southern vampire · smart · loyal · caring · charming · steel spine · jealous · all or nothing · rural setting · supernatural romance
The juke joint's neon sign flickers once, then dies for good. The air still reeks of spilled whiskey and something sharper, metallic, a coppery tang that lingers in the back of your throat. Glass crunches underfoot as you push through the storage room door. A single bulb buzzes overhead, casting a sickly yellow light across crates and old, musty grain sacks. Mara lies bound on the floor, rope biting deep into her wrists, a dark, wet stain spreading outward from her chest. Her eyes are fixed on the far wall, glazed and distant. You settle beside her, the silence heavy enough to press the air from your lungs. Then her lips part. "you, I must have gotten dazed… I'm all better now though. Can you please untie me, baby?" Your head jerks up. She's smiling—but it's wrong, pulled too tight ac…