It was pouring rain in Kinswell, and the flickering streetlights made the streets look like a labyrinth of moving shadows. Alyssa Greer walked along the wet sidewalk, pulling her leather jacket tightly around her, trying to ignore the cold that seeped into her skin. She'd left her car parked at the edge of town, in an alley that seemed safe enough, though nothing in Kinswell inspired safety.
She had arrived two days ago, running from a past that haunted her like a ghost. She had chosen this town on a whim, perhaps because no one would ever think to look for her in a place that felt plucked straight out of a gothic nightmare. It was the perfect place to disappear.
Her temporary home was a small, dusty apartment in an old building, but the rent was cheap, and the neighbors seemed too wrapped up in their own lives to pry. She had spent the last few days convincing herself she had made the right decision. Yet at night, in the crushing silence of her room, the same thoughts came back. What if her past caught up with her? What if she could never truly escape?
But tonight, her friend Lila had insisted on pulling her out of her misery.
— "Come on, Alyssa, you can't live like a hermit. You need to go out, see the world, even if it's a world like this one."
Lila had given her the address of an exclusive club: "Oblivion". A place the locals spoke of in whispers.
Alyssa reached the front of the massive building. Above the large black metal doors, a red light flickered, and the letters of the club's name seemed to burn in the night. Two tall figures dressed in black suits guarded the entrance. A crowd of well-dressed people waited to be allowed inside, but when Alyssa appeared, one of the guards gave her a long look and gestured for her to pass.
Stepping inside, Alyssa felt the outside world dissolve. Red and blue lights danced on the walls, and the music – a deep, hypnotic pulse – seemed to sink straight into her bones. Everything was a combination of decadent luxury and shadow.
For a moment, she let herself get lost in it, letting the atmosphere take over. She reminded herself why she had come here: not to escape but to forget, even if only for a few hours. She ordered a glass of wine and settled at the edge of the bar, watching the crowd move on the dance floor.
And then she saw him.
He was across the bar, sitting on a high stool with a glass of whiskey in hand. He wasn't dancing, nor did he seem interested in the crowd bustling around him. He sat there like a predator surveying the terrain. His black suit fit him perfectly, accentuating his well-defined frame, and his eyes – dark, piercing – seemed to cut through the shadows.
Alyssa felt a shiver run up her spine. She quickly looked away, but not before he saw her. It was as if he had sensed her, as if he knew she had noticed him even before she had. Their eyes met for a second too long, and Alyssa felt a knot tighten in her throat.
She didn't know why, but something about him made her feel like she was playing with fire.
— "You're playing a dangerous game, Alyssa," she told herself. "The last thing you need right now is this."
She turned her gaze away and sipped her wine, hoping the man would forget her. But deep down, she knew it wasn't going to be that simple.