Caleb, Marlin, Edward, and Nathaniel are preparing to leave for the rescue mission. Rosalina, ever the caring woman, provides the group with medical concoctions, hoping that these will aid them through their mission.

The revelation of Lilian's whereabouts strikes Caleb to his core, the realization that she has been held captive by Lord Voss and his goons at the place where he slayed Vladislaus Straud on the final battle of the Vampire Civil War. The news elicits a shocking reaction from Kian, who is Vladislaus's disowned son, as he wonders about the connection between the Voss family and the man he calls his father.

Worrying for the safety of House Vatore, Caleb instructs Lilith, Kian, and Butler Richard to take care of the estate should there be any surprise attack on his home and his family.

As they all take a short break before leaving in the early morning, Marlin brings Lumera to the Emberlynn's house, entrusting the safety of his pregnant wife to Rosalina. Ember and Nathaniel share a quiet moment together before the storm, despite this is not the first time her blond boyfriend has gone on a mission like this, Ember is still worried. She doesn't come from a supernatural background and the thought of her partner going on a dangerous mission like this unnerves her, the only thing she can do is to pray for his and everyone's safety.

"Edward, here…" Rosalina presents a small charm to her husband "I hope that this will protect you from harm…"

Knowing how capable the older blond is, Rosalina still can't chase away the fear of losing him. The stronger Edward becomes, the more fearful she is of the unknown future.

"I'll be okay, don't worry…"

"I know. Please, stay safe…" she looks at Nathaniel who gives her a warm smile "You too, Nathaniel. Always wear the charm I gave you, okay?"

Primrose looks at her family and then turns her attention to Caleb, who is pondering his thoughts. The expression on his face is unnerving, she can't read what lies behind those silver orbs of his. However, that is not important right now. She must join this mission, Lilian is waiting for her, she can not fail her best friend.

"Caleb, I want to come with you." her onyx eyes plead for his acceptance "Please…"

The young lord knits his brows at her request, contemplating whether he should allow her to go. He knows she is more than capable of handling the dangerous mission, she is the student of the great Marlin Ember and the daughter of Edward Emberlynn after all, and yet, his protective instinct makes him shake his head.

"No Primrose, you can't go."

"B-but Lilian, she is my best friend, I can't just sit here and do nothing!" she exclaims, holding onto his arm as she pleads.

"Well, having Primrose with us might be a good idea, considering her healing potential..." Marlin offers his wisdom, but the glaring he receives from Edward makes him bite his tongue instead.

"See, Marlin knows it. Caleb, I can't stay here, I need to see her."

Caleb, Edward, and Nathaniel exchange concerned glances, knowing the dangers involved. As a wise father, Edward steps up and tells her off, believing that he must not allow her to endanger herself. Nathaniel, ever the protective younger brother, agrees with their dad's decision. Primrose stares at her family, she can't believe her dad looks down on her like that and starts to fight back.

"I must go, Lilian is waiting for me!"

"No, you will not." Caleb sternly warns her "Primrose, we need you to be safe. A larger group will only hinder us from saving her."

The raven head is overwhelmed by her emotion, lashing out at everyone for thinking that she is weak. Her emotion rises and they can hear the water system start acting strange.

"Primrose, it's not about being weak, it's about your safety. You are too emotional for this mission, we can not take the risk."

Edward's unyielding response only escalates her height of emotion. Her tears well up and frustration lies bare on her face as she turns to Marlin, hoping for his assistance. But the fire mage can not say anything, not when the two most important men in Primrose's life say no to her.

"Caleb, I can fight, I won't be a burden. Please let me come with you guys."

Nathaniel, worrying about his sister's emotions, steals a glance at their father. The older blond's absolute decision leaves no room for negotiation. Rosalina and Lumera look at each other, offering a sense of peace in Primrose heart as they try to soothe her fear of being left out, yet she persists in going on the mission with them.

"Enough, Primrose!" Caleb's eyes reflect the fear within his heart, his beloved is too emotional to be involved in this dangerous matter "You can not come with us. I will not allow it."

His decision cuts through the air, the sharpness of his voice makes her flinch as she grows more defensive.

"I'm not a mere child who needs to be protected, Caleb. You must understand that Lilian is important to me!"

"And you are important to me, Primrose. I can not take the risk." his frustration becomes evident as she continues to be stubborn "You will stay here, end of discussion!"

She takes a step back, onyx eyes widen at his ultimatum. Caleb has never acted this way toward her, his kind and gentle demeanor is what she is used to, not this cold and harsh side of his. The weight of his words hang in the still air, serving as a dagger to her heart as she fumbles on her answer, trying to respond to Caleb's decision.

In a brief moment, the young lord realizes what he just said. Despite wanting to chase away that painful look on Primrose's face, he holds his ground. If being harsh means that he can protect her from harm, Caleb is willing to do it.

Just like how I abandoned her years ago for her safety…

"Primrose, I promise we'll bring Lilian back safely. But you have to trust us and stay here," Nathaniel adds, attempting to soften the blow.

The raven head sucks on her breath, unable to find her voice at his stern words. They are not a request from him, those words ooze with dominance, commanding her to stay. Since when did their relationship take such a drastic turn like this? Is it because she is his mate?

As the sun slowly rises outside the window, the men gather their stuff, ready to embark on the mission. Ember wraps a blanket on Primrose's shoulders, a kind gesture that earns her a thankful nod. She hasn't said anything since Caleb's ultimatum.

Edward gives the young lord a knowing look before taking his leave, followed by Nathaniel and Marlin. Caleb sighs as he makes his way to the raven head, caressing her hair as he pulls her towards him, allowing her to rest on his chest as he murmurs sorry for the harsh words.

"Believe in me, beloved. I will bring Lilian back safe and sound."

But she says nothing, her heart still aches from the lingering pain. Grazing his lips against her forehead, Caleb entrusts her safety to Rosalina and Lumera. As he turns to look at her one last time, feeling a tug in his heartstrings at her trembling shoulders, he casts away his doubt and closes the door behind him.

Rosalina and Lumera give each other a knowing look. A witty mother and an understanding mentor, they nod in unison, making their way to the kitchen for some tea. Primrose rises up from her seat and walks upstairs, returning to the safety of her old bedroom. Ember's eyes follow her, finding the sad expression on her face unnerving. She walks to the kitchen, wondering what the older women are planning when she sees that playful smirk adorn their faces.

"Is everything okay?" breaking the silence, Nathaniel's girlfriend asks.

"Oh, everything is according to plan, my dear." Rosalina giggles, her voice like a chirping bird singing a happy song "All according to plan…"

Her witty response doesn't go unnoticed as Ember raises a brow, unsure how to give her answer. Lumera pushes another tea cup towards her, extending the invitation for some tea. As Ember takes a sip of the liquid, feeling the warmth slowly spread into her system, a loud thudding sound captures her attention as she looks up to the ceiling.

"I guess stubbornness runs in the family?"

Lumera's cryptic message alarms Ember she looks at the two women one more time before realizing what they are talking about. Running to the living room, she spots a long makeshift rope made out of blankets and a figure slowly climbs down from it. Her eyes widen in surprise when she makes eye contact with Primrose, who is startled at first but hurry to finish her job.

"Pri-?!"

"Ember, come here and have some tea with us!"

Rosalina's voice draws her attention as she begins to piece together what the two women are planning. Primrose gives her one desperate look before running away, a similar route to where the rescue team is heading.

"W-wait…"

A hand stops her, Lumera and Rosalina walk to her, shaking their head. It makes Ember wonder why they allow this stunt to happen.

"Shouldn't we stop her?"

"No need. A mere ultimatum won't stop Primrose from doing what she wants." As an understanding mother, Rosalina responds "You know how stubborn she and Nathaniel can be when it comes to achieving their goals."

"But…" she sighs at the playful remark "What if Caleb gets angry? He told her to stay, didn't he?"

Lumera sighs, acknowledging the fact that the young lord can be very upset, but that doesn't mean he can stop Primrose from following them.

"If he is angry, then I guess Caleb doesn't really understand her as we thought he would…"

Another cryptic message that leaves Ember to pray for the safety of Primrose and everyone.

"We should be fine going the long route." Caleb instructs as they go through the forest "This leads us directly to our destination, away from prying eyes."

His ears perk up, spotting the sound of cracking branches. Keeping a close eye on the back, he continues to lead everyone through the wood.

Despite the winter season, the forest within Forgotten Hollow stays green yet eerie. Towering trees with gnarled branches loom overhead, the deep green of the leaves serves as their umbrella as they navigate through the snowy weather. Haunting calls of nocturnal creatures break the still silence, echoing through the thick veil of mist that wraps around the forest.

As they venture deeper into the wood, so is the hidden figure that follows them. Caleb's vampire senses heighten, allowing him to pick up all the subtle moves of the anonymous person. It is not until they reach the depth of the forest that he holds up his hand, motioning them to stop in their tracks.

The following figure slows down their movement before hiding behind the large tree, using it to shield their body from being discovered. Chewing anxiously on their lips, onyx eyes waver in worry as they hold tightly on their chest, hoping to ease the loud thumping sound of their heart. However, luck is not on their side this time as a shadow appears underneath their feet and the pitch-black color becomes eerie to their eyes.

A hand snatches their wrists, tightening its grip. Another hand grasps their cheeks as they are forced to look into those bloody red eyes.

C-Caleb…

"What are you doing here?" his voice holds no emotion as he speaks "Didn't I tell you to stay, Primrose?"

Wincing at the pressure on her wrist, her onyx orbs are wide open as she stares at him, her body shaking in fear.

"Answer me!"

The gentle façade is cast away as Caleb embraces his frustration, roaring at her. Primrose can sense a change in the atmosphere, the eerie vibe is now replaced by a dangerous and threatening air as his grip on her tightens even more, almost to the point of breaking her wrist. His anger pierces through her, each words that come out of his lips weigh heavily around them, letting her know that she has stepped on a landmine, Caleb's landmine.

"Caleb, p-please…" she winces in pain, feeling her wrist numb at the contact.

This person…This is not the Caleb she knows…

Nathaniel immediately steps in, prying the young lord off his sister. He has seen this side of Caleb before, one that is ready to stain his hands with blood. While the vampire lord will not harm Primrose, the blond can not take the risk of his sister seeing her beloved like this…

"Caleb, calm down!"

"H-hurt…"

Her painful whisper snaps Caleb's eyes wide open as he struggles to understand what he just did to her. Letting go of her wrist, those silver orbs hold a dreaded light when he sees the ugly bruise of his fingers on her. Cold sweat beads on his forehead as he steps away, fearing that he will inflict more pain on Primrose.

No…what have I done…?

The raven head nursing her wrist carefully, the lingering pain still haunts her as she stares at his back, unable to process what has gotten into him. Edward and Marlin walk over, with the older blond scolding her for being stubborn and reckless. She bites her tongue, remaining silent at her father's words. His criticism doesn't bother her anymore as she is trying to grasp the Caleb that she has never known before, those bloody red eyes of his stared at her as if she was prey…

Caleb…

"W-well, we can not go back now, so…" Nathaniel tries to mediate the situation "Stay close to us, Prims."

She nods, unable to remove her sight from Caleb. She steps closer to him, a trembling hand resting on his shoulder, hoping to get his attention.

"C-Caleb, I…" she chews her bottom lips "I'm sorry…I…"

But before she can finish her sentence, the young lord steps away, his back fully facing her as he continues the route to Lilian's capture. His cold shoulder imprints in Primrose's mind as she struggles to maintain her composure, knowing that she has angered him. Nathaniel, being the supportive younger brother, places a hand on her shoulder and reassures the raven head that everything will be okay.

Primrose can only nod in response…

Lilian opens her eyes, the view in front of her is hazy and cloudy. Confusion clouding her senses, where is she…?

"So she will be the next sacrifice?"

The rough voice of a man brings back her senses as she lies on the dirt floor, eavesdropping on the conversation. The word 'sacrifice' sends a shiver down Lilian's spine. What are they talking about?

"Where did she hear that from?" a gasp escapes the other man's lips "The lady from that family?"

Knitting her brow, she can hear a few words, something about sacrifice, blood, and eternal beauty. She strains to make sense of the conversation, are they talking about her?

"B-but what about House Vatore? Didn't Lilith Vatore capture Don Lothario already?"

Don Lothario? Vatore?

That man mentions how he has cleared the scene and those mortals who entered Forgotten Hollow have been disposed of. Don Lothario may be the main source of their energy, but that doesn't mean they can not act on their own to hunt down humans. A reward after a good hunt is better than waiting for their master to toss down the remaining of what he or she has consumed.

"That stupid Caleb Vatore doesn't know a damn thing about being a vampire. I still can't believe that he defeated Vladislaus Straud just because of his creation."

Caleb Vatore? Vampire?

Lilian knits her brows at the revelation, is this the same Caleb Vatore she knows as her colleague? Or they are talking about someone else? And what is the meaning of vampire? Are they talking about those nocturnal creatures of the night that sucks blood out of their victims?

"He is stupid for choosing a human mate, talk about true love my ass…" the man sneers, downing himself another cup of wine "Let me tell you, no one is better than that Bloodhaven lady. Choosing a frail human over a noble vampire, what a joke to his family."

"What was her name again? He announced it proudly at House Cent's party months ago…? Uh…" pondering his thoughts, the man snaps his finger as a lightbulb appears on his head "Right, P-Primprim?"

"Primrose Emberlynn. She is the human mate of Caleb Vatore." The other man laughs "Man, Primprim. What the hell is that?"

Her eyes snap wide open as she lets the name sink in, the name of her best friend. Primrose is the human mate of Caleb…

Vampires…

Blood…

Eternal beauty…

Horror etches Lilian's face as she realizes what danger she has pushed her friend into. She pushes Primrose into a relationship with Caleb Vatore, not knowing about his evil background. She pushes her best friend in this dangerous world with her very own hands…

Primrose…

What have I done…?

She picks up the sound of heavy footsteps, loud and thudding, some kind of big man walking down the stairs. He scolds his underlings for drinking while they are on duty, emphasizing how important it is to get rid of this prey as soon as possible. His goons don't understand what is going on and why their lady wishes to consume the blood of a mortal just like Serephina Bloodhaven's practice.

"It doesn't matter. What is important is that our lady remains beautiful and a mere sacrifice is nothing compared to what the future holds for her and this family." laughing eerily, he continues "She must consume the blood of her prey, the more the better."

"O-of course, boss."

Lilian shivers at the revelation of what has been bestowed onto her. She doesn't see any other victim besides her, does that mean she is the prey they are talking about?

"Wake up, scum!" shaking the jail cells violently, the man roars "Time for the main event!"

Lilian sits up, terror filling her eyes as those men unlock the cells, stepping closer to her with sinister smiles on their faces. She scoops closer to the corner, avoiding their rough hands as they yank her by her forearm, pulling her out of the cell as Lilian thrashes around, screaming for help.

They pull her upstairs, ignoring how her body is dragging around like a rag doll, bruising at the harsh contact of her body and the dirt floor of this centuries-old building. Open the door, they drag her to the main hall, where her eyes widen in horror at the terrific scene in front of her. Lying around are headless corpses of what seem to be the victims of this sinister plan. These women… Are those the ones that link to the human trafficking case…?

"More, I need more!"

A blood-curdling scream echoes through the hall as a naked woman, her silver locks drenched in blood, emerges in a pool of red liquid. Laughter escapes her lips as madness consumes her, driven by the promise of eternal beauty.

"Give me more blood! I can not let that woman win!"

"My lady, here is your next meal, please enjoy it to the fullest!"

They toss her to the ground like she is nothing but prey. The woman cracks her head to the side, her menacing blue eyes are soulless, leering at the one her underlings call her next meal.

"Is this the one she is talking about?"

"Of course, my lady. The great doctor Lilian Collins of San Myshuno's Hospital. The blood of such a high-status human will surely help you embrace that eternal youth."

Lilian trembles in fear as she stares at the scene in front of her, these people… They are after her this whole time? Is that why she is the only prisoner in that jail cell? She is the next prey for this maniac to consume?

The minions pull out a tall piece of machinery that is covered in a dark teal blanket. The shadow of eeriness cast over Lilian, reminding her of the nightmarish ordeal she is facing. Her mind races to Primrose, her best friend. The thought that she is the one who pushes her into a relationship with Caleb Vatore, not knowing his vampiric background. Is she facing the same end as her? Becoming prey under the hands of that charming surgeon?

They pull the blanket off, revealing some kind of beheading device. A guillotine?

"No, no!"

Lilian thrashes against the rough hands of those who orchestrate this gruesome event. The more she tries to fight off those hands, the eerier their laugh is. It is said the louder their prey screams, the better the blood is. The naked woman is thrilled at the scene, her smile is from ear to ear, cheering at the brutality her men inflict on her prey.

She has longed for this day to come, to get her hands on Lilian Collins. This high-value woman holds the promise of beauty and youth as Seraphina Bloodhaven has said. As long as she consumes this woman's blood, she will transform. No longer will she be under the thumb of that wicked Bloodhaven maiden and she will also capture the eyes of the young Head of House Vatore.

Ever since she saw him at House Cent's party, her heart has set to be with him. But Inna Cents promotes Seraphina Bloodhaven instead of her, praising that wicked woman as a beauty no one can compare. Even her father, Lord Voss, remained silent instead of praising his daughter in front of Lord Caleb.

Seraphina acts so kindly as if she is a saint, sharing the secret of her youth and advising her to seek mortal blood to enhance it. But she knows that the Bloodhaven maiden has other plans in her hand, especially when it comes to eliminating that human mate of Lord Caleb. This Lilian Collins is one of many preys she will consume, the more blood she has, the better she will become. She will surpass Seraphina Bloodhaven, she will be the worthy mate of Lord Caleb Vatore. It is her, Selene Voss of House Voss, who will triumph.

"Seraphina! I will surpass you!"

Her sadistic manner fills the eerie hall, leering at the struggling Lilian as her goons pull her to the guillotine machine.

"No, let me go!" thrashing desperately, the brunette screams "No!"