The bass pounded through my shoes, a relentless heartbeat that matched the club’s energy as I pushed through the crowd. The mix of electronic beats and swirling lights wrapped around me like a living force, making the air thick with sweat and sweet perfume. My eyes darted across the dance floor, up to the velvet-draped VIP balconies, scanning for Iris. But every face was a blur, none of them hers.

I checked my phone again, frustration bubbling as I saw more unread messages to Iris piling up. Where on earth was she? This night was supposed to be a celebration, but instead, I was alone, my friend missing after she’d been lured away by some captivating stranger.

A flash of silver caught my eye—sequins on a dress I’d know anywhere. Iris’s dress. Relief washed over me as I spotted her, but it was short-lived. She was wrapped up in the arms of the stranger, lost in the moment. I pushed through the crowd, my heels sticking to the floor, my frustration building with every jostle.

I reached them and yanked Iris’s arm, pulling her back to reality. “Hey, what the hell?!” Iris shouted, her annoyance fading as she recognized me. “Oh, Gabi! Where’d you disappear to?” She was already too excited to introduce her new acquaintance before I could get a word out.

“This is…” She hesitated, turning to the man. “Sorry, what was your name again?”

“Alfonso,” he shouted over the music, his voice smooth and confident. I understood why Iris had been drawn to him. With his light blonde hair, chiseled face, and piercing amber eyes, he had a magnetic presence. But as I shook his hand, a chill ran up my spine, settling uneasily in my gut. Something about him felt off, a darkness lurking beneath his charming exterior.

I pulled Iris’s arm again, trying to get us out of there. “Let’s go home. My feet are killing me.” But Alfonso’s grip tightened on her other arm.

“Why not stay a bit longer?” he coaxed, his voice like silk. Iris wavered, caught between us. Frustration boiled over, and I yanked her back, but she broke free.

“I’m staying a little longer; you go ahead,” she said, glossy-eyed and resolute. She was too drunk to be left alone with this guy, but I was done trying to reason with her.

“Fine. I’ll see you at home,” I shouted, turning away, missing the sinister smile that curled Alfonso’s lips.

Outside, the night air was a welcome relief, cool and calming against my heated frustration. I pulled out my phone to order a taxi, eager to leave.

But as I waited, a man approached, his fashion desperate to cling to youth, though his face showed the passage of time. “Hey baby girl, why so alone?” he purred, stepping into my space.

I barely glanced at him, dismissing him with a sharp “Not interested,” annoyance in my voice. Luckily, the taxi arrived, and I was whisked away from the club and the unease that still gnawed at me.

As the city lights blurred past the window, guilt and worry churned in my stomach. I couldn’t shake the feeling that leaving Iris with Alfonso was a mistake.

*

 I couldn’t tear myself away from Alfonso. It was like he had this magnetic pull, guiding me effortlessly to the center of the dance floor. The lights swirled around us in a kaleidoscope of colors, matching the rhythm of the music that controlled our every move. His fingers traced the curve of my waist, sending shivers down my spine, and when his lips brushed my neck, a thrill shot through me that I couldn’t ignore.

Time seemed to stretch and blur as we moved together, perfectly in sync with the wild energy of the crowd. I was lost in it all—the music, the lights, the heat of Alfonso’s touch. But even as I soaked in the moment, a small voice in the back of my mind nagged at me, reminding me that I needed to step away.

“I need to use the restroom,” I whispered, barely hearing my own voice over the pounding bass. Reluctantly, I pulled myself away from Alfonso and made my way through the crowd.

Inside the washroom, the music faded to a distant thrum, and the fog in my mind began to lift. As I sat down, my eyes fell on the silver bracelet with a small elephant charm—a gift from Gabriela after my mom died. The sight of it brought me back to reality, grounding me in the here and now.

I’ll tell him I’m tired and need to go home, I decided, washing my hands and splashing some cold water on my face. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, watching the brightness slowly return to my eyes.

When I stepped out of the restroom, I felt more in control, but the world outside hadn’t paused for me. I spotted Alfonso immediately—his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made me hesitate. His eyes flickered with an unsettling shade of blue, something that sent a shiver down my spine.

I tried to change direction, but Alfonso was too fast. His grip tightened around my arm, his voice smooth but with a dark edge. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m tired; I need to leave,” I said, my resolve wavering under his intense gaze.

“Just one more song,” he coaxed, his tone dripping with persuasion. Before I could argue, his lips were on mine, drowning me in a wave of sensation that wiped away any lingering resistance. I found myself moving with him again, deeper into the crowd, further from the exit I’d been so determined to reach.

Alfonso led me through a door to a secluded, dimly lit corner of the club. The noise of the crowd faded into the background, replaced by the low hum of exposed light bulbs overhead. Before I knew what was happening, Alfonso had me pressed against a cold concrete wall, pinning my arms above my head with one hand. His other hand slid beneath my dress, and I couldn’t help the moan that escaped my lips as a wave of pleasure shot through me.

His mouth moved down my neck, planting wet kisses that made me squirm against him. But just as I was surrendering to the moment, a sharp pain stabbed into my neck, and my breath caught in my throat. Alfonso was biting me. Panic surged, but before I could react, exhaustion washed over me like a heavy blanket.

My vision blurred, and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness as Alfonso continued to drain my energy. The last thing I saw before everything went black was the eerie blue glow of his pupils.

When I came to, it was fleeting. I was draped over someone’s shoulder, my body limp and unresponsive. I could hear Alfonso’s voice, low and commanding, as if giving orders to someone. I tried to move, to speak, but my body wouldn’t listen.

Through the haze, I barely registered the presence of another man—a large figure who seemed to radiate authority. I caught snippets of their exchange, the voices distant and muffled. I think I heard the name Bryson before he effortlessly hoisted me onto his shoulder, carrying me away from the club’s dim corridor.

Somewhere in the darkness, my phone buzzed, but Alfonso’s cold, final words cut through the fog in my mind. “Get rid of it,” he ordered, and then everything went black again.