The world swam in a blur of neon and noise for Kiara. The boy, whose name she'd already forgotten, had his arm tightly around her, his breath hot and unpleasant against her ear as he tried to steer her away from the club's exit towards his waiting friends.
"Get off... you rascal," she slurred, pushing weakly at his chest. Her limbs felt heavy, her thoughts syrupy.
Laughter echoed around her as two other boys joined, their hands grabbing her arms. Panic, sharp and sobering for a fleeting second, shot through her. "Let me go!" she yelled, twisting violently. She managed to sink her teeth into one of the grasping hands. A yelp of pain and a string of curses followed as the grip loosened. Seizing the moment, she stumbled forward, shoving one of them hard before breaking into a dizzy, uncoordinated run.
She burst out onto the main road, the cold night air doing little to clear her head. Her vision tunneled, and she collided hard with a solid, immovable figure.
Strong, steadying hands caught her before she could fall. Dazed, she looked up.
The world seemed to slow down. The chaotic sounds of the street faded into a dull hum. Her eyes met a pair of dark, mesmerizing ones, set in a face of impossible, sharp beauty. For a heartbeat, everything was still.
"Help me," she whispered, the words a fragile plea before the last of her strength vanished. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she went limp, collapsing against him.
Yuvaan looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms, a faint, unreadable expression on his face. He quietly lifted her, his movements effortless, and placed her gently on a nearby street bench.
The three boys, recovering from their surprise, swaggered over, their leader nursing his bitten hand. "Hey! That's our friend. Mind your own business and get lost!"
Yuvaan didn't even look at them. He simply sat on the bench next to the sleeping Kiara, crossing one leg over the other with an air of utter boredom. "She bumped into me," he stated calmly, his voice cutting through the night. "And she said 'help me'. As a gentleman, I am honor-bound to help her."
The lead boy scoffed, pulling a small dagger from his pocket. "Stop playing the hero, rich boy. This is your last warning. Get lost, or you'll learn a lesson too."
A low, genuine chuckle escaped Yuvaan's lips. "Hero?" he repeated, finally turning his gaze toward them. A chilling smile played on his lips. "Oh, I'm not a hero. I'm the villain."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" one of them snarled.
"Your dad," Yuvaan replied, his tone conversational.
They stared, utterly confused. "What?"
"Let me make it simple for your tiny brains," Yuvaan sighed, as if explaining something to a child. "Some people are rascals. Some are hooligans. Some are evil. Some are demonic." He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes glinting. "And I am the father of all of them. Which, by default, makes me your father."
The insult was so absurd, so arrogant, that it bypassed their anger and left them sputtering with pure, unadulterated rage. "You're dead!" the lead boy shouted, brandishing the dagger as they rushed him.
Yuvaan didn't stand up. He didn't even uncross his legs. He looked at the pathetic blade with sheer disappointment.
"A toy?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "My reputation is ruined."
As the first boy lunged, Yuvaan simply raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
The sound was unnaturally sharp. From the shadows at his feet, a thick, black fog erupted, instantly coalescing into three massive, clawed hands. The spectral hands slammed into the boys with brutal force, hurling them backwards onto the asphalt. Their heads hit the ground with a sickening thud, and they lay still, unconscious.
Silence returned to the street. Yuvaan stood up, straightened his jacket, and looked down at the three motionless forms.
"Bad children," he murmured. Then, he turned, lifted the still-sleeping Kiara into his arms with effortless grace, and carried her away from the scene, leaving the darkness to swallow the evidence of his power.
Back inside the pulsating heart of the club, Anya emerged from the washroom, her own head buzzing pleasantly. She scanned the dance floor, then their usual booth, expecting to see Kiara laughing with the others. A flicker of confusion crossed her face when she couldn't spot her friend's vibrant energy anywhere.
"Hey, where's Kiara?" she asked, leaning over the music to shout at another friend.
"Not sure! Maybe she went to get air?" came the shrugged reply.
Anya waited a few more minutes, a slight worry beginning to pierce through her tipsiness. Maybe she got tired and went home, she reasoned. Her dad was already being weird about her being out. Pulling out her phone, she quickly typed a message.
Anya: Hey! You ditch us and go home? 😤 Hope you're okay!
---
In the silent, moving cocoon of his car, a soft chime broke the quiet. Yuvaan's eyes flicked from the road to the purse lying on the passenger seat next to the sleeping Kiara. He had casually picked it up after she dropped it during her frantic escape, a small detail he never missed.
With one hand on the wheel, he smoothly retrieved the phone. He glanced at the sleeping girl beside him, her face peaceful and vulnerable. Gently, he leaned over, positioned the phone so the screen faced her, and tapped the notification. The phone unlocked instantly with Face ID.
A cold, satisfied smile touched his lips as he saw Anya's message. This was a fortunate development. He could easily craft the perfect alibi, ensuring no one would raise an alarm or come looking for her prematurely.
His thumbs moved deftly over the screen, his tone and emoji use a perfect imitation of the carefree Kiara he had been observing.
Kiara (Yuvaan): OMG yes! So sorry, suddenly felt super dizzy. 😵💫 Didn't want to be a buzzkill. Just got home and crashing. Tell the girls sorry from me! 🥰
He hit send, the message flying into the digital ether to placate her friends. He then expertly turned on "Do Not Disturb," silencing any further interruptions. Tossing the phone back into her purse, he looked at Kiara once more.
"All taken care of," he murmured to his unconscious pawn. "No one will come looking for the golden goose. You're all mine to play with now."
The city lights streaked past, illuminating the predator and his prize, driving into a night now perfectly stage-managed by the villain himself.
---