I threw my arms around Jimin's neck, choking back a sob.

"Thank you!" I gasped. "Thank you!"

We were now in his apartment, following him breaking me out of my own. My backpack lay discarded on the floor, forgotten, and the most pressing issue was how we were going to stop my mother from killing everyone. Jimin had called Taehyung over for another opinion.

"That's what guardian angels are for," he replied, grinning. "Of course, we're usually invisible and much more subtle, but we're always watching out for you, you know?"

I smiled warmly, though I wasn't sure if it looked fake or not. I was preoccupied, my mind spinning. The worry in my stomach was eating me from inside out.

"What are we gonna do?" I whispered, almost afraid to voice our dilemma. "She's wants to kill everyone."

"We'll figure that out once Taehyung gets here," Jimin replied soothingly. He moved towards the kitchen. "But meanwhile, you have to calm down. We have to approach this in the most effective way possible."

I nodded, though that did nothing. My heartbeat sounded like a vibration, and my breathing was so shallow I could barely feel the air in my lungs. Moments passed, though they felt like centuries, and Jimin returned with two steaming cups of green tea. I took one numbly, staring at the odd tea leaf floating around. The tea was warm and surprisingly comforting, as if I was drinking liquid love. It slipped down my throat, heating my body down its track, and before I knew it, my stomach was full, warm, and content.

The doorbell rang, and Jimin waved his hand aimlessly, and it swung open. Taehyung walked in, expressionless, before kicking the door closed with his heel and sitting down next to me. One of my hands were warm from the cup with tea, and the other was cold, from Taehyung's hand, which had naturally found its way into mine.

"So let's cut to the chase," said Jimin, lounging back in his sofa. "What do we do to stop Sori's mom?"

Taehyung threw a glance at me. "Without harming her, I imagine?" he added. Jimin nodded. "Well, I could manipulate her, couldn't I?"

Something burned in the pit of my stomach. It was quite foreign. I'd felt it in small doses before, but never this much. It festered and boiled, and I felt like I was going to burst with built-up pressure.

"I want to be the one to do it," I said emotionlessly. "I want to make her regret it."

"But..." Jimin didn't have to finish the sentence. What could I do? I was a human girl, with no extraordinary abilities. There wasn't much I could do. "Okay, we'll figure something out. We just have to think."

"The woman has lost her mind," Taehyung sighed before quickly saying, "no offense."

"None taken."

"What can stop someone who's lost their mind?" Taehyung continued to muse. "They're not the same."

"...She's still a mother, isn't she?" Jimin interjected. "She'll still care about Sori, right?"

"You could use me," I said, hastily trying to find a way to bring my mother down. "But you've seen her; she isn't the same. It has to be drastic. Something serious has to happen to me for her to change back even a little."

Taehyung shook his head. "We can't have you dying," he said. "That's not worth it."

"But..." I'd figured it out. A smile was now dancing on my lips, the first in a long time. "Isn't there something that's worse than death to her?"

Sori, no! Jimin screamed in my head, reading my mind. What are you thinking?

"What, what?" Taehyung asked, well aware that Jimin and I were onto something. "What is she thinking?"

"I could become a monster, couldn't I?"

-

"Well, I guess this is it," Taehyung hummed, looking around before knocking the door.

It was night now, well after dinner, and the three of us stood in front of a normal-looking apartment door. It was just a plain wooden door with no decorations, but according to Taehyung, this was the home of a vampire he was friends with. This was the home of the vampire that would change me.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jimin asked, his hand latched tightly onto mine. "There are always other ways."

I rolled my eyes. "You've asked me this twelve times on the ride here," I replied, nodding at Taehyung's car. "We're already here, aren't we?"

"That's..."

The door opened, revealing a teenage boy that looked slightly younger than me (but who knew how old he actually was), with neat black hair, pale skin, and large dark eyes. He wore a black hoodie and jeans, and when he saw Taehyung, he smiled, revealing a set of bunny teeth, as well as sharp fangs. He beckoned us in quickly, and all three of us were drawn into the darkened apartment.

"Jungkook, how are you?" Taehyung conversed.

"I'm kinda tired, actually," replied Jungkook, rubbing at his sunken eyes. "Just woke up, you know."

He led us to a living room. The whole apartment was dark, all the curtains drawn and all the lights off. The only sources of light were candles that spanned every few meters of the walls. We all took a seat around his wooden coffee table.

"This Sori?" Jungkook asked, eyeing me up and down. "The human?"

I nodded.

"You do realize what you're getting yourself into, right?" he pressed on. "No sunlight, drinking blood, no reflections, and possible persecution by humans?"

I nodded, slower this time.

"And you're Jimin, the guardian angel?" he continued, turning to Jimin, who was sitting next to me. Jimin nodded. "You're aware that... things won't be the same?"

Jimin grimaced, and I felt a pang in my heart. If I became a monster, Jimin would cease to be my guardian angel because I'd lose my soul. I'd known that going into this, but now that it was staring me straight in the face, I almost wanted to back out. I didn't want to lose the special connection I had with Jimin.

"I'm okay with it if Sori is," Jimin answered loyally, giving my hand a squeeze. "Are you?"

I wanted to cry, and my bottom lip trembled threateningly. This wasn't goodbye, I knew that, but it was the end to something we shared, and I didn't think I was ready to part with it. Would he still stay with me if he wasn't my guardian angel anymore?

Despite my fears, I held my head up high.

"Yes," I said, my voice trembling slightly. I turned to him, my eyes pleading. "You'll be free, won't you? You'll be able to love..."

"That's..." Jimin seemed like he was on the verge of saying something, but he caught himself. He smiled. "As long as you're happy, Sori."

Don't say that, Jimin! I thought, not caring whether he heard or not. Let it be a last time he read my thoughts. You'll make me cry!

"Then, I guess let's do it," Jungkook said. "It's only a little bite, and afterwards, I'll explain vampirism to you, 'kay?"

"Only a little bite," Taehyung warned teasingly, raising his eyebrows at the younger. "Remember that, Kookie."