“I’m back.” Yuri announced, eyes landing on the vampire guards wary of her presence. They should be, given her strange barbaric attire, not reminiscent of a once renowned member of the Royal Vampire Family.

The soldiers hesitantly acknowledged her, bowing their heads in reverence despite her uncomely attire. Yuri grinned upon seeing their reactions.

‘I’m still part of the family, after all.’ She thought as she made slow, careful steps across the courtyard. She had not spotted any of her family members yet, but she knew it would not be long before-

The door to one of the main courts opened and from behind them appeared her parents, the family she has abandoned out of guilt and shame. Yuri was sure to remember that, but the Yuri right now was a lot more different than before. She had buried all those burdens of the past as she nurtured the darkness within her along with Yoona on their self-imposed exile.

“Yuri?” Her mother gasped, “Is that really you?”

“Oh, my Yuri!” Lord Kwon cried out as he stepped onto the courtyard, ready to welcome his long, lost daughter into his embrace.

But just as he was about to take another step forward, a swift shadow of a figure stopped him in his tracks as they landed between him and his daughter.

“Taeyeon…” Yuri blurted as she stared at the very person that got between her and her parents in a blink of an eye.

“Kwon Yuri.” Taeyeon mumbled under her breath, “You have been called here, have you not?”

Yuri just grinned back, taking a step forward towards her overlord before answering, “Your precious Sooyeon summoned me here. And now, here I am.” Her eyes roamed the courtyard, admiring the soldiers and other vampires watching her every move. She caught a glimpse of Sooyeon on the terrace of Juhyun’s room. The smell of Yoona’s blood can be felt in the air despite how thin it was.

“Hello, Sooyeon.” Yuri greeted as her gaze locked with the vampire overlord’s partner. “I was wondering why you had called.”

“It is to stop this madness, Yuri.” Taeyeon answered for her twin, making Yuri face the eldest vampire twin instead. “I am sending some of our family members to the East and to be able to do that, I will have to settle everything here. I have had enough of your disturbances.”

Yuri’s eyes turned black, “It was never mine nor Yoona’s intention, Taeyeon. We were turned this way and we had accepted it. For you to think we were causing trouble in the kingdom is being unjust to us. I will not back down!” She unleashed her darkness on the courtyard. Everyone except Taeyeon had stepped back into safety. The current vampire lord neither flinched nor reacted to the darkness that had begun to swallow the yard.

Yuri’s parents cowered in fear of what their precious daughter had become.

“You have been devoured by the darkness running in your veins, Yuri. It was not supposed to happen but being a part of your clan made you into this. Now, I will purge you of this darkness.” Taeyeon said as she reached out a glowing hand. The glow from her hand grew brighter and larger as Taeyeon stepped forward to reach out to Yuri.

“You cannot fathom how deep this darkness runs through me!” Yuri replied, her voice deeper and almost omnipresent. Her power seemed to have engulfed almost all of the courtyard now, swallowing everything in a dark void.  With her immense power, she walked towards Taeyeon as she aimed her darkness towards the vampire lord. Taeyeon still used one glowing hand to keep her at bay.

“I am free, Taeyeon. You should see how much I am capable of doing!” Yuri boasted as she focused all her dark energy into making Taeyeon submit to her.

“I will bring order in this chaotic world.” Taeyeon muttered under her breath as her hand glowed brighter, overpowering the darkness that was threatening to cover her and her surroundings. The ground under her feet reverted to normal and as she took a step forward, her light began to dispel the darkness affecting