“Again,” Yoongi commanded for the umpteenth time that afternoon.

                Jungkook’s shoulders slouched as a burning ball of tension anchored between the space above his shoulder blades. “I can’t,” he exhaled with a shake of his head, grimacing when he tried to make his cloak appear and failed abysmally. When he wasn’t exhausted, it was easy. Now…

                Equally frustrated, the older vampire came close and placed one hand on the back of his neck. “It has to be as easy as breathing used to be,” he explained, using his other hand to literally coax the cloak from Jungkook’s back so that it flared out behind him.

                Flinching at the involuntary summoning, he glared. “I’m tired, Yoongi,” he complained, turning to scowl at his harsh taskmaster.

                “You have to be able to do this even when you’re tired,” his mentor returned just as quickly, not a smidgeon of remorse on his face.

                Jungkook knew there was more to this than just training but he hadn’t been able to figure out what. Ever since they’d started, Yoongi had been distant, yes, but also determinedly focused on making sure Jungkook knew how to do the basics practically flawlessly. “Why? I’ve only been a vampire for like six months,” he complained. Sanghyuk hadn’t had nearly this much attention on him in his first year of training…

                He watched Yoongi take a purposeful – and thoughtful - breath and gather his thoughts. “Your speed and your strength won’t be enough to help you past a certain point. At your level, you have to be able to rely on all of the tricks of the trade,” he explained firmly, stalking around Jungkook to trigger his cloak to retract with a touch. “Again,” he stated once more as he stopped in front of the younger vampire, an implacable expression on his face.

                “Ugh, you’re insufferable,” he scowled, angrily shaking his hands out to try and focus on the aching spot between his shoulder blades once more. When nothing happened after a moment, Yoongi darted forward, no fangs or claws bared but his presence was dark and menacing. Reactively, Jungkook jumped back with a yelp and his cloak popped, extending and then drawing in front of him defensively.

                “Good!” the stronger vampire barked, driving him around the exterior grounds of the Coven like a sheepdog herding sheep.

                It wasn’t until Jungkook lost his footing and nearly fell that the situation shifted. “Ack!” he yelped, arms flailing as his cloak lost its form.

                “Jungkook!” Yoongi gasped, suddenly bridging the distance between them to catch the younger vampire. One hand looped around Jungkook’s back and the other lightly gripped his flailing arm, steadying him in place.

                Like usual, Jungkook tensed up and slowly found his footing while giving Yoongi a cautious look. “I’m good,” he murmured, pushing the hands down as he stepped away.

                “Oh,” the other vampire nodded, ducking his head and moving back in turn. “I think that’s enough for today. Good job, Kookie,” he praised, offering a weak smile and quick wave before he turned to walk back inside the Coven.

                Confused and frustrated, Jungkook roughed his hair up with both hands and groaned. Yoongi was literally impossible to figure out. The second Jungkook might be in any degree of trouble, the vampire’s attention was hot and almost uncomfortable. Most other times, he was distant and cold, nothing more than an instructor. “So many mixed signals,” he sighed, stretching his neck and rolling his shoulders to try and ease some of the tension.

                Sandara figured Yoongi was dealing with intimacy issues. Liza thought he was just being an idiot. And Yugyeom wished Jungkook would stop giving the vampire the time of day since it was messing with his head so much. His parents weren’t helpful either since his mother was vaguely in camp Yoongi and his father was strictly camp Jungkook and neither had any good advice in that regard. Tired, he stopped and simply fell out on the ground, arms and legs splayed on the grassy soil as the warm spring sun beat down on him. Technically, it was still chilly but the sun did feel warm in the middle of March.

                “Whatcha doing?” a familiar and relatively welcome voice asked.

                Jungkook lifted his head to see Sanghyuk approaching, his hands behind his back and a grin on his young face. “Resting,” he laughed once, taking a breath and just relaxing into the ground.

                “Sounds about right,” the barely older vampire grinned before joining him. “Yoongi been a slave driver lately?”

                “You have no idea,” he grumbled, flexing his hands before forcibly relaxing them.

                “Well, Jungsu could be a hardass too when he wanted,” Sanghyuk chuckled, reaching over to smack Jungkook’s nearest hand with his.

                “Out with it, Hyukkie,” the newest vampire snorted, knowing he had to have a reason for hounding him just after his mentor was through with his thrashing.

                Sanghyuk wrinkled his face but laughed once. “Namjoon sent me. Figured it’s been a little while since Yoongi was a Rank 1 and thought I might be able to offer some insight here.”

                Jungkook exhaled and blew a breath into his bangs. He rolled onto his belly and pillowed his chin on his hands while he looked at Sanghyuk. “How long has it been for Yoongi?” he asked, waiting to hear the answer patiently.

                Slowly, Sanghyuk rolled over to mirror the other man and grinned. “According to the rumors around the Coven, Yoongi’s been a Rank 3 for over two hundred years but I couldn’t tell you how long it’s been since he was a Rank 1.”

                “Wow,” the younger vampire laughed once, ducking his face to rest his forehead against his hands. “I always forget he’s over three hundred years old. He looks so…”

                “Young?” Sanghyuk offered when there was no immediate answer.

                Jungkook laughed and shook his head. “I guess, but he certainly doesn’t act it.”

                “I know, right? He’s like an old man most of the time,” the other vampire grinned, kicking his legs behind him energetically. “It’s like that meme I saw on the magi-net the other day. ‘Old man yells at the moon,’” he chuckled, laughing harder when Jungkook didn’t seem to get it. “You know. Seeing something and just getting annoyed at it for no reason,” he explained, snorting once.

                “I don’t know,” Jungkook admitted as he shook his head. “I don’t understand Yoongi most of the time but I don’t think he does things for no reason.” Even this excessive training felt like it had a purpose but he’d be damned if he knew what it was.

                “If you say so,” Sanghyuk shrugged, tilting his head like he wasn’t sure. “But anyway, I do think I might know a trick or two to help you with the whole cloak thing. Jungsu was a total terror about it, but I won’t forget how to call it anytime soon, that’s for sure,” he laughed, pushing up to bounce to his feet in a move that would have been challenging for a human. For a vampire, it was ridiculously easy.

                For a moment, Jungkook eyed the other vampire suspiciously. It should be just as easy for him to get up that way too, but he wouldn’t have minded a little more rest. “Fine,” he groaned when Sanghyuk leaned over to look at him questionably. “I’m getting there…” he grumbled, pushing up and climbing into a standing position at a more reasonable pace.

                “Okay!” he cheered, bouncing around the now standing vampire on light feet. “The trick to the cloak is literally not thinking about it.”

                “What?” Jungkook scoffed, brows furrowing.

                “Seriously! It’s gotta be more like your arm. If someone swings at you-” he started to say, pausing to physically swing at Jungkook with one of his fists.

                “Hey!” he yelped, raising his arms to block the half-hearted attack.

                “-you’ve gotta be able to respond without thinking about it,” he finished with a grin, pleased by Jungkook’s reaction.

                Jungkook groaned and stretched his neck again. “You make it sound so easy.”

                “It is. Once you get there,” Sanghyuk clarified with a laugh. “Come on then. Get your cloak out first.”

                “Ugh,” the younger vampire groaned, leaning his head back and laughing. “I’m so tired of this right now.”

                “Yes, yes,” the other Rank 1 laughed, patting him on the shoulder consolingly. “But you’ll be grateful for it later. Now come on,” he urged, throwing two slow punches at Jungkook so that he’d have time to react.

                “Hey!” the younger vampire yelped, responding appropriately.

                “Use your cloak,” Sanghyuk reminded, throwing two more punches.

                “I can’t,” he grumbled back, blocking with his hands once more.

                “Yes, you can,” was the immediate response followed by a series of jabs.

                They were harder to counter this time and Jungkook found himself on the defense. “Hyukkie,” he frowned, backpedaling as he fielded an increasing array of jabs. Brief panic set in when the other vampire caught his hands, locking him in place.

                “How ya gonna block?” he wondered, unfurling his cloak and swinging lazy strikes in his direction.

                “Dammit!” Jungkook scowled, actively ducking out of the way first, but each attack came closer and closer and he knew it was just a matter of time.

                “Come on, Kookie,” Sanghyuk encouraged, holding firm as he pushed him backwards and continued an increasing array of cloak strikes.

                “Quit it!” he snapped, trying to yank his hands free. But he was tired and Sanghyuk wasn’t. He flinched away from a strike that came much too close to his head and then tried to kick at the other vampire. It failed when the cloak blocked and then knocked his foot back. “Seriously, Hyukkie!” he growled, feeling his fangs itch as they grew into place.

                “There you go,” the slightly older vampire grinned.

                “Ow!” he hissed when the cloak cut a thin line on his cheek.

                “Oops!” Sanghyuk cringed, obviously apologetic. “Did not mean to do that,” he explained hesitantly, edging back like he was trying to defend himself.

                Jungkook glared at him, hands still locked and unable to respond accordingly. He jerked when his cloak unfurled and then looked behind him at the black cloth-like material cascading down his back. “Huh?” he blinked, aware he hadn’t called it this time.

                “Hey!” the young vampire grinned, taking that opportunity to throw another easy cloak attack at him.

                “Hyuk!” Jungkook scowled, flinching away as the material veered towards him. When it didn’t connect, he opened one eye carefully and then blinked in surprise. His own cloak was pulled in front of him over his arms, acting as a shield against Sanghyuk’s. “Oh,” he frowned, rolling his shoulder and watching the cloak shift with the movement.

                “Nicely done!” Sanghyuk beamed, tossing another attack just to be sure.

                Jungkook flinched again but his cloak responded accordingly. “Whoa,” he gasped, becoming vaguely aware of how it was happening.

                “Now you’re getting it,” he laughed, being a little bolder in his attacks. “Don’t get too cocky,” he snorted when Jungkook tried to throw his own attack, forcing him to defend himself quickly.

                “I got it!” Jungkook beamed, maintaining his hold on Sanghyuk’s hands as he held his ground and tried to give back as good as he got.

                Of course he wasn’t as good as Sanghyuk but it was gratifying for Yoongi to see him grasping the concept so well. He smiled and leaned against the outer banister as he watched the two from a distance.

                “You know damn well you could have taught him that,” Wonho snorted as he glanced at Yoongi beside him.

                “I could have,” he conceded with a nod. But it was better Sanghyuk handled it now. Good practice for the Rank 1 and a great confidence builder for his mentee. “But now I know he’s in good hands, so let’s go,” he winked, standing up and smacking the younger vampire’s shoulder with his free hand.

                “Ow,” Wonho cringed and rubbed at his arm as he stood up to follow the Rank 3. “Where are we going?” he asked, hopping over the Coven exterior in Yoongi’s wake. Most creatures gave the Coven a wide berth so this area was often sparsely populated.

                “We’re meeting up with some of the Pack,” he explained as they touched down easily on the front side of the Coven and started sprinting effortlessly down the streets. Vampires could run as fast as cars and had better mobility so they usually used the roads instead of the sidewalks when they moved at any degree of speed. It was easy enough veering around the vehicles themselves and vampires weren’t usually numerous enough in the city to worry about running into one by accident.

                “We on a patrol run?” Wonho wondered, obvious excitement b in his voice.

                “Yes,” Yoongi agreed, though not without hesitation. He could only hope this was literally a tracking run as he wasn’t sure the younglings would be up to the task of their target. Neither he nor Jungsu had managed to get a solid lead on it, even with Yejin’s intel. Non-standard creature with the occasional bit of Mage residue, no single primary element in evidence, with an apparent ability to not draw attention to itself wherever it went, and a penchant for intentionally or accidentally allowing traces of itself to be ‘noticed’ near the Hunters Quarters, hers and Ryeowook’s shops, and the outskirts of the Coven.

                Taeyang wasn’t much better off either. He actually seemed mildly annoyed it was apparently skipping the Pack for whatever reason. Even Hakyeon had only offered half answers the last time they’d talked about it, which meant it was probably a pretty big deal. The were seemed cagey about giving many details and it made Yoongi think he possibly had an idea, but it likely wasn’t a strong one yet or else he may have already volunteered information. Quite frankly, it reminded Yoongi personally of a chimaera but it was also distinctly different in that regard. It wasn’t that the scent changed so much as he really just couldn’t figure out what it was…

                “Let’s go then!” the younger vampire crowed excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.

                Yoongi wanted to reprimand him, to temper his excitement, but it didn’t seem right. Of course Wonho didn’t understand the horror of actual combat. Most of the younger ones didn’t. Yoongi shouldn’t either himself but for a cruel twist of luck as it were. “Just stay focused,” he warned instead, hoping the Rank 2 took his words to heart.

                “Of course,” Wonho answered with a smile, keeping pace at Yoongi’s side fairly easily. He might actually be ready to become a Rank 3 soon.

                “Up ahead,” he called, noticing the weres milling on the corner as they looked around amidst a smattering of pedestrians that flowed past them easily. One was a carrot top and the other had hair the color of a grandmother. “No tricks,” he cautioned, though it was a tempting idea.

                “I know,” Wonho laughed, holding himself back.

                “There you are,” the grandma were admonished as the two vampires approached, her long gray hair at odds with her youthful face.

                “We were finishing business at the Coven,” Yoongi explained simply, looking down at the shorter woman and then glancing up at the carrot top. “When did you get taller?” he grumbled, obviously annoyed.

                “It’s not like I’m a pup anymore,” Kihyun grinned with a wolf’s smile. If his tail was out, it would have been wagging just then.

                “Close enough,” Yoongi frowned, already feeling uneasy with this almost literal baby in the mix. He knew it was supposed to be a tracking run but this felt like a training one too…

                “Wonho looks like he’s matured a bit since the last time I saw him,” Moonbyul teased, threading a long strand of silver-gray hair behind her ear.

                “I have, thank you very much,” he preened, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at her with a satisfied smirk.

                “He even has muscles now,” she laughed, poking at one toned arm while looking at Yoongi with a wink.

                “Like muscles mean anything for a vampire,” he scowled, waving a dismissive hand at both of them. But then he realized he was literally the eldest of the bunch and sighed internally. “Okay, boys and girls,” he called, clapping his hands as if he was herding children. Only Kihyun responded accordingly, and even he belatedly realized it was mildly insulting. Yoongi snorted and then nodded his head once in a half apology. “This is a standard patrol run today.” At least it should be. “Couple hours tops before it gets to full dark. It’s your job to sniff it out,” he explained, pointing his finger at Moonbyul and Kihyun, “and ours to sense if anything is strange.” He finished by gesturing between himself and Wonho.

                “Taeyang has said he’s smelled it near the Coven, near the Hunters, and near two of the three Mages in the city,” Moonbyul offered, pointing in each direction as she did so.

                “Which should hopefully make it easier to identify and follow,” Yoongi murmured, though he hid his personal doubts. They’d first become aware of it late last year and the fact they hadn’t been able to pin it down since then did not bode well for any further excursions. “We do this by the book and we are careful,” he warned, eyeing his companions intently.

                “Yes, dad,” Wonho smirked, earning an echoing nod from Kihyun, though Moonbyul rolled her eyes before she agreed.

                Honestly, it was probably the best response he was going to get, given the circumstances. Yoongi nodded once and took point immediately, heading for the rooftops. He knew Wonho would have no trouble following and he figured the wolves would keep pace on the ground as a second layer of eyes to watch for their target.

                Late afternoon didn’t seem the ideal time for anything really, which was why it was best for them to try and pick up hints of tracks. In truth, they didn’t want to actually find the creature, so much as help visualize what and where it was. They ran over the standard hotspots first, confirming what they already knew and checking off that it wasn’t anywhere near the Coven, the Hunters Quarters or the two Mages it seemed to have a liking for. It was almost eerie how normal everything else seemed in the city itself.

                People of all kinds wandered on the sidewalks and chatted behind store windows. Humans were easy to spot by the layers they wore in the chilly weather and magical creatures always just felt different, but none paid him or Wonho any mind. Yoongi made sure of that with the rare exception of something that was stronger than he was and paying enough attention to actually notice him. He blinked in surprise when he realized Yongsun was watching him as they swung close to the Purple District. A slow smile tugged at the corners of and she winked when he went by, apparently amused by his presence. He nodded in acknowledgment of her and kept going, grateful she was in no mood to play that afternoon.

               On the ground, the wolves earned a few surprised looks, but they were fairly regular sights about the city. They were also impossible to mistake for anything else so citizens moved out of the way out of habit, if nothing else. A couple humans were mesmerized a handful of times and desperately tried to take pictures before they disappeared, but by and large, city life went on uninterrupted otherwise.

                When they finished their first circuit, they paused to gather and confirm the situation. “No fresh scents,” Moonbyul shook her head as she returned to her human form. Kihyun mirrored her quickly, rising up with a strange stretching sound.

                “Same with energy signatures,” Wonho agreed, waving a hand towards the heart of the city. “Lots of new humans – tourists,” he added with a scoff and a roll of his eyes, “and plenty of the standard fare creatures…”

                “But nothing out of the ordinary either,” Kihyun added with a shrug.

                Yoongi snorted once and couldn’t help but comment, “If you think a kitsune is not out of the ordinary…”

                Kihyun’s eyes widened and he leaned closer to the vampire with a hurried, “You saw Yongsun!?”

                “Where?” Moonbyul asked quick on his heels, both almost absurdly excited by the relatively close proximity they’d been in.

                “It was more like she noticed us instead of the other way around, but near the Purple District,” he explained with a laugh and a wave.

                “Aw, Magic,” the younger wolf sighed, shoulders slumping. Even he knew there was no point in trying to go back now. She’d likely be long gone.

                “You could have at least told me,” Wonho grumbled as he nudged Yoongi’s shoulder in mild affront.

                “And risk you being distractedly enamored like these two?” he smirked, nodding at the wolves.

                “Hey!” they complained in unison, glaring at the older vampire.

                “Give me some credit, Yoongi,” he groaned, laughing at the exchange.

                “Maybe one day,” Yoongi snorted, though he did give the younger vampire a quick half-wink. “Enough of that though. Nothing new in the usual run so…” he trailed off, giving the other three a chance to answer.

                “Widen the circuit?” Kihyun asked after a brief pause, nodding towards the buffer zones and beyond.

                “Yes, but only for a little while. We’ll pause before it gets dark,” Yoongi reminded them with a glance at the setting sun. They’d only have another hour at the max before they needed to call it, though that would still give them plenty of time to cover a fair bit of ground.

                “Right,” Moonbyul nodded, crossing her arms and taking a breath. “The Hunters have been taking point in the evening, haven’t they?”

                “And Jungsu,” he agreed quietly, a small frown pulling at his lips.

                “They figure it’s more likely to be active or attack at night so the heavy lifters are out and about then,” Wonho added, almost too helpfully for Yoongi’s tastes. To be fair, part of him was at least mildly affronted at being left out of the heavy lifters category. He was a Rank 3 after all…

                “Alright then,” Moonbyul stated, raising her arms above her head to stretch while she turned a thoughtful eye to their surroundings. “Hit the buffer zones first and then swing outward?” she wondered for confirmation.

                “It’s as good an idea as any,” Yoongi agreed with a tilt of his head. “We’ll shadow you. See if you ruffle any feathers in the meantime,” he winked with a slightly predatory grin.

                “Just be careful you don’t miss out on any of the fun if we find it first,” she laughed back, already starting to shift to her wolf form.

                Again, Yoongi was struck with the reminder they still thought of this as a game and he flinched minutely. “If you find it first, don’t be stupid about it,” he warned, a little harsher than necessary. He felt Wonho’s side-eyed glance and saw the wolves turn to look at him, their ears flicking uncertainly. “We don’t know what it is so we don’t know what it’s capable of yet. Remember that,” he warned with a firm glare at the other three. Inwardly, he cringed at himself having to be the responsible one. That was usually Jungsu’s role. Ugh… was he turning into the Rank 4 to some degree? The wolves snorted in some sort of response and Wonho nodded mutely. “Let’s go then,” he urged when he was satisfied they were at least minimally taking it seriously now.

                With Wonho in his wake, they took to the rooftops again, shadowing the wolves as they loped along the sidewalk. They still had to wind between pedestrians but since they were searching now, their pace was slower and not suitable for the road itself. Starting on a counterclockwise path, they spiraled from the heart of the city and out towards the Blue District before swerving along the edges of the buffer zones around the city. They’d nearly come full circle with nothing to show when Moonbyul finally caught something: an odd scent she couldn’t place heading northwest of the Rainbow District.

               Yoongi paused, uncertain. He’d half expected to come up empty handed again and it slightly alarmed him they might have stumbled upon their target. It was more troubling that the direction was nowhere near the Mages, the Hunters or the Coven. Why had it gone towards the Nature Zone now? He stuck his hand in front of Wonho to make the vampire pause when he would have gone ahead. The wolves noticed their delay and started to circle back around to check in.

                “What’s wrong?” Wonho wondered, gently grabbing the blocking hand and pushing it down.

                “It doesn’t feel right,” Yoongi frowned. This path broke the pattern and he didn’t know why. “The last time Jungsu trailed it, the tracks stayed in the heart of the city,” he cautioned. “It’s good it’s still on the magical creature side, but if it is our target, we have to be careful.”

                “Maybe it’s broadening its horizons?” Kihyun asked, ever the optimist. His voice was strange, coming form a wolf’s maw, but it was at least intelligible. Mostly. On the other hand, he obviously didn’t realize this kind of change wasn’t a good thing…

                “It’s possible,” Yoongi conceded, hopping off the roof of the building and taking a careful lead as he pushed Wonho behind him. “Stay back for now,” he cautioned, gesturing for the wolves to do the same. Among them, it was no misconception to affirm he was the strongest in their ranks. He smelled what had caught Moonbyul’s attention then. It was a weird scent. Most creatures had distinct tells that allowed others to identify them. He was even used to recognizing the base elements they were made up of, due in no small part to his prolonged time with the Crone, but this… He was certain he’d never smelled it himself, but it did set off some kind of alarm in him. It itched, like a target on his back, and he scratched at his chest distractedly.

                “You alright?” Wonho asked in a whisper when he noticed Yoongi’s reactions.

                “Fine,” he answered shortly without looking away.

                The wolves whined in a soft voice as they padded along behind with Kihyun commenting, “I know the Nature Zone is supposed to be peaceful but this feels strangely quiet.”

                As a group, they paused and listened. Yoongi nodded in mute agreement. Behind them, they could still hear the sounds of the city, normal and unabated. In their immediate surroundings though… it reminded him of when an Exile was in the area. Not that he would know one was actually here unless it wanted him to. “Wonho. Send Namjoon a message,” he called in a lowered voice, staying where he was to keep searching. “You two, circle around,” he gestured at the wolves, motioning with his hand the direction he wanted them to take. “Stay together,” he warned in a quiet tone.

                They ducked their heads and slunk off slowly, ears flicking when they weren’t pinned down as they moved. “But that’s…” Wonho started to say when they were out of earshot.

                “I know,” Yoongi interrupted him. He didn’t want to send the wolves towards it so he had them move in a wider direction. Still within reach but hopefully not in any direct danger. “It kind of feels like something’s watching,” he frowned, scanning the greenery intently. The sunlight gave enough illumination to see clearly but he couldn’t shake the feeling of being observed. He stilled when he thought he felt something move.

                “Yoongi,” the other vampire called, brushing at his arm with tentative fingers. “I think something’s over there,” Wonho added as he pointed towards a patch where a couple leaves were coming to a rest.

                “Stay behind me,” he commanded, pushing the younger vampire to his back while he unfurled his cloak and pulled out his lighter, just in case. Straining hard, he caught a muted whiff of… blood. And death. Without looking back, he separated his cloak and brushed it against Wonho so that he’d grab hold, making sure they had contact as he moved towards the faint scent. He heard when Wonho caught the smell too, the surprised inhale of breath obvious in the ominous silence. Again, his skin itched like something was watching while they inched forward.

                Nothing seemed immediately amiss where the leaves were. And other than the faint sound of the wolves investigating, their paws making just enough noise on the ground to hear, Yoongi could pick up no trace of their possible target. Wary, he squatted instead and noticed the scent got stronger when he did so. Then he saw it: a tiny bead of red where none should be. Cautiously, he reached a hand closer and inhaled once at a familiar tingle. Mage work. Standing up, he looked around again with sharp eyes. Something was very wrong… He’d spent enough time around Yejin to recognize the magic but it didn’t feel like they were following a Mage.

                “Is that…?” Wonho started to ask, taking a step closer as he poked at the spot in question with a longer stick he’d just picked up.

                “Wait!” Yoongi called with a flinch, feeling the magic dispel at being interrupted. ‘.’ He didn’t think it was a trap but every nerve sprang to life in reaction.

                “Magic’s mercy,” the younger vampire gasped in horror as the illusion fell away, revealing what had been hidden behind it.

                Yoongi glanced down once to see for himself. Two bloodied bodies, both male. He looked up to keep scanning, just in case. But then he stilled with an uncertain blink. Slowly, he looked back at the bodies and his gut twisted at the eerily familiar sight. He didn’t know them – one a young vampire and the other an elf – but the wounds… Yoongi reached one hand towards the bodies, fingers tracing the hole in the chest and the wound on the neck from afar.

                “There!” His head snapped up when Wonho pointed at something.

                It was more like a shadow moving behind a veil but one thing stood out for the briefest of seconds. Brimstone eyes. “Call Namjoon and stay here!” he commanded Wonho before launching himself in the direction of the creature. A sharp whistle emerged from his lips to let the wolves know his direction but then he focused everything on the creature before him. It was shielded by some kind of magic – more Mage work, but it wasn’t silent. Just fast and hard to see. The surroundings bent as it moved, highlighting its presence almost like it was visible.

                Startled yelps surprised him and they raced past a trio of elves in the growth. A frightened dryad hugged her tree further in and a group of mixed satyrs and nymphs fled when he stumbled upon their gathering. He leaped to avoid running into any of them and briefly lost sight of the creature. His chest ached as he landed and he cast about for something. Anything to help him find it again. “Where are you?!” he scowled, fangs and claws lengthening in preparation. His back itched when he heard the wolves catching up but there was nothing to see.

                Baring his fangs, he flicked his lighter and slid through the shadow paths like a short cut, popping out in a spot about fifty feet from where he’d been. He paused to check, listening hard, but when nothing else came up, he did it again, jumping to a new spot. All the while, his chest ached more and the itch from his back started to spread across his body. Four more times, he jumped to new locations, scaring a nest of pixies at one point and dodging when a drus attacked him reflexively. “Sorry!” he grunted, jerking away and sprinting to keep looking. But then he caught the strange scent and froze, spinning in a circle to try and find it. The drus was gone and there was nothing nearby.

                His cloak bunched reactively when an oddly familiar power registered behind him. It split into an array of tentacles like tails when he turned, ready to attack. But then he froze as his cloak went limp. “Namjoon,” he gasped, eyes wide as the chase abruptly ended, banishing the itch spreading over his skin.

                “Enough, Yoongi,” he called, calm and poised but power personified. It wasn’t a command though it could have been if he wanted.

                “I saw something,” he explained, feeling almost like he was coming out of a daze.

                “I know,” the Vampire Lord nodded before placing a hand on Yoongi’s shoulder, a grounding measure. “Wonho told me. Are you alright?” he asked searching the younger vampire’s face.

                Yoongi nodded, though he wasn’t entirely sure himself. He knew what he’d seen, what he’d felt… but it didn’t seem like it could be real. “I lost it,” he blinked, biting his bottom lip.

                “It’s alright, Yoongi,” the elder vampire encouraged, looking around for himself once. “Let’s go home,” he suggested, tilting his head down to get a better look at the other man’s face.

                “Yeah,” he nodded in slow agreement, before frowning and shaking his head. “No. I need to see the bodies,” Yoongi explained, staring up at his coven leader.

                “Yoongi,” Namjoon frowned in response.

                “Please. I have to see something,” he added with an uncertain swallow.

                “Very well,” the elder vampire sighed after a pause. “The Hunters are on their way anyhow. And Ailee will probably be here shortly too.”

                “Good,” Yoongi nodded in relieved understanding. “Wonho?” he asked suddenly.

                “He’s fine.”

                “The wolves?”

                “They’re good, though you certainly surprised them with your shadow hopping,” he chuckled once, pulling on Yoongi’s shoulder to start guiding the younger vampire back the way they’d come from.

                “Oops,” he grumbled under his breath, slightly embarrassed.

                “You startled quite a few creatures tonight,” the vampire lord chuckled. “I won’t be surprised if Donghyun sends me an interesting email later regarding your adventure in the Nature Zone this afternoon,” he added with dry humor.

                “I was following it,” he weakly defended himself, feeling rather like all the wind had been knocked from his sails. He was tired, and strangely so, but confused more than anything.

                “I know,” Namjoon soothed, his tone indicating he really did. Neither said anything more as they quietly met up with the gathering Hunters and the tense Mage Ailee.

(a/n: And I'm back! Finished moving into my new place - more or less - so hopefully I'll be able to resume regular updates again. I hope that you enjoyed this one and will continue to look forward to the next ones. As usual, if you have any questions or thoughts you'd like to share, I'd be happy to hear them. Otherwise, thank you for reading and happy reading!)