The Shadow pins the young Guardian to the pillar. The vines carved onto the surface came to life and reached out from the cement, wrapping itself around Taemin's thighs and torso, pressing him back against the cold yet burning wall.

"Such a beautiful face.. No doubt the son of the Elder Guardian, future leader of the Guardians with perfection as your middle name. Too bad you weren't all that  obedient like they say you were.." The Guardian glared at him, pulling back his right arm to send a blow at the Shadow but the vines caught his arms and pinned it back as well.

"Aw, not so mighty when bound, are you?" The Shadow smirked and with another wave of his hand, more vines wrapped themselves around Taemin and squeezed him so hard he screamed.

"LET ME GO!" he shouted at the other but the Shadow merely grinned.

"You're mine." He his lips and leaned towards the trapped Guardian's neck, Taemin let out frustrated growls as he struggles against the vines. He wasn't afraid of being hurled into nothingness though he knows he's not going to die, dying doesn't even come close.

The Shadow reached for his neck and a soft patch of skin before widening his mouth, baring his razor sharp fangs and sinking them into the flesh. The room lit up by a flash of blinding light coming from the spot that the fangs came in contact with. Drops of golden liquid leaked from the wounds made by the Shadow's fangs. The Shadow his lips, watching with a hungry look in his eyes as the droplets rolled down Taemin's neck, the contrast between the pale skin and the rich golden fluid made it looked extra tempting.

A small growl escaped the Shadow's lips as his lips came in contact with the fluid. It stung but he hungrily, savouring the literally heavenly taste of this rare treat. Taemin was determined not to let out a single sound, biting hard onto his bottom lip as he shivered in disgust. Those fangs may be poisonous, but the venom had no effect on him. It was something he was not fearful of, but the process was almost unbearable when he knows too well about what will happen next.

As he was distracted by the horrifying thought, Taemin did not feel the Shadow's fangs leave his skin until he notice the other staring intently at him. There seemed to be something else in those eyes, as if he was trying to say something. It was there for a moment, barely a second, before the look disappeared and was replaced by an irritable smirk.

"What a treat.. Just like how the others described it to be." His face inched closer towards the Guardian. "Now that fun time's over, time to get serious."

Taemin turned away and continued to try to break free from the vines, but with every struggle, the vines just seemed to get stronger and tighter. He felt a hand reach for his chin, turning his face so that he was facing the other. He sees it again, that look in his eyes. This time it did not disappear, they held onto that gaze.

"Why? Why did you choose him? Why must you make me do this to you? Why me?" it all came out in a shuddered breath, exasperated and regretful. Taemin's eyes widened, what did he just say?

"Yah Jin-" He wanted to clarify whatever he just heard, what did he mean? Taemin knew perfectly well that he most definitely did not force him into this. But at the same time he knows just as well that if the Shadow doesn't perform his duty to eliminate all those not fit to be a Guardian, the Shadow himself would undergo punishment much worse than this.

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a thumb caress his face gently, almost lovingly. He tried to push him away but in his struggle, his gaze was caught in the other's and he could not look away. As if paralyzed, his body gave up in its attempt to escape. His mind was screaming but not a sound left his lips. At the final moment, the Shadow's eyes closed and in that milisecond there was hope in escape but the vines refused to give Taemin that chance.

The moment their lips touched, a painful sensation surged through Taemin's body. It felt like his insides were beginning to boil but his bones felt cold as ice. To have the Shadow from the darkest ends of this world lay their darkest curse upon the Guardian that keeps the world safe, tainting and darkening. A painful process of punishment, punishment for breaking their sacred law of never revealing themselves to human beings.

With every movement on his lips, the pain intensified. Taemin could feel the curse creep under his skin, from his lips, to his body. Then his vision started to become blurry, a single tear rolled down his cheeks as he shuts his eyes.

His lips turned from pale pink to blood red..

'I have so many things to say to Minho...'

The depths of his white blonde hair darkened, his soft fair skin lost their glow and warmth..

'So many things we have not done, places we haven't been to..'

 His white clothes were replaced by black leather outfits, decorated with silver chains. Even his nails grew black.

'Minho.. i love you..'

The white feathers fell from his wings to reveal one resembling a bat's.

The pupils of his eyes were a warm shade of brown, but when he reopened them, they reveal an ice cold grey.

The vines loosen as the unfamiliar form wrapped his arms around the Shadow and kissed back.

'Minho..?'

'Who's that?'

~ ~ ~

That unfamiliar being pulled the Shadow closer and with a touch from his finger, the vines released the new form immediately and he was lifted off the ground. He was carried across the dark room and onto the couch on the other end. Their lips remained glued together in the process. As they lay down on the sofa, the Shadow broke away and looked down at the once gentle and sweet face.

His bubbly aura was replaced by an air of cold emptiness. His warm comforting gaze gone without a trace in the icy bored stare.

"Hyung?" Even his voice lost the sweetness it once overflowed with. The elder's heart ached to see and hear these changes in the one he secretly loved for so long. Such irony, when he was the one that did all this. But he had no other choice..

His gaze shifted to a small skull-shaped mark on the younger's neck, it marks the curse to seal away Taemin's love for Minho. It is to prevent it from happening again, it would hurt if it does and that was what the elder wish would never happen. He slid off the couch and turned away, trying to hide the expression on his face.

"I have arranged all of the things that you will need for you. Just go to Luna who's at the desk right outside."

"Yes Master Jinki."

As Jinki watched him leave the room, he cringed at the word 'Master'.

"So that's what I am.. Master.." He sighed.

He knew that the barrier of hatred due to the differences between them was gone, mainly because the younger could barely remember his past. Taemin calling Jinki 'Master' doesn't mean he became a Shadow just like his master. He was still a Guardian but at the same time he was not. He was somewhere in between. They never really gave these Guardians a name but in the stories that the elder Guardians tell the little kids like a mother telling her child, they call them the "Tainted"

Hey! I'm so sorry for such a late update!! School started and lots of stuff cropped up because I am taking a major exam this year.. I'll try my best to update as regularly as I can!

Okay so now Jinki who is our dearest Leader Onew has come into the picture, I really like his real name and I feel it inserts this special feel into his character so I prefer using his real name in my story. Hope you don't mind :D And also, Luna joined the fun! She has more of a big sister character here.. pretty platonic :)

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, do comment and subscribe! Thanks for the wonderful comments, it's so encouraging! :D <3<3