I could feel it in my bones before Sunhwa politely knocked on my door. The release of such evil into the world was like a shudder down my spine. “Mistress, Jieun would like to report.”

 

“Let her in,” I commanded.

 

“Lady Liza,” Jieun dropped to one knee, catching her breath, “The catacombs are in ruins.”

 

I continued to stare out the window. Somewhere, in our somewhat peaceful world, chaos was loose. “I’m aware of that.”

 

Shock was apparent on Jieun’s face before she wiped it clean, “Please, allow me to—”

 

“No,” I cut her off. I swirled my wine and took a sip. “Allow them some room. It will hurt all the more when we trap them again.”

 

~~~

 

“Why are my clothes so dusty?” Himchan muttered to himself, “I’m immortal, not forgotten furniture.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Youngjae smiled, “I think we’re due for a new wardrobe.”

 

“Before that, however,” Yongguk stared up at the large building they were standing in front of. It was labelled as the Bathory Museum.

 

“We should get our old stuff back,” Jongup finished.

 

“I miss my stuff,” Junhong pouted.

 

Daehyun ruffled the younger’s hair, much to Junhong’s dismay, “We all miss our lives.”

 

The six men simply walked into the dark building, not intimidated by the heavy doors or security system. Yongguk forced the double-folded steel open with his bare hands, ignoring the protests from the doors. Daehyun and Junhong made funny faces for the camera’s benefit.

 

Youngjae let out a whoop and ran ahead of the rest. “She’s certainly still wealthy,” mused Himchan out loud, taking in the tasteful decorum.

 

“Are you sure it’s still her?” Daehyun asked curiously.

 

“Yes,” Yongguk confirmed, eyes full of a jumble of emotions unreadable to Daehyun.

 

Jongup’s neck was craned to view a chandelier. “It will be nice to see her again.”

 

Junhong looked at him in confusion. “Revenge, Junhong,” Himchan revealed.

 

“Are you guys coming or what?” Youngjae poked his head from a door at the end of the hall. Junhong and HImchan strolled a bit quicker while Daehyun yelled about Youngjae’s shouts capable of waking the dead.

 

“She’s going to see us coming,” Jongup continued with Yongguk.

 

Yongguk simply smiled, “I know. I’m depending on it.”

 

Once the last two men entered the final room, the air changed it’s flavour. Anticipation and power hummed in conjunction. It was as if hounds were celebrating their master’s return. Each man was drawn to an item in a clear box. Jongup and Youngjae to necklaces, Yongguk to a crown, Junhong to a table, Daehyun to a perfume and Himchan to a mysterious box. These items were the reason they had come to the museum. Not to cause havoc but to reacquire what they had lost.

 

Daehyun grabbed his ring immediately, putting it on his middle finger and began to amuse himself with the other surroundings. Youngjae strained to lift one of the boxes up. Jongup contemplated the box in front of him before smashing it out of his way. Youngjae sneered and finally lifted his up. Yongguk eased off the box in front of him, not before securing the hat on his head in a jaunty manner. Junhong whipped the cover off the table, eyes delighted that everything was still in order. HImchan kissed the tip of his finger, applied it to the case in front of him, which shattered instantly.

 

“Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him well,” Youngjae joked, baring his teeth in a mock imitation of the skull in his hand.

 

“Yorick deserved his fate,” Daehyun called back.

 

“You always did have better teeth than me,” Youngjae noted, before shrugging, carelessly tossing the skull over his shoulder and placing his necklace over his head.

 

Silent Jongup raised the necklace to his nose, inhaling the scent like it was an old lover. Yongguk made a similar quiet exchange, putting his hat on the skull and the crown on his head. Himchan, in contrast, was digging through the open box, golden coins clinking musically as they were disturbed from their 200 year slumber. Junhong had set up the craps table as if he was going to play a few rounds. He gently blew on the red dice and tossed them down the green velvet tabletop.

 

“I really hated these portraits,” Daehyun clucked his tongue, folding his arms in front of an oil painting.

 

“Himchan?” Yongguk barked suddenly.

 

HImchan let out a sigh of relief and smiled happily towards Yongguk, “It’s here.”

 

Daehyun busied himself with making mustaches and bushy eyebrows on the faces of familiar looking men when Junhong looked up from his table. “Someone is coming.”

 

Himchan put a hand on Jongup’s chest to stop him from greeting the newcomer. “Let them come to us.”

 

Youngjae’s eyes flitted in apprehension towards their leader, “It’s not—”

 

Yongguk smirked, “It’s human.”

 

Daehyun his lips, “I happen to have a ravishing appetite from being lock up for so long.”

 

~~~

 

“Yes, Hyoseong, I’m aware of the break-in. Police are on their way and—what, no, don’t—” The dial tone rang in my ear. I sighed heavily, “Sunhwa, fetch my jacket.”

 

Jieun jumped up from her meditative position, “We are going to them now?”

 

“Hopefully Hyoseong doesn’t get herself killed. She’s the first human that’s been decent during this century.”

 

~~~

 

“Who exactly do you think you are, barging into my museum like this?” Hyoseong demanded, hands on hips.

 

Yongguk raised an eyebrow, “But these are ours.”

 

“They are the property of the Bathory family and I would kindly ask you to—” Hyoseong paused her rant as HImchan appeared by her side “—leave,” she finished faintly.

 

“You’re a pretty human,” Himchan lifted one of her curls, charm oozing off him.

 

Hyoseong sputtered, not sure why a burglar was hitting on her. “And who are you?” Jongup asked.

 

“I’m the curator of this museum,” Hyoseong managed to get out. When no one seemed impressed, she pushed on. “My name Is Jun Hyoseong and i am the personal friend to Lady Liza Bathory herself.”

 

Juong let out a long whistled. Youngjae looked like the cat who caught the mouse, “Looks like we really hit the jackpot.”

 

“Let go of the girl!” shouted a female voice.

 

“More food!” Daehyun said joyfully.

 

“I dont’ think so, blood er,” shot down the newcomer.

 

“Um, I don’t mean to interrupt, but if we could all vacate the premises,” Hyoseong failed at beaming like her normal self.

 

“Not going to happen,” Himchan shook his head, curling a hand around Hyoseong’s neck.  “Leave before I spill this girl’s blood over your clothes.” Hyoseong squealed and struggled but to no avail.

 

“Well then,” Hana shook her head, cracking her neck in the process, “Don’t say I never gave you a chance. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a vampire hunter. My name is Hana and it’s the last you’ll hear before I turn you back to ashes.”

 

“Wait!”

 

~~~

 

Hana, in the middle of springing herself towards the group of men, did stop in her tracks. Hyoseong’s body slackened with relief. The men’s reactions were complete opposite. Growls and hatred-filled eyes were apparent.

 

“Jieun, please Miss Hyoseong away from here,” I ordered.

 

“But Lady Liza—”

 

“Now Jieun,” was my crips command.

 

“Jieun, my old pal,” Himchan started, “You don’t want to hurt me, right?”

 

In response, Jieun withdrew her fist and shot it forward to Himchan’s nose. She never connected but Himchan did let go of his prey. While Himchan played duck and wave with Jieun, Daehyun made a snatch for Hyoseong. Sunhwa interfered, politely ushering the frightened human but not before raising a high heeled shoe and aiming towards Daehyun’s balls.

 

Youngjae snickered at the interactions before him but Jongup did not look amused. “Hyung, just attack her already,” Junhong encouraged.

 

Yongguk had eyes for only one female there, however. “You came.”

 

“I don’t take kindly to you hurting my humans,” I replied cooly.

 

“And here I thought you missed me after all these years.”

 

Hana let out a frustrated shout at basicallying being ignored and went after Youngjae. He easily evaded her attacks and Jongup stepped up to the plate. A simple push had Hana decommissioned, sailing through the air and landing harshly on the gleaming marble.

 

Hyoseong shook out of Sunhwa’s grip., “What, LIza, you know these guys?” Her eyes went wider at the crumpled form of Hana.

 

“Sunhwa, a bit more speed, if you would,” I suggested. “Also Jieun, stop playing with Himchan and take out Jongup.”

 

Both of my faithful servants did as I bid. Sunhwa was gone with a flutter of her skirts and Jieun smashed Himchan’s head against the displays, and jumped back into a new stance to take on Jongup. Still, Yongguk didn’t seem the least bit worried. Junhong was inching towards the knocked out human, blood drawing him in. I intercepted.

 

A small whine grew in the back of Junhong’s throat. “Do you know how long it’s been?’

 

“Of course she’s aware,” spat Youngjae, “She’s the one who locked us up.”

 

“You will do no harm on my watch,” I stayed firm on my convictions.

 

Jieun and Jongup’s fight went a bit more vicious. I could hear the grunts and cries as each warrior got hits in and blocked, all this in super speed. Yongguk’s eyes followed the couple. Jongup kicked Jieun’s midsection and Yongguk laughed. “No harm, huh?”

 

I charged at Junhong, clutching his throat and pinning him against a wall. “No Junhong,” I locked gazes with him, “You don’t have the choose this path again.”

 

“Ah ah ah,” HImchan mocked me. A sharp tip grazed my neck, “You can’t actually harm us without this.”

 

Daehyun chuckled, finally gathering himself, “She was stupid enough to keep that with the rest of our stuff?”

 

I hissed and shot out of the Junhong and Himchan sandwich. Sunhwa was back but Jieun and Jongup were at an impasse. It was three against six with a human still to protect.

 

“How about this,” Youngjae started, “We split the city 50/50?”

 

“Once I hand over half the city, soon enough your thirst will drive you to half the world. No, I will not make the same mistake my father did,” I refused.  

 

“Always, you pure bloods have looked down upon us,” Yongguk observed.

 

“I have never, ever, looked down at you Bang Yongguk,” I denied, feeling old wounds. “I have only hated the method you chose to retaliate with.

 

“You would rather hide like a bat during the day,” Yongguk fleshed out our past, “I wish to thrive.”

 

“Enough of this chatter!” Daehyun interrupted. “We have what we came for.”

 

Junhong’s eyes lit up, “Time to hunt?”

 

“Goodbye,” Jongup said simply and then they were gone with barely a wisp of black mist to hint here were six men there previously.

 

“Mistress?” Sunhwa knew better than to go after them without my permission.

 

Jieun cried out as her ribs healed and snapped back into place, “I will kill them all,” she vowed through clenched teeth.

 

The human was knocked out cold. I suppressed the hunger that roared at the smell of her blood. Her driver’s licence told me her name but it did not tell me why she happened to be here. Perhaps just a normal thief after the treasures displayed here. Either way, she would have to be taken back to the manor as well.  “We can’t go after them like this. We need a plan. Let them find remorse in their old haunts. We shall retaliate in time.”

 

“I had to put Miss Hyoseong in the trunk of the car,” Sunhwa informed me, picking at a chipped nail.

 

I rubbed my temples, “It’s going to be fun explaining this to her.”

 

Sunhwa grinned, through it was more a predatory than amused one.”She can be convinced into silence.”

 

“No, I don’t want to instill fear in her. That’s not what we are anymore. We want to help humanity not hinder it. She’s a part of this now, whether she likes it or not.”

 

Jieun brightened at a thought, “Does this mean I get to sharpen my weapons?”

 

“Yes Jieun, finally you get to use your blades again,” I sighed.

Hopefully no more human’s would be involved. I did not want this to be a war of blood. No, now I knew this time I had to end this feud for real and perhaps finally my heart would stay cold in the process.