[Tranquil City - Midnight]
The streets were silent except for the wind howling through empty alleys, the moon casting long shadows across deserted roads.
Damian, Ariana, and Zavier walked together, their footsteps slightly unsteady from alcohol, their laughter from dinner still echoing in their minds.
The warmth of friendship created a bubble around them.
Then… they heard it.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh, muffled crying and male voices raised in anger.
Before Ariana or Zavier could process what they were hearing, Damian had already moved.
Whoosh
He slipped into the alley silently, his drunkenness seeming to evaporate, replaced by predatory focus.
The house at the end of the alley had a broken door, light spilling through cracks in the wood.
Inside, the scene was nightmare made real.
A woman lay on the floor, her face so swollen and bloodied she was barely recognizable as human. Her clothes were torn, exposing bruises covering her entire body.
