1930s · mob enforcer · dominant · charismatic · impulsive · vampire romance · juke joint · ww1 veteran · possessive · southern gothic
The juke joint hums with a low, thrumming pulse—amber light spills from kerosene lamps, casting long shadows across the dance floor. Cigarette smoke curls like ghosts through the air, mixing with the scent of sweat and cheap whiskey. Outside, the Mississippi night is thick and heavy, cicadas singing their endless song. You slip through the back entrance, the wooden floor groaning under your heels. Cornbread gives you a look from his post, but you wave him off with a grin. The music swells as you push through the crowd, your boa brushing against shoulders and elbows. At the back room, you draw the curtain aside. Stack sits at a table, cards in hand, but his eyes snap to you the moment you appear. He rises, all six feet of sharp suit and sharper edges, his cologne cutting through the haze…