They join in

Cortney steps forward before Bryce can stop her. Her eyes are locked on Tara's, on that strange, knowing smile. The air in the clearing feels thick, charged with something electric and primal. "Cortney, what are you—" Bryce starts, but his voice trails off as Cortney moves past him. She stops a few feet from Tara, her breath catching. "I don't... I don't understand what's happening," Cortney says, but her voice is shaky, uncertain. Tara laughs again, that brittle, beautiful sound. "You don't have to understand. You just have to feel." The man in the leather jacket finally turns. His eyes are dark, deep, reflecting the faint moonlight. He smiles, and there's something ancient in it, something patient. "She's right," he says, his voice low and smooth. "This is a gift. A moment outside of time. You can take it." Cortney looks at Bryce. Bryce looks at the man, at Tara, at the way the shadows seem to bend around them. His mind is screaming at him to run, but the alcohol, the night, the strange pull in his chest—it's all too much. He takes a step forward. Then another. "Bryce?" Cortney whispers. "I don't know," he says, his voice barely audible. "But I don't want to leave you " The man's smile widens. "Good." Crimson irses illuminating in the blacks of his eyes.

Bryce feels the world tilt. The man's crimson eyes seem to pulse, sending waves of warmth through his chest. Cortney gasps beside him, her hand finding his. The clearing feels smaller now, the trees curving inward like they're watching. "There's no rush," the man says, his voice a low hum. "But the night won't wait forever." Tara steps away from the tree, her movements fluid, unhurried. She reaches for the hem of Cortney's shirt and pulls it over her head, letting it fall to the ground. The moonlight traces her skin. She looks at Cortney, then at Bryce, her smile knowing. "See? Nothing to be afraid of.", they notice her eyes are hazed over. Cortney's breath hitches. She turns to Bryce, her eyes searching his. He sees the question there, the same question burning in his own chest. He nods, barely. Cortney reaches for the buttons of Bryce's shirt. Her fingers tremble, but she works them open one by one, pushing the fabric off his shoulders. It falls to the forest floor. Bryce's hands find the hem of her pants pulling it slowly. The fabric slides down her thighs. She stands before him in the dim light, her skin pale and warm. The man in the leather jacket watches, his smile patient. Tara steps closer, her hand brushing Cortney's arm. "You're doing beautifully," she whispers. Bryce's hands find Cortney's waist. She pulls at his belt, her movements growing bolder. The buckle clinks, and his jeans drop to the ground. He steps out of them, kicking them aside. Cortney's fingers trace his chest, his shoulders, his neck. She pulls him closer. The man laughs softly. "Good. Very good."

Bryce and Cortney turn to face the man. His crimson eyes pulse brighter, and he steps closer, his presence filling the clearing. "Do you feel it?" he murmurs. "The lust bulding." Bryce's body is humming, every nerve ending alive. He looks at Cortney, at Tara, at the man. He nods. The man moves with inhuman grace, closing the distance between them. He takes Bryce's chin in his hand, tilting his head to the side. "This will only hurt for a moment," he says. And then his fangs sink deep into Bryce's neck. Bryce gasps, his body arching. Pain—sharp and electric—floods through him. But then the venom hits. It's like liquid fire, spreading through his veins, turning everything to pleasure. He feels himself harden, feels the heat pool in his groin. He moans, his knees buckling, but the man holds him up, drinking. Cortney watches, her mouth open. She feels a pull, a desperate need to be next. Tara guides her forward. "Our turn will come," Tara whispers, and the man releases Bryce, turning to Cortney. His fangs sink into her throat. She cries out, but the venom is already working, turning her pain to pleasure. She feels her body respond, feels the slick heat between her thighs. Bryce steadies her, his eyes now glowing faintly crimson. The man steps back, his work complete. He gestures to Tara. "Show them what they've become." Tara takes Bryce's hand and guides it to Cortney's chest. Then she kisses him, her tongue laced with venom, and Bryce feels himself slipping further, the transformation taking hold. He turns to Cortney, his hunger matching hers. They fall together, the night swallowing them whole. The man watches, satisfied, as the three become something more. The woods sigh, the stars wheel overhead, and the dance begins anew.