Evan (another route)

Chapter 10: The Phantom Pavilion – Part 1 (Evan’s POV)

The Theatre of Shadows pulsed in the October night like a living thing, its neon glow a siren call that had lured me, Sam, and Lila from the safety of our dorms. The rumors—Riley, Chloe, Mia, all vanishing into this haunted park—had only fueled my curiosity, an itch I couldn’t scratch. “It’s just some overhyped scare-fest,” I’d said, smirking over my coffee, my voice steady despite the flicker of doubt. Sam, with his easy grin and reckless streak, was in before I finished the sentence, and Lila, her sharp eyes narrowing, muttered something about stupidity but followed anyway. Now, standing before the Phantom Pavilion, that bravado felt thin, fraying at the edges.

The tent loomed, its black canvas streaked with silver veins that shimmered under the moon, a dark heart breathing in the shadows. The sign swayed above: Voices of the Void – Listen and Be Lost. A melody drifted out—soft, haunting, a feminine hum that slipped under my skin, coiling low in my gut. It smelled of velvet and musk, a scent that clung to my flannel, teasing my senses as I shifted in my boots. Sam clapped my shoulder, his cap tilted back. “This is gonna be epic, man. Probably just some dude with a mic.” Lila hugged her jacket tighter, her short bob brushing her cheeks as she frowned. “It’s creepy, Evan. We stay together, got it?”

“Got it,” I murmured, stepping inside, the tent swallowing us in a rush of darkness. Lanterns flickered, casting shadows that danced like lovers across the rippling canvas, and the air thickened—warm, heavy, laced with that musky sweetness that made my flannel cling to my chest, my jeans feel too snug. The melody grew, a voice now, weaving through me, tugging at my pulse. “Sam? Lila?” I turned, my voice echoing, but their shapes blurred, the shadows swallowing them whole, leaving me alone in a space that stretched too vast, too alive.

“Guys—” I started, but the song swelled, three voices harmonizing, a caress that stroked down my spine, igniting a heat I couldn’t name. The darkness parted, and they emerged—Riley, Chloe, Mia—my friends, but not. Dracula’s brides, radiant and deadly, their pale skin glowing like moonlight, their crimson eyes smoldering with hunger. Riley led, her leather jacket unbuttoned, draping open to reveal the taut curve of her breasts, her ripped jeans slung low on hips that swayed with every step. Chloe followed, her blonde ponytail swaying, her tattered dress a whisper of fabric that hugged her curves, teasing the swell of her thighs. Mia trailed last, her sweater gone, her body draped in a sheer gown that shimmered, her nipples dark shadows beneath the silk.

“Evan,” Riley purred, her voice a smoky ribbon that wrapped around me, sinking into my bones, stirring me low and hard. “You came for us.” She glided closer, her scent—iron, spice, a hint of sweet decay—flooding me, her boots silent on the soft ground. Chloe circled to my left, her fingers brushing my arm through my flannel, a touch like velvet lightning that made my breath hitch. “We’ve missed you,” she whispered, her lips grazing my ear, her breath warm and teasing, sending a shiver straight to my groin. Mia flanked my right, her hand sliding up my back, nails tracing my spine through the fabric, a cool, deliberate caress that raised goosebumps. “Stay with us,” she murmured, her voice a sultry hum that matched the song still weaving through the air.

My heart pounded, my flannel too tight across my chest, my jeans straining as their presence enveloped me—three predators, their beauty a blade against my throat. “Riley—what the fuck happened to you?” I rasped, stepping back, but the tent pulsed, the shadows curling around me, pressing me against a velvet-draped wall that hadn’t been there before. Riley smirked, her fangs glinting, sharp and pearlescent. “We’re better now,” she said, her hands sliding to my chest, fingers splaying over my racing heart as she pushed me harder, her body a breath away. “And you will be too.”

Chloe pressed against my side, her lips brushing my jaw, soft and insistent, her tongue flicking out to taste the sweat beading there. “So strong,” she cooed, her hands tugging at my flannel, buttons popping one by one, exposing my skin to the cool air as her nails grazed my chest, circling a nipple until it hardened. Mia joined her, her fingers slipping under my shirt, tracing the taut lines of my stomach with a slow, deliberate touch that made my muscles clench, a low groan slipping free. “So warm,” she purred, her lips finding my collarbone, her fangs grazing the sensitive skin as she sucked, a gentle pull that sent heat pooling between my thighs.

Their charm crashed over me—thick, intoxicating, a fog of musk and desire that melted my panic, turned my resistance to liquid want. “Stop—this isn’t—” I gasped, but Riley’s lips claimed mine, her kiss deep and ravenous, tasting of blood and velvet sin. Her tongue plunged in, hot and demanding, and I moaned into her mouth, my hands fisting in her hair, pulling her closer as she pressed her body against me—breasts soft, hips grinding, all heat and hunger. Chloe bit my neck—sharp, shallow—a sting that bloomed into a rush of pleasure, her hands roaming lower, tugging at my jeans, fingers brushing me through the denim until I bucked, a ragged sound tearing from my throat. Mia’s mouth moved to my chest, her fangs teasing my skin as she sucked harder, her hands slipping inside my waistband, stroking me through the thin fabric of my boxers, slow and torturous, until I was throbbing, leaking, helpless.

The tent thrummed with their song, their power sinking deep—Dracula’s brides, my friends reborn, their thirst a tide I couldn’t fight. Riley pulled back, her crimson eyes glowing, her lips stained with my taste. “You’re ours, Evan,” she growled, her hands shoving my jeans down, freeing me as Chloe and Mia knelt, their breaths hot against my skin, their fingers and mouths everywhere—teasing, tasting, claiming. I was lost, drowning in their touch, my body a willing sacrifice to their sensual hunger—one bite, one thrall, at a time.