Ezra kane slumped against the wall of a bodega, feeling the familiar gnaw of a curse in the pit of his stomach. Above him, Kael Voss's drone buzzed, its sound a darkly humorous lullaby. "Dammit," he muttered, reaching for a stale bagel—truly the breakfast of champions. Just then, a text from Lila popped up: "Hale's on a rampage. Fix this!" The curse was a glitch, disrupting Varkis Enterprises' blockchain. He caught sight of Nico Chen nearby, coffee in hand, grumbling about cats. "Those furry nuisances ruin everything," Nico complained. Ezra chuckled—a little humor amidst the chaos.
Suddenly, Kael appeared, casually leaning against a lamppost, his amber eyes glinting. "Hungry, boss?" he teased, tossing an apple Ezra's way. Their fingers brushed as he caught it, sending a jolt of energy coursing through him. Ezra instinctively pulled back, cursing the unexpected connection. Kael's grin only widened. "You can run, but you can't hide." The drone whirred menacingly closer.
With a heavy heart, Ezra made his way to The Pulse, the underground club where the bass thumped like a heartbeat. Noctari and Duskborn danced together, their rave fueled by essence as they sought balance amid the chaos. He needed to find equilibrium, despite Kael's smirk lingering in his mind. The dance floor was alive, bodies moving beneath pulsating neon lights. Then there was Kael, his shirt undone and moving with an irresistible grace. "Dance with me," he whispered, his hand resting on Ezra's hip. The air crackled with energy, their shadows merging in a way that felt almost scandalous. Ezra pushed him away, breathless. "Not here." Kael's laugh was low and enticing. "Too late."
Veyra's dual voice crackled through the speakers. "The contract tightens, loves." With that, Ezra bolted, the curse singing Kael's name in his ears.
**