Chapter 1 Blood In The Night

• Sofia tugged at the hem of her tight black dress, feeling out of place even before they reached the entrance. The neon-lit sign above the building pulsed with a seductive glow, casting shadows that seemed to beckon. Carmen was already dragging her forward, laughing with a wild energy that matched the atmosphere around them.
• "Come on, Sof! I heard this place is insane," Carmen shouted over the thumping bass that vibrated through the walls. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “We need to loosen up!”
• Sofia gave a hesitant smile, trying to ignore the knot of unease tightening in her stomach. “I don’t know, Car… it feels kind of sketchy,” she muttered, glancing at the crowd lined up outside. Most of them wore dark clothes and leather jackets, their expressions hard and wary.
• "That’s exactly why we’re here," Carmen insisted, squeezing Sofia’s hand reassuringly. "You’re too damn serious all the time. Tonight, just let go a little, okay? No college papers, no rules, no boring routines."
• Sofia wanted to say something—maybe turn back—but something in Carmen's eyes made her pause. There was a hint of rebellion, a desperate need to escape. Sofia knew that feeling well. Maybe that was why she allowed herself to be pulled inside, into the chaos.
• The moment they stepped through the entrance, it was like being swallowed by a different world. The pounding bass was deafening, the air thick with smoke and a hint of something metallic. Flashing neon lights bathed everything in a dizzying spectrum of red, blue, and violet, casting eerie shadows over the writhing bodies on the dance floor.
• "God, this place is wild!" Carmen shouted over the music, her eyes wide with thrill.
• Sofia tried to let Carmen’s excitement wash over her, but it was hard to ignore the sense of danger that clung to the air like smoke. She followed Carmen through the crowded floor, bumping into people with tattoos and piercings, their faces etched with rough stories. She felt like she was in a different dimension—an underworld where reality blurred and the rules were different.
• They made their way to the bar, where Carmen ordered drinks without hesitation. “Two tequila shots!” she yelled to the bartender, who gave a knowing smile and poured the clear liquid with practiced ease. Sofia watched Carmen throw back her shot and grin, the alcohol lighting a fire in her eyes.
• "Here’s to a crazy night!" Carmen declared, raising her glass for Sofia to follow suit.
• Sofia hesitated for a second but then clinked her glass against Carmen’s. The tequila burned its way down her throat, igniting a warmth that spread through her chest. It felt both reckless and freeing.
• Carmen leaned closer, her voice barely audible over the blaring music. “See? This isn’t so bad. Just let yourself have fun for once.”
• Sofia tried to relax, swaying slightly to the music. The bass was hypnotic, the rhythm intense. Carmen grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor, their bodies immediately surrounded by swaying figures. There was something primal about the way the crowd moved—a raw, pulsing energy that made Sofia’s heart race.
• She let herself get lost in the moment, her movements awkward at first but gradually becoming more fluid as the music took over. Carmen laughed and spun around her, clearly in her element. Sofia couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s carefree attitude. Maybe this was what she needed—to forget, even if just for a little while.
• But there was still a lingering sense of unease. Her gaze drifted over the crowd, catching glimpses of hard stares and whispered conversations in shadowed corners. She noticed men exchanging money and small packages discreetly, their faces hidden beneath hoods and caps. This wasn’t just a club for thrill-seekers—this was a playground for the dangerous and the desperate.
• "Hey, Sof!" Carmen shouted, snapping her fingers in front of Sofia’s face. "Don’t zone out on me!"
• "Sorry," Sofia replied, forcing a smile. "It’s just… intense."
• "That’s the whole point," Carmen teased, pulling Sofia closer as the song changed to a heavier, darker beat. "We’re here to get a little wild. No regrets, remember?"
• Sofia nodded, trying to shake off her apprehension. She closed her eyes, letting the music pound through her veins. For a moment, it worked. She could almost feel the chains of her ordinary life slipping away, replaced by the intoxicating chaos of the unknown.
• But then, a shift in the crowd caught her attention. She opened her eyes and noticed a group of men gathering near the edge of the dance floor, their postures tense, their eyes locked on something—no, someone—at the other end of the room. The tension was palpable, like a storm brewing beneath the neon lights.
• "Sofia, look at this guy!" Carmen suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward a man leaning against the bar. He was tall, his dark hair slicked back, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched the crowd with a predatory gaze. "He’s got that whole mysterious vibe going on."
• But Sofia barely heard Carmen. Her focus was pulled toward the commotion in the corner, where two men were arguing loudly. One of them shoved the other, and within seconds, fists were flying. The crowd shifted, some trying to intervene, others egging them on.
• "Whoa, this is getting crazy," Carmen laughed, oblivious to Sofia’s growing concern. But Sofia’s instincts screamed that something was very wrong.
• Her gaze drifted beyond the scuffle, to a figure who stood apart from the chaos. He was tall, dressed in black, with a commanding presence that seemed to absorb the very air around him. His face was partially obscured by the shadows, but his eyes were piercing, locked onto the scene with a cold detachment.
• Sofia’s heart skipped a beat, an unexplainable chill crawling down her spine.
• "Who is that?" she whispered, more to herself than to Carmen.
• But before Carmen could respond, a loud bang shattered the air. One of the men fell to the ground, blood spraying across the floor in a gruesome arc. Sofia froze, her breath catching in her throat as the room erupted into chaos.
• The figure in the shadows moved forward, stepping into the neon light. His gaze met Sofia’s across the room, his eyes dark and inscrutable. There was something in that look—something that made Sofia feel like she was being pulled into a darkness she couldn’t escape.
• And then, everything went black.