The battle between good and evil runs through the heart of every man - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

 

    "Bloodline Purification?" Hoseok spouted, offended at the very idea as he cleaned up the last remnants of another Charlie and threw away the paper towel, "How barbaric."

    Seokjin had to laugh at the irony in Hoseok's statement, "He says as he cleans up the innards of yet another charred frog."

    "It's only a small tip of the iceberg," Namjoon laid a book down on the counter in the lab, opening to a dog-eared page and stepping back, "If they succeed, there will be a very large gap in the supernatural population."

    "It will cause mass chaos," Hoseok fretted as he leaned against the counter, arms crossed, "He has to be stopped."

    The three of them looked up as Yuta entered the room, carrying a grimoire of his own, "If Taehyung owns a pinch of eyebright, we are golden."

    "That's one of the rarest herbs on the planet-"

    "His garden held at least 3 rare herbs that I was able to identify with my limited abilities," Yuta informed him, "I'll turn myself into a frog if he doesn't have a small stash."

    "Taehyung keeps most of his stock in the storage cabinet in lab 2," Hoseok remembered, "I'll text him-"

    "Good, thank you," Namjoon peered over at Seokjin laying down on the table staring at the ceiling above.

    "I'll suggest bullfrog if you're wrong," Hoseok pulled his phone from his pocket, smirking at him as he exited the room.

    Yuta chuckled at the thought, calling after him, "Just don't let me become another Charlie."

    "I haven't performed a tri-spell since I was a young lad," Namjoon reminisced, running his palm over the crinkled page of the spellbook.

    Yuta leaned in so only Namjoon could hear him, "You do realize the risks involved in this little endeavor?"

    "Yes, but it's probably the only shot he has at beating his father."

    "I'm not just talking about the risk to his life, I'm referring to his alignment with morality-"

    "I can hear you-" Seokjin looked over at them.

    "It's nothing personal, it's just some of your tactics are-"

    "Unorthodox, I get it," Seokjin grumbled. It was true that his life hadn't exactly been walking the straightest line, curved and upside down would be more accurate, "If it makes you feel any better, you can rip out my heart yourself if things go south."

     "Noted."

    "We should fill Yuta and Hoseok in on Yoongi's situation," Namjoon remarked, glancing up at Yuta, then back to Seokjin, "The fewer surprises, the better."

 

    "Skotadi?" Jungkook gasped as Jimin updated him and Taehyung on some of what he knew as they sat in the library looking for the book Jungkook should have found ages ago. "I knew something was off with him."

    "Just another item on our neverending list of ," Taehyung sunk down onto the chair, leaning back.

    "The Gods can't even keep themselves in line, no wonder the world is so crooked," Jungkook remarked, wondering exactly why the gods created their children just to torture them.

    "I guess it must be too boring to live forever," Jimin mumbled, sighing.

    "I don't like that Seokjin is gonna try to awaken magic that he doesn't even know how to use," Taehyung admitted.

    "He's strong-minded, he can handle it," Jungkook assured him, not really believing this was a good idea himself. "I don't even know what this book looks like-"

    "It probably has a spelled title, so read everything you see out loud," Jimin suggested.

    "Seokjin's unpredictable, there's no reason to think his magic isn't going to be as well," Taehyung shook his head, "He has no clue how to control it."

    Jungkook sighed, having experienced sudden magic himself, he knew firsthand that it wasn't easy to wield and it was beyond exhausting to maintain it for a period of time, "Well, I can't argue with that."

    "Not to mention his temper," Jimin reminded, holding up a book without a title, "Do you see a title on here?"

    "No," Jungkook shook his head.

    "We're doomed," Taehyung slung his feet up on the table and leaned further back, noticing the cobwebs that had settled in the corners of the room.

    "It certainly puts a wrench in things," Jimin had to think of a positive soon, too much doom and gloom threatened to mess with his head. He set the book back and backed up, staring up at the height of the bookcase. All of the books looked the same; essentially just spines with titles, whether big or small, hardbound or paperback ... there was nothing that set them apart.

    "This is pointless, there has to be over twenty thousand books here,"  Taehyung humphed.

     "It would be nice if you actually did something to help," Jimin grabbed a pile and set them down with a thump in front of Taehyung, giving him the same disapproving look their father used to shoot at them when they didn't clean up after themselves.

    "Why do you think this book is so important?" Jungkook wondered aloud.

    "Hoseok has a theory that it holds a spell to stop Yoosun," Jimin spread the books out in a row, "Personally, I think there's more to it."

     Jungkook picked out a small paperback from the shelf and let out a small titter, "Wonderous Vegetable Enchantments."

    "Ooh," Taehyung sat up suddenly, pulling the vibrating phone from his back pocket, "Hoseok."

    "Is everything okay?" Jimin asked.

    Taehyung read the text, perplexed, "He wants some eyebright-"

    "Pardon?" Jungkook's brow raised, wondering what the hell eyebright was.

    "Eyebright. Euphrasia Rostkoviana, it's used in really high-level awakening spells," Taehyung stood, "Very rare, but luckily I grew some last summer... I'll be right back."

 

    Yuta and Hoseok stood across from each other at the lab table, both grimoires opened in front of them next to Seokjin shoulders, both wearing the same nervous expressions as they watched Namjoon dim the overhead lights.

    "Relax," Namjoon joined them at the foot, their three bodies forming an inverted triangle.

    "What, no candles?" Seokjin kidded, already sounding like he was out of breath. They all looked down at the half-awake hybrid.

    "You're gonna wanna stay quiet for this, Seokjin," Hoseok berated, "Ya know, so we all don't accidentally get into a vortex of darkness."

    "Always the vortex of darkness-" Jungkook mumbled to himself and Hoseok shot him a look of horror.

    "With what I have seen lately,"  Hoseok shuddered, "Trust me, you don't want to end up there."

    "Just concentrate on the light when you close your eyes," Yuta instructed, getting back to business, "It'll be bright blue, you can't miss it."

    Yuta closed his eyes, a slight wind blew his hair as he took in a deep breath. The coolness felt good on his skin, the lab was a bit heated with everyone crowding around the table. "I call upon nature's ancient grace, the four elements, the cosmic energy of the vast universe, light and dark intertwined," He grabbed a bit of the eyebright from Taehyung's hand, "We seek to awaken a hidden magic concealed inside."

    "It looks like a little robot ghost," Jungkook whispered to Taehyung, peering down at the small flower.

    "Shh," Taehyung held his index finger up to Jungkook's lips. The younger backed up, closing his mouth, his habit of nervous chatter could cause someone to lose focus, even if the flower did indeed look like a little robotic specter. Anything occupying his mind would be better than thinking what was about to happen could go very, very wrong.

    "With the power of three, I invoke the will of nature, grant us your knowledge to awaken true power," Yuta pulled out a triquetra symbol from under his shirt, it's metal glimmered in the gleam of the overhead light as he pulled it from his neck and grasped it in his palm. "The power of day," He took Namjoon's hand, "The power of night," He took Hoseok's hand, "The power of life. Three as one, unravel our plight."

    Jungkook expected flames to burst from the table, announcing the arrival of some ancient spirit that would bestow a great power upon Seokjin… then he realized those were probably all silly stereotypes portrayed by movies and books that most people bought into because they didn’t know about the real supernatural entities that lived amongst them.

    "A sacrifice of fresh eyebright," Yuta laid the eyebright in a mortar next to the books.

    "Blood of a witch," Hoseok removed a dagger from his belt and sliced the palm of his hand, wincing as he dripped the crimson liquid on to the flower.

    "Ash of the Phoenix," Namjoon poured the dust from a small vial into the mix.

    Yuta picked up the mortar and ground them together with a pestle, setting the marble and brass instrument aside once it was done. He nodded to Namjoon, who nodded back and picked up his grimoire.

    "Donum evigila intus sepultum. Naturae voluntatem invoco," (Awaken the gift buried within. I invoke the will of nature) Namjoon took a bit of the mixture onto his left index finger as he balanced the book in his right hand, "Vocem magicam audi, susurrat effugere." (Hear the call of magic, it whispers to escape.)

    Jungkook watched as Namjoon drew the letter 'X' on each of Seokjin's cheeks, wondering what this little concoction was supposed to do. Spells were weird, filled with nature juju and reciting of words from some dead language, somehow all combining to do magical things. What would happen if part of the 'X" was too long or not enough of the mixture touched his skin? Would this make him turn into a giant fluffy hamster? Make him sprout wings and devour them all in one bite? Stop, Jungkook, you're being dumb.

    "Let nature's energy surround his spirit and engulf his soul."

    Namjoon handed the book to Hoseok as the witch dipped his finger in the mortar, marking a cross on Seokjin's forehead.

    "Velatum obscurus commune volvitur," (the veiled becomes familiar.) Hoseok wiped his finger off and set his book down, glancing to Yuta who also dipped his finger and picked up his grimoire.

    "Quod olim dormiens nunc liberatur," (What was once sleeping is now set free.) Yuta chanted the final verse as he drew a line from the cross on Seokjin's forehead, down over his nose, over his lips, and ending on his chin.

    They all stepped back and closed their books.

    "Is that it?" Jungkook asked perplexed, nothing about Seokjin had changed. How could such a short spell awaken a great power?

    "Now we wait," Yuta nodded, wiping the goop from his fingers and backing up.

    "What if it doesn't work?" Taehyung inquired, he knew some spells took a bit of time to work their magic, pun intended, but he also knew that sometimes they didn't work at all, or worse..  they could backfire altogether and do the exact opposite of what was expected.

    "This was a long shot anyway, there are backup plans in place," Namjoon leaned against the counter.

    "What backup plans?" Jungkook's expression became serious.

    "It's between Seokjin and I-"

    "No, no way, you don't get to leave me out of this-"

    "Jungkook, it's safer if you don't know," Seokjin blinked his eyes to adjust to the light.

    "Bull-"

    "I think we can give these two a few minutes, yeah?" Namjoon announced and they all nodded, heading towards the door.

    Jungkook watched as the door closed and turned back to Seokjin, who was now sitting up and wiping off the goo from his face with a tissue, "What are you hiding?"

    "Just ways Skotadi can be contained, to stop his plans if need be."

    "You mean like hurt a god?"

    "I mean like it's nothing, just don't worry about it."

    "Seokjin-"

    "If you don't know, you have plausible deniability," Seokjin reasoned, "I need you to trust me."

    "I'm not stupid, Seokjin, I know what happens if you defy a god," Jungkook yelled, "It's suicide."

    "It's something that needs to be done. If Skotadi purges the bloodline..." Seokjin stood, "We're all dead anyway."

    "You think Skotadi won't save you?"

    "I think Skotadi would, but Lupius has no reason to," Seokjin grabbed Jungkook's shoulder, staring into his dark eyes, "Namjoon thinks he can do it all himself, but I owe him-"

    "I thought we said no more secrets?" Jungkook shook his head, he would not lose Seokjin to some stupid law set by the very people that were causing all this in the first place.

     "Think of it as protection, maybe my last gift to you," Seokjin pulled his arms away, not taking his eyes off the younger.

    A cold chill ran up Jungkook's spine as the realization hit him, "You don't expect to make it out of this, do you?"

    "No," Seokjin didn't sugarcoat it. Jungkook's heart sank. "If it comes down to me or Namjoon-"

    "Seokjin..." Jungkook could feel the tears well up.

    Seokjin closed his eyes, "The world can survive without me, it can't survive without Namjoon."

    "I can't survive without you-" Jungkook's tears streamed down his cheek and Seokjin wiped them away.

    "You will. You have to," Seokjin pulled the younger to him, engulfing him in his arms, "Or this would have all been for nothing."

 

    Jungkook didn't want to leave Seokjin's side, but he had to talk to Jimin alone, he needed to know what Seokjin's plans were. There was no way he was going to let his husband sacrifice his life, not if he could come up with a better plan.

    "I left that part out because I knew what you would try to do," Jimin closed his laptop and pushed it aside, "He made me promise I would keep you safe."

    "That's not his decision to make," Jungkook sat down at the clothes-filled table, pushing aside three month's worth of dirty shirts, "Seokjin is gonna have enough to worry about trying to stop Yoosun, he can't be responsible for Namjoon's life too."

    "He doesn't see it that way," Jimin's expression turned glum.

    "Too much can go wrong."

     "I have to agree," Jimin nodded, "He's already going in with a disadvantage." 

     "How so?" Jungkook inquired.

    "Freezing spells take discipline, plus they can be counteracted too easily. He's not skilled enough if it were to end up in a spell duel," Jimin also knew Seokjin's strong point was not patience, "However, the dagger idea, it's almost fool-proof if he has the element of surprise."

     "Seokjin will go for the more barbaric option anyway, the dagger."

     Jimin nodded, pulling up the blood-binding spell that Abram sent earlier, "Yoongi will go after his cousin and with Skotadi egging him on and powering him-"

    "So you think Seokjin is gonna take out Jihoon before Yoongi has a chance-"

    "If it were me, that's exactly what I would do," Jimin figured, "Awakening the magic isn't about just taking down Yoosun, if Seokjin can kill Jihoon and wield Yeolgwi's essence into the dagger, he can take down Skotadi."

    "Then I need to be the one to do this-"

    "Jungkook-"

    "Seokjin and Namjoon are already on the council's bad side, Jimin. Dagma will take pity on her son. Seokjin won't have the same treatment, we both know that."

    "You think she will take pity on you?"

    "I think Tempest will appeal to her-"

    "Your donor? The one that doesn't give a about you?"

    "Just call it intuition," Jungkook didn't believe that any more than he thought Jimin would, but one thing rang true, "His hate for Skotadi is greater than his hate for me."

     Something in Jimin's eye softened. He knew Jimin believed him.

     "I just keep coming back to what the prophecy said..." Jimin was bothered, “The whole white wolf thing-”

    "White wolf has to kill the vampire king," Jungkook recited.

    “Was all that just for their amusement?” Jimin shrugged, most of it didn't make sense to him anyway, "If bloodline purification was the goal all along, then the prophecy was definitely just for sick enjoyment, so much easier to have your children do the majority of the dirty work."

    "It's still a weird condition to add, even the vampires had a belief about the white wolf-"

    "Old vendetta's come to pass-" Jimin thought, "The vampire god isn’t a forgiving one, the two species have never seen eye to eye. No matter how you look at it, the white wolf is a strong power... taking you out would be like a trophy kill."

    "So the vampire god could be part of this whole thing."

    "At this point, I wouldn't put anything past any of them," Jimin was about ready to be done with all of it.

     "Same." Jungkook exhaled loudly.

     "Whatever the real story is, you need to watch your back," Jimin forewarned.

     “Am I strong enough to kill Jihoon?”

     "Jihoon's power will be unfathomable, Yoosun will have seen to that-"

    "Then I'll have to use Skotadi as long as I can, until the moment-"

    "What if this kills Yoongi in the process?"

    "I don't think you get how much I don't care about what happens to Yoongi."

    "Jungkook, he's part of this pack."

    "And he gave less than a about me when he slept with Seok-" Jungkook stopped himself and took a deep breath, "My last concern is saving Yoongi if it means he has to die so Seokjin can live."

    "Seokjin will care."

    "It's a chance I'll take." Jungkook stood, a new worry seeping into his features, "I have some magic to brush up on if I'm going to pull this off. See ya later."

    "Good luck," Jimin watched as Jungkook exited the room. He knew he was going to regret spilling what he knew to Jungkook, he knew Jungkook would do anything he could to stop Seokjin's idiotic plan... but out of the three of them, Seokjin, Namjoon and Jungkook, Jungkook had the least to worry about from the council. He still had the nagging feeling that there was a bad reason it was put into everyone's mind that the white wolf must kill Jihoon. He just had no clue why - it was prime time for some research.

 

    Jungkook couldn't sleep, not with knowing what was coming in less than 12 hours, he tossed and turned for a good hour before he slipped out of bed, deciding a walk around the castle might ease his tension. He couldn't believe Seokjin could even sleep, but he was sure the little awakening ritual earlier had probably tired him out a bit and contributed to the hardcore snoring that was filling the room...

    He wasn't surprised to run into Yoongi at the graveyard, he suspected Yoongi didn't have a moment's peace, what with Skotadi swimming around inside of him.

    "Lurking in the graveyard at 3 am?" Jungkook smirked, "Must be hard to be in a vampire's body."

    "I guess I would expect he'd have told you." Yoongi leaped down off the top of the mausoleum and stood in front of the younger, "You look quite perplexed, young hybrid?"

    "So glib," Jungkook glanced up at the moon, "Knowing what your plans were all along."

    Yoongi smirked, "Neither of us cares what happens to you tomorrow night, Yoongi for more personal reasons, I'm sure."

    "Seokjin is risking his life tomorrow and your petty thoughts are on me?"

    "Yoongi and I will protect Seokjin better than you ever could-"

    "No doubt," Jungkook was not going to take the bait, "But Seokjin would die for me-"

    "You're delusional if you think he wouldn't sacrifice himself for Yoongi as well."

    That thought struck a chord. Jungkook clenched his fists, not wanting to give Skotadi or Yoongi the satisfaction of such a jab, "But we all know where Seokjin's heart lies... and it's not with Yoongi."

    Jungkook was pinned against the cold stone of the mausoleum before he could even muster up the energy to put up a fight, "Don't get in my way, Jungkook. Your odds are not favorable."

    Jungkook wiped the trickle of blood from his lip as Yoongi backed up, flashing the agitated vampire with a satisfied smile. Taking down Skotadi tomorrow night was going to be the highlight of his year, and if Yoongi somehow didn't survive the ordeal.. well, Jungkook wouldn't bother to shed one tear, "Watch your back, Skotadi."

    "Are you threatening a god?" Yoongi laughed, not thinking of Jungkook as even a tiny threat, "I won't hesitate to make an example out of you."

    "Yeah, the backlash will be well worth it," Jungkook snickered to himself.

    Yoongi hadn't a clue what Jungkook was referring to and Skotadi wasn't about to waste any more of his time on petty threats. Jungkook knew the arrogance he felt from this pathetic god would make whatever he said go in one ear and out the other. Skotadi was going to feel his wrath tomorrow night and Jungkook would taste the sweetest mouthful of vengeance. Skotadi's pride would be his undoing.

    

    Jungkook stood in the weight room, staring through his reflection in the huge wall mirror. For the better part of an hour, he was trying to hone his magic, concentrating on the will of nature like he saw the others do. He had only used magic on one occasion before so he wasn't really sure if he was doing anything right, plus he hadn't actually used it for spell work, it was more like the magic used him and knew exactly what to do. He managed to conjure up a few fireballs and a lightning beam or two, but he knew this wouldn't be enough. Doing spells required great focus and power, Jungkook was going to have to kick it up. He needed to be able to perform this spell perfectly, if he did any steps wrong, he would not be able to put Skotadi out of commission.

     Centralize Jungkook, pull it from your core. Jungkook closed his eyes. Purging all thoughts from his brain, he put all his attention on a single ball of energy, not realizing how bright it was as it cast its brilliance through the window and onto the lawn outside, like he turned the night into day.

    "Jungkook? Jungkook!" Jimin called out shielding his eyes from the intense light. The younger was so engrossed in the magic, he didn't hear a word. "JUNGKOOK!!"

    Jungkook opened his eyes when he felt the tap on his shoulder, "What?"

    "It looks like daytime outside, what are you doing?" Jimin walked over and began to pull the shades closed, "Do you want Skotadi to know what you're up to?"

    "How could he possibly figure that out from a single light?" Jungkook frowned as the light fizzled out and Jimin's reflection emerged in the mirror.

    "Need I remind you that Skotadi is a god and they know things?" Jimin turned to Jungkook as he pulled the last blind closed, "Whatever it was you were doing, it held a lot of power. You probably have awoken every witch within a hundred-mile radius."

    "On the plus side, I'm an effective beacon," Jungkook kidded, though his tone was serious.

    "You're lucky no one is trying to make out where the sudden burst of energy came from," Jimin scolded him.

    "Chill Dad," Jungkook smirked, turning to him.

    "Did you at least figure out how to do it?"

    "I think I have the basics down, I just need to focus more on-"

    Before Jungkook could finish his sentence, a loud crash sounded in the hallway and they both snapped their heads towards the door as a rumbling aftershock vibrated the walls. It sounded like the house was being torn from its foundation, the creaking wood let out a haunting melody as if it was screaming out for someone to end its suffering.

    "What the is that?" Jungkook questioned as several more jolts rocked the castle.

    "I don't know-" Jimin grunted, being thrown off balance as another wave hit.

    The castle felt like it was being jostled about, like a ship on roughened seas. Jungkook hit the floor with a thud, cursing the air.

     "We need to find the others," Jimin pulled Jungkook up from off the floor, "Come on."

    The rumbling echoed down the hallway as they made their way towards the foyer, Jimin had to grab the door jamb as he inched by the broom closet to steady himself. There was no way this was an ordinary earthquake, this... was a magical force threatening to break through the very framework of existence.

 

    Jimin came to a halt alongside Namjoon in the foyer moments later, their leader was glaring towards the top of the staircase, frozen in place.

    "Namjoon?" Jimin’s mouth dropped open when he saw the sight.

    "Seokjin!" Jungkook yelled out as he joined them, gazing up at his husband in horror. He pushed past Jimin, but Jimin grabbed onto his arm, stopping him.

    "Jungkook, don't-" Jimin yelled out.

    Jungkook tried to break free, but Jimin held firm, "Let me go-"

    Before Jungkook could make another move, Namjoon threw up a protective barrier making it impossible for either of them to leave the 5x5 circle.

    "What the hell?" Jungkook pulled free of Jimin, staring at Namjoon.

    "Don't move," Namjoon called out to them.

     "What is happening?" Jimin was beside himself as he stared at the glowing hybrid. Seokjin was encased in an intense red glow that would pulsate every few seconds and send out a shockwave that would hit the barrier and shoot sparks into the air. It was like fireworks, fizzling off every which way into different vibrant colors.

    "I don't know," Namjoon was genuinely worried, Jungkook had never seen a look like this on his face before.. on anyone's face ever, for that matter. "He isn't responding to his name."

    Yoongi stopped in the doorway behind them, his mouth agape, panicked, "What did you do?"

    "We awakened his magic-"

    "Namjoon, this is a monumental mistake," Yoongi stared at Seokjin with contempt, like he was a plague that was unleashed upon the masses.

    "What's wrong with him?" Jimin felt an intense pressure on his chest like something was pushing against him with extreme force. He had to take deep breaths, it was like the atmosphere was suffocating them all, drawing all of the oxygen inwards towards Seokjin.

    Yoongi threw up his hand, blocking a stream of energy that flew towards him as the next round of shockwaves hit, "Seokjin!"

    "Seokjin, can you hear me?" Jungkook called out, but Yoongi waved his hand, ing the younger backward, he hit the wall with a thud and fell to the ground on all fours.

    "Unless you want to die tonight, stay down," Yoongi took a few steps forward, focusing his attention back to Seokjin, "Seokjin, you need to get a hold of this."

    Jungkook stared at Yoongi through contemptuous blue eyes. He clenched his fists, doing his best to control himself from changing and ripping out Yoongi's throat.

    Seokjin's eyes shot open with a whistling roar as they all turned to stare at him, a searing jet black glaring back at them all. A dark red glow illuminated his face, accentuating the veins surrounding his eyes that branched off into blackened capillaries. It was like Seokjin was gone and what was glaring back at them resembled an evil that clawed its way out of the depths of hell and was about to become a blockbuster horror movie.

    "There was a reason his magic was hidden, Namjoon-"

    "What are you talking about?" Namjoon was clueless.

    Yoongi inched a few steps closer, a strong wind blowing his clothing and hair like a small hurricane had taken its place at the top of the stairs and was circling the room like a cyclone, "You can't just awaken dormant magic and expect him to be able to contain it."    

    "He had no other choice, he can't defeat Yoosun without this-"

    "He wasn't meant to defeat Yoosun-" Yoongi growled, "That's why I'm here-"

    "You son of a -" Jungkook made a beeline for Yoongi but was once again thrown backward as Yoongi waved his hand.

    "You challenge a god, young hybrid, and you die-"

    Jungkook stood, his fists balled up tight. He turned to face his husband, determined to prove Yoongi a liar, "Seokjin, I need you to listen to me-"

    Seokjin floated down to the floor, the fiery glow encased his whole being like a protective shell. He stood facing Jungkook, not blinking.

    "Seokjin, hear me. Listen to my voice," Jungkook said in a calm manner. Please.

    "He can't hear you," Yoongi shouted.

    "Seokjin," Jungkook yelled out, ignoring the white-haired twit, "You can do this."

    "Fool. He is ascending, he doesn't know how to control it," Yoongi insisted.

    "He knows who I am," Jungkook chided, "Back off."

    "I am the only thing keeping you from being ripped apart right now-"

    "I said back off," Jungkook snapped and a sudden burst of magical energy penetrated Yoongi's bubble, jolting him just enough for him to lose his focus.

    Jungkook was now encased in a glow of his own, a pure glistening, brilliant blue. His aura filled the room with a sudden peacefulness.

    "Blue versus red," Jimin gasped.

    "Seokjin if you don't control this, you won't be able to beat Yoosun tomorrow and we're all dead," Jungkook growled, “I’m dead-”

    "Jungkook?" Seokjin spoke, his voice was rough like it dropped several octaves. They all glared at him expecting a monster to burst through his skin.

    "Yeah, it's me," Jungkook walked closer to him, holding his hands up like he wasn't a threat, "You have to control it, Seokjin."

    "It's... too... strong," Seokjin stuttered. The glow flickered like it was fighting a war within.

    "You're stronger than this," Jungkook's light vibrated, beating against the red of Seokjin's like they were intertwining, the thrumming split the air, mellowing each other out.

    "I can-can't..." Seokjin clamped onto Jungkook's arm, squeezing, trying to block out the throbbing in his skull. Everything in him wanted to give in, he wanted to end the pain... let the magic take over.

    "Harness it, pull it inside," Jungkook held his hand to Seokjin's heart, "Pull it down to your core."

    "You can't expend all this energy at once," Yoongi's face was twisted with worry and Jungkook was sure for a minute he had burst through Skotadi's persona, "It will kill you."

    The younger's hand felt cool against Seokjin's skin, even through the cloth of his tank top. It was calming, filling him with serenity.

    Harley, Hoseok, and Taehyung had gathered at the top of the stairs, horrified looks upon their face, standing helplessly in their pajamas as the blue and red luminous gleams colored the walls like a squad car at a crime scene.

    "Feel my energy," Jungkook reached his other hand out and grasped Seokjin's cheek.

    Seokjin closed his eyes. Home. Jungkook felt like home. It was all coming back, the world in a single room. Jungkook's love was like a beacon, a guiding light back to the very thing that kept him going. The rage subsided as quickly as it came. He opened his eyes as the glow died out, taking in the most beautiful sight he’d ever had the pleasure of seeing, "Jungkook."

    "Yeah," Jungkook pulled Seokjin into a hug, "Yeah, it's me."

    They all watched as Jungkook's light subsided and the two of them stood there in an embrace, the chandelier’s light overhead returning the atmosphere to normal.

    "I don't know what happened," Seokjin leaned up, staring into the younger's soul.

    "You played with things that should never have been played with," Yoongi grumbled, "Did you think you'd acquire this enormous power and be able to use it against Yoosun?"

    "I had to do something-" Seokjin protested.

    "That kind of magic takes years to learn," Yoongi shook his head, "This isn't child play."

    "What aren't you telling us Skotadi?" Namjoon berated, "Why was this hidden?"

    "You've seen what Yoosun has done with magic. An onyx was not meant to have such a power," Yoongi stood there hands on hips, exasperated, "I didn't realize that Cato's mother was a witch or I'd have chosen a more suitable donor."

    "Why does it matter?"

    "Onyx don't wield magic for the power to do good deeds."

    "You're all about the evil, I would think you'd welcome such a talent," Seokjin seethed.

    "It's because a magical onyx is more powerful than an onyx god," Hoseok spoke up and they all looked up at him, standing at the top of the stairs, "I thought only the child of two gods were able to surpass their parent, but that isn't true, is it?"

    "You waste your time with such idiotic thoughts," Yoongi snarled.

    "The only thing you have is that gods cannot be killed-"

    "Or can they?" Jungkook piped in.

    "Don't be ridiculous," Yoongi yelled, "Even if it were possible, the council would not allow it."

    "They might make an exception for you," Jungkook growled.

    "Careful," Yoongi warned, eyes boring through the younger.

    "This is the exact reason why you want to purge the world of hybrids," Hoseok figured, "Two is better than one-"

    "No hybrid alive is capable of such a feat," Yoongi was angry.

    "I think you're lying. I think you know exactly who is strong enough to take you out too," Seokjin smirked. It all made sense. Skotadi was convinced that one of the hybrids was going to be able to kill him. It wouldn't matter if that person would be put to death afterward, Skotadi couldn't care about that tidbit, because it wouldn't matter if he was dead.

    "A fool's thought," Yoongi clenched his jaw. Seokjin knew. The look in Yoongi's eyes was enough. Yoongi knew the truth, straight from Skotadi's thoughts, "Such a notion is beyond ridiculous. Bloodline purification was a long-honored tradition-"

    "Was being the keyword, now it's an outdated one," Namjoon interrupted, "What you and Lupius plan to do is against the council laws now."

    "Don't be so deluded Namjoon, just because the council has become weak with laws doesn't mean it's a code we all follow."

    "Shall we call upon Dagma for clarification?"

    "Dagma is outnumbered," Yoongi didn't take his eyes off Seokjin. "I would suggest you all rest up. In nine hours Yoosun will be knocking down that door determined to sacrifice whoever gets in his way."

    Seokjin watched as the twinkle in Yoongi's eye once again disappeared and staring back at him was Skotadi's cold dead eyes, "We'll be ready."

    "No, you won't," Yoongi shook his head as he walked over to the staircase, "You have no idea."

 

    Jungkook tried his best to help Seokjin keep the magic under control, but no matter how hard the elder tried, he couldn't apply it to a simple spell. It was frustrating the hell out of him, which did nothing to help with any attempt to master it. Spells required a determined, concentrated mind and Seokjin's was the complete opposite of that at the moment.

    "Seokjin, you need to get your mind in one place, you're going to expend all your energy before he even gets here," Jungkook yelled at him.

    "You don't think I'm trying to?" Seokjin yelled back through heavy breaths, already exhausted.

    "Your brain is all over the place. Yoosun will pick you apart in five seconds."

    "You're not helping," Seokjin was about ready to explode. He couldn't handle not being in control.

    Hoseok waltzed into the room, stopping to fix his hair in the mirror. Jungkook had secretly texted him during their water break to come down and take over the magical teachings. Jungkook was not familiar enough with magic himself to be instructing Seokjin on how to handle it. Hoseok was skilled, well versed, and other than always believing he was going to be into some dark hole, he was calm and patient. Jungkook had managed to learn the spell he needed for the dagger, but with all his attention on his husband, he couldn't practice his own control.

    "I'm gonna take a small break, go for a walk," Jungkook grabbed his water, "Hoseok can help you more than I can anyway."

    Seokjin had to agree, plus if he was going to get mad at anyone, he'd rather it not be the one person he didn't ever want to be mad at. He leaned in and kissed Jungkook, "I love you."

    Jungkook smiled, "I love you too."

 

    Jungkook was on a mission to nab the first magical person he saw. He ran into Yuta in the basement hallway and managed to convince him to put aside a bit of his time to assist with a crash course on magic proficiency. Yuta, who asked a few too many questions. Yuta, who also disapproved of what Jungkook wanted to do, but was oddly eager to help.

    "It's not something I want to have to do," Jungkook explained, "But-"

    "Say no more," Yuta smiled, "You're talking to the guy that once turned the goblin chief into a chicken and almost started the imp war of 1812."

    Jungkook nearly choked, "You have to tell me about that someday."

    "Well, if you don't master this spell and have a good excuse for the council, there might not be a someday," Yuta grimaced, he knew sometimes he was a bit too blunt, "Sorry."

    "I'm well aware of the consequences."

    "It's not a hard spell, you just have to make sure as soon as he dies, you have the dagger dipped in his blood while you recite it. Yeolgwi's essence will be weak inside of him, so the blade needs to be covered."

    "How poetic that the dagger that needs to be into Yoongi is the one covered in his father's blood," Jungkook cracked a huge smile at the irony.

    "Well, don't make it a killing blow, or Yoongi won't come out of this alive."

    Jungkook thought for a second, shrugging, "Noted."

    

    Jimin was watching as Taehyung capped the last of his balms, he had made a whole table full to will out to the Potions Society in the unfortunate event of his demise. He and Hoseok had spent much of the morning debating on whether or not there would still be a potion society if Cato came back or if Skotadi purged a mass amount of people from the earth...

    Jimin peeked at his watch, he had been doing that no less than every fifteen seconds for the past hour, trying to work up the nerve to tell his brother what was in his heart. He didn't want to think about the end of the night and how many of them might be left, but he had to, he had things he wanted to say to Taehyung... and the others... just in case.

    "Listen, if one of us dies tonight-" Jimin started, stopping when he saw Taehyung's face turn into a bigger frown, "It has to be said Taehyung-"

    "I know, I have just as much to say to you-"

    "I've done a lot of wrongs, but you never gave up on me. Even when you should have turned your back, you had mine," Jimin held out his hand, overcome with a sense of fondness for his brother, "I love you, brother. More than I can ever show."

    Taehyung gave it a swift grab, bro shaking it extra hard to help with fighting back tears, "It was a dark time in my life when I thought I lost you, not just to death-"

    "I know. I can never make up for that."

    "You already did, dude," Taehyung sighed, pulling him into a hug, "Just take care of yourself tonight."

    "You too," Jimin knew Taehyung had wanted to say more, but his brother was emotional and he knew Taehyung didn't want to start a crying fest in the lab, "I should go find Harley and get ready, maybe check the cameras one more time."

    "I'd say I'd go tell Yoongi some things, but seeing as he's not him..."

    "There's a good chance he might not make it tonight, Skotadi surely doesn't give a about him and with what Jungkook is gonna do-"

    "I know Jungkook hates him, but I don't think he has it in him to kill him off."

    "I hope you're right," Jimin saw the look in Jungkook's eyes when they talked about it, he wasn't entirely convinced that Jungkook would be so honorable in the moment.

 

     Yoongi watched from the wall as Jimin fixed the camera at the front gate once again. You know if you kill the ones you don't like, you can just blame it on me. "Not funny, Skotadi."

    "Talking to yourself?" Seokjin jumped up on the wall, startling him. He almost toppled off the side, but Seokjin managed to grab his arm and steady him.

    "You shouldn't sneak up on people," Yoongi went back to looking unamused, pulling his arm away, "You might give Yoongi a fright."

    "What I don't get is why you chose Yoongi?"

    Yoongi side-eyed him, wondering what Seokjin was up to, "Why not?"

    "You had ample opportunity to take over any other body, so why him?"

    Yoongi shrugged, "I like a good challenge."

    "There has to be an angle," Seokjin didn't take his eyes off the pretentious vampire as he stuck his hands in his pockets, trying to seem like he was just the best sort of god in the world.

    "Guess you'll just have to believe I wanted to help," Yoongi smirked as he turned to Seokjin.

    "Sure," Seokjin grinned back.

    "It really is uncanny," Yoongi turned his head like a dog hearing a whistle, "It's like looking into a mirror."

    "Yeah except, I'm much more handsome," Seokjin jumped off the ledge and landed in the grass as Yoongi laughed. "Just so you know, if anything happens to Yoongi, I won't care what your status is, god or not. I'll come for you."

    Yoongi watched Seokjin walk off.

    "So, three magical onyx with the power to end your life?" I don't know what you are talking about. "Yes, you do... and we both know you're scared less one of them will figure out how."

 

    5:30 O' CLOCK - ALL HALLOW'S EVE _______________________________________________________________________________

 

    Seokjin glared into the mirror at the bright red fabric around his neck. Loop around the short end, go around a second time... and Pull. Voila, cravat tied. He stepped back to admire his costume. Not much of a costume, he looked more like an 18th-century vampire than an attendee at a masquerade ball. Jungkook walked out of the bathroom, tossing his mask down on the chair, it was just a frilly eye cover he got last minute at the Halloween store, he wasn't much into caring what he looked like tonight, he had more important to focus on.

    "I've learned that the weird parts of a suit all begin with the letter 'C'," Jungkook grimaced, "Cummerbund, cravat-"

    Seokjin admired how handsome Jungkook looked through the mirror, turning around to face him.

     "You look pretty hot," Seokjin smiled, bringing back Jungkook's cringey memory of the last time they dressed up.

    "Stoppp," Jungkook whined as Seokjin went behind him.

    Seokjin wrapped his arms around the younger, resting his cheek on Jungkook's shoulder, "These are the last moments of our lives, I just want to remember the way you feel in my arms."

    "Don't say that," Jungkook turned around and engulfed Seokjin, "This won't be our last day together, okay?"

    Seokjin didn't believe that, he was prepared to meet his death tonight, if not by the hands of Yoosun, then by the council after he snuffed out Skotadi, but he still muttered out a shaky, "Okay," because he didn’t want Jungkook to concentrate on that notion all night. The truth of the matter was, knowing that a god could indeed be killed made Seokjin want to end Skotadi's life all the more... for so many reasons.

    "I just hope no one gets seriously hurt."

    Not seriously, no. Just a dagger to the heart of the onyx god... if he decided to vacate Yoongi's body. Seokjin shuddered at the thought. "We should get downstairs before everyone starts arriving, Namjoon wanted to have a word with us all."

    "Philosophical speech time," Jungkook smiled, he could use a good pep talk and Namjoon’s were legendary. He reached over and grabbed their masks from the chair.  A sudden premonitory feeling took residence in the pit of his stomach followed by a full-out vision of a horrendous deed about to come to pass. He pulled his hand back quickly like something had just shocked him with a jolt of electrical static.

    "You okay?" Seokjin grabbed the mask from him and looked into his eyes.

    Jungkook nodded, but he wasn't okay. What he had seen in that vision would happen tonight... at the ball, "Go ahead, I have to take a piss first."

    Seokjin smiled, "Okay. Don't take too long."

    Jungkook nodded, watching Seokjin walk out of the room, he sat down in the chair hard, covering his mouth. He saw a room full of vampires all lying on the floor, dead. What the hell could that mean? Did Skotadi and the rest of the gods succeed? He needed to tell someone, he needed to know if what he saw was real... or just a sick trick. He reached into his pocket, fumbling for his phone.

    He texted Jimin. I had a vision. All the vampires were dead.

    What do you mean, dead? Jimin texted back.

    Dead. Not breathing. Opposite of alive.

    All of them?

    All of them.

    Come downstairs. We need to talk to Namjoon.

    Jungkook nodded then stood as he pocketed his phone, he rushed out of the room, skipping every third step and almost breaking his on the tread as Jimin met him at the foot of the stairs.

    "He's in the library," Jimin motioned down the hallway.

 

    Taehyung glared at the blood moon hanging in the sky. The eclipsing lunar backdrop was mesmerizing, it tinged the whole atmosphere with a sense of dread, like a beautiful tragedy; death was invited to mingle with the living tonight and not a single person would come out unscathed. He blinked away the sight and turned his attention to their leader, standing in front of the window they all seemed preoccupied with. The cars would begin arriving in an hour, albeit none of the guests had any clue what would take place at the castle on this night, no one except for Namjoon's pack... and Yoosun.

    "Amelia plans to kill Jacob at the party, we can't alert the vampires that she is coming or it could escalate into chaos.”

     “So they won’t know anything?" Taehyung asked, confused.

    “Vampires aren’t known for their savoir-faire,” Yoongi confessed, or in this case, Skotadi tattled judging by the annoyed expression on the vampire’s face.

    “We need Jihoon and Yoosun to be there tonight, no distractions."

    "Agreed," Seokjin stated, watching as Jungkook and Jimin joined them.

    "Security cameras set up?"

    "We've got eyes on the whole property, inside and out," Jimin assured him as he slid into a seat next to his brother.

    "Hoseok and Yuta will be circling the crowd, keeping a watchful eye," Namjoon announced, "We want to drive them as far away from the party as we can. Yoosun's going to be searching out Seokjin, so we plan to lure him out of the castle to the graveyard."

    "According to Sehun, Amelia plans to make a swift strike, kill her husband and leave before anyone even knows she was there," Yoongi added. "Goal is to capture and stake her before anyone even notices."

    "I don't know how many vampires she plans to bring with her," Namjoon sat on the window ledge, "Sehun believes between five and ten."

    "If you spot Yoosun, don't engage," Hoseok advised, "Let Seokjin know and we'll trap him in the graveyard."

    "You say that like he's going to fall for it," Jungkook shook his head, "He's not dumb."

    "No, but he needs Seokjin as a sacrifice, so he's going to follow him wherever he goes. He's cocky enough to think he can counter any ambush," Namjoon guaranteed. "Everyone just needs to keep their heads, don't try to be a hero."

     "Ya hear that Seokjin?" Yoongi challenged, "Don't do anything stupid."

     "Oh Skotadi, anything that happens today is because I have a clear head," Seokjin insisted, "Don't worry."

     Jimin and Jungkook exchanged glances.

    "I hope to see you all standing here tomorrow," Namjoon continued, "Stay alive."

    Their leader turned back to the window and they all knew it was time to adjourn and prepare for the guests. Jungkook and Jimin waited until the rest of them dispersed. The younger hid behind a bookshelf and waited for Seokjin to leave. He needed to talk to Namjoon without his husband wondering what was going on.

    Jimin shut and locked the library doors and walked back over to join Jungkook as he stood behind Namjoon, "Tell him about your vision."

    "Namjoon, I saw the vampires dead," Jungkook glanced at Jimin and then back up at his leader, "All of them."

    "I know." Namjoon turned to them, unsurprised, "I saw it too."

    Jimin and Jungkook exchanged glances, "What does it mean?"

    Namjoon wasn't entirely sure but he had a hunch that it had something to do with who Jihoon would try to kill tonight, "We just need to make sure that Amelia and Jihoon don't succeed."

    "Yeah, well, that's the goal," Jungkook knew Namjoon knew more than he let on. He wondered if he should divulge his plans for Jihoon and Yoongi but quickly dismissed the idea because he knew Namjoon would not approve.

    "I suggest you get to your posts, be vigilant," Namjoon nodded to them both and then walked off, out of the library.

    "He knows something," Jimin read Jungkook's thoughts.

    "Yeah, it seems so," Jungkook sighed, "I just hope the white wolf prophecy wasn't an ominous recipe for the plan to come true."

    "You can always let Seokjin do it-"

    "No, I really think it has to be me," Jungkook slipped on his mask, "For a few reasons."

    Jimin nodded, slipping on his own mask, "I'll be downstairs monitoring the castle."

    

     The first round of guests arrived, five minutes past the hour, hour two of the blood moon's phase. Jungkook watched from the rooftop as the cars began to line up once again down the driveway and out to the road. He clicked on his walkie-talkie and placed the earpiece in. Jimin and Taehyung were chattering about the front gate camera that kept shifting, a pesky bird kept dive-bombing it.

    "You sure that's not a familiar?" Yuta's voice came over the line.

    "Anything is possible, be careful, try not to be seen," Jimin answered, hoping a demon hadn't been summoned to scout out the scene before his attack. Most familiars took the shape of an animal to do their master's bidding.

    "You know me, one with the wind," Taehyung kidded.

    Jungkook giggled to himself. The younger glanced down at the ground, Yoongi was greeting vampire royals as they exited their cars, really playing the part of a vampire prince. He was sure that was Skotadi’s persona, because Yoongi really didn’t give a about decorum. Off to the right, he spotted Taehyung sneaking through the fields trying to be stealthy, keeping to the shadows.

    "You're good. No one's watching," Seokjin's voice informed him. Jungkook caught a glimpse of Seokjin lurking atop the bell tower, only to disappear down the stairs just as quick.

    "Graveyard is secure, nothing here," Hoseok reported in, "Just a family of deer."

    "Albino baby?" Jimin asked.

    "Yeah. How cute are you?" Hoseok had a hint of mushiness in his voice, the way most people had a tone when talking to babies and pets. "Okay, I'm heading back."

    Jungkook watched the graveyard entrance, most of it was concealed through the trees, but he could make out the two figures joining up at the gates were Hoseok and Seokjin. He watched as they began their trek back towards the castle together.

    "Jungkook, everything okay up there?" Yuta broke his concentration and he lifted the walkie to his mouth.

    "Clear. Car line is getting long, but no signs of danger yet." Jungkook was about to put his walkie away when he noticed the deer family following behind Hoseok and Seokjin, "Can vampires shape-shift?"

    "Don't be dumb," Yoongi's voice came through, incredulous over such a question.

    "The deer are following Hoseok and Seokjin," Jungkook informed them, “They look shifty.”

    “Shifty?” Yoongi laughed, “They’re deer, not henchmen.”

    "How many deer?" Seokjin asked.

    "Four," Jungkook counted, "The baby isn't with them."

 

    "Do you see the fawn anywhere?" Hoseok whispered, not wanting to tip any of the animals off.

    "Negative. Nothing yet," Jungkook scoured the surroundings.

    "Camera fixed, I'm going to scout out, see if I can find the little ," Taehyung grunted as he leaped off the guard tower and landed in the grass with a thump.

    "Be careful," Jimin cautioned.

     Jungkook's eyes followed Taehyung... along the terrain and into the brush... until he couldn't see him anymore. A white blur shot behind the side of the castle and Jungkook was about to call it out over the walkie, when a hooded person grabbed him and snapped his neck, watching as his body fell to the rooftop with a thunk. The figure picked up the walkie-talkie and in his best Jungkook voice, told them everything looked calm.

    "Keep us posted," Jimin called back.

    The figure dropped the walkie and removed his hood. Underneath, a wicked smile was plastered across Yoosun's mouth as a pair of whitened deer ears rescinded back into his cranium. He stepped over Jungkook's body, leaning down as he chanted an incantation. The younger's body vanished, dissolving into thin air as the spell whisked him off to another place. Yoosun stood and glanced at his watch, locating each member on the premises before climbing through the open window and disappearing into the castle.

 

    Yuta and Taehyung joined up near the gazebo, neither of them had seen anything out of the ordinary in the vicinity of the back and side yards.

    "It's clear, nothing brewing," Yuta announced.

    "No sign of the fawn, maybe it just got spooked," Taehyung added.

    "It's the spooked part I'm worried about," Jimin remarked, "Ugh, okay, you guys should do one last sweep around the house and then mingle. Keep an eye on the inside."

    "Aye," Taehyung agreed, returning the walkie to his belt. "Your wish is my command."

    They headed back around the house, putting on their best acts as they walked by the guests queueing at the front door before heading back around the side. Yuta stopped short when he noticed Namjoon's office light was on and someone was peering out the window at them, their features hidden by the mask they wore over their eyes.

    "I thought Namjoon was greeting guests?" Taehyung observed.

    "Anyone have eyes on Namjoon in the foyer?" Yuta inquired over the walkie.

    "He's schmoozing," Jimin answered, having spotted him on the monitor.

    The figure waved to Taehyung through the window, "Who's in his office then?"

    "No one, it's dark." Jimin wiped off his screen, seeing slight static, he knew right away the camera wire had been cut, ", the camera is out."

     "Yoosun?"

     Taehyung raced around the house and burst through the back door, Yuta close after him. They both slowed to a quickened walk while they passed guests, picking up their pace and racing down the hallway once the coast was clear. Taehyung threw open Namjoon's office door, but it was empty. The only movement was from the desk lamp that was flickering on and off, like someone had a strobe light.

     Taehyung tromped over and yanked the plug from the wall, turning to Yuta as he came inside, "Empty."

    "What the hell-"

    The door slammed shut and Yuta turned quickly to grab the handle, it wouldn't turn no matter how hard he tried to twist it, "It won't open-"

     Taehyung joined him, thumping against the grain, "Open, you son of a !"

     "We're trapped!" Yuta backed up and drove his booted heel into the wood... nothing.

     Taehyung yanked the walkie from his belt, he clicked the button, about to call over the line when it shorted out in his hand, shooting out sparks and zapping his finger with a crackling jolt. He dropped the walkie as he ripped the buzzing earpiece from his throbbing ear.

    "!" Yuta groaned as he cupped his ear, the ringing left behind made it feel like his eardrum had burst.

    Taehyung grabbed the umbrella rack from next to the door and bombarded the window with several heavy blows, only to have it bounce back like it was made of rubber, "What the hell kind of spell is this?"

    "I don't know," Yuta cried out, reaching into his jacket to grab his cell phone. He dialed Namjoon, but the line just rang.

     Taehyung's cell rang and he pulled it from his pocket, it was an unmarked number. He exchanged glances with Yuta as he answered, "Hello?"

    "Stay put and you live," a grumbling voice came through the receiver.

    "Yoosun," Taehyung recognized it straight away.

    "The room is full of magic, if you try anything else to escape, you will suffocate," Yoosun instructed, "It'll be over soon, when I'm off the property, the spell will lift."

    "You son of a -" The line clicked and Taehyung heaved his phone at the floor, shattering the screen, "Everything is spelled. Can you counter it?"

    Yuta closed his eyes, feeling for the magical vibration. It wasn't just one enchantment, several distinct signatures were floating about. One of them was not familiar, which meant either a new spell or a combination, "No, there's too much going on..."

    "." Taehyung picked up a chair and flung it at the window, it bounced off and slung back at him, he ducked out of the way as it hit the wall and shattered. 

    Yuta shielded himself from the flying debris as he turned back to the door, feeling against it, "This is beyond anything I have ever felt."

    Taehyung leaned against the wall next to him, gritting his teeth, "We're useless in here."

 

    "Taehyung? Yuta?" Jimin bellowed over the walkie. No answer. . "Hoseok, can you hear me?"

    The static on the channel overpowered Hoseok's voice answering back. The walkies were compromised, something was running interference. He looked up at the screen to see if anyone was in view, spotting Hoseok and Seokjin close to the gazebo. He grabbed his cell and dialed Hoseok's number.

    "Hoseok, I lost visual on Yuta and Taehyung and I haven't heard from Jungkook in five minutes, I don't see him on the roof."

    Seokjin yanked the phone from Hoseok, "Did you see him leave the roof?"

    "No. Yuta and Taehyung were heading to Namjoon's office, they aren't answering," Jimin glanced back at the monitor, "The camera is out, they could be in danger."

    "Sit tight, we'll check it out," Seokjin threw the phone back to Hoseok, "Go to Namjoon's office, I'll check the roof."

    "O-okay," Hoseok watched as Seokjin tore off towards the basement entrance.

 

    Namjoon kept his eye on Jacob as he limped over to the bar and ordered a drink, he was surrounded by several of his entourage which was typical of most elder vampires. From what he could see, no one was watching him or following him, nothing was out of the ordinary. He glanced over at Harley who was engrossed in a conversation with a fairy from the tribe he suspected her 'egg donor' might have been from, as they wore the same signifying braid. He then glanced around the room to see if he could spot any of his pack, it was odd that none of them had seemed to make it inside to circulate the room yet. He was about to dial someone up when he saw Seokjin rush through the room and up the stairs, followed by Hoseok whooshing past the back part of the crowd.

    "Namjoon, it is good to see you," An older female greeted him and he smiled and nodded.

    "Ms. Talos, so glad you could make it," He gave the back of her hand a swift peck, "Please, enjoy the open bar."

     She bowed her head to him and smiled, "and so I shall."

    Namjoon watched as she headed over towards the bar, then turned to locate Hoseok, who had just disappeared down the corridor to his office, something was up. He gave the room a once-over, as he politely excused himself from the arriving guests, leaving the greetings to a fellow pack member.

    Seokjin climbed out the window onto the roof, but Jungkook wasn't there, he peered over the side and out around the grounds, everything was calm, not a sign of any life other than the last few guests entering the castle. He took out his cell phone and dialed, getting no answer. He dialed again. Still no answer. "Damn it Jungkook, where are you?"

    He opened his messages, Text me as soon as you get this to let me know you're okay. He pocketed his phone and headed back towards the window, accidentally kicking Jungkook's walkie with his foot. He bent down to pick it up. He knew Jungkook wouldn't just leave it there.

     "Hoseok?" Seokjin spoke into the device.

     "I can barely hear you," Hoseok's broken-up voice came back.

     "Is the office clear?"

     "Namjoon told me to watch the foyer, he's checking it out now."

     "I think Jungkook is in trouble," He clicked to talk, but the only thing that came back was static. "Hoseok?" More static. "!" Seokjin heaved the walkie and climbed back through the window.

 

    Namjoon opened the door to his office, but it was empty. No one was inside, the only movement was from the flickering desk lamp atop his desk that barely lit the room. Taehyung and Yuta watched as Namjoon walked in and stopped, well sort of - it was more like someone had drawn Namjoon in all blue ink and then animated his 2-D form with a limited knowledge of editing programs. He looked like notebook paper in slow motion, his outline crinkling along with each movement. They watched as he lumbered to the window and glared out.

    "Namjoon?" Taehyung called out, trying to grab the elder's shoulder, but his hand went right through.

     Namjoon bent down and picked up Taehyung's shattered cell phone, glancing around the room trying to figure out what happened.

    "Namjoon, we're right here," Yuta shouted, standing in front of his face, inches from bumping his nose.

     "He can't see us," Taehyung gasped.

    "I gathered," Yuta lowered his waving arms.

    "I wonder..." Taehyung made a beeline for the door, only to be jolted and thrown clear across the room, hitting the window and bouncing off, landing hard on his stomach and conking his forehead on the floor.

    "Holy ," Yuta went to him and bent down, noticing a small gash now hid under his hairline, "Are you okay?"

    "Yeah," He rolled over and slowly sat up, they both stared over at Namjoon, who slipped an earpiece in his ear and took out his walkie.

    "They're not here, only Tae's cell phone," Namjoon headed back towards the door.

    "Namjoon!" Taehyung screamed, but it was a waste of energy. The door shut and Namjoon was gone.

    "What the hell kind of sorcery is this?" Yuta was freaked out, extending his hand to help Taehyung to stand. As impressive as Yoosun's magical ability was, he did not like that he was changing the laws of magic.

    

    Outside the office door, Namjoon stopped short. Jihoon was standing at the end of the hall, staring him down.

    "Jihoon?" Namjoon hoped Jihoon's satisfied expression didn't mean what he thought it meant.

    "It's nothing personal Namjoon. I never had anything against you," Jihoon nodded and everything went black, two men threw a sack over Namjoon's head as one recited an incantation. Namjoon dropped like a sack of potatoes. The bigger man scooped him up and off they went.

    They made it halfway to the cemetery when Yoongi stepped out from the shadows, blocking their path.

    "Cousin, get out of my way," Jihoon insisted, nodding to the two men who stepped behind Yoongi.

    "So Namjoon is the one that Yoosun fears?" Yoongi laughed, "Did not see that coming."

    "I do not wish to harm you, but I will if you don't move."

    "I'm almost shaking," Yoongi grabbed both of the men by their throats in one swift motion, ripping them out, dropping their limp bodies to the dirt. Jihoon gasped as he backed up, alarmed.

    “Let Namjoon go,” Yoongi ordered.

    "Kill him," Jihoon instructed the other two men. The bigger guy laid Namjoon down in the grass as the second man started for Yoongi. He leaped forward with a right jab, but Yoongi simply moved aside and the man fell flat on his face.

    “Pathetic,” Yoongi seized the man by the back of his hair, lifted his head, and ripped out his jugular with one bite. The big man didn't even get the chance to strike, Yoongi turned and ripped out his heart, throwing it to the ground with a squishy thump. He then turned to where Jihoon had been seconds earlier, noticing both he and Namjoon were gone.

    "You won't get very far, Jihoon." Yoongi wiped his bloody mouth on a handkerchief and stuck it back in his pocket, smelling the air, "I can smell your fear."

    "I don't fear you cousin," Jihoon's voice bellowed.

    "He says with a shaky voice," Yoongi taunted, weaving in and out of the trees in an almost poetic fashion.

    "Once I take this power, you won't be so cocky."

    "You know that can't happen," Yoongi stopped within inches of where Jihoon was crouched behind a large tombstone.

 

    Jungkook bolted upright, taking in a deep breath, grasping his chest like the air was the best thing on earth. He rubbed his neck, looking around trying to get his bearings, he had no clue where he was or how he got there. He searched his pockets for the walkie or his cell, but both were gone, "."

    He managed to stand, wobbling sideways as he glanced upward. He could spot the reddened moon through the patchy darkness, noticing the tops of the tall trees swayed slightly with the wind. Forest. Someone had dumped him in the forest, the Christmassy smell indicating he was in the middle of a thicket of pine trees. Tall pines like he had seen at Yoongi's house. Was this the grounds at Yoongi's former residence?

    He leaned on the tree next to him, coughing up a bit of spit, projecting it from his mouth, and watching it land on the tree in front of him. South. He needed to find which direction was south, if this was indeed Yoongi's property, he needed to make his way south back to the castle. Polaris. Find the north star. Harley taught him that, if he were to ever get lost - the north star was always true north. He just needed to find it and go in the exact opposite direction. Simple.

     He trudged forward, coming to a small clearing less than ten minutes later... Ashes and tinder lay in a heap just ahead, exactly where Yoongi's house had been before he torched it. The familiar lake glistened just behind it. How the hell did I get here?

 

    Seokjin searched the whole castle, not a sign of Jungkook... or Yuta or Taehyung. He also hadn't seen Yoongi since Namjoon's speech and Hoseok wasn't in the foyer greeting guests anymore. This was not a good sign. Jimin… he wondered if Jimin was still downstairs manning the cameras. Since the monitors were the best vantage point in the house, maybe he could find out where everyone was.

    Seokjin swung open the door, fully prepared to knock someone out if they came at him, but all he saw were Hoseok and Jimin with their noses near plastered to the monitors, looking for signs of their pack members.

    “Where is everyone?” Seokjin walked over and stood behind Hoseok, staring over his shoulder.

    “No clue, all missing-”

    "There," Jimin pointed to the third monitor, the one pointing at the graveyard gates, "Yoongi."

    Hoseok and Seokjin leaned in, Yoongi was checking behind graves.

    "He's searching for someone-"

    "Jihoon," Seokjin muttered and took off, back out the door.

    "Amelia is here," Hoseok took notice of the fifth monitor as he straightened back up.

    Jimin located Jacob on the ballroom monitor, still sipping cocktails at the bar, "We need to get Jacob down to the lab where we can keep him safe."

    "Yeah, agreed," Hoseok grabbed his hoodie from the back of the chair and slipped it on.

    Jimin pulled out a tranquilizer gun from under the desk, checking the chamber to make sure it was loaded, "Let's go."

    They both headed out of the room and up the stairs, Jimin tucked the gun into his belt and covered it with his shirt. He slipped his mask down over his eyes, leaning into Hoseok, he yelled over the noise, "Get Jacob, I'll take care of Amelia."

    "Okay," Hoseok nodded and headed towards the bar.

 

    Jimin pushed through the crowd, watchful of Amelia as she sauntered over to the bar, leaning her arm where Jacob had been not twenty seconds earlier. She grabbed the drink the bartender pushed toward her and slammed it down, wincing at the taste of the vodka. Jimin watched as she traipsed over past the band, searching the crowd for any glimpse of her husband, each second the scowl on her face deepening. She came to a halt in back of Harley, reaching over her shoulder to grab another drink from the tray of the waiter that was circulating the room. Harley glared up at her, wondering who the hell was so rude as to bump her out of the way instead of walking around her.

    "Please don't engage her," Jimin mumbled to himself, hoping Harley wasn't about to tell the vampire elder off and earn herself a lashing.

     Harley spotted Jimin, she smiled and waved at him through the crowd, confused at his sudden expression of panic. Amelia's attention shot to Jimin. She gave him a wave with a new expression of delight etched on .

    "," Jimin spouted out, watching as she turned tail and managed to blend in with the crowd, disappearing.

    Jimin spent the next five minutes searching the first floor with no luck. He took his cell from his pocket, about to dial Hoseok to warn him, when Amelia came into his peripherals. She stood resolute at the top of the stairs looking down at him, smiling as she ran her hand over the rail of the balcony. She waited until he scaled the staircase, disappearing into a room before he could see where she'd gone.

    He did a quick scan of the first two rooms, the only thing present was the moon casting its sinister light onto the carpet. It was enough to make his nerves tingle, like a premonition waiting to come true... He closed the door and took a deep breath. She's just a vampire... "A very old, strong, murderous, foul vampire hell-bent on species domination and murdering off her husband for political gain."

    He eased the door open and scuttled into the third room, once again, as empty as the last. Amelia managed to slink in behind him as he checked the closet, closing the door with a small thump. She was on him the second he spun around, biting down into his neck, ripping his flesh. He yelled out as he flipped her over his shoulder and backed up, crashing into the dresser and almost knocking it over as he covered his gushing neck with his sleeved hand.

    "Where is Jacob?" Amelia wiped as she stood, her long vampire teeth dripping his blood down her chest.

    He's gone," Jimin reveled, "He's been tipped off to your little coup."

    “You dolt,” Amelia snarled, a contemptuous scowl reminding him of her hatred for anything not vampiric.

    “It’s over,” Jimin chuckled as he glared at the blood on his hand, the wound wasn't healing.

    "You're delusional if you think you can stop us," Amelia smirked evilly, watching the blood pool at Jimin's feet, "Wonder why you're not healing..."

    Jimin was feeling woozy, the room began to spin, "S-silver."

    Amelia popped a small silver cap off her fang and threw it down at Jimin's feet, “You are a weak species..."

    "At least Jacob is safe," Jimin blinked, there were now two Amelias swimming in front of his eyes, “The councils won’t ever let you be in charge now.”

    Amelia laughed as she headed towards the door, "I look forward to the day when all your kind is enslaved."

    Jimin swayed back knocking the contents of the dresser top onto the floor as his arm swept across it, sinking to sit just below it. His body felt cold even though beads of sweat ran down his forehead. 

     "You're going to die all alone," Amelia's cackle hurt Jimin's ears.

    "Taehyung..." Jimin let the whispered call for help slip out of his mouth.

    Amelia reached behind her back and latched on the knob, opening the door just a pinch to ready her escape. Her eyes focused on Jimin, enjoying his torment in his last moments, “So sad.”

    Hoseok burst through the door, a pointy spike in hand. The sudden motion jerked her forward and he used the momentum to ram the sharpened wood straight through her back and out the front, piercing her heart. He covered as she screamed out, lurching herself forward to try to free herself, to no avail. He pulled the spike out and took a few steps back as she turned to him.

     "Carved with the wood of a Rowan tree," Hoseok gleamed.

      "What have you done?" Amelia shrieked, falling to her knees. Her skin began to shrivel up like leather, flakes dusting off her as she collapsed backward, flailing around on the carpet.

     "Ooh look at you, dying all alone..." Hoseok mocked, relishing every death sound that emanated from her.

     Amelia's body began to curl into the fetal position as she wailed out a murderous cry, like a pterodactyl letting off one long high-pitched shriek. Every one of her muscles stiffened, cutting off the flow of blood, her skin decayed to a dull gray... before finally, she was still.

     Hoseok spat on her withering corpse as he threw the spike aside, "So sad."

    "H-Hoseok," Jimin called out, coughing up blood with the most gut-wrenching gurgling sound.

    Hoseok rushed forward, covering Jimin's throat with one hand while taking Jimin’s hand in the other, "Hang in there man."

    "Silver, s-she used s-silver," Jimin stammered out, closing his eyes.

    "Emundare venenum," (Cleanse this wound, free of poison) Hoseok chanted several times, pressing his palm to the wound, "Come on Jimin."

     Jimin didn't move.

     "Emundare venenum," Hoseok repeated, “Jimin, don’t you ing die... emundare venenum.”

    A small pop sounded and the wound began to glow green from the inside, evaporating the poison into the air. A fizzling bubbled the blood around his neck, cleansing the area. Jimin’s eyes flung open as the bite marks began to heal.

    " it stings," Jimin barked, turning over on his side and vomiting.

    "It's better than dead," Hoseok breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing Jimin's back.

    "Where's Jacob?"

    "Don't worry about him, he's safe in the lab."

    "We should get back to the monitors, Yoosun still has yet to make his appearance," Jimin wiped his mouth on his sleeve, looking down at the bloody mess that was now his shirt.

    "You should take a few minutes, you lost a lot of blood."

    "I'm fine," Jimin took a deep breath, happy for the oxygen that filled his lungs.

    "You're paler than that deer we saw earlier-" Hoseok started.

    "The deer," Jimin realized, interrupting, "Holy , Yoosun was the deer-"

     "What?" Hoseok recalled the baby deer and its odd behavior. Odd enough to be Yoosun disguised? For sure.

     "He knows about the cameras."

    "Then he's probably in the castle by now, we need to find everyone."

    Jimin stumbled, trying to stand. He pulled himself up with the help of the dresser, wobbling off balance. Hoseok grabbed his arm and w