The masochists

Elara stood on the rooftop across from the meeting location, her fingers gripping the scrap of paper the stranger had given her. Below, the warehouse loomed in the darkness, its metal frame rusted with age, but its purpose unmistakable. The Eclipse Syndicate operated in the shadows, but tonight, they had gathered in one place.

Waiting. Watching. Testing.

Rael crouched beside her, his gaze sharp. "You don't have to do this."

Elara exhaled slowly. "I know."

But she wanted to.

The hunger inside her had settled into something more controlled, more purposeful. The knowledge that Kalen and the Eclipse Syndicate saw her as a potential recruit—or a potential threat—only fueled her resolve. If she was going to carve her place in this world, she couldn't keep running. She had to move first.

Rael studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Then let's not waste time."

The inside of the warehouse was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of oil and steel. Shadows stretched long across the concrete floors, twisting unnaturally as figures moved within them.

Elara and Rael slipped inside unseen, their forms merging with the darkness. The moment they stepped beyond the threshold, Elara felt it—an oppressive weight, like the very air had thickened with raw, unfiltered power.

They weren't alone.

Figures stood in a loose formation, their faces obscured by masks or hoods. Some barely looked human, their auras pulsing with something dark and unnatural.

And at the center of it all, Kalen.

He stood with an air of casual authority, his coat draped over his shoulders, his golden eyes gleaming beneath the dim warehouse lights. He hadn't drawn his weapon. He didn't need to.

"You came," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "That means you're either bold or foolish."

Elara stepped forward, keeping her posture controlled. "Or maybe I just don't like being hunted."

A murmur rippled through the gathered Bonders, but Kalen only smirked. "Fair enough." His gaze flicked to Rael, then back to her. "But tell me, do you understand what you've stepped into?"

Elara held his stare. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

Kalen tilted his head, studying her. Then, he gestured to the others. "These are the ones who rule the undercurrent of Varos. They don't answer to the city. They own it. And now, you've caught their interest."

Elara's pulse quickened, but she didn't let it show. "And what exactly does that mean?"

Kalen's smirk deepened. "It means you have a choice."

The air around them shifted. The figures surrounding her moved slightly, their presences pressing against her like a silent storm.

"Join us," Kalen said, his voice low, almost inviting. "Or prove that you don't belong."

Elara inhaled, the weight of the moment sinking in. This wasn't just a test.

It was a challenge.

Rael's voice was steady. "Be careful."

Elara let a slow smile curl her lips. She wasn't afraid.

She was ready.