The Desperate Pact

The room was a cocoon of desperation, its walls whispering secrets. Silvia's knuckles were raw from gripping the splintered wood. Elizabeth's eyes darted toward the door, as if expecting it to burst open at any moment.

"We can't stay here," Elizabeth murmured, her voice barely audible. "Maria needs us."

Silvia's gaze flickered to the photograph—the three of them, bathed in sunlight. Maria's laughter seemed distant now, swallowed by the shadows. "We'll find her," Silvia vowed. "Even if it means facing those thugs again."

As if summoned by her words, the door creaked open. Two figures stepped inside—the Vanderhoff's hired muscle. Their eyes held no mercy, only greed. One A mountain of a man, Brutus stands well over six feet tall. His shoulders stretch the seams of his leather jacket, and his neck is thick as a tree trunk. His face is a roadmap of scars—battle wounds from countless brawls. His broken nose sits crooked, and his cauliflower ears testify to years spent in underground fight clubs.

The other Raven is the opposite of Brutus—lean, wiry, and elusive. Her movements are fluid, like a dancer's, but there's a coiled tension beneath her skin. Her hair is jet black, falling in uneven strands across her face. She rarely bothers with makeup; her beauty lies in the dangerous glint in her eyes.Raven's attire is all black—skin-tight leather pants, combat boots, and a sleeveless shirt that reveals sinewy arms. A silver dagger pendant hangs around her neck.Her eyes are her most striking feature—piercing blue, like shards of ice. They miss nothing, assessing

Silvia's heart raced. "What do you want?"

Brutus cracked his knuckles. "Your sister's location. The Vanderhoff wants her."

Silvia's resolve hardened. "We won't betray her."

Elizabeth clung to the photograph, her voice trembling. "We're bound by blood."

Raven sneered. "Blood won't save you."

Silvia lunged, her makeshift weapon striking the Brutus' knee. He grunted, but his partner grabbed her. Elizabeth screamed, her fingers digging into the photograph.

"Tell us," Raven hissed. "Or we'll break you."

Silvia met Elizabeth's eyes. "Remember our pact," she whispered. "For Maria."

As blows rained down, Silvia wondered if sisterhood could withstand brutality.

Silvia's screams echoed through the room, her body convulsing under the relentless blows. Blood splattered the walls, a macabre mural of pain. Elizabeth, her face swollen and eyes half-closed, clung to consciousness. The hired thugs showed no mercy—only greed and cruelty.

Silvia thought- "Maria, forgive me." The pain seared through her, each blow a reminder of their vulnerability. She thought of Maria—the sister they'd sworn to protect. Was Maria safe? Or had Thorne ensnared her too?We're stronger together. Silvia's fingers grazed the photograph—the three of them, arms around each other. Maria's laughter echoed in that frozen moment. She couldn't let their bond break, even if it meant enduring this brutality.

As Elizabeth listen to Silvia screaming she began to ask "Maria, where are you? "

Her swollen eyes searched the room, desperate for a sign. Maria was their beacon—the one who'd always protected them. But now, Maria needed them. Elizabeth's heart clenched.I won't break. The thugs laughed, taunting her. But Elizabeth clung to her sister's hand, their blood mingling. They were bound by more than flesh and bone. Their love was a shield against the darkness.

"Where is she?" the Brutus demanded, his knuckles stained crimson. "Maria."

Silvia spat blood, her voice a ragged whisper. "Go to hell."

Raven laughed, a sound devoid of humanity. "Hell? We're already there."

They kicked Silvia again, ribs cracking. Elizabeth's vision blurred. She remembered Maria's laughter, their childhood games. Now, they were shadows—broken, bleeding, and betrayed.

"Tell us," the taller thug hissed. "Or we'll finish what we started."

Elizabeth's fingers grazed the photograph—the three of them, arms around each other. Maria's face seemed to fade, slipping through their desperate grasp. "For Maria," Elizabeth gasped, her voice raw. "We endure."

As darkness closed in, Silvia's hand found Elizabeth's. They clung to each other, sisters bound by blood and suffering. 

Silvia's vision blurred, her body a canvas of pain. The hired thugs had left them for dead, their footsteps fading into the night. Elizabeth lay beside her, breathing shallow, their sisterhood hanging by a thread.

And then, from the darkness, Damien Thorne emerged—a specter in a tailored suit. His eyes held vast mysteries, and Silvia wondered if he was their salvation or another kind of predator.

"Silvia," he said, his voice like silk. "Elizabeth. You have a choice."

Elizabeth's fingers twitched. "A choice?"

Thorne circled them, shadows clinging to his form. "Life or death. A pact with consequences."

Silvia's mind raced. "What do you want?"

His smile was cryptic. "Your loyalty. Your souls. In exchange, I'll heal you."

Elizabeth's gaze met Silvia's. "Maria—"

Thorne's eyes bore into theirs. "Maria is mine. But you can save her."

Silvia clenched her fists. "What's the catch?"

His laughter echoed. "A debt. Eternal servitude."

Elizabeth whispered, "For Maria."

Thorne extended his hand. "Agree, and you'll live. Refuse, and you'll fade into oblivion."

Silvia hesitated, torn between love and survival. "We choose life."

As they clasped his hand, Silvia wondered if they'd just made a deal with the devil.

After Silvia and Elizabeth chose life, Damien Thorne's eyes held a mixture of satisfaction and hunger. He stepped closer, his presence both intoxicating and chilling.

"Very well," Thorne murmured, his voice like a serpent's whisper. "A wise decision."

Silvia's mind raced. What had they just agreed to? The pain still throbbed in her bones, but now there was something else—an undercurrent of power, ancient and dark.

Elizabeth clung to Silvia's hand. "What now?"

Thorne's lips brushed Elizabeth's forehead. "Rest," he said. "Tomorrow, you'll awaken anew."

As the room blurred, Silvia wondered if they'd just traded one kind of darkness for another. Two days—time enough for their humanity to slip away, replaced by insatiable hunger. And Maria—where was she in this twisted dance of shadows?