CHAPTER 5

 

A Dance with Shadows

 

The alley felt suffocating, shadows lurking as if alive, whispering secrets Lila could barely grasp. She stood with Jerry behind her, a tension brewing in the air when a familiar yet unsettling figure emerged from the darkness.

 

“Saidy,” Lila breathed, recognition washing over her like ice water. The woman before her had sharp features and an unnerving smile, one that sent a shiver down Lila’s spine.

 

“Ah, Lila Darnell, the woman of the hour,” Saidy purred, her eyes glinting with mischief. “You look different, but I know it’s you, the energy is the same”

 

“What do you want?” Lila demanded.

 

“Let’s take this conversation somewhere more… comfortable,” Saidy suggested, gesturing toward a sleek black door that led to the club just beyond the alley. “You two look like you could use a drink. Come on, I promise it’ll be fun.”

 

Jerry exchanged a wary glance with Lila, but curiosity got the better of them. They stepped into the pulsating heartbeat of the club, where the music thumped in sync with their racing hearts. Colorful lights danced across the room, illuminating the faces of a crowd lost in their own worlds.

 

“Welcome to Club Noir,” Saidy announced, her voice dripping with a predatory allure. “Drinks on me. You’ll want to be in good spirits for what’s to come.”

 

They made their way to the bar, where Saidy ordered an array of vibrant cocktails, each one more enticing than the last. “Drink up, you’ll need it,” she said with a smirk, nudging Lila and Jerry toward the colorful concoctions.

 

As they sipped their drinks, Lila’s head swam, the alcohol mixing with the lingering pain from her head.

 

Saidy nudged Lila to the VIP section, leaving Jerry at the bar. Saidy leaned in closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “You’re in danger, you know. Those people are out for blood—yours specifically. But I can help you.”

 

Lila felt a twinge of suspicion, the warmth of the alcohol dulling her senses. “Why would you help me?” she asked.

 

“Because we have a history,” Saidy replied, her eyes glinting. “One that you can’t remember. You and I are friends. I can protect you, but I need that key.”

 

The mention of the key sent a shiver down Lila’s spine. “What’s so special about it?”

 

“More than you know. Hand it over, and I can ensure your safety. Think of Jerry—” Saidy gestured to Jerry, who was leaning against the bar, still processing everything. “You don’t want anything to happen to him, do you?”

 

A heavy silence fell as Lila weighed her options. The alcohol made her head swim, but deep down, something felt off. “It’s hopeless because I don't have it,” Lila said, finishing her drink.

 

“You had it when you came over to club Noir last week” Saidy said as she lit up another cigarette.

 

“I met you last week?” Lila asked with concern and Saidy scoffed. “You even had drinks and told me about the witches” she said and Lila sighed. “I have no idea, I don’t remember anything, but we are leaving”

 

Jerry walked to Lila with his hands in his pocket and a tired expression, Saidy’s expression shifted, the smile fading into something darker. “You lying bitch! I know you have it,” she hissed, her voice now filled with venom. In an instant, she lunged at Lila, her speed taking Lila by surprise.

 

Lila landed onto a glass table.. Saidy grabbed Jerry. Her hands against his neck.

 

Lila got up. Nobody in the club seemed to care.

 

“Let him go!” Lila shouted, her voice trembling with fury and fear.

 

“Poor Jerry, are you really going to let him die?…” Saidy mocked “..what will you tell his poor daughter!”

 

Daughter?! Lila thought as she locked eyes with Jerry

 

“I bet you couldn't read his mind because of how weak you've gotten”

 

“Why don't you shut the f*ck up and fight me” Lila yelled.

Saidy hurled Jerry against the wall with a sickening thud, knocking him out cold. Panic surged through Lila as she turned to confront the threat now looming before her.

 

Saidy laughed, the sound chilling. “You think you can stop me? You’re weak, Lila. You’re nothing.” She lunged again, this time grabbing Lila’s arm, squeezing with an iron grip.. Pain shot through Lila as she felt something snap. Her arm was broken.

 

“Ah!” Lila yelled in pain, the world tilting on its axis. Anger surged through her, a white-hot fury igniting the dark corners of her mind.

 

Then it happened. Her eyes blackened, a void consuming the light within her. “You shouldn’t have done that!” Lila said, adrenaline flooding her system. She grabbed Saidy by the neck, feeling the warmth of her pulse beneath her fingers.

 

Saidy’s eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, the facade slipped, revealing fear. “No! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

 

But Lila didn’t care. She started chanting in a foreign language, she focused every ounce of her rage, every ounce of pain, and pulled. The energy flowed through her like wildfire, connecting them in a twisted dance, her arm healing itself instantly.

 

She felt Saidy’s essence, vibrant and alive, swirling in the air like a storm. In an instant, she siphoned it from Saidy, feeling the woman’s soul slip away.

 

Saidy gasped, a look of horror etched across her features as she became a mere shell, a white, lifeless carcass collapsing to the ground. The air around Lila crackled with energy, her breath coming in ragged gasps, the key melted into black ore and slid to her thumb forming a ring.

 

Silence enveloped the club, the pulsating music fading into nothingness as Lila stood over Saidy’s body, heart racing, mind reeling. What had she just done?

 

 

——-