As they stepped into the establishnt, the first thing that hit them was the sharp, unmistakable scent of iron—thick, heady, and undeniably fresh. Blood. It lingered in the air like incense, mingling with the smooth rhythm of music coming from a stage at the center of the lounge. A lone perforr strumd a haunting tune, adding a sultry ambiance to the already charged atmosphere.
The interior was simple but efficient. A long, well-stocked bar stretched along the left wall, with plush lounge chairs and velvet-lined booths scattered around the main floor. The elevated stage sat just above it all, offering a full view of the room. A stairway in the corner led up to a second floor—half-shrouded in shadows—with only the flicker of red lights hinting at what kind of "adventures" awaited up there.
Unlike the diverse crowd of the underground city, this place was different. Every single patron here was a vampire, and their presence felt heavier, more predatory. Eyes glinted in the dim light. Conversations were low, but intense.
Corven scanned the space with quiet amusent. "Woah, looks like you hit the jackpot," he said, chuckling under his breath. He gave Rose a nod of approval.
But just as they began moving in, a vampire stumbled out from the crowd, brushing hard against Rose like he’d been drinking too much—or maybe he just didn’t care.
"Huh...?" The man turned and gave her a slow once-over.
A smirk spread across his face. "You’re quite beautiful... haven’t seen you around these parts."
Rose didn’t even blink. She simply pointed at Corven, unimpressed.
"What...?" The vampire turned to him, blinking in confusion. "Are you supposed to be her partner or sothing? You look way too scrawny."
Corven gave a dry chuckle.
’I don’t bla him. I’ve only been a vampire for two days. Still got that fresh-out-the-coffin vibe, I guess.’
The man scoffed, clearly entertained by himself. Then he turned back to Rose, grin widening.
"Co on, leave this sucker. I’m sure he can’t even satisfy you."
That hit a nerve.
Corven’s expression tightened for a split second. A mory flickered—one from his old life. Then, without warning, he moved.
He brought his leg up and slamd his foot straight into the man’s face.
THWACK.
The sound turned heads. Conversations paused. The music wavered.
Nearby vampires looked over, their curiosity piqued.
The man staggered back, blood dripping from his nose. His playful grin vanished, replaced by fury.
"You’ll pay for that, you newblood!" he growled, claws unsheathing with a sharp hiss.
Corven grinned, unbothered. Aside from the first vampire he’d seen decapitated and the ones in the arena, he hadn’t fought many of his kind up close.
To be honest, he still wasn’t entirely sure how to kill them.
’Regeneration seems to vary from one to another. No consistent rule. Great.’
He reached under his coat and pulled out the specialized arrow.
"I’ll just ask for another later," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
In one smooth motion, he drove the arrow straight into the vampire’s chest.
SLICK.
The vampire howled in pain, but not before lashing out. One clawed hand slashed across Corven’s face, tearing into his skin.
SLASH.
Blood sprayed. A deep, angry line marked his cheek—but just as quickly, the wound began to heal. Both of them regenerated, their bodies already nding.
"An arrow? Is that supposed to—" the vampire started, but then his voice caught.
BOOM.
The arrowhead detonated.
Instead of an outward blast, it released the net coated with iron—designed to catch a vampire’s body but now used to inflict as much pain as possible. Burning. Binding.
"Ahhhhkk!" he scread, stumbling back. His body convulsed as he crumpled to the floor, twitching in agony.
Rose approached with a low whistle. "Quick thinking..."
Corven wiped a hand across his healing cheek, smirking. "More importantly, I guess violence isn’t off the table here."
He looked around.
The crowd didn’t seem outraged—if anything, they looked entertained. So even clapped lightly, amused by the display.
The bartender leaned against the counter with a grin. "What a show. Been a hundred years since I’ve seen sothing that fun."
Monts later, two massive undead brutes—tall, broad, and clearly mindless—lumbered over. Without a word, they hauled the twitching vampire away like trash being taken out after a party.
Corven and Rose were left alone, the air already shifting in their favor. A few nods ca from nearby patrons. One or two staff mbers gave them a second glance—this ti with a little more respect.
Then the bartender called out. "New here?"
Rose stepped forward first. "Yeah. What’s there to do here?"
He laughed, voice rough but pleasant. "Drinks and entertainnt. The usual."
Then his tone dropped just slightly. "The special stuff cos when you’re a regular," he added with a dark chuckle.
Corven leaned casually against the counter. "How about you give us sothing you’d recomnd? Just sothing to start with."
He added, "Keep it under ten silver."
The bartender gave a short snort. "Ten silver? You don’t pull punches, huh? That’s a solid drink budget, alright... Might have just the thing."
He grabbed two glasses, wiping them with a clean rag as he looked them over.
"But first—how much did you two feed today? And are you two together?"
Corven answered smoothly, "Two bodies. And yeah, you could say that."
The bartender paused. "Two? You fasting or sothing?"
Then he chuckled and reached for a uniquely shaped bottle—glass twisted like bone, sealed with crimson wax.
"This one’s the house special. Usually goes for fifteen silver, but I’ll give you a discount. Think of it as a welco gift."
He winked. "And it might just... spice your night a little."
Rose raised a brow, clearly intrigued. "I’m interested. Especially the last part. Not sure about my sire here though." She teased.
Corven laughed softly. "Sounds perfect, actually. We’ll take it."
Rose blinked, surprised. "Wait...? Really?"
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