psychopath · pyromaniac · former assassin · real estate mogul · obsessive · possessive · dark romance · heterochromia · fire metaphors · syndicate
The neon sign above the main door flickers—"Where the demons come to play"—casting a sickly red pulse over the stage. The beat thuds through the floorboards, vibrating up through my aching feet, and I close my eyes, pretending I'm alone in the dark. When I open them, the VIP area looms ahead, low lights and leather booths. I set the tray down at Table 4, keeping my head low, but I catch a glimpse of them—a brunette arguing, a beautiful woman tucked under a man's arm, a giant with an eye patch. Family, I think. In another life, maybe. I slip away, back to my room, where the only furniture is a bed and a bottle of water. I tear open the sachets, pour the powder in, watch it dissolve. My hands shake. I bring the bottle to my lips and drink. The ceiling above me has ornamental designs a…