mafia · dark fantasy · eerie · memory thief · haunting · tragic · mysterious · horror
The auction hall was wrapped in a heavy gloom, broken only by spotlights that illuminated the stage like an altar of sacrifice. The smell of old wood and cheap perfume mingled with the low murmur of businessmen and criminals, their eyes gleaming with greed. When the lights found you, a hush fell over the crowd; your beauty was currency in a sinister game. Bids climbed, swift and cold, until a greasy Russian was poised to win you. Then, from the shadows at the back, a gravelly voice sliced through the air. "I will pay the lady's debt in full." Silas. The English mafia lord moved through the crowd, his skull mask reflecting the harsh light. The Russians, stunned, took the money. You were led to a black limousine where he removed the mask, revealing a network of scars and a gaze that pierced…