Hyunjin watched in horror, her eyebrows twitching and a hand to her opened mouth. Her fogged eyes fixed on the small puddle of puke on the floor.

Heejin stared at it too. "What..."

Haseul stared at her with open, looking glad the puke missed her by a few inches and shocked at the same time. She was still holding the syringe she had to pull out in reflex when Heejin was about to throw up.

"Well, I guess I don't... need this anymore," Haseul said, moving her gaze to the syringe with only a few drops of blood left in it.

"Why did I need blood?" Heejin asked.

Haseul stood up and walked towards the kitchen, the silence engulfing the room. Heejin's breath quickened, as if it had clicked to her as well.

"Why did I just throw up? What the happened?!"

Hyunjin raised her head and gasped.

A beautiful shade of bright pink appeared in Heejin's eyes. But Hyunjin's were too clouded with tears to appreciate their overwhelming beauty.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I w-wasn't strong enough, I couldn't s-stop him-" Hyunjin choked on her own breath, unable to look anywhere else but Heejin's eyes.

"My eyes hurt," Heejin said. Stated.

"Heejin, try to stay calm-"

"Don't," Heejin cut Haseul short. Haseul squatted, cleaning the floor, and sighed. "I'll ask one more time, Hyunjin. What happened?" Heejin's voice sounded so deep it pierced Hyunjin's whole body.

The atmosphere was so heavy, so tense, Hyunjin had trouble breathing, and her body trembled from head to toe.

"Jinyoung got you, and he... he-" Hyunjin sobbed again. "Oh, for the love of the moon, isn't it clear already?"

All remains of anger or frustration melted in Heejin's face. It fell expressionless. "He didn't."

"He did!" Hyunjin shouted. "He ing did, right in front of my eyes, and I couldn't do to stop him!"

Heejin launched forward, falling on her knees in front of Hyunjin, and gripped on the collar of her leather jacket, so aggressively it got her taken aback. But what she aimed for was the emergency flask Hyunjin kept in her inner pocket.

"Heejin, be careful-"

It clicked open right in front of Heejin's nose, and her eyes rolled back, her hand gripping on the flask and the other over itself. Heejin's canines grew, and she inhaled through her nose, deep and sharp. Before she could lose it, Hyunjin stole the flask from her hand and brought it to her lips, forcing the liquid down Heejin's throat.

When it came empty and Heejin was back to her senses, she groaned, pushing Hyunjin away so hard she fell back on her , the flask hitting the floor as it rolled away.

"Stop!" Heejin shrieked, backing away until her back hit the couch, looking at Hyunjin like she was going to hurt her. "What are you doing?!"

"Stopping you from entering blood lust!"

Heejin stared at her like she was hearing about blood lust for the first time.

Hyunjin clenched her jaw. Now, she was the one reaching forward, grabbing on Heejin's shoulder and pulling her closer as she fetched her phone and turned it to her.

"Take a look at yourself!" Hyunjin spat. "I don't like it any more than you do, but there it is."

Heejin gasped as she looked at her reflection in her phone. The pink eyes, the fangs peaking out her lower lip, and...

"What is this?" Heejin reached for her own neck, where the two red dots still marked her skin.

"I tried to make it stop, I tried to his blood out-"

"You bit me?!"

Hyunjin recoiled, her words hurting more than any silver weapon could ever. As if the same hatred and disgust and fear reflected on Heejin's eyes.

"I was trying to save you," Hyunjin said, her voice barely a whisper. "That's why you needed blood, that's why Haseul was giving you blood, I didn't know if you were a human or a vampire."

A sob sounded at their side, and Hyunjin looked at how Haseul sat, face hidden in her hands.

For the second time, she witnessed someone turn.

"Haseul-"

The front door barged open. Hyunjin turned at the same time Jinsol gasped, stopping on her heels. A second later, Yerim walked past Jinsol, reacting the exact same way.

"What in the moon are you doing here?" Hyunjin asked, standing on her feet. "You're not supposed to be here, Yerim!"

"Like I care!" Yerim scowled, rushing to Heejin's side.

"Jungeun called me, told me to come here. What... what happened?" Jinsol couldn't take her eyes off of Heejin. "The others aren't here yet?"

"No," Hyunjin said, that fact pilling up on her worries.

Heejin had fallen awfully quiet, her body like stone. Yerim squatted next to her, holding her hand without a word. Hyunjin would have done the same, if her friends' scents hadn't reached her nose. She turned and dashed to the door. "They're arriving."

At the end of the road, Jungeun and Jiwoo ran ahead, and a couple steps behind, Hyejoo brought Chaewon in her arms.

"Oh, no," Hyunjin took a small step back, feeling a pang in her chest.

"What happened now?" Jinsol was by her side and held her arm.

"Haseul!" Jiwoo shouted as they approached. "We need Haseul!"

Hyunjin knew she should go and help them, but fear locked her in place. Fear of what had happened, because she could smell blood.

Hyejoo was slowing down. Jungeun looked back and approached her, getting Chaewon in her arms instead, sprinting towards Hyunjin's house.

Moving aside, Jiwoo stepped inside. "Chaewon, she's hurt," she said between breaths, and straightening herself, she noticed Heejin. Another gasp, hands to in shock. "H-Heejin?"

"Move!" Jungeun said, and Jinsol grabbed Jiwoo's arms, pulling her away so Jungeun could come inside with Chaewon.

And what Hyunjin's eyes witnessed as Jungeun walked past her with Chaewon in her arms was another image that would mark her mind forever.

Chaewon, barely awake, tears streaming down her face as she gripped her own right hand... where her pinky and ring fingers were missing.

"Haseul," Jungeun called, laying Chaewon down on the couch. "Help!"

"No," Hyunjin mumbled, the world spinning around her. "No..."

Her vision went blurry. It got glimpses of Haseul leaning towards Chaewon, of everyone gathering around her and Heejin, snapping out of her silence, asking what had happened over and over again.

"Hyunjin." Jinsol's voice seemed to come from the bottom of a well. "Hey, Hyunjin!"

"This is all my fault," Hyunjin said, holding her head with her hands and taking another step back, her back hitting the wall.

"She needs to go to the hospital," Haseul said. "She's bleeding a lot, she needs professional help, I can't do anything with the resources I have here alone."

"This is all my fault," Hyunjin repeated.

"Get a grip, Hyunjin!" Jinsol shouted right at her face, shaking her by her shoulders. "We need you now!"

Hyunjin shut her eyes down, getting rid of all the blurring and colors blending together around her.

"Then let's go!" Hyejoo said, her voice hoarse.

"You can't go," Jungeun said.

"What?! I am going!"

"You can't, Hyejoo! You're a vampire, and a young one at that, you can't just go to a hospital, are you insane?"

"I'm not leaving her!"

"I'll go with them, I have friends there that can help her faster," Yerim said. "Hyejoo, please, stay here, you're not in a state in which-"

Hyejoo let out a scream before breaking into loud cries. Hyunjin took her hands to her ears instead, blocking as hard as she could, her back sliding down the wall until she hit the floor, her body curling up over itself.

"Stop!" Hyunjin shouted, shaking her head vigorously. "Make it stop, please!"

"Go, just go!" Jungeun said.

"I'll take Chaewon to your car," Jiwoo said.

"Let me go!" Hyejoo cried. "Gowon!"

Hurried steps headed outside, an engine , the car drove away. Steps back home, the door closed. Sobs, cries, more sobs, until it fell quieter.

Maybe the nightmare was finally over.

Hyunjin raised her head, opening her eyes. Jinsol was still with her, hands on her arms, and Hyunjin didn't even feel them squeezing.

"You okay?" Jinsol whispered, worry painting her eyes.

She didn't answer, shifting her vision to what happened behind her instead. Jungeun kneeled next to Heejin, who still sat on the floor, her face blank, pink eyes still on. Jiwoo sat on the couch, soothing Hyejoo, who cried on her lap, and even though Hyunjin's vision was still blurry, she noticed something on Hyejoo's face. Getting on her feet, Hyunjin walked towards them, Jiwoo and Jungeun following her with their eyes.

"What's this?" Hyunjin asked to herself, even though she said it out loud. She squatted in front of Hyejoo and observed her face. From her nose bridge to her left cheek, a cut marked her skin. "Chaewon... did I see it right? Or was my mind playing tricks?"

Hyejoo let out an ugly sob, hiding her face in her hands.

"You saw correctly." Jiwoo dropped her head, caressing Hyejoo's hair. "But I'm sure she's going to get the help she needs at the hospital."

Heejin was a vampire. Chaewon lost two fingers. Hyejoo got scarred in the face.

Hyunjin chuckled, letting her body fall back, her hitting the floor with a thud. "How did this happen?"

"It's not your fault-"

"It is!" Hyunjin interrupted Jinsol.

"Hyunjin, please, not the time," Jungeun said.

"What else happened? Please, just let me know everything."

"Nothing else happened. We're all here, alive."

"Alive..." Hyunjin shook her head with another chuckle. "I think I would rather be dead."

A hand made Hyunjin's face turn, the slap so hard, it echoed in the room, alongside Jiwoo's gasp.

"Stop!" Jinsol grabbed her arms, and with strength Hyunjin didn't know she had, Jinsol pulled her up on her feet, crashing her body against hers in a crushing hug. "You're here, aren't you? You're all here!"

Jinsol sniffed, and it hurt. Not the slap, the way Hyunjin kept on hurting people around her, no matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried. She buried her face in Jinsol's neck and squeezed her body back, releasing everything inside, letting more tears run freely.

"How did that happen to Chaewon?" Heejin broke the silence, catching everyone's attention.

But no one answered.

"We weren't there," Jiwoo said.

Hyejoo sat up, cleaning her eyes. She stared down at her lap, fists balling. "A vampire jumped on her, went straight for her hand."

Jinsol widened her eyes. "He... bit two fingers off her hand?"

Hyejoo's face scrunched up, as she bit on her lower lip and nodded.

"Her right hand... Her gun hand," Hyunjin mumbled.

"The doctors will be able to help her, right? They're gonna do something, aren't they?" Hyejoo asked, her eyes pleading for a positive answer.

"Doctors can't make fingers grow back, Hyejoo," Heejin said, so raw and cruel it got everyone taken aback.

A vein popped up in Hyejoo's temple as she got up on her feet, fists balled at her sides. "What the is wrong with you?"

"I don't know, Hyejoo, maybe take a look at my eyes?" Heejin followed, standing up and staring at Hyejoo's now silver eyes. "At least Chaewon is still human."

Hyejoo launched at Heejin with a loud growl, grabbing at the collar of her jacket. Jungeun and Jiwoo dashed to intervene in the same second, trying to pull them apart, while Jinsol and Hyunjin could only watch in horror.

"It's not because you're a vampire that you can be a jerk now!" Hyejoo spat. "Ain't I one as well? I know what's it like, stop acting like you're the one to pity!"

"Will you ever care for anyone else but Chaewon?" Heejin attacked back.

"That's enough!" Jungeun had a hand in each's shoulders, trying to pull them apart.

"She'll never have them back! Aren't you in one piece?"

"I am, but I am a ing vampire now! Shouldn't you show a bit more empathy since you know what this feels like?!"

"Empathy?! You're talking about empathy when you're having none for everyone else around you? Would you rather be the one with no fingers, then?!"

"STOP!" Hyunjin's voice was so loud it managed to break their fight. "Just stop, please!"

"Things are bad enough already," Jiwoo said, her voice but a whisper as she was in the verge of crying. "That is not going to take you two anywhere, only make things worse."

Hyejoo finally let go of Heejin's collar and took a step back, looking at her hands like she had just murdered someone with them. "I... I-I'm sorry." And she dashed to the door.

"Hyejoo!" Jungeun still called, aiming for the door as well. "I'm gonna go get her."

"Let her be." Hyunjin grabbed her arm, stopping her in place. "She needs to be alone."

"But what if she does something reckless? What if she follows them to the hospital? She's not in her best place of mind."

"She's right," Jinsol said.

Whenever something went wrong, Hyejoo needed some time alone, and would always be back feeling better. But this was a different situation. Hyunjin nodded. "Okay, go."

"I'll go with you." Jiwoo jumped on her feet. "We'll bring her back."

Without wasting more time, they rushed out the door. Silence filled the room, Hyunjin staring down at the ground, not wanting to face either of them.

"So," Jinsol said. "Why don't we take a seat and talk?"

"Talk?" Hyunjin scoffed. "About how this was all a mistake? About how I miserably failed in stopping him from turning Heejin?"

"Hyunjin-"

"If only I was stronger! If they hadn't injected us with that mothering serum, this wouldn't have happened!"

"Serum?" Jinsol frowned. "I still don't have a clue about what happened."

Hyunjin dropped to the nearest couch, elbows in her knees and face hidden in her hands. "They locked Heejin and Chaewon, got us vampires, chained us down, injected us with a serum to conceal our powers and yeah, I know, who knew such a thing existed? When Yves released us hours later, it had gone away, but not completely. I wasn't at my best, I couldn't even fight two ing vampires! I couldn't stop him, he did it right in front of my eyes, got the revenge he wanted! Goddess, I should have never-"

"I was the one who insisted in going there in the first place," Heejin interrupted. "If we hadn't, we wouldn't have been locked up and captured and you all wouldn't have gotten that ing serum. Maybe I wouldn't be turned now, and maybe Chaewon would still have her hand intact."

"Don't be ridiculous, we did what we thought was right and best for everyone."

"Look at where it got us!"

"Enough, it's no one's fault," Jinsol stepped in. "There's no way, ever, you could have seen this coming."

"It is, Jinsol, this was literally all my fault. I'm sorry, I tried my best, I tried everything. I was just never meant to bring anyone into this."

"Not that again!" Heejin said.

"But it's true!" Hyunjin got up on her feet again, facing Heejin, feeling a sudden burst of rage pulsating in her body. "People keep getting hurt, I never wanted any of this!"

"No one did, and we all knew the risks we were taking! Stop making this about you and your honor again!"

Hyunjin's eyebrows rose in her forehead. "My honor?" She scoffed. "I don't give a about my honor."

"Then stop! Stop taking responsibility for everything that happens to us!" Sudden tears made Heejin's eyes sparkle. She took a step towards Hyunjin, and she braced herself for whatever was coming. Maybe a slap, or a punch, like she deserved it. But instead, Heejin sobbed and rested her forehead against Hyunjin's chest, hands gripping on her jacket. "Just... help me. I don't need you to feel guilty for whatever happened, I need you to be here to help and support me now."

There was a quiet sigh from Jinsol. Hyunjin froze for a couple seconds, before feeling her own eyes getting warmer. Her arms circled around Heejin's shoulders, leaning her cheek against her head. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I tried, I swear I tried."

"I know. Stop apologizing."

"I'm gonna kill him... I'm gonna make him pay."

"Don't think about that now, just forget about him."

Hyunjin nodded, squeezing her body harder against hers.

"I-I'm sorry for interrupting, but Yerim messaged me. They're already at the hospital," Jinsol said. "Chaewon is getting surgery immediately."

"Oh, thank the Goddess." Hyunjin sighed in relief. "Anything about Hyejoo?"

"No."

"I feel so bad, I was awful to her." Heejin sobbed. "I made everything about me, and here I was telling you off for doing the same."

"Don't worry, you can apologize when she's back. You were both frustrated and took it out on each other," Jinsol said, approaching and rubbing her back.

"Thanks." Heejin gave her a small smile.

"Why don't you go upstairs and get some rest?"

"Can we afford to do that right now?" Hyunjin asked.

"What else can you do now? Chaewon is getting the help she needs, Jungeun and Jiwoo will take care of Hyejoo. I'll stay here in case anything happens."

"No, please, go home and rest as well. You work in the morning."

"I don't care, you come first. If anything, I'll call in sick."

Hyunjin sniffed. "Thank you, Jinsol."

Jinsol opened her arms and engulfed both in a tight hug. "Now go. I'll warn you if anything happens, I promise. We'll all talk tomorrow. Please rest for now."

Hyunjin remembered Selene and Diana, how they were all alone in Jiwoo's house. But she left enough food and water for at least a whole day, so they were fine. They headed upstairs, still hearing Jinsol wishing them a good night.

They changed clothes into comfortable sleepwear and got in bed. Heejin snuggled closer, Hyunjin hugging her the same second. The silence dragged on, a million thoughts running through Hyunjin's mind.

"What now?" Heejin said. "What... are we gonna do now?"

"Don't think about that now." Hyunjin brought her even closer.

"How can I not? How's everything at the Silver Blades? Are they still fighting? Did the Blood Alliance leave?"

"I'm sure they took care of things. And whatever's gonna happen next, we'll figure it out together. All of us. We're all here for each other. Either way, we were no longer of use in the fight. We left at the right time. I'm sure we will hear from them soon."

Heejin nodded.

"I'm sorry for biting you," Hyunjin said. "It was the only thing I could try at that moment, but I still feel awful. I'd never bitten anyone."

There wasn't an answer, and Hyunjin wondered if she had fallen asleep.

"How was it?" Heejin asked.

Hyunjin pondered for a few seconds before answering. "Like when I drank human blood back at the Blood Alliance, but... even better."

"Better?"

"I'm sorry, this is awful."

"I don't resent you for that." Heejin pulled away just a bit, enough to meet her gaze. "I just wanna know... the feeling of drinking blood."

"Animal and human blood are completely different. You can drink a bottle of animal blood and you're fine, you are satisfied and don't feel the urge to drink more. But human... It's honestly so delicious, it's scary. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to stop drinking yours."

Heejin gulped.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm scaring you." Hyunjin sighed.

"You're not. I don't wanna be scared, I don't wanna dwell in sadness and act like my life is ruined and over because of this. I know I've had my moment just now, but I'm over it. This vampire thing isn't anything new to me, I sort of know how you... we are already. I'm still me, only stronger now. I just need to get used to it."

Hyunjin widened her eyes. "You also don't need to pretend you're a hundred percent fine with it already."

"I know, I'm not pretending. I broke down, now I'm fine, but I know I may break down again eventually. Just be here for me when that happens, and tell me everything's fine."

With a small, tender smile, Hyunjin kissed Heejin's forehead. "I'll never leave your side. I'll guide you through everything, breakdowns, finding your abilities, training."

"I saw how Hyejoo coped with it. She seemed fine in the beginning, had a major breakdown, but then focused her energy on training instead of dwelling on the fact that she was a vampire. And look at her, she's doing amazing and she's so incredibly strong."

"Yes, she is amazing, indeed. And you are as well. I can't promise it will be easy, but I know you'll be fine."

Heejin rested a hand on Hyunjin's cheek, caressing her skin with her thumb and approaching to kiss her lips. "Thank you, Hyunjinie."

"Now let's sleep, I'm sure a long day awaits us in the morning. And everything's gonna be fine in the end."

Heejin nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too."

---

A/N:

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