Chapter 1
The rain fell in relentless sheets, slicking the streets and turning every neon reflection into a jagged, bleeding mirror. I kept my hood pulled low, boots splashing in puddles, eyes darting to every shadow. The city had a rhythm at night—a dangerous pulse—and I was barely keeping up.
I had always survived by staying invisible, by keeping my head down. But tonight, something whispered that invisibility wasn't enough. Something told me that danger wasn't just in the shadows—it was about to step into my life.
A sudden screech of tires split the night. I froze, heart hammering. A man stumbled out from a side alley, clutching a briefcase that spilled papers into the rain, and another followed, shouting orders sharp enough to slice through the storm. I pressed myself against the wall, trying to melt into it, wishing the night could swallow me whole.
But the night had other plans.
He appeared then, as if materializing from the darkness itself. Adrian Vercelli. I didn't know his name yet, but I knew that kind of presence: dangerous, controlled, lethal. His suit, drenched from the rain, clung perfectly, as though he had stepped out of another world entirely. And his eyes… his eyes were cold, calculating, scanning me like I was both a curiosity and a threat.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, voice low and steady, more of a statement than a question.
"I—I'm just passing," I whispered, though the words sounded weak even to me.
The alley behind me erupted again. Another man lunged from the shadows, and I jumped back instinctively. My heart pounded. Adrenaline coursed through me, sharp and intoxicating.
Adrian didn't move immediately. He simply studied the scene with a predator's focus, then stepped forward, intercepting the shadowy figure with a single, fluid motion.
The man crumpled to the wet asphalt without a sound. I swallowed hard, realizing I was witnessing someone who didn't just survive danger—he controlled it.
Before I could think further, a voice called out—urgent, sharp, protective.
"Selene!"
Marco. Relief and tension hit me at the same time. He was behind me, his gaze scanning every corner of the alley, hands tense and ready. His presence was a comfort I hadn't realized I craved.
"You okay?" he hissed, voice barely audible over the rain.
"I… think so," I stammered.
Marco's jaw tightened, his instincts screaming. "Stay close. Don't let anyone near you."
I nodded. My body wanted to run, to flee into the maze of streets I knew so well, but something in Adrian's gaze rooted me to the spot. He wasn't moving aggressively, yet he radiated the kind of danger that made even Marco pause.
"Follow me," he said suddenly, voice low and commanding. "Move or you won't make it through the night."
The words didn't leave room for debate. Survival wasn't about courage tonight—it was about obedience.
We followed him, stepping through the rain-soaked streets, puddles sending ripples across neon reflections. I kept my eyes on him, every step measured, every motion deliberate. He moved like he owned the shadows themselves, and in that control, I felt both fear and a strange, magnetic pull.
The streets opened into a deserted courtyard. A black car waited, its sleek silhouette glinting in the dim light. Adrian's hand gestured toward it. Marco stepped forward, ready to shield me, but Adrian didn't flinch or react. He simply waited, calm, certain.
I climbed into the car first, heart still racing. The leather was cold under my fingers, slick with rain. Adrian followed, sliding in without a word. Marco took the back seat, eyes sharp and protective.
The car moved without sound, gliding through the wet city streets. I stared out the window, trying to piece together what I had stumbled into. My life had been cautious, invisible—but tonight, the invisible rules no longer applied.
"You shouldn't be here," Adrian repeated, almost to himself this time. "Most wouldn't last."
I swallowed. "I… I'm surviving."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Surviving can get you killed."
The car stopped in another shadowed street, a dead-end where the neon flickered violently. He opened the door without a word, stepping out. Marco's hands hovered, ready for anything. I followed, boots splashing on the wet ground, every sense alive.
The alley beyond opened into a narrow courtyard. The air smelled of smoke and damp stone. Something moved—a whisper of shadow that made my pulse spike.
Adrian didn't hesitate. He intercepted the figure before it could strike. One motion, precise, lethal. My stomach twisted. I wasn't ready for this world. I didn't belong. And yet… I was here.
"Stay behind me," Marco warned, his voice tense. "No sudden moves."
I did. I couldn't imagine moving ahead. Survival, I realized, wasn't about strength tonight—it was about knowing whose orders to follow.
The night stretched endlessly. Rain fell harder, drumming against the stone and the car. Shadows shifted, and I sensed eyes watching—calculating, waiting. Danger wasn't behind us; it was ahead, lurking, ready to strike.
Adrian's presence was a paradox: a storm I feared and a shield I couldn't resist. He didn't speak much, but each movement, each glance, carried weight. I understood then that surviving the night meant being noticed and not failing him.
We reached the far end of the courtyard. From the darkness, a faint glint caught my eye—a knife, reflecting the neon. Footsteps approached, silent but deliberate. My heart slammed.
Marco's hands tightened, but he didn't move first. He was waiting for Adrian's cue.
Adrian didn't hesitate. His motion was swift, a blur in the rain-soaked light. The shadow collapsed, silent. My chest heaved. I realized, with chilling clarity, that I had never seen someone move like that before.
I swallowed, my mind spinning. I wasn't in a story anymore. I was in his world—a world where survival demanded more than courage, more than speed. It demanded instinct, obedience, and an understanding I didn't yet have.
The car waited again, engine purring like a low growl. Adrian extended a hand. A silent promise—or a threat—I couldn't decipher. But I took it.
And at that moment, I knew my life had changed forever.
The rain intensified. Shadows moved in the corners of the courtyard. Eyes watched. Breaths waited. And I understood one terrifying truth: surviving tonight would be the first test of many, and failing wasn't an option.
From the far shadows, a whisper sliced through the rain:
"Selene…"
I froze. My stomach tightened. And deep down, I knew—the night had only just begun.
The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle, but the streets still glistened like black glass under the neon lights. My chest heaved, heart still hammering from the alleyway encounter. Marco's hand never left mine, gripping tightly as if he could shield me from the unseen dangers lurking in every shadow.
Adrian led the way, silent and unflinching. I noticed that every movement he made had purpose—the tilt of his head, the set of his shoulders, the way his eyes scanned corners I hadn't even registered. He was dangerous, yes, but not just the type you feared. Dangerous like a storm, precise and controlled, and somehow, terrifyingly magnetic.
"Why are you helping me?" I asked finally, my voice trembling slightly despite my effort to stay composed.
Adrian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slowed, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. His gaze was sharp, piercing.
"Helping isn't the right word," he said finally. "I'm ensuring you survive tonight… long enough to be useful."
The words hit me like ice. Useful. The implication made my stomach twist. But before I could form a reply, Marco's voice cut through the tension.
"Useful or not, you're not touching her," Marco growled, his fists tightening.
Adrian's lips curved into a faint, almost amused smirk, though his eyes stayed cold. "I don't need your permission," he said smoothly. "I need compliance."
Marco tensed, but I grabbed his arm, shaking my head. "Don't," I whispered. "Not tonight."
I didn't fully understand why I obeyed him, why I felt the need to follow Adrian's commands even though every instinct screamed that he was dangerous. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was something in the way he made the night feel alive, as though every heartbeat mattered in the dark.
We turned down a narrow side street, and suddenly, the shadows shifted. I froze. Something moved—a faint figure slipping between puddles, careful not to make a sound. Adrian's gaze snapped toward it instantly, and before I could blink, he moved with a precision that made my chest ache.
One step, one calculated motion, and the shadow collapsed into the wet street. I swallowed, the adrenaline spiking anew.
This wasn't a fight I could participate in. This wasn't even something I could comprehend fully. It was survival, raw and uncompromising.
Marco stepped closer to me, his arm brushing mine. "Stay behind me," he said sharply.
I did. I could only watch as Adrian approached the fallen figure, his movements fluid, almost surgical. The man barely stirred, and Adrian's voice, calm and commanding, broke the silence.
"You shouldn't have been here."
The figure groaned, and I realized we were in a world where mistakes weren't forgiven—they were punished. And I had no idea what punishment awaited those who faltered.
The rain intensified again, drumming on the cobblestones, masking any subtle movements. I kept my head low, heart pounding, as Adrian's eyes flicked to me for the briefest instant. There was something there—not warmth, not kindness—but a recognition. A silent acknowledgment that I was here now, and that my survival depended on walking the razor's edge he set before me.
Marco's protective hand tightened around mine, but he didn't intervene. He knew better. He had seen Adrian move, and he understood that brute force alone wouldn't be enough to keep me alive tonight.
We moved again, silent but aware of every shadow, every distant sound. Footsteps echoed faintly in the distance. I couldn't tell if they were allies, enemies, or someone who didn't care either way. All I knew was that my chest felt like it might burst from anticipation.
Adrian suddenly stopped, glancing at the walls around us as though listening for something I couldn't hear. "Keep your eyes open," he murmured, almost more to himself than to us. "Most don't survive the first night."
My stomach twisted. The first night. That phrase lodged in my mind like a warning carved into stone. What had I stumbled into? What world had I wandered into by simply walking down the wrong street at the wrong time?
Marco squeezed my hand gently, a grounding reminder that I wasn't entirely alone. And yet, even his presence couldn't dispel the sense of dread tightening around my chest.
A sudden splash echoed behind us. I turned slightly, and in that instant, a figure lunged from the shadows. My heart froze. Without thinking, Marco shoved me back, shielding me from the impact. The attacker hit him instead, grunting as he was thrown aside.
Adrian moved then, like a shadow within a shadow, and the fight ended before it had begun. The assailant crumpled, silent and still, leaving only the faintest ripple in the puddles around them.
I swallowed hard, body trembling. "How… how do you do that?"
Adrian glanced at me briefly, eyes calculating, before returning to the street. "Control," he said simply. "And knowing exactly when to strike. Survival isn't about brute force, Selene. It's about precision."
I nodded, though I barely understood. My hands shook slightly as I gripped the strap of my bag. Every instinct screamed that I should run, hide, disappear—but the truth was undeniable: I couldn't survive tonight alone. Not here. Not like this.
The car waited further down the street, sleek and black, almost unreal in its stillness. Adrian moved toward it first, every step deliberate. Marco positioned himself between me and any potential threat, his stance fierce and protective.
I climbed into the car slowly, boots slick against the metal step, and felt the warmth of the interior seep through my clothes. Adrian followed, closing the door silently behind him. Marco slid in after me, eyes still sharp, scanning the rain-darkened streets.
The car glided through the city, its engine a low hum. I kept my gaze fixed on the blurred lights outside the window, trying to make sense of the chaos that had collided into my life tonight.
"You'll need to be careful," Adrian said suddenly, voice cutting through the soft purr of the engine. "One mistake, and you won't survive. Not here. Not ever."
My throat tightened. "I… I understand," I whispered. The words felt inadequate. I didn't really understand. Not yet.
Adrian's eyes flicked to me briefly, and for a heartbeat, I thought I saw something that wasn't just cold calculation—something almost… protective. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the same intensity, the same quiet threat.
Marco's hand brushed mine under the seat, a reminder that at least one person had my back. I swallowed, heart still racing, and realized that survival wasn't about running anymore. It wasn't about hiding or praying. It was about walking beside predators and hoping they deemed you worth keeping alive.
The car slowed, stopping at the edge of another dark street. Rain slicked steps echoed from the shadows. Something—or someone—was waiting.
Adrian opened the door. "Go," he said simply. His hand gestured toward the darkness ahead, a silent command that carried weight I couldn't refuse.
Marco's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. He never did when it came to Adrian. We stepped out, wet boots splashing, and I realized, with a chill in my bones, that the night wasn't just dark. It was alive. Hungry. And it had only just begun.
The street ahead seemed endless, stretching into darkness, slick with rain and neon reflections. My boots echoed softly, each step a reminder that I was far from safe. Marco's presence beside me was a shield, but I knew even his protection wasn't enough in Adrian's world.
"Stay close," he murmured again, voice low. "No wandering. No mistakes."
I nodded, swallowing hard. The adrenaline from earlier encounters had dulled, replaced by a sharp, anxious awareness. Every shadow seemed alive, every puddle hiding something sinister.
Adrian walked ahead, silent, deliberate. He didn't glance back. He didn't need to. We followed because there was no choice. Survival depended on obedience, on moving exactly as he demanded.
The alley narrowed. Walls closed in, wet brick glistening under the flickering neon lights. I caught movement—a subtle shift in the darkness. My pulse spiked. Without thinking, Marco positioned himself in front of me, shoulders tense.
Adrian paused, the faintest hint of a smile playing across his lips. Not a warm one. Not inviting. But a smile that acknowledged the storm we were walking into.
"You feel it too, don't you?" he said, voice low, almost a murmur.
I glanced at him, confused. "Feel what?"
"The hunt," he replied. "Everything is alive tonight. Every movement matters. One wrong step, one hesitation…" His words trailed, leaving a cold space where fear settled in my chest.
I shivered. This wasn't just survival. It was a test. A game. And I was the prey—or maybe something more dangerous.
From the shadows, a figure lunged. I froze, heart leaping, but Marco was already moving, intercepting the attack with precision. The man went down hard, grunting, and I realized that brute strength alone wouldn't save us tonight. We needed instinct. Awareness. And perhaps, luck.
Adrian stepped forward, his movement fluid, impossible. In a single, precise motion, the assailant was incapacitated. I couldn't breathe. My stomach churned. Survival had never felt this real, this immediate.
"Keep moving," Adrian said, his voice cutting through the drizzle. "The night isn't done with you yet."
I nodded, letting him lead. Each step felt heavier, weighted with anticipation. I realized that survival wasn't just about avoiding danger—it was about understanding it. Predicting it. Being part of it.
The street opened into a courtyard, the neon flickering violently. Shadows shifted with every movement of the rain. My chest tightened. This was no ordinary night. This was a test, a trial by darkness.
Marco's hand brushed mine under the seat, a reminder that I wasn't entirely alone, yet even his presence couldn't dispel the sense of dread tightening around my chest.
Adrian's eyes flicked to me briefly. There was a hardness there, a focus, but also… a sliver of something I couldn't name. Concern? Curiosity? Protection? I didn't know. And I wasn't sure I wanted to.
A sudden noise—a metallic clang—broke the silence. Shadows stirred at the edges of the courtyard. Footsteps echoed, deliberate and slow. My heart raced, every nerve screaming.
Adrian moved first. Swift, lethal, precise. The shadow collapsed. I swallowed hard. I had never seen someone move like that before. He wasn't just dangerous. He was lethal. Controlled. Unstoppable.
Marco stepped forward, tense, protective. I stayed close, aware that the world I had stumbled into required more than courage. It required instinct, awareness, and a willingness to trust someone who could kill without hesitation.
The rain pounded down harder now, washing over us, drenching our clothes and plastering our hair to our heads. Neon lights flickered across wet surfaces. I kept my eyes on Adrian, trying to anticipate the next movement, the next threat.
"You'll need to understand something," Adrian said, voice low, cutting through the storm. "Survival isn't a right. It's earned. And tonight… you've just begun to earn it."
I nodded silently, unable to speak. The weight of his words pressed down on me. I had survived so far, yes—but the night had only begun.
A faint shadow flickered at the corner of my vision. I tensed. Adrian's eyes followed it instantly. One step, one motion, and the threat was neutralized. No words. No mercy. Survival, raw and uncompromising.
Marco's hand tightened around mine. I could feel the tension in his body. He knew this world was bigger than him. Stronger. Lethal. And he knew I had to learn quickly.
The car waited at the edge of the courtyard. Adrian gestured toward it, a silent command. We obeyed without hesitation. The engine purred softly, a quiet growl against the rain.
I slid into the seat, chest heaving. Marco took the back, eyes scanning, hands poised. Adrian entered last, his presence filling the car with an energy that was both threatening and oddly magnetic.
The drive was silent, the city a blur of neon and rain outside. I tried to process the chaos of the night. My life had changed in hours. I had glimpsed a world I didn't belong in—but somehow, I was here, and I had to survive.
Adrian's gaze flicked toward me briefly, sharp, assessing. "Keep your wits," he murmured. "And remember this: surviving isn't enough. You have to adapt. Or you die."
The words echoed in my mind. I had survived the alley, the shadows, the attacks—but adapting… adapting was something I had never done before.
The car slowed, stopping near a darkened building. Rain pattered against the windows. Adrian's hand gestured toward the entrance, a silent invitation—or a warning.
Marco looked at me, jaw tight. "Stay close," he said, voice low. "No mistakes."
I nodded, boots hitting the wet pavement as we stepped into the shadows. The air was thick, heavy with anticipation. Every sound, every flicker of movement, made my pulse spike.
A faint whisper reached my ears, carried by the rain:
"Selene…"
I froze. Marco's hand brushed my arm, sharp, protective. My stomach twisted. The night had only just begun—and I realized with a chill that survival would demand everything from me: courage, instinct, and perhaps a willingness to follow a man whose presence terrified and fascinated me in equal measure.
The shadows moved again. I could feel the eyes on us. The night waited, patient and hungry. And I knew, deep in my bones, that nothing would be the same after tonight.
I swallowed hard, gripping Marco's arm, and stepped forward. Because in Adrian's world, to survive was to obey, to endure, and to become part of the darkness that ruled the night.
And tonight… survival was only the beginning.