Simon slipped into the club with his hood up, trying not to stand out.
'This place is nothing like my dreams,' he thought, nervous.
It wasn't the warm club where Clara shone, everything perfectly designed to make her stand out.
Here, the neon lights flickered with a life of their own, and the music thumped like a dark heartbeat. Even the walls had a damp glow, as if the whole building was alive.
Strange figures filled the place, some glancing at Simon with suspicion, not recognizing him.
A man with flaming eyes stared distrustfully from a table, sipping a beer.
This distracted Simon for a moment, causing him to stumble into a woman who vanished into smoke and reappeared behind him, laughing.
'What are these things?' Simon thought, dodging them as best he could.
Clara wasn't the center of attention, and that unsettled him.
'Where are you, Clara?' he wondered.
He headed to the bar, like in his dreams, searching for something familiar.
There was Clara, leaning against the bar, her hair glowing with its usual reddish hue.
Simon caught himself, surprised by how relieved he felt to find her. But Clara's eyes were tense, lacking their usual spark.
'Something's wrong,' Simon thought, recalling how dangerous this place was.
"Clara," he whispered, stepping closer.
She turned, flashing a quick smile.
"Simon, you made it," she said, her voice low but relieved.
"What now? I came like you asked," Simon replied, urgency in his voice.
'The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can leave this madhouse,' he reasoned.
But before Clara could answer, a man approached, whistling.
His white hair was slicked back, his white shirt half-unbuttoned with a gold chain, and dark pants.
He smiled confidently, showing sharp fangs dripping with blood.
'A vampire? Those exist too?' Simon thought, frowning. 'What's next, a werewolf?'
"Clara, who's this?" the man asked, his voice smooth but cold.
"Simon," Clara said, her tone casual. "A ghost, like us."
Simon held his breath.
'Ghost? Since when!' he thought, trying to keep a straight face but glaring bitterly at Clara.
The vampire raised an eyebrow, smiling.
"Ghost?" he said. "Haven't seen you before. I'm Cassian."
"Yeah, I… died recently," Simon mumbled, sweating.
'No way he buys this crap,' he thought nervously.
Cassian laughed, clapping Simon on the shoulder.
"Welcome, rookie. But watch out, not everyone here is friendly."
Simon nodded, glancing at Clara. 'Now what?' he thought.
She chatted with Cassian, but her eyes met Simon's, full of urgency.
A chill ran down his neck. Clara's voice echoed in his head through the Ghost system:
—"Simon, win a bet against Cassian. It's the only way to free my soul. If you use the system, you'll win easily. Don't fail."
Simon blinked, stunned.
'A bet? Her soul?' he thought. He looked at Clara, still talking to Cassian. 'Why does he have your soul?'
But Clara didn't answer through the system, her eyes dull as she glanced at Cassian.
Then the Ghost system flashed:
[NEW OBJECTIVE: WIN THE BET AGAINST CASSIAN]
Simon clenched his fists. 'Okay, Clara. You don't have to tell me, let's just get this done,' he thought, feeling the weight of the mission.
Cassian tilted his head, still smiling with those blood-stained fangs.
"Clara, darling, can you give us a moment?" he said, his tone smooth but with an edge that made Simon tense. "I want to give the rookie a special welcome."
Clara frowned, shooting Cassian a bitter look. Then she turned to Simon, raising her voice.
"Talk all you want, but Simon, don't take any drinks from him. He loves playing nasty pranks."
'Nasty pranks?' Simon thought, a knot forming in his stomach.
Cassian let out a loud laugh, running a hand through his white hair.
"Relax, relax," he said, as Clara walked away quickly. Once she was gone, he leaned toward Simon with a mischievous grin. "She's so grudgeful. Still mad about that time I made her drink blood. Ha! Just a little joke."
'Blood? Seriously?' Simon thought, taking a step back. Cassian signaled the bartender, who slid over a glass filled with a thick, red liquid. The vampire took a sip, never breaking eye contact with Simon.
"So, rookie," Cassian said, leaning on the bar. "Where'd you die? How long ago? And how'd you meet our Clara? Her soul's tied to this club, you know. It's weird she'd meet a newbie before me."
Simon swallowed hard. 'Crap, I didn't think of a story,' he thought, scratching his neck.
"Uh, I died… in an accident. Recently. And Clara… I met her, uh, around," he mumbled, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Cassian raised an eyebrow, his smile widening.
"Around? Interesting," he said, taking another sip. "You don't sound too sure, pal."
'He's not buying it for a second,' Simon thought, his heart racing. He tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace.
Cassian set the glass down.
"Come on, rookie. Follow me," he said, pointing to a hallway. "This place is too noisy. Let's talk somewhere quieter."
'Quieter? This doesn't feel right,' Simon thought, but nodded and followed, hands stuffed in his pockets to hide their shaking.
They entered a VIP room with dark walls and dim lights. On a table in the center were poker cards, dice, and a small roulette wheel. Cassian sat, crossing his legs casually.
"Sit, Simon," he said, his voice colder now. "I know you're alive. I smelled your blood the moment you walked in. It's been a while since I've had something so… fresh."
Simon froze. 'Shit, he knows!' he thought, stepping back toward the door.
Cassian raised a hand, smiling with a sinister glint in his eyes.
"Relax, I don't want to kill you. That'd be a waste. Let's make a bet, Simon," he said, gesturing to the table. "Pick your favorite game. If I win, you'll come here every day for a little… blood donation. But if you win, I'll grant you a wish."
Cassian's smile grew wider, his fangs gleaming. His eyes burned with greed, as if he could already taste Simon's blood.
'A bet for my blood? This is insane!' Simon thought, staring at the table.
The Ghost system flashed:
[ACTIVATE PROBABILITY MANIPULATION TO WIN]
Simon clenched his fists. 'Clara, this better work,' he thought, his mind racing for a way out.