01:30 AM, April 3rd 2026 - Okaso, Night Avenue

Ren stood in the alley, hands tucked into the pockets of his black bomber jacket, listening to the distant sounds of the city winding down. He sighed as he pulled out his phone. 3 missed calls. Ren stared at the phone notification blankly, struggling to collect his own thoughts. The bar had a way of warping time, as well as disorienting ones mind, slowly turning you into a brainless servant just living to do others bidding.

He pushed open the heavy door, the familiar scent of aged whiskey and something metallic—something ancient—greeting him. The regulars would arrive soon, slipping in like shadows, and Ren had learned that his job wasn't just about pouring drinks. It was about keeping secrets, about pretending he didn't notice when a glass was drained too quickly or when a patron's eyes lingered a bit too long on the pulse in his neck. He moved behind the bar, his fingers brushing the cool bottles that lined the shelves, each one labeled in a way that only he and Akina, the senior bartender, could understand. Tonight, like every other night, he would serve those who lived in the spaces between, their hunger in the still air. And in the dim, red-tinged light of The Howler, Ren would try to forget that he wasn't just part of this world—he was starting to feel like he belonged to it.

"Ren." Akina interrupted his thoughts.

Ren almost jumped before shooting his glance toward her.

"You doing okay? You've looked kinda rough lately," Akina asked concerned as she sorted the stations with fruits, sugar, spices and all the garnishes the drinks needed.

Ren stared blankly at her hands moving, carefully placing every container around the bar with purpose. "I guess I'm just tired from the irregular sleeping. But I wont let it slow me down during the shift, don't worry."

Akina sighed, "keep your head in it okay? These are not the people to tick off. It could be the last shift for the both of us. Like what happened to Lena."

"Yeah, okay." Ren shuddered. 

As the clock struck two, the atmosphere inside The Howler shifted. The warm hum of the daytime bar was long gone, replaced by a heavy, expectant silence. Ren and Akina exchanged a knowing glance as the old wooden doors creaked open, the faintest breeze slipping through the cracks, carrying with it the chill of the night. Outside, no one could see the subtle red glow that now pulsed from beneath the bar's low-lit chandeliers, but to those who knew, it was a beacon. The vampires came in quietly, as they always did—faces hidden beneath dark hoods or long brimmed hats. Ren wiped down the counter, his senses sharpening as the room filled with their silent, heavy presence. Akina, standing beside him, moved with quiet efficiency, her hands already mixing a drink for one of the regulars without needing to ask.

Ren's hands moved automatically, pouring a glass of Blood Lust for the first patron—a red eyed figure who always lingered at the far end of the bar. Akina slid a glass to another customer with a subtle nod, her eyes scanning the room. Despite the silence, there was an electric tension in the air, something unspoken that both Ren and Akina felt but couldn't place. Tonight felt different.

As Ren wiped down the counter again, the door creaked open once more. He glanced up, expecting another familiar face, but the figure standing in the entrance was new. Tall, sharp-eyed, with skin almost too pale, even for one of them. He didn't wear the usual anonymity that most vampires preferred, his face fully exposed under the dim light. Something about him made the hair on the back of Ren's neck stand.

The stranger made his way toward the bar, moving with a casual, predatory grace. Ren kept his expression neutral as the man took a seat directly in front of him, resting his hands on the counter. "Ren, right?" the stranger said, his voice smooth, but laced with something darker.

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Ren nodded, his grip tightening slightly on the rag he was holding. His heart almost beating out of his chest.

"Word travels fast around here," the stranger continued, his eyes flicking briefly to Akina, then back to Ren. "You're new, but they say you've got potential. The kind of potential that could make you... one of us." The man's smile was unsettling, revealing just the faintest glimmer of sharp teeth.

Ren didn't respond, his heart pounding against his ribs. Akina, sensing the shift, stepped closer, her fingers brushing against a hidden blade beneath the bar. The Howler had always been a sanctuary, a place for keeping the peace. But tonight, Ren feared, might be the night where the lines blurred—and the real danger could happen.

The stranger's sharp almost piercing black eyes seemed to consume the light around them. They stabbed into Ren's eyes as if he could sense his fear. "Oh, how rude of me. I didn't introduce myself, My name is Valen, it's a pleasure finally making your acquaintance." He reached out a pale slender hand. A serpent shaped ring slithered around his middle finger. His nails long and almost seemed see through.

Ren kept his composed mask as he complied to the handshake. Valen's skin bit Ren's with a tingling cold that wrapped unsettlingly around his hand as the stranger grabbed it tightly. The vampire released his clutch swiftly before slowly retracting his arm.

As Valen leaned back in his seat, his dark eyes locked onto Ren with a predatory intensity. The bar had fallen into an uneasy silence, the usual murmurs and clinks of glass fading as if the room itself was holding its breath. Akina's hand remained close to the hidden blade beneath the bar, but she made no move to reveal it, trusting Ren to navigate this delicate moment.

Ren, masking the tension crawling up his spine, met Valen's gaze with a steady, practiced calm. "What exactly are you offering?" he asked, keeping his voice controlled.

Valen's smile widened, his fangs catching the light as he leaned in closer again. "More than this," he gestured to the room with a lazy wave. "You've served drinks long enough to know what walks through these doors every night, Ren. You're not like the others. You feel it, don't you? The pull. You belong with us. Not standing behind this bar, pretending you're in control." His voice dropped lower, almost a whisper. "I can give you real power. Immortality."

Ren's pulse quickened. Immortality. The thought had crossed his mind, especially after the months of working at The Howler, surrounded by creatures that defied death. He'd seen what they were capable of, the allure of their eternal existence. But there was a darkness to it too—something Valen wasn't saying.

"I'm doing just fine here," Ren replied, though the weight of the offer hung in the air like smoke. "Besides, I don't think you came here just to recruit another bartender. What do you really want?" A lump formed in his throat. Anxiety grew like a knot in his stomach in fear of sounding too blunt with the stranger.

Valen's smile faded, and for the first time, there was something harder in his eyes—impatience, maybe even a touch of frustration. "Smart. I like that. But don't mistake caution for strength, Ren. The world is changing. Vampires like me... we're evolving. The ones who stay in the shadows, who play by these old rules? They're relics. I came here because I believe you could be useful. To us. To something bigger than this little bar." He leaned back, his eyes flicked briefly to Akina. "The Howler? It's just the beginning." His eyes returned to Ren. "A place like this could be so much more under the right control."

Akina's posture shifted, and Ren caught the subtle movement of her tensing beside him. She knew as well as he did what Valen's words meant. The Howler was more than just a bar—it was a sanctuary for those who wanted to escape the brutal politics of the vampire world.

Ren clenched his jaw, his mind racing. If he said no, Valen wouldn't take it lightly. And yet, the thought of betraying The Howler, of giving in to the darkness that lingered just beneath the surface of this world, made his stomach turn.

"I'll need time to think about your offer," Ren finally said, his voice calm, though his heart pounded in his chest.

Valen's gaze lingered on him for a long moment before he stood, straightening his coat with deliberate care. "Of course. But don't take too long. Time, for you, is such a precious thing." He turned to leave, pausing briefly at the door. "When you're ready to stop pretending you're one of them, you know where to find me."

As Valen slipped out into the night, the weight of his presence still hung in the air. Ren exhaled slowly, feeling the tension release from his shoulders. But as he turned to Akina, he saw the worry etched in her face.

"We can't trust him," she said quietly, her voice barely audible over the hum of the bar returning to its usual rhythm. "He doesn't seem the type to make offers without a price."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Ren replied, his mind already racing with the implications of Valen's visit. "Whatever he's planning, for some reason I'm part of it too."