~*~

I don't know until when Victor will be keeping us in Lotus City. We were forced to sleep on our sleeping bags, on the flat ground, exposed, not inside of a tent.

I was there staring at the night sky among a sea of students.

They weren't even sleeping. Many of us wandered off around the city, not outside, since we couldn't get out. Some were being totally inconsiderate of the people who were actually sleeping by talking and giggling too loud. 

Guards were everywhere, and we were basically trapped inside a defensive barrier that blanketed the city.

I cannot sleep in this situation, I cannot sleep with bunch of people around me at a park. My head felt like floating and I got dizzy. 

I needed to get out of the place.

I got up and made sure that I didn't wake Hendery. He was fast asleep, maybe too tired from today's attack.

I skipped over his sleeping bag and a few other students' until I stepped on the sidewalk of the park.

All I could think of right now, was where should I start looking for the witch who blocked my mind. 

The school's library would be a good start, or better, Victor's office. I have to look for clues inside his office. I needed to dig into my family files, and at the same time try to not trigger the protective curse of my own memory.

But how do I sneak out of the City? The guards would be easy to deal with. But the barrier, I would get fried if I went through it.

I finally got out of the park and now in the heart of the city, where the market was at.

I spotted Lucas, around the medical tent, running from one place to the other.

Why is he still working this late?

From a distant, I saw Jaemin and Renjun carrying a big bowl and sheets.

I approached them.

"What do you think you're doing??" I asked and it made them stop to look at me.

"Helping Lucas?" Renjun said.

"The vampires need blood and we are gonna find something for them in the woods."

I might have gone crazy just by hearing what Jaemin had said.

I looked around and he was right, the place was swarming with vampires, depressing looking vampires. Most of them were sitting on the ground so helplessly, barely keeping their eyes opened. They looked... worn out.

"Is Jennie around?" I immediately asked.

Both of them shared a puzzled look before turning back to me.

"Who's Jennie?" Renjun raised an eyebrow at me.

"Hey, guys!" 

It was Jeno, wrapping his arms around Jaemin and Renjun, like they were bffs.

I don't like it.

"Jeno," I said. "How are you holding up?"

"Hi Juli! So good to see you again! I'm okay, just a little bit hungry!" He beamed. "Meet my new friends, Jaemin and Renjun. Guys, this is Juli."

A little bit hungry.

"Uhm, Jeno, we know who she is." Renjun said.

"Oh? Already?"

"She's our sister." Jaemin chuckled lightly.

"Oh so this hoodie is yours?" Jeno asked Jaemin.

Jaemin widened his eyes and pointed at Jeno's hoodie. "I knew it!!"

"Guys, guys." I tried to get their attentions. "You can't go into the woods. You never even hunted before. And you cannot be here. Go back to your house." I grabbed Jaemin's wrist to go.

"We are fine by ourselves." Jaemin pulled back his hand.

I frowned at his action. Part of me felt super disappointed.

"Why are you being like this?"

"Why are you being so bossy?"

"Why are you being annoying?"

"Guys!" Renjun raised his shaky voice. "Stop." He breathed in, "we have gone hunting in the woods for a few weeks and we want to help."

I know how they must've felt. We all used to help in the clinic back at our Zone. We would always volunteer.

But the thought of them being around starving vampires? They are basically the vampires' dinner wrapped nicely with a big bow.

"Listen," I walked closer to them. "After what happened in the institute, you think I'm just gonna let you go hunt??" I gritted my teeth.

"Yeah she's right, I wouldn't go if I were you guys." Jeno said.

Why is he looking like he is still just fine? While the others were dying from starving.

I realized I was glaring at Jeno this whole time and I shifted my gaze back to my brothers.

"I'll go hunt with my friends." And maybe try to sneak out in the process, I thought to myself. "You guys go help Lucas here, not anywhere else but here."

Then a waterbender, wearing the blue medic uniform, was running to our direction and passed us by. She bumped Jaemin from behind making the ceramic bowl that he was holding fell crashing to the ground. The water splashed everywhere.

Jaemin, always fast to respond to anything, bent down to collect the pieces of ceramic.

I panicked and my eyes widened in horror, "Jaemin! Leave it be—"

I was about to pull him up to stop, but it was too late.

He cut himself, deep. Blood started to come out of his fingers, and then dropping to the ground.

My heart stopped. Everything was moving in a slo-mo around me.

Jeno's mouth was watering as he watched Jaemin's dropping blood.

I looked around us, and everyone, every vampire, was staring at Jaemin. Their mouth slightly gaped open and some of them even let out their fangs.

I pushed Renjun first as hard as I could, away from Jaemin.

I had no choice but to