Himchan stands in front of the gathering crowd with that smug grin on his face. I'm in the front and he seems to spot me immediately. When our eyes meet, he smirks and turns his attention towards the crowd that are cheering for him. He raises a hand and gradually, the whole place grows silent.

  I glance around, seeing many vampires press together to get a listen. Luckily for me, I don't have to worry about being crushed as I'm standing by the stage. It's very open when you compare it to the small dome we live in. A huge TV is behind him, revealing his face for all the vampires in the back to see and will be broadcast to whoever stayed at home. A mic is attached and set up on him. I'm not used to such gadgets, but it's very useful for everyone to see and hear.

  "As you all know, because of our efforts and patience we are able to take this Dome for ourselves," Himchan starts.

  A roar of cheers echo.

  I shiver as I feel the pheromones emitting off of some of the vampires. It's disgusting.

  He waits for the cheers before continuing, "And because of our success, we were able to infiltrate this center, claim this as our city as Halcyon, and have our Father amongst us."

  Everyone is restless. Some are uncomfortable while others are excited about the news as this will be the first time in over a thousand years to meet with our creator. I stand there, glaring at the man standing before us. He was the reason I was here. He was the reason why the Dome fell. He was the reason why I lost Youngjae. But strangely, I only feel bitter towards him, but not everyone else involved. There was a reason for all this, and it was not just for freedom.

  The night the Dome fell, I was in my office, reading the reports. I clearly remembered wanting to at least wait for Youngjae to get up so I could say goodbye, but I was running late. Father wanted to speak with me. However, when I arrived, he was still not there. For quite some time, I waited for him at my office, wondering what he wanted to talk to me about.

  First, I could feel the pheromones emitting from all around me. Then, the sound of screams filled the air followed by the smell of blood. I got up from my seat and that was when everything turned dark.

  My vision adjusted immediately. I ran to the curtains and looked outside. Humans were running aimlessly through the streets while vampires emerged from the shadows and attacked. I watched in horror as Dolls and slaves were bitten and torn apart. Their blood stained the ground below. My body lurched and my stomach coiled but I did my best to hold it in.

  Then it hit me. "Youngjae!" I had to go back, but I didn't have any means of transportation. I let Zelo go home as I wouldn't be back until the Bank closes.

  The Bank.

  Jongup.

  If there was anyone I could save, I could at least try to save Jongup and hopefully by the time I did, I could rush back and protect Youngjae. "At least Youngjae is immune to the pheromones and is a vampire slayer, so he'll hold off on his own." I kept my focus on saving Jongup for now as I recalled that he was weak to pheromones. I just hoped I wasn't too late.

  The moment I stepped out of my building, I almost gagged and threw a hand over my mouth. In front of me lay a body, missing an arm and two legs. It was no one I knew, but the fear in me increased. I needed to get to Jongup - fast.

  Ignoring all the bodies and vampires around me, I run to the Bank. It was similar sight, but more vampires were paying attention to the vaults rather than the humans running amok. The very few vampires that didn't approach the vaults stayed behind and captured humans probably for feeding later on.

  I skimmed the area, hoping to see Jongup among the mix, but it was to avail. He was nowhere to be found. No, he couldn't be dead. He had to be here! I ran to his desk and leaned over the counter, but he was not there. Where could he have gone? I checked the next most likely place and went up the stairs.

  I burst through the door and found Jongup and a few others leaning over the roof. A vampire was with them, shouting. If they made one more move, they would plummet to their death. Upon seeing me, the vampire hissed, but soon relaxed when he realized it was me. "Ah, Young Master Jung Daehyun, I've gathered the weaker humans here. I was told to get rid of them as they would not survive well in the Center. Would you like to take any of them for yourself?"

  I saw Jongup stiffen when he heard my name, but said nothing.

  I was trembling. There were ten humans gathered here. I recognize many of their faces. They would always avoid my gaze the moment I pass by them, but when they don't realize I'm there, they're always the happiest. Why is it when they know they're weak, they can still smile like that? It didn't make sense.

  I shook those thoughts away as I was having conflicting thoughts. Jongup was right in front of me, but what would happen to the rest once I left the premises? Were they going to be eaten or were they going to be pushed off the ledge? I didn't have a lot of time to decide. If I tried saving all of them, he will become suspicious of me. If I only took Jongup, then the rest will be sacrificed.

  I took a deep breath to stop trembling and kept my composure. I held my head high and stared right into the vampires eyes while leaking my pheromones. My eyes turned a deep red and shifted my gaze to Jongup. I pointed to him. "I'll take that one."

  The vampire smirked and walked behind Jongup. He slammed his hand on Jongup's shoulder and roughly pulled him back. The humans around him whimpered. One tried to escape. He didn't make it passed me as the vampire reacted quickly and pulled him from the back of his neck. The man screamed in pain as the nails dug deep into his skin. "Where do you think you're going? Did you think you could escape like this?" He dug his nails deeper. The vampire revealed his fangs.

  I flinched and turned my head away. I couldn't watch when the man's blood was being drained from his body. As the vampire was busy with his task, I grabbed onto Jongup.

  He jumped.

  "I'll be taking him now," I announced. Without waiting for a reply, I dragged Jongup downstairs. I had to guide him as his vision is not the best in the dark. We said no words even until we reached the lobby.

  There were still vampires everywhere, but they were busy with their own tasks. I made my way through, trying to avoid their gaze. Once we were outside, I took Jongup far from the Bank. ". What is going on?" I cursed as I continued to pull on Jongup.

  Under my grasp, I could tell he was shaking. His grip was light and his steps were heavy. He said nothing.

  I stuffed my gloved hand into my pocket and realized I was missing something. I stopped on my tracks and looked around. There were no vampires as this area was cleared. All that was left were empty shops and dead bodies. But to be safe, I had to hide him. Making him go back there would not be a smart decision.

  I found an alleyway where I could let him hide in one of the trashbins or something as the smell would be able to mask his human scent. "I need you to stay here," I ordered while opening the trashbin. I crinkled my nose at the smell.

  Jongup's eyes widened. His hands few at my shoulders. "You can't leave me! What if someone attacks me?"

  I pried his hands away from me and looked deep into his eyes. I made sure that my eyes were glowing red so he could see that I was serious. "Don't worry. I have that covered. I need you to stay inside here until I come back. It may not be the best hiding place, but it will protect you. As long as you're in here, they won't be able to pick up on your scent. Understand?"

  He nodded his head.

  "Good. Now, climb in."

  Jongup hesitated and drew back because of the smell. I helped him up and contemplated whether I should keep the lid on or off. I decided to close it just in case someone would have the bright idea of checking inside a dumpster. "If you need to breath, you may open it a crack, but make sure no one is around. If there is, stay still even if you're holding the lid open. Even with the slightest sound, a vampire will hear it. Understand?"

  Again, he nodded.

  "I'll be back. Don't worry." I trusted that he would be safe and ran at full speed back to my office. I had to pass by the Bank and saw nine bodies laying in front of the entrance. I tore my gaze away and continued my way to my goal. Upon entering my room, I checked the right drawer on my desk and pulled out a small box. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. It was still there.

  I opened it to confirm it even further. The golden rose pendant glistened as it reflected the glow in my eyes. I meant to give it to Youngjae as a gift, but I never got the chance to as I couldn't find the right time to give it to him. I originally wanted to give him a necklace with a phoenix pendant, but the ros