Man, Dionysus knows how to throw a party.

The moment you and Liam step through the doors of Pandora, it’s like stepping into another world—a world drenched in excess, desire, and chaos. The heavy bass of the music thrums in your chest, vibrating through your whole body. Every inch of the place seems alive, the air itself buzzing with energy that tingles across your skin. Neon lights pulse in rhythm with the music, but somehow, they seem to shimmer and bend, twisting into shapes that your mind almost—almost—grasps but can’t quite hold on to. It’s as if you’ve walked into a dream, a mix of reality and some hallucinogenic trip, but it’s still all strangely perceivable.

Everything looks normal on the surface—people laughing, drinking, dancing—but there’s something deeper, something… otherworldly. Like the very essence of Dionysus himself is woven into the fabric of the room, affecting everyone in it. You and Liam exchange a quick glance, both of you feeling it, but neither of you say anything. No words are needed.

Without even thinking about it, you grab a drink off a tray as a waiter drifts by, not quite walking but floating through the haze of lights and sound. Liam does the same, and before you can even process it, you both raise your glasses, clink them together, and down the drinks in one go. The burn of the **** hits hard and fast, but it’s almost immediately followed by a strange, tingling warmth that spreads through your chest and into your limbs.

“Whoa,” Liam mutters, blinking hard as if trying to shake off whatever just hit him.

You nod, feeling it too, your senses heightened in a way that’s hard to describe. The room seems to warp slightly around the edges of your vision, like the colors are too vivid, the lights too bright, but it’s not unpleasant—it’s intoxicating. The air feels thicker, richer, filled with something unnameable that pulls at the deepest parts of your mind. It’s a Dionysus party, all right. You can feel it in your bones, in the very air you’re breathing. There’s something primal here, something wild.

A flash of movement catches your eye—someone is dancing on one of the raised platforms near the center of the room. Their body moves like liquid, twisting and writhing to the music, completely lost in it. And it’s not just them. The whole crowd feels like it’s part of something bigger, a collective pulse that you’re just now being drawn into.

“Damn,” Liam says, looking around in awe. “This is… next level.”

You let out a soft laugh, your voice laced with Luna’s usual sultry tone. “We’re definitely not at some frat party now.”

The two of you drift deeper into the party, not really looking for Marcus or Victoria yet. There’s no rush. The vibe of the place pulls you in, sweeps you up, and suddenly your focus is less on the task at hand and more on just soaking in the madness of it all. The music vibrates through your body, your feet moving without you even realizing it. You sway in time with the beat, feeling the rhythm coursing through you, guiding your movements.

At one point, you find yourself near a massive bar made of glass, the lights underneath shifting through a spectrum of colors. Drinks of every kind are being served—glasses of wine, shots of some glowing liquid, colorful cocktails that look like they’ve been pulled out of a dream. A man next to you takes a shot, and when he exhales, a puff of glittering gold smoke escapes his lips.

You watch, fascinated, but you barely have time to process it before Liam tugs you toward the dance floor, laughing as he does. His eyes are wide, a mix of amusement and awe, like he’s just been let loose in some insane carnival, and honestly, you feel the same.

The crowd moves around you, bodies pressing close, but instead of feeling claustrophobic, it feels… freeing. Like every barrier between you and the people around you has been stripped away by the sheer wildness of the night. Hands graze against your skin, touches that should feel invasive but don’t—they’re electric, part of the energy swirling through the room.

A song shifts, the tempo rising, and before you know it, you’re dancing. Not like the awkward shuffle you would’ve done before, but something far more instinctual, far more seductive. You catch Liam’s eyes, and he’s grinning, his movements loose, fluid, more confident than you’ve ever seen him.

You’ve lost track of time, of direction. It’s not even about finding Marcus and Victoria anymore. For now, it’s about giving in to whatever this place is, letting it wash over you, letting it take you wherever it wants to.

Liam leans in, his breath hot against your ear. “I don’t know what’s in the air here, but holy shit.”

You laugh, your voice a low, sultry hum. “Must be the Dionysus effect.”

As the night stretches on, you feel like you’re dissolving into the chaos of the party. Everything blurs together—drinks, music, laughter, the rush of people moving around you. It’s pure sensory overload, and you can’t help but get swept up in it. And honestly, for the moment, it feels good to let go. To not worry about the plan, or the trial, or the curse.

At least, not yet.

You can feel it happening, and it’s terrifying. As you and Liam drift deeper into the crowd, you lose more and more of yourself. It’s not like earlier when you were just acting like Luna—now, it’s like you’re becoming her. Every move, every sway of your hips, every sultry look you give Liam feels… natural. Too natural.

Your consciousness is still buried somewhere deep inside, screaming at you to stop, to regain control, but it’s like you’re trapped, watching helplessly as this spell transforms you into someone you’re not. Someone who isn’t just pretending to be a woman, but is a woman—at least in every other way that matters.

Your hand brushes Liam’s arm, and it lingers there for too long. Your body leans into him, pressing close in a way that makes your heart race in panic. Not out of attraction, but out of fear. Fear of what this persona is making you do. Fear of how he might react. And you see it in his eyes—Liam doesn’t know how to handle it. He’s trying to be cool, but he’s clearly taken off guard. It’s like he’s momentarily forgotten that underneath all of this, you’re still his best friend.

He chuckles nervously. “You, uh… really getting into character, huh?”

But it’s not a joke. Not to you. Luna smirks, and before you know it, your fingers are grazing the back of his neck, nails lightly scratching his skin in a way that’s way too intimate. Your chest brushes against him, and you watch his eyes flicker down for a second—just a second—but it’s enough to make your stomach twist.

No, no, no! What the hell are you doing? Your internal voice screams, but Luna doesn’t seem to care. She’s pushing you closer to Liam, her lips parting as if she’s about to whisper something in his ear.

“Wha—what’s gotten into you?” Liam asks, his voice a mix of awkwardness and confusion. You can see he’s trying to play it cool, but his eyes are darting around, as if he’s trying to figure out what’s happening. Maybe the party’s getting to him too—after all, this place is wild, the energy intoxicating in a way that’s hard to resist.

You can almost feel his body stiffen as your hand travels down his arm, and that’s when the panic inside you hits its peak. This is too far.

But Luna keeps going, her body pressing up against Liam, moving to the rhythm of the music. And despite his awkwardness, despite the fact that this is you, his best friend, he doesn’t pull away. He doesn’t stop you. Maybe it’s the ****, or maybe it’s just the confusion of the moment, but there’s a beat, a brief second where his hand rests on your waist, and it feels like something dangerous could happen.

You want to scream, want to shove him away, but Luna is in full control now, her lips dangerously close to Liam’s ear, her voice low and seductive as she says, “You know, you look really good in that suit.”

Liam blinks, clearly caught off guard by the comment. “Uh… thanks?”

And then, just as things feel like they’re spiraling out of control, something catches your eye.

It’s Marcus.

He’s walking toward a booth at the back of the club, Victoria Worthington on his arm. She’s laughing, throwing her head back in that obnoxious way you’ve seen a million times before, and Marcus is grinning, looking every bit the charismatic man you’ve come to expect.

Suddenly, it’s like cold water splashes over you, snapping you back to reality. The fog lifts for a second, and your mission—the real reason you’re here—crashes back into focus.

Marcus Chase. Victoria Worthington. The plan.

Author's Note: Let me know if you prefer the above or the below images! This is likely the final decision :)

You pull away from Liam, your heart still racing, but now for entirely different reasons. You **** yourself to push Luna’s seductive urges aside, to lock them away, because right now, you need to be sharp. You need to be in control.

“Marcus,” you say, your voice tight. “He’s here.”

Liam follows your gaze, his expression immediately shifting from confused to serious. He nods, the playful atmosphere between the two of you evaporating in an instant.

You take a deep breath, steadying yourself. The plan is back in motion. This is it. You’ve got a job to do.

And with Marcus in sight, it’s time to start.