Nightfall: Last Call

Chapter 2 - Realization

02:49 AM, April 3rd 2026 - The Howler

The door of The Howler closed with a soft click, and the tension in the bar seemed to linger long after Valen's presence had vanished into the night. The low hum of the bar's usual noise returned, but it felt distant, muted, as if the weight of Valen's words still hung in the air like smoke.

Ren stood behind the bar, his hand still gripping the rag. His knuckles were white, and his mind raced, replaying Valen's offer, the veiled threat behind every seemingly casual word.

"He knows too much," Akina said quietly, her voice breaking the silence. She was standing close now, her brown eyes sharp with concern. 

Ren flung the rag over his shoulder, his hands still trembling slightly. He exhaled slowly, trying to clear the fog in his head, but the edges of Valen's offer still clawed at him. "Yeah," Ren muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "What does he really want from me? What can I possibly have?"

Akina leaned against the bar, her expression dark. 

"He wants control." A voice hissed from the far end of the bar, catching Ren and Akina's attention in a terrifying instant. "Valen's not subtle. He's testing you. Seeing if you'll fold under pressure. If you do, he'll own you. And if you don't..." His voice trailed off. 

Ren regained focus on masking his face, knowing a patron noticed them. They have never spoken so plainly. "How do know-" The dark figure had already left, leaving only an empty rocks glass with some melted ice and drops of crimson on the bar with a gold coin as tip. Ren's breath trembled again. 

"Darius needs to know about this," Akina said, glancing toward the back of the bar where Darius's private office was hidden behind a heavy oak door. "He will know what to do."

Ren hesitated. He didn't want to drag Darius into the mess he made, knowing The Howler's owner had lived a life of vampire politics and violence and left that life behind for a reason. But Valen's appearance was too big and confusing of a problem for Ren to handle on his own.

"I'll talk to him," Ren finally said, his voice steadier now. 

Akina nodded, though the worry in her eyes didn't fade. "Be careful, Ren."

Ren gave a small, tight smile. "Yeah, noted."

03:00 AM, April 3rd 2026 - The Howler

Ren stood in front of Darius's office door, hesitating just long enough for doubt to creep in. He knew Darius valued the peace he had built at The Howler, a fragile balance where vampires and humans could coexist, at least within these walls. What if he knows who Valen is like that patron? And I get the blame for bringing trouble into his neutral territory? 

With a deep breath, Ren knocked.

"Come in," a deep, calm voice called from within.

Ren stepped inside, a cold knot in his stomach. Darius sat behind his heavy wooden desk, a wine glass of dark red liquid in his hand. The older vampire's pale, ageless face was as unreadable as ever, his silver hair slicked back, his gleaming yellow eyes watching Ren carefully.

"There was an incident," Ren began nervously, closing the door behind him. "A man- vampire... made an offer. One I don't think I can refuse without consequences." He could feel a cold drop of sweat form under his shirt. "A patron said his name is Valen."

Darius's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't seem surprised. He set the glass down carefully, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. "I had a feeling it was only a matter of time before Valen made his move."

Ren blinked. "You knew this was coming?"

The old vampire sighed softly, leaning back in his chair. "Valen has been building power quietly for some time now. He believes in a world where vampires should rule openly, without the need for diplomacy or neutrality. The Howler stands in direct opposition to everything he wants. It was inevitable that he would target it—through you."

The cold knot in Ren's stomach twisted. "me?"

"You have something inside you, something he needs. Vampires attuned enough can read such things. There was a reason I only hired two bartenders for one of the busiest bars in Okaso. You and Akina are the only humans I have found with this trait." Darius said with a tone of authority, almost royal. 

"What trait?" Ren frowned. 

"You have worked in our bar for three months now. Akina for a year. You both are still here, still sane. Normal humans in these conditions would have gone mad before the first hour. The constant looming threat of your apex predator outnumbering you every night for hours, is not something to take lightly, boy." The old vampire spoke with a menacing demeanor. "You have the potential to be something the vampire world has never seen. Something even immortals would be terrified of. Which is why I claimed you before any of the hostile faction leaders did. However, Valen is bold." 

Ren did his best to keep himself from trembling. Every word Darius spoke, sent chilling shocks down his spine. 

Darius's dark eyes met Ren's, steady and calm. "You're not ready to face Valen. Not yet. He's testing you, and if you give in too quickly, he'll tighten his grip. But there's a way to handle him without making this a direct conflict."

"How?" Ren asked, his voice almost shaking.

"We buy time," Darius said simply. "For now, you play along. Don't reject him outright, but don't accept his offer either. Let him think you're considering it."

Ren's gut twisted at the thought of playing along with Valen, but he knew Darius was right. "And while I do that?"

"You train," Darius said firmly, standing from his chair and crossing the room toward a locked cabinet. He opened it with a quiet click, revealing a set of weapons—knives, stakes, and other tools Ren recognized for one purpose only, killing vampires.

"Valen won't wait forever," Darius continued, turning back to Ren with a serious look. "If you want to survive this, you need to be ready to fight. And you need to be ready to make difficult choices."

Ren swallowed hard as Darius handed him a silver dagger, the cool weight of it heavy in his palm. "I'll train you. And when the time comes, you'll have to be able to protect yourself."

Ren gripped the dagger tightly, his mind swirling with the enormity of the situation. Valen's threat wasn't going away, and The Howler's fragile peace might crack. "I'll do whatever it takes," Ren said, his voice steady, though his heart raced.

Darius gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable but filled with something close to pride. "Good."

03:30 AM, April 3rd 2026 - Outside of The Howler

Akina paced back and forth under the moonlight, the streetlights barely illuminating in the dark night. Her worry was barely concealed, but when she saw him, she stopped and folded her arms across her chest. "So? What did he say?"

Ren tightened his grip on the silver dagger tucked into his jacket. "We need to buy time. Darius is going to train me—he wants me ready to fight when Valen pushes."

Akina's eyes widened. "Fight? Ren, do you know how dangerous that is? We're humans, they are vampires. We're talking about vampires who've been fighting for centuries."

"I know," Ren said, his voice lower, more serious than she'd ever heard it. "But I don't have a choice. Darius says we can't turn Valen down outright, not yet. We need to stall until we're ready."

Akina's eyes wide, in disbelief. "This is insane."

Ren stared blankly, the weight of the situation pressed heavily on him. "How am I supposed to win?" 

Akina crouch down, her arms folded over her knees. She laid her head in her arms and exhaled. "We'll make it work." She said with desperation, her voice muffled.

Ren looked out at the darkened streets beyond The Howler, he couldn't shake the feeling that the shadows were closing in, and watching his every move.