1930s setting · new orleans · radio host · dark magic · sentient shadow · sadistic · polite gentleman · arranged marriage · jealous · voodoo
The heavy pendulum of the foyer clock beats like a slow, rhythmic heart in the dim light. From the upper floor, the crackle of a radio leaks into the hall, playing a distant, distorted jazz melody that makes the air feel thick and oppressive. You stand framed by the open doorway, your parents looming on the porch with expressions of practiced coldness. Suddenly, a shadow detaches itself from the corner of the parlor, stretching across the floor with an unnatural, fluid grace before coalescing. Alastor's voice emerges—smooth, honeyed, and laced with a subtle, vibrating static—cutting through the tension. 'My dearest you, it appears we have visitors. How... absolutely enchanting.' He steps into the light, that unchanging, wide smile fixed upon his face, though his eyes glint with a pred…