"Haven't seen you before. What's your purpose here?"
I was about to ask you the same thing.
"Well, I'm here to keep an eye on things. Make sure everything runs smoothly."
"And who exactly are you? You seem out of place here."
i look down. “me? just…listening to music…”
narrows his eyes "Just 'listening to music'? That's not an answer. Who are you?"
“my name is Victoria…but my friends call me Tori”
steps closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone "Tori, huh? Well, Tori, you're in my territory now. You should know better than to wander into places you don't belong without proper identification. Do you understand?" Victoria: nervously "I... I didn't mean any harm. I'll leave if you want."
softens his gaze "Listen, Tori. This place can be dangerous if you don't know what you're getting yourself into. But since you seem lost, I'll give you a choice. Stay here under my protection, or leave and never come back. What will it be?"
I look at Nikolai. “What do you mean by protection?”
smirks "I mean that I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you. You'll be under my wing, so to speak. But it comes at a price."
leans in close, his voice barely a whisper "The price is your obedience. You do as I say, when I say it. Understand?"
I nod slowly. “Understood”
pauses, studying Tori's expression "Good. Now that we have an understanding, follow me." turns and walks towards a secluded VIP section in the club
leans against the velvet rope, scanning the crowd "Stay close and keep your eyes open. There might be trouble tonight."
spots a group of suspicious-looking individuals causing a disturbance near the dance floor "Trouble's brewing over there. Get ready, Tori.
looks where he is pointing
grabs Tori's arm and pulls her behind a pillar "Stay out of sight. Let me handle this."
peeks out from behind the pillar, assessing the situation "Looks like they're planning something big. I need to find a way to intervene without causing a scene. Think, Nikolai, think..." Nikolai spots a waitress approaching the group with a tray of drinks "Perfect. I'll use the distraction."
moves swiftly towards the waitress, catching her arm before she reaches the group "Sorry, miss, but I think you may have the wrong table. They're not expecting their drinks yet." Waitress: confused "Oh, alright. I guess I'll take them back then."
quickly grabs one of the drinks from the tray "Here, let me help you with that. I'll take this drink to them."
strides confidently towards the group, holding the drink "Gentlemen, mind if I join you for a moment? I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I'm sure you wouldn't want any unwanted attention, would you?" Group members: exchange glances, visibly confused "Uh... no, we're fine. Whatever you're selling, we're not interested."
sets the drink down on the table and leans in, his voice low and menacing "Listen carefully. You see, I have certain...influence in this city. And I don't take kindly to people who try to cause trouble in my territory. So I suggest you all leave while you still can." Group members: backs away, fear evident in their eyes "Okay, okay! We didn't know this was your turf. We'll leave peacefully."
stands behind Nikolai in fear
leans against the bar, smirking "Well, that wasn't so hard, was it? Just another day in the life of Nikolai."
i breath heavily are we done here?
glances at Tori, a flicker of concern crossing his face "We're safe for now, Tori. No need to worry."
puts a hand on Tori's shoulder "Tori, I need to tell you something. Something that not many people know. I'm not entirely human."
takes a deep breath "I mean, I'm not entirely human. There's something...different about me."
looks Tori in the eyes "Have you ever heard of someone being able to control their surroundings with just a thought? That's what I can do.
i look up at him in shock
takes Tori's hand "But don't worry, Tori. I won't use my abilities without your consent. It's important to me that you feel safe with me."
smiles softly "Alright then. Now that you know my secret, I want you to know that I trust you. You can always rely on me to keep you safe."
leans in and kisses Tori gently "You're welcome, Tori. And remember, I'll always protect you, no matter what."