistake-- You're so full of it, and I hated it."

The vampire shook her head, "You don't understand--" But she got interrupted by Hyojeon, "I understand why, Taeyeon. You never considered me as your family, you never considered me as one of your own." She told her as her eyes flashes more of its purple hues as she says what she wanted towards her, "You prefer, you chose the family you always trusted... Them, the vampires, the second gifted, the former traitor." Then she clutched her chest tightly as tears starts falling from the younger body double's eyes. "You look down at me like I am an outcast, you never even tried to find some evidence of my innocence-- you let me rot behind the bars!"

She gritted her teeth as Taeyeon's eyes redden, "You think I look at you just like what you said?!" Her emotions had finally shown: Regret, Guilt, Shame. Those three are now filling inside the shorter vampire's heart, "I tried my very best to look for the things that proves you innocent, Hyojeon! And you waited and waited for me to get you out of there!" She starts walking closer to her, "I'm sorry, Hyojeon... I'm sorry I was too slow and too late." She apologized and looked at her hand. "You might not forgive me... But I promised Hyoyeon and Seohyun to bring you back."

"It's too late for that." Hyojeon draws out a small dagger and she starts charging towards Taeyeon, she prepared to dodge her attacks as the other swinged her weapon towards the vampire. She parried her dagger away, but Taeyeon didn't expect to get a knee kick on her stomach. She hissed and before her knife grazed her arm. For the first time, the vampire felt the pain again, the searing pain from the blade. The vampire pulled away from her and sees the wound isn't healing, Taeyeon looked back at her with a shock.

The hybrid could only smirked before showing the characteristic of her dagger, "Not healing...? Good." She smirked. "I prepared this blade just for you, Taeyeon. I filled it with a special chemical that would stop your blood from healing." She explained how the blade works before she starts attacking her again, her attack is more agile than Yerim's. Taeyeon could barely dodge her attacks and only relies on parry instead, "I expect highly of you to be the strongest because I know, leaders are supposed to be stronger than her members!" Hyojeon found an oppeening and punched Taeyeon on her side.

Taeyeon hisses as she felt Hyojeon's punch on her side, then she slashed her blade on the other's arm once again. The wound really stings, just like humans would feel when fighting someone with a knife. "You became weak, Taeyeon! Is it because you don't have someone stronger with you? Like Seohyun-eonnie and Stephanie-eonnie?" She chuckled darkly as she kept attacking the vampire restlessly, she growled as she couldn't find an opening. She hated the fact that she had been in protection of the second gifted and Stephanie.

She felt ashamed by the fact that she's a leader, and a leader should be strong, not just mentally but physically. She keeps on defensive stance while waiting for an opening for a counter, she had to many slash wounds on her arms and legs. She endured the pain and once she found an opening, she flashed a ray of blinding light on Hyojeon's face to stun her, then she curled her fists then starts her turn of punching the hybrid with her bloody knuckles. "I cherished--" She jabbed her left cheek, "Every moment--" Then her right cheek, "Every time you were with us--" Taeyeon launched a hard punch to her abdomen. "So don't ever think you were neglected, Kim Hyojeon!"

She groaned and stepped back, Hyojeon glared more at her before she spits blood from her lips. "That's not how I see it!" She roared before she unleashed her nine ferocious tails in front of her. Her hands became claws as her eyes filled with purple glow, she went towards her and she's more faster than before. Taeyeon couldn't see her movements, she's zigzagging her way to her and the only thing that happened was her getting hit by her strong fist before it made a strong impact that sends her flying away.

Taeyeon managed to land with her own two feet until she saw Hyojeon in front of her again, she felt her punch as it hit her jaw and sends her flying again but upward. She couldn't see where she is now, the vampire's face is bloody mess and some parts of her body couldn't move because of how bad Hyojeon's strength is. Her head just looked upward as she sees nothing but darkness enveloped around her, she hated how dark it is to see where she was. Then she saw Hyojeon flickered around on top of her, with a menacing smirk on her face as she was about to punch her again.

At that moment... the very moment, Taeyeon smiled with ease, with happiness. Remembering her days with those she cherished to be with. They are the light that shows her way for Taeyeon to lead them. They needed her, and she needed them, the connection in between is stronger than blood. At that moment, Taeyeon realized that her strength is not coming from her. Instead, her strength came from the memories she cherished, she treasures within her heart. No matter what happened in the past, it was all in the past. Those happy memories enveloped in her heart and will always be remembered.

She knows the real Hyojeon more than anyone else...

Sudden flash of light exploded in front of Hyojeon which made her stun once again, blinded by the light she hissed. "What the--" When she opened her eyes, Taeyeon is gone but she saw rays of light behind her and turned around to see Taeyeon became blinding light in front of her. Her hair turning white, as well as her skin that you cannot see the wounds that the other had inflicted on her. Hyojeon could feel the the heat coming from her as if she herself is the sun, the hybrid couldn't tell what she's going to do.

The next thing happened was Hyojeon getting thrown down on the ground by a white projectile, up above she could see Taeyeon in a ball of light before she dropped down. She hissed and moved away from Taeyeon, her tails pointed at her as she is ready to counter any attacks she will inflict on her. "It's not the first time I used this form." Taeyeon told her with her voice echoing around them.

"You... cannot defeat me!" Hyojeon gnarled as she starts using her tail to attack her, but her bright aura is getting her way of sight as she dodges her attacks. She couldn't see her properly as her blinding form keeps getting in her line of sight. Taeyeon flickered in front of her and grabbed her collar and flipped her to the ground once again, creating a huge crater around it. 

Taeyeon hissed as her skin starts to burn slowly with this form, this kind of power is fatal. She first unleashed her form when she tries to save Catharine from before and it almost killed her. It is like a candle melting on a flame slowly. She have to hold it much longer until she knocked Hyojeon out.

Hyojeon tried her best to dodge and parry Taeyeon's incoming attacks, her palm sizzles as she halted her attack but that didn't stop the vampire as she eventually jabbed her left fist across her face before she grabbed her arm and throws her hard that she flew away in a distance. Hyojeon didn't managed to land with her feet and that made her really angry, she roared once again and charge towards her. "I knew you have something from your sleeves!" Hyojeon gets her dagger once again and attacked her with it along with her tails.

She only has five minutes before Taeyeon's form runs out, she must take out Hyojeon one way or another. The fight between the two intensified when they used every power they had until their last ounce is gone. One of Hyojeon's tails got Taeyeon's ankle and smashed her to the ground, she coughed her blood out before she flashes another ray of light on her to let her go before the vampire punched her stomach once again. "I'll bring you back to us--" Taeyeon gritted her teeth as she looked at Hyojeon with tenacity and determination, "Because I promised Hyoyeon--" Then she grabs her collar and throws her upward.

"It is... ALREADY TOO LATE!!!" Hyojeon shouted while getting thrown mid air, in a light speed, Taeyeon is on top of her and ready to hit her with her final ounce of her strength. Her whole body slowly cracking from her fatal form but she had to make it in time before it runs out. The hybrid sees the opportunity in a matter of seconds and plunged the dagger to her chest, the vampire whimpers but she continues to concentrate her last ounce of strength.

"I promised..." She curled up her right fist as her energy is focused on her fist then raised it. "I promised to save you... BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO WHAT I'M HERE FOR!!!" Then she hit her face one last time, giving a forceful impact as they fall hard together...

"Hey... you okay?" Taeyeon looked down at the child hugging her knees as she sobs softly on her bed. The little Hyojeon is having a very bad dream as if she's fighting someone to death. "E-Eonnie..." She sniffed and hugged Taeyeon tightly as she kept on sobbing, the vampire hushed gently and kneeled down as she went to her level before looking at her. "It's just a bad dream, Hyojeonnie." Her fingers gently the other's cheek as she tuck her hair behind her ear.

"B-But... It felt like it was all real, eonnie..." Hyojeon sobs as she looked at the vampire, "Don't say that, it's just a bad dream and they aren't real, okay?" She told her gently as she her hair. "Sometimes, bad people wanted to hurt us by making bad dreams in our sleep... did you someone hurt you while you're in school?" She asked her, little Hyojeon nodded and responded as she wiped her tears, "A big guy from upper class bullied my friend a-and... and I defended him because he's too much." 

Taeyeon sighed, "Aww, Hyojeon-ah... you're such a good girl, but you gotta be brave whenever those bad guys make bad dreams as you sleep-- fight them on and have courage, okay?" She smiled at her and rubs her back, "You know, me and your eonnies have bad dreams too but we all fight them off so every other night we sleep peacefully." The vampire chuckled then she got an idea.

"How about you sleep with me tonight and I will tell you an interesting story? It's about the story of me and your Hyoyeon eonnie." She invited her as she holds her hand, Hyojeon was unsure of that since she worries that the bad dreams will come get her again. "B-but what if the b-bad dreams starts show up again?"

She patted her head gently with an endearing smile, "Taeyeon eonnie will fight of those bad dreams, I promise you..." She shows her pinky finger on her. The little girl smiled widely and hooks her pinky with hers. "Then I will come with you because I know Taeyeon eonnie will protect me!" She giggles. The shorter vampire stands up and holds Hyojeon's hand as they go to her room, she wanted Hyojeon to feel as she is a part of their family, she reminded her of Hyoyeon when she was little.

Hyojeon slowly opens her eyes as she woke up from a flashback, she couldn't move her body due to the hard impact that Taeyeon gave to her. Her fist the got her where she is right now, her attacks, her parries, her dodges... Taeyeon is really desperate to get her back. All these years of training to kill her weren't enough, it wasn't even for herself. Eris trained her just to use her for the future plans she laid out just for them, she was a fool to believe her words.

"Hyo...jeon...?" She craned her head slowly to the right to see Taeyeon beside her, kneeling down beside her. Her eyes widen as she saw Taeyeon's appearance had changed, she used up all her power and energy just for someone like her who had lost her way and led astray by the goddess of discord. Her hair changed from black to gray and white, her lips weren't rosy anymore as it turned charred and pale, her flawless baby face is completely dried and has a huge crack from each corners, her body is slowly breaking down like a clay starts crack in an intense heat from the oven.

She won't make it, and she is the reason once again in a tragedy because of how she had gone far. "Taeyeon e-eonnie..." She tries to move but her body is exhausted from too much pain she inflicted, the same as Taeyeon. "Don't m-move too much..." The weakening vampire told her softly, "I... missed everything that we should be celebrating together, Hyojeon-ah..." She gently moved her hand to the other's as Taeyeon showed her passionate smile towards the hybrid, "Your 18th birthday... Halloween... Christmas... New year... Everything."

"Taeyeon eonnie... don't say anymore... please..." Hyojeon begged as as her old self came back, the shorter vampire faintly chuckled as her life slowly slipping away. "Hyojeon... before it's too late... I want you to know that I always love you as your big sister... I always wanted you to be the better in life when you get older... I'm sorry that I never became like a mother figure for you and always scolded you every time you did a mistake... Hyoyeon and the others always give me some lecture after that, because they know I became too controlling... I learned from it and I am here... to save you from what that had done to you..."

She shakes her head a bit, "Eonnie... I should be the one to apologized! I did horrible things-- I-I killed people, I put you all in- in a virtual reality." Her eyes slowly form tears as Hyojeon starts apologizing at her. She saw small cracks forming over Taeyeon's body, she's withering and she doesn't know what to do at this point. "Please! Hold on a-a little longer! Eonnie!" She slowly gripped gently the vampire's hand, "I don't have much time, Hyojeon... Looks like I won't make it... But..." Taeyeon winced a bit as the her body slowly goes numb from her legs. "In my last ounce of my life I made a right decision... to fight with this body of mine and save a sister who got lost from the right path."

I'm sorry Badass, your Shorty won't make it. But always remember that I will love you from the bottom of my heart... Taeyeon thought as she remembered that her lover will be back for her, but it was too late already...

"I hope... Stephanie... and Hyoyeon won't see me like this... I don't know what will their reaction would be..." Taeyeon's tear starts falling down from her eyes, yet slowly her eyes closes. "You guys... made me whole... and I thank you for that." Then she closed her eyes and smiled at Hyojeon one last time as her grip from her hand loosened and she felt her presence faded away, only leaving the husk of Taeyeon's body.

Hyojeon stared at Taeyeon's withering body as she couldn't hear anything but the ringing sound in her ears as she cried uncontrollably as she regained her energy and hugged her tightly as she keep apologizing to her to everything she had done from the past four years. Her regret and guilt starts to build up inside her. Darkness slowly disappeared and showed that they were in a training room where Taeyeon and the other used to practice their in close combat.

The one who brought light upon them now dimmed to live for another day. She had done her part, it is up to Seohyun now...

---

AAAAAHHHHHHHH THIS MADE ME CRY TBH ;;

Taeyeon knew the consequences and she faced it head on if it costs her life to save Hyojeon from the darkness in her heart. How would they react when they knew she died trying to save the one she once failed to save? What will be the reaction of Seohyun and the others, especially Stephanie, Hyoyeon, Jessica and Tiffany?

And im so sorry for the delayed update, tragedy came and so far im still recovering from it...

I guess yall have a great summer today! And stay tuned for further chapter updates!

We're almost in the end of this book so please bear with me and give me encouragements to push forward till the end! ^_^