Solange

My nostrils flared warningly. My ears twitched, fully alert of every sound. I heard the familiar sound of Lucy's high-pitched scream as she stomped away. Then I lost all one-sided connection with her.

Until the smell hit me.

It was faint, so faint an ordinary vampire would not have been able to pick up the scent unless they were deliberately hunting for Hel-Blar. But I knew better.

It was the Hangbui. They were the species we were tracking in France. But why? How?

They were small in numbers, but there was no way I would have only smelled it now. That meant only one thing - someone's consciousness was possessed. That was the ability of the most ancient, oldest Haugbui. And I have a feeling who it is. It sent shivers up my spine, and made my blood boil. If it was truly who I think it is, then Lucy is in even bigger trouble than what my brothers may be thinking.

"Kieran, we've got to go," I said through gritted teeth.

"We? Go? Where?" he blinked. I sighed. Naturally, I haven't managed to tell Kieran anything yet. Blame this awkward personality of mine. Three years in France with friendly vampires and politic talks did me no good.

I didn't give him any time to argue. In fact, I gave him no chance to talk at all before I begun running towards the farmhouse I left three years ago.


Nicholas

The stench make me nauseous. It wasn't as bad as Hel-blar, but bad all the same. It was mostly I didn't want to believe it was Lucy, but hell, it was. That pepper and bubble gum smell cannot be mistaken; that was just unthinkable.

I wanted so badly to push the blame onto Vanessa, but I couldn't. She was the one who aided us in France, and I couldn't help it if she took a liking to me instead of a single Drake brother like Marcus.

We were running together towards the farmhouse I lived in three years ago. The roads were familiar; fresh. Some people moved into our house, and I had a fair idea who they were. My phone rang in my pocket and I knew it would be Bruno; I had sent him a voice-mail earlier. He was on the way, I had no doubt about it.

Just as that thought crossed me, Logan and Isabeau were by my side with roughly six of Kala's Hound dogs. They were a comfort and I felt Vanessa fall into the shadows. At least one of us have managed to get back their girlfriends. Way to go, Logan.

"Lucy's in danger," Isabeau stated the obvious. But her eyes were wide and alert, glaring a hole through anything that stood in her way. Including Logan. Not good.

It was inappropriate timing, but I could not help but wonder; since when did the two - Lucy and Isabeau - get so close? It frustrated me that there was something in Lucy's life that I didn't know of. And that was probably the frustration she had felt when she saw Vanessa clinging onto me. Times ten. It just made me feel worse.

"Bro, you alright?" Logan was running beside me now, and he patted on my shoulder lightly. I knew it was eighty percent him avoiding Isabeau's death glare, but it still made me feel better. I have good brothers.

"Yeah, just... you know. It's not working out as I thought," I muttered dejectedly.

"Less talk, more running," Isabeau said so icily Logan and I flinched and shut up.

"Not exactly working out for me either," Logan sighed after a while and we sped up as we saw Isabeau's eyes narrow into slits at his words.


Lucy

I'm not feeling right. I tried to recall what I was doing. I remember being pissed off at Nicholas and stomping away from the scene with his fangy girlfriend to give them privacy.

Then I... what happened?

I cocked my head in confusion and realised I was in complete darkness, and that wasn't because I had my eyes closed. Even with my puny human senses, I knew something supernatural was up.

Being someone who was used to sneaking out at midnight for dates and vampire staking, pure darkness was more like a comfort as I somehow knew I was safe in this place of emptiness.

At least, until the weirdest of smell hit me.


Isabeau

I snarled, flashing my two set of fangs proudly. It was the only way I could prevent them from cutting into my lips. Before Logan (who is no longer my boyfriend, mind you) found me, I had already felt that something was off.

In the three years, I had learnt stronger magic from Kala, and had linked my soul to Lucy, Kieran, Hunter, Christabel and Sky. That way, we would know when each other was in trouble.

And now, I couldn't feel Lucy. It was Lucy's body I could sense, but her soul wasn't present. It was just an empty vessel. The whole thing just screamed 'Black Magic'. Then Logan came along and spluttered everything in a jumble, but I caught the main word - Haugbui.

They are similar to us Hounds, but much more intelligent and smaller in numbers. No one knows where they originate from, except that they were the vampire species that were ancient and never revealed themselves. No one knows why.

You know what I know? It pisses me off to think that there's another group of vampires who think they can outsmart Kala.

And I especially want to kick one's ass right now for possessing my friend's soul.


Christabel

"L-Lucy?" my voice squeaked and Connor protectively stood before me, his long arm stretched out to block me from Lucy.

At least, she looked like Lucy. She even smelled like her, but somehow, something felt ominously off. I considered quoting a novel.

Connor bared his elongated fangs with a sharp hiss. I stuffed that dumb idea back somewhere in my mind. Clearly, that was not Lucy because Connor never hissed at Lucy. At least, not the Connor from three years ago, he wouldn't. Now? I'm not sure about anything anymore.

"Lucy," I said more certainly this time and took a step forward. I was not going to let him attack my cousin, even if he was (once) important to me. Connor used his large build to push me two steps backwards so that my back hit the wall. "Don't," he commanded. "That's not Lucy. Smell, Chris. Sniff the air."

I took orders from nobody, especially the man who had dumped me and was acting all hero, but I sniffed because there was nothing else for me to do. Then I smelled it. Brief, but if I tried, it was there.

"Hel-Blar?"

"No. Haugbui," Connor answered as though it was obvious.

Maybe he forgot I wasn't an expert in this whole vampire thing.


Lucy

"Christabel," I spat in disgust before my cousin and Connor's face.

At least, I think I was the one saying it. More like, I was looking at myself from... inside myself, I realised. It was hella creepy. I didn't even know my facial expressions could twist into something like... like that. Absolutely gross. I decided no way in hell was that me.

"Wipe that disgusting snarl off my face!" I snapped, but my voice merely echoed in the darkness. Even if somebody heard me, they showed no signs of replying to my demand about my own body.

Shit, Hamilton. Shit. What have you gotten yourself into again this time?

I suddenly broke into a run, aware I was in my tattered dress and doll shoes, the spot where my stake was supposed to be empty and burning in warning. But I continued running.

Because in front of me, I saw a single speck of light, and that could very well be my last ray of hope.


Quinn

It was probably the twin thing, but I started sprinting, carrying Hunter on my back without the utter of another word. The coldness I felt in my chest told me there was nothing more dangerous than Lucy in our farmhouse right now. Old farmhouse, whatever; I'm tired of this whole past tense thing. I could smell others in the mansion, but like I cared. All I could focus on now, was Connor.

And the fact that Hunter was on my back. Skinship.

"Quinn Drake, you let me down right now!" Hunter flung about helplessly. I tightened my grip on her legs. She let out a squeak and I loosened immediately, but not enough for her to break free.

"Hunter, shut up. Lucy's in trouble," I answered a little sharply.

I heard her pulse quicken as she quietened down.

"...Haugbui?"

I nodded, surprised despite myself. Hunter cursed. She sure caught on fast for someone whose face looked ghastly pale she would've easily passed for a vampire at the information I filled her up not five minutes ago.

I would've dropped her down for a kiss and to tell her just how smart she was, but I didn't have the time.

I groaned.

If it's one thing the Drakes have never had since their youngest daughter changed, it was time.


Time is the key, you bloody Drakes! If you don't hurry, Lucy will really die!