DEVIL'S PREY

A low rumble cut through the suburban quiet, growing into the aggressive roar of an engine. A black Hyundai SUV, matte and menacing, tore down the street at a speed that made the neighbour’s mailboxes tremble. Everyone knew exactly whom it belonged to.

“There goes the neighbourhood’s resident storm cloud,” Karima sang, watching the vehicle disappear. She turned back to Mia, a smirk already playing on her lips. “You know, you’ve been entirely too predictable lately.”

“I have not,” Mia said defensively, her dark ringlets bouncing with the slight shake of her head. “I’m just… content.”

“Content is another word for boring,” Karima shot back, leaning in conspiratorially. “So, I have something to spice things up. A dare.”

Mia raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “I’m listening.”

“I dare you to kiss Asher.” Karima said to Mia, a smirk playing on her lips. A wild mane of honey-blonde curls bounced as she leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her light brown eyes.

“Asher! Are you crazy, you want me to kiss ‘The Wall’?! The guy who looks like he gargles with gravel and communicates exclusively through death stares?” Mia jumped up, her own cascade of dark, spring-like curls tumbling over her shoulders. Her warm caramel skin flushed, and her large, expressive brown eyes widened in disbelief.

Asher was someone no one wanted to mess with, nobody knew much about him except that he had a hard exterior, was a baddass and never looked at any girl. He had a face that seemed carved from stone, with a sharp jaw and intense, brooding eyes that missed nothing. His hair was a chaotic masterpiece of bleached-blond curls that contrasted sharply with his dark, imposing eyebrows. He was beautiful in a way a storm is beautiful, captivating to look at from a distance, but utterly

terrifying to get close to. No one got close to him. He demonstrated allergy to looking at, let alone speaking to, any girl in town.

Karima thought she had found the perfect dare for her daring sister. They were only nine months apart.

. “What’s wrong, big sister? Are you scared?” she mocked, her voice laced with laughter. “I thought you were the one who never backed down from anything.”

The challenge in Karima’s eyes was a spark to her own competitive fire. She let out a long, deliberate sigh.

“What’s in it for me?”

“Oh, the stakes are high,” Karima said, her eyes widening. “You get bragging rights for the rest of human history. And…” she paused for dramatic effect, “my vintage black leather jacket. The one you’re always stealing. It’s yours. Permanently. Should you lose, you’ll be branded a loser.”

“Deal.” Mia said, slapping Karima’s outstretched hand.

“You have a week to do it.”

“There you are.” A new voice cut in. Ethan stood on the sidewalk parallel to the steps, one hand casually tucked in his pocket. “I’ve been looking for you two.”

“Well, we’re here, aren’t we?” Karima responded, suddenly fascinated with her own fingernails.

“Be nice,” Mia chided, nudging her sister.

Ethan ignored Karima’s attitude, his face lighting up. “I’ve got tickets to the underground fight tonight.” He pulled three worn paper stubs from his pocket.

Karima immediately jumped up, her eyes wide with excitement. “No way! Seriously?”

Mia groaned. “An underground fight? You mean that death trap where guys with more muscles than brain cells beat each other bloody?”

“The very one,” Ethan confirmed with a grin.

“This is perfect!” Karima squealed, turning to Mia. A calculating look replaced her excitement. “You know who always goes to those.”

Mia’s expression soured as the realization dawned on her. Asher.

Karima leaned in, her voice a triumphant whisper. “This is your chance.”

*****

The rain was a torrential downpour by the time they reached the abandoned warehouse. It hammered against the tin roof, a deafening drumbeat that vibrated through the soles of Mia’s boots. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of sweat, damp concrete, and electricity. A makeshift ring stood in the centre, brutally lit by overhead work lamps, surrounded by a roaring, pressing crowd.

“I can’t believe I let you two drag me here,” Mia yelled over the noise of the crowd, pulling her jean jacket tighter around herself. The chill of the warehouse seeped through the thick denim.

“Oh, lighten up! This is fun!” Karima shouted back, craning her neck. “Have you seen him yet?”

“I’m actively trying not to,” Mia muttered, scanning the room. And then she saw him.

Leaning on a pillar in the shadows, away from the fever pitch of the crowd. Just as Karima had described: a face carved from stone, bleached-blond curls a stark contrast to his dark, imposing brows. He was actively looking at the fight.

Karima jabbed Mia in the ribs with her elbow. “Showtime,” she whispered, her eyes wide with anticipation. “Go on. The jacket is calling your name.”

“Shut up,” Mia hissed, her heart suddenly pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird. “I have to have a strategy. I can’t just walk over there and plant one on him. He’ll probably break my nose.”

“Details, details,” Karima waved a dismissive hand. “Fortune favours the bold, sister.”

Mia’s heart hammered against her ribs, but she forced her feet to move, one after the other, up the metal steps. This was a terrible idea. It was the best idea she’d had all year. The clang of her boots announced her arrival. He didn’t even flinch.

“Excuse me,” she said, her voice sounding ridiculously small.

He didn’t react.

She cleared her throat and tried again, louder this time. “Hey!”

His head turned slowly, deliberately. His eyes, a shockingly cold grey, met hers. They held no warmth, no curiosity, just a flat, dismissive emptiness. It was like looking at a frozen lake.

“What?” His voice was a low rasp, barely audible over the rain and the fight.

“I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Mia.”

A corner of his mouth twitched, but it wasn’t a smile. “I didn’t ask.”

“I know. But I’m telling you anyway.” Mia took a deep breath, the dare echoing in her mind. Before she could say anything else, he walked away.

“What a jerk.” Mia muttered as she rolled her eyes.

“Better luck next time sister.” Mia turned to see Karima and Ethan.

“At least he didn’t break your arm though.

“I still got until Friday. Bring it on little sis.” Mia said a smirk playing on her face

Mia spent that week following Asher, she wanted to win the dare so much so that she wore her most seductive red dress and went to the club Asher usually went on Fridays. It was now more than about the jacket, she never wanted the words loser tattooed on her body.

“It’s never too late to backdown big sis.” Karima said her focus on the novel in her hands as she seats with her legs on the couch.

“Shut up! I got it.”

“Wish i was there, but the fucking cold. You have until midnight, good luck.”

Mia took a cab to club Vortex, she took a deep breathe and got into the club. She went directly to the bar.

“Off the rocks, please.” She said; her eyes scanning the room for the familiar stranger. There he was. Asher. Talking to a man in a suit, she observed him for a few minutes and ordered more shots. Some guy came to join her which made her a little distracted, she saw Asher walking out of the club. She finished her glass in one go.

“I have to go.” Mia said getting up. “Thanks for the drink though.”

“Where are you off to sweetheart?”

Mia shoved a dismissive wave as she walked towards the exit following Asher.

“Asher!” Mia’s voice echoed in the air and Asher stopped to look at her.

“I hear you’re dangerous.”

Asher smirked and walked up to her and stood real close to her and looked down at her, she had a switchblade in her hand as if she actually knew how to use it.

“You’re one wrong move from bleeding out, little girl.” He said twisting her arm just enough to hurt. Mia didn’t flinch or beg him to leave her, she just looked right at him and burst out laughing leaving him confused.

“You’re not scary, just sad. “ she said looking him dead in the eye. Tell you what,” Mia leaned in and whispered something in his ear.

“Try loving me instead.”

Asher went silent and he instantly let go of Mia’s arm and stepped back. His reaction was neutral. Before he could walk away again this time, Mia one of her palms on his cheek and the other pulled his collar as she leaned in to kiss him.

His lips were cold, unyielding, like stone. For a terrifying second, he didn’t respond at all. She felt a jolt of pure panic. He’s going to break my arm. He’s going to kill me. She started to pull away, her dare a catastrophic failure.

And then, everything changed.

His hand snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against his hard body with bruising force and slamming her back against the brick wall. Making her drop the switchblade. His other hand tangled in her hair, tilting her head back as his mouth crashed down on hers. The kiss wasn’t gentle or hesitant. It was savage. A claim. A punishment. It stole the air from her lungs and sent a shockwave of heat through her entire body. It was everything she had feared and nothing she could have ever expected.

When he finally broke the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. Mia’s mind was filled with shock, fear, and a terrifying thrill. She stared up at him, her lips tingling, her body trembling.

His grey eyes were like smouldering embers, burning with an intensity that pinned her in place. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear, his voice a raw, chilling whisper that would haunt her dreams.

“They saw you,” he murmured. “They saw you with me. You need to run. Now.”

“What does that mean?!” Mia whispered, her entire body shaking.

Asher’s burning eyes met hers, and his final word was a death sentence.

“Run.”