“I have made up our mind. Let’s look for Joohyun. Seriously, this time,” Victoria declared.

This announcement was made during their monthly convening. In the past, The Valks used to hold their meetings almost every night when they held greater governing roles however as time went by and as their roles diminished, their discussions became scarcer and eventually was reduced to a monthly discussion.

The Valks were alerted upon those words and amongst them, Sulli’s eyes glittered most brilliantly with excitement. Amber who has been dreading for this moment could only restrain her anger by clenching her fist under the desk. This action of hers had not gone unnoticed by Krystal and the vampire touched the fuming vampire who sat beside her, as always, hoping it would provide her some form of comfort.

Amber politely removed Krystal’s hands from her arm and forced a smile to convey that she would be fine to her fellow vampire.

“It Is about time we do so.” Sulli concurred with Victoria’s decision cheerily.

“I stand my point from our earlier discussion about this, you will expect no help from me. I believe you guys are only doing this because you have nothing better to do,” Amber said coldly and was about to remove herself from the discussion but was halted by Krystal’s firm grip on her arm.

Sulli shot an irritated look at Amber as she said, “As part of The Valks, we are expected to unify our responses and actions, no?”

“I cannot justify why we should be doing this. Hunting an ex-member down after seven hundred years?! Really?” Amber retorted, annoyance rising in her tone.

“It is precisely because so long has passed and there has been so little news about her. Does it even make sense? With our massive outreach, no one has managed to find a trace of Joohyun?” Sulli replied, irritation rising in her voice.

Seven hundred years… Amber thought and wondered how much in denial could their coven be. The Valks was no long a governing body, the vampire community does not really require one when they themselves already know of the dangers of exposing themselves. All these monthly meetings, they were just for show, isn’t it?   

“Victoria, what you are suggesting is just to find out Joohyun’s whereabout right? Whatever actions we take will depend on what we think of her intentions. Is that right?” Krystal intervened, hoping to clarify things and ease the tension that was between her members.  

Victoria pondered on Krystal’s words for a while before nodding her head, slowly. The eldest of The Valks knew that this was like a bait by Krystal and one that she must take. Krystal, was undoubtedly the shrewdest of them all, there was no way Sulli and Amber could not agree to such a proposal now. 

Sulli looked like she wanted to add something but before she could, Krystal beat her to it once more.

“Sulli, Joohyun was one of us, was she not?” Krystal asked with so much empathy in her voice that Sulli had to relent to that fact.

“Yes, she was but it does not change the fact that she hid her origins from us.” Sulli added.

“And it does not change the fact that instead of protecting her, we tried to destroy her instead.” Amber argued.

Sulli’s eyes turned red upon that accusation and Krystal once again intervened, her arms outstretched as she put a distance between the two vampires who were at odds with each other.

“It was what we agreed upon! We said to destroy all vampires who are the direct descendants of the First Ones and the Third Generation!” Sulli screeched.

“Whatever it is, let us just align on this. We will locate Joohyun first and we will then determine what actions we will take after.” Krystal repeated, the intensity of the redness in her eyes outmatched that of her member’s.

Sulli threw herself back into the chair in defence and fumed. She was mad that her fellow leader would not get it but she would also never want to get into a fight with Krystal for she was amongst the best of the best of vampire fighters.

**

Wendy had cooped herself up in the library, trying to binge read and take her mind off things. She felt lousy eavesdropping on Seulgi and Irene’s conversation every now and then. The vice-leader had no idea why but she had an unpleasant feeling that the leader and the young vampire’s relationship would blossom into something more.

Wendy could not help but feel extremely worried about it. Unbeknownst to all her members, Wendy harboured secret feelings of love for their leader. It began right from the start when they first met, six hundred years ago. Both of them had been in a foreign land, in a country now known as Canada.

It was quite a wonder how they met too. For they both knew right from the start that the other was a direct descendant from the First Ones. It had been too apparent when they crossed hands. Wendy remember it was Irene, who had provoked and taunted her into a duel. They were both vampires who were proud and quick to get into fights back then. The fight lasted for two days straight in a dense jungle. None of them clearly prevailing over the other. Irene was undoubtedly the physically stronger, more experienced vampire but Wendy was the wittier one. Where one chase, the other would escape. Where one attacked, the other would put up the appropriate defence. They then realised that they enjoyed keeping up with such a duel. It also became rather evident that both the vampires admired each other’s capabilities and did not mind becoming companions. Both of them have been alone for a hundred years and that was a little too long for both their liking.

Irene was the first to pop the question, so straightforwardly. “Would you like to travel with me?” The leader had no idea that since then, Wendy felt like the blissful being on Earth, like as though she had found her