The little café on the corner was a warm refuge from the chaos of the last few days. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, pooling on polished wood tables and the sweet scent of roasted coffee beans filled the air.
Elise sat pressed between Anastasia and Patricia, her swollen eyes still rimmed with red but her lips finally curving into a fragile smile. Lucian leaned back in his chair across from them, arms folded, crimson eyes watching the group with rare calm. Beside him, Devin quietly stirred his drink, stealing glances at Anastasia when he thought no one was looking.
Davon sat at the head of the table, his hand brushing Elise's now and then, wordlessly anchoring her to the present. For the first time in days, they laughed—softly, hesitantly, but it was laughter nonetheless.
Patricia teased Anastasia about how red her face had gotten when Devin treated her wounds. Lucian smirked, making a dry joke about Patricia herself blushing when she demanded to see his injuries. Elise let out a tiny giggle through her sniffles, leaning into Davon's shoulder. For one brief, fragile moment, they were just a group of friends, safe and alive.
---
The moment didn't last.
On their way out, the air felt different—colder, heavier, as though the city itself was holding its breath. The group walked down the sidewalk, their voices low, when a screech tore through the air.
Elise turned, her eyes widening.
A black sedan barreled down the street, swerving toward the curb—toward her.
"ELISE!" Anastasia screamed.
Time seemed to slow. Tires shrieked. Elise froze, her body rooted to the pavement as the car came closer and closer.
But then—
A hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her back just as the car grazed past. Elise stumbled but didn't hit the ground. She found herself pressed against Davon's chest, his arms wrapped tight around her trembling body.
For an instant—an impossible instant—everything had stopped. The world was still. The wind halted, the sound of traffic vanished, and even the flutter of her breath felt suspended.
And in that breathless silence, Davon's eyes glowed faintly, as though touched by something otherworldly.
Then, just as quickly, the moment broke. The sounds of the world returned—the honking horns, the pedestrians shouting in alarm. Elise gasped for air, clinging to Davon like he was the only solid thing left in existence.
"You…" she stammered, looking up at him in shock. "H-how did you—"
Davon forced a calm smile, masking the storm behind his eyes. "Doesn't matter," he said firmly. "You're safe. That's what matters."
---
But Elise wasn't the only one who noticed.
Across the street, half-hidden in the shadow of an alley, Ellie watched. Her lips curled into a wicked grin as she leaned forward, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"So… my dear cousin has secrets," she whispered.
Beside her, Nikki trembled, her eyes fixed on Davon as well. "Ellie… did you see that? What was that?"
Ellie smirked, her voice low and venomous. "Power. The kind that will tear them apart."
She reached into her coat, fingers brushing against a folded paper—her next move already mapped out.
Nikki glanced back at the group, at Elise still wrapped in Davon's arms, and a flicker of doubt crossed her face. But she said nothing.
The game wasn't over. It was only beginning.