Shadows of Sin

Click—

With a sharp click, the door slammed shut behind Karan. Step— Dusting off his coat and adjusting his collar, he stepped forward, greeted by a wave of deafening music and blinding strobe lights pulsing intermittently, slicing through the club's suffocating darkness. And what this darkness hid beneath was something his findings about Angel's Garden as 'heaven on earth' hadn't prepared him for.

The crowd writhed in a depraved, hedonistic frenzy—bodies grinding, sweat-slicked and half-naked, as they guzzled liquor and snorted glittering lines of powder off mirrored surfaces. Couples, and sometimes more, tangled in brazen, and shameless displays of lust, lips and tongues clashing and devouring each other in the shadowy corners, hands clawing and groping beneath scant clothing.

Thick clouds of acrid smoke—laced with the chemical tang of illicit substances—curled from their mouths, mingling with the stench of spilled alcohol and unwashed desire. Shady figures in tailored suits passed vials of glowing liquids, while others jabbed needles into willing veins, fueling their delirium with whatever "exclusive" highs the young braggart outside had raved about.

"Now, this is pure madness," Karan muttered. And it was.

Navigating through the chaotic throng, brushing past countless bodies, he reached the bar counter and took a seat.

"Oh my! We've got quite a handsome one here," an enchanting feminine voice cut through the music, reaching Karan's ears.

Following the voice, a stunning figure emerged from behind the bar. Her long blonde hair cascaded in waves, her hazel eyes, flecked with gold locking onto Karan's warm brown ones, elevated to his height by black stiletto heels.

Her fair skin glowed under the neon ambience of the bar, her slender legs barely concealed by sheer black leggings and shorts, cinched with a thigh strap that accentuated her curvy hips. A playful smile danced on her plump red lips, a small plastic straw tucked between them.

"What'll it be, handsome? Beer? Gin? Vodka? Tequila? Whiskey? Rum? Or… something exclusive?" she purred, leaning forward to rest her ample chest—barely contained by a tight white crop top that exposed her midriff, finished with a black bow tie—on the counter. Her every movement, from her sultry gaze to her delicate hands, her cheery lips curled in a coquettish smile to the mellow fragrance exuding from her silky hairs hair, radiated sensuality.

"Hmmm, exclusive," Karan mused, as if weighing a grave decision. He rose slowly, leaning close to her ear. "I like the sound of that," he whispered softly into her ear.

"Ooh~ I like the straightforward honesty~" she cooed, turning around to prepare his cocktail with a deft, almost theatrical flair, mixing a variety of liquors and other ingredients into a shaker.

Shake! Shake! Tap!

She set a cocktail flute before him and poured the vibrant mixture. Plop! She took out the lollipop from her mouth, gave it a sensual lick, and dropped it into the glass before sliding it toward him.

Fizzz—

The drink fizzled as the lollipop sank to the bottom.

Karan reached out for the flute, but before he could grab a hold of it grasp it, she hooked a finger into his collar, pulling him close. "Meet me in the staff room after you finish your drink, handsome," she whispered, her breath warm against his ear. "I've got something very special, just for you." With that, she released Karan's collar and sauntered away.

A faint smile curved Karan's lips as he swirled the cocktail. Spotting a random reveler stumbling past, lost in a drug-induced haze, he grabbed the man's arm.

"H-hey!" the stranger slurred, barely able to stand under the heavy influence of his high.

Without a glance, Splash! Karan splashed the drink in his face, giving him no chance to protest.

Setting the empty flute on the bar, Karan got up from his seat and left the scene.

"Mmm?" Plop— Taking out the lollipop from his mouth, the man licked the liquid from his lips. "It's g-good. Oie! Bartender! Give m-me another glass of this!" he slurred, oblivious to Karan's departure.

Weaving through the sea of inebriated dancers, he reached the back of the counter, stopping before a door labeled "Staff Room," and knocked twice.

Knock— Knock—

To which, "It's open, handsome" a seductive voice called from within.

Creak—

Opening the door, Karan stepped into the staff room. Inside the dimly lit enclosure, the bartender perched on the edge of a desk, her blonde hair tousled, her black bow tie loosened, and the top buttons of her white crop top undone, revealing a glimpse of her cleavage. Her presence radiated an alluring aura, yet there was a strange fragility to it.

She slid off the desk but misjudged her step. Baam! "Ouch!" Her stiletto heel twisted, sending her tumbling to the floor. 'Why does this feel like déjà vu?' Karan thought, observing her with a faint smirk.

She scrambled to her feet, brushing off the fall as if nothing happened with a forced smile, but her cheeks were flushed with a hint of embarrassment. She approached Karan, attempting a sensual sway, but her steps faltered slightly, betraying her unease. Her delicate fingers grabbed his collar, mimicking her earlier boldness at the bar, but the grip trembled faintly.

Click—

Softly locking the door behind him, she tiptoed forward, leaning in for a kiss but Karan gently pressed a finger to her soft, cherry-red lips and stopped her approach. "Shhh. What's the rush?" he whispered.

Her hazel eyes met his, wide and uncertain for a fleeting moment before she masked it with a sultry gaze. Hesitantly, she parted her lips, taking his finger into her mouth and sucking gently—a bold move marred by the awkward way her hands fidgeted at her sides, as if unsure where to rest. "So, you're someone who enjoys foreplay," she said coquettishly, her voice lilting with practiced charm, but a slight quiver undercut her confidence.

Karan's sharp gaze caught the subtle tells: the way her shoulders tensed, the fleeting glance toward the door, the nervous bite of her lip when she thought he wasn't looking. Her sensuality, though captivating, felt like a costume she wasn't used to wearing, a performance shadowed by a quiet desperation she couldn't quite conceal.

Amused by her performance, Karan decided to play along with her. He withdrew his finger from her moist mouth, gripped her slender waist, and lifted her effortlessly, turning to pin her gently against the door. "I won't deny that," he murmured, his warm breath teasing her ear as he grazed her earlobe with a slow, deliberate bite.

In response, she wrapped her slender legs tightly around his waist, her thighs trembling with a mix of desire and nervous anticipation, her breathing growing heavy and ragged—Hah—Hah—as she tugged his face to her neck, her pulse racing beneath his lips.

"Mmm~" Her soft moan, laced with a desperate edge, was swallowed by the pulsing music and raucous shouts beyond the door.

"So, why did the club put an invitation-only entry tonight?" he asked softly, his fingers teasingly untying her bow tie, letting it slip to reveal the flushed curve of her neck.

"Mmm~? How would I know? I'm just a humble bartender, here to serve and please," she purred, her breath ragged and warm as she eased his coat off, her fingers tracing his shoulders with a quiet yearning, trembling with nervous fervor.

Karan, savoring her faltering boldness, lifted her from the door with a firm grip, setting her on the desk's edge. His fingers deftly unbuttoned her crop top, parting the fabric to reveal a velvet-red bra with black stitching that clung to her heaving curves.

"Hmmph~!!" she moaned softly, her voice quivering as she pressed her delicate hands to her flushed face, embarrassment clashing with a surge of desire. Her fingers tightened on the desk's edge as a fleeting glance at his chocolatey brown eyes betrayed a spark of unspoken longing.

"In that sense, you're not playing your part well enough," he teased, his voice a low, velvet taunt that sent a shiver down her spine.

At his words, her hands, trembling with a strange urgency, clutched his collar, pulling herself closer with a fevered edge, her lips grazing his neck in fevered kisses, leaving smudged red lipstick like fervent marks of longing.

Her fingers, tentative yet eager, slipped inside his shirt, tracing the taut contours of his chest with a touch that faltered, as if captivated by his allure. "Don't say that, handsome," she whispered, her voice cracking with nervous bravado.

"Then prove me wrong," he murmured slyly.

"I don't know the details, but I overheard some 'VVIPs' plan to unveil a new product tonight. Only those with connections—like you—got invites to distribute it globally," her breath a fervent whisper.

Karan leaned over her, his frame casting a shadow as he pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, his knee pressing firmly between her thighs, parting them with deliberate intent. His lips found her neck, trailing slow, searing kisses that elicited a soft moan. "Mm, gentle…" she murmured, her voice barely a breath, lost in the haze of his touch. He leaned closer, his whisper hot against her ear: "And where are they?"

Her eyes fluttered shut, her body arching instinctively into his touch, caught in a haze of sensation and a flicker of something deeper. "Mmm~? Not sure… maybe in the owner's office, drinking?" Her words slurred with distraction, her brow furrowed as she sifted through her clouded thoughts. "Now that you've mentioned it, I saw three men accompanying the owner earlier, heading to his office on the first floor with a heavy-looking black briefcase." Her brow furrowed deeper, a spark of clarity cutting through her haze. "But, why are you asking these random questions, handsome?"

Silence responded to her question. The grip on her wrists vanished. "Hmm? Handsome?" She opened her eyes, blinked, and sat up, her breath catching, lips parted as if still chasing the warmth of his touch. "Huh?" Beside her, the room was empty, with subtle thumps of loud music to accompany her—a hollow echo of the intimacy that had pulsed between them moments ago. A chill crawled down her spine, the air unnaturally still, as if his presence had dissolved into the shadows themselves. "Handsome? Where'd you go?"

Step— Step—

Crisp footsteps sliced through the club's thumping music. From the first-floor railing, Karan scanned the crowd below—hooping, dancing, taking drugs, and losing themselves in reckless indulgence.

He adjusted his coat and shirt's collar, stopping before a door flanked by two burly men in black. As he reached for the handle, the guard on the left blocked him, shoving a heavy hand against his chest. "Sir, entry beyond this point is restricted."

Karan raised a brow, exhaling sharply, Sigh~ "I don't have time for this." His fingers clamped the guard's wrist like a vice, twisting with a bone-shattering snap, Snap! That echoed in the narrow hall.

"Aagh!" the guard howled, his arm buckling as he clutched it in agony.

"You bastard!" The second guard swung a wild hook, knuckles slicing through the air.

Karan ducked, his shadow flickering like smoke, and seized the extended arm, wrenching it taut. His elbow crashed into the guard's face Baam! "Kuargh!" With a meaty baam, blood spraying sprayed across the railing as the man staggered back, clutching his shattered nose.

"Haa!" The first guard, eyes blazing with pain-fueled rage, lunged with a clumsy fist. Karan sidestepped, fluid as a phantom, his coat swirling in the dim light. He grabbed the guard's other wrist, snapping it with a sickening crack, Crack! "Aaargh!" The guard's scream bled into the club's EDM, his limp, dangling wrist giving him the eerie look of a yurei from Japanese folklore.

Blood streaming from his nose, the second guard fumbled at his holster for his pistol, fingers slick with sweat as he aimed at Karan. With a predator's instinct, Karan yanked the yurei-like guard forward, his body a sagging shield.

"You motherfuck*r!" the armed guard roared, firing a burst of silenced shots. Bang! Bang!

The silencer barely muffled the gunfire, its sharp pops swallowed by the music, unnoticed by the revelers below. Blood pooled on the floor, dark and glistening, as the yurei-like guard groaned, his body jerking with each bullet before slumping lifelessly.

"You can have him," Karan said, hurling the corpse with a flick of his wrist towards toward the shooter.

"Hmph!" The guard stumbled under the corpse's weight, boots skidding on the blood-slick floor as he shoved it aside with a grunt. He raised his pistol, eyes darting, but Karan was gone. "Huh?" A tap on his shoulder jolted him. He spun to face Karan's cold, mocking smile, inches away, his shadow looming like a specter.

"Good night," Karan said, his fist slamming into the guard's broken nose with a wet crunch, Crunch! Sending him crumpling to the floor, out cold.

Dusting his coat, Karan approached the door. Click— It swung open, and—Swish—a dark hand shot toward his neck like the strike of a venomous viper. With inhuman reflexes, Karan shifted right, his shadow rippling like liquid, reaching for the assailant's wrist. But the dark hand adjusted mid-strike with a light slight tilt, its radius cracking against Karan's with bruising force, forcing him back a step.

"Now, this is interesting," Karan said, a smirk curling his lips. Two black-hooded men loomed before him, their faces shrouded in darkness. Behind them, a third figure in a red hood gripped a half-bald man airborne by the neck, icy pale hands plunging a cold, metallic syringe into his throat. The substance glowed faintly, veins pulsing under the man's skin like writhing worms as he choked out, "Kuargh!" The red-hooded figure's blood-red eyes locked straight onto Karan's, glinting with cold menace.