Just a couple of hours to go before noon and tensions are rising. I was in my room, strapping myself into some leather get-up looking like some anime heroine or a poor imitation of Laura Croft, I'm not sure which. I expected a fight. We were going to the cave. I figured leather would protect me from a stone wall or being dragged across a rocky floor. The witch could move me around like a rag doll with her magic. I expect her to rough me up like last time and I am going in protective clothing this time around.

A whistle sounds from the doorway. I look up to see Hobi standing there with heat in his eyes. "Looking hot!" he says with a grin.

"Down doggie," I tease.

"That's Jimin," Hobi chuckles. I can't help but laugh at the joke. I finish strapping myself into my clothing and Hobi walks over and straightens out my vest. Not that it needed it, but I can tell he is just keeping his hands busy while trying to figure out what to say.

"No goodbyes" I remind him.

He looks at me, "I love you," he simply says. I return those words and he leans in and kisses me. I lean against him and prolong the moment of intimacy. I wrap my arms around him and we hug. He gives me a hard squeeze before he lets go and pulls back, his hands resting on my shoulders.

"I hate this," he says and I nod in understanding.

"It's dangerous what we are doing," I say.

"Beyond dangerous," he agrees, "But, no goodbyes. We have to believe we can win." He slides his hands down my arms and grabs my hands in a tight hold.

I squeeze his hands back and grin at him. "Yup," His smile is not as bright as he usually gives me but he tries. I send caresses along his strand and I can see him visibly straighten up and become more resolved. He sends his love back along the strand and we both take comfort and strength from this private moment.

"Thank you," He says before he pulls on my hands and walks me downstairs to join everyone.

Namjoon is on the phone when we enter the room. "We'll be there shortly." and he hangs up. We look at him and he gives us a nod, "She's made her move."

I shake my head and sigh. This was so unnecessary. We were coming to her she didn't need hostages. "Who did she take?" I ask him.

"Who you expected. Ceren and Branden. But it seems that Mindy and Marcus are also missing." My eyebrows raise at that.

"Well, we suspected the witch could be one of them so that tracks," I grumble.

"We have to be ready for anything. We have possibly three innocent people to save." Namjoon reminds us.

"The witch could still be none of them, then that means we need to save all four of them," Jimin says.

"We also have to save Y/N, so it could get tricky," Taehyung points out.

"Trust the magic," I tell them. They all roll their eyes at me.

"When the magic is finally on our side, THEN I'll trust it," Yoongi grumbles.

"And what do you think I am?" I tell him.

"Bait," he growls.

"I'm her bait, but I'm also your mate" I remind him. "I'm not just a product of a deranged mind. I'm also part of the magic that created all this. What if I'm the answer to all this?"

"We've been over this," Jimin reminds us. "Arguing about it doesn't help us now." He glares at his friend.

Yoongi runs his fingers through his hair and walks over to me and grabs me in for a tight hug. "Feeling the strand disconnect that day was the worst. I just don't want to feel it again."

"I know, but we have to risk that possibility to beat her," I tell him. I give him a tight squeeze, rub my head against his and then kiss his lips. "I trust you," I tell him quietly.

"I trust you, too. I just don't trust her," He growls.

"We're wasting time," Jungkook points out and everyone grabs whatever gear they're bringing and we head to the van.

Before I can open the door, Jin opens the front passenger door and helps me climb in. He then takes the time to buckle me in, leaning close and nosing against my cheek in a soft caress. I feel him more than hear him take a deep breath. He pulls back and looks me in the eyes.

"One way or another, this ends today. I won't let her control our lives anymore." He promises.

"I know you will," I cup Jin's cheek and he nods and then closes the door. The side door slams shut as everyone else is seated and Jin takes the driver's seat. As we drive to the cave, Jin takes my hand and holds it in his lap, keeping us connected.

I watch the forest drive by and I think about what has led us up to this. What are we going to see when we get there? A deranged woman has taken my friends and colleagues and turned them into bait to make us behave. Will she risk their lives? Has she killed them already?

No, I reject that thought. If she killed them, she'd lose any power she held over our good behavior. The guys would rip her limb from limb if given the chance and she has to know that. My thoughts worry for my friends but I'm honestly more worried about Mindy. Her mother said that things aren't always what they seem. Does her mother know more about her daughter's secrets like mine did? Was Mindy the witch or was Mindy like me? If I'm the child of the witch, it seems unlikely I'd be the only one she would use to trap Bangtan. What guarantees did she have that I'd ever come back to this forest? Is Mindy the chess player or another pawn? A possible sibling also sent out into the world to potentially become the mate of Bangtan?

I shudder at the idea that I may have more siblings out in the world, haunted by a curse that could destroy their lives. How many lives had she manipulated to gain what she wanted? In 500 years, how many babies might've come before me?

The witch had no problem threatening the lives of all who knew me. Showed me a vision of all slaughtered that I held dear. She had no problem dealing in death. So why was I so sure she wouldn't kill her hostages? In all truth, I couldn't be sure. She was eager to slaughter to start this curse. Who would she kill to end it?

Me, for one, but I wasn't going to die so easily. She had no idea who she was messing with. I didn't have any idea who I was in all this, but the magic whispered and comforted me as we geared up for this moment and that has to count for something.

I hope.

The van came to a stop on the gravel and dirt at the edge of the broken cliff, near the fence line that protected the cave. As we got out we could see that it was torn open. The dirt showed signs of some type of struggle taking place. Whoever went down into that cave not all of them were willing.

Nobody spoke, but there were plenty of growls and chirps from my mates as they surveyed the damage. The door to the cave was ripped off its hinges.

"So much for going under the radar," Hobi quipped.

"She always did like to make an entrance," Jin remarked.

"Her arrogance is her undoing," Yoongi muttered.

I grab Yoongi's hand and with the other grab Jin's. "Let's go get 'em," I say. As one, we head to the broken door and step down into darkened stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs, we come to the front room that had been exposed to the cliffside. Now it was bricked up and lights had been installed that connected to a generator, which was currently running. The lights were all on and that said more than anything that we were expected by whoever got here first.

Silently we all head toward the tunnel and unlike my first trip down here, it's well lit and I find that it's not nearly as long as I had thought it was at first. My hand is still held by Jin as we lead the others toward the cave. In the end, we walk into a scene I did not expect.

I take a quick breath, trying to hide my reaction.

In the middle of the cave, standing on the dais that had Korean letters written on it, stood Ceren holding a knife to Brendan's throat who was kneeling before her. His hands were tied behind him and he was in some leather binding. His face looked like he was blissed out in some type of headspace. Given the nature of how little clothing he was wearing, I didn't want to contemplate what she did to him before we got there.

Ceren smirked with triumph in her eyes. "Right on time," she chuckles. "Come on in, I won't bite...yet." She nods towards the wall where the harnesses hung, no longer dusty, but well oiled and ready for Bangtan.

Yoongi scoffs, "You don't expect us to come quietly, do you?" The others spread out around the cave, fanning out around the edges.

"Oh, I expect you'll fight me every step of the way, but if you do, I'll just kill everyone I brought with me." She runs the knife gently across Brendan's skin, which makes him whimper in pleasure. "Starting with him." Her eyes gleamed with malicious intent.

"So where are Mindy and Marcus?" Jin asks. My eyes quickly scan the cave, noting that the curtain over the ante-chamber where the bed is was now drawn shut. I catch Taehyung also noticing that fact and we exchange a glance before returning our eyes to Ceren in the middle.

"Safe and hidden. But they won't stay that way if you don't behave," Ceren smirks. She plays with the knife held against Brendan's skin, drawing it lightly over his skin. Whatever knife play they indulged in, clearly, this was not the first time since Brendan showed absolutely no worry over it. I didn't have such faith.

While Ceren baited Bangtan, I examined the dais she was standing on. The first time I was here, it was dusty and the lettering was dark. Now, the letters shimmered with a purple sheen, the letters clear to read, not that I knew what they said. Unfortunately, now was not the time to ask.

She stood on the dais in heels and leather. Her black hair tied up and flowed freely down her back. She had leather gauntlets on, but a skimpy leather halter and a crystal necklace around her neck. Her leather pants had cutouts down the side exposing her ebony skin, making it clear she wore nothing underneath.

I shook my head. What a getup. Seriously, who was she kidding? Did she expect them to fall for this? What was she expecting from today? That she'd take the strands and then they'd all have sex with her on the floor?

That errant thought made me grimace. That was probably exactly what she wanted. She'd been waiting 500 years for it. I hide my expression by turning my head only to catch Jungkook's roll of his eyes. We then share a glance and he shakes his head at her getup, and I can see he thinks her costume is ridiculous too.

"If you get into the harnesses, I just might let them live." My attention returns to her as she purrs to Jin.

"Do you think after all these years, we'd ever choose you?" Jin asks.

"You had 500 years to make the right choice. Now I"m making it for you." She growls. "You will do as I say, or Brendan and Y/N will die before your very eyes."

I feel a sudden tug and before anyone can grab me, I'm pulled by invisible strands into the middle of the cave, slamming into the side of the dais. The leather helps me not get scraped up but nothing stops the feeling as if I've been punched in the stomach.

My hair is then grabbed and Ceren pulls me up and slams me into the floor of the raised rock. She transfers the knife from Brendan's neck to mine and I can feel that she is not being as gentle with me as she was with him. This knife is sharp. I hiss as I feel the edge pinch the skin.

"If you kill her, we won't hesitate to kill you," Yoongi growls venomously. The others all take threatening steps toward us.

"Oh baby, she was already dead before you met." Ceren purrs, keeping the knife tight against my throat, causing me to cry out.

"Stop!" Jin cries. Everyone looks at him, but he keeps his eyes on me. I give a small imperceptible nod and he sighs. "Just don't hurt her, and we'll do what you say,"

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.  

It begins. 

A/N:  Hello Lovers!   The final climax has begun.  I have more chapters to post so the wait won't be very long.  My goal is to get this ending finished while I'm on vacation this week.  We are sooo close. 

If you are reeling in shock, just keep reading.  

On a fun note. I got tickets for BTS on the 8th AND 9th.  I'll be there the whole weekend.  If you are going to be in town then or live in the Las Vegas area, I'd love to meet up with you, even if it's just outside the venue.  We're going to have so much fun.