The next morning.
Adrian woke up with his dreads all over the place. He blinked slowly, as if his brain were still loading at 2G speed.
And there, snuggled against his neck like he paid rent, was Sylvester, the world's sassiest kitten and Adrian's judgmental roommate.
Adrian was very groggy, the kind that comes only from dealing with a drunk friend all night before coming home.
"Adrian: Ugh... why this taste in my mouth? Tastes like battery acid-"
He squinted at the light coming through the blinds, then gently reached for the kitten curled against him.
Adrian smiled as he spoke.
"Adrian: Wake up, ya lil' stinker. It's morning. You don't get to sleep all day while I suffer in class!"
Sylvester yawned, showing tiny fangs like he was ready to bite a mouse.
He then licked Adrian's nose, knowing he couldn't be stopped.
Adrian laughed and gently placed Sylvester on his shoulder, the tiny menace purring against his cheek.
Still wobbling like a zombie, Adrian dragged himself into the bathroom.
"Adrian: Good Lord. I look like I just came out of a Blue Ivy concert and dealt with the chick from W Block."
Sylvester meowed from his perch, tail flicking, clearly judging him.
Adrian looked at the kitten.
"Adrian: I don't need your sass this early. You ain't even pay rent... I mean, neither do I, but still, shut it up!"
He turned on the faucet; the sink filled quickly, and Adrian dunked his hands under the stream before splashing his face with cold water.
The reflection stared back at him, tired eyes. A hint of clarity is trying to peek through.
"Adrian: Alright, let's not screw today up too... dramatically."
Sylvester jumped down onto the sink counter and gave a tiny meow, this time supportive.
"Adrian: You're right. Let's be productive and avoid Fri's chancleta of doom."
Adrian was halfway through brushing his teeth when he heard the first thud - a heavy, skull-rattling knock that shook the entire dorm door.
Thud. Thud. THUD.
"Adrian: MOTHER - !"
He gagged, spitting toothpaste foam straight into the sink.
Sylvester, perched on the toilet tank like a smug little gargoyle, blinked slowly.
Adrian pointed at him mid-spit.
"Adrian: Don't. I already know that face. You're thinkin' about escaping again. Not today, ya furry lil' demon."
He finished brushing and yanked open the little cage set beside the bathroom.
Sylvester meowed in protest, but Adrian wasn't playing games this morning.
"Adrian: And in you go, Count Crackula. No more late-night alley raids. You almost got jumped by a full-grown raccoon last week."
Sylvester hissed like he was offended and plopped dramatically into the crate.
Another knock - this one accompanied by yelling.
"Marcus: YO! RIAN!!"
And there came Marcus' unmistakable bellow through the door.
"Marcus: GETCHO AFROPUNK RASS OUT HERE! WE GOT CLASS, YUH MADMAN!"
Adrian groaned.
"Adrian: Why are you yelling like I don't have ears?!"
Adrian shouted.
"Marcus: 'CAUSE YOU DON'T USE 'EM, RASSHOLE!"
Marcus shot back.
And then came the second knock - this one... daintier.
If door knocking could be British, this knock was sipping tea with a pinky up.
"Mason: Adrian, bruv."
Mason's tired voice followed.
"Mason: Please tell me you've locked up Vester this time. Frida chewed me out last night for letting him get out."
Mason said as Adrian snickered.
"Marcus: Bredda? You got chewed out behind the dorm kitten?"
Marcus cackled.
"Mason: With fangs and a vengeance!"
Mason snapped back.
Adrian laughed, pulling his backpack on and going out the door.
After the audible click of the door closing, Adrian and the two boneheads went on their way. Classes weren't waiting for them, and that made them rush, knowing the big cousin fury that is Frida would be on their asses if they didn't get there on time... again-
As they ran out of the dormitory, the woman from the previous night stood atop it, her sapphire-blue eyes shining as she smiled.
She crossed her arms, and with a flick of her hair, Unatti and Ashri appeared beside her, their eyes glowing as hers did.
"???: Mmm, tonight, you gon be mine, Adrian, my love... Ain't no turnin' back now, baby. Get ready for an eternity of love, blood, and music so true it'll make your soul tremble. You ain't never felt somethin' like this before. You an' me? We gon' be like one heartbeat in this world, drownin' in each other, tangled in magic, and drippin' in blood. So get ready, sugar... 'Cause tonight, it all begins, and once it does, ain't no escape."
She said, licking her lips.
With a wave of her hand, a pair of massive bat-like wings sprouted from her back, blocking out the sun, which Adrian noticed, and turned his head.
But he didn't see anything; his eyes flashed crimson again, fading back to yellow as Mason called his name.
"Mason: Adrian! You comin' or what, bruv?! We ain't waitin' all day for ya! You're gonna get left behind if you don't catch up, mate! We're already past the shop and headin' down the road. Don't make us leave you here, yeah?!"
Adrian smiled, then ran to catch up with the two boneheads he called his brothers.
Later that night
Their day had gone on like usual - chaotic group chats, nonsense from their mad classmates, and college lectures that felt like punishment from God himself.
But tonight? Tonight was calm by their standards. The three boneheads were finally headed home after another night out, this time at Liger's Arcadia, the local gaming café that smelled like snacks, sweat, and victory.
They strolled back toward the dorms, the city's vibe was buzzin' low as always.
They were cackling over Mason's latest romantic failure.
"Marcus: Mi bredda, mi swear pan mi life - yuh chat game DEAD. DEAD DEAD. Di gyal buss yuh rass mid-convo, slap yuh up, an' den seh, 'Kiss mi backside!' Rian out here movin' like magic! Pullin' holo-codes outta thin air, and you? You pull a lawsuit, mi yute!"
Mason rolled his eyes hard enough to see his thoughts growling low in his throat like a wounded animal as he turned away from the dreadhead.
Adrian snorted with laughter.
His wrist lit up from the holo-pod, vibrating with message after message - from the identical girls Mason had crashed and burned with.
"Adrian: Ayyy, dios mío, bro... This is some next-level embarrassment. Mason - ain't you the one always talkin' 'bout 'British elegance' and 'smooth operator' shit? ¡Pero look atchu! Out here gettin' slapped like a piñata at a family barbecue! Meanwhile, a country-ass H-Town borracho with locs and swagg like me got three codes back-to-back. Explain THAT, Mr. Brexit!"
Mason threw up his hands.
"Mason: Fam, I swear down, yeah?! One minute she's laughin', proper vibin' - next minute, I blink and BAM! I'm eatin' five fingers for dinner. Like what even triggered her?!"
Marcus doubled over laughin', nearly trippin' on the curb.
Adrian just shook his head, muttering something about needing to teach "Mr. London" some authentic sauce.
And just like that, the night rolled on - with the sound of three idiots clowning under the streetlights.
Jokes flew, insults were exchanged, and Mason was still defending his so-called "game" like his pride was on trial.
"Marcus: Mi nuh know, but yuh need Jesus an' a new script, mi man. She slap yuh like yuh try mash up her WiFi. Mi still deyah tinkin' how she flip from smile to full Mortal Kombat - 'Finish him!' style!"
Adrian cackles like he just saw someone get roasted at a quinceañera.
"Adrian: Bro, for real - how yo sauced out ass got reverse gears? You walked in with confidence and walked out with a concussion! And don't get me started on that one line - what was it?"
[Slang Translation: Sauced out - Dressed up, fly, iced, killin' the look]
Marcus cocked an eyebrow before switching to his best British accent.
"Marcus: 'Hey love, you got a mirror in yuh pocket?' Lawd Gad. Man, chat like a bootleg AI tryin' pickup lines from the flip phone era!"
They all burst out laughing again as the dormitory finally came into view, a tall, dull building with flickering lights near the entrance and old security cams that caught little more than pigeons landing on the railing.
"Adrian: Brooooo! I was waitin' for the classic: 'Are you a parking ticket? 'Cause you got FINE written all over you.' If he dropped that, I'da just walked into traffic. That line is older than Frida's chanclas, bro."
All three were wheezing like they had been running laps.
"Mason: Safe, we made it. Bout bloody time, bruv - my legs feel like boiled spaghetti."
Marcus agreed.
"Marcus: Mi feel yuh, mi G. Mi feet out here beggin' for early retirement. Dis boot got mileage like mi uncle car."
The two pushed through the door, still chuckling, stepping into the warm, musky lobby, filled with the faint scents of cheap microwave dinners and forgotten laundry.
Adrian stopped just before following, patting his pocket with a sudden, sharp panic.
"Adrian: Yo - WAIT! Ay no, no no no! ¡Mierda! My PHONE?!"
Without waiting, he spun on his heel and jogged back down the walkway.
His boots echoed on the pavement as he retraced their steps, eyes scanning the ground.
"Adrian: Bro, nah, nah, I'm not tryna lose this again. That phone got all my holo-codes, my mama's old voicemails, and the passwords I don't even remember settin'. I need that sht like oxygen."
Back at the dorm, Mason peeked through the glass, raising an eyebrow.
"Mason: What's he doin'? Bruv's always droppin' sht like it's a hobby. I ain't even surprised anymore."
Mason said as Marcus nodded in agreement.
"Marcus: Mi bet him phone landed in a bush or sumn'. Wi might haffi go help di fool before him gets eaten by a stray."
They waited, but Adrian didn't come back right away.
The sounds of the city seemed quieter now, a little too quiet. And down the block, Adrian's silhouette had vanished past the corner.
Something didn't feel right.
Mason and Marcus, tired and still cracking up from the night's antics, figured Adrian would be fine.
It wasn't the first time he dropped his phone - or disappeared for a bit before popping back up with some dramatic story.
They shrugged it off and headed to their dorms, Mason still muttering about bad luck and "bloody phones with minds of their own."
Meanwhile, Adrian's eyes finally caught a light - his phone lying just beside a cracked bit of pavement near a storm drain. He let out a relieved exhale.
"Adrian: Man... thank God, I ain't tryna buy a new one."
But just as his fingers wrapped around the phone, a sudden chill ran up his spine.
Not from the breeze - it was something else.
A deep chill, as someone had walked over his grave. He stood up slowly, eyes scanning the empty street.
That's when he heard it.
Blues music. Low. Raw. Mournful. Real.
A slow, soulful riff strummed on a dusty old guitar, drifting through the night air like smoke from a church candle. It didn't belong in a city like this - too honest, too timeless.
It made him nervous... but also calm. It wrapped around him like a warm memory, even though he didn't remember where it came from.
Drawn in, Adrian started walking. Slow. Cautious.
Like he was sleepwalking through time, his boots tapped on the concrete, syncing with the beat.
The air felt thick now - like he had crossed into some place that wasn't exactly the world he knew.
He turned a corner.
There, sittin' under a flickerin' street lamp that barely held onto its buzz, was a porch connected to a house that straight up didn't belong.
It wasn't no dorm.
Wasn't part of the college.
Hell, it looked like it got dropped in from a whole different century.
Wood warped from humidity and memory, paint peeled as if it had given up trying. The whole thing sat quiet and still, like it was waiting for someone to notice it - or remember it.
Looked like somethin' outta 1940s Louisiana backroad folklore.
The porch let out a tired, moanin' creak, and right there in the middle of it - legs crossed, hands pickin' slow and sweet on a rusted steel guitar - sat an old Black man. Wide-brimmed hat, suspenders hangin' low, button-up shirt sun-bleached by decades, boots worn as they'd marched through every corner of the South.
His skin looked like rich, oiled mahogany. His fingers, callused and sure, moved across those strings like they were speaking to spirits.
Adrian stopped cold.
His throat dried up like cotton. His whole body felt like it was caught between breathin' and dreamin'.
But somehow... somehow, he knew that man.
"Adrian: ...Uncle Beau?"
The old man's head lifted, and his eyes glowed yellow, like the moon high above, as if it were holding secrets from a thousand summers ago. His smile spread wide, flashing four gold fangs and a kind of warmth that wrapped around Adrian like a quilt sewn by ancestors.
"Beau: Heh... Lawd, now that's a name I ain't heard in a long time, baby boy. You finally rememberin', huh? Mmm. I held you in these same arms, back when you were nothin' but a lil' sugar bean. You ain't even had teeth yet, jus' gums and a cry that could shake da rafters."
Adrian blinked, confused.
Who the hell was this man? And why'd he know him?
Adrian's mind was short-circuiting as he tried to understand how and why he knew this man.
But the most crucial thing in his mind was the whole "Uncle" part.
"Adrian: Uncle? Wait - how you know me? I - my pops never talked about - "
But before the words could leave his lips entirely, a soft, honeyed voice floated in the air, calling out like a whisper carried on warm summer wind.
"Adriannn~"
The sound made his heart skip a beat.
The accent was thick, Southern - Black, - Louisiana deep - with the kind of drawl that made every word feel like it was soaked in molasses and sorrow.
Adrian spun around, eyes darting across the dim street.
"Adrian: Who said that?!"
There was no one, only empty pavement and shadows.
He turned back to the porch. Uncle Beau was gone.
Vanished. The porch was empty. Not even the creak of a chair or the clink of guitar strings.
Only the sound of the blues remained. Haunting. Beckoning.
Adrian stood there, clutching his phone tightly, the music wrapping around his soul like a secret trying to remember itself.
But the chair still rocked.
Just a little.
Like somebody had gotten up... or like something had never really left.
Adrian swallowed hard and stepped closer.
The wood beneath his boots creaked low and tired. The air smelled like old whiskey, sweat, and something older - Like cypress roots and graveyard dust.
And just like that - he forgot.
Forgot the voice.
Forgot the street.
Forgot the danger.
All that existed was the sound of the blues and the weight of something ancient in his hands.
Until...
"Adriaaannnn~"
That voice.
It was back.
And it was Louder. Closer. Hungrier.
The sweet Southern Creole molasses turned dark.
Turned wet.
Turned wrong.
Adrian's chest seized.
"Adrian: Ayy, nah, hell no - ¡Nope! I'm out!"
Adrian didn't wait around. His instincts screamed at him to move.
He turned on his heel and started jogging, fast, the soles of his boots slapping the pavement.
The streetlights ahead promised safety, but his heart thudded in his chest like it was trying to break free.
But he wasn't alone.
From the shadows behind him, something watched.
A pair of glowing sapphire-blue eyes blinked once, slowly.
The blues music hadn't stopped - it followed him. It echoed and swayed in the air, trailing him like a slow ghost with a rhythm and soul.
Adrian picked up his pace again, now full-on running.
But then -
"Adriannnn~"
That same velvety southern voice, smooth like dark honey, rang out again.
Adrian skidded to a stop.
He turned sharply. Eyes wide. Sweat prickles the back of his neck. The street was empty... again.
But this time, something was different.
As he pivoted back toward the dorm...
He saw them.
A pair of unnatural blue eyes glowed in the distance, just outside the reach of the last streetlamp.
They didn't shine like normal eyes. No - they burned.
Adrian froze. Breath caught in his throat.
Then - step.
A foot emerged into the light.
"???: Mmmm~ Finally gotcha, my love. Took ya long enough ta stumble inta my arms - been real patient, ya know~"
The woman stepped forward, the light catching every curve of her body.
Her presence was otherworldly. Dangerous. Like blues and black magic had taken human form.
"???: Oh, Adrian, sugar... ya don't even know what ya walked into, do ya? Dat lil' fire in ya soul, it's callin' to me~"
Adrian's eyes narrowed, but his body betrayed him. He was caught somewhere between awe and alarm.
This woman... She didn't seem human.
Her skin was deep, rich ebony, glowing faintly under the streetlamp.
Her dreadlocks framed her high cheekbones and mystical expression like a crown of ink.
Her lips - painted in a twin shade of onyx and shimmering blue - were curved in a knowing smile.
Her eyes were the real danger. They pulsed - shifted - from bright sky blue to an eerie deep sapphire.
Looking into them felt like falling into water too deep to swim back from.
Her outfit clung to her like shadow and silk. It was built for movement - but also for attention.
Adrian tried to shake it off, backing up, his heart hammering in his ears.
Adrian stepped back, his instincts immediately telling him: "Hell no."
"Adrian: Who the hell're you? And why you out this late??"
The woman tilted her head slowly, that sly smile never fading.
"???: Aww, don't be rude now, baby. I came all this way jus' ta see you. Been walkin' through fire an' river, waitin' on that soul of yours ta burn bright enough for me ta find. Mmm - now here ya are."
Adrian felt a tingle dance up his spine again - this wasn't some flirty stranger from campus. No. This was something else.
And whatever she was...
She was here for him.
Adrian stood still, breathing hard, eyes darting between the glowing woman and the way back to the dormitory.
The blues music played louder now, but it wasn't coming from a speaker. It was in the air. It was in her.
Every time she moved, the rhythm of the blues seemed to follow, like her hips carried the melody and her voice held the bassline.
Her boots clicked softly as she stepped closer, slow, measured, predatory.
"???: Ya always been the curious type, huh? That fire burnin' in ya chest? That ain't no accident, baby. That's legacy. Blood. Destiny."
Adrian's face tightened. His hands curled into fists, his voice shaking - not from fear, but from confusion. Resistance.
"Adrian: Legacy? Look, I dunno what you're on, but I ain't signed up for no supernatural shit. You talkin' like you know me, but I don't know you, lady. So back the hell off before - "
He took another step back, and she vanished.
No smoke, no flash, just gone.
Adrian's heart skipped a beat. The music cut out mid-note.
He spun around, eyes scanning -
And there she was.
Right behind him.
Her lips nearly touched his ear.
"???: 'Fore what, baby? You gon' run? Or you gon' listen?"
Adrian jumped and swung around, stumbling back onto the pavement.
The woman placed a hand over her heart, mock-pouting as she looked at Adrian's reaction to her being so close to him.
"???: Aww, now that ain't no way to treat a lady. I ain't come to harm you."
She said as she walked closer.
"Adrian: Man, what are you?? What do you want from me??"
The woman tilted her head, the smile never leaving, but now her eyes softened.
And that's when Adrian saw it.
A flicker.
A pain.
A sadness - deep and timeless - buried behind all that seduction and swagger.
"???: I want what's mine, sugar... and you? You belong to somethin' bigger than you think. Somethin' old. Somethin' buried. Somethin' wrapped in soul, blood, and sound."
The wind stirred, and with it, a single note of blues strummed through the air again.
Adrian felt it in his bones.
His body buzzed like a tuning fork, and the edges of reality began to feel loose, as if a curtain were lifting.
Then shit hit the fan, and suddenly Adrian's body moved purely on instinct.
He sprinted, full scale, hauling ass, trying to make it back to the dormitory.
But he made the mistake of glancing back, catching a glimpse of the woman gaining on him. With a curse, he muttered under his breath.
"Adrian: ¡Mierda! ¿Por qué me pasa esto a mí?"
He quickly turned down an alley, causing the woman to bank down the alley as if she was moving with no hesitation. Adrian was breathing heavily as he grabbed a nearby crate and shoved it down, the metal clanking loudly as it crashed into a shelf.
The fall of debris had sent dust into the air.
Adrian kept running, racing through the alleyways, his heart beating like a drum in his chest.
He ran as Hover cars zoomed overhead.
Panting heavily, Adrian rounded another corner, his breath coming in ragged gasps as plumes of white exited his mouth with each breath.
He shot a quick look back the way he had come, his yellow eyes catching the woman's silhouette as it moved with unnatural speed. The sight made him curse again.
"Adrian: ¡Carajo, qué diablos!"
The woman's glowing blue eyes darted around the darkness as she chased him, and Adrian's shrank as he realized how close she was.
He pushed himself harder, desperately trying to navigate the maze-like alleys.
The woman's laugh echoed faintly in the dark behind him, a chilling reminder that she was still very much on his trail.
He kept running, praying for an escape, knowing that his survival depended on outrunning this inhuman woman.
"???: Adrian! You can't run from meeeee~ I can smell your fear~"
The panic inside Adrian only surged; he desperately searched for a place to hide.
No matter how fast he ran, he could feel her presence closing in, her pursuit relentless.
In a desperate move, he darted into an unknown abandoned warehouse, its old metal door creaking as he forced it open.
Adrian slipped inside and managed to close the door behind him just as the woman landed on the other side.
He pressed his back against the door, trying to stifle the sound of his heavy breathing as he listened to her movements outside.
Through the door's slats, he could see her neon blue eyes scanning the area with an excited, hunting look.
Suddenly, she spotted a heat signature and raced toward it; her movements were almost like teleportation.
Adrian, heart in his throat, quickly moved deeper into the warehouse, slipping behind a stack of rusted steel crates.
Adrian crouched behind the crates, trying to steady his breathing, his heart pounding in his ears. He could hear her footsteps growing fainter as she moved away, but the fear of her discovering him kept him on edge.
"Adrian: Why's this happening to me?! What the hell did I do to be placed in this situation?!"
He muttered, his voice trembling with both fear and frustration. The cold, dark interior of the warehouse felt like another world, and he fought to keep calm, hoping that she wouldn't find him.
Adrian's frustration bubbled up as he paced the dimly lit warehouse, his anger only growing as he muttered curses to himself.
"Adrian: This bitch has the nerve to hunt me down like a rabbit. This is insane! What the hell is her problem?!"
His anger momentarily distracted him from the fear and pain gnawing at his chest.
He wandered through the building, noting its dilapidated state.
"Adrian: Saint Marie Industrial? This place is older than the entire College. Strange, I've never heard of this place before today."
He said, tracing a hand across the symbols plastered on the wall.
The markings were unlike anything he recognized
Though the language was unknown, a strange feeling bubbled up, and he found himself somehow understanding the symbols.
His eyes glowed a deep yellow, slightly brightening the warehouse's dark shadows.
Without warning, a sharp pain flared in his chest, causing him to gasp.
He clutched at his chest, dropping to one knee as a small amount of blood trickled from his mouth.
His vision blurred, and the pain was intense and incredibly disorienting.
"Adrian: What the hell?! What's happening now?!"
He said quietly, struggling to stay upright.
Soon enough, he fought to control his breathing as he heard the warehouse doors slam open.
The woman's silhouette appeared in the doorway, her form framed by the moonlight.
Her presence was both commanding and serene, her movements silent but purposeful.
Adrian's heart pounded louder, the pain in his chest burned hotter as he scrambled to hide behind a nearby wall.
Adrian pressed himself against the cold surface, his breath shallow and labored.
He could feel the intensity of her gaze, even from where he crouched.
"???: Adrian~ I know you're here, my love~ There's no need to fear me; I only want to help you~"
She called out softly, her voice a melodic blend of reassurance and eerie calm.
Adrian held his breath, trying to remain as silent as possible.
His chest burned with each breath.
Adrian pressed himself deeper into the shadows, his heart racing and mind reeling. His eyes seemed to glow as well, yellow at first, then scarlet, then back to yellow.
All he knew was that he needed to escape, to find a way out of this nightmare.
He could hear the woman's voice, now tinged with a disturbing blend of smugness and delight.
Her tone was smooth and sinister, laced with an unsettling satisfaction.
"???: You're all alone, Adrian~ So why don't you let me help you~"
Adrian's eyes flicked around the warehouse, searching for an escape route.
His eyes landed on a side door, and he seized the opportunity, sprinting towards it.
However, as he reached out to push the door open, a sudden blur of motion caught him off guard.
The woman, with a speed that defied logic, materialized between him and the exit, and a loud boom erupted as the wind from her passage blew away the nearby dust.
Her eyes were glowing with that same sapphire blue.
Adrian's blood ran cold as he realized he was trapped. He stumbled backward, crashing against the cold, damp brick wall.
"???: Running won't change your fate, sweetie. You're my prey, and I've been looking for you for a long time~"
Adrian's mind raced as he tried to find a way out. His instincts screamed at him to flee, but every direction seemed to be closed.
The woman took a deliberate step closer, her eyes never leaving Adrian. The blue light from her eyes illuminated the darkened warehouse.
"???: I can sense your fear, your every heartbeat. You've come this far, and now it's time for you to face the truth."
Adrian scanned the warehouse, desperate for any possible escape or tool that could help him.
"Adrian: This can't be happening... I've done nothing to you, so why chase me?!"
He shouted, the young woman's smile widened, her sharp fangs glinting.
She seemed to revel in his fear, her predatory instincts ignited by his helplessness.
"???: Oh, but I can, Adrian. And I will. It's all part of the plan."
With that, she advanced slowly.
Adrian's mind raced as he looked for any opportunity to escape or to fight back.
His instincts were overwhelmed by the pain in his chest and the growing realization that he was facing a force far beyond his understanding.
"Adrian: Who are you?! No normal person should be able to move that fast or have glowing eyes?!"
His voice was a hoarse whisper, a stark contrast to the bravado he had tried to project moments ago.
She closed the distance between them, her predatory grace on full display.
Her smile, a chilling opposite to her earlier calm, revealed razor-sharp fangs.
Her eyes, once human-like, had narrowed to slits, their blue glow intensifying.
"Selene: Still not understanding the situation, my love? Well, if you must know, my name is Selene Oluwaseun Blackwell, daughter of Andell Oluwaseun Blackwell and heir to the Blackwater coven."
Adrian looked at her with the dumbest look on his face. If there was ever anything in real life that could be considered a real-life anime, it was this stupid look this moron had on his face.
He had lost all fear in his body at that moment. The chase and her inhumane abilities vanished from his mind as the info she suddenly dumped on him maxed out his core two duo of a brain and made it short-circuit.
"Adrian: Andell? Blackwater Coven?? Man, what in the hell is you talkin' 'bout?! Who the hell is that?! Matter fact - what the hell is that?! Sounds like somethin' crawled outta a dusty ol' storybook nobody had no business openin'! Naw, bruh, you gotta run that back 'cause I ain't trackin' none of what you just said! You over here droppin' names like we supposed to know 'em - talkin' 'bout witches or demons or somethin'! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN TALKIN' ABOUT RIGHT NOW?!"
He said entirely with his chest, a dumbfounded look on his face.
Selene sighed, her eyes reflecting a mix of irritation and annoyance.
"Selene: Mmmhmm... well, since you just got to know, sugar - lemme tell you right. Blackwater ain't just any coven of bloodsuckers lurkin' in the shadows. No, baby. Blackwater is my coven. Been passed down since my Granddaddy was a human slave! And now? Now that I've done gone and found myself a proper husband - one who ain't scared to dance with the dark and kiss the night on the mouth? Baby, it's just a matter of time. That throne's waitin', and so is the reckoning."
Adrian's breath hitched as he tried to process her words.
Adrian's mind was fully set on the one word "Husband".
What exactly did she mean by that?
Who was the husband she found?
Was it him? Or was it someone else?
These questions fueled his curiosity until he snapped back to reality.
His eyes, now heightened by whatever was going on inside his body, saw a figure outside the building.
From outside the building, the figure ran by the window, catching Adrian's eye as he quickly looked.
That is, until Selene suddenly made her move, her hand clamped down on Adrian's right shoulder, her pointed nails digging into his skin.
He shouted in pain as he winced, his eyes glowing again as they locked back onto her; they had turned scarlet red for a second, the opposite of her sapphire blue.
He growled. Her face slowly inched closer and closer to his neck. Before long, she opened her mouth, four sharp, curved fangs inched closer to his neck, and she finally clamped down on his neck.
Adrian felt a searing pain explode through his body. The burning pain in his chest spread throughout his body.
He somehow gained the strength at that moment to shove Selene off, and she flew backward before landing without so much as a sound.
Her face dropped with his blood as her eyes glowed neon blue, and a seductive and lustful smile bared across her face.
Blood dripped from her neon blue painted nails and lips as the color crimson stained her face and hand, glistening in the dim light.
Selene lifted her hand, slick with Adrian's blood - the blood of her new husband.
Her smile was smug, and a pinkish-red hue began to creep across her face.
Yet, as suddenly as she experienced joy and ecstasy from tasting Adrian's blood, that joy and ecstasy turned to pain and burning as the same intense heat from within Adrian now surged deep within her chest.
The sensation was unbearable, and Selene hunched over, clutching her chest with one hand while the other braced against her knee.
She panted heavily, the searing pain spreading from her chest and forcing her to struggle for breath.
As the heat continued to build, Selene lifted her eyes to Adrian, the whites of her eyes replaced by jet-black as the glowing sapphire of her gaze grew.
He had dropped to one knee, his breathing erratic and shallow, heart racing wildly in his chest.
Desperately trying to maintain his grip on consciousness, he fought to stay upright.
Selene moaned softly, her own eyes reflecting the scarlet glow of Adrian's.
In a frantic attempt to escape the burning in her chest and the heat from wearing her outfit, she threw her top off, leaving only her bodysuit.
Adrian's eyes returned to their standard yellow as he slowly made his way toward the exit, his resolve faltering in the overwhelming sensations.
Selene's body had reacted violently to Adrian's blood, the heat increasing as her blood began to boil inside her body.
She licked the blood from her fingers, savoring the taste of her new husband.
Outside, Adrian stumbled through the alleyways, his head spinning, his vision blurring.
His eyes glowed once more, the burning sensation in his veins growing.
Adrian had finally lost consciousness. He collapsed in front of his dorm, blood pooling around him from the bite on his shoulder.
Back in the warehouse, Selene was fully naked, and her large bat-like wings had sprouted from her back.
Drool dripped from her mouth, her face flushed with a deep blush. A state of ecstasy consumed her entire being, her hands resting on her chest as she moaned in pleasure.
"Selene: Mmm, sugar... this right here is somethin' real special."
She licks her lips slowly, savoring the taste of his blood and that burning feeling.
"Selene: So exquisitely delicious... so achin'ly tantalizin'... Mmm, Adrian, my beloved, can you even begin to understand what you've done to me? Hmmm? You've made a lady feel such exquisite ecstasy, and then you dare to slip away, all gone like a whisper in the wind..."
Her eyes glowed as the symbol of bondage had burned itself into her flesh and started to glow sapphire blue, cementing their new bond and how they were now linked through blood.
Selene traced a finger from her bottom lip down to the center of her chest. As she did, the symbol began to glow upon her skin - the symbol of bondage.
This mark, a sigil of deep, eternal connection, appeared on her chest, signifying the bond she had forged with Adrian.
From above the warehouse came Unatti and Ashri.
Selene, still draped in the ecstasy of that burning feeling and the taste of his blood, smiled, knowing her right hand and left hand were now beside her once more.
The two Vampire women watched their Mistress with smiles across their faces, the sound of their wings beating.
They landed as they watched their Mistress essentially bathing in the blood of Adrian. Unatti walked closer, getting down to a single knee as she was just a few feet away from Selene.
"Unatti: Mistress... how was yo' hunt tonight? Did he live up to the scent? Was that blood worth all that trouble you went through? 'Cause the way you disappeared into that dark, I just knew you were trackin' somethin' special. Was it warm on the tongue? Did it sing to you, like a hymn from the Delta?"
Selene smiled again, her eyes glowing brighter as the blackness deepened her sapphire glow.
Soon enough, Ashri walked forward as well.
The smaller woman smiled, smelling the blood of her new lord.
"Ashri: Ooooh chile... his blood smells so good, it makes my body ache somethin' fierce. No wonder the Mistress done picked him - mmph! With blood like that? Rich, warm, and hummin' with power? Whew, baby... that ain't no ordinary blood runnin' through him, nah. That's old magic, deep magic."
Selene rose slowly, like a queen wakin' from a dream, her wings unfurling wide with a soft whump - black as a bayou night and streaked with deep blue stripes that seemed to glow like twilight on the water.
The moonlight slipped through the old shutters, kissin' her skin until that rich, deep ebony began to glow faint, like warm molasses turnin' to sapphire fire.
Her small sparks of light flickered around her with magic - old, ancestral, and hungry.
She was bonded now. Blood-deep. Soul-bound. Even if Adrian ain't know it yet, she felt it in her bones.
Selene smirked, her eyes flashin' like lightning over the gulf as she ran her tongue slowly 'cross her fingertips, still wet with his blood. The taste? Lawd... it made her knees damn near give out.
Only a bonded mate's blood ever hit like that. Sweet and sinful. Ancient and right.
That boy was hers, and the world best learn it quick.
"Selene: Unatti, Ashri - get the counsel on the line. Call my daddy, too. Go on now."
She purred, her voice rich with that slow New Orleans drawl, like honey drippin' off a knife.
"Selene: I done went an' found me a man... and Lawd, he ain't just any man - he mine. Just perfect in every damn way."
She sauntered toward the open doors, her wings trailing behind her like a queen's cape.
The taste of Adrian's blood still lingered on her tongue, humming with ancient power and untapped destiny.
The world ain't ready - but Selene?
Oh, she gon' make it ready.
Unatti and Ashri stood near the grand bayou window, where the curtains fluttered like ghosts in the Louisiana night.
The room still hummed with Selene's power, thick like molasses in the air - old magic, dark and beautiful.
They could feel it in their bones... the bond had been sealed.
Unatti, the older of the two, with skin the color of rich coffee and long silver locs wrapped in gold thread, gave a knowing grin and stepped forward, her voice low and syrupy like a jazz tune crawling out of a record player.
"Unatti: Mmm, well now, Mistress..."
She said with a sly look.
"Unatti: Ain't seen you glow like that since the last lunar eclipse. And that was damn near 5 years ago. So I reckon... his blood must be somethin' special."
She gave a playful wink.
"Unatti: You done snatched yourself a real one, huh?"
Ashri, younger, sharp-tongued, and sugar-slick, laughed from the corner as she leaned against the wall, her deep amber eyes gleaming in the light.
"Ashri: Whew, chile... You could smell it in the air like the first crack of thunder 'fore a storm."
She twirled a silver blade between her fingers.
"Ashri: But I ain't expect you to be fallin', Mistress. That blood got your knees bucklin' and your heart hummin' like a blues song at midnight."
Unatti nodded in agreement, her tone more serious now.
"Unatti: We'll call the counsel, let 'em know what's comin'~ And your Daddy? He gon' feel this bond the moment he wakes. The whole damn clan will."
Ashri tilted her head, smirking.
"Ashri: You sure he's ready for this life, Mistress? Cuz if he ain't..."
She leaned in with a sharp, fanged grin.
"Ashri: We might need to teach him how to survive bein' yours."
They both bowed their heads low in respect, grins still curling on their lips.
"Bound by Blood."
They said in unison, outside, the cicadas cried louder.
The spirits stirred.
Tonight marked the beginning of something entirely new.
To be continued...