As the sun dipped below the horizon, Team 3 positioned themselves near the nightclub.
From the outside, the building looked like a forgotten relic—cracked neon signs, shattered windows, and graffiti-covered walls.
Yet, through the silence, a faint hum of music played from somewhere deep inside. A haunting, unnatural melody.
Rayna narrowed her eyes. "They're inside."
(FWOOOSH.)
She pressed her fingers together, whispering a quick incantation. A shadow wisp flickered to life, its form twisting and writhing before slipping through the cracks of the building.
Chi and Dave stood watch, ready to move at a moment's notice.
Inside, the wisp weaved through rusted metal and dust-covered furniture, an extension of Rayna's own senses.
Then—her vision sharpened.
The club was full of vampires.
Clusters of them lounged around, sipping from glasses filled with thick, red liquid. Others proweled in the corners, their eyes gleaming in the dim light.
Some danced. Some whispered.
But they all had the same hunger lurking beneath their skin.
Rayna smirked. Looks like we hit the jackpot.
The wisp drifted deeper, slipping past the main bar and into the club's restricted areas.
And then—
(MURMUR.)
Two vampires stood in a shadowed hallway, speaking in hushed voices.
The taller one—sharp features, sunken eyes—groaned, leaning against the wall.
"Man, this is torture. I need real human blood."
His companion—a younger-looking vampire with silver hair—clicked his tongue.
"Be patient. You know the rules."
The first vampire growled, baring his fangs.
"Come on, Lor. This place is packed with thralls, but none of them are fresh! If we don't feed soon, we'll start getting weaker."
Rayna's eyes gleamed. Thralls?
So that explained why the club still had customers.
They weren't just humans enjoying the atmosphere.
They were under the vampires' control.
Lor sighed, rubbing his temples.
"I get it. But we can't risk exposure. If we're not careful, the enemy will kill our source of power."
The first vampire huffed.
"Yeah, yeah. But if we're really running out of blood, shouldn't we just—"
(PAUSE.)
The vampire froze mid-sentence, suddenly alert.
His head snapped toward the hallway, eyes scanning the darkness.
Rayna tensed. Did they sense my wisp?
Lor's voice dropped to a sharp whisper.
"Don't talk about that. What if someone hears you?"
Rayna's wisp remained motionless, hidden within the shadows.
The other vampire grumbled.
"Fine, fine. But still, I hate relying on the heart—"
(SLAP.)
Lor clamped a hand over his companion's mouth, eyes wide with panic.
"Do NOT say that word."
Rayna's smirk widened.
Jackpot.
She dissolved the wisp instantly, pulling her senses back to the alley where Chi and Damon were waiting.
Chi noticed the gleam in her eyes. "You found something good?"
Rayna crossed her arms, her grin sharp.
"More than good."
She tilted her head, her voice filled with amusement.
"These leeches have a secret—and I think I know how we're going to kill them."